"Only a year?" Baylor repeated. "I thought you were like ten years older or something. You act so old."
"That would make me Terry's age, and I am not ready to trade my motorcycle in for a wheelchair just yet."
"Them are fighting words, boy," Terry announced, cracking his knuckles.
Baylor found herself yelling alongside the other two as Jake and Terry began to wrestle on the living room floor. Matt elbowed her.
"Get some ice and let's cool them off," he whispered in her ear.
"Will we get in trouble?"
"We won't," Matt said. "You might."
"Oh, what the hell!"
She waited until Terry had Jake pinned down before sneaking up behind him. With an evil grin, she dumped a cup of crushed ice down the back of his shirt—which was, incidentally, tucked into his jeans. She jumped out of the way as Terry launched off the ground and tried to shake the ice from his clothing.
"Which one of you smartasses did this?" he boomed.
Matt and Baylor both pointed to the other. Unfortunately, Baylor still had the red cup in her hand, which she quickly hid behind her back at the same time as Terry noticed it.
"Did he put you up to it?"
They both answered simultaneously.
"Yes."
"No."
"He had to have. My little girl would never have done anything like that on her own," Hayden said, wrapping his arm around Baylor's shoulders. "Not when her butt's at stake."
"That's right," she agreed, fully enjoying the game. "I'm innocent."
"May I?" Terry asked Jake, who was still lying on the floor.
"Go for it."
"No!" Baylor squeaked, taking off in a dead run. Terry easily overtook her on the stairs, slung her over his shoulder, and brought her back into the living room.
"What a naughty little girl you are," he scolded, plopping her across his lap as he sat on the loveseat. He lifted the hem of the dress to expose her white cotton panties. "I like her wearing little girl clothes. It gives us easier access to her bottom," he declared, patting her wriggling backend.
"Nooo!" Baylor laughed, trying to escape by twisting and turning.
"Where do you think you're going?" Terry asked. "What you did was not very nice, and Uncle Terry needs to spank you for it."
"No, you don't! It was Matt's fault."
"Tsk, tsk. Blaming your big brother is not how a good little sister behaves."
"Blaming her brother is exactly what a little sister is supposed to do. Ow! Not so hard!" Baylor yelped, reaching back to protect her bottom.
Terry snatched her hand in his big, bear-like paw. "I love it when they offer us their hands like this, don't you?" he asked his audience.
"I was trying to cover my bottom, not… Owie!"
"We should do a gauntlet on her one day," Hayden suggested, as Terry landed another playful smack over Baylor's panty covered backside.
"What's a… OW! What's a gauntlet?" Baylor asked. "Let me go."
"I'll let you go when your bottom is nice and pink."
"How can you tell with those panties in the way?" Matt asked.
"Whose side are you on, anyway?" Baylor growled, as Terry popped her with four more smacks. Her bottom was actually starting to sting, but in a pleasant way.
"I always take my side," Matt stated. "Here, try this and see what she thinks."
Terry accepted a broad, wooden spoon from his friend, ignoring Baylor's genuine protests. "Hmm, is this new?"
"Yep. I made it during my trip from a piece of ironwood. Try it."
"Nonononooo…"
Terry wedged the panties between Baylor's cheeks and rested the flat back of the spoon on the crest of her bottom. A single swat sent her into a frenzy of movement.
"That thing hurts!" she yelled.
"I do like my spoons," Terry said, aiming for the other cheek. The swat caused the exact same reaction. "Guys, this needs to go into the arsenal."
"It leaves a nice blanch mark before turning color, doesn't it?" Hayden observed, touching the area the spoon had kissed. "I would hate to see what it would do if used for punishment."
"Please, let me go," Baylor begged.
Terry released her with a hug and a pat on the rear. She adjusted her panties and stood away from the four, her lower lip sticking out like a perch for some stray bird.
"You guys are so mean," she said, rubbing her stinging backside.
"You're welcome!" they responded.
"Hurry and finish dressing, Bay. It's almost time to go Trick or Treating," Jake said, rising from the floor and knuckling Terry's thigh.
"But it's broad daylight."
"He has to work tonight, so we're going to start early," Hayden said. "Need some help getting those frilly panties on?"
"No!"
Standing between the four men, dressed like Little Miss Muffet, Baylor felt very much like a little girl. They took her to the homes of their friends, the ones who had helped her move, and made her ring the bell and call, "Trick or Treat!" For someone who had never done this in her entire life, it was an adventure that Baylor was never going to forget.
Happy to have a woman in the area, particularly one who 'belonged' to the Paterson boys, all their male neighbors seized the chance to mess with her. Even in the light of day, Baylor screamed as she was snuck up on from behind, or a scary monster or twisted clown jumped at her from the concealment of a bush. She was the only 'trick or treater' in the all-adult neighborhood, so she soon found her bag loaded with candy and special gifts. Her escorts were also carrying bags filled with soda, beer and frozen steaks—hinting at another barbeque.
Baylor was disappointed when Jake announced it was time to return home. To her dismay, Terry hefted her trick or treat bag high above her reach, with a promise to rummage through it after Jake returned home from his shift the next morning.
"You look tired. Would you like to take a nap with me?" Jake asked with a yawn.
"I'm not sleepy."
"You don't have to sleep. Just lie down next to me. I need to grab a few hours or I won't be able to function tonight."
"Go on," Hayden urged. "After he leaves, we can make some popcorn and watch a movie."
Baylor glanced around the room, aware of the hopeful expression on the faces of her new family. With a sigh, she nodded and accepted Jake's hand.
"This is a little overwhelming for you, isn't it?" he asked kindly, as he wrapped his arm around her and snuggled her back into the spoon of his body.
"Yeah. But I think I'm getting used to it. I do like the play aspect. I've never had that before."
"I told you, didn't I? As long as you keep yourself out of trouble, you have nothing to worry about."
***
Baylor knew it was time to start worrying when Terry asked to see her weekly 'health' report. Because she had been so cooperative after the first week, he had gifted her with a reprieve from her nightly reports and shifted his monitoring to once a week. However, with Hayden and Matt called out to hunt down a lost hiker, and Jake working the night shift, Baylor had disregarded her meal and medication schedule.
She was working on taking pictures of a bug in her front yard when Terry came up from behind her, capturing her in a huge bear hug and lifting her off the ground.
"How was your day, Angel?"
"Huh? Oh, hi! I've been applying for jobs in the papers and some magazines. Jake is going to check with forensics to see if they have any openings coming up."
"Excellent. It's Friday."
"Yeah, so?"
"Where's my report?"
Baylor was silent. She sighed when he cleared his throat. "I'm sorry. I got so caught up in everything that I forgot to write anything down."
"That's okay. Let me take a look at the glucometer. You have been monitoring your blood sugars, right?"
"I kind of ran out of strips," she confessed.
"Kind of? When?"
"About a week ago," she lied, feeling a sense of panic begin to rise under Te
rry's disapproving gaze. "Everything got misplaced in the move and I couldn't find the extras. I haven't done much unpacking because I've been hanging with you guys."
"You've been here for a month, young lady. Have you been taking your blood pressure medication?"
"I ran out of that a few days ago, too."
Terry's jaw clenched. "Are your daddies aware of this?"
Baylor gulped and shook her head, lowering her eyes to the ground. She truly felt like a little girl in the shadow of this monster-sized man. But he wasn't the one she was worried about. His spankings were always in play. Jake's were not.
"Jake is off tomorrow. You and I are going to have a little talk with him after he wakes up from his morning nap."
"Please don't say anything. He's going to be livid."
"I'm not going to say a word. You are."
"But, Terry—"
"You are grounded to your room until tomorrow afternoon. I will bring you something to eat; other than that, you are not to set foot outside your bedroom door until I come for you. There will be no watching television, talking on the phone, or playing on your computer."
"Terry, I am a grown—"
"Don't argue with me, young lady. Even I have a line that is not to be crossed."
The flicker in his eyes told her that he meant business, and she was not about to test the limits of his patience. There was no doubt in her mind that his punishments would be potent, especially since his primary targets were men involved in hardcore BDSM.
"I'm sorry," she said quietly.
"I am, too. I'm afraid that you're going to be feeling what a real spanking is like, and I know you won't care for it one bit. Into the house with you, and get to your room right this minute."
His words rattled in her mind throughout the rest of the evening and well into the night. She found herself wishing that Matt was available to help her weasel out of the mess. He was good at conniving, and if anyone could devise a means of escape, he could. On second thought, he would probably back up Terry since it was her health at stake. Baylor plopped back on her bed and stared at the ceiling. Yeah, she was 'knee deep in rotten kimchee' this time.
A knock at her door startled her out of contemplation. It was Jake.
"Hey, babygirl. I just wanted to say goodbye before I left for work. Is everything okay? Usually you're at the house when I wake up."
Baylor moved over for him to join her on the bed and placed her cheek on his hand. "I'm in trouble, and Uncle Terry grounded me."
"Uh oh. What did you do?"
"You're gonna be mad, and I don't want you distracted before you leave for work. It can wait."
"That bad, huh? And without Matt here, you have no one to help you talk your way out of it, right?"
"Precisely."
"I'm guessing a pretty severe spanking is in your near future, isn't it?" Jake said seriously.
"Uncle Terry seems to think so."
"Is he wanting to wait until I'm off to discuss this, or until Hayden and Matt come home?"
"He said we would tell you tomorrow. I'm sorry," she said.
"Well, if he felt we could wait a day, then I doubt it is very bad. He would have woken me if he felt the need to deal with this was immediate."
"No, it's pretty bad."
"Whatever it is, we will handle it together. I have to go to work." He kissed her gently and then held her face in his hand. "No matter what you did, just trust that we all still love you, okay?"
"I'm trying. I really am."
"Have any of us disappointed you or let you down since we so rudely invaded your life?"
"No, but…"
"But it's only been a month. It takes time to fall into this lifestyle, baby. Trust Daddy, okay?" Jake kissed her and stood up. "Will I see you in the morning?"
"Uncle Terry said I couldn't leave my room until you got up from your morning sleep."
"Then you need to obey him. I'll come by here when I get home. Baylor?"
"Yes, Daddy?" The word felt good in her mouth.
Jake smiled and kissed her forehead. "Whatever you did—whatever you might do in the future—none of it changes the way I feel about you. I love you. You know that, right?"
She nodded, still amazed that he, and the others, had those feelings for her. More amazing, though, was her feelings for them. It was, as she described, unnatural—but could not be denied. She loved Terry and Matt from the bottom of her heart. They were the uncle and brother she had always yearned for. And as for Jake and Hayden—there was no doubt left in her mind that she had fallen madly and helplessly in love with both of them. She struggled, feeling as though her feelings might be a 'rebound' effect following the divorce. Regardless, they were strong and very real to her heart.
Chapter Seven
Being grounded sucked. Baylor glared at the clock on the dresser, wondering if time had, indeed, come to a standstill. Never had a night ticked by so slowly! A knock on her bedroom door gave her the relief she needed for the moment.
"Good morning, tidbit. I brought you some breakfast," Terry said.
"Thanks. Where's Jake?"
"I asked him to stay at the house. Being grounded means that you can't play with your little friends, remember?"
"But Uncle Terry," Baylor scrunched up her face, deciding to play it his way, "Jake is my daddy, not my friend!"
"That logic is not going to work on me. We have an agreement not to contradict one another if we are disciplining or setting rules."
"But he came by last night before he left for work. How is that any different?"
"He didn't know you were grounded, nor did I have a chance to tell him. Either way, he should still be able to tell you goodbye before he leaves for work. Did you let him know that you were in trouble?"
"Yes." Baylor pouted. "Just not why."
"That's fine. He'll find out soon enough. Do you still have your Halloween costume?"
"Yeah, it's hanging in the closet."
"Good. After you finish your breakfast, I want you clean yourself up, including this room. When you are done, put on that dress, along with a pair of your white cotton panties. Also wear some ankle socks with your tennis shoes, and have your hair in two ponytails. No make-up."
"Are we going to a costume party or something?" she asked, confused.
"No, we are going to march a naughty little girl into her daddy's office for a spanking."
"I'm confused. My 'little girl' didn't screw up, why would I dress that way?"
"I'm giving you a break on your first real punishment, Angel. Daddies don't get as angry when their baby messes up as they do when it's their big girl. You'll also find that it is easier to become the part when you dress the part. I'll be back for you in a couple of hours."
Terry was right. Baylor felt her adulthood slowly slip away as she dressed for her punishment. Every little thing, from the shortness of the frilly white hem of the pink dress, to the simple cotton panties, placed her in a mindset of regression. Her hands trembled as she tied her ponytails to either side and adorned them with little white ribbons.
The distance from her house to the one next door reminded her of a mile-long walk to the electric chair.
Terry was unusually quiet, and held her hand firmly as he escorted her into the communal office shared by the four men.
"Put your nose into the corner and stay there until Daddy tells you otherwise."
"Yes, Uncle Terry," Baylor whispered.
Staring into the sage green corner, she gave no thought to anything other than what was about to happen. She knew she should be grateful that Terry was watching out for her in the best way he could, but it still didn't make her any less fearful of Jake's reaction. Her body began to tremble as she accepted that there was no backing out now, and that her rear end was about to be toasted. Whether or not she agreed that they could enact any punishment they felt was needed, she was still facing the unknown, and fear for the condition of her rump.
Tears began to flow as soon as Jake came throu
gh the door. He sat down on the small couch and called her over to sit on his lap. He cradled her in his left arm and patted her tears with a tissue, gently commanding her in a deep, resonant voice to calm down so they could talk.
"I want to know everything from start to finish, Baylor."
She shared what had occurred between her and Terry, editing the story to reveal that she had not realized she was out of glucometer strips until she went to test herself.
"When was that?" Jake asked.
"A little over a week ago," she lied.
"I'm confused. Didn't Terry ask you to show him your readings every night?"
"Yes, but when he saw I was stabilizing after our first week of checking, he said to just show him my chart every Friday. I didn't have one for him this week because I ran out and couldn't find where I put the extra ones," came the sniffling answer.
"Do you have more strips?"
"Yes, sir," she answered demurely. "They're packed somewhere… and you know I haven't had a lot of time to unpack everything."
Jake then interrogated her, calmly laying out the logic which inexorably led to her guilt. Finally, she mustered all the courage she had and placed her palms tenderly on his chest, forcing herself to look directly into his hazel eyes.
"Daddy, listen. I was feeling fine and eating everything you and Hayden said I should. I didn't need to take the blood sugars. I took care of myself like you told me to, really I did! Wasn't that the whole idea?" she asked, keeping her eyes fixed imploringly on his and praying that he would not discover the extent of her transgression.
A moment passed, and his expression wavered from stern to soft as he broke her gaze and looked away. Baylor was never a good liar under any circumstance, and lying to Jake while looking him square in the eye was more than she could endure. Was he actually going to believe her? She held her breath as she awaited his next words.
Jake frowned to himself and looked down, then back at Baylor to study her face. She quickly lowered her eyes, unable to meet his probing gaze. He then looked away again for several seconds, his eyes closed and his breathing deepening. He looked up at her again with sadness in his eyes and shook his head.
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