by Starla Kaye
He looked steadily at them. “After all, Dalton, you’re the Sheriff and main go-to guy around these parts. And, Cassie…well, you’re the heart of this town. The most popular mayor Grangeville has ever had. I know everyone here is pleased that you decided to run for mayor again.”
Focusing on Cassie, he grimaced. “Wish I hadn’t put my hat in the ring already. But I’d thought…according to Dalton…” He shook his head, looking in annoyance at Dalton. “I could drop out of the election, of course.”
Cassie didn’t have to see Dalton’s face to know there would be a smile plastered on it for the benefit of those looking at them. Inside, he would be seething. His displeasure with her was enormous.
To try and calm him, she stated firmly for his benefit, “This will be my final term…if I’m re-elected, that is.”
She tried to ignore the way he stiffened and she concentrated on Jim. “No, you shouldn’t drop out of the race. Giving people a choice is always good.” She smiled as best she could. “Besides, the voters could easily decide to elect you, decide it’s time for new blood in the position.”
“Difficult situation, friends running against each other,” Rachel admitted warily. “As much as I love and adore my husband, I think you’ve done a wonderful job as mayor these last two years. I’ll probably have to vote for you.”
Jim chuckled and winked at his wife. “I’m wounded, sweetheart.” Then he grinned at Cassie. “So much for loyalty, but I can live with it. Heck, I’ll be voting for you myself.”
Dalton grunted but fortunately didn’t voice his opinion. They all knew his biased view on the matter: that he wasn’t wild about her running again. It made for an awkward moment until the local country western band began tuning their guitars. She wanted to run over and hug each of them.
Rachel’s eyes lit up. “Are you two sticking around for the boot-scooting?”
“Yes,” Cassie answered quickly, hoping to delay the inevitable event that would take place at her home.
“Afraid not,” Dalton countered. He shared a look with his friend. “My woman has been working long hours lately. What with the mayor business and finishing up some pieces for her showing in Dallas next month. I need to get her home.”
Cassie’s stomach knotted even as their friends nodded in understanding. Yes, she had a showing of her newest leather paintings, but she really wasn’t as worn out as he’d made her sound. But she knew it wouldn’t be wise to oppose him right now. She was in enough trouble. Again she heard his words in her head: We’ll talk about this when we get home.
Dalton stood and waited for her to get up as well. She doubted anyone else sensed his strain, but she did. She balked. “I’m really not that tired.”
“You were yawning before we even got here,” he countered, lying. He glanced at the others. “She can be like those kids who are beyond tired, who put off accepting that it’s time to just give in and go to bed.”
Rachel laughed and said, “We’ve got a pair of boys at home just like that.”
Resigned, Cassie gave in and pushed back her chair.
They made their good-byes as they wove their way around the tables and well-wishers. Dalton’s hand was planted squarely on her back all the while. In spite of his underlying anger with her, she felt the familiar tingles of awareness at his touch. She loved this sometimes impossible man.
As they stepped outside and headed to his big black, double-cab pickup truck, his hand inched lower and lower. By the time they reached it, his hand rested on her denim skirt covered bottom. She fought down the urge to wiggle away, but she did draw in a ragged breath. She could feel the ghost sensations of an upcoming spanking.
Dalton opened the door for her and she quickly climbed inside. “Getting anxious, darlin’?”
She tossed him a look that more or less said “duh,” then concentrated on fastening her seatbelt.
Seconds later he slid into the driver’s seat. She stared straight ahead, at nothing. Anything but glance over at him. “It really was a good turn out tonight.” When she was nervous, she made idle conversation. “I’m glad we decided to go, even if only for part of the evening.”
He turned the engine on and then put his right hand on her thigh, making her jerk and glance down. She immediately thought about how that same hand would soon be landing repeatedly on her bottom. She wished he would pull it away, just focus on driving. Again, she remembered how good the evening had started. This was bad.
His fingers lightly squeezed her leg. “You know that I don’t want to spank you. But you decided to go against a promise you made me. You didn’t even discuss it with me first.”
Tingles shot all the way through her body from his hand. She didn’t want to be spanked like a disobedient child. She didn’t want to be turned over his knee, have her bottom bared, and have him light a fire that she would feel long into the evening.
She would rather… Well, that wasn’t going to happen!
“I was really disappointed in you.” He finally removed his hand and backed out of the parking place.
She breathed easier, felt more confident. “I’m really good at being mayor,” she stated quietly, then wondered why she had said that. It might be true, but this wasn’t the time to talk about it.
As he turned onto the street, Dalton glanced at her. Lines of strain creased his forehead. “Yes, I know. And I’ve always supported you, haven’t I?”
She shifted on the seat. “Yes.” He had. She could never deny that.
“I’ve been very patient with you…as you’ve been patient with me and my dual responsibilities of ranching and being temporary Sheriff.”
His hands tightened on the steering wheel. “But we’ve been talking about this subject for the last six months. How it’s time we made some changes in our lives.”
They had, which was why he was so disappointed in her now. “Yes.”
He wanted a lasting commitment from her –marriage and kids. But it was still scary to her. She couldn’t help it.
Her stomach tightened, tears once more threatened. “Is this…is this an ‘or else’ thing?” she asked in a near whisper.
It took him a minute to answer. His jaw tightened first. “You know I love you, Cassie.”
He didn’t say it, but she was certain he wanted to add “but…” Her heart wrenched.
“I love you, too, Dalton. Really.”
Again he grew quiet. Again she felt sick at the problems between them, ones that she’d caused.
Dalton finally sighed and changed the subject. “Too bad this won’t be one of our fun spankings.”
At the mention of fun spankings, heat swirled low in her body. When he spanked her in foreplay, it was an amazing experience. Being so vulnerable over his lap, offering herself to him. The feel of his big, calloused hand touching her sensitive skin was indescribable. He would slowly light a fire, and as soon as it sizzled, he took her with all the passion inside him. Sometimes he put her on her back and drove into her more than willing body like a crazed man. Sometimes he put her on her hands and knees and took her from behind.
She shivered at the treasured memories. Once more thinking about what had happened in the kitchen earlier.
But this wouldn’t be that kind of experience. There would be no teasing pats, no playful stroking between her legs. He would build a fire that would end with her having a very sore backside. He would ruin the evening for her, for them both.
Again, her spirit returned. She was more than a little irritated at what was coming.
“I bet Jim doesn’t spank Rachel. I’m probably the only adult woman in Grangeville that gets her ass spanked.”
She glowered at him, caught up in her pouty moment. “What would people think if they knew their sheriff disciplined his lover? Knew that their mayor got her butt burned?”
To her surprise, he pulled to the side of the road. When he looked in her direction, she could see his carefully controlled temper. “Do you really want to push my buttons now? Get all pissy?”
>
She worried her lower lip and wished she could take her outburst back. He was a good man, one of the best, even if he was a strong dominant who believed in discipline. Other than suffering some immediate pain, she really didn’t mind.
“Two swats. Now.”
The look in his eye warned her he was serious. He’d spanked her once before in his truck when they’d been going to the ranch and she’d said something she shouldn’t have. Oddly, it had also aroused her, that spontaneous spanking where someone else might happen by and see them. It was that stolen piece of forbidden candy kind of thing, that secret naughtiness. Of course, it had also hurt because he’d been upset at the time.
Her heart raced and she looked around, finding they were near the end of Main Street, not far from her home. The spattering of houses here were set back far from the road and all of them were darkened. She’d seen these particular owners at the community meeting. They were basically alone.
Still, she asked warily, “We’re almost home. Couldn’t you—”
“Show me your butt. Now.” He reached over to unlock his seatbelt and then hers. “Unless you want me to get out, come around to your side, and give you a lot more than two swats.”
Cassie knew when to cut her losses. Face heating, she shifted until she was looking the door and then leaned awkwardly over so that her bottom was facing him. At least she had on a denim skirt.
The skirt didn’t matter at all. He simply flipped it up. Then he reached by her and opened the glove box to pull out a hard-backed hairbrush.
She promptly sucked in a breath of anticipation. She’d meant to throw that awful thing away.
Two biting smacks later she definitely regretted riling him even more. Those swats probably could have been heard clear back at the community center.
He put the brush away, still quiet and tense.
She pulled her skirt back down and settled gingerly onto the seat.
He reached over to help her re-fasten her seatbelt. For just a second, he squeezed her hand and she felt his love. Before he turned away again, he said, “You’re wrong about Jim and Rachel, although you certainly don’t need to tell her I told you so. He does spank her on occasion.”
Okay, TMI. Cassie really didn’t want to know that. It was somehow better when she thought she was the only woman in town to get punished like that. She nodded in acknowledgment and he once more focused on driving them home.
The short distance remaining passed all too quickly. They pulled into the garage too soon. She climbed out of the truck and made her way in front of him into the house, wishing she could go on up to the bedroom and lock him out. But she would never do either: not rush away and avoid a punishment and not lock him out of her room.
Dalton flicked on the lights as they moved through the kitchen and into the great room.
“Are you sure this is necessary?” she asked, watching him sit in the middle of the over-stuffed red plaid sofa.
“Did you promise me one thing and then go against it?”
“Yes… But…”
He raised one thick eyebrow; a vein pulsed in his neck. “Enough said, Cassie Anne.”
With a huff she slid into position over his knee, rather than have him tug her over it. He’d sat back far enough that she could stretch out her arms and legs on the cushions. This always meant she was going to get more than a few brisk swats. He liked her semi-comfortable when he intended to give a memorable spanking.
Drat, and double drat!
He didn’t speak again as he pushed her skirt over her back and tugged down her panties to mid thigh. She tensed as he smoothed his hand over her cool skin. She shivered and her body became foolishly aware of her nearness to the man she loved, even in this vulnerable position. It always annoyed her to struggle with desire in these first seconds before he got down to serious business.
“Can you just get on with it?” she asked, hearing the frustration in her voice.
“Maybe you need some time in the corner first. Time to think about why I’m about to burn your butt.” He caressed her bottom again.
Her butt cheeks quivered in response, which annoyed her. She hated corner time and he knew it. “I totally understand why you’re going to roast my bottom. Just do it!”
The smack! He sent down had her gasping and kicking her legs up. “Is that what you wanted?”
Cassie craned her head around, blowing her long hair out of her face. “Of course not! I don’t want to be spanked at all. But I’m going to be and I know it. I’m accepting it…so, please, get on with it.”
“As you wish.” He held her firmly in place with a hand to her back, tucked her close to his body. “You’re going to really think before you go against giving your word to me next time.” He began peppering her bottom, making her squirm and hiss almost immediately.
“I’m sorry,” she gasped after about the hundredth blazing smack, at least that’s what it felt like. “I’m sorry!”
He went right on expressing his irritation with her. “This little bottom is going to be so red, so hot.”
She wriggled back and forth, side to side. “Please, Dalton,” she begged, struggling to keep from shoving off his lap.
The swats became lighter, although her bottom already hurt so much it didn’t make much difference. She was sobbing, kicking her legs, and pounding her feet against the sofa. ‘I’ll…I’ll tell everyone…I’ve changed my mind.”
“You will not!” He planted a sharp half dozen smacks to the sit-down spot on her buttocks. “You will run in the election against Jim.”
He settled his hand on her throbbing bottom. “And if you win, you will fulfill your new term. A person should stand behind their word, their promise.”
“But I gave my word to you and…” She groaned in misery fully understanding how badly she’d hurt him. Far more than he’d hurt her with this spanking.
He stood her up in front of him. The denim rubbing over her sore bottom had her pulling the skirt off and then fighting not to reach back and cover her ass with her hands. “I’m so sorry, Dalton.”
His eyes mirrored sadness at the situation. He blew out a breath. “Go on up to bed. I need to check messages and do some thinking.”
She winced and picked up her skirt. As she dashed at her tears and started out of the room, she stopped to look back at him. His shoulders were slumped and she felt worse. She’d really let him down. It took all of her courage to ask warily, “You don’t want me to go to the ranch with you tomorrow, do you?”
He was quiet a second and finally shook his head. “I’ll be spending most of the weekend mending fences with my brothers and then moving the herd.”
He held her gaze. “I think we need a couple of days apart.”
She couldn’t answer him, couldn’t tell him that wasn’t what she wanted. But it made her heart pinch in pain to nod and hurry out of the room. If he needed space from her, she’d have to accept that.
Chapter Two
Lemon yellow paint spotted Cassie’s braided hair, her face, her arms and the old over-sized shirt, even a big part of her cut-off jean shorts. She was an extremely neat painter in her workshop, but when she painted rooms, not so much. She’d woken up before dawn feeling out of sorts. Generally speaking, everything in her life at the moment made her unhappy. Dalton had warmed her bottom and sent her on up to bed. Then instead of coming to bed with her after checking his messages and “thinking,” he’d stopped by to tell her good-bye and that he was heading back to his ranch.
She grumbled something definitely unladylike and took another swipe with a dripping paint roller on the last unpainted wall in her bedroom. Drops plopped onto the plastic covering the carpet just missing her bare feet. She didn’t care. She was annoyed with the man in her life. He hadn’t even kissed her before he’d left—or hugged her.
Well, fine! I don’t need a bunch of touchy-feely stuff from a big, grumpy cowboy anyway!
She turned back to the small table holding the roller tray of paint at the same
time the doorbell rang. A wave of disappointment washed over her. Not Dalton. He wouldn’t ring the doorbell. He would simply use his key and come in, then call out to her as he’d done a hundred times before.
The bell rang again. Ignoring whoever was at the front door seemed like a good idea.
But the bell sounded once more, echoing through the house. Even in a sour mood she couldn’t be rude. She hadn’t been raised that way.
Resigned to having a visitor, she yelled, “I’m coming!”
She stopped at the uncovered window nearby and looked out at the front yard. Rachel’s midnight blue mini-van sat in her driveway behind Cassie’s car that she’d failed to put in the detached garage yesterday. Her friend wouldn’t give up easily.
A minute later when she resignedly pulled the front door open, Rachel was about to push the doorbell again. She gaped at the sight of Cassie, amusement dancing in her blue eyes. She tugged the glass screen door open. “Are you actually getting any paint on the walls?”
Rolling her eyes, Cassie stepped back and chose not to answer the question. “What brings you here so bright and early on a Saturday morning? Isn’t this supposed to be family time?”
“Today it’s father-sons bonding time. Jim and the boys are headed out to the lake for a delightful day of fishing. Something I’m lucky enough to miss out on.”
She held out a bakery box. “I drove by earlier and noticed Dalton’s truck was gone and that your car was in the driveway. So I picked up our favorite donuts. I thought I’d see if you had the time to share them and some coffee with me.”
Cassie’s stomach rumbled and she took the box, turning to head for the kitchen. “I’ll warn you now that I’m in a pissy mood.” She drew in the scent of chocolate, a smile beginning in spite of her depression. “This ought to cheer me up. Chocolate has a way of curing all…at least for me.” And she needed that this morning.
“Pissy mood?” Rachel moved by her, headed straight for the cupboard above the coffee pot and pulled out two ceramic mugs. “Did you and Dalton have words or something after you left the party? He seemed upset.” She hesitated. “Is that why you’re here and not out at the ranch today?”
