by Piper Stone
“Don’t even start,” he said. “You know it’s going to happen, you might as well do what you’re told.”
Yeah. That was one thing she did know. He never broke his word. That was good in a way, she knew he’d never cheat on her. She always knew where he stood on things. If he said he’d pick up a gallon of milk after work, he would. If he decided she needed a spanking, she was going to get one. It didn’t matter if she argued that grown up adult women didn’t get spanked. In their family, they did. She accepted it, and when it wasn’t right before or during a spanking, it was rather exciting to think of his alpha self. But right now, she let the tears fall already. Why not?
“Remember this feeling next time you choose not to listen to me,” he said. “Drop the pants and get over here.”
She pushed her leggings to her thighs, and then sighed and pulled her sparkly Christmas sweater off over her head too. She had a long camisole under it, so she wasn’t naked, but she knew she’d be sweating in just a few minutes, and her sweater was too new and pretty to get sweated through.
“That works,” he said. “Come here and get all comfortable over my lap, because you might be here a while. This is the second spanking in a week you’ve gotten for not listening. If I don’t make it memorable there could be a third, which is fine for me, but you? I’m not so sure.”
Lily threw herself over her husband’s lap, in the by now familiar position. She did not want this so much. Yet, she sighed and braced herself with her hands. “Sam?”
“I’m going to fire up your brain,” he told her and the hairbrush came down before she expected it.
“I’m not ready!” she shrieked. He wasn’t kidding around.
“Oh, that’s right, you aren’t.” And with that, he peeled down her panties with one movement and she felt the hairbrush again before she could feel embarrassed. That was the only good thing about a hairbrush, you didn’t remember your butt was bare and everything exposed, all you concentrated on was the hairbrush.
“Ow! No! Sam, please!”
Naturally, he didn’t listen.
He spanked so hard and fast, she couldn’t even tell when one stopped or started. Her legs kicked up and high, trying to stop the hairbrush and she realized at some point that he was holding both her wrists. Twisting and squirming, she tried to get out of the path of Hurricane Hairbrush. She didn’t bother to beg, just started sobbing. Her butt was on fire and she felt the panic build, where she knew she couldn’t deal with it, just couldn’t. Nothing else mattered and nothing ever had, but the fire in her bottom, and her inability to make it stop.
What seemed like an hour later, she realized that he was no longer spanking her, but wasn’t letting her up either. Now what?
“Do you understand why you deserved a spanking?” he asked her.
“Because you told me not to do something and I did it.” See? She could argue with him, or defend herself, but that would be stupid. Maybe the hairbrush did make her smarter. Who would have thought? Well, Sam, apparently.
He started rubbing her bottom, so that must have been the right answer. “Twice in a week,” he said. “What’s going on? Are you trying to do too much?”
“I’m not!” she protested that. “Can we please talk when I’m in an upright position?”
He seemed to consider that and pulled her up on his lap. “But you can go back over anytime.”
“I understand,” she said meekly, wincing a bit as her sore bottom met his jeans. He handed her a tissue from his shirt pocket, and she blew her nose but decided not to wipe her tears away. Let him see what he did.
“You okay?” he asked her.
“I don’t know,” she said. “Someone just used the hairbrush pretty harshly.”
“That would be me, and you deserved every bit of it.” He kissed her head and wiped a tear with his finger. “Now, talk to me about what’s going on.”
Lily put her head on his chest. “I just want to have a perfect Christmas,” she said. “Is that too much to ask?”
“Nothing ever turns out perfectly,” he said, and kissed her again. “Remember that movie we watched the other day? Think how boring it would have been if things had gone perfectly.”
“Our life isn’t a movie. It’s our first Christmas together and the first one for Tyler here in this house, he wasn’t even home last Christmas. I just remember all the Christmases growing up, with the extended family around, and cutting down the trees, and the big dinners, and singing at the church and all the wonderful smells and memories.”
“Tyler is going to have his own memories and they will be just as magical as yours,” Sam said. “You’re just trying way too hard. Can you calm down and dial it back just a little? Believe it or not, turning that cute butt red isn’t my favorite thing to do with it.”
“Couldn’t prove that by me.” She wiggled just a little.
“I just do what needs done,” he said. “It works to get your quite intelligent brain working just a little harder.”
“Maybe you could just, oh, maybe speak to my intelligent brain first before resorting to drastic measures?”
“Where’s the fun in that?”
She shook her head and sighed, then nibbled at her thumb nail. She had so much to do tomorrow. But she giggled as Sam picked her up and tossed her on the bed. This she could make time for.
Chapter 3
“Your concert was amazing,” Lily told Tyler as she tucked him in. “I think you were the best singer in the group and I know you were the most handsome.”
“Jayden is pretty handsome,” Tyler said, looking at her with his big hazel eyes that she loved so much. “All the girls think so.”
“Is that a fact?” No girls for him, he was only six! “Well, I had a great time at the concert tonight. How about you?”
“I was a little nervous and I wished Dad was there, but yeah, it was fun. I liked it when Santa showed up. Did you know he was coming?”
“I might have had a hint,” she teased him. “We are in pretty close contact, you know.” Of course he missed his dad. That was normal. Jason and Britt had been talking about moving back to be closer to Tyler, but that hadn’t happened yet, and right now they were still in California. He had a new sister, Annie, out there now, and they needed to know each other.
“So you know the deal tomorrow, right?” She felt nervous about this weekend. It would be fun to get away with Sam for a few days, but she really wished he’d waited till January or February. But he hadn’t, so she was going to have to deal, and hopefully enjoy herself.
“Yeah, you are taking me to school. We’re taking my stuff to Aunt Talia’s room. After school, I’m going to see her instead of getting on the bus. Then she’s going to take me shopping. We are buying toys for the two babies, Elliott and Annie. Then we’re going to a basketball game with Uncle Lucas, and I’ll probably get popcorn.”
“Sounds like you have a busy night. And I’ll be back Sunday to get you.”
“I know,” he said, and shut his eyes. “Mom?”
“What, honey?”
“I love you, and don’t worry, you’ll be back before I even know you are gone.”
Lily kissed him. She had said that to him every morning when she had to drop him off at daycare when he was smaller. “And Santa won’t come till after we all come home,” he said softly as he drifted off to sleep.
Well, now he was getting down to what was important. She smiled and shut his door behind her as she left.
Sam was working in his favorite spot, the kitchen nook table. He’d told her he had something lawyer-y to do after the concert. He didn’t bring work home often, but she tried not to bother him when he did. “I’m going to pack,” she said.
“It’s going to snow,” he said, barely looking up from his computer. “Make sure we have boots and parkas and things.”
“Yes, sir!” She snapped a salute at him. “Shall I pack something naughty too, or just heavy winter wear?”
He just waved at her and she smiled as sh
e walked away. She should know better than to try and converse with him while he was involved in his files and cases and research and whatever.
Despite having to pack and then leaving for a few days, in the midst of all the holiday excitement, she was in a really good mood. A few days alone in a small little cabin in the woods with her handsome husband? While she still wished he’d waited till after Christmas, she had to come to peace with the fact her big mean alpha of a husband wanted to spend a couple days alone with her. How horrible! It just put her in a good mood to know he did, even though it made her a little stressed to leave right now. Tyler would be spoiled at Talia’s, and have a great time. There would still be parties and lights and dinners, her open house here, and Christmas, then New Year’s at home. A few days away would change nothing. Right?
After loading the suitcases into the car trunk for tomorrow, she wandered into the dining room to look at their tree and re-arrange her little town she had set up on a buffet. Her mom had started giving pieces to her every year since she was born, and she’d added to it over the years too, but this was the first year she’d had it set up since Tyler was born. The first year of his life was too chaotic, the second and third year, he was too chaotic. The fourth year she had been so miserable, fighting with Jason all the time, she only did the bare minimum, and last year, Tyler had been gone during the holidays, and she simply didn’t care. That was one reason she wanted this year to be extra special, for him and for her, and for Sam. It was their first Christmas together as a family, and seemed like her first real one with Tyler. However, nurturing her relationship with her husband was important too.
Her mind kept going back and forth and around and around as she moved streetlights, sleighs, tiny people and small buildings along her town parameters. She’d forgotten she had so many pieces and how much she enjoyed putting it out every year. She needed these kinds of traditions.
Deciding she missed her husband, she walked back into the kitchen. “I’m tired,” she announced.
“Go to bed, I’ll be there soon.” He didn’t look up from his computer.
That was not the right answer. She wanted him in her bed with her. Kicking off her shoes, she then pulled her sweater off over her head and threw it across the room so it landed on the table. Her bra followed soon after, and landed on his computer.
He did look up then. “What are you doing?” He was confused about his wife stripping in front of him? Mmm?
Shimmying out of her black dress pants, she made like a lasso and swirled them over her head. He gave a long slow growl and stood up as she let them fly and ran down the hall to their bedroom, knowing he would be right behind her. Yeah, she loved her life.
“What do you mean, we are lost?” Her voice rose although she tried not to let it. Blizzard, check. Bad roads, check. No visibility, check. No clue where they were, check. Scared out of her mind, check. “Sam!”
He shot her a semi-reassuring smile. “I won’t ever let anything happen to you.”
“You might not, but this storm might have different ideas.” There went her voice again. Out in the middle of nowhere, and she looked up startled as the car was suddenly silent. He’d turned off the soothing Christmas music coming from the speakers.
“Need to concentrate,” he said.
“What can I do to help?” she asked, looking at the swirling snow and feeling helpless. It was all she could see.
“Just sit there and be cute,” he said. “I think we’re actually getting closer.”
Lily didn’t mention he probably had no idea if they were or not. Being upset and venting would not help him get them there safely. Taking a deep breath, she concentrated on being calm. Sam seemed fairly calm, although she could tell by his white knuckles that he really wasn’t.
They drove slower as the snow came down harder. She remembered the first time they got snowed in together. It had been there, where they now lived, but then was his bachelor pad. All the comforts of home though, with his whole house generator and fully stocked pantry. Here, if they got stalled, in the dark in the middle of nowhere, with only the few snacks and basic food supplies, plus the bottles of wine she’d packed, well, they could freeze to death soused? Would that help the process go more easily? Maybe they wouldn’t find out, but right now, she wasn’t certain about that. Nibbling at her thumbnail, she wished she could open a bottle right now. She wasn’t driving and there were obviously no cops on the road.
“Here’s the road,” Sam said, relief in his voice. “Half a mile and we’ll be at our cabin.”
“Too bad it’s not a well-lit hotel in the middle of town,” Lily said, softly.
“I heard that,” he said. “Hang on, baby, I’ll get you there safely.”
The road had been plowed at some point before, but was blowing back over. “I’ve never been worried,” she lied. “I think I see a light!”
“Me too,” he said.
She peered through the swirling blowing snow, unable to tell if it getting worse or the wind had picked up. There was a light on, that was good, she hoped. Meant the power was on, maybe? Didn’t mean it would stay on though, she knew. Lily had never understood the concept of camping. People had worked hard and used their brain power for decades to create indoor plumbing and lights that came on when you flicked a switch. It was like modern medicine. Why ignore those achievements? She liked flushing and turning up the thermostat when she got cold.
“We made it,” he said. “I’m going to go in, make sure the door opens and clear a path. Wait here till I get back.”
Lily wasn’t going to argue with him. She didn’t want to stand outside and freeze while he fumbled with the lock. Let him be the he-man, it didn’t bother her one little bit. She had become accustomed to him taking care of her and taking over, and it thrilled her feminine side. Being a single parent to an active young boy had been hard for her, living alone and having to do everything by herself had been worse. She knew some people didn’t mind it, but she didn’t like being the one in charge all the time.
She loved to have a partner who would not only help her make decisions, but would often just take over and make them himself. Her take charge guy was a little bossy sometimes, yes, but mostly he was a perfect fit for her. Well, he spanked too hard, but there wasn’t much she could do about that. Bringing it up when he was spanking her never worked, and bringing it up when he wasn’t and in a good mood, only got her a smile, an eyebrow lift and a soft “I know what you need.” Yeah, she might need it sometimes, but not that hard!
She squirmed and enjoyed the heated seat, the one he bought with the car and didn’t cause. Peering through the glass, she tried to see him, but all she could see was the swirling snow. Turning the carols back on to drown out the spooky sound of the wind blowing, she tried to relax. How long would he be gone? One song, two songs. Was he okay? Had he fallen? Maybe the wind was blowing so hard and blinding he couldn’t find his way back to the car. Lily started to get ready to get out, debating with herself. Yes, he’d told her to stay. No, she wasn’t going to let him freeze to death while she sat here in comfort. Probably he’d spank her for it. The only thing he asked was for her to listen to him. If she didn’t she got spanked, hard. How long did it take a man to freeze to death? The third song came on and the soothing voice of Scotty McQueary tried to calm her down. He was just a child! What did he know? If Sam hadn’t come back by the time Scotty’s song girl did, and they were happily ever after, she was going out, despite his orders to stay put. He wouldn’t have left her out here this long if something wasn’t wrong. Maybe he just couldn’t find a shovel? Maybe that’s all it was.
Shuddering, she looked out the window. She’d wanted to arrive at the cabin, in the arms of her handsome husband, while he carried her in so she wouldn’t get her feet cold. The closer to the end of the song, the more she realized that wasn’t going to happen. Sam had been gone at least fifteen minutes.
Zipping up her coat, pulling up her hood and slipping on her gloves didn’t take long. Sh
e had on her winter boots and her fortitude. She was going out to see what was going on, and make sure her husband was okay. A commercial was on. Yes, she wanted to be on line ordering presents. Who wouldn’t want to be? Instead she was going out in the storm. She opened the glove box and found a flashlight. Happily, it still worked, which was good because she could see nothing outside her window.
She counted to three, knowing it had been at least fifteen or twenty minutes since he’d left saying he was only going to open the door and be right back. Something had happened.
Shutting the car off, she put the keys in her pocket, turned the flashlight on and headed out the door. The wind immediately hit her and almost knocked her off her feet. She grabbed the car door to hold on till she got her footing, while trying to catch her breath and to ignore the sting, of what, sleet? Yeah, there was a bite to the snow, she took a step and then grabbed the car again. “Sam!” she called but knew the howling wind caught her words. Pointing the flashlight around, she finally found something big and dark, the cabin. That’s where she wanted to go. Sam would be either in there, or on the way there. She tried to take a breath, but the wind whipped it away. Lily took one step, then another. There was no reason she couldn’t do this. She was stronger than a storm, especially if her husband needed her.
Ow! She kicked a step and fell to her knees. Shivering, she found a handrail and struggled up again. Solid ice was beneath her feet and on the rail. Those icy particles slapping her face must be deciding to stick, to stay and thwart her. Not happening, she told it. If Sam needed her, she’d be there for him. Luckily, there was only one step up to the porch and she shuffled across to where the light still shone, dimly. Her feet banged against something. “Sam!” she cried and dropped to her knees again. “Sam!” Peeling her gloves off, she felt for a pulse. There it was.
“Lily?” His voice came out softly but clearly. “I…” He said nothing more.
Sam looked around through slitted eyes. Taking a deep breath, he realized he had no clue where he was. His eyes focused on a small decorated tree in the corner of the room. Garlands on the walls. Not home, not a hospital. It must be Christmas though. His head pounded, but looking around more, he saw a burning fireplace. The cabin. He’d come in, started a fire and went out to get Lily. Then what? Lily? Where was Lily? “Lily?”
