by Jenny Plumb
Right?
“Okay,” she said, looking down at her notebook. “I’m going to put all this information on my tablet tonight and I have my list of to-dos for in the morning. Do I need to check in anywhere before I start work?”
“Like with me or a time clock?” He laughed. “No. I need you to take the reins here and figure out what needs done. Some days you’ll start work at five and not get off till late at night, and other days, you will have an afternoon free. Just get the job done. Don’t take time off if there is something that needs to be handled. I want happy kids, happy parents and content employees, and while there will be glitches, and you can call if you need me, I need you to have the final decision and get them dealt with, understand?”
“Yes, sir,” she said, wondering what she’d gotten herself into, but, for the first time in years, she was completely and utterly content. She’d be around Ben, would know she’d get to see him, hear him and be with him sometimes for the next month.
This was all she’d craved for the last ten years and she just hadn’t realized it until now. She could lie to other people if need be, but she couldn’t lie to herself. She had wanted him since the time he’d held her accountable and then punished her for her actions. No one had ever cared enough about her to do that before, or after, she knew. Men were so PC now, most wouldn’t even spank as foreplay – ridiculous. This guy would do more. Why did her mind keep racing to sex with her boss? Bad mind.
With that, she giggled and followed him out the door to go back to work.
That afternoon, Ben dropped Heather off in front of her house. She’d put in a grueling ten hour day and while he’d been tempted to ask her out for supper, he decided against it. He needed a little distance, a little time, plus he’d thrown a lot at her. He hoped she’d be able to pick up the ball and run with it now. If she was anything like the brat he’d flipped over his lap and paddled, then she’d do great. He’d needed a Santa wrangler and he’d found one. If he hadn’t, no harm no foul, but he’d be really disappointed. He knew she was nervous today and trying to soak in information, but he’d hate to think he’d spanked the spunk out of her. Snorting, he realized he thought way too highly of himself. A one time incident ten years ago wouldn’t affect her anymore. It had been a blip on her radar and that was all. She remembered it, but that was it.
Sitting in the taxi as he headed back to the office, he thought of the first time he’d met her.
His mom had called, frantic, not able to find his little sister who was hours overdue for curfew. She’d been ready to call the cops, but knew he was close to the friend’s house Jenny had said she’d be at. His mother had thought the party was supposed to be over at midnight and it was close to three AM. She’d gotten home from her job about one, and thought his sister was already in bed. She peeked in her room about two, saw no one in her bed, and then tried to call. His sister Jenny hadn’t been answering her phone. He was as alarmed as his mom was. Jenny had tagged her location on Facebook and he didn’t live far from there, so he ran the three blocks to find it.
He made it into the party by simply opening the door. There were half a dozen people sleeping on couches and chairs, and more empty liquor bottles than he could count. The Christmas tree and decor did nothing to change the ambiance for the better. Ho, ho, ho, he’d thought grimly. Santa would be as furious as he was and now had so many new names to put on his naughty list.
Pissed and scared, he stalked through the house, looking at all the passed out females, to make sure none of them were his sister. They were someone’s sisters though, and daughters. His palm started to itch with need. As soon as he got hold of Jenny she was going to get the blistering of a lifetime. Six years older than she was, he had been her protector for years. She would be sitting gingerly and toeing the line from here on out. He didn’t care that she was in college. She wasn’t old enough to drink and she’d never be old enough to worry their mom like this.
Opening and shutting bedroom doors, he found more sleeping people and his breath started to calm. Probably she had just passed out somewhere like everyone else. Opening another bedroom door, he saw two sleeping forms in bed, one male and one female and stalked over to check the female. He’d known it was her, he could tell by her shape. Luckily, both of them had all their clothes on. Quickly, he texted his mom ‘found her’ and then started to pick her up.
From the corner of the room, he heard a female voice, “Oh, chill out. They’re both just sleeping. Nothing happened.” He turned as she took a long toke on what his nose recognized as a not legal cigarette.
He looked over to see a gorgeous female with a head of dark curls and a joint in her hand, sitting in a chair in the corner of the room. She looked to be about Jenny’s age. Her angelic appearance directly conflicted with her aggressive tone. Probably from her altered state, he imagined.
“What the hell is going on here?” he demanded through gritted teeth.
“Party,” she said, then put the joint to her mouth again. “What were you thinking? You might be a little late, though. She’s down for the count.”
Her attitude just asked to be corrected.
“That’s my sister,” he growled.
She shrugged. “That might be awkward then, huh? Any chance I could interest you?”
Ben had stared at her till she dropped her eyes. Yeah, he hadn’t thought she was that brave. “How old are you?” he demanded.
“Legal, baby,” she’d said slowly, her glazed eyes raking him up and down.
His adrenaline and irritation built up. “You need a good butt blistering,” he growled.
“Yeah, you and whose army?” she said, putting the other butt down in the saucer and glaring at him.
“No army needed,” he said, stalking over to her and grabbing her up, out of the chair, then sitting down and flipping her over his lap. He’d smacked her round, legging-covered bottom about four times before it connected to her brain what was happening. Being a little stoned must have affected her pain sensors. But suddenly she stiffened and tried to struggle off his lap. He realized he was taking his fear for his sister out on her bottom, but what the hell? Maybe her mom and brother were freaking out too. He didn’t know. With that, he put a couple fingers in her waistband and yanked her pants down to her thighs while she whimpered and tried to roll away. Nope, not happening. With her bottom bare but for some kind of pink thong thing, which didn’t count, he concentrated on turning her butt red enough to glow in the dusk of the room. Simply furious, he smacked one bouncing cheek, then the other. He could see his hand print whiten her skin then redden it.
After about a dozen, her mouth opened and she began protesting. “Ow! What the hell! Stop it! Let me up! Ow, ow, ow!”
It took another two dozen before her tune changed. “No more! Please! Please stop! Not there! No, no! I can’t!”
Good, she needed more. He smacked lower, near the tender skin of her thighs. “Please! Please!” Her hand flew back to stop him and her legs kicked hard. Her leggings went to her knees and he admired her thigh muscles. Did she run? Do sports? Her legs might be strong, but her bottom was tender and he must have spanked the buzz out of her. She kicked and sobbed and begged as if she’d never been spanked before. Good, maybe he was getting through to her.
Finally, she stopped fighting and just pleaded between sobs. “I’ll be good. Anything. Just stop! Please, please.”
Finally, his hand started to hurt and his adrenaline began to wear off. He stopped and pulled her onto his lap. He didn’t know how long he held her, but knew she was gone when he woke up a few hours later. Then he’d thrown Jenny over his shoulder and walked home with her.
When Heather walked in the door last week, he’d known exactly who she was – the woman-child he’d spanked and then held as she cried and cuddled against him. They’d fallen asleep in the chair with her bare burning bottom against him, her arms around his neck, waiting for his sister to wake up. He’d not felt as proper and right with a woman since.
&
nbsp; Now all he wanted was to repeat that. He wanted her bare bottom over his lap, to hear her whimpers, smell her scent of desire, smack her soft bottom and comfort her after she’d been properly punished.
If that made him odd, then so be it. Right now, however, he needed some space and to make a few decisions.
Chapter 2
A few days later, Heather decided that instead of her usual quick phone-in update where he didn’t even answer the phone at all, she was just going to stop by and see him. Tomorrow was Thanksgiving and she was off, her first day off since she started work. Although exhausted, she felt as if she’d done good work. Her Santas were all lined up, her elves, her candy, backdrops and photographers. Hers. She did it. Heather felt very proud of her work. She’d be at every store Black Friday morning to make sure things went as planned. She had no desire for any kid to cry for any reason other than the fact that some kids cried when they saw Santa. It made for good pictures, sometimes, and they mostly grew out of it. Her cousin had a couple of adorable screaming baby with Santa pictures that she liked to tease her now teenage daughter with.
She had good reason to check in with her boss. She hadn’t spoken to him since the day they had worked together. He needed to know she was doing a good job. She needed to be the one to tell him.
It had nothing to do with wanting see him. Nope, it was just being a good employee. She was a good employee, despite whatever notion of a teenage wild child he had of her. She wanted to show him that all the Santas were ready. All the elves had their green outfits and all the Mrs. Clauses were jolly and sweet. The photographers were ready and the backdrops were set. Even the candy was on overload and she’d added in some small coloring books with crayons for kids who couldn’t or didn’t want candy. Though why anyone didn’t want candy, baffled her. But she knew there were issues with sugar and allergies she had no experience with, and wasn’t going to judge. She’d ordered dog biscuits, cat and rodent treats for pet night.
That was something that Ben hadn’t thought of. She felt proud of it too, and dang it, she just wanted to tell him about it. Yes, and see him, but that was nothing she’d admit out loud.
Shivering in the icy rain as she stepped out of the cab, she noticed the lights around her going out just as a big thunder boom made her shriek. Paying the driver quickly, she just wanted to be inside. Cold, sleety rain attacked her, nasty frigid wind almost blew her hat off, and with no lights anywhere along the streets, she was miserable and maybe a little scared. Suddenly she needed to see Ben.
The cab disappeared before she thought Ben might not be in the store and she might need a ride home. Hopefully, she could get in and call another cab.
The door was still unlocked so she slipped in, thankful to be out of the wet and wind, and looked around in the dark. About five steps in, she heard a loud click and some weird noises. Ignoring them, she pulled out her phone and turned it onto flashlight mode to find her way to his office. Then she realized that she was being stupid; she stopped and dialed his number.
Ben actually picked up. “Heather?”
How did he know? Duh, caller ID. What was going on with her brain right now?
“Ben?” she squeaked. Another big thunder bang made her cry out. “I’m scared.”
“Where are you?” he demanded and she heard a door slam upstairs.
Immediately, she felt a little better. He was here. She was safe. “In the lobby,” she said quietly into the phone, hearing his feet on the stairs. She shut her eyes so the thunder might not scare her as much, or some silly reason. She just felt safer with her eyes shut – like she did on a roller coaster.
Crying out as another loud boom sounded, and it seemed even darker than before – even behind her tightly shut eyelids – she heard his voice and, eyes still tightly shut, rushed into his arms. She didn’t like storms and she needed to be held and comforted. There was zero doubt in her mind that he could do that.
Another boom and she started to sob. He was here and holding her, but she was still terrified. She hated storms. They didn’t happen in Chicago often. Sure, there were snowstorms, and rain, but thunder? Not like this. It sounded as if it were bombing the building.
“Why is it doing this?” she sobbed, clutching him tight. “I don’t like storms.”
“Apparently,” he agreed, in a calm soothing tone. “It’s going to be passing soon.”
Just then a huge clap of thunder sounded and she cried out and clutched him closer. Feeling his hard body and pulling it tighter to her, she thought she should be embarrassed, but she couldn’t help being a baby. She was exhausted, hadn’t eaten anything but a power bar about ten this morning, and was stressed. She shrieked again as the thunder boomed.
Ben held her tightly and suddenly popped her bottom hard.
“Ow!” She struggled against his arms until she decided that he really did want to hold her. Then he smacked her again and she sagged against him. This man. This man would always do what was best for her. After about three or four hard swats that didn’t really hurt through her coat and pants, she realized that she was now concentrating on them, instead of the noise and building shaking. He kept spanking her and she kept focusing on that, instead of the noise that felt as if it invaded her nerves.
Soon, despite the now softly rumbling instead of booming cracks that just went through her brain, she relaxed against him. Ben wouldn’t let anything happen to her; maybe give her a sore bottom, but she could handle that.
They stood in the lobby a few more minutes, then she looked up at him, mortified and shivering. “I’m sorry. I didn’t eat today and I’m a little shaky, and then I got startled and,” her voice trailed off as he gave her a hard squeeze.
“You better now?” he asked, and reached down. She tensed, expecting another smack; instead, he gave her a few gentle swats that felt more comforting than punishing.
“Yeah, thank you. I just came by to give you an update, but I can do that tomorrow, and I’ll just call a cab and go home.” He hadn’t let go of her and she didn’t step away.
“No, you won’t. I’m going to feed you then take you home and make sure your lights are on.” He said it as if it weren’t a question and Heather realized it wasn’t. “Come on, I left my keys upstairs and we can’t get out of here without them, since the power’s off. No automatic lock.”
Suddenly her brain flashed to the idea of spending the night in his dark office, no lights, just him and her and the twinkle of the tree lights he had set up in the corner. But then, of course, if there were no power at all, there would be no lights twinkling on the tree. Oh well, popped that fantasy, didn’t it?
She followed him back up the stairs, fumbling with her phone flashlight, but he walked as if he could see in the dark. Why not? He seemed to be able to do about anything else.
“So want my report now?” she asked, trying to sound normal, when they got to his office.
“Over dinner,” he said tersely.
Had she done something to upset him? He’d been all-soothing just a minute ago. He grabbed his keys off the desk and turned right around again, bumping into her. She’d been following him, but didn’t realize how closely, apparently.
“Sorry,” she murmured as he held a hand out to steady her.
Then he grabbed her hand, and said, “This way I’ll know where you are.”
“Apparently I’m close enough to bang you, I mean bang into you.” She used her other hand to slap it over her mouth. Where had that come from?
Ben gave a short laugh and headed to a side door that she hadn’t noticed before. “Come on, my car’s this way.”
“The boss has a secret exit, like Batman?” she asked, trying to fill up the tense silence.
“Yeah, they don’t make me come down the chimney like Santa,” he said.
She didn’t try to release her hand, but instead, clutched it a bit tighter as they went into a very dark, all but deserted, parking garage. She liked holding his hand. It made her feel safe, something she hadn’t felt a l
ot of lately.
Being fired from a job when you thought you were doing well, really shook a person’s confidence. Money worries made her tense. She didn’t like not working. That worry made this job even that much more important, especially since he’d implied that she could become an ongoing employee. She’d been putting in ten and twelve hour days this week, then going home and applying for jobs, just in case.
Stopping at the lone car still in the area, he opened the door for her and tucked her into the cozy interior. Inhaling, she sucked in the smell of rich leather and new car smell and when he opened his door and the interior light came on, she looked around at all the lights and buttons. Knowing nothing about cars, she still knew this one positively reeked of elegance and lush comfort.
“Wow. CEO must pay well,” she said as he put his seatbelt on, and she followed suit.
“Yeah, it does,” he said, smiling that adorable grin he had, right before the light went out. Starting the car, he backed out of the parking space.
She felt relieved that the headlights were on. She’d be glad when she wasn’t worried about dark and storms and scary money things anymore.
“Look around. How many other cars are here? Just the rich ol’ boss working late.”
“Well, and his Santa wrangler,” she pointed out.
“True,” he said. “But I’m taking you out to dinner, so you’re getting rewarded too.”
She wanted to say something smart about how sure was he that having dinner with him was a reward, but decided to err on the side of keeping her job and her seemingly decent rapport with him. Figuratively patting herself on the back, her breath caught as they pulled out of the garage. The rain had slowed to a soft patter and he flipped on Christmas songs. Jingle Bells came on at the same time the twinkling lights on the storefronts did.
