Submitting to the Lawyer (Cowboy Doms 4)

Nan glanced over at the front counter and saw Alice scowling before her face cleared and she smiled with a wave. “Alice appears a little harried also,” she replied, returning the older woman’s greeting.

“I don’t think they were expecting such a big turnout, which is why we should take our time searching for what we want instead of bugging one of them for help. Okay with you?” Avery nudged her slipping glasses back up as she placed her purse on top of the table.

“Sure. The only thing I have waiting for me at home is a frozen Lean Cuisine dinner.”

Avery eyed Nan’s taller, thinner body with a frown. “Why the heck would you eat anything lean? Now, if you were as round as me, I could understand, but seriously.”

Laughing, Nan started toward the book tables, Avery falling in step with her. “Honestly, I really like the food, it’s that simple. You need to start listening to Grayson. Your figure is fine the way you are.”

A red stain covered Avery’s cheeks. “He said the same thing right before I left and wanted to change out of this dress. He also emphasized his point with the wooden paddle he’s way too fond of using on me.”

Memories, good ones, flitted through Nan’s head as she envied her friend’s good fortune. She would give anything to be on the receiving end of a hard, stimulating spanking again, one that would leave her butt sore and hot, so that when she sat or even walked, the discomfort would cause her pussy to spasm with dampness, a mind-consuming punishment that would erase the abuse Gerard had heaped upon her. The difference in her response to erotic pain as opposed to the excruciating agony she’d experienced those few days wasn’t lost on her and was as unexplainable as her captor’s actions.

“These look to be all suspense,” Avery said as they checked out a few titles on the first table. “Let’s browse here first. This is my favorite genre.”

“Mine too, as long as there are some spicy scenes.”

Avery flipped her a grin. “Don’t we get enough of those in real life?”

She wished, and maybe, with Master Dan’s help, Nan would have that again too. “Can you ever have enough?”

“True.”

Nan was clutching six books in her arms by the time she’d browsed through all the tables and tiredness was seeping into her body and dragging her down. She left Avery to continue shopping and padded back to the table where they’d left their purses. Four books she intended to buy and two to check out, so she would need her card and wallet. Wondering if her library card needed updating, she set the books down and started to reach for her purse on the floor only to encounter an empty space. Swearing under her breath, she looked around and didn’t see it anywhere. No one from Willow Springs would have taken it, but she should have remembered all these people weren’t friendly neighbors.

Anger filled her as she calculated what cards she would have to cancel a.s.a.p. and the inconvenience she didn’t need on top of everything else. She hurried over to the counter where Willa and Alice were ringing up sales and check outs, hoping someone had turned it in to lost and found instead of taking off with it. “Hey, Willa. I can’t find my purse – I left it under a table while we looked around.”

“Oh, d

ear, that’s odd. No one would swipe it, would they?”

Nan could tell the thought distressed the eighty-something librarian as much as it did her. “Let me check the lost and found. Maybe someone thought they were doing a good deed, thinking it was left behind,” Alice suggested as she patted Willa’s shoulder. “What does it look like?”

“Thanks, Alice, that’s what I’m hoping. It’s brown leather, long strap and a front zippered pocket.”

She returned in moments and shook her head in regret. “I didn’t see it in there. I’m sure your credit is good enough we can go ahead and ring you up, isn’t it, Willa?”

“Yes, dear, of course. I’ll take care of it, if you’ll announce closing time in fifteen, Alice.”

“Will do. I’m more than ready to get off my feet.” Alice went into the office behind the counter and as Willa pulled up Nan’s card on the computer, the announcement came through the speakers. She came out balancing a stack of books and nodded with a smile before taking her load out to the shelves.

Nan shifted with impatience as Willa slowly put the information of each book into the computer, trying to keep from prodding her along. She knew how important it was to get those cards cancelled quickly and every minute could mean the hassle of another charge she would have to file against. She reminded herself the woman was doing her a big favor. By the time Willa finished and bagged the books, Nan saw Avery walking over to get her purse, which still sat on top of the table.

She reached for the bag. “Thanks, Willa. I’ll come in this week and get these paid for.”

“I know I can trust you, dear. I do hope your purse shows up, though.”

Worry clouded Willa’s already filmy eyes and Nan hurried to soothe her. “Don’t fret. It’ll just be a matter of cancelling a few cards and getting new ones. Thanks again.”

She pivoted and met Avery back at the table, noticing she held even more books than Nan. Frowning, Avery asked, “What’s wrong?”

“I gotta run, sorry. My purse is gone and I have to make some calls. I’ll see you at our weekly tea gab.” Nan dashed toward the front door before Avery could keep her any longer, but her friend’s voice halted her halfway across the room. “Nan! It’s right here.”

Nan spun around, embarrassment washing over her face as she saw Avery lifting her purse from under the table, right where she’d left it. “I swear, it wasn’t there ten minutes ago,” she said when she reached her. Checking the contents, she was further chagrined to find nothing missing, not even her cash. Confused, she shook her head.

“Hey, relax.” Avery reached over and squeezed her hand. “It’s the same color as the carpet. You probably just missed it.”

“Yeah, that must be it.” But Nan knew that wasn’t it. Her purse had not been under the table when she’d looked. Shaken, she followed Avery back to the counter where Alice had returned and now eyed her purse in surprise along with Willa. “Found it,” she quipped, feeling like an idiot as she withdrew payment for the books. “Sorry about the hassle.” Ignoring Alice’s skeptical look and Willa’s relief, she quickly took care of her purchases, told Avery goodbye and dashed out, hoping it was tiredness to blame for her confusion and screw-up.