by Piper Stone
No truer words were ever spoken. As they opened the door, three customers were waiting for them, and it never slowed down. Near the end of the day, when Hope was trying to unearth the last of the red and black lace panties and matching bras, Manny came into the shop.
“I have something to give to Miss Michaels. Personally.” Manny was all business and Christie called to the back.
When Hope came out of the stockroom, she saw Manny, and her heart sped up. Maybe he had sent her a message. “Hi, Manny. Merry Christmas.”
Manny gave her a half smile. “And to you, Miss Michaels. I have something to give you from Mr. James.”
“Oh?” She looked down to see the envelope and Hope knew what it was. With a sinking heart, she shook her head. “I don’t want it, Manny.”
“Excuse me, miss?”
“Take it back to Mr. James and tell him I don’t want it. I will not cheapen our time together by taking his money in payment for time spent. Give it back to him. Tell him thank you, but no thank you. And tell him… Tell him Merry Christmas.” She turned around and left to return to the back stockroom.
Tucker had been upset last night when Hope wanted to drive her own car to Susan and Mark’s house. Things seemed to be going great until he realized that these were the last few hours of the contract and if she didn’t want to see him again, it would be the last time he would be with her. The last time they would talk. Even though they had seemed to find an affinity, she was still under contract. He wouldn’t push her or make it harder for anyone. They needed to run the clock out and then see where they were.
But things hadn’t worked out so well. He’d sent her a message at exactly midnight, but she had not responded. But it had been late, and she had been busy today when Manny went to the shop. She also had returned the money. He sent her another message and left a voicemail saying they needed to talk.
“You need to take the money for your vacation.” Even if you don’t want to be with me anymore, he thought to himself, I’ll be damned if you don’t have an incredible vacation. No response. He remembered now that he had never asked her where she was going. He’d been a cad and too selfish. He should have followed her home and waited until midnight, but it was too late to change it.
Susan’s gang had just driven up so he would have to address the money later. Right now, he needed to host his family and try not to think about how much he had dreamed that Hope would be part of this day with him and tomorrow. He took another swallow of his over-spiked eggnog and opened the front door.
Tuesday afternoon, Tucker walked into Landan Michaels Boutique, check in his breast pocket. He had asked Margaret to get Hope on the phone for him, but no luck. So Tucker thought he would come down in person. Looking around, he didn’t see Hope. Had she gone on vacation already? No, he distinctly remembered that she went on January fifth. So where was she? He asked a girl who seemed to be about early college age.
“She ran to get change. This place is crazy. Can I take a message? Wait, are you the guy?”
“I hope so.” He smiled. “I’ll come back.”
“Well if you want anything, you’re going to have to hurry. Our stock is getting pretty low,” advised the young woman before going to help another customer.
Tucker walked out.
“Did you try again, Margaret?”
“Yes, she isn’t answering. I have left her messages to call me back. No response.”
“Okay, I have to take care of this issue in Georgia. I’ll be back Friday or Saturday morning so have a nice holiday weekend, and I’ll see you on Tuesday.”
Tucker could have put off the trip until after the New Year holiday, but he didn’t see any reason to do so after he couldn’t get in touch with Hope. He had to face the fact that she didn’t want to talk to him.
But by Saturday morning, with confirmation that Margaret had spoken to Hope who said she didn’t want the check, Tucker was done with games. When he stepped off the plane, he had decided that unless she told him to his face that they weren’t going anywhere in this relationship, he wasn’t giving up.
Armed with the stupid check he was tired of seeing and new determination, he walked into the boutique. Looking around, he couldn’t see Hope, but he did locate Christie. “I need to talk to Hope.” His determination was evident.
Christie looked at the check in his hand and shook her head. “How many times does she have to say, ‘No thanks.’ where that money is concerned?”
“Look, she earned it, and it would close out the contract. I have to give it to her, and she can do whatever she wants to with it afterward. I want to talk to her. I need to talk to her.”
“Look,” Christie parrotted back. “She felt something these last weeks, but she’s an honest person. The contract said she could not make any contact after the twenty-third. She won’t, but it will take her a long time to get over you.”
“What? Try to understand, out of nowhere she’s in my life, and I can’t stop thinking about her.”
“Then I suggest you work it out, because she won’t break her word. And she’s going to be swamped here.”
“But I had Margaret put in calls for me. I called and left a message.”
“Hope figured it was just for the check, and when she spoke to your assistant, that’s all the woman said. Not that she was calling so you could talk.”
“And I sent her a message right at midnight so she would know I was trying to establish communication, start fresh.”
“Except her phone said it came in two minutes before twelve, so she couldn’t respond by the time she saw it.”
“Damn that stupid contract! This has turned so complicated. When can I see her? When will she be free?”
“All right, I shouldn’t do this, but if you feel something for her, and I know her red puffy eyes says she does for you, you have to have a chance to make this work. She’s going to my boyfriend’s bar for an New Year’s Eve party tomorrow night. Come in at around nine PM. She will be mellow enough to take you and all you want to tell her.”
He kissed Christie on the cheek. “Thanks. Which bar?”
Christie had dragged her down to the bar and Hope was more depressed than she had been at home. She missed Tucker, but apparently, the connection had been one-sided because she hadn’t spoken to him once. She hadn’t cried so much in her life, and now her vacation was going to be lonely and sad. She kinda hated her life right now. She took another sip of her wine and contemplated going home.
“Is this seat taken?”
Hope shook her head, but didn’t look up. Now even other male voices sound like Tucker.
“Can I freshen your drink?” That was something Tucker would say. She peeked up to see who the man was.
Tucker smiled down at her. His finger tipped her face all the way up to look at him. “Where is my beautiful girl’s smile?”
She shrugged. “I don’t know, where is your girl?”
Tucker frowned and pulled her close. “She’s right here, trying to hide from me. Is it because she has been just the tiniest bit naughty? Trying to avoid me? Avoid us?”
Hope sat up. “No. What do you mean? If you mean the check, I don’t want it.”
“We will address the check later. I mean when I sent you a Merry Christmas message and you didn’t respond.”
“It was before midnight.”
“Okay, so when Margaret tried to get you on the phone for me, then.”
“No, she called, and when I spoke to her, she just said that I needed to tell her where to send the check. You needed to close the transaction out.”
It was clear Hope was hurt, and clear that Margaret did not go out of her way to fill in any questions she had to know Hope had. He would have a talk with that employee on Tuesday. But right now, he needed this woman to know he wanted nothing standing in the way of what he expected to be a forever kind of contract. And that her avoidance of him was well inside the category of being naughty.
“Why didn’t you answer my messages?”
<
br /> “I didn’t want to talk about the money. It cheapened what we had. Or at least I thought it did.”
“Hope, we are going to have to talk about your logic.” He tucked her loose hair behind her ear and smiled tenderly. “I love you. It doesn’t cheapen that.”
“You love me?”
“You look surprised. I told you I was falling for you.”
“I guess I am. I forgot or really, I thought you had forgotten. I’m sorry.”
“So, are we good? I can announce you are my girlfriend? I want to say you are my fiancée. Do you think that could happen soon? Then we could get to the wife part faster.”
“We’re good. I thought you might return my feelings, but then, well, I thought it was just me. You can announce anything you like if you just kiss me.”
Tucker grinned and leaned down to take the lips of the woman who had slipped into his heart, despite his safeguards to avoid connections with his December date. He lingered over the willing mouth of the woman who would be his December date from now on and then stood, bringing her up with him. “Come to the ranch with me? I have a few things I need to show you, naked.”
He paid the tab, and they waved at Christie as she grinned and waved back. As he helped Hope with her coat, he spoke close to her ear. “I think this last week brings up a subject we need to discuss more seriously.”
“What is that?” she asked with her face lifted up to his.
“Spankings, my love. Both naughty and nice.”
The End
Author’s Note
I hope you enjoyed A Date for December. I invite you to peruse my over twenty domestic discipline stories that have quite a bit more sting than this one. My characters are historic and contemporary Cowboys and Indians, Regency Lords and Ladies, and just about anything that takes my fancy – all with Alpha lovers taking charge of their capable but spicy women.
Wishing you and yours a very happy holiday season,
Alyssa Bailey
Other Titles
Also by Alyssa Bailey and Blushing Books!
Lord Thayer’s Choice
Cowboy Welcome
Taming Texanna
The Lone Wind Series
Reclaiming Clover - Book 1
Chase Abbey Series
Lord Barrington's Minx -Book 1
Becoming Lady Barrington - Book 2
Lady Caroline's Defiance -Book 3
His Improper Lady -Book 4
The O'Connor Series
Liam & Jocelyn's Story
Her Sweet Complication, Book 1
Liam's Lessons, Book 2
Loving Liam, Book 3
Ciaran and Katherine's Story
His Gentle Persuasion, Book 1
Rancher's Creed, Book 2
Katie Consents, Book 3
Quinlan and Cheyenne's Story
Quinlan's Quest, Book 1
Accepting His Ways, Book 2
Her Balancing Act, Book 3
Kelli and Parker’s Story
Meeting Her Needs, Book 1
Kissing Kelli, Book 2
Keeping Kelli, Book 3
Anthologies
Sweet Town Love
Audiobooks
Accepting His Ways
Her Sweet Complication
His Gentle Persuasion
Quinlan’s Quest
Lady Caroline’s Defiance
Connect with Alyssa Bailey:
alyssabailey.com/
[email protected]
Alyssa Bailey
Alyssa Bailey is a dyed in the wool Texan living in the beauty of Southeast Alaska with her husband, her youngest four (of eleven) children, two dogs and two cats. Her first memory of books was when her mother read to her as a small child. She began writing as soon as she could put letters together to form words. Her first story at the age of six was about a performing horse that ran away from the circus. As she got older and read more of a variety of books, she would say, “I can do better than that” and then rewrite them in her head. She was writing fanfiction before fanfiction was a 'thing'.
In high school and college, she won journalism and special recognition for her academic and fictional writing. Alyssa is a firm believer in all things spanking. She loves writing about domestic discipline and power exchanges between strong, intelligent women who are not afraid to make a stand and men confident enough to give them their space but Alpha enough to keep his woman safe, in spite of herself. Her characters predominately live in Regency England amongst lords and ladies, in the contemporary realm amongst men and women of the world, and all things Cowboy. Contact her, she loves to chat, and as always, have a Spankolicious day!
Connect with Alyssa Bailey:
alyssabailey.com/
[email protected]
Wynter’s Wife
12 Naughty Days of Christmas 2017
Megan McCoy
©2017 by Blushing Books® and Megan McCoy
All rights reserved.
No part of the book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publisher.
Published by Blushing Books®,
a subsidiary of
ABCD Graphics and Design
977 Seminole Trail #233
Charlottesville, VA 22901
The trademark Blushing Books®
is registered in the US Patent and Trademark Office.
Megan McCoy
Wynter’s Wife
Cover Art by ABCD Graphics & Design
This book is intended for adults only. Spanking and other sexual activities represented in this book are fantasies only, intended for adults. Nothing in this book should be interpreted as Blushing Books' or the author's advocating any non-consensual spanking activity or the spanking of minors.
Chapter 1
“Can you reach it, Tyler? Be careful!” Lily Wynter warned her six year old son who was on her husband’s shoulders, trying to put the angel topper on the Christmas tree.
“I’m careful,” he said almost impatiently.
“We got this, Lily.” Sam flashed that smile that still made her knees weak after being married for months now.
Yeah, they did. She kept her mouth shut as the tree began to wobble. It was going to go over. Fully decorated, she just knew it, breaking ornaments and scattering tinsel and broken bits of lights everywhere.
She shut her eyes. Just let them not listen to her. It would serve them right. Holding her breath, she waited for the crash.
“There!” Tyler said triumphantly. “I did it. Thanks, Sam.”
“Anytime,” Sam said. “Lily, you can open your eyes now. The tree is standing and Tyler is on the ground.”
She opened one eye and pushed her dark brown hair from her face. She’d been growing it longer, per Sam’s request, and it was at that awkward stage where she could do nothing with it. Luckily, as they were going to several holiday parties this year, she had a handful of new glittery hair barrettes to pull it back or up. For the first time in a few years, she was looking forward to the holiday season. Thanks to the new custody agreement, she got to keep Tyler for Christmas this year, and she and Sam had a very busy social schedule: her friends, his work parties, and even a kindergarten program she was helping with as a brand new volunteer in the school system. A parade, and an open house here the Sunday before Christmas to top it off. It would be a great holiday season. What could go wrong this year?
“Can I turn the lights on?” Tyler asked eagerly.
“Here’s the switch.” Sam gave it to him, and Lily walked over to shut off the dining room lights, where the tree stood in front of the big bay window. The three of them stood in almost awed silence and tears pricked her eyes. Their first Christmas together as a family. Their first tree. So many firsts and she wanted to enjoy every single second of it.
“It’s beautiful,” she said, and took Sa
m’s hand.
“It really is,” he said, and squeezed hers. “We picked out a good one. The family trip to the grocery store parking lot to pick it out was worth getting needles all over my trunk.”
“That’s the stuff memories are made of,” she teased him.
“Where’re the presents?” Tyler asked. “Can I get them from the closet?”
Lily looked at him, horrified. “What do you know about presents in the closet?”
He shrugged and looked at her with those hazel green eyes that mirrored hers. “I don’t know.”
“No presents tonight,” Sam said firmly. “It’s time for you to get ready for bed. School tomorrow.”
Tyler moaned, and Lily told him, “Couple more days, then Christmas vacation! Won’t that be fun?” She was only working part time at the florist shop now, and was looking forward to spending the time with her family and with Tyler this year. “Go get ready for your shower and I’ll be in, give me a minute.”
A while later, she settled in the big comfy double recliner with Sam, who had turned it to look at the tree, and sipped wine as they watched the lights twinkle. “I love you,” she said.
“Funny, ‘cause I love you too,” he said and kissed the top of her head. “What’s on the schedule for tomorrow?”
“You are working, Tyler is at school and I’m off and baking cookies for the teacher appreciation luncheon Friday.”
“You have time for a husband appreciation luncheon tomorrow? I have a couple hours in the middle of the day. I can take you out, we can do some shopping, whatever you want to do.”
Lily thought of everything she needed to do in the house tomorrow, decorating, baking cookies, wrapping some presents, checking her wardrobe for holiday party clothes. “How about you come here tomorrow for lunch? I’ll cook something yummy.” She sipped her wine again. She really just wanted an at home day.
