Unchained by Suzanne Halliday, Jenny Sims Read Free Book Online Page B

got louder as a horse approached. No need to turn around and see who it was. Her smile widened until it hurt.
    A gorgeous blond mustang trotted alongside and adjusted its pace to match hers. The horse was new—a recent acquisition courtesy of the big denim-clad man astride its back. And the sole reason he’d purchased the beast? Because of its color. She had it on good authority that Calder Dane was quite partial to blondes these days.
    A short quack of laughter had escaped her throat before Stephanie managed an awkward cough to cover up the amusement swirling inside. Was anything more appealing than an overprotective man? She doubted it. With the Justice compound and Marquez Villa being ground zero for badass alphas suffering from terminal vigilance where their women and families were concerned, it was a trait she encountered on a daily basis.
    Readjusting her grip on the reins, she quickly glanced to the side and then looked away. After a dramatic sigh, she pursed her lips and flipped the Southern Belle switch, opting for full twang with a saucy bite.
    “What took you so long, shugah? Po’ little me needed rescuing, at least, three times since I left the stable.”
    Calder’s wickedly hot chuckle snaked around every active nerve ending in her body. “Duchess,” he drawled, “you were told not to venture out into the desert by yourself. Rescuing you would not be necessary if you had just obeyed.”
    Obeyed! As if. Arching an eyebrow, she fixed him with her best ‘Eat shit’ expression. “Got a belt buckle that says you’re an ass.”
    Both horses whinnied in unison as his laugh rang out across the desert floor. “Zip it, rodeo gal. Don’t care how many barrel races you won as a kid. And just to be clear, that belt buckle won’t stop me from hauling your Georgia-peach ass over my lap for an old-fashioned spanking.”
    Trying to appear indignant—difficult to do when you’re struggling not to laugh—she flipped her hair and shot him a pointed glare.
    “What is it with you Justice boys and this fascination with spanking? Did y’all spit sideways into the wind and swear a drunken oath under the desert moon to earn bottom slapping privileges?”
    “Maybe.” An eyebrow waggle accompanied Calder’s teasing reply. Could he be more adorable? “And don’t play coy with me, woman. You like getting your ass smacked.”
    “Hush.” She snickered. “A lady never admits to enjoying such brutish behavior.”
    He laughed some more. “You don’t have to admit shit, Stephanie. Your beautiful ass and my smacking hand are so well acquainted that pretending to have an aversion to my brutish ways is pointless.”
    A quick yank on the reins and her horse instantly halted. “Stop changing the subject.”
    “The subject, as I recall, was your failure to abide by my directives, followed by an empty threat involving a buckle, and the assurance by me that even on horseback, I can spank your disobeying ass.”
    Muttering darkly, she looked at him with eyes obscured by a glowering frown. “That damn word was invented by men. Obey,” she spit out. “I mean, really?”
    When she stopped her horse, his continued a few steps before Calder pulled the Mustang alongside hers. Close enough that it was easy for him to reach out and wrap a big, warm hand around her neck.
    “Got a complaint, have you? Kiss your lord and master with that irascible mouth and I’ll present your grievance at the next Justice Boys’ club meeting.”
    “Lord and master?” She shrieked a scant second before his mouth descended and she forgot her name, forgot where they were, and forgot to care about anything except the thrill of his lips claiming hers.
    Tasting desire, his and hers, Stephanie surrendered. It was always like this with Calder. He said more with one kiss than her heart could contain. And it only got better the longer they were together. Believing love was nothing but a brief memory from her long-ago past, she’d replaced the dated