by Maggie Ryan
“Come with me, Elena,” he demanded, lifting off her back and increasing the strength of his thrusts. “Come with me as I fill your ass.”
“Yes!” she screamed when his fingers found her clit. She couldn’t think, couldn’t speak, could do nothing more than fall into the sensation as she splintered apart. His groan was loud as he spilled into her, his cock jerking with each jet and she felt them all. He collapsed on her back again, his breathing harsh.
She welcomed his weight, his demands, his possession. When he pulled out and rolled to his back, positioning her on top of his body, she laid her cheek against his chest, listening to his heart pound. It was several minutes before he pulled her up, then looked into her eyes. “I love you, Elena. God, you will never know how much I love you.”
She smiled and bent to kiss him. If he loved her even half as much as she loved him, it was more than any woman could ever want.
Chapter Fourteen
“Why can’t we just live here?” Elena asked.
“Because the commute to work would be a killer. Your daddy would be too tired to cook all your favorite dishes or to let you win at a game,” Liam teased. “I promise we will come back often.” And he meant it. This was where she’d returned, where they’d reconnected. It was far more than a cabin; it was a part of their hearts, their souls.
“Can’t you retire?”
Liam chuckled. “Exactly how old do you think I am?”
Elena rolled her eyes. “You’re thirty-four, Daddy.”
“That’s right, I may be a decade older than you, little girl, but I’m nowhere near retirement age.”
“Can’t you move your practice here?”
“And leave Uncle Sean to handle all our clients? That would hardly be fair to him. Besides, aren’t you looking forward to seeing Katie?”
“Yes, very much, but why can’t they move here too?”
“I’m sure they’d love to come visit, but, honey, this cabin is too small for all of us.”
“No, it’s not! They can have the guestroom!”
“Elena, baby, I’m glad you love it here as much as I do, but we need to go home. And did you forget we have a wedding to plan?”
“No, but…”
The tone of her voice, the wistfulness he heard suddenly seemed more than just a sadness that they were leaving the next day. “Elena, what’s really bothering you?”
Instead of answering, she went to stand in front of the window, looking out.
“Elena, talk to me, what’s wrong?”
“Nothing.”
Liam moved to stand behind her, putting his arms around her and yet she didn’t lean into him. Though she didn’t pull away, she stiffened.
“Don’t lie to me, little girl. Something is eating at you inside.”
“No… I just love it here. It’s beautiful and peaceful and so quiet. Besides, what is going to happen to the animals when we go? And Mr. Snowy and his little girl. No one will be here to take care of them. They’ll feel abandoned.”
“Is that what you’re afraid of? Are you scared that I’m going to abandon you? Elena, we’re going to get married—”
“You don’t have to marry me, Liam.”
He was stunned at her words, turning her around to face him though she stared at her feet instead of meeting his eyes. Cupping her chin, he forced her to look at him. “Don’t have to? What the hell, Elena? I can’t wait to marry you. I love being your daddy, but I also want to be your husband. I want you to become Mrs. Liam McCormick. God, haven’t you realized by now that I love you?”
“But what if Rebecca is right? What if I can’t submit… can’t be free to be your little girl when we aren’t alone? When there are other people who will judge me for ruining your life? I-I want you to be happy, Liam. God, you deserve to be happy. And I-I am not running, but… we don’t have to marry. I want you to be free to… to leave when you discover you do want more.”
Liam wanted to strangle Rebecca for what she’d said. Despite Elena returning, stating she’d managed to move beyond that day, it was obvious that she hadn’t. He could talk until he was blue in the face but would Elena ever truly believe that she was—exactly—the only woman he would ever want? Somehow he had to obliterate that memory from her mind, and the only way he knew how to do that was to replace it with another.
“Elena Michelle, you march your little heinie upstairs right now and go wait for me in your room.”
“But—”
“No! I am your daddy and you will do what I say, exactly what I say, or young lady, you’re going to be a very sorry little girl. Go!”
He stepped back and extended his arm, pointing toward the stairs. Her eyes were huge and he almost cringed when she flicked her gaze toward the door, but he remained resolute. “Now, Elena!”
His bark startled her into action and she ran to the stairs and disappeared. He could hear her footsteps on the planks of the hall. As he prepared to follow her, his gaze fell onto a stack of board games and videos piled at one end of the hearth and he stood with one foot on the stairs. Glancing up at the railing above him, he shook his head. Why hadn’t he noticed that after that first time when she’d brought down Candy Land and the Little Mermaid video, they’d never found their way upstairs again? Why hadn’t he noticed that when he’d suggest she pick a game or movie to play, she’d always asked him to pick one he’d enjoy? Over the last two weeks, every game and DVD case had wound up downstairs.
Climbing the stairs, he stood at the top, looking into the office. Why hadn’t he noticed that those few days he’d spent working on his laptop, she’d not curled up in the window seat to read or draw or simply to look out the window? She’d said she preferred to curl up downstairs in front of the fire. He’d understood as she adored looking into the flames. What he hadn’t considered was that she’d been avoiding this room ever since she’d returned. He had no doubt that she loved the rest of the cabin, loved the renovations, loved her room, but she did not love everything. Well, it was time to change that.
He walked into her room to find her once again standing and looking out a window. Liam didn’t want to really consider if she was truly just enjoying the view or if she was perhaps regretting coming back to a place that still held a memory that she couldn’t seem to let go. A memory that was keeping her from fully moving on. As he opened her closet, he realized that he also had a demon who needed to be exorcised. Its name was not Rebecca. Its name was Fear. Fear that he wouldn’t be able to rid her of her own doubts and fear that despite her words, he’d wake up one day and find she’d run.
Making his choices, he went to the dresser, selected a couple of items and then laid them all on her bed. Moving to the door, he called to her. “Elena, you are to change and wait for my call. Do not make me wait long.” Not waiting for her response, he turned and left. If she disobeyed, he didn’t know what he’d do as this was the only thing he could think of to finally set her free of the past.
There was not much for him to prepare so he mimicked his girl by standing at the window in the office part of the loft and looking out. They had made good memories here; the snowman and his little one still stood, twig hands together. He watched as birds pecked at the snow, eating the birdseed Elena scattered every day. They’d gone on daily hikes, and her pleasure in discovering that the animals did indeed partake of her popcorn and cranberry strands made him happy. Hell, everything Elena did brought him more joy than he’d ever dared to imagine.
His gaze drifted upward to look at the sky and he prayed: Please, let this work. This woman is my life, my heart, my very soul. Let me free her to no longer be afraid of what anyone ever said to have her doubt herself. Let Elena learn that she needn’t worry about anyone who’d rather trod on her heart than to appreciate the incredible person she is.
Turning away, he was ready.
“Elena, come here,” he called loudly to assure she heard him. Then he sat and waited, praying she would appear and thanking G
Just like that day, she stood, twisting her fingers in the pleats of the skirt he’d set out. She’d pulled her hair into pigtails, the auburn curls shaking a bit as she trembled slightly. Her feet, in her saddle shoes, shifted in place. However, what had his heart swelling wasn’t the fact that she looked absolutely perfect, but that her eyes were locked on his, the expression one of trust, one of hope. And with her first words, he knew it was up to him to make sure that expression would forever be imprinted upon her heart.
“You wanted to see me, Daddy?”
“Yes, Elena, come in and take a seat.”
She walked across the floor and sat in the chair he’d pulled from its place by the window and placed in front of his desk.
“Do you know why you are here?”
“I-I… because I had to go to the principal’s office?”
Liam shook his head. While the basic elements of that day remained the same, her outfit, the setting, he had no intention of this being a scenario created from fantasy. This was real… very real.
“No, this has nothing to do with anyone other than you and me.” He lifted a sheet of paper off his desk. “Do you know what this is?”
“Um… no.”
“Excuse me?”
“No, sir, not really.”
Liam laid the sheet down again. “It’s a copy of your rules. The very rules that hang on your wall. The rules that you repeat to Daddy every morning. Think about our conversation downstairs and try again. Tell me which of those rules you have broken.” He saw the hesitancy on her face, but simply waited, allowing her time to consider her answer.
“I-I broke… most of them.”
He nodded but wasn’t satisfied. He needed her to speak the words, to feel them. “Tell me exactly which ones and how you broke them.”
She bit her bottom lip for a moment and then began. “I didn’t trust that you would always want to take care of me. I-I belittled myself when I said you’d get tired of me because I don’t think I’m-I’m good enough. I waited until today to admit I was scared that when we left the cabin, everything would… would change. I questioned your decision that it would be all right when I said I wanted to stay here… to not go home.”
Did she honestly believe those were all the ones she’d broken? Yes, she’d broken those, but she’d left out the most important one. The rule that formed the basic foundation of this dynamic.
“Elena, yes, you did break those, but that is not why Daddy is sad.” Standing, he picked up the paper and moved around his desk. Squatting down in front of her, he handed her the sheet. “There is really only one rule here that is the most important. Only one that you truly need to believe. The one that lets your heart, your mind, your very soul know that no matter where we are, no matter who is in our lives, that I, your daddy, your future husband, would rather die than have you doubt.”
Though the paper shook a bit as she had yet to stop trembling, he saw her eyes drop… not to scan the page as there was no need. This sheet held only one line of text… only one rule. Reaching out, he cupped her chin, lifting her face to see that her eyes were shimmering. He had no need to look at the paper. This rule was one he had tried to put into action every moment since she’d returned to him. Speaking in a soft tone, he recited from heart, “I will remember that I, Elena Michelle, am the most treasured, the most loved little girl in the entire universe.” He watched a tear slide down her cheek. “And, Elena, you are. You are everything to me. Why won’t you truly believe that?”
“I-I’m trying. I really am, I swear. I-I just can’t forget what Rebecca said.”
Liam nodded. “I know and that’s why we’re here.”
He watched as understanding dawned, her eyes flicking from his to their surroundings, to her clothes and then to him again. “You-you think that if you… if we… oh, Daddy, you think if we reenact that day, I’ll forget?”
“No, at least not immediately. I know that words have the power to hurt more than any physical pain. And we’re not going to reenact that same scenario as it wasn’t real. It was the two of us playing a role. But what I believe… what I’m hoping with all my heart… is that you now know that I am your daddy and that you, the love of my life, are the most special, the most treasured girl, the most loved little one in the universe.” He brushed away the tears that slowly slid down her cheeks with his fingertips. “And, young lady, if it takes me turning your little bottom scarlet every day for the rest of our lives for you to know that, then, regardless of how old and decrepit I get, I will do so. And do you know why?”
For the first time that day, she gave him a smile that lit her eyes. “Because that what daddies who love their little girls do.”
He bent forward and kissed her nose. “Right on the button!” The sound of her soft giggle had him knowing he’d made the right decision and he sent his gratitude toward the heavens. Standing up, he took the paper from her, turned and placed it face up on the desk. Turning back, he saw that she was no longer shifting her feet, her fingers weren’t worrying her skirt, and she’d stopped trembling. He even heard the little gasp as he unbuttoned the cuff of his shirt and began to roll up the sleeve. Once the cloth was above his elbow, he held out his hand.
“Are you ready?”
“Yes, Daddy.”
“That’s my girl.” He helped her to stand and led her the short distance to the desk. “Before we start, I want you to remember something you said. Something you made me promise. You asked me to promise that whenever you start to doubt yourself, to doubt us, I would remind you that you are so very deserving. Do you remember what else you asked me to promise?”
“Yes,” she said softly. “I asked you to promise to spank me and then hold me. To let me know that you’d never let me be so completely idiotic again.”
Liam nodded. “I am a man of my word, Elena.” He patted the desk’s surface. “Put your palms flat on the desk.”
When she had, he positioned the paper so that it was right beneath her eyes. “Remember my words as well. Keep your eyes on this sheet. Let every spank remind you of what I wrote on that paper. Let every stroke on your bottom imprint on your heart that you are the most precious person in the world to me. And, as I make your little bottom burn, let my love for you burn into your very soul so that you will never again doubt that you are my everything.”
“Yes, Daddy.”
He lifted her skirt, tucking it into the band at her waist, smiling as the panties he’d selected were revealed. Though these were also white, they were not the same as she’d worn that day. Instead of plain cotton, these had rows of ruffles all across the seat. Peeling them down to bare her bottom, he again heard that soft little gasp. When they were at her knees, he splayed his hand across her cheeks, smiling when he realized that they had grown plumper in the days they’d been here.
“Um… Daddy?”
“Hmm?”
The soft gasp became a soft giggle. “I thought that you were going to spank me?”
Her question had him leaving the memories of their days at the cabin and grinning. With a final squeeze of her gorgeous ass, he said, “Oh, believe me, little girl, I am definitely going to spank you.” And with that, his hand lifted and he began.
Each smack of his hand had the flesh of her buttocks depressing a bit as they colored, only to spring back as if anxious for another stroke. He took his time, his swats slower than a spanking given for punishment for this wasn’t what that was. This was a reminder, a reconnection, a new memory being made. This spanking was his promise that she could count on him to carry out his conviction to make sure she never forgot she was his, now and forever.
As her bottom went from pink to red, he didn’t stop. He peppered her cheeks until they glowed and then changed his target. She’d been giving gasps and soft mewls as her spanking was delivered, but it wasn’t until he changed the direction of his strokes, giving sharp, quick upward slaps that caused her buttocks to lift and quiver as he spanked the sensitive swath of skin where her bottom met her thighs that she began to moan and jerk as if attempting to ruin his aim.
“No, don’t be naughty. You’ve earned this spanking and Daddy is going to make sure you remember it. Spread your legs apart.” Once she’d shifted her feet, he moved them a bit further with a nudge of his shoe. “What rule is your daddy imprinting on this little bottom?”
“That I’m treasured… ow!”
He’d smacked the back of her right thigh, causing her to give a little shriek. “And?” he prompted, placing an identical handprint on her left thigh.
“I’m cherished! Daddy! That hurts!”
“It hurts your daddy when you doubt how much he loves you,” he said, alternating swats between her thighs that sounded like firecrackers popping. Her hips wiggled, her feet shifted as she bounced up and down but she never once reached back. Liam laid his palm on the inside of her thigh and she whimpered.
“Please, Daddy, I’m sorry.”
“Are you, Elena?”
“Yes! I promise!”
“Promise what, little girl?” He allowed his fingers to stroke along the only part of her flesh between her ass and her knees that remained pale.
“I promise I won’t ever question you again… ow! Ow!”
Moving his hand to her other thigh, leaving the one that now bore his handprint, he said, “No, Elena. You will question and that is fine. I want you to feel you can question anything. But, when you do, what are you going to do?”
“Come to you!”
“That’s right. You’ll bring every question, every doubt, every concern to me so that I can help you.” Lifting his palm, he corrected the asymmetry of her inner thighs by adding another handprint to her flesh.
“Now, answer the question. What does Daddy want you to promise?”
“To remember that I am your little girl. That you love me, cherish me, and will take care of me always. That you’ll never ever leave me.”
“And do you believe that, Elena. In your heart and soul?”
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