Hallie isn’t sure why she is going off on Troy since she really had thought she was adjusting well to the strange rules of the town. As an outsider, she was coming to terms that there were people who lived a life of domestic discipline. But tonight, being confronted with both an example of punishment she had witnessed first hand and Troy trying to act like her long lost father, Hallie’s tolerance level has sunk to a new low.
She’s prepared for his anger, so the broad smile he flashes releases a few unwanted butterflies in the pit of her stomach instead. “Well then, I guess I’m glad I don’t live in Corbin’s Bend, so you can’t lump me into that bucket. And if you’d stop acting like a brat, I wouldn’t feel the need to manhandle you away to cool off out of ear shot of impressionable children.”
Hallie’s mini meltdown has run its course. “Fine. I might have over-reacted… just a bit.”
“You think?” Troy is laughing at her now.
“You can stop laughing any time now. It isn’t that funny.”
“If you say so.” She knows the second he realizes how close they are. She’s relieved when he takes a step away from her, giving her a bit of breathing room again.
“So, I wonder what kind of gifts they give out to everyone. You game to open our gifts and take a look?” Hallie is surprised he’s giving her rude behavior a pass. She doesn’t know how to interpret what feels like disappointment with Troy’s change of subject. His question hangs in the air. It feels like a dare.
Hallie is curious and more importantly, she welcomes the chance to steer the subject away from her less-than-admirable conduct of the last ten minutes. “Sure. I love opening presents. I’ll go first.”
Hallie rips through the red wrapping paper to find a box of what, at first glance, looks like simple lotion, but upon closer examination, she sees the box touts its medicinal value in ‘helping to relieve pain and cool heated skin.’ Hallie blushes as she realizes she is holding lotion to rub on her ass after getting a hard spanking. “Oh goody. A gift I’ll never use.”
His laughter is back. “I wouldn’t go giving it away if I were you. If you decide to stay in Corbin’s Bend, I predict it won’t be long before you’ll be in need of a dab of that.”
“Very funny. I can’t wait to see what they buy for the Doms around here.”
Troy grins. “I guess there’s only one way to find out.” Troy rips the paper off his present and takes a short peek in the box without showing Hallie. He whistles. “Oh, you’re gonna just love this.”
“That bad?”
“Depends on your perspective I would guess.” Hallie’s eyes almost bug out as he pulls a heavy-duty wooden spoon out from the tissue paper wrapping. His grin is disarming. “Somehow, I don’t think most of the HoH’s are going to be cooking with this.”
“Fucking great.” The second the bomb leaves her mouth, she regrets it. “I’m so sorry. It just slipped out.”
“I don’t think so. What I can’t figure out is if you are just being careless or if you are subconsciously trying to push my buttons to see how far you can push me.”
“That’s ridiculous. Listen, for the last few years I’ve lived with a rock band traveling cooped up on a tour bus at least fifty percent of the time. Let’s just say I picked up a few bad habits.”
Troy at least looks like he might be listening. “Okay, say I buy that as a plausible excuse for your potty mouth, I’m assuming your aunt and uncle are not thrilled. Adam seems like a pretty straight shooter.”
Hallie’s heart rate is going up at the mention of her uncle. “We don’t need to bring Uncle Adam into this discussion, do we? I mean I wouldn’t want him to be disappointed…”
Troy is grinning at her. “He’s already told you to knock it off, hasn’t he?”
Hallie hesitates before answering truthfully. “Only about ten times. Let’s just say that if he finds out about my slips tonight, I suspect I’d be testing out the lotion sooner rather than later. I think the only reason he hasn’t spanked me already is they’re trying not to scare me into leaving Corbin’s Bend.”
Troy is chuckling, a twinkle in his eye. “Hmmm… so what is my silence worth to you?”
She knows he is teasing her so she plays along. “Blackmail? Really? If you tell him about my cussing, I might be forced to… to…” Her mind races to come up with something she might hold over his head. She doesn’t think things through before she replies. “I’ll be forced to tell him about why I broke into Traci’s that night in the first place. I’m sure he’d like to know all about that.”
Troy’s humor is gone instantly. He has backed her up against the wall again, hovering over her so close she can feel his warm breath. “Leave my sister out of this. She doesn’t need the gossips around town getting a hold of the story of how she celebrated her 30th birthday. Do you hear me?” His eyes are hard.
“Troy… I didn’t mean… Well… I would never hurt Traci like that. I was just joking.”
“Your mouth sure does get you in a lot of trouble. I would get ready if I were you. It’s only going to be a matter of time before your uncle gives you reason to test the lotion.”
Hallie has already pretty much come to the same conclusion and as a result, has spent endless hours debating if being near her aunt and uncle who love her is actually worth living in a place like Corbin’s Bend.
“Well, just the same. I’m just glad you didn’t try to test your newest gift out on me tonight.”
The worry lines around his eyes crinkle before he answers her seriously. “Hallie, I will never spank you. I am neither a relative nor your HoH, so as much as I may want to take you over my knee like the naughty little girl you act like at times, you don’t need to live in fear of me.”
She should be happy, right? He has just pledged not to hurt her, no matter how obnoxious she might get. So why does she feel disappointed instead of relieved? More importantly, why does her tummy flutter at the thought of being Troy’s naughty anything?
He doesn’t give her time to sort out her jumbled emotions. Troy backs off, giving her space to breathe. “Come on. Let’s go rejoin the party. I’m sure Traci is worried.”
Almost two hours later, it’s way past time for Troy to leave this party. Coming here hadn’t been one of his brightest ideas. As if their earlier sparring match hadn’t been fun enough, spending time around Miss Hallie Boudreaux was proving to be akin to plunking a diabetic down in front of a huge table of sweets. It’s so tempting to reach out and sample the tasty treats right there within his reach, but he knows damn well she is no good for him.
Setting the eleven year age difference aside, the fact she talks and drinks like a rock star, and rejects the idea of a domestic discipline lifestyle with vehemence pretty much closes the door on the idea of getting to know her better. His brain accepts these truths, but unfortunately, the rest of his body seems drawn to her as if she’s the tempting treat. There’s something unique about her Troy can’t quite put his finger on. With so much he doesn’t know about her yet, it makes his growing attraction to her even more troublesome.
When Hallie starts to wobble on her high heels standing next to the punch bowl, Troy decides it’s time to intervene. He had tried to give her some space, mingling away from her for much of the party. About ten minutes ago, he’d sent Traci over to retrieve Hallie so they could leave, but his sister had ended up joining her instead. It looks like he’s going to have to go in himself.
Arriving next to the small group gathered near the refreshments, Troy prods them. “Come on ladies. It’s getting late. Time to head home. Santa has a few gifts to wrap.”
“Oh come on, Troy. Don’t be a party pooper. You need some more punch.” Hallie is holding a plastic cup filled with spiked punch out for him.
“No thanks. I’m driving and I already had one.”
“Light weight. I guess I’ll have to drink it instead.” It’s subtle, but her words are beginning to slur. Hallie diverts the adult beverage to her lips and takes a swig before Troy calmly t
akes the cup.
“I think you’ve had enough, Hallie. Your aunt and uncle are not going to appreciate me bringing their niece home sloshed. It’s time to get going.”
“You’re not the boss of me. I’m sure I can get someone else to drive me home. You can leave if you’re going to turn into a pumpkin at midnight or something.”
She doesn’t make a very good drunk. “Come on ladies, time to go.”
When his sister looks as if she might say something in return, she stops, thinking better of the idea and begrudgingly agrees. “You’re right. We do need to head out. It’s late.”
“Oh, not you too! Don’t let him spoil your fun.”
Troy is relieved his sister is headed to the coat check area without additional prodding, leaving him to deal with Hallie. “Come on, Hallie. Time to go.”
“I’m staying. Just leave.” She whines with attitude.
“Nope. Your uncle put me in charge. You’ve had enough to drink. Time to head home.”
“Or what?” She has a fire in her eyes. She is throwing down an intentional dare. A group of teenagers gathered nearby are watching the interaction with interest.
“I’m not playing this game.” He reaches to secure her upper arm in his tight grip. He turns to head towards the exit, but she digs in her fashion heels and tries to hold him back. His anger is simmering. He hadn’t missed that she’s curvier than he had remembered and he suspects Aunt Gina has been feeding her well, but it doesn’t change the fact she’s petite enough that he can hustle her along easily.
They’re at the coat check room before Troy releases her arm in order to dig out the claim check. They move aside to make room for the people lining up. Before the young attendant can return with their coats, Hallie is heading back towards the party.
His patience is at an end. He doesn’t know her story yet, but one thing is for sure, Hallie Boudreaux is in sore need of some discipline. Unfortunately, that job will fall to her uncle as her relative. All Troy can offer at this juncture is a stern lecture. A wave of resentment festers within him directed at Hallie. He was already feeling like an old man around her, but he hates that she’s turning him into her father.
He shuffles them to a nearby doorway, out of the path of the other partygoers, trapping her against the closed door. He presses in close, allowing his towering body to try to intimidate Hallie into compliance.
“Now, I’ve had enough. I have no idea what happened in your past that makes you think acting like a brat is acceptable, but here’s your wake up call. You are on dangerous ground with me, Hallie. We’re leaving.”
They are in a silent showdown of wills, staring into each other’s eyes as the group of teenagers she had been socializing with walk by, taunting them. “Hey, look at the lovebirds! They’re standing under the mistletoe. You guys better kiss or you’ll have bad luck.”
Troy’s gut lurches. Hallie’s eyes widen. As if they choreographed this moment, they each slowly look up to confirm the validity of the teenager’s taunt.
When their eyes meet next, he expects to see fear or anger. Those would be preferable to the confused longing reflected in her green eyes. It’s only there briefly, but he’d seen it. It’s a stupid tradition. It means nothing. He should walk away. He will walk away.
And then she licks her lips… slowly… sensuously. It’s an invitation and one he is helpless to resist. His brain shuts down, turning the moment over to the rest of his body. Their eyes are locked and he watches for even a hint of fear… a hint that she doesn’t want this. What he sees instead is eagerness as her kissable lips part as excitement jumps in her eyes.
Suspecting he will never have this opportunity again, Troy closes the distance between them, lowering his lips to hers. The kiss is gentle… chaste even, right up until he feels Hallie’s arms circling his waist, tucked under his suit jacket, his dress shirt the only fabric preventing skin on skin connection. When she hugs him to her, Troy’s control slips and the kiss turns to pure passion. He can taste the liquor on her tongue as she uses it to invade his own open mouth. The effects of her intimate proximity has him pressing his body into her own, trapping her against the unforgiving closed door. The added friction of their pressed bodies has his cock growing thick with desire to plunder her sexy body.
The kiss is too short. The hoots and catcalls of the surrounding teenagers remind Troy they have an impressionable audience. With great effort, he pulls out of her warm embrace, taking a few seconds to burn the memory of her flushed face into his memory to call up later when he has time to think things through more clearly.
He briefly contemplates apologizing, but he’ll be damned if he’s going to apologize for something that felt so perfect. It would have been a lie anyway. He’s not sorry at all. Cupping her face gently in the palm of his hand, he tries to regain control over the moment. “Hallie, honey. Open your eyes for me.”
She takes a few long seconds before she complies. He’s relieved to see the heat he’d felt in her still smoldering in her bubbling green eyes. “That’s my girl. It’s late. Let me get you home. I don’t want to piss your uncle off on Christmas Eve.”
At the mention of her uncle, the fire in her eyes begins to douse, returning her to reality. “You’re right. We should go.”
His body is still pressing into her. He sees a flicker of recognition as she acknowledges his hardness pressing into her with a slight shudder. He finally steps back, willing his dick to retreat before other party patrons notice. Troy grasps Hallie’s hand in his own and leads her the short distance back to where Traci stands holding their coats, a smug smile on her face. He purposefully avoids meeting his sister’s eyes as he grabs Hallie’s coat first, holding it out to assist her in getting it on before grabbing his own coat.
Troy needs a few minutes in the cold Colorado air to put out the flames Hallie Boudreaux had lit. “You ladies stay here. I’ll get the car and bring it around so you don’t have to walk through the snow in those ridiculous things you two call shoes. I’ll be right back.”
And with that, Troy stalks out into the winter’s night, determined to stay out there as long as it takes to get back into control before he has to see Hallie again.
Chapter 8
Hallie has been showered and dressed for over an hour. Not even the lure of Aunt Gina’s coffee and baking cinnamon rolls has managed to convince her to leave the relative safety of her bedroom this Christmas morning. She had slept fitfully, waking often to the memories of the intensity of Troy’s chocolate brown eyes after their shared kiss the night before. She’d had a few drinks so she’s sure her memory is playing tricks on her. She’s told herself a hundred times that it was just a kiss. It didn’t mean anything.
The problem was, her mind can repeat that it was just a kiss all it wants. Her body knows the truth. The night before, the three occupants of the car had been silent for the short drive to Aunt Gina’s from the Community Center, each lost in thought. Always the gentleman, Troy had walked her to the front door, yet he hadn’t lingered for longer than it took to drop a quick kiss on her cheek and quickly retreat. Only after the front door had closed behind her did she admit to herself how much she had been hoping for a second taste of his demanding lips when he walked her to her door. Thankfully, her aunt and uncle had been in bed so she wasn’t subjected to well-meant questioning.
Unable to wind down, Hallie had tossed and turned for hours until she had finally given in to the urge to pleasure herself around three this morning, hoping to help her body release the tension it had been carrying since Troy had primed her and then left her wanting more.
Her reaction to their kiss and even the fact that she’d masturbated doesn’t scandalize Hallie. It’s the vision that had taken hold as she rode her fingers to orgasm that has her shaken even now in the light of day. She’s consumed with a mental image of Troy pulling her over his lap to deliver a bare bottomed spanking just before plunging that hard cock she had felt through their clothes into her waiting pussy. Knowing she will be
seeing him this morning, her body is betraying her as she can actually feel the skin of her ass and upper thighs tingling with anticipation; a phenomenon that honestly just pisses her off. Clearly all of this talk about spanking in this damn town is starting to affect her.
A soft knock on her closed door drags her out of her tortured thoughts. “Come in.”
Aunt Gina sails in with a cheery greeting, “Oh good, you’re up.”
She deposits an armful of folded clothes on Hallie’s dresser before coming to wrap her arms around her only niece. “Merry Christmas, Hallie. I’m so happy to finally have you home with us so we can have a real Christmas celebration. It just wasn’t the same celebrating without you these past few years.” Hallie can see the mix of sadness and love in her aunt’s eyes.
“Merry Christmas to you too, Aunt Gina. It’s great to be here with you and Uncle Adam.”
Gina pulls out of their hug to scurry around the room, putting clothes away in their proper place. “Aunt Gina, I told you. You don’t need you to wait on me hand and foot. I can do my own laundry and I wish you’d let me do more of the chores around here. I’m not here on vacation you know.”
“Oh no you don’t. You are still recovering from the accident and anyway, I love having someone to take care of. You are like the daughter your uncle and I could never have.”
Hallie can see tears threatening to stream down her face, so she backs off. Her aunt continues on. “So how was the party at the community center? You stayed pretty late, so it must have been fun.”
Hallie had been hiding to avoid answering these exact probing questions. She doesn’t know what to make of the events the night before herself, so she sure as hell doesn’t want to talk about them now.
“Oh, it was fine. The decorations were amazing and I could have gained ten pounds just eating all of the sweets they had on display.”
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