“Oh, all right. I’ll start serving your dinner, Sir.”
He watched her walk away in those tight jeans she favored. God, he loved her in those jeans. They cupped each cheek and the seam divided her cheeks beautifully. He just wanted to grab her and bite her or better yet rip them off her and take her on the kitchen counter.
Dinner. You have to eat dinner.
“Avery, we’ve been invited to a Breakfast with Santa function this coming weekend for the Children’s’ Cancer Center. I’d like you to come with me. I’m playing Santa and was hoping that you would be my elf.”
Preston waggled his eyebrows at her and winked.
“I’m not wearing some sexy elf costume in front of children. You can fu — forget it!”
“Nice catch, girlie. Of course it won’t be a sexy costume. Who do you think I am? Don’t answer that, I don’t want to know. You’ll be wearing an appropriate, normal elf outfit with leotards for the children, not for me. God, I’m a little mortified at your low expectations of me.”
“Preston don’t get all self-righteous, now. You know the outfits you’ve required me to wear. It was a normal assumption.”
“I guess. But you also know that I’m dressed appropriately every day in court and the office. I’d never put your reputation or mine at risk. So, now that you know what you’d be wearing, do you want to go?”
“I’d love to go! I love stuff like that.”
* * *
Avery looked at herself in the mirror one last time before she left the room. She was pretty sure she would have to fight Preston off her or he would rip her elf costume off, fuck her senseless, and make them late to the function. Her father was supposed to be at that same function and she was a little nervous about seeing him. She hadn’t seen him since the arrest, since her training with Preston. She hoped Judge Morton was right that her father would see a change in her. She was amazed at the transformation she saw in herself. She was no longer the same Avery who’d entered Preston’s historic mansion six months prior.
She was looking forward to meeting Nancy, Judge Morton’s wife. Avery hadn’t met anyone else who lived in a D/s relationship like she and Preston did, and she was very curious to meet someone else who played a kitty.
“Avery Rose, you need to get your bottom down here, now,” Preston shouted up from foot of the staircase. “We’re going to be late and it shouldn’t take this long to put on an elf costume.”
She hated when he did this. Why couldn’t he just wait like other men instead of giving her time limits?
“I’ll be down when I’m ready,” she shouted out from the bedroom door. “And not a minute before, Preston!”
“Unless you’d like to be paddled with your hairbrush in that bedroom, I suggest you straighten up that tone and get your backside down here.”
She quietly stomped her foot on the carpet. She’d learned the hard way that Preston could hear a foot being stomped on the floor upstairs. She also learned that he considered it a temper tantrum – and he never tolerated tantrums, The first time she’d done it, she’d been paddled in her bedroom and then sent downstairs, naked from the waist down, to sit on her spanking bench until he felt her mood had improved. Since then she made sure he didn’t know if she stomped her foot.
Making some last minute touches to her make-up, she made her way down the stairs, where Preston was waiting for her. He was dressed in jeans and a sweater, carrying the Santa suit in a garment bag.
He winked at her. “My. My. Look at the little vixen standing before me. Don’t you look adorable?”
Kissing her on the cheek, he helped her down the rest of the stairs, turning her and giving her bottom two hard swats.
“That’s for the sassy response you shouted down to me. Hopefully those handprints will remind you to mind your manners and your tongue today. Are we clear?”
“Yes, Sir.”
“Now, let’s go and make some kids happy for Christmas.” Preston put her coat over her and they walked out into the night, snow just beginning to dust the ground.
* * *
Preston searched the room, finally finding Judge Morton talking with Avery’s father, Judge Beauchamp. He hoped that Avery would be on her best behavior today. Her father hadn’t seen her in a while and Preston was anxious to see how her father reacted to the changes in his daughter. Preston helped Avery out of her coat. “Let’s get this out of the way, girlie. We’ll talk with your father and then make our way to Pediatrics to get ready for the children to see Santa. Are you ready?”
Her big, beautiful eyes peered up at him, and she gave him an uncertain smile. “Yes, Sir.”
Preston put a hand in the small of her back and they made their way to the Judges. “Judge Morton, Judge Beauchamp? How are you both today?”
“Avery! I’m so glad to see you. I’ve missed you, sweetie.” Her father kissed her on the cheek and pulled her in for a tight embrace. Avery threw her arms around his neck and laid her head on his shoulder. There was something sweet in watching a woman with her father. There was a gentleness that couldn’t be faked if the relationship was good and true.
“Hi, Daddy. I’ve missed you too.”
“Your daughter has cleaned almost every room in my house and has the barn full – everything labeled and priced. I hope you come to the auction so you can see all the hard work she’s done.”
Preston pulled Avery in for a side hug, kissing her forehead.
“Of course, I will.” Judge Beauchamp’s eyebrows rose, and he looked from Preston to Avery. “So she worked all day and didn’t give you any trouble at all?”
Preston was the first to speak. “Well, I don’t think I’d go that far. She was a little sassy and defiant in the beginning, but with the right incentive she became an excellent worker and very responsible. And I may add an excellent cook too.”
The Judge blinked and appeared speechless. “Did you say cooking? My Avery is cooking? And responsible? I mean she’s always been a good girl, but—“
“Well, she’s changed a lot, Sir.” You’d be amazed to see her at work.” Preston felt a blush rise on his neck and cheeks. “He turned to look at Avery. I’ve been a very lucky man to have her at my house, and to be perfectly honest… I’ve fallen in love with her, Judge.”
Avery beamed at Preston, squeezing his hand. “Daddy, I love him. We’re really happy and I like being with him.”
Judge Beauchamp glanced at Judge Morton. “Well, looks like we weren’t too far off base when we put her in his house, were we?”
Judge Morton put his hands up, staying the retorts on Avery and Preston’s lips.
“Wait! Whoa. Let me talk. Judge Beauchamp and I had talked that night, and we knew that Avery needed to be in a situation where she couldn’t manipulate and cajole someone as she’d done in the past.” He dipped his chin and looked at Avery.
She dropped her gaze, a pretty pink blush blooming on her cheeks.
Morton continued. “And we knew that Preston had the stern, disciplinarian personality that would push Avery to become responsible. We also knew that he was looking for a submissive relationship — and that Avery might be just what he was looking for.”
Preston was shocked, unsure what to say. Finally, he cleared his throat, nodding at each man in turn.
“Well, let me first say thank you to both of you gentlemen. I haven’t been this happy in years. I love your daughter, Judge. Thank you for having confidence in my abilities and trusting me with Miss Avery Rose.” He shook both of the judges’ hands then. “We have to go and get ready for Santa. We’ll see you two after dinner, gentlemen.”
Then Preston and Avery left to get ready for the children.
* * *
Avery was tired of standing, her feet hurt and she was sweaty from helping kids climb on and off Preston’s lap. It was talking longer than normal, because Preston was talking to each child, making them feel like they were the only child to sit on Santa’s lap. Watching him with each child was touching — he had tende
rness and an ability to understand each child’s needs and desires. He would make such a wonderful father.
What’s gotten into you, Avery? He never said anything about marriage or children!
They were down to the last child and he was just putting the little girl on the floor, urging her get her candy cane from Avery. She handed it to the little girl and sent her back to her parents with a smile and a quick wave.
Avery heard chuckling and turned to see Santa crooking his finger at her and patting his lap. She looked around, the heat of her blush rising on her face. She shook her head, pointedly avoiding his gaze, hoping he’d take the hint. This wasn’t the time for this.
When she finally looked back at Preston, he wagged his finger at her and wrapped his hand around the big Santa buckle on his belly. Her bottom clenched automatically. Whether or not it was the appropriate time for this, she wasn’t about to do anything to get herself spanked with that belt.
“C’mere and see Santa, little girl.”
She shuffled her way over to him, amidst the giggling in the crowd from adults and children. When she got there he pulled her onto his lap, affectionately patting her bottom. “Tell Santa what you want for Christmas this year.”
She furrowed her eyebrows at him. “Uh, I think I’ll have everything I need for Christmas this year if I’m at your house.”
He smiled back at her from behind his white beard and fake bushy eyebrows. “Are you going to ask me what I want for Christmas?”
She blinked. “You’re Santa, no one asks you what you want for Christmas.”
Laughter from the gathered parents erupted at that response.
“I know! Imagine how sad that makes me.” Preston looked around at the children. “Wouldn’t that make you feel sad? Do you think she should ask me what I want for Christmas?”
The children started cheering and chanting: “Ask Santa! Ask Santa! Ask Santa!”
“Okay, okay,” Avery said, rolling her eyes. “What do you want for Christmas, Santa?”
Santa leaned in and whispered, “If you roll your eyes at me again, you’re going to get spanked with Santa’s belt. Understood?”
Avery nodded, her blush flaring hotter.
“Well, I think I’d like to ask you a question,” Santa said loudly. “Oh wait, something’s poking me here. Hold on.” Preston reached into his red fur coat, pulling out a little box. He opened it, his deep blue eyes bright. “Would you marry me, Miss Avery Rose? Please say you’ll be mine for Christmas!”
The crowd erupted in cheers and clapping, and Avery smiled back at Preston, tears streaming down her face.
“Yes. Yes, Santa. I’ll marry you!”
* * *
After receiving a spanking from Santa’s belt as she had hoped for, Avery sat gingerly on the couch and curled into Preston’s side as he tucked a blanket around them. The glow of the fire and the Christmas tree along with Nat King Cole on the iPod player made the evening perfect. Avery held her hand up, letting the light from the fireplace pass through the diamond.
“Look how it sparkles, Preston! It’s beautiful. You really surprised me today. I want you to know, I’m not usually this easily surprised.”
“It seems to me, I’ve been surprising you since the day you came to this house.” He pulled her chin up with his hand and lightly kissed her lips. “Between the playroom, the cameras, kitty play, and your engagement, it seems I’m going to have my work cut out for me keeping you surprised for the next fifty years.”
“And maybe I’ll be the one to surprise the shit out of you for the next fifty years, Mr. Preston!” Avery’s eyebrows rose and she waggled them at him, her eyes brightening with mischief. “Let me remind you, I’ve kept you on your toes too, Sir.
“That you have. But I also have a cure for your mischief and misbehavior. Keep it in mind.” He affectionately patted her bottom, pulling her in closer. “So, let me ask you soon-to-be Mrs. Preston Harrison, what do you think of a Valentine’s Day wedding? I really don’t want to wait too long to make you mine.”
“I’m already yours, Mr. Preston Harrison. I was yours the first time I rode in your car. When you covered me with your suit coat to keep me from being cold, and then informed me that French fries were never allowed in your car.”
She ran her forefinger over his lips before kissing them.
“I would love a Valentine’s Day wedding.”
The End
# # #
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Other Books By Megan Michaels
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Finding Submission (Service & Submission Book 1) Page 19
