“I smoked a few cigarettes,” she muttered.
“Ahh. Well, I think spending the next two weeks grounded should make you regret that, shouldn’t it?”
“But Heath...” she started to protest before she thought better of it. Even she knew better to argue when her butt was aflame.
“Yes?” he asked.
“Yes, sir.”
“Good girl. You know what that means. Come home straight from school. No friends over. No phone or computer. You may still watch TV for a couple of hours each night provided your homework is done. How is your schoolwork going?”
“Not great.”
“Okay. Well, I want you to show me your homework each night. Bring it to me at eight each night and we’ll look at it together, all right?”
She looked up at him. “You have enough time?”
“I have all the time in the world for you, honey.”
The tight, heavy stone in her stomach eased at his words. He couldn’t replace her parents, but he wasn’t going to leave her on her own.
Although she hated to admit it, Tom had done her a favor by dragging her home. Didn’t mean she forgave him for spanking her. He had no business doing that and she had no intention of forgetting it, either.
“Let’s get you to bed.”
Instead of letting her up, Heath stood and carried her in his arms out of the study to the stairs.
The front door opened and Kent and Cam walked in. Always joined at the hip, her mother often teased that she had twins; they just weren’t the same age.
“What’s up?” Cam asked, looking at her in concern. He was the more sensitive of the two.
“Just putting Frankie to bed. She’s worn out,” Heath said easily. Frankie smiled at him, grateful he said nothing about her disobedience and subsequent spanking. “I didn’t expect you two home.”
“Nothing going on in the city,” Kent said grumpily.
“Well, since you’re home, how about we all go for a ride together tomorrow morning?” Heath suggested.
“All of us?” Frankie asked.
He winked down at her. “All of us, I’ll even tear Brax away from his new girlfriend.”
“Sounds good to me,” Cam said, kissing her on the forehead as he passed them on the stairs. “Bet I can whip all of your asses.”
“In your dreams, buddy,” Kent yelled after him, running past. Although, he too, stopped to brush a kiss over Frankie’s forehead.
Frankie smiled. The first real smile she’d managed since the awful day she’d heard of her parents’ car accident.
“Everything will be okay, baby girl. You’ll see.”
Chapter One
Frankie looked down at the clear strip on the pregnancy test, desperately willing it to give her the result she wanted. A red line appeared. Just one. She waited and waited. But there was only the one line.
Not pregnant.
In a fit of pure temper she threw the tester across the bathroom, watching furiously as it banged against the wall then fell to the floor. Damn thing wouldn’t even give her the satisfaction of shattering.
Like her insides were.
She slumped to the floor, her temper fading as sorrow overcame her. It had been a whole year.
A year of no alcohol, of eating healthy, of hoping and dreaming and praying.
A year’s worth of failed tests and disappointment.
Tears ran down her cheeks.
What was wrong with her? Tom didn’t believe there was anything wrong, he’d told her many times that some people just took longer to get pregnant.
She knew that. She was a nurse, after all. But she’d done everything right and it had been a year. A whole year. How long was she expected to wait?
Frankie had begged him to take her to a specialist, for them both to get checked out. He’d promised that after a year he’d make an appointment for both of them.
Well, a year was up.
And now she wasn’t sure she even had the energy to try anymore. She was tired. Tired of being disappointed. Tired of being a disappointment.
Tom may not show it, but she knew he was disappointed by each failed result.
Frankie had watched him with her best friend Ava’s little boy. Tom looked at Jaron like he was the most precious thing in the world. Yes, he wanted children and it had to be a real letdown every time she told him they weren’t pregnant.
But he didn’t show his pain, not really.
He was such an Alpha male; he thought he had to stay strong for her, look after her. She’d started to get so depressed each month that Tom had told her that she wasn’t to do a test without him.
But he was away at a conference in Seattle at the moment and she hadn’t been about to wait two more days to take the test.
Frankie sighed and rubbed her cheeks. No use crying about it, she told herself. That wasn’t going to help a thing. Tiredly, she pulled herself up and, picking up the discarded tester, chucked it in the bin. Turning on the shower, she slowly undressed. Testing the water, she climbed into the shower, hoping the hot water would ease the tension in her muscles.
Maybe it just wasn’t meant to be. She wasn’t meant to be a mom, it was a thought she’d had often. This was the Universe’s way of telling her she’d be crap. Probably true. She was pretty selfish. She tended to be impulsive and she could be really blunt.
Yeah, maybe becoming a mother wasn’t a good idea.
But Tom deserved to be a dad.
Tom was kind and patient. He was also breathtakingly handsome. He’d been cute as a teenager, but he’d grown more into his looks over the years. His honey-colored hair went perfectly with his dark blue eyes and lightly tanned skin. Years of running had toned his long body, giving him a sleek, muscular appearance.
They’d had a rocky start. Tom was a few years older than Frankie. He was good friends with her youngest brother, Brax. Growing up, he’d spent so much time at her house that he felt like a part of the family. His own home life hadn’t been wonderful. His father had left his mom when he was young and she’d remarried a man who had his own family. Neither of them had much time for Tom.
As Frankie had grown older, she’d started noticing how cute he was, with his gorgeous smile and cute looks. He’d never teased her the way her brothers did, instead he’d treated her like an adult.
She’d adored the ground he’d walked in.
Then her parents had died and Frankie had gone slightly off the rails. She’d gotten in with the wrong crowd. She’d started smoking, drinking. Amazingly, she’d been able to hide it from her brothers. Her oldest brother, Heath, had gained guardianship over her. Her other brothers, Cam, Kent had moved home to help Heath for a while. Her youngest brother, Brax had just started college.
The night Tom had dragged her home from a party had changed things for her drastically. Heath started to pay much closer attention to her. Both a blessing and a curse. She loved having her brother’s attention and her behavior and school work much approved.
Of course, she ended up getting spanked on a fairly regular basis until she’d settled down some. Even when she’d turned eighteen, Heath had continued to spank her if he thought it necessary. He had some very old-fashioned views, her brother.
And unfortunately, so did her husband.
Frankie still couldn’t believe she was married to Tom Sanders. After he’d spanked her that night at the party, she’d been too embarrassed and humiliated to speak to him much. Each time she’d seen him after, she’d hidden her feelings for him behind an angry mask, which had gotten her scolded plenty by her brothers.
But she hadn’t cared. She’d loved him and he’d thought of her as a child.
Or so she’d believed.
When she’d left home for nursing school she’d barely seen him. Then a couple of years ago he’d moved back to Hamilton to open up his own practice with his friend, Jeff.
Frankie had been so nervous at the idea of seeing him again that she’d spent the few months before she was due to go home
She truly loved Ava like a sister. Ava’s life hadn’t been an easy one and she was raising her little boy, Jaron, alone. Frankie was surprised Ava still spoke to her, considering the way she’d treated her.
Frankie had tried hard ever since to put others first. She loved her family, and was extremely protective. Even when that protectiveness wasn’t necessary. When Cam and Kent had introduced their wife, Bryony, to the family, Frankie had been horrid. She’d even accused poor Bryony of being a gold-digger.
Yeah, she’d done some things to be ashamed of. So maybe this was the Universe’s way of evening things up. But surely the Universe took Tom into account? Gorgeous, kind, incredibly smart Tom.
What would he do if she couldn’t get pregnant? What if there was something wrong with her and they could never have children? Would he leave her?
If she couldn’t get pregnant then she should do the right thing and leave him.
Feeling as though her heart were breaking into small pieces, Frankie finished up her shower, put on her fluffy pajamas and traipsed down to the living room to watch television. She looked at the time. Eight. She supposed she should eat, but she wasn’t much in the mood. She flicked on the television.
The phone rang.
“Hello,” she said tiredly.
“Hello, Frankie?” Tom asked.
Frankie immediately smiled, the knot in her stomach easing. “Hey, honey,” she said warmly. “How are you? How’s the conference going?”
She was so proud of Tom. He’d been asked to present a paper at this conference. He often had hospitals headhunting him, but he was happy to stay here in his own practice. He and his partner, Jeff, had a busy practice, people came from miles around to them, even if there were other medical center’s closer. Frankie wished she could have gone with them, but she couldn’t take any time off work.
“The conference is going well. Gave my paper today, it seemed to be well received. You sound tired, Frankie.”
“Just a bit,” she admitted, knowing if she told him how truly exhausted she was, he’d worry.
“Hmm, why don’t you call in sick tomorrow and rest?”
“I can’t do that, Tom,” she said shocked he’d even suggest it. “I’m not sick. I can’t lie. You’d blister my butt if I ever suggested that.”
Tom sighed. “I know, but I’m worried about you, sweetheart. When I left you looked pale and tired, now you sound exhausted. I wish you’d consider giving up your job.”
“But I like nursing. Besides, what would I do all day?” This wasn’t a new conversation. Tom often suggested she give up working.
“You could take up a hobby. I know you love photography.”
“That wouldn’t keep me busy all day. You just want a 1950s housewife.”
Tom sighed. “I don’t want you to be something you’re not, honey. I don’t want a 1950s housewife to bring me my slippers and do my housework. But I do like the idea of taking care of you. I just want you to be happy and if you’re honest with me and yourself, you know you’re not happy at work.”
Yeah, but she felt she needed to work. She needed to contribute to their household in some way.
“You don’t need to be busy all day, Frankie,” Tom replied patiently. “I know you like to be doing things all the time, but you’re wearing yourself out. They work you too hard at your job. Wouldn’t you like time to go riding? And to visit your brothers?” He dangled the suggestions out like they were Swiss chocolates—her favorite. And it was tempting.
Frankie hated having nothing to do, but lately it seemed like she was running on caffeine and nothing else. She was overtired, wired and she needed a break. She knew they took advantage of her at work, getting her to do the job of two people simply because she was efficient and a hard worker.
“I’ll think about it,” she acquiesced.
“That’s all I ask, baby. You know I just want what’s best for you, don’t you?”
Frankie snorted. “That’s usually what you say before I get a spanking.”
“Do you need a spanking?” he asked in a deep voice. Frankie shivered.
“Well, I have been a bit bad,” she said. She didn’t want a punishment spanking, of course, who would? But a fun spanking that led to amazing sex, now that she’d kill for right now.
“Hmm, I bet you have, I’ll have to take care of that when I get home won’t I? Turn you over my knee, bare that small bottom and take my hand to your white buttocks until they’re glowing red. Is that what you need, Frankie, my darling?” he asked, his voice making her shiver with need. Her nipples hardened.
“Tom!” she squealed, surprised by this side of him. He’d never spoken to her so explicitly.
“Do you wish I was there, honey? Touching you? Squeezing your breasts, rubbing my thumbs over your nipples, do you wish I was doing that right now?”
“God, yes,” she said. “Please, Tom.” She closed her eyes and ran a hand over her nipple, gasping at the feel of her own hand touching her hard nub.
“I can hear your breath quickening, Frankie. Are you being a bad girl and touching yourself?”
“Yes,” she groaned as she pinched and pulled at her nipple. She lay back on the couch. “Please, Tom.”
They’d never had phone sex before. But damn, he was making her hot with all this. And she wanted more.
“Please what, Frankie?” he asked.
“Please tell me more, I want to come.” She blushed as she said it, but there was no turning back now.
“Hmm, I’m not sure,” he teased.
“Please, please,” she cried. She couldn’t stand it. Although he’d only been gone a few days, she was aching for him, her whole body one giant nerve-ending, tingling, begging for release.
“All right, baby. Where is your hand?” he asked
“On my breast, sir,” she replied with a groan. The sir slipped from her mouth naturally. It felt right.
“Are you playing with your nipple?” he crooned. “Are you pinching it? Is it hard, baby?”
“Yes, sir,” she replied, her insides melting.
He’d never taken charge in the bedroom like this before, but she couldn’t deny how turned on he was making her. And it didn’t surprise her. Tom was firmly in charge of the rest of their life. He was the head of their little household. And that was the way they both wanted it. No matter how Frankie might try to wheedle her way out of punishment on occasion.
Frankie knew she could always rely on Tom. He would always be there for her, no matter what. Sure, he could be bossy and obstinate and he often made her do things, ‘for her own good’, damned if she didn’t hate that phrase. However, fertility issues aside, Frankie had never been happier and she wouldn’t change their life for the world.
“That’s my good girl. Are you naked, baby?”
“No,” she groaned.
“Get naked for me, honey.”
Ignoring the cool temperature, she needed to turn the thermostat up, Frankie pulled off her pajamas. The colder air hit her hot skin, making her shiver.
“Run your hand over your stomach, honey,” Tom told her.
Frankie pressed her palm over her stomach.
“Move down to your pussy, is it nice and smooth?”
“Yes, I just had it waxed.”
“Ahh, beautiful, in preparation for my return, very good. I want you to cup yourself, honey. Don’t touch your clit yet, though, just hold your palm over that sweet pussy.”
Frankie whimpered. She was on fire, she had to come desperately.
“Please,” she cried out.
“Listen to me, baby. I want you to stick me on speaker phone, okay? You’re going to need both hands. Do it now.”
With a groan, Frankie did as ordered then lay back on the couch.
“You’re on speaker.”
“I want you to put one finger deep inside that sweet pussy. Are you wet, darling? Tell me how it feels.”
“Hot, so hot,” Frankie told him. “I’m so wet. I need to come so bad.”
“Are you blushing?” he asked, sounding delighted.
“No,” she muttered.
“I think someone is lying to me,” he told her quietly. “You know what lying gets you, don’t you?”
Frankie’s butt cheeks clenched at the thought.
“Yes, sir.”
“I take my belt to that little bottom of yours, don’t I?”
“Yes,” she whimpered. “Please, don’t.” She hated the belt. She wondered if other men spoke to their wives this way. Did Heath tell Ava he was going to take his belt to her in such a seductive voice? Frankie threw that thought out of her head. Her brother did not belong in the room right now.
“You be a good girl for me and I might go easy on you.”
“Thank you, sir.”
“You’re welcome, honey. I want you to lie on your back on the couch, curl your legs up to your chest and split them wide. Tell me when you’re in position.”
Cheeks hot, Frankie did as she was told, grateful no one could see her in this position, open, vulnerable. Not that Tom hadn’t required she get into this position before. Sometimes, he just liked to sit and stare at her like this, with all of her private areas on full display.
“I’m in position, sir.”
“Very good. I wish I could see you, darling. You know how much I like to look at that pretty pussy.” The low croon of his voice soothed her at the same time as it excited her.
“Now put both hands on your breasts, I want you to cup them then squeeze and pinch those hard little nipples. They’re beautiful, your breasts, I could spend hours just nuzzling those breasts and licking those sweet nipples. How does that feel?”
“So good, sir,” she told him as she played with herself. Damn, listening to his dark commands was a huge turn on. She was close to exploding. “May I touch my pussy, sir?”
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