by Kimber Davis
She wanted to ask James what he had found out, but she knew she had to wait, to follow James' instructions and lay low. But it was very hard.
Harder still was not telling her father what was happening. She, Stuart and Beth had agreed that letting him know about the lawsuit would put too much strain on him and his health was bad enough already. He didn't need the extra pressure.
"You're right, father. I need to go to The Ivy. I just..."
"Worry about me, I know. But Beth is here, and things will be fine." He winked at her and patted her hand. "Go and work, get out of the house, spend some time with Stuart. The two of you need to get to know each other better and you can't do that when you're hovering around me."
Ivy laughed, then leaned over and kissed his forehead. "Fine, be a matchmaker. I'm going into town and work, but I expect a chess game tomorrow afternoon."
"Be prepared to lose." He batted his eyes slowly, and she knew he was about to fall asleep.
She leaned over and kissed his forehead again. "Sleep well, father."
"I will." He took a deep breath, closing his eyes fully. "I love you, Ivy."
Her heart swelled and she tried not to cry. A few months ago she would have told him to stuff his words. Now, however, she was different. "I love you, too."
When he didn't respond she wondered if he had fallen asleep, but when his lips curled into a small, satisfied smile she knew he hadn't. "Scamp," she said, walking toward the door.
"Maybe. But you love me."
"Yes, I do." She paused at the door, watching as his breathing slowed into the gentle rhythm of sleep. Then she went outside, closing the door softly. Beth stood in the hallway, waiting.
"He's sleeping now."
"Good. Stuart is waiting for you downstairs."
Ivy's eyes widened in surprise. "I thought he'd already gone into town."
"He wanted to wait, he said, to discuss something with you." Beth's grin said she knew what he wanted to discuss and Ivy blushed. She didn't particularly care for the idea that everyone knew she and Stuart were sleeping together, especially after the rocky start they'd had. Did their relationship show she was easy, or did it show that he had great powers of persuasion? She wasn't sure about the answers to those questions. What she did know was that she cared about him, a lot, and had grown to depend on his strength, both when she was in his arms, and when he was just nearby being a friend. She'd never had a relationship like it before, and she didn't want another one. She just wanted this one. Wanted Stuart. Wanted to stay with him forever.
"Go on, he's waiting." Beth patted her on the arm. "I'll check on your da, then go about my business."
Ivy hurried down the stairs, going from room to room until she found Stuart sitting in the library, reading a leather-bound book.
"About time," he said without looking up. "I was beginning to think you were going to stand me up. Again." He looked up at her. The concern on his face was evident, as was the desire. "Tell me you're coming to The Ivy tonight."
"Yes, I am." His look of relief made her smile; it also let her know that he felt exactly the same way about her as she did him. And that was something she loved knowing. "I want to talk to a few of the people there about Martin."
"No, you don't." He put his book down and stood. She looked up, marveling again at his height. "You'll mind your manners, just like James said. Leave it to him. He's the solicitor, not you."
"But it's my ass on the line."
"And a fine ass it is, too." He pulled her close, grasping a buttock in each hand and squeezing. "It will be a fine, red ass if you defy me in this matter. You will not mention anything about the lawsuit, Martin, or Tyler to anyone at The Ivy tonight. Understand?"
"Maybe. Maybe not." She yelped when he slapped her bottom. "What was that for?"
"Just a taste of what you'll get if you disobey me tonight. This is serious business, Ivy, and I wouldn't put it past Martin or Tyler to try and slip a spy in to gather information about what is happening at The Ivy. The less information we give them to work with the better. Understand?"
"That's twice you've asked me if I understand. I'm not deaf, you know."
"Then answer me."
Ivy wanted to push him away from her. His dominant nature didn't always appeal to her. At times she found it endearing, and occasionally arousing. But sometimes, like right now, it just pissed her off. But she nodded because she knew he was right. The last thing she needed to do was make things worse than they already were. "I understand."
"Good. And I'll have you remember that my ass is one the line, too. I'm willing to toe the line and I think you should do the same. Now, let's go." They left the house and headed toward town, Stuart driving slowly and surely. Ivy wondered about what would happen, almost forgetting the fact her father had spent a week in the hospital, hovering at death's door. He was stronger than he looked, though. She knew that.
"Want to stop and fool around?" Stuart's voice was thick with desire and Ivy's body tingled in response.
"In this little car? There's not enough room to fool around." Not that she didn't think it would be fun to try. Still, doing it in a car didn't really appeal to her.
"Not in the car, but I know someplace close by that we can use. Outside."
She giggled, feeling very much in love when she did. "Has it escaped your attention that it's very, very cold outside right now?"
"Don't worry, I'll keep you warm." He turned the car off the main road and she stifled a laugh.
"You've obviously been thinking about this for a while, since you knew exactly the spot to bring it up."
"I have. I called the pub already to let them know we'd be a little late." He drove the car down a narrow lane, pulling into a small break in a copse of trees. "Good, nobody's here."
"Let me guess, this is official lover's lane where everyone comes to park." She looked around. It was almost full dark, so there wasn't much light. Still, that meant it would be colder now that the sun had gone down. She knew he would keep her warm, though, as he promised and she turned to him, running her hand down his chest.
"You know what I think?" Ivy leaned over and kissed his neck. "I think you're in too big of a hurry. We should go to the pub and make love later. That'll give us time to savor the idea. It will build the tension, make us both long for it."
"You don't long for me now?" There was humor in his voice but she could also hear just a twinge of doubt, as if maybe, just maybe, he thought she didn't want him.
"Stuart, you know I do. How could you even think that I didn't?"
"I'm not sure. Maybe it was the idea that we should wait. That can bruise a man's ego, you know."
Ivy dropped her hand between his legs, gently massaging the bulge that pressed against his jeans. "Trust me, darling, you have nothing to worry about in that regard."
"Glad to hear it." His hand was on her side now, sliding up and down, his thumb gently nudging her breast. He caressed her, finding her nipple and squeezing it ever so softly, the pressure just enough to make her squirm.
"Stuart." Her breath came in short, panty gasps as he leaned over and kissed her, his tongue snaking out to lap at her before he nibbled on her lower lip. "Maybe you're right. Maybe fooling around now is a great idea."
"One thing you need to learn, sweet pea. I'm always right."
Ivy burst into laughter, knowing this was not the proper time for such a reaction. She put her hand over her mouth to try and contain sound but knew it was too late. He pulled away from her and when she turned to him she expected to see anger. Instead she saw amusement.
"You find that idea funny?"
"Hilarious." She poked a finger into her chest. "Even I know I'm never right all the time."
"You're right, you're not." He shrugged. "But then again you're not me."
Ivy gasped in shock, then pushed against him. His laughter filled the small car and she pushed open the door, spilling out. She was laughing too, trying to control it so he would think she was angry with him.
>
"You big jerk." She knew the minute the words were out of her mouth that they didn't sound angry. He was out of his side of the car now, his grin huge.
"Not being a jerk, just telling the truth. The sooner you figure out that I'm always right the better we'll be." He moved around the front of the car and she started to walk backward toward the back, watching him intently.
"I'm so glad that you think so much of yourself. All I have to do is knock you down a few pegs and..." She stopped talking as an idea popped into her mind. "That's it."
"You're right, I'm it. Now, come here and let me play with your body." He pulled her into a hug, kissing her neck as his hands roamed the lower portion of her body.
"No!"
"What?" He pulled back as if she'd shot him. "You don't want me?"
"No, I mean yes." She shook her head. "Yes, I want you. I didn't mean no to that, I meant no, just stop and listen to me for a second."
"Fine, I'm listening."
"I'm thinking about Tyler." The wounded look on his face made her regret her words, or at least the timing of them. "I'm not thinking about him in the amorous way."
A smile spread across his lips. "Thank the heavens above. My ego was about to take a major blow."
"Listen, Tyler thinks he's all that. He thinks that nothing he does can ever go wrong, and that everybody just loves him. The one date I had with him all he did was talk about himself. And he thinks his little scheme will get him The Ivy, right?"
Stuart nodded, his look encouraging her to continue talking.
"So what we need to do is find some spies of our own, to poke holes in his ego. If he's hiring people to testify against us, then we need to do the same thing."
"I won't pay people to commit perjury."
Ivy shook her head. "That's not what I meant. We need to get people to push him, to say things about him that will get back to him. That will push him over the edge and he's sure to make a mistake. True he's been quiet lately, but if he finds out that the townspeople are talking about him he's going to throw a fit, he's going to come in to The Ivy and accuse us of spreading rumors, and then he's going to let it slip that he's behind Martin's lawsuit. And that will be the end of that."
She held her hand out to her side and shrugged her shoulders. "Am I genius, or what?"
"I have to admit you're smart, but I don't think it will work."
Her shoulders sagged just a little. "Why?"
"Because, gossip won't stop a lawsuit."
Ivy licked her lips, then closed the gap between them. "I will bet you dollars to doughnuts that the people testifying for Martin have no idea Tyler is involved. If they find out they might be less inclined to spread their lies."
Stuart laughed softly and stroked her cheek. "They'll still be getting their money, sweetness."
"Yes, but if they find out Tyler is getting money for doing absolutely nothing, and will, in all likelihood have a stake in The Ivy if we lose then they might be less inclined. Nobody likes him."
She watched Stuart consider her words. He nodded once, then laughed. "I think you might be right."
"So all we have to do is go into the pub tonight and chat about the lawsuit with everyone we can. We find out what they know, and who Martin and Tyler are using. And then we go for their jugulars."
His slow nod let her know he was thinking about something else, too. "But, if I remember correctly, I told someone she couldn't talk to anyone at The Ivy tonight about the lawsuit tonight she was going to be spanked."
Ivy sighed loudly, then shrugged. "You're right, you did. That gives you something to look forward to later, doesn't it? I'm going to talk to everyone I can tonight, and I'm going to ask them question after question. If you want you can spank me now, but it won't do any good. You're not going to stop me from following through with this plan."
"Well then, I guess I will." He leered at her and Ivy stood her ground, returning his look. They both burst into laughter and he pulled her into his arms. "Darlin', I know you think this is a good idea, but I can't help but think you need to listen to your cousin. If we put a toe out of line there is the possibility, however slight, that Martin and Tyler could use it against us."
"How?"
"I don't know right off hand, but I can promise you they'd find a way. Don't you agree with me?"
She did, yes. There was no doubt in her mind that Martin and Tyler probably spent hours upon hours trying to figure out ways to hurt the two of them. "Unless they have a lawyer who has also told them to lie low."
"What?"
Ivy's eyes widened. "I didn't realize I'd said that out loud. But what if they have a lawyer is also telling them to toe the line, to keep away from it until things progress legally?"
"You're not going to let this go, are you?"
"No." She shook her head. "I won't back down from them."
"Then maybe you do need a spanking."
Ivy glared at him, then undid her jeans and pulled them and her panties down to her ankles, turning around and putting her hands on the car. "Spank away, but don't think it's going to do any good. I'm still going to ask questions tonight."
"What a beautiful sight, and what a wonderful invitation." He slapped her ass and she groaned. The slap wasn't that hard, and the groan wasn't one of pain, but one of pleasure at the contact of his hand on her bottom. During the past few weeks they'd both been preoccupied with her father and his precarious health. That had limited their time alone.
Now, being here in the woods with him, even a slap on her ass made her feel as if she would spill over the edge into endless orgasm. He slapped her bottom again and she whispered his name.
"Yes?" His voice was low and seductive. "Are you ready to behave and promise me that you'll not talk lawsuits tonight?"
"Will it mean you'll make love to me?" He slapped her ass again and she threw back her head, her groan turning into a low moan of need.
"Possibly." Three more slaps made her knees feel as if they would give out from under her. Right now she would agree to anything if it just meant he would keep touching her.
"Promise me." He leaned over his, his breath hot on her neck. He nibbled on her earlobe and pleasure shot up her spine. "Promise me you'll behave tonight."
"I promise." He pulled back and slapped her ass again, twice on both buttocks, caressing each one softly after each slap, tickling her until her deep groans of pleasure filled the area.
One hard slap on each buttock made her jump. "Why don't I believe you?"
"It's true, it's...please Stuart. I won't...I won't..."
There was silence, and then she heard him moving. When his hand came down on her behind again she jumped. And then he spanked her harder, his hand landing in different spots, all of the slaps hard and making her earlier groans of pleasure turn into groans of misery.
"What are you doing!" He didn't answer her, though, just continued to spank her. When he finally let up her anger was so hard she thought she might turn around and slap him. Instead she wheeled on him, pushing on his chest. He didn't move, just stood there staring down at her.
"If you think I'm going to make love with you now you're crazy."
"I know. That was a preemptive spanking. If you're a good girl tonight we'll make love later."
"Fat chance I'll ever let you touch me again." Even as the words spilled out of her mouth she knew they weren't true. And he knew it, too. "You're punishing yourself, too."
"I know. But it will be worth it if you can make it through the evening without stirring up trouble. Get dressed and let's get out of here before I change my mind."
"Jerk." She pulled up her jeans and panties then seated herself in the car, fastening her seat belt and crossing her arms over her chest. "You're a real pain in the ass, literally."
He laughed as he got behind the wheel and she exhaled in anger. "I can't believe you don't think I would behave myself."
"Baby Ivy, I know you better than that." He pulled out and she fumed the whole way into town. She knew he
r plan would work, and she was pretty sure he knew it, too. The people in the pub would more likely talk to her than they would to an investigator they didn't know. She needed to ask them questions, to see what gossip was flying around.
And no matter what happened she'd already been spanked once tonight. What would another one hurt? When Stuart pulled into the parking lot he put his hand on her arm.
"Are you angry?"
"Very." She pulled away. "If you think you've stopped me, you have another thing coming." She barreled out of the car, ignoring him as he called out her name.
Inside the bar she found a few of the regulars already drinking and enjoying the food. They greeted her heartily, throwing out questions about how her father was, and if he was feeling better. She told them all that he was recovering and improving, then she went to the largest table where six gentlemen sat. She couldn't remember their names but she knew they were there the might of the Martin incident.
She pulled up a chair, then turned toward Stuart as he walked in the door. He frowned at her and moved her way. Before he got there, though, she turned to the men at the table.
"So, who wants to tell me exactly what that creep Martin is up to?"
* * *
Stuart paused before he got to the table. When he heard Ivy's question he knew pulling her away from the men would only make the situation worse. She would push him off, tell him to mind his own business. And the last thing they needed was more gossip.
He considered going to the office and calling James, telling him to get here as soon as possible and talk some sense into his cousin, since the spanking she'd just received didn't do any good.
He frowned as he walked behind the bar and poured himself a glass of water. Who was he kidding? He hadn't really spanked her. He'd been too aroused to do that. If he'd been truly angry with her he would have been able to deliver a proper spanking, let her know out right that she needed to mind her manners and listen to him and James.
Instead all he could truly see when he looked down to spank her was her finely rounded bottom, and how wonderful and warm it would feel nestled against him as he buried himself inside her.
