Reno was in no mood to look at anything. “Do you realize what could’ve happened to you?” He tore his hand through his hair. “Anything!”
“Reno, I’m fine. I found kittens.” She held them out like she once offered a carrot to a snorting mustang.
The haze of fear was beginning to wear off. “Kittens?”
“Yes, someone threw them away. We can’t leave them here. They’re too small.”
“What are we going to do with kittens?”
“Here. Hold them. I’ll go buy some milk.”
Reno returned to the Subaru and held two black and white kittens in his lap until Journey returned. Once she was behind the wheel, she took the top off a short Styrofoam container and poured some milk into it. “Hold it so they can drink.”
“I’ll swanny.” Reno managed a smile while he watched the tiny little creatures drink. They were lapping so hard and fast that they were throwing drops of milk up onto their own faces. “They are something, aren’t they?”
“Yes, cute and helpless.”
“What are we going to do with them?”
She sighed as she steered the car back onto the road. “There’s no shelters open at this time of night. We’ll just have to take them with us.”
Since it was getting too dark for Reno to read, he amused himself with the tiny cats. “You have a tender heart, don’t you, my Journey?”
“I guess so. I hate injustice, especially when the victims are small or helpless.”
He understood. “Yea, me too.”
“And that’s why you have to do what you have to do.” She shrugged, thinking of what lay ahead for him. “While you’ve been reading, I’ve been considering our plan. I don’t think I should try to take Cinnamon. I want to be on Traveler with you, that way I’ll be more likely to not be lost in the shuffle when we go through the portal.”
“That makes sense.” He stroked the head of one of the kittens and was rewarded with a resounding purr.
She was surprised when he didn’t say anything more. She’d expected him to say something about it being wiser if she just stayed in her own time. “Good. What are you thinking?”
“I’m thinking how I plan to spank that sweet ass of yours when we get into a room for the night.”
“You plan to do what?” She asked in a tone far softer than the question deserved.
As if attempting to instruct an errant child, he repeated himself. “When we get in a room, I’m going to sit on the bed and bend you over my lap. Then, I’m going to pull up your skirt, pull down your panties, and heat your bottom until it’s rosy pink.”
Journey paused. She knew this man – or she thought she did. He was not cruel. “Is this a sex thing that mid-nineteenth century cowboys are into?”
Reno bit his bottom lip to keep from chuckling. “Maybe. And I won’t deny that I will most likely get some sexual gratification out of seeing you all naked and plump across my knees. Not to mention the pleasure I’ll receive from my palm warming your luscious derriere.”
By this time Journey was feeling a little tingly between her legs. “And why did this raunchy activity come to your mind as entertainment for the evening?”
Reno continued to pet the kittens. “Because you aged me ten years back there. When I came out and could not find you, a thousand horrors bombarded my poor brain. What if someone hurt you? Stole you? Raped you? Killed you?” With each question his voice grew more desperate. “You belong to me, Journey. Whether we spend our life together or not – you’ll always belong to me.”
“We will be together.”
Her quick announcement seemed to have no effect on him. “You’ve got to promise me something.”
“What?”
“This world is a dangerous place. As the man who loves you above all others, it is my responsibility to keep you safe. It is my honor to keep you safe.”
“Reno…”
He shook his head and she stopped speaking. Obviously, this was important to him.
“I need you to promise me that if I tell you to do something, you’ll do it. No questions asked. If you are walking down a path and I say stop, I want you to stop. There could be a snake about to strike. If I tell you to go in the house right now, you go in the house. There could be a tornado coming or a wolf or a lunatic with an axe about to attack. Just know, I will not be asking you to do things just to amuse myself. And I won’t be asking you to do something just to punish you.”
By this time, Journey wanted to laugh – but she didn’t dare.
“I want you to know that you can trust me. Above all things, you can trust me. The only reason I’d ever ask you to obey me is to guard you. To keep you. To protect you. To keep you safe. Do you understand?”
“Yes, I do.”
He let out a long, soft sigh. “Good. I’m glad.”
“Does this mean I still get a spanking?”
“Yes, it does.”
She turned her full attention to the road. “Good.”
CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE
Night was fully upon them when they crossed the Mississippi River into Memphis. Journey was tired, but she was still fully alert. Reno and the kittens, bless their hearts, were sound asleep. Her heart melted at the sight. Actually, she was learning some surprising things about herself. Not only did she like seeing a bit of Reno’s jealous side, she was equally turned on by his dominant behavior. Especially since he’d completely convinced her of his sincere concern for her best interest.
Checking the GPS, she smiled at the thought of the hotel
