He kept instructing me to breathe deeply between spankings. With each lick, I relaxed more and more. I also remembered that Hunter was responsible for me. I could trust him to protect me, always.
When he was done, I sat on my sore bottom in his lap. Hunter wrapped his arms around my waist.
“Better?” he said.
I nodded. “Much better.”
Hunter tightened his arms around me, then kissed my neck. “I was thinking it would be a good night to not try for a baby.”
I giggled as desire stirred in my belly. “I think so too.”
Hunter slipped his hand between my legs, stimulating my clitoris as we kissed. I moaned into his mouth as my pulsing desire turned hot. Hunter hurriedly unbuttoned his pants and pulled out his cock. Though my bottom was sore, I was quick to straddle his lap and lower myself over his cock. We made love slowly, sensuously, kissing the entire time. After we both climaxed, I rested on Hunter’s chest, closing my eyes while he stroked my hair and the stress slipped away.
*
Dad didn’t have plans to leave anytime soon. He got a room at a local hotel, and seemed intent on spending as much time with Mom and me as possible. I was still skeptical of his motives and the story he’d told, but after Hunter’s spanking, I was able to act much more civil around him.
One weekend, Mom invited all of us for a picnic lunch in the field. It was a beautiful, cloudless day, the perfect setting for a happy afternoon. The four of us sat on blankets in the grass. Mom served fried chicken and potato salad on paper plates with lemonade to drink. From the outside looking in, one would think that we were any normal family. I wished, very much, that that was the case.
Hunter and my parents made small talk while I silently pushed the food around my plate with my fork. They kept trying to involve me in the conversation, but I responded to the questions they asked with curt, one word answers.
When we finished eating, Mom was collecting our plates when Hunter stood and began looking at Mom’s house.
“Marty, did you know you have some rotting boards on your porch?” Hunter said.
“My goodness, no,” Marty said. “I hadn’t noticed.”
“Come over here and look,” Hunter said.
Mom followed Hunter up the steps to her house, leaving Dad and me alone. I pulled at the blades of grass by my side, ignoring him. Dad cleared his throat.
“It’s a beautiful day,” he said.
I didn’t so much as look at him.
“I want to thank you for coming out and spending time with me,” Dad said.
Anger rose up from my stomach to my shoulders. I could feel myself losing control. But I didn’t want to do that anymore. I remembered Hunter’s guidance, and breathed to let go of my anger.
“Sure,” I said, glancing at him quickly.
Dad took this as encouragement, and slid closer to me. “Ellie, you deserved so much better than what I gave you,” he said in a low voice. “I’m your father. I was supposed to protect you, and I did anything but.”
I bit my lip, keeping myself from making a biting comment.
“I can’t imagine what you went through,” Dad continued. “But look at you now. You’ve overcome so much, and I couldn’t be prouder of you. All these years I missed, I’ll never get back.”
I tried to fight the tears, but I couldn’t. My shoulders heaved with quiet sobs. Dad was right, we’ve missed out on so much, all of us. Dad scooted closer to me, and lightly touched my arm. To my surprise, and probably his, I let him.
“Honey,” Dad said. “I’ve been in therapy long enough to know that there’s one thing everybody needs to hear.” He leaned closer and whispered. “It wasn’t your fault. It was mine.”
When I heard the words, my eyes fell closed, and my body trembled. I realized that what I’d been holding onto for so long was the fact that, deep down inside, I blamed myself for everything. Maybe if I’d been a better daughter, quieter, and less rambunctious. Maybe if I’d cleaned my room more. As silly as the thoughts were, they had occurred to me, and I’d been believing them all this time.
I turned to my father, my face soft, my heart open. He wrapped his arms around me and pulled me into a tight embrace. For the first time, I felt comfort in my father’s arms.
“Daddy,” I said through the tears.
“Ellie,” he said, kissing the top of my head. “I want to be your father, I want to be in your life. And I promise never to let you down again.”
I exhaled deeply, pressing my cheek against his chest. I believed him. And I could forgive him.
*
Later that night as we got ready for bed, I couldn’t stop smiling. I didn’t realize the weight of the anger I’d carried around until it was off of my shoulders. Hunter was reading a book beside me in in bed. I leaned over and kissed him on the cheek.
“What would I do without you?” I asked.
Hunter closed his book and turned to me. “The question is, what would I do without you?” He lunged towards me and tickled my sides. I squirmed in his arms, laughing.
“No, really,” I said. “I never thought I could forgive my father, but you showed me I could.”
Hunter laid his hand over my heart. “I only showed you the strength you possess. You’re an amazing woman, Ellie.”
He kissed me softly on the lips. I felt a sudden rush of desire, and kissed the spot on his neck that always turned him on. Hunter groaned and pulled me deeper under the covers.
“I think we should not try for a baby tonight,” Hunter said.
“I like not trying with you,” I said. “It’s really fun.”
We disappeared under the covers together, our bodies and hearts merging as one.
Epilogue
I strung streamers in colors of pink and blue around the barn with giddy excitement. On the table inside was a bunch of balloons tied around the laces of two tiny shoes. Hunter had just gone to fetch Mom and Dad. His plan was to come up with a rouse to get them out here to the barn.
Everything was in place, and I waited on them a feverish buzz. I couldn’t stop tapping my feet, or stretching my neck to look in their direction. I looked down at my belly. It was still flat, but inside I knew a miracle was occurring. I’d taken the pregnancy test the night before, and finally got those two pink lines. I’d been walking on air ever since. Even though it was customary to wait a few weeks, or months, to tell others, I couldn’t wait that long to tell my parents that they were going to be grandparents.
I spotted the three of them walking towards the barn and I jumped on my feet. Mom was chattering on about her spin class or something, when she suddenly went quiet and gasped.
“What is this?” she said, looking at the streamer covered barn.
I walked out holding the bunch of balloons. After I handed them to Mom, she found the little shoes. She opened her mouth in shock, her expression numb. She brought her shaking hand to her mouth, and then squealed into her palm. I laughed while tears came to my eyes. Mom stared at the shoes for a few moments before walking towards me with her arms open.
“Oh, Ellie,” Mom said, embracing me. “You’ve made me so happy.” She bent down until she was face to face with my stomach. “Hello, in there.”
“I don’t think the baby can hear you,” I said.
Mom rose up and hugged me again. Dad was shaking Hunter’s hand and patting him on the back. I gave Dad a timid smile, then he walked over to me. I opened my arms and let him hug me.
“Congratulations,” he said. When he pulled away from me, he wiped a tear from his eye. “I can’t wait to meet this baby, Ellie. I’m so grateful for the opportunity to be in this child’s life.”
“You’re the grandfather,” I said. “You’ll play a huge role.”
Dad cast his eyes down to my stomach, then back to my face. “It’s funny,” he said. “I feel like I’m getting a second chance.”
I rubbed my hand over my belly, thinking of the happy childhood my baby would have, so much different than mine.
“We both are,” I said.
Guided By His Hand
It was Saturday morning, and all I wanted to do was watch cartoons with Layla while she slurped sugary cereal out of a bowl. My darling four year old daughter was lying against me, her head nestled comfortably in the crook of my arm, utterly transfixed by the bright, colorful characters on the TV. It was rare for her to be this still. I snuggled closer to her and smelled the sweet scent of her hair.
Hunter walked in and kissed us both on the forehead. He held his Bible under his arm.
“Are you ready to discuss your passage?” Hunter asked.
I made a pouty face and gestured to Layla, so sweet in my arms.
“Ellie,” Hunter said. “It’s ten am, Saturday. It’s time to discuss your passage.” He walked off towards the kitchen table, expecting me to follow.
I huffed, then maneuvered my arm out from under Layla. She didn’t seem to notice when I replaced myself with a pillow underneath her. Once I was up, I was glad Hunter had insisted on keeping our regular time. That’s why his discipline was so important. At times, he knew better than I did what was best for me. Hunter smiled when I sat across from him at the table, flashing his dimples, and my heart skipped a beat.
“What passage were you meditating on this week?” Hunter asked.
I straightened my back and placed my palms flat on the table. “Genesis, chapter three, verses one through twenty-four.”
Hunter flipped open his Bible to that very spot. He leaned back in his chair and crossed his arms. “We’ll start with your thoughts. Go ahead.”
“Well,” I said, nervously. The truth was, I hadn’t meditated on the passage so much as just read it once. “In this part, the snake comes to Eve and tricks her into eating the apple. When God finds out, He curses Eve, and all women, to the pains of childbirth, which I can attest to.” I pointed towards the living room at Layla. “And Adam, and all men, are cursed to work for the rest of there lives.”
When I finished talking, Hunter sat silently for what felt like a long time. “Is that all?” he asked, finally.
“That’s it,” I said, shrugging.
“You just told me, verbatim, what happened. What else do you see?”
I stared up at the ceiling, and blew the bangs from my eyes. “I’ve heard this story a thousand times. There’s nothing new there.”
“But there is,” Hunter said, raising his finger. “There’s always something new if you look deeply enough.” Hunter scrolled his finger down the Bible, then stopped at the first verse of chapter three. “What is the snake doing when he asks Eve if God really told her not to eat the fruit?”
I pursed my lips, meditating on the question. The snake was trying to deceive Eve, so what did questioning God’s command accomplish? The answer came to me in a instant.
“The snake was trying to shake Eve’s confidence in God so that she would disobey him,” I said, excitedly.
Hunter’s eyes lit up. “Exactly. And as this story shows, the worm of doubt leaves room for sin. And since this is the original sin, we can conclude that all sin stems from doubt and fear.”
I nodded slowly, taking in the profundity of his words.
“See what I mean about looking deeper?” Hunter said. He closed the Bible and tapped the front cover. “All the answers you need are in this book. Now, the question is, how does this apply to our lives? When have you experienced doubt?”
I took a deep, nervous breath. The reason I’d neglected my Bible study was because I’d been fretting over my business. So far, I hadn’t shared these worries with Hunter.
“I have experienced doubt lately,” I said. “I’ve recently closed a few big projects, and I haven’t replaced them with new ones. Business has been slow for weeks.”
Hunter narrowed his eyes. “Don’t you trust that God will take care of you?”
“Yes,” I said, almost laughing. “Of course. I just always thought that my own personal success was on me.”
“That’s where you’re wrong,” Hunter said. “You need to lay everything at God’s feet.” Hunter reached across the table and stroked my cheek. “Honey, I’m glad you told me about this. Now, bring it to God. I want you to spend the next hour in prayer.”
Though I’d rather lounge on the couch for the next hour, I knew prayer would be more fulfilling. I nodded obediently, then rose from my chair. On my way to the bedroom, Layla tugged at my shirt.
“Can I pray with you, Mommy?” she asked.
I took her little hand in my mine as my heart filled with pride. “You certainly can,” I said.
I kneeled in front of my bed, and Layla did the same beside me. She watched as I folded my hands, then mimicked my actions. I started my prayer by thanking God for this beautiful child. Layla lasted for about five minutes before she started squirming. She ran off to her room to color, leaving me alone, deep in prayer.
An hour long session like this wasn’t a simple nighttime prayer, or a request uttered throughout the day. This was deep mediation, where I tried to float up from my body, rise up, and meet God. I focused on everything I was grateful for and gave God all the glory. Then, I brought to him my worries, anxieties. My business was a big cause of my stress, but there were several little things as well. My favorite pair of jeans had grown tighter, I’d developed a habit of cursing when in traffic, and mostly I worried about living up to Hunter’s standards, being the kind of wife he deserved and expected.
Time slipped by, and before I knew it, Hunter was knocking softly on the bedroom door. My eyes fluttered open, and I took a deep, cleansing breath. I felt relaxed and rejuvenated.
“Time’s up,” Hunter said. I stood from the bed, and he wrapped me in an embrace. “How was it?”
“Great,” I said. “I feel so much better.”
Hunter hugged me tighter. “Thank God,” he said. When we pulled away from each other, he was smiling. “Let’s go take Layla for ice cream.”
“She’ll love that,” I said. I stretched up on my tiptoes to kiss his cheek, then went to find Layla.
After ice cream, we took a walk on a nearby trail. It went deep into the woods, over bridges with rushing creeks underneath. The three of us walked hand in hand while birds flew overhead. The lush canopy of leaves rustled in the gentle wind. I saw God’s hand everywhere I looked.
Layla skipped along between us, sometimes stopping to collect a stick or pebble. The fresh air turned her cheeks pink, and there was a sense of wonder in her eyes. Hunter clasped my hand as we watched our daughter twirl on the path in front of us.
We arrived home, and Layla went to watch the hour of television she was permitted each day. Hunter went out to the barn to repair some of the rotted boards. I settled onto the couch, looking forward to relaxing. While a cooking show played on TV, I looked at my phone absentmindedly. My phone vibrated with a new email. When I checked it, I sat straight up.
It was from a woman named Liz Brevard. She was the creative director of a marketing agency in a nearby city. She’d seen my portfolio online, and was interested in giving me contracted assignments.
This was exactly what I needed, someone with enough power and influence to bring the clients to me. I’d heard of the agency she worked for and knew they’d supply a constant stream of work my way. Clutching my phone, I ran out to the barn to tell Hunter.
“That’s amazing,” Hunter said, hugging me even though his hands were coated with grease.
“You were right,” I said, clinging to his chest. “When I let go of control, things started happening.”
“That’s the magic of faith,” Hunter said, swiping a strand of hair away from my face.
I hugged him, pressing my cheek against his chest. “And every day my faith in you deepens.” I pulled away, biting my lip and running my finger down his chest. “I’ll think I’ll show you how grateful I am tonight.”
Hunter buried his face in my neck and left a soft kiss. “I can’t wait,” he said, before biting my earlobe.
*
We kissed Layla goodnight, and turned off her light. As soon as we closed her bedroom door, Hunter stood in front of me, his face inches from mine. My breath was ragged as I felt the heat radiating off of him. Without a word, he turned, and walked to our bedroom. I followed without question.
I stood in the middle of the room looking straight ahead, my hands clasped behind my back. Hunter’s gaze was focused on me, never wavering.
“I’m very proud of you,” Hunter said. “You’ve flourished under my leadership.”
“Thank you,” I said, quietly.
Hunter sidled up to me and pressed his lips against my temple. He wrapped his arm around my shoulders, then slowly dragged his fingertip down my arm. My breath caught in my throat.
“I desire you now, Ellie,” Hunter whispered, sending delicious shivers up my spine. “Are you ready to submit your body to me?”
I nodded. I could feel Hunter smile beside me. He ran his hand softly over my neck, then caressed down my chest. His hand traveled between my breasts. He flicked my nipple over my shirt as he passed by. I quivered with desire, ready to be taken in hand by my strong husband.
Hunter slowly undressed me, piece by piece. When he removed my bra, my nipples stood out pinched and hard. Hunter cocked his head while he looked at my chest, then bent to take my right breast in his mouth. His gaze settled on my face as he suckled my nipple. Soft moans fell from my lips as my body temperature rose. Hunter kissed down my stomach, then unbuttoned my pants.
A wicked smile stretched across his face as he pulled my panties down over my hips. He faced the intimate area between my legs, then held tight to my bottom. He leaned forward, and pressed his tongue against my clitoris. My knees nearly buckled from the immediate pleasure, but Hunter kept his hands clasped around me, his fingers digging into my soft flesh. I held onto to his hair, craning my neck back and moaning up to the ceiling. His tongue worked in an exquisite rhythm that sent pleasure pumping through every cell of my body. When I came, Hunter pressed his tongue harder into my clitoris, intensifying the sensations.
Alpha Husbands and Obedient Wives (Christian Domestic Discipline Romance): 3 Complete Series in 1 Page 5
