It didn’t matter, there would be time enough to get unpacked and settled as he didn’t start his new job on the Boulder Police Force until Monday. That was just another detail that had fallen into place. Corbin’s Bend didn’t have their own police force, but they did have cops in the community who were employed by the Boulder Police Department, whose main job was to patrol Corbin’s Bend. There were currently three, and as Brent explained, they had been openly looking for a fourth. Josiah had gotten to meet one of the men already, Officer Tate Leano, and while he had been a bit rough around the edges, Josiah had liked him and was looking forward to getting to know him as well as all the others he had met so far.
Josiah walked around his new home, openly exploring and getting a feel for the place. It was most definitely bigger and nicer than his studio apartment he had in Green Valley. He was going to have to plan a trip to Boulder in the following weeks to get a few things for sure.
Entering the open kitchen, a great room Brent had called it as it wasn’t sectioned off from the living room, he spotted a large basket on the kitchen counter.
Walking up to it, he plucked a card off the top. It was navy blue with the Corbin’s Bend logo on it, and said ‘Welcome’ in large block letters. He tossed it aside and peered at the contents of the basket. There was a bottle of wine, which he plucked out first thing. It was bottled locally he noticed, setting it on the counter and withdrawing his Swiss Army knife from his pocket. Thank goodness somebody had had the foresight to include a corkscrew on these things he thought, opening the bottle and inhaling the heady fruit scent. He set it on the counter to breathe. Maybe he would get Hiram to share a toast with him before he and Sophia headed out for the night.
He continued pawing through the basket pulling out random items, some maps of Corbin’s Bend and Boulder that would come in handy, a few smaller jars of local specialty jams and jellies, and many brochures boasting coupons for local businesses. It wasn’t the sort of thing that would normally be of interest to him, but he was bored, and this was a fresh start for him. He might as well know what was what in his new area. He tossed a coupon for a free car wash, as he didn’t have a car, just his motorcycle, and he didn’t trust anyone but himself to wash his baby. He did the same with the coupon for a hair salon. He preferred a barber shop over some foo-foo smelly ladies den. There was a card for Auntie Q’s antiques that boasted having an ‘extensive collection of antique and unique spanking implements’. He shook his head at that, amused, and tossed it with the others.
Finding a smattering of restaurant brochures, he leaned against the counter to peruse them. As a bachelor, he knew these were the places he would frequent the most. Josiah loved food, and he was also a decent cook, but cooking for one wasn’t fun, and it wasn’t something he did very often. Green Valley had boasted a café and a burger joint, and while the food had been good and cheap, it wasn’t exactly gourmet fare. The restaurants here were something Brent had raved about, and though there weren’t many, Josiah looked forward to trying each and every one of them.
It looked as if there was a pretty good selection, a few Mexican restaurants, Italian, Indian, a pizza joint, a bakery and a sushi bar. The sushi menu caught his eye— there was a big coupon on the front for a free Corbin’s Bend Roll with any purchase. Seemed like a pretty good deal he thought, opening the colorful take-out menu. Sushi was not something he had ever tried, but he had always wanted to. The names of the rolls caught his eye and he laughed out loud at some of them. They were almost all spanking and discipline related names, and all very clever. He made a mental note to make The Ginger Paddle one of his first stops. He could already tell that the place had character.
With the menu still in his hand, he turned back to the basket. There was one item left and with everything else out, he could now see that the large handled wooden board was not a cheese board or a cutting board as he had originally thought.
With a smile, he pulled it out and turned it over in his hands with an amused smile. No, it was certainly not a cheese board. It was a spanking paddle, and an incredibly well-crafted one at that. He ran his hands over the engraved Corbin’s Bend logo, marveling at the unique craftsmanship. It seemed a little premature a gift at this point, but he knew it was a standard addition to the basket. Actually, he thought ironically, it was probably the other way around. This was obviously the centerpiece of the basket, and everything else was an addition. The paddle was a golden color, and he could tell it was maple. It was about a foot long, and maybe four inches wide, and he guessed just shy of an inch in thickness. Holding it in his hand, he gave it a swing, smiling as it caught air. Someday, he would have a reason to try it out for real.
That was why he was here in Corbin’s Bend after all. It was a whole community of like-minded people who believed in an old-fashioned domestic discipline lifestyle, an idea that went against the norm in today’s society. Here he would step out on his own and make his life, and hopefully, someday soon, because God knows he wasn’t getting any younger, find the woman he was meant to spend the rest of his life with. One woman. Not two, or three or five. Just one. Ideally, he would find her here, in Corbin’s Bend.
Paddle still in hand, he leaned up against the counter. As terrified as he was, he was also so incredibly happy to be here. It felt like he was on the brink of reaching his dreams, first and foremost the dream of a wife and a family. For the first time ever, he was allowed to think about what he wanted in a woman, and know that it actually was up to him, and no-one else, to find her.
He hadn’t even realized until this moment how badly he wanted that. He had always been afraid to think about it, afraid to dream, and certainly to chase his dreams. To do so, would have gone against everything. But now, he was here, and he could do that. He could do whatever he wanted without fear of recrimination.
The paddle felt good in his hand. It was funny how something as trivial as an engraved piece of wood could invoke the feelings he was having. He turned it over in his hands, almost reverently. To him it was a symbol of everything he hoped for that he had held back going after for so long. Someday, maybe soon, he would find a woman to call his own. And someday she would do something, and he would have to spank her. He swallowed hard, his mouth dry at the thought. He found himself full of longing for that moment. He chewed his bottom lip anxiously as a picture he had tried so hard to keep at bay popped into his mind.
A woman standing naked in a corner of the room. Himself sitting on the bed behind her, watching, and waiting. Her hair would be wet from the shower he had told her to take, and her skin would glow with moisture. Every so often, an errant drop would escape from her hair and run down her back, and she would give a delicious little shiver. He wouldn’t be able to help himself. He would walk up behind her and whisper in her ear. He would tell her what a naughty girl she was, and remind her that naughty girls got long hard spankings. He would watch as her body reacted to his words, and he would know that he had made her wet. He would kiss her neck ever so lightly and give her bottom a soft squeeze, just a preview of what was to come. Then he would make his way back to the bed and call her over to him. Her legs would shake ever so slightly as she took the short walk over to stand in front of him. He wouldn’t say anything. She knew what was coming at she knew why. They had already talked, and he had already forgiven her. This was all that was left to do. He would take her hand and quickly pull her over his lap. His slacks would dampen from her still wet body as she lay helpless across his knees, waiting for her punishment to begin. There wouldn’t be much of a wait. His cock would already be hard and stirring with need at the sight of her naked upturned bottom, and he would be itching to get through the spanking and on to the aftercare that would follow. He would draw his hand back and bring it down hard against her creamy white fleshy cheeks, watching the skin darken under his hand. He would spare no mercy, giving her a thorough working over under his hand, striking the soft globes over and over, up and down, in no particular rhythm or pattern, until her bottom was da
rk pink in color and hot to the touch. She would squirm and cry out, but he would not stop. She would throw her hands back to cover herself, hoping for at least a pause, but he would simply catch them in his own and pin them behind her back, continuing on his mission. Finally, when she thought she could stand no more, he would pause and rub her aching bottom, marveling at the heat radiating from her skin. Her body would relax at his soft touch, and she would weep softly hoping he was finished. But he wouldn’t be. He would ease her off his lap, and settle her over the bed as he retrieved the paddle from the closet. Her butt cheeks would clench in anticipation. She has a love/hate relationship with the paddle. She would whine and whimper, but she would push her bottom out to meet his hand, signaling her readiness and exposing her glistening sex. His jaw would clench and his cock would leap to attention. He would stifle his growing needs and desires, determined to finish out the task at hand. He would draw his arm back, and bring it forward again, and watch as her bottom flattened under the impact of the cool wood. She would cry out, and her feet would dance a little on the floor, doing what he called the spanking dance, but within a minute, she would be back in position and ready for more. He would happily oblige, whether or not she was ready. The paddle would be unforgiving, and he would watch as it bounced across her skin again and again until her legs gave out and she flattened herself against the bed, fully submitting, welcoming the pain. He would throw the paddle down unceremoniously and draw her to him, claiming her body as his.
“Knock Knock!” A familiar voice rang out, breaking Josiah out of his fantasy. His breathing was shallow and his heart was racing, and as usual, his brother had the worst timing.
Fumbling with the paddle he hadn’t realized he was still holding, he opened the nearest kitchen drawer and shoved it inside. Slamming the drawer shut with his hip, he leaned up against it, effectively hiding it from view for no other reason than sheer embarrassment. It wasn’t as if his brother hadn’t seen a paddle before. Josiah knew he owned at least three of them, one for each of his wives.
Josiah crossed his arms over his chest and smiled as Hiram and Sophia entered with baby Auggie. His brother had insisted on driving the U-Haul and following him here, and Josiah was grateful. It wasn’t that he needed the help, and Hiram knew it. It’s just that Hiram wasn’t ready to say goodbye. Hiram was a bit stiff, and more than a little reserved, and Josiah knew that he needed to check the place out for himself before he could feel okay with turning his baby brother loose into the world. Never mind the fact that Josiah was thirty-five, and had more life experience than his brother— something like this was outside their comfort zones.
“Bathroom! Bathroom!” Sophia ran up to him, thrusting Auggie into his arms. “I’ve had to pee for over an hour and Hiram refused to stop!” She danced around impatiently while Josiah shifted August in his arms and pointed her to the downstairs bathroom.
“We were making good time,” Hiram said, by way of explanation. “I didn’t want Josiah to be unpacking all night— us either. We’ve got a room in Boulder for the night.”
Josiah chuckled at his brother’s eager expression.
“Well, I won’t keep you too long. Just help me get the truck unloaded, and the bed put together, and you’re more than welcome to get on your way.”
“Trying to renege on your promise of dinner? I believe I was promised a beer too, and I intend to collect on that, little bro.” Hiram elbowed him in the side good-naturedly.
“I’m game. Mexican?” he asked as they walked out to unload the trailer, leaving Sophia inside to tend the baby.
No sooner than they got out the door did they see Brent Carmichael walking up the driveway with another dark haired man who looked to be in his early thirties.
The men didn’t hesitate to help, grabbing boxes Hiram had unloaded as they walked into the house. Hoping to keep Hiram separate from them, Josiah followed.
“We won’t be long, unless you need the help,” Brent said with an easy smile. “I just wanted to stop by and introduce you to Matt Renton. Matt will be your mentor. Anything you need, or have questions about, you just give him a call, and he will probably check in with you every so often.”
The guy, Matt, was tall with dark hair, green eyes and a laid back friendly look to him, and Josiah liked him immediately. Matt offered his hand, and Josiah shook it with a nod.
“Nice to meet you. I’ve got my family here today, and I start work on Monday, but I would love to get together sometime before then for a beer or something, if that would work.”
“Absolutely, sounds great. I’ll give you a call.”
“Matt is the head chef over at Amore. He and his wife Julie were some of the very first residents, so he’s practically a Corbin’s Bend expert, next to myself,” Brent joked, and Matt laughed him off, shaking his head.
“I don’t know about all that, but I do my best. We’ll let you get to it and get settled in, and I’ll give you a call this weekend.”
The two men turned and left, and Josiah headed back out to unload. He was getting hungry, and the sooner they got unloaded, the sooner they could eat.
Chapter 3
Lannea closed up by herself on Monday night and frowned at the night sky as she exited the building. A storm was brewing for sure. It was only early September, so the days were still warm, but those tropical storms could set in quickly. The clouds overhead looked particularly foreboding. Just as the thought left her head, a thunderous boom sounded, rattling the windows of the shop, and the skies opened, catching her in a downpour. Huge drops fell to the ground. Laney shrieked and ran to her car, nearly getting drenched in the few moments it took to reach and unlock her vehicle.
Sitting there in the parking lot, she watched the storm wreak its havoc and swore under her breath. It was the kind of weather that made her want to be safe at home in her comfy clothes curled up with a bowl of soup and a glass of wine. But that wasn’t going to happen tonight. It was Monday, and she had her weekly meeting with her mentor Julie Renton. Not that she needed a mentor or a weekly meeting at this point but she liked Julie, and the mother of three young children claimed it was her one night off to get away from the kids and the house. It was Julie’s husband Matt’s regular night off, and it was also the night Ginger and Beau had weekly maintenance. The rooms of course, were soundproofed— all Corbin’s Bend houses were but she still tried to make a habit of being out of the house on Monday nights. Her being there was awkward for all of them, but her most of all. It just reminded her of everything she wanted, and everything she didn’t have. And for her cousin, an effective maintenance session was a must. Ginger would be utterly impossible to deal with if Beau didn’t take her in hand once a week, at least. She was typically an overly uptight, control freak anyway and sometimes by Sunday night before maintenance, Laney couldn’t even stand to be around her. She loved her cousin dearly, but they were truly polar opposites. Her happy-go-lucky carefree personality and her cousin’s detail oriented perfectionist personality clashed on a daily basis. Secretly, Lannea found herself counting down to Monday nights, and the few days that followed, knowing that for a little while at least Ginger would be easier to deal with. But, it meant that tonight, she had no choice but to be out in this weather. Sighing as she started the car, she squinted out the window at the rain. The drops were falling huge and fast, making it hard to see the road. Thankfully, she didn’t have far to go, and it was still light out, even though it was after eight. The long summer days would go away soon, leaving a cold Colorado winter in their wake. Lannea, a California native, was not looking forward to another Colorado winter. The last one had nearly killed her. Julie swore she would eventually get used to it, but she wasn’t so sure.
She pulled into Amore. It wasn’t her first choice, as it was a little upscale for her tastes and usually outside of her budget. But as it was the only restaurant in Corbin’s bend with a bar, and stayed open a little later than the others, it was usually where they ended up on Monday nights. Julie loved going there, as
her husband Matt was their beloved head chef, so they often got spoiled with free drinks and heavy discounts. And since Laney was squirreling away every penny to eventually buy into Corbin’s Bend herself, and to become a true partner at The Ginger Paddle, she was always up for a good deal and a free drink.
She gave her wet hair a vigorous shake before going in, thankful once again that she kept her hair short to work in the kitchen. It would dry fast, especially with the fireplace in the bar area, which would undoubtedly be roaring on a night like tonight. She saw Julie right away and gave her friend a quick, loose hug, trying carefully not to get her wet.
“Hey, girl!” her mentor and friend exclaimed with a broad smile, taking her elbow and leading her to the cozy seating area in the back near the fireplace.
“Two martinis please,” she called to the young bartender, a woman Laney didn’t recognize.
Julie turned back to her as they took their seats and leaned in conspiratorially. “Girl, I have got some news for you! There’s a new guy in town and Matt is mentoring him! I’ve already checked him out. He is a major hottie, and he’s a cop! Man in a uniform,” Julie teased, waggling her eyebrows.
Lannea made a face, unconvinced, and not too excited. She was done checking out every new bachelor that moved to town. It hadn’t done her any good so far, and she was tired of getting her hopes up and letting her guard down for nothing. Still, she couldn’t stop the little niggling of excitement from taking root in her belly, regardless of what her head was telling her. Still, she didn’t want to be or appear over eager. “Nope, not interested,” she said stubbornly.
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