Love in the Rockies

by Thianna D

  The End

  Ruth Staunton

  Don’t miss these exciting titles by Ruth Staunton and Blushing Books!

  Playing With Fire

  Learning to Live Again (Corbin’s Bend, Season Two)

  Knowing What She Needs

  By

  Thianna D.

  ©2015 by Blushing Books® and Thianna D.

  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®,

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  D., Thianna

  Knowing What She Needs

  eBook ISBN: 978-1-62750-694-4

  Cover Design by Anthony Walsh

  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 One

  “Mommy, when’s Daddy getting home?”

  Standing at the counter doing their breakfast dishes, Charmagne Kendle got a hold of her expression, forcing a smile as she looked over her shoulder at the beautiful little girl seated at their center island/breakfast bar. “Soon, honey. Daddy had to go into the clubhouse for a short time this morning, but then he’ll be back and it will be just the three of us all weekend. How does that sound?”

  “Great!” Kayla exclaimed, a huge grin on her face. Brent had never let their little girl down before, and she had innate trust in her father, something Char was struggling with right now. “Can we make a snowman?”

  “As soon as Daddy gets home. Why don’t you go brush your teeth and pick out a couple books we can read to you later?”

  “Yay!” the little girl called out, hopping off her stool and running out of the room.

  Sighing softly, Char let her head hang down. The dish she was holding fell from her fingertips into the water as a slight tremor slid through her body. She shouldn’t be mad or angry or upset. This was who Brent was. He was a fixer and when someone was in need of his help, he had to go help them. She knew that and it was one of her favorite things about him. But… today was Valentine’s Day, a day they always spent together. Why couldn’t the citizens of Corbin’s Bend give them a day just for themselves?

  The phone ringing had her quickly drying her hands and heading into the living room where her cell sat on the coffee table. The name on the caller ID made her cringe before answering. “Hey, Rachel,” she said, forcing a smile on her face once again. “Happy Valentine’s Day.”

  “Oh, Char, same to you,” her future mother-in-law gushed. “This newest snow just seems to add to the beauty of the day, doesn’t it?”

  Char had no idea how to answer that bizarre statement. “Sure.”

  “Just wanted you to know, I’ve found the perfect little dress for Kayla for the wedding! It can be dyed to the colors you chose, and she’ll look so cute in it. How about I come up there next week and show you?”

  Sitting down on the sofa, Char rested her forehead on the palm that wasn’t holding the phone. She loved Rachel and Denton, Brent’s parents. In fact, she loved the entire crazy, loud, rambunctious, and loving Carmichael family and when she had finally agreed to marry Brent in September, it had been with the idea they would run off to Reno and get married, no fanfare needed. Instead, his mother had been tipped off and she had been so excited about planning a wedding that Charmagne hadn’t been able to say no. That wedding had turned into a three-ring circus as far as she was concerned, and it wouldn’t even take place for four more months.

  “Sounds great. I’m sure Kayla will look adorable in it.”

  “My granddaughter looks adorable in anything,” Rachel said, joy apparent in her tone. “Oh, Char, I’m so glad you and Brent found one another. Kayla has just been the icing on the cake.”

  That made her smile for real. Her future in-laws were the nicest people. Of course, that was one of the reasons she had agreed to and went along with this festival of a wedding. Two hundred guests were to be invited. The number Char found staggering and rather upsetting. Who needed or wanted two hundred guests at their wedding? “She’s our little ray of sunshine,” Charmagne agreed.

  “Mommy, how about these?” Kayla bounced into the living room, carrying far too many books for her size.

  Giggling, Char grabbed a few before they hit the floor. “Nana’s on the phone. Wanna say hi?”

  “Nana!”

  Char handed her the phone and her lively daughter was soon in a happy little conversation with her grandmother, which gave Charmagne the time to take all the books and set them on the table in front of them. Running her fingers through the dark-blonde ringlets of the little girl beside her, she leaned back against the sofa.

  Kayla radiated such joy and Char should feel the same. Over four years with the most wonderful man in the world with a lovely little girl, living in a town she loved, amongst people who shared her and her man’s proclivities. Charmagne should be blissful right now. She had everything including the fact her first full-length novel had been accepted for publication with a large publisher. So why was she ready to hit something?

  “Okay, Nana,” Kayla sang, holding out the phone.

  “Hi, again,” Char said, pulling her daughter back against her. Kayla giggled and squirmed loose, running back down the hall toward her room.

  “Okay, well I need to run. Denton’s taking me out to a wonderful restaurant in town and I have to go pick up my dress. Have a wonderful Valentine’s Day, Char.”

  For a brief movement there had been happiness. But that last line settled a dark cloud over her head. “You, too, Rachel.” After putting the phone down, Char stared across her living room barely seeing a thing. Valentine’s Day. A day for love. So where was her man?

  “Come on,” she called to her daughter. “Let’s pick through these and figure out which books Daddy can read to you.” Her daughter’s feet smacked lightly on the hardwood floors as she ran back down the hall.

  “Happy Valentine’s Day, Mommy!” she called, holding up a piece of white paper with a red heart on it.

  Smiling, Char took the card and hugged her happy little girl. “Thanks, honey. Shall we go make some cookies?”

  “Cookies? Yummmm!” Kayla ran into the kitchen ahead of her.

  * * * * *

  “Newberry’s section has power again. Calbert just called to say his whole section now has power. Just the southwest side is still out,” Jonathon reported as he and Brent worked in his office.

  Brent couldn’t believe it. Of all days for this shit to happen, why today?

  “You’re still leaving at one, right?” Jonathon asked, raising an eyebrow.

  Flashing a grin at his executive secretary who knew him well enough to pick up on what he was thinking, Brent nodded. “The whole damned place could go dark and it wouldn’t stop me.”

  “Good. Because the plans are already in motion. We’re thrilled to take care of Kayla for a few days. Oh…” The man sitting across the desk from him fidgeted a little. “Ben wants to teach her karate. I promised him I’d ask.”

  Chuckling, Brent nodded. “I’ll have to check with Char. Neither of us would have trouble with her learning self-defense. But knowing our little girl, she’ll ‘hay-ya’ all over the place once she starts. I have the feeling that might get old fast.”

  Looking relieved, Jonathon nodded. Brent’s phone ringing interrupted them and he picked it up. “Carmichael.”

  “Daddy!” Kayla’s happy voice brought a huge g
rin to his face. “Mommy and I are making cookies. Are you coming home soon?”

  Damn. Making cookies was a sure sign his beautiful lady was feeling stress. While she loved to cook, baking wasn’t really her style. “Soon, Kayls. Do they taste good?”

  “Uh-huh. And Mommy helped me pick out four books and she said we could go make a snowman when you got home.”

  “Sounds fun. Can you put Mommy on the phone?”

  Jonathon motioned toward the door as if to ask if he should leave. Brent just shook his head.

  “Hey.” Char’s voice had a quality he was well aware of. She was stressed, pissed, and trying to hide it from their little girl.

  “Happy Valentine’s Day, honey,” he said warmly. “A third of the community is still without power, but the power company assures us it’ll be on by noon.”

  “And you’ll be home then?” Her voice slightly warbled, making him feel worse. He just hoped what he had planned made it all worth it. If this emergency hadn’t come up, he would be home celebrating with her right now.

  “I will. I’ve got plans.”

  A soft laugh crossed the line. “I love you, Brent Carmichael. Sometimes I wonder why, but I do love you.”

  Grinning, he leaned back in his chair. “You love me for my hard hand and the fact I can make you laugh. Admit it.”

  A real laugh tinkled into his ear. “You got me. I miss you today. We’re never apart on Valentine’s Day.”

  “I know. I would much rather be home with you and Kayla. I—” Brent paused as Jonathon started scribbling madly on a piece of paper. “What kind of cookies did you make?”

  “Sugar with red frosting. Kayla’s mouth is turning red from the food coloring,” she said with a giggle.

  Jonathon slid the note over to him and he read it quickly.

  Have Char come here with Kayla. Ben and I could take her off your hands and the two of you can start your Valentine’s Day right.

  Smiling at the offer, Brent nodded. “Hey, when is the last batch out of the oven?”

  “Another twenty minutes or so. Kayla, no more frosting, honey. You’ll start bouncing off the walls.”

  Snickering at how much of a sugar high his daughter must be suffering from, Brent lightly tapped on the note. “Why don’t the two of you come here?”

  There was a brief pause. “There? Where all the fun is?” The wry tone in her voice made his hand itch to land across her rump.

  “Yeah. I’m sure Jonathon would enjoy some cookies.”

  “Love some!” Jonathon called with a grin even as his phone rang. Turning away, he answered the call quietly.

  “I don’t know. You know I hate driving our road when it’s snowy and icy.” That was an excuse. It sounded like Char was well into feeling sorry for herself. She definitely needed a good spanking to get out of it.

  Of course, a large part of the problem was the huge wedding fiasco they had landed into. Brent knew Char didn’t want a huge wedding. Hell, he’d had a hard enough time getting her to agree to marry him in the first place due to one horrible past relationship with a spoiled-rotten brat. But for some reason, the small wedding his mother had talked about had quickly ballooned into a full-town affair. And his girl hated every moment of it even if she thought she hid that fact. This weekend would hopefully settle her down. If it didn’t, he would have to find out what else was wrong.

  “I miss you,” he said simply.

  Her answer was a soft sigh. “I miss you, too. Waking up with you gone was not pleasant.”

  “Sorry, baby. But half the community lost power with the new snowfall after someone ran into the pole that held the transformer. We’re almost there.”

  “I know. I promise I’ll be in a better mood by the time you get home.”

  “Char,” he chided. “Don’t try to put on a good face for me. Everything’s going to be fine.”

  “Don’t start with me,” she snapped before taking a couple deep breaths. Oh, yes. Charmagne was well into a fit. Not being able to express it with their daughter so close, she was building up like a volcano and it would erupt if he wasn’t able to mitigate it soon.

  “Charmagne,” he said in a firm tone. “Put Kayla in her room with a book and a couple cookies. Tell her you need some downtime and go into our room. I want you standing in the corner for thirty minutes minimum unless she needs you.”

  “Brent!”

  “Now. Turn off the oven. The cookies can be baked later.”

  “Fine,” she said in a huff. “Happy Valentine’s Day to you, too.” The line cut off and he shook his head. If this was the old days, she would have slammed the phone down in his ear.

  “Is she okay?” Jonathon asked hesitantly. The man adored Brent’s girl and daughter and would do anything for them.

  “Working herself up into a snit.”

  “Damn. You could leave now, you know. The rest of us can handle it.”

  Brent smiled at the man so many people overlooked due to his introverted nature but who had the warmest heart on record. “We’ll be fine. It might be best if she hits overload today. By tomorrow she’ll need to be in a much calmer mood. Now, do we have more updates?”

  * * * * *

  Glaring out at the falling snow, Brent’s fingers tapped an uneven melody on his jeans. This weekend was not turning out like he’d planned. If the snow didn’t stop soon, his surprise might not happen, and that would suck after all the time and preparation he’d put into it.

  “They say it’ll be a couple more hours,” Jonathon said in a tired voice after getting off the phone. Looking at his watch, Brent grimaced. It was already 12:45.

  “Fuck. I need to get Char out of here and to the cabin.”

  “Calbert’s willing to come in and help,” Jonathon reminded him. “I’ll call Ben to come pick up Kayla and you two can go. Come on. Your mood is getting as dark as Charmagne’s is reputed to be.”

  “Am I that bad?” Brent thought he’d kept most of his annoyance to himself. He never would want to take it out on anyone, let alone Jonathon.

  “No. I just know you too well.” Picking up his phone again, Jonathon pushed a couple buttons. “Hey, Ben… No, we’re still waiting for power… I know. Hey, want to come pick up Kayla?”

  The happy shout through the phone made Brent grin. Both of her godfathers adored their little girl.

  “Perfect. I’ll get Brent to—” Jonathon’s voice cut off when pounding footsteps on the stairs told them someone was coming and fast. “Hold on, Ben.”

  Calbert Jolly of the housing board and one of Brent’s best friends, walked quickly into the room, a scowl on his face. “What the fuck are you doing here?” he growled. “You should be on your way right now.”

  “Got a bit held up,” Brent reminded him.

  “The fucking community isn’t going to fall apart if you’re away. Everyone knows if there’s a severe power outage that there is emergency housing in the community center. Adam’s already getting the word out and his wife, along with Jenna, Marilyn, and Charles are already unpacking the emergency chairs, sleeping bags, and cots you’ve got in storage. Don’t be an idiot. Oh,” he added with a smirk. “You fuck this up and I will kick your ass.”

  Jonathon chuckled. “Yeah, that was Calbert… Great. See you soon, love.” He hung up, his lips still quirked in amusement. “Ben’s on his way over. He’ll help with setting up the emergency supplies until Char and Kayla arrive. Then he’ll take her back home with him.”

  “What does he do to make her go all gaga when she sees him?” Calbert asked in annoyance. “She loves us all, but Benjamin might as well be Santa for how she reacts.”

  “He has tea parties with her,” Jonathon explained. “Honest-to-god tea parties with the tiny cups and itty-bitty foods at a miniscule table with chairs only a munchkin should sit at. He even dresses up in his dress uniform and pulls out her chair for her. Oh, yeah, and he calls her Miss Kayla.” The smile on his face was filled with such fond affection at the memory of it, that it was obvious he tho
ught it was adorable.

  Calbert snorted a laugh even as Brent chuckled. His daughter had asked him so many times to have a tea party with her and when he did, he found out “It’s not like with Uncle Benny.” He didn’t mind, though. It was nice for his little girl to have so many people she considered family.

  “Okay, well I ain’t doing that.” Calbert turned back to Brent. “Well? Get a move on, ya bastard. You’ve got one hell of a surprise to give your woman.”

  “That I do.” Walking around his desk, he locked up and grabbed his keys. Time to start this weekend off right.

  Chapter Two

  Char glared at the corner Brent had forced her to get into. Like this was going to help. She didn’t do it right away like he asked as Kayla was having far too much fun with decorating and she hadn’t wanted to stop her. But here it was just after noon, she was in the corner fuming, and Brent wasn’t home.

  Leaning her forehead against the wall, she took a deep breath, listening to the sounds coming from the speaker nearby. Kayla was talking to her teddy bears. Smiling, despite her annoyance, Char lost herself in the joy of just listening for a little while.

  It didn’t last long before a little guilt seeped in. She had no right to get mad at Brent. None at all. He had even asked if she was sure when she agreed to have a real wedding rather than running off to Nevada. And today showed him for the amazing man he was. This community was his for all intents and purposes. He built the place, loved its residents, and took care of it. It was his baby. When added in his natural inclination to take care of those he cared about, it just made sense he would rush to help out when so many homes were without power. In this kind of weather, that could kill. Especially with some of their elderly residents.