by Cara Lynn
It was a beautiful summer morning. There was a soft gentle breeze blowing. The wedding was only two weeks away and Annabelle couldn't wait. She didn't think she could be any happier.
She rode down to the lake on King, her father's gorgeous black stallion. He was a magnificent animal. She giggled to herself when she thought about how angry Kent would be if he knew she'd taken King out for a ride. She had already been spanked twice when he caught her riding King.
Kent was such a stickler about her riding any of the stallions. She never understood that; she grew up on horses and could handle any of the stallions. She got off King, tied him up and spread her blanket down on the soft green grass under a huge oak tree. She loved the lake; this was her favorite place on the ranch. She laid down on the blanket and watched the clouds float by reminiscing. Her life was wonderful. She loved Kent so much, but it hadn't always been that way.
Annabelle was so in love with Kent Evans; it wasn't just a school girl crush however. She had known Kent her entire life and had always had a crush on him, but since he was eight years older, he never paid much attention to her. She was more like a distraction, a little pest he had to deal with. But now she was twenty-one and no longer a child.
He was so handsome, well over six feet tall with black hair and dark ebony eyes. She was the exact opposite; she was barely five feet tall, had long flowing blonde hair and sparkling green eyes.
Kent Evans owned the ranch just to the north of her father. It was actually larger than her father's ranch. He inherited the ranch from his grandfather along with the fortune his grandfather had amassed.
Kent lost his parents when he was a young boy, so his grandfather stepped in and brought him out to his ranch and raised him. His grandfather was a hardworking man; a true gentleman. He raised Kent to be a gentleman too.
Annabelle was an only child, and she was very spoiled. She lost her mother when she was a young girl and her father doted on her. He could never bring himself to say 'no' to her. There was absolutely no discipline in her life. She always got whatever she wanted.
Even though she was spoiled, she was a very kind and thoughtful girl. Her smile was infectious and she was always laughing and smiling. Everyone who knew her loved her.
She was an experienced rider but drove her father crazy because she always insisted on riding the most high-spirited stallion on the ranch. She rode fast and hard, flying through the pastures jumping any fence she could find. That riding was what caused her to get her very first spanking from Kent.
Her riding had always been a sore spot with Kent. 'If she belonged to me, she would never be allowed to ride like that,' he thought to himself. Actually, he'd paddle her daily to keep her off the stallions and safe.
Someone needed to step in and set some boundaries for her. Since Annabelle had just turned twenty-one, Kent decided that he would be the person to take on that job. He would talk to Daniel, her father, today.
Daniel Crawford was a well-respected, hardworking rancher. His only Achilles heel was his daughter, Annabelle. She was the light of his life and there wasn't anything he could deny her. Now that she was a grown woman, he was worried that she would never find a husband.
There weren't many good men around who would put up with her temper tantrums. Of course, there were a lot of men who would love to marry her for her money. She stood to inherent a fortune. This weighed heavily on Daniel. He wanted his only child to experience the happiness he had found with her mother.
Daniel's thoughts were interrupted by a knock on the front door. It was early for visitors. He hadn't even finished his coffee yet.
When he opened the door and saw Kent, he said, "Come in my boy, what can I do for you?" He had been good friends with Howard, Kent's grandfather. He watched as Kent grew into the fine man he was today. Howard would be so very proud of him.
"Hi Daniel, I don't quite know how to say this," Kent stumbled on his words.
"Just spit it out, Kent. We've known each other far too long for you to stumble with your words," Daniel said.
"Okay, here it goes. Daniel, what would you say if I told you I wanted to marry Annabelle?" Kent asked his long-time friend.
"Whoa," Daniel said as he stumbled back a bit. "We both better sit down. Follow me into the kitchen and we'll discuss this over coffee. Are you sure about this, Kent? You've watched Annabelle grow up. I know how frustrated you've been with her behavior over the years."
"Yes, Daniel, she's quite a challenge. However, I think I'm up for it. I've been waiting for her to grow up for so long. I've been in love with her for as long as I can remember, but because of our age difference, I've stayed in the background praying she wouldn't find someone else," Kent said.
"Well, Kent, I can't think of anyone else I'd want as a son-in-law. You are a fine young man. I just want to make sure you know what you're getting into with Annabelle. She's my daughter and I love her, but I haven't done her any favors by never disciplining her. She's so used to getting her own way that I'm not sure she'll ever accept 'no'. She's a sweet girl, but very hardheaded and prone to temper tantrums, just like her mother," Daniel said.
"I know just how to handle bratty little girls, but I'm not sure you'll agree with me, Daniel," Kent replied. "I promise you I'll never raise my fist to Annabelle or hurt her, but I think she's going to spend quite a bit of time over my knee. How do you feel about that?"
Daniel laughed and said, "Well, Kent, I wouldn't want to admit this to Annabelle, but her mother spent a lot of time over my knee in our early years. I surely won't like seeing my daughter in tears, but I won't interfere. Just have patience with her and love her."
"I can do that, Daniel; she means the world to me. Now that you and I have reached an agreement, all I have to do is convince Annabelle that she loves me," Kent chuckled. "Goodbye, Daniel, I'll be back later today to see if Annabelle would like to have dinner with me tonight."
"Goodbye, my boy and good luck. You're going to need it." Daniel laughed as he watched Kent mount up and ride back to his ranch. Then he looked up and said, "Well, my dear, maybe our daughter will be okay after all. Kent will make her a fine husband."
Later that afternoon Kent rode over to the Crawford's, walked up on the front porch and knocked on the front door.
"Kent," Annabelle said, surprised to see the handsome cowboy standing on her porch. "What brings you over to our ranch? Do you need to see father?"
"No, Annabelle, I came to see you," Kent replied.
"Me, whatever for?" she said. "You don't even like me. You think I'm a pest."
"Why would you think I don't like you? You may be a little annoying at times, but I've always liked you. It's just that you were too young for me all those years ago. Now that you're a grown woman I intend to make you my wife," Kent calmly stated. "Now that I've made my intentions known to you, would you like to go out to dinner tonight?"
Annabelle was reeling, but squeaked out a, "Yes. I'd love to have dinner with you."
"Okay, sweetie, I'll pick you up at six o'clock sharp, be ready," Kent told her and then mounted up and rode home. He was a happy man.
Annabelle closed the front door and then started jumping up and down screaming, "Oh father, oh father, come here, come here."
He father came running into the foyer. "Annabelle, what's wrong? Are you hurt? Are you all right?" he was beside himself. "Tell me this minute what is wrong!" he now demanded.
"Nothing is wrong father. Kent Evans just told me he plans on marrying me. I'm having dinner with him tonight. I am so happy," she said.
"Oh, Annabelle, I'm so happy for you. Kent Evans is a fine young man. But, my honey girl, he is a man. Nothing like those dim-witted boys you have been fiddling with. Those boys let you lead them around by their noses; Kent will not tolerate that behavior. I don't think he is going to put up with your temper tantrums either, so just beware," her father warned.
"Oh father, whatever do you mean? Kent has known me all my life and still loves me. I won't change for anyone. He'll have to accept me just how I am," she replied. "I'm going into town to get a new outfit for tonight. See you later, father," she said as she gathered her purse and keys and headed out the front door.
She'd been in every store in town and had so many bags she could hardly carry them all. She looked at her watch and was startled to see that it was already 4p.m. She hurried to her car, put the packages in the trunk and headed home.
She was going way too fast when she spotted the police car behind her with its lights and siren on. 'Damn it' she thought as she rolled her window down and said in the sweetest voice she could manage, "Yes, officer, what can I do for you?"
The innocent act wasn't going to work, and he replied, "Do you know you were going 15 miles over the speed limit? Please give me your license and registration."
She stuffed the ticket in her purse and swore again. That had taken so much time, now she really would be late. It was after five when she pulled in the driveway and rushed in the house with all of her purchases.
"What time is Kent picking you up," her father asked.
"At six o'clock, but he'll just have to wait for me," she replied as she dashed up the stairs to her bedroom. She took a quick shower and then sat down to do her hair and makeup.
Her father chuckled to himself, remembering his first date with her mother. She had also been very late and instead of apologizing, she acted like a brat. The evening had gone downhill from there, and she had ended up over his knee for her very first spanking. He just smiled at the fond memory.
At six o'clock sharp Kent knocked on the front door. Daniel answered the door and guided him into his study. He explained that Annabelle wasn't ready and offered him a brandy. Kent declined because he was driving and sat down to wait.
It was more than thirty minutes before Annabelle waltzed into the study and said, without any explanation for her tardiness, "Are you ready, Kent?"
Bewildered, Kent replied, "Yes, let's get going." He shook Daniel's hand before escorting Annabelle out to his truck. He gently lifted her up and put her in the truck and fastened her seatbelt. Then he walked around the truck to climb in on the driver's side. He still didn't know what to make of Annabelle, but she looked lovely in the soft dress.
As soon as he started the truck, Annabelle began ranting about how rude the policeman had been to her. "What policeman?" Kent asked, already fuming.
"Kent Evans, haven't you listened to anything I said," she asked beginning to get angry. "The rude one who gave me the ticket, that's who."
"What ticket? What was it for?" Kent asked, getting angrier by the minute.
"Oh, I don't know. Something about going too fast," she said.
Kent pulled off the road and barked at her, "Let me see the ticket right now."
"Wow, what are you getting all upset about? Father will pay it for me," Annabelle whined.
"Give me the ticket," Kent snapped at her.
She dug through her purse and pulled out the crumpled up ticket and shoved it at him. "Okay here it is," she snapped not liking his tone of voice at all.
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