The Virgin's Tale

A Western Spanks, Stand-Alone Story
Every girl in Colter Canyon has her eye on Nick Helm. Every girl except Elizabeth, that is. The only thing she wants from him is a marriage of convenience.

To keep her ranch, and her dignity, Elizabeth must marry soon. When Nick accepts her proposal, Elizabeth is certain the handsome cowboy will go back to carousing and chasing skirts. Apart from her wealth, she has nothing to offer any man. Shy, awkward and reclusive, she prefers the solitude of painting and reading.

The only woman Nick intends to pursue is his infuriating wife, Elizabeth. He wants to court her. He wants to toss her over his knee. He wants everything but a marriage of convenience. Finally, he sees his chance. After he discovers one of her romantic novels, he forms the perfect scheme to seduce his skittish bride.

From Chapter Two
Elizabeth followed her husband down the hallway to the library. Her heart beat frantically, her breathing shallow as she fretted about what he had in mind. She stepped inside the library and found it dimly lit with several candles and a gentle fire burning in the fireplace.

“Sit by the fire. Read the papers on the table.” He shut the door behind them and locked it.

She picked up the papers and read. “The Knight’s Quest,” she murmured and looked up at him in surprise. “What’s this?”

He sat down across from her. “It’s a story. I wrote it.”

It took her a moment to find a response. “You wrote this?”

He shrugged. “It’s just the first chapter.”

She leaned back and tilted the pages to the firelight. She read silently about the knight riding his horse through forests and fields of wildflowers until he came to a tower.

She was stunned. All day she imagined what he might say to her at dinner, certain that for some reason he would leave her. Alone again, she’d have no defenses against her uncle and cousins who coveted her land and possessions. But instead of discussing an annulment, he wanted her to read a story about a knight of old. She gave a breathless laugh at the turn of events.

“It’s very nice,” she said. “Is there going to be a damsel in distress in the tower?”

“You have to keep reading.” Sprawled across a rosewood armchair, his immense proportions dwarfed the delicate piece.

“Why did you write this?”

“I found one of your books the other day.”

“Y-you read one of my books?”

He shrugged. “I never spend time with you. I thought I might see what you read. I read the one about the Viking... Thor’s Shield Maiden or something.”

She waited for him to make some cutting remark. To tease or perhaps shame her. “You thought it was absurd, I’m sure.”

“I liked it better than the one about the pirate. The books all end when they get married. That’s no good.”

“The wedding means they have their happily ever after.”

“How do you know?”

“Well… it’s what every girl wants. To fall in love and marry her one true love.” She flushed, scarcely able to believe the conversation she was having with Nick. It was the first time they’d sat and talked about anything and never had she imagined it would be about her romantic novels. “The happily ever after is implied.”

He scoffed and waved a dismissive hand. “Keep reading.