Healing Divides

by Stella Moore

“The crepes are rather good,” Melissa finally offered, after the weight of the silence became too much to bear.

  Her mother gave her a small smile. “I do like crepes. That sounds excellent.”

  Their waitress appeared a few minutes later to take their orders. When silence once again reigned, Melissa decided she couldn't take it another second. “You came to talk, so let's talk.”

  Her parents shared a sideways glance, then her mother focused on her. “We really did come out to apologize. We realized, after the trial was over, that we'd made a mistake with you. But we didn't know how to make it right.”

  Melissa considered that. “Now, did you realize it was a mistake because you disowned your daughter and that was a horrible thing to do? Or did you realize it was a mistake because nobody ever heard about the trial and you realized you had no good reason for disowning me?”

  Beside her, Jack sighed and gave her thigh a gentle warning squeeze. Her mother's eyes filled with tears again, which were ruthlessly blinked away. “We deserve that. But you have to understand, our family has a reputation in the community. For you to be connected in any way to these sexual deviants would have been devastating for us.”

  “I understand that, believe it or not. It's part of why I made sure Mr. Frost arranged a media blackout. It was mainly so Penny's name wouldn't be dragged through the mud, but I was also protecting myself. Can you imagine what could have happened to my practice with this plastered all over the media? I could have lost all my patients. I was careful. But instead of trusting me, you abandoned me.”

  Their food arrived, but nobody made a move to eat.

  “You know what, fuck it.” Melissa stood and threw her napkin on the table. “If you two can't or won't admit that what you did was wrong, I have no use for you.”

  Jack stood with her and her heart tripped in her chest.

  “We'll be back,” he said in clipped tones before rounding the table to take Melissa's arm and escort her outside. When they stepped outside, she rounded on him.

  “Why are you taking their side?”

  He reached for her but she jerked her arm out of reach. “Look, doc. I'm always in your corner. But you agreed to give them a chance.”

  All of the fight simply left her body and she stepped into his embrace. “I know. I'm just still so mad at them. And I hurt. God, I just hurt so much.”

  “I know.” He pressed a kiss to the top of her head.

  “Jack?”

  “Yeah, doc?”

  “Are you going to… Am I in trouble?”

  “No, sweetheart. I get that this is hard for you. I don't plan on blistering your ass every time you get a little emotional.” He chuckled. “You'd never sit again if I did.”

  She gave him a little shove then leaned in for a kiss, which he obligingly gave her.

  “Ready to go back in?” he asked when they surfaced. She nodded and they returned to their table.

  Melissa eased herself back onto the chair, again silently thanking Johnny for his excellent choice in padded seats. “I apologize for my outburst earlier.”

  Her father studied Jack with a mixture of respect and suspicion before focusing on Melissa. “We acknowledge we made the wrong decision. But we won't beg for your forgiveness.”

  Melissa sighed. “And I'm not ready to forgive you.” She shook her head when her mother opened her mouth to speak. “I'm not. It's going to take me a while, and probably some very expensive therapy.” She smiled at the irony. “But I think I'll get there. In the meantime, maybe we can just, I don't know, get to know each other?”

  “You're our daughter. We know you better than anyone,” her mother said with an indignant sniff.

  “Really? What's my favorite color? What am I allergic to? Who was my first love?” She laughed at her parents’ blank stares. “I'm not any better. I don't know anything personal about you. And I want to. I want us to have a close relationship. I want to be able to call you up and tell you Jack and I are moving in together, or that we decided to adopt a puppy. It's all I've ever wanted.”

  Silence fell over the small group again until her mother picked up her fork, and after taking small bite of her crepe, asked, “So, what is your favorite color?”

  Melissa laughed, and for the first time that morning, it wasn't strained or forced. “Green, actually. Like the mountains in June after weeks of rain.” As they chatted about superficial things, she wondered if everything just might turn out all right.

  Chapter 37

  Later that evening, after her parents had left, Melissa stood in the kitchen sipping a glass of wine. Jack walked up behind her and slid his arms around her waist. She smiled when he moved her hair over to one shoulder and pressed a kiss to her neck.

  “I suppose I should thank you,” she said, tilting her head to the side to give him better access.

  “What are you thanking me for?” He continued his lazy exploration of her skin, down to her shoulder.

  “Everything. For caring enough to spank me, and help me find some peace.” She set down the wine glass and lifted her arms so that he could pull her shirt over her head. Her head fell back against his shoulder as his hands slid up her torso to cup her breasts, teasing the nipples through her bra. “And for pushing me to do something I didn't want to do.”

  The pressure from her bra gave way and the silky material slid to the floor. She sighed at the feel of his rough, callused hands on her bare skin. “Anytime, doc,” he whispered against her neck. He turned her to face him, and she thrilled at the ease with which he lifted her to sit on the top of the island in the middle of the kitchen.

  His expression was serious as he ran a hand over her hair and pressed a gentle kiss to her lips. “I mean it,” he said when he pulled away. “I'm here for you, whatever you need. Even when that means putting you over my knee and warming that beautiful backside of yours.”

  She felt the flush along every inch of her skin. “I think you mean especially when.”

  He grinned. “Not going to lie, it's not exactly a hardship on my part. But I would much rather spend my time giving you the types of spankings we both enjoy.” He reached for her jeans, popping the top button and sliding the zipper down. She lifted herself for a moment so that he could slip them down and off. He repeated the move with her underwear and she groaned in pleasure at the feel of the cool granite against her backside. The denim had chafed all day and she was grateful for some relief.

  The click of his phone camera had her eyes flying open. “Did you just take a picture?”

  He laughed. “I had to, doc. Seeing you there, the prim and proper Dr. Melissa French, naked and flushed on her kitchen counter.” His laughter faded and he was watching her with hunger in his eyes. “And knowing that you're all mine. I wanted to capture that moment.”

  She smiled and opened her legs to him. He'd barely touched her and she was soaking wet for him, aching to feel him fill her. She watched, transfixed as he pulled his old police academy shirt over his head. His body, the sheer power of it, fascinated her. When he was as naked as she, he stepped to the counter and ran his hands up her legs to her hips. Gripping her there, he pulled her to the edge of the counter and slowly slid into her.

  Her eyes fluttered closed as pleasure ran like liquid gold through her veins. He moved within her slowly, with a tenderness that made her heart ache. The pleasure built with each stroke until she tensed, trembling at the peak.

  “Look at me.” At the low, gravelly order, she forced her eyes open. “Don't close your eyes. I want to see you.”

  “Yes, sir,” she breathed, keeping her eyes open and locked on his. When the pleasure washed over her, it was more like a long, slow fall than the explosion she usually experienced with him. Jack followed her soon after, and she knew then why he'd wanted to watch her. The way his eyes blurred, that moment of sheer emotion and vulnerability was a moment she knew she'd carry with her forever. When they were both finished, she dropped her head to his shoulder as they waited for their breathing to even
out once more.

  “Remind me to sanitize the counter top before we go to bed,” Melissa said when her heart rate returned to normal.

  “I'm crazy about you, doc,” he said with a chuckle. “What do you say we spend the weekend at my place and start getting things packed up?”

  She straightened and grinned at him. “Really? You're finally moving in?”

  “I think it's about time we got started living our lives together, don't you?”

  She couldn't think of anything she wanted more.

  The end

  Stella Moore

  Nestled somewhere in the Southeastern United States you can usually find Stella curled up on her couch with her tablet, a blanket (because even during a southern summer, she's freezing) and a glass of wine. If she isn't writing or tweaking her newest work, she's glued to a book. Romance, suspense, thrillers, Stella loves a little bit of everything.

  Other than reading, she spends her time listening to her husband play his guitar and throwing spontaneous dance parties with her two teenage daughters in the living room. When she can convince everyone else to venture outside, she loves hiking and swimming. Her husband is fairly certain she's secretly a mermaid, as she'd live in the water if she could.

  Stella has been writing spanking fiction off and on for years, but she's just recently taken the plunge into writing full novels. She is from the school of “write what you know,” and her husband is always willing (sometimes too willing!) to assist with any research she needs. Stella would love to hear from you at author.stellamoore@gmail.com or on Facebook at Facebook.com/author.stellamoore!

  Don’t miss these exciting titles by Stella Moore and Blushing Books!

  Smokey Mountain Series

  Healing Hurts - Book One

  Healing Divides - Book Two

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