"When you next saw me, but you would have warned me about it on the phone."
"Okay, I'm just seeing you today, so that is covered, and I did say we needed to discuss this when you got home, I just swallowed my annoyed husband voice. Therefore, I won't use the aggravated husband voice, because I would have already done that. Questions?"
"No, but I don't like where this is going."
Ciarán smiled. "I bet you don't." He hugged her before going on.
"Next, did you tell me you were flying and then you drove?"
"Isn't that the same issue?"
"It isn't. Leaving a day early without telling me is one matter and mode of transport without telling me is another. Answer my question."
"Yes, I drove instead of flying to Sheridan." Katie could feel her stomach knot in that familiar way and while she didn't want, what she knew would probably be her consequence this evening, she was excited that it might be her fate. She knew Ciarán loved her fiercely and she didn't care how domineering he was because that was the way he showed it.
"Did you tell me when you got to Sheridan that you had driven?"
"No."
"Honesty an issue here?" He waited for her to answer before going on.
"I guess."
"Coming home, did you call before you left?"
"No."
"Did you let anyone know?"
"No, they would have stopped me."
"Yes, and they knew I had planned to fly in on Saturday."
"Oh."
"Yes, 'oh', and when I read my message from you about an hour after you sent it, I was not happy. I don't think you and I need to discuss the reasons for my irritation, do we?"
"I don't think so, but Ciarán, the roads were clear. It was really an easy drive. Even the cut across, the 'Hole' was clear. I learned from my mistake before with the bison incident and I looked at the conditions all across and it showed no weather pattern changes for more than the next twenty-four hours. You wanted me to learn to be careful of the changes and I was. I knew that it wouldn't be a problem. My phone was fully charged and I had blankets like always with the space blanket, and I always had half a tank of gas. I was careful and safe. I'm not a stupid woman, Ciarán."
Ciarán smiled because he could hear the tone of the defense go from a teenager in trouble to a woman stating her case and he knew his wife was returning in full force and he loved it. "I'm glad to know you have learned a lesson and hopefully, you'll learn another. Okay, the preparation for the trip, as best as you could, was done well, so no additional conversations on that." He smiled again when Katie seemed to relax at the win.
"Anything else you want to confess before we talk penalty?"
"Yeah, like I would answer that one with further disclosure."
"Hmm, sassy disrespect; are you adding these to the list I need to address?"
"No! I'm sorry Ciarán. I'm ready to address the issues now because I hope to mend some fences later in our bedroom."
"Ah, I think that would be a great idea."
Ciarán scooted Katie up. "Go to the bathroom, get a drink, and come back."
As Katie did those things, Ciarán threw the ice cream carton away while he went back over in his mind the events thus far and wondered how they had gotten to this point anyway. Communication was the weak link and he vowed to work hard on keeping lines of communication open.
Katie came down in her nightgown, a little flannel one that Ciarán appreciated for the shortness and its lifting ability. His baby knew what was going to happen next and she agreed by her actions.
Standing her between his legs as he sat in the middle of the sofa, he began. "Katie, I need you to understand that I think that while we might have gotten past the drive itself, it was the lack of safety in telling someone how and when you were leaving, both ways, that is the problem. This is the safety issue. The fact that you didn't trust me to do what was right for you and for us. I know you were not wholly at fault and I'm not upset about that because I'm angrier with myself for not seeing how you would interpret my actions. I will try not to make that mistake again, but I probably will and when I do, I want you to tell me. Promise?" Katie nodded her head.
"Because it was a safety issue that we have come down to and I cannot nor will I ever again let that go, I'm going to warm your bottom as I'm sure you expected. I apologize for not addressing all the other incidents as they had come up. I think you really need me to do this so we are back on solid footing, I need you to drape yourself over my lap."
Ciarán was happy she didn't argue or resist; she compliantly lay over his lap. He situated her very carefully so the small bump that was their son or daughter lay safely cocooned between his legs. Katie was completely supported by the sofa on either side and that is what Ciarán always attempted to provide if he could. He maintained her on the bed or couch because he had no desire to hurt her or give her more distress than the bottom tingling itself.
Lifting her nightgown, he was surprised and pleased that she wore no panties; she had obviously been prepping for this trip over his knee. "Nice," he said as he rubbed her bottom with appreciation. "Ready, mo chroí?" Katie nodded her response and Ciarán reminded her that she needed to speak because he couldn't read her facial expressions.
"Ciarán, do you have to?" He could hear her tone. She needed this.
"Yes, we need to get our apple cart righted. After this, we are clean and the expectations are the same, I will protect you, be the husband you expect and you will be safe, and secure in my love. Trusting and listening to your husband's requests when able, as I expect. Are we good?"
"Yes," she answered with trembling voice.
"Does this frighten you? Are you afraid of the event or me? Or is it something else?"
"Not of you, never you, but maybe the event and I'm a little worried I might get too upset, because of Stuart."
"What is your safe word, mo chroí?"
"Cricket."
"I know I don't usually allow one when dealing with safety, but at least for this one, I would certainly allow it." Ciarán became very stern and said, "Use it if you need to. Yes?"
"Yes, I will." Ciarán nodded as he turned back to the event at hand, his hand and her bottom.
With that, Ciarán began with a warm up. Then gauging her response, he worked it to the level he felt this event warranted and could feel Katie relax and then as the cadence increased, reaching the level of intensity and tempo that Ciarán sustained, she began to cry and was finally able to release. She had just started to cry. Not a huge blubbering cry but a cleansing cry.
He knew he was not smacking hard enough to bring her to tears. He had done much more before with less response, but she needed the release. This gave her permission. He slapped her bottom proper then moved on to her upper thighs. He was skipping the sweet sitting spot because she had enough problems now. Her tone changed drastically and he felt her tense and then relax into the spanking. She apologized for her lack of communication, taking off and risking the baby's wellbeing by not telling anyone, her love and respect for Ciarán, and many things that he couldn't hear clearly.
As Ciarán was contemplating slowing down the tempo to wind this down, as he felt she was close to being purged and he was more than done smacking her beautiful bottom, Kelli burst in and was yelling at Ciarán to stop. At first, he didn't know what she was saying and then when he realized his sister was screaming at him to stop what he was doing, he was a 'brute' and other much more colorful words, he was furious.
"Diabhal é, Kelli, get the hell out of here. Damn it, girl, mind your own business."
He continued to yell at her to get out until she did. The thunder that he released was enough to move heaven and earth and was successful in moving Kelli. It drove her right over to Liam's with her demands and announcements that Ciarán was pounding his wife.
Kelli burst into Liam's house and after telling Liam, Jocelyn, and Parker what she had witnessed, she demanded they go over there and save Katie. What she saw in res
ponse was relief from Liam and his wife and a puzzled look on Parker's face.
Liam's response was, "They are working out some issues that have been bothering them, Kel. Leave them alone. Ciarán would kill you if you told him he was beating his wife."
"I did and he yelled at me, he cursed at me! Ciarán." She was in such disbelief that he would do that, she demanded that if Liam wouldn't go over there that he call over there. Jocelyn encouraged Liam to do it so that things could end.
As Liam listened to the first ring, the next sound was an angry brother, "Diabhal é, Kelli, leave it alone. What I do in my house is always consensual and none of your business."
"Hey, Ciarán, it's Liam. I'm just calling to settle Kel down. She is upset. I'm sorry she walked in on things." Kelli was yelling and stomping in the background and it earned her a growled 'sit down' from Liam and a yank to the sofa by Parker.
"I'm going to put this on speakerphone so Kelli can hear the responses. Can you put Katie on? Is she calm enough?"
"Yeah, hold on."
There was some conversation and then Katie was on the phone. Her hello was followed by sniffs, hiccups, and small crying noises that said she was just calming down from her 'talk' with her husband.
"Muirnín," he started in the Irish because he knew it helped Jocelyn, "are you okay? Kelli was worried."
Through her noises, she said "Yes." Her voice sounded muffled as though her face was buried in Ciarán's shirt. Drawing comfort. As it should be.
"Muirnín, I'm going to ask you some questions and I need you to answer them, okay?"
"Okay."
"Are you safe?"
"Huh? Of course, I'm safe."
"Did Ciarán hurt you?"
"Are you really asking me this? Yes, but he didn't do any harm. Liam, you know that, don't you?"
Kelli jumped up. "I told you."
Making it obvious that Ciarán had the phone on speaker as well, he jumped in and said, "Kelli, sure it hurt, but I didn't harm her. It's two different things. I'm not saying she can easily sit down, but there are no welts, bruises, or breaks in the skin. God, what is your problem?"
Liam jumped back in after calming Kelli down. "Katie, ghrá, do you have your safe word?"
"Yes."
"Did you need to use it?"
"No."
"Have you ever had to use it?"
"Once, when we were trying to get me past the hard parts of, um, things and I was dealing with those hormone issues. Kie took me there but not on purpose. And I used 'yellow' before because we were trying to have, well, we were working on me being with Ciarán again after the cabin incident, and I was having problems."
"Okay, ghrá, why have you not used your safe word except when Ciarán was taking you there?"
"Because it wasn't ever to the point that I didn't think I could handle it. Liam, he doesn't beat me, he just spanks and you know that, don't you?"
"I know, beag amháin, but Kelli didn't understand, little one."
"Kelli?"
"Yes, Katie?"
"I appreciate that you were watching out for me, but I have been praying Ciarán would do this for months. I'm happy."
"Um, you wanted him to beat you for months?"
"Kelli," Ciarán snarled in warning.
"Kelli, you are making Ciarán mad. He doesn't beat his wife, we 'talk'. I would say we have a meeting of the minds, but that would mean I sit on mine. Kelli, Ciarán loves me and sometimes, when I put myself at risk purposely, Ciarán warms me up. I thought, at first, that it was crazy, but when he stopped after the incident with, well, the cabin… because he thought it would be a trigger, I thought he didn't love me the same anymore. That he cared less for me. I needed him to show me he cared in this way. That doesn't mean I'm going to try to get swatted again, but I wanted this today."
"And," resumed Ciarán, "that is the end of us ever discussing our private life with anyone based on unwanted interference. We disclose things, as we want to, not under these conditions, ever. Understood, Kelli?"
Parker shook her arm and she looked up at an angry Liam, and said, "Yes, Ciarán, I'm sorry." Liam hung up but not faster than Ciarán.
"God, Kel, what the hell?" Parker was giving Kelli a very disapproving look and she began to defend herself. She looked at Jocelyn, who had taken up looking at her nails and Liam, who had moved to sit back next to his wife with an explosive look on his face.
"Kelli Frances O'Connor that is the worst thing you have done in a long time. Think of poor Katie, her humiliation at everyone knowing she had a session over Ciarán's knee and then having to talk about it. Ciarán is a very private man when it comes to his personal affairs. He loves Katie so much. He was desperate to find a way to put their life back together after that horrible period with Landau. Finally, they have worked the final piece back into place and you barge in and try to discredit your brother."
"But, Liam, no one does that unless they are brutal. It's domestic violence."
"Did you hear them? It's consensual. We have talked about this. Ciarán stopped because he thought it would be a trigger and Katie thought he didn't love her anymore. She wanted him to do this so she could put things right. If it were not consensual in their marriage, I would be the first to jump in. Well, after Jocelyn, but it isn't against any one's wishes. I'm not saying that every time that Ciarán paddles her butt, it's at her request but this way of communication is her choice and she had not asked him to stop. To the contrary, she wants this in their marriage."
"It's so caveman like. Where did he get this idea that beating… um… swatting his wife's butt was the way to get things across?"
"Really? Um, did you grow up in the same home that I did?" said Liam.
Kelli answered with a moan.
"Kelli," added Jocelyn, "people do it all the time in lots of situations. Where do you think the expression, 'slap, and tickle' comes from? It's slightly peppered up foreplay."
"Yes, but smacking your wife because she did something her husband didn't approve of?"
"Did you listen to them, Kelli? It was for something that Katie did purposely that could put her in harm's way. Not the same thing."
"Well, it's strange. No one else that we know does that."
"How do you know?" Jocelyn asked.
"What do you mean? You don't know of anyone else that does that."
Jocelyn looked over at Liam and sent him a silent message that he answered with a slight nod. She continued. "We do."
"What? Liam beats you too?"
Jocelyn heard her husband's mostly contained growl and allowed him to respond. "Kelli, every one of your married siblings has this in their marriage, but everyone's arrangement and agreement is between the couples and we don't know about theirs nor any of them knows about ours. We like it that way. Husbands do not spank in anger, frustration, or ever harm their spouse. We are all in love with our wives. It's used as an expression of that love within a consenting household."
"So you mean to tell me that every single one of my brothers and my brother-in-law, all strike their spouses for one reason or another and they are all consenting to this?"
Jocelyn never quiet for too long, added, "After you have been married a while, it becomes so infrequent, except for fun, that you forget about it, but yes, all of them."
"At least, Cián is left. He would never swat his wife."
"Kelli, whether he will or won't isn't for us to discuss. All the women know about it and all the husbands as well, but it isn't something we talk about. We don't talk about our sex lives except in generalities, and we don't speak about the arrangement between spouses," added Liam.
"We are all happy, healthy, and can say no. I don't know about safe words for everyone, but both Katie and I have one and I suspect, because many people try many things in foreplay, that it's common in many households. However, neither of us has ever used it because our husbands were inattentive. Doesn't that tell you something?" asked Jocelyn.
"But she is pregnant."
"C
iarán is careful, even when she isn't pregnant. He spends as much time settling her as swatting her according to Katie."
"Jocelyn." Liam gave his warning and Jocelyn heard it.
"I'll stop, dear." She reached over and patted Liam's hand.
Liam continued, "Don't embarrass Katie by discussing this anymore. You have upset her enough. Besides, Ciarán is so possessive and protective, you may find yourself over his knee if you upset Katie. He has taken issue when he thinks someone uses the wrong tone with her. His sister would be fair game. That is your explanation, your reassurances, and your warning. Take her home Parker, we are tired, and Kelli should be thinking hard for a few hours, anyway."
Irritated at being dismissed, Kelli stomped out the door and was followed by a very pensive Parker, who reached out to shake Liam's hand saying, "Very informative evening, Liam," as they left.
Chapter Six
The mood coming from the home of Ciarán and Katie O'Connor was light and airy and after a full weekend alone at home, they presented to the world a very rested and happy couple.
The call came in that morning from Quinlan that he had accepted the job of a police officer from a policeman that had retired. Since Elk Ridge was an out of the way place but with a lot of ground to cover, the City Council decided they could not protect the community with the Chief and two patrolmen left so they refilled the exited position and hired Quinlan. He had to do a two-week stint at their Academy because, even though he was a deputy in Wyoming, he needed to gear up for Montana laws. Since he worked the border for five years between the states, it was just a refresher for him.
"When does Cheyenne come and when do we start their house?" asked Katie eagerly. She had grown close to Cheyenne while she was in Sheridan the first time and then very recently. She knew that they would be wonderful to have at the ranch.
Ciarán laughed, "I won't tell Quinlan that you were more excited to have Cheyenne around than him. I don't know when Shane will be able to put things together, but probably the spring so that we can get it done by early summer or, at least, July. That will mean they will be settling in just about the time for our new arrival." He reached over to kiss his wife.
Katie Consents (Ciaran O'Connor Book 3) Page 9
