The Rancher's Rules Read Online Free PDF

walked out the kitchen door, slamming it behind him.
     

Chapter 3
    Annie didn’t know where they were going, but she did know one thing – she wasn’t going over Rafe’s knee for disobeying him and his rules. She was more than a little grateful for that. She’d gotten the belt once already from Rafe and didn’t want to ever get it again. Besides, she was still sore from the spanking that she got last night. She really didn’t understand how Rafe thought he had the right to do that to her, but whether he did or not wouldn’t stop him from doing it. Seemed he did what he wanted to do when he wanted to do it. Annie thought she’d best keep that in mind at all times as far as Rafe Stanton was concerned.
    They rode in silence for a while. Rafe had hitched a team to the wagon, so Annie assumed that they were heading into town for supplies; otherwise, they could have ridden their own horses. She also assumed that he was only taking her along because he didn’t trust her enough to leave her alone at the ranch.
    “So what exactly do you need to get in town?” Annie thought she’d attempt a little conversation. It didn’t seem to be Rafe’s strong suit, but they were almost to town, and if the talk fell flat, their arrival in the busy town would replace any missing conversation.
    “We’re gonna get you a dress. Or two.” Rafe kept his eyes straight ahead.
    Was he serious? She couldn’t buy a dress. She didn’t have any money. Annie started shaking her head, which Rafe caught out of the corner of his eye.
    “Now what are you saying no to?”
    “I can’t buy a dress, Rafe. I don’t have any money for a dress. I wish you would’ve asked me before we left. Is that all we come into town for? You have some other business, right?” Annie started fretting something fierce over it. He’d be even madder now if they made a trip for nothing. Now she’d be sure to get the strap.
    “I’m buying the clothes for you, seeing as I made the rule. I’ll buy the clothes so you can follow my rule.” Rafe left no room for argument, or so he thought. “But I do have a few other things to tend to while you’re in the mercantile.”
    “You can’t buy me clothes.” She tried to be firm.
    The wagon stopped as Rafe pulled back on the team. He turned to look Annie straight in the eye with a piercing glare. “No little girl is going to tell me what I can and cannot do. You need the clothes. I’m buying them for you, whether you like it or not. And then I want to see them on you every day, whether you like that or not too. You’ll follow my rules and mind me instead of arguing with me from now on. Do you understand?”
    Annie’s mouth had dropped open while he spoke and she quickly closed it and nodded, afraid to speak all of a sudden.
    Finally , Rafe thought, no argument, no back talk . No sass . It was a nice change of pace.
    Now, Rafe wasn’t really sure why he was itching to buy some dresses for Annie. He had no real claim to her and was only temporarily responsible for her. But hearing her talk about having only one dress had bothered him. He had imagined that she had plenty of dresses and just chose to wear britches because she was ornery and wanting to be difficult. And he still thought that that was part of it. Rafe also thought Annie wore men’s clothes to keep men at arm’s length. Maybe male attention actually made her uncomfortable. At that thought, Rafe began to see her more for what she was – a scared little girl afraid to be the woman she was becoming – than what she liked to pretend to be – a tough young woman who didn’t need anybody.
    He pulled the team up to the livery and Annie jumped down. Rafe went to speak to the man working the stables and then joined her on the boardwalk. They headed to the shop.
    A small bell tinkled above the door when Annie and Rafe entered the mercantile. There seemed to be only a small number of people milling about the large store, some gathering items and a few just