At Home In Corbin's Bend

by Maggie Ryan

  Shock zinged through him as her words sunk in. He didn’t know what had gotten into his normally level-headed friend, but this was not a dare he was going to resist. “Melissa, so help me you are about to wind up panties down, bottom up over my knee if you don’t take this conversation seriously, starting now.”

  “Oh, I’m taking it seriously, Jason,” she answered back, the fire gone from her voice. “I just think you’re exactly like everyone else in this community. You talk a big game, rushing in to rescue me, but you’re afraid to put your money where your mouth is and give me what I really need.”

  Was she really daring him to spank her? Did she honestly think he wouldn’t follow through? His mind scrambled to keep up with the turn of events along with any potential ramifications, but there was no doubt in his mind that before this night was over she would be getting exactly what she asked for.

  “Are you going to spank me or what?” she asked, a fierce bravado flashing in her eyes. He shook his head at the sheer courage she could muster at the blink of an eye. He stood, pulling her with him.

  Crooking a finger under her chin, he lifted it so that he could look into her shining eyes. “Oh, I’m going to blister your bottom all right,” he said, lowering his voice, allowing the energy to sizzle between them for a few heartbeats. He ran his hands down her arms noticing the little shiver she gave at the contact. “But not yet.” He could see how desperately she needed to gather her thoughts. There would be no spanking until he determined that she was sober and in a better frame of mind. Turning her toward the bathroom, he gave her bottom a soft smack. “Take a shower. We’ll talk when you’re done.” She gave a little squeak, but headed in the direction he sent her.

  Chapter 2

  Once Jason heard the shower, he strode toward the kitchen. He knew she needed the spanking he was going to give her, but that could wait. Her behavior was so erratic something deeper had to be going on. While he may not get to the bottom of it tonight, Jason certainly did not intend to just go in with guns blazing, spank her, and leave. He knew her too well for that. What she needed, more than a spanking, was some TLC. Melissa was hurting inside and it looked like the balm she was using to soothe it was going to get her nothing but trouble. He was finding that the need that filled him to be the one to provide her that TLC overwhelmed him.

  It may not be his place, but there was something about her that was calling up his deepest needs to protect her. While he had no official right to take care of her needs, let alone her discipline, when he saw that guy at the bar groping her, the possessiveness that had welled up inside him toward her, caught him off guard. The guy was lucky he had disappeared by the time Jason reached the spot where they had been, because there was no doubt that he would have done some real damage if he hadn’t. Tonight was not the time to talk to her about how he was feeling. Hell, he barely understood it himself. That was going to wait for another day.

  The first order of business for tonight was to put some food in her stomach to soak up some of that alcohol. He quickly changed out of his dust-covered clothes into a pair of athletic pants and a white t-shirt he had brought in from the truck. He’d have to wait until later to get his shower.

  Finding everything needed to make some scrambled eggs and toast, Jason set to work. He turned the coffee maker on to start a pot, and then threw a pat of butter in the pan to melt as he mixed the eggs with milk, salt, and pepper. Pouring the mixture into the pan, he threw in some cheese and ham at the last second. She was tiny and could use the extra calories. With bread in the toaster, he turned back to stir the eggs.

  Just as Jason set her plate on the table, he heard the bathroom door open. His chest swelled at the sight of Melissa, so small and innocent in her bathrobe, with her hair wrapped in a towel on top of her head. She was beautiful. The heavy make-up was gone as were all traces of the woman from earlier in the night. In her place, was the sweetest looking woman he had ever seen. Stopping in her tracks, she took in the table. A stricken look clouded her face and three seconds later, she burst into tears. He rushed over, wrapping his arms around her. “Shh, it’s okay, sweetheart,” he crooned. Scooping her up in his arms, he took a seat and curled her in his lap. He cradled her tightly as she buried her face into his chest. Rubbing her back in tender circles, he continued comforting her until she was ready to look at him. When she did, he gently wiped the tears from her face.

  “Are you ready to tell me why you’re crying?” he asked.

  “You made me food,” she wailed, bursting into a fresh set of tears.

  “Shhh, don’t cry, honey. Of course I did,” he said, tilting her chin up. “I’m willing to bet you haven’t eaten all night. It will help you feel a bit steadier.”

  “Why are you being so nice to me?” She hiccupped.

  “Because,” he answered, cradling her face in his hands, “you deserve to be taken care of.” He stood, carrying her to the kitchen and setting her on the chair where he had set her plate. “I wasn’t sure what you like in your coffee, so I just served it black. Is there anything you would like me to put in it?”

  She nodded meekly. “I have some cinnamon and sugar in there,” she said, gesturing to the cabinet by the sink. “I can get it though.” She started to get up.

  “Stay there; eat your eggs.” He stopped her. “I’ll get it.” It was obvious she wasn’t used to being taken care of, and he itched to remedy that permanently, but he knew he would have to take it slow.

  He measured the sugar into her cup, quirking an eye up when she indicated for him to keep going. He stopped at four spoonfuls not wanting to give her a sugar high on top of everything else. “Would you like some cream, too?” At her nod, he added a dollop. Giving her cup a sprinkling of cinnamon he set the cup back in front of her, and took a seat at her side. Melissa picked up the mug, sipped deeply, and sighed in contentment. Jason could feel his own contentment easing into him as he watched Melissa’s childlike delight. As Melissa began to let her guard down, Jason could see the real Melissa returning.

  She set her fork down chewing her last bite. “Thank you.” She smiled. “I feel much better.”

  “I knew you would feel better with a full stomach,” he said, covering her hand with his. He loved the feel of her soft hands, so small compared to his much larger work-roughened ones. He glanced at her towel-covered hair. “Bring me your hairbrush.” A little shiver went noticeably through her body at this, and he knew what she thought he was going to do with that hairbrush, but she got up to do it.

  He knew he couldn’t put the spanking off all night. She needed it, but not yet. While she was getting the brush, he carried a kitchen chair into the center of the living room. She hovered in the doorway between the rooms like her feet were stuck to the floor. He crooked his finger to draw her through the door. He watched her eyes and noticed the moment of decision flit across them. It took another full four seconds before she was able to force her feet to move. She fidgeted beside him, a look of surprise cascading over her features as he guided her to sit on the floor in front of him instead of over his lap as she obviously expected.

  Gently unwrapping her hair, curls tumbled down her back. Gathering the damp locks reverently in his hands, he pulled them behind her shoulders. He brushed her dark brown hair slowly starting from the bottom working the tangles out one by one. He worked in small sections luxuriating in the feel of her under his hands. Taking his time, he felt Melissa relax, little by little, under his touch. Her eyes closed under his ministrations. After every single tangle had been worked loose and her hair was gleaming, Jason moved his hands down to her shoulders kneading the tight muscles, working out each knot until the tension had disappeared. A small sigh and then what sounded almost like a purr escaped from her lips. Not wanting the moment to end, he continued light stroking across her warm skin for several more minutes.

  Finally he took a deep breath knowing that there was no more putting it off. Giving her one final squeeze, he helped her to a standing position. “It’s time fo
r your spanking,” he said. She nodded, every last vestige of fight completely gone. Taking a seat in the straight backed chair, he pulled her to stand between his legs. “Okay, Melissa, tell me why you’re getting this spanking.”

  She didn’t hesitate in answering. “Because I put myself in danger.”

  He nodded in agreement. “Let’s get started.” Guiding her over his lap, Jason pressed his hand to the small of Melissa’s back and locked his leg over both of hers, preemptively, to keep her from kicking.

  He rubbed the small of her back before moving it to her bottom. “I agree, Melissa, you put yourself in danger tonight.” Raining down spanks across her upturned bottom, scorching her all over, he directed her, “I want you to list the ways you put yourself in danger.” Continuing the onslaught of smacks in a random pattern on her bottom, Jason warmed her up for what was to come.

  “I drank too much,” she answered, grunting.

  Thinking about just how much she had to drink, he pressed his lips into a grim line. “With the amount you drank tonight, you’re lucky you aren’t in the hospital right now with alcohol poisoning.” He really laid into her then, causing her to buck against his legs.

  “What else?” He kept a hard but steady rhythm raining down on her bottom up one side and down the other.

  “I went without telling anyone where I was going or bringing anyone with me,” she gritted out between clenched teeth.

  He paused rubbing her bottom for a second. “Do you know how much trouble you could be in right now if I hadn’t seen your car?” His stomach clenched hard as images of that sleazy man taking advantage of her paired with her vulnerable form, passed out cold and slumped against the wall. Emotion bubbled up causing his voice to hitch when he began to speak again. “Anything could have happened to you. What if you had been raped or…” He swallowed convulsively before going on. “Or worse.” He finally got out.

  “I guess I didn’t think about that.” Her voice came out barely in a whisper.

  “I hope that after this, you’ll think about every single decision you ever make, all the way through, before doing something stupid like you did tonight, ever again.” Squaring his shoulders, he laid into her with everything he had.

  She bucked and twisted, but he held her firm. “I. Can. Not. Bear. To. Lose. You. Do you understand that?” He punctuated each word with a hard smack.

  She sniffled loudly. “Yes, sir,” she wailed, breaking down in sobs.

  Taking that as his cue, he lifted her nightgown, peeling her panties down to reveal a nicely pink bottom. He rubbed her bottom for a few moments before beginning to spank her in earnest. Alternating scorching smacks on one cheek and then the other, he said, “Melissa, I don’t know what you were thinking tonight, but I’m going to make sure you never even think to put yourself in that situation again.” He heard her inhale sharply as he started spanking harder landing several on her sit spot. He lectured as he began to turn her bottom bright red. “You will not go out drinking without regard to your safety. You will certainly not go without someone you trust to watch out for you. Lastly, you will not allow slimeball men to disrespect you like you did tonight.” He paused rubbing her bottom to let her catch her breath for a moment. “You deserve so much more than all of that.”

  He picked up the brush from the floor next to the chair, rubbing it in circles on her bottom. Her cheeks clenched and unclenched in anticipation of the first stroke with the unforgiving wood. He brought the backside of the brush down on her right cheek with a thud.

  “From this point on, you will give yourself the respect you deserve.” He brought it down two more times as she hissed in pain.

  She gave a meek little “Yes, sir.” His cock sprang to life at the words. Hoping she didn’t notice, he continued.

  “In fact, from now on, if you want to go out in that kind of environment, you’re not going without me by your side.”

  “But…”

  He interrupted her but with a flurry of brush strokes that he was sure felt like blazing fire by the way her arm flailed to reach back to cover her behind. He easily caught her wrist, pinning it to the small of her back, renewing his efforts.

  “I’m sorry,” she cried out, attempting to twist away from the brush. When he didn’t slow down the onslaught to what was becoming a very red bottom, she whimpered, “Yes, sir.” At that, he immediately paused to rub her bottom.

  “Melissa, you may be a grown woman, but you need to realize that making decisions like this are never going to end well. The men you meet there are not what you’re looking for.”

  She groaned. “I know. I was just so desperate to get rid of these stupid thoughts in my head. I didn’t think to care about anything else.”

  “Well, consider me your personal body guard from now on. If I see that you are about to do something to put yourself in harm’s way again, I will be the one to put a stop to it. And, if I find out after the fact that you’ve gone back to one of these places, you are going to be one sorry little girl. Do I make myself clear?”

  “Yes, sir,” she said, this time her voice coming out husky. That sound did wicked things to his already rock hard cock. He needed to get himself under control.

  “Good. Now I’m going to give you ten more with the brush, and then we’ll be done.” She wiggled in his lap and whimpered again. He groaned inwardly. He needed to finish this and get the sexy little vixen off his lap before he did something they would both regret. She had had far too many people take advantage of her. He would be damned if he was going to be one of them.

  Jason brought the paddle-like brush down in crisp hard strokes. As the first stroke came down on Melissa’s left cheek, she bucked. He tightened his grip on her legs before bringing the next one down on her right cheek with a loud thwap. He brought the rest down hard and fast while she thrashed as wildly as she could within his grip. She was wailing by the time the last crack of the brush came crashing down. Her bottom had angry red welts, but he knew with her olive complexion that, while it likely hurt like the dickens, there would be little evidence of the spanking visible tomorrow.

  As Jason pulled her up into his lap, Melissa climbed up, curling into his chest like it was the most natural thing in the world to her. He knew then that he would do anything to make her his girl. They cuddled like that in silence for a few minutes. He kissed the top of her head, breathing in the sweet smell of her hair.

  “I’m sorry that you had to rescue me tonight, Jason,” she whispered up to him before burying her face in his chest and hiding her eyes.

  He brushed her hair back and tilted her chin up so that she had to look him in the eyes. “You scared me to death tonight, and I’m sorry you were in the position you were in, but I’m not sorry I had to rescue you.” A mixture of hope and disbelief flitted across her face. He responded by laying a small kiss on the tip of her nose causing her to giggle and bury it into his neck.

  “Now let’s get you tucked into bed.” With a deep chuckle and careful to keep her tightly tucked into his arms, Jason stood and headed down the hall to where she had retrieved the hairbrush. Entering her room, he turned on the bedside table lamp before tucking Melissa snugly in bed. “Wait here just a minute. I will be right back.”

  Not quite two minutes later he was back in the bedroom with a warm mug of milk and honey along with a tube of arnica lotion. Melissa lay propped up against the headboard. He tried not to pay attention to the implications of her robe draped over a chair in the corner. “What’s this?” she asked, giving the mug a puzzled look.

  “Try it and see,” he directed. She took a small sip and smiled.

  “Mmm, it’s milk and honey isn’t it?”

  He nodded. “It will help you to sleep.” He waited until she had several more sips, watching as Melissa relaxed into the pillows. He took the mug from her and set it on the table. “I have some cream that will help your bottom feel better and heal properly so that you can have a better night’s sleep.” Showing her the tube from the small duffel bag he
’d brought into the house with his change of clothes. “Roll over and lift your nightgown,” he directed.

  She moved to comply, hissing when her bottom rubbed against the sheet. Once Melissa was snuggled down on the pillow, stomach down, Jason squeezed a small amount of the lotion into his palm. He waited, warming the lotion before spreading it onto her bottom which was emanating a nice heat. She sucked in between clenched teeth at his touch which turned into a moan as he spread the cream into every crevice. Adding a little more lotion to his palm, he massaged her bottom, the top of her legs, and finally made his way to her lower back. It felt so nice to be touching her like this. Before he realized it, the rhythm of her breath had changed to soft little snores. He pulled the comforter up and tucking her in snugly, he kissed her on the cheek and whispered, “Goodnight, Melissa.”

  She stirred slightly, smiled sleepily, and with her eyes closed, whispered back, “Goodnight, Jason.”

  Chapter 3

  Melissa’s eyes fluttered open to sunbeams dancing like little fairies on the ceiling, coming to greet her. She languished in a stretch as she realized that her body had not felt this relaxed in years. The stress she normally carried around like an extra weight was gone. “How odd,” she mused, sitting up. Scooting her bottom across the sheets sent pricks of pain and itching to her nerve endings causing the happenings from the night before to come flooding back to her. Jason. The man who had been a rock for her the past few months had literally rescued her from a club, fixed her dinner, spanked her, and sent her to bed. The world had gone wonky.

  Slipping out of bed, she donned her robe which sent the events from last night flooding through her mind. Butterflies erupted at the memory of him lifting it to spank her soundly. She shivered at the thought of his hands, so rough and big and manly. Yes, they had stung like the dickens coming down on her bare bottom, but those were the same hands that had brushed her hair so tenderly and massaged her to sleep the night before. Glancing at the clock, she gasped when she saw that it was one o’clock in the afternoon. That never happened. An early riser by default, she rarely slept until even nine am. She must have been in one heck of a deep sleep.