As soon as my boots touched ranch soil, last night’s kiss was quickly forgotten. The workday was a whirlwind preparing for the wedding. I was in my element and the hours slipped by like minutes. Still flying from the high of hitting the magazine’s Top Ten list, I worked away making my client’s dream a reality. Once the barn was finally decorated for the ceremony, I stepped back to take in my work.

Everything was perfect.

Rows of white chairs were set up on either side, creating an aisle down the center of the barn. A white runner ran from the barn doors to the platform we had built. Okay, not ‘we’ exactly. I had shown Hayes the plans, and he had built it while I handed him tools. And he had looked damn good swinging a hammer with a tool belt around his waist.

A long table stood on the center of the platform. A white table runner with pink rose petals stretched across it. A filmy gauze weaved its way around a line of fifty-four white LED-battery-operated candles of varied sizes and shapes. I would turn them on via remote control just as the guests were arriving. Convenient, gorgeous, and... safe. I wasn’t ready to admit that Hayes had been right about switching the candles.

Front and center, where the bride and groom would stand to exchange their vows, I had discreetly marked the floor with a taped B and a G. Just one of the touches I picked up over the years to help the day run smoothly.

To the right and the left of the marks were pillars with tall vases of white roses that were so pretty you couldn’t tell they were fake. I had even dabbed several teardrop-shaped dots of hot glue on the petals to emulate dewdrops. Normally, I use our local florist for fresh flowers, but a few months before the wedding, our bride had come to me in tears, explaining that her father had some unexpected bills come up and had to cut her budget in half.

I calmed her down. The steaks changed to chicken, the fish to a vegetarian pasta. I bought the fake flowers myself. I could reuse them for Hearts on Fire—our romantic couples getaway that took place over Valentine’s weekend. The LED candles I borrowed from Alice’s stash that she had saved from the annual Christmas Eve bash. As the proud mother of the four Jenkins men, she was one of my favorite woman and I loved when she helped out with the weddings.

Josie had even found a cute female DJ who volunteered her time in exchange for private riding lessons from Colton (he had his hands full these days with admirers). I had managed to pull off the wedding of our bride’s dreams and still stay within half of her original budget.

Taking a deep breath, I crossed my arms over my chest. Why not get the full effect? Pulling two little white plastic remotes from the pocket of my skirt, I clicked on the candles. Then the stereo. Soft music began to play, echoing through the empty barn. It was all so beautiful. The white lights twinkling, the classical music playing in the background. I thought of Memaw, busy in the kitchen bossing her crew around to get the food just right. Later, there would be dinner and dancing in the Mess Hall—also decorated to perfection if I do say so myself—followed by a vanilla buttercream cake with roses made of pink icing.

It was a dream wedding.

It was my dream wedding.

Would I ever tire of making the dreams of other women come true? Surely, one day I would have a wedding of my own, right? Float down a petal-dotted aisle in a white gown, headed toward the man I would spend the rest of my life with.

Who was I kidding—I barely had time to shower, let alone date. I was going to grow old on the ranch, planning other people’s weddings for them while I became an old maid. Feeling a little sad, I slipped the remotes back into my pocket. I gave a heavy sigh, murmuring to myself, “Always the wedding planner, never the bride.” Giving the candles one last glance, I turned to leave the barn.

“Oompf!” I cried, running smack dab into what felt like a wall—a warm, muscular, soap-scented wall. I looked up into the more-blue-than-gray-today eyes of Hayes Jenkins. His gaze locked on mine. A flutter lifted in my stomach as his hands grasped my shoulders, steadying me. His touch made heat course through my body, shamefully melting my core.

“Slow down, Luna.” he said. His eyes caressed my face, lingering a moment too long on my lips. Memories of the kiss washed over me like a warm wave. Hands still on my shoulders, he asked, “You okay?”

A blush rose in my cheeks. I spoke too quickly, suddenly filled with nerves from his nearness as I replied, “I’m okay. Sorry—I didn’t see you there.” A deep heat radiated through my skin where his hands rested on my shoulders. Out of nowhere, the whispered taboo word ‘Daddy’ echoed in my mind.

My cheeks were burning. My pussy was pulsing. My panties were soaked. I forced myself to look up into his eyes. The second our gazes locked, I was at a loss for words. There was no denying it—the dynamic between Hayes and me had irrevocably changed. The innocent crush had grown into a carnal yearning. Fluttering my lashes, I lowered my gaze to the floor. It was all... too much. I had a wedding to pull off. I gulped down my emotions with a difficult swallow and managed to say, “I was just leaving... actually. Did you need something?”

Hayes leaned down, his lips brushing against my ear and sending a delicious tingle over the back of my neck, raising the tiny hairs to attention. His breath was hot against my cheek as he whispered, “Only one thing. You.”

My nipples tightened, straining against the constraints of my bra. My pussy clenched again, a gush of desire dampening my already soaked panties. I pulled away, looking up at him, shocked by his words.

Hayes didn’t often smile but I noticed he seemed to do so more regularly since his permanent return to the ranch. A grin spread over his face. “But I’ll find a way to put my needs aside and focus on the task at hand.” Hands dropping from my shoulders, his eyes left mine. He crossed his arms over his chest, gazing over the barn and my handiwork. “I was just seeing if you needed anything, but clearly, you don’t. Everything looks great. Really pretty. But I don’t need to tell you that—it always looks great.” His eyes were back on me, causing prickly heat to dance across my neck and chest.

“Thanks. I think it’s one of my favorites that we’ve done.” I stood next to Hayes, my eyes going back to my work. A heat radiated between our barely touching arms. I willed myself to ignore the invisible bubble of passion that seemed to envelop us. “And the candles were a good idea,” I shyly admitted.

“Thanks. You only took a smidge of convincing.” He raised a brow at me, making my cheeks flush. I trained my eyes before me, taking in the decorations. I could feel his gaze resting on me as he said, “It looks like you.”

I further warmed from his compliment. I shrugged. “The bride and I have similar tastes, so it was easy to come up with something she would like.”

“Every wedding you’ve done the bride has loved,” Hayes said. “It must get old, always planning the wedding yet not getting to participate.” My eyes widened, my mouth dropping open as I turned to look at him. Smiling, he shook his head, giving a sigh. “Always the wedding planner, never the bride.”

Hayes had overheard my little pity party. How humiliating! His smile and his scent and his nearness and my embarrassment—it was overwhelming. Not to mention that looming elephant in the room, the kiss.

I needed some space.

I began to back away from him. With a wave of my hand, I stammered, “Oh, you heard that? Ha, ha. I was just joking around. I’d... I need to get back to work, now. I just have a few more adjustments and then,” I took another step, “aaaaaah!” My heel caught the leg of one of the chairs and to further add to my humiliation, I began to make my descent toward the ground.

One long stride and an arm reach later, Hayes scooped me up, holding me against his chest. I half stood, half hung suspended in his arms. His arms surrounded me—he radiated heat like the summer sun—and his chest was pressed against me. Looking down at me—had he grown even taller since last night?—his gaze was cloudy with concern. He asked for the second time that day, “You okay?”

“Yes.” I righted myself, wriggling from his hold. I brushed off my skirt, though I hadn’t fallen and there was no dirt there. My eyes stayed on the ground as my cheeks burned, willing him to leave the barn.

Suddenly, a fingertip was under my chin, lifting my gaze to meet his. The place where his finger touched my skin sparkled with warmth. “You need a daddy to take care of you, sweetheart... I swear you’re a danger to yourself, falling all over the place.” He gave a chuckle.

“I can take perfectly good care of myself,” I mumbled. “Hayes... we should talk... about last night. The kiss...”

“Best kiss of my life. I’ve been dreaming of it for over ten years, baby girl. And you don’t always have to be the wedding planner, Luna. I’m happy to change that for you. Just say the word.” With a wink, Hayes left the barn, leaving me standing with my knees shaking and my jaw dropped.

Hayes had me flustered. And if there was one thing I hated being when I was trying to pull of an event, that was flustered. Suddenly filled with nervous energy, I marched myself up the aisle to the front. My head shaking, I started straightening the already perfectly situated candles. As I worked, I murmured to myself, a habit that came up when I was nervous. “When did I become such a klutz? And when did Hayes get so tall? Did he always smell like that—that soapy, piney, manly smell? And what did he mean exactly? Was he offering to make me... a bride? That was incredibly unprofessional. I should tell him. Just because we’ve known each other practically forever—and yes, things are happening between us—does not mean that he can joke around about marriage proposals. Of all things!”

Throwing my hands on my hips, I took a step back to take one last look at the table. I gave a nod of satisfaction. I looked down to be sure there were no tripping hazards for me or my bride.

My eyes froze, glued to the ground. Directly centered between my feet was the letter B.

* * *

The ceremony went smoothly. Our blushing bride was grinning from ear to ear through the whole thing. The groom dabbed at happy tears as he declared his love through the vows he had written for his wife.

Dinner afterwards went as planned. The menu was a little more casual than I would have liked but when you are on a shoestring budget, you make do.

Lady DJ—as she had named herself—had an upbeat personality that the guests loved. Pulling my notebook from my pocket, I scribbled a reminder to call her on Monday to see if she would be open to becoming our exclusive wedding DJ. Her music selections were excellent, and both the bride’s and groom’s families were out on our parquet dance floor kicking up their heels. Which is something we don’t often see at weddings. One side of the family usually dances while the other side looks on bored, or envious.

I hated to break up the party, but we were on a tight schedule as the couple could only afford to staff the hall for three hours. After an hour of dancing, we transitioned to the obligatory tear-jerking songs for the father–daughter and mother–son dances.

It was getting late—almost time to cut the cake and send everyone on their way. I gave the DJ my signal, spinning my finger in the air and mouthing the words ‘wrap it up,’ which meant cue the romantic music for slow dancing. It was one of my tricks—when the guests were having a blast, but the wedding had a hard stop time, we played songs that made everyone want to slow dance in one another’s arms, or nod off to sleep, to get them ready to go home. She gave me a thumbs-up and started up a romantic number.

Folding my arms over my chest, I hugged myself. Watching the couples dance, a pang pricked at my core. One older couple in particular held my attention. The way they looked into one another’s eyes, the way he held her as though she were the blushing bride.

Would I ever have that?

A hand lightly pressed into my shoulder, startling me. It was Hayes. My pulse quickened as I considered his handsome, kind face. His eyes were soft and a smile tugged at the corners of his mouth. “You did it again, Luna. Another wedding that will go down in someone’s family history as one of the best days of their lives.”

“Thank you,” I murmured. As we stood quietly watching the crowd, I mulled over his words. “It’s true, isn’t it? That’s why I love it so much. Helping to create a memory that will hopefully last forever.” Feeling like what I had said was too heavy, I jokingly added, “Unless they get divorced that is.”

His serious gaze fell heavy on me as he said, “I don’t believe in divorce. When I get married, it’s till death do us part, no matter what.”

A shiver ran through me at his words. I stammered, “I didn’t mean that I thought they would... I just meant that—”

“It’s not something to joke about.” One of his brows rose up toward the sky, his voice stern. I suddenly got the feeling I was in trouble with him.

“Okay,” I answered, looking back at the dancing couples. A heaviness settled in my chest as I murmured, “It’s just that not all love stories have happy endings.”

“I’m sorry, Luna, I know it’s hard for you to believe after what you went through but trust me. They’re not all like... him.” He placed a gentle hand on my lower back.

And I knew they weren’t. I had seen how the Jenkins men were with their woman. Fully and utterly devoted. They would never up and leave their wife like my father had my mom. But even seeing good men firsthand couldn’t remove all of the fear from my heart.

After an awkward moment of people watching, Hayes, standing rigid by my side, said, “Sorry to be so blunt. That’s just how I feel about the matter.”

“Noted,” I murmured. “Hayes Jenkins does not believe in divorce. Let the future brides in the crowd know.” I forced a laugh.

He turned to me, his gaze locking on mine. “There’s only one woman in this crowd I would consider as my future bride.”

My breath caught in my throat. I stared into his eyes. Was he serious?

He gave me a smile, holding his hand out toward me. “Care to dance?”

We had danced a few times in the past... Winterfest, prom, family weddings. But everything was different now. I froze. Hayes was my childhood friend. My off and on crush. Yes, his tongue had been inside my mouth last night but sober dancing—that seemed more intimate than sex. Especially after the joke he had made this morning about me being his bride.

I placed my hand in his. When our skin touched, mine tingled. Did his?

Shyness overwhelmed me as Hayes led me onto the dance floor, our fingers intertwined. His arms wrapped around my lower back. Mine went to his neck, winding their way around as they had years before. He was so much taller now, his shoulders broad from hard work.

He smiled down at me. The pace of my heart quickened in my chest. We swayed to the music, him gently leading us as we danced. His gaze locked on mine. His voice was soft as he spoke. “It’s good to be home.”

Home.

I looked up at him, taking him in. His hold tightened, pulling my body to his. My breasts pressed against his muscular chest, my nipples hardening. I wanted to lay my head on his chest, to feel his chin resting on the top of my head. I wanted him to hold me like this for longer, call me Luna, or baby girl, maybe even give my cheek a gentle kiss. But the soft music floating through the night ended. Lady DJ’s voice called out, “Please join us for the cutting of the cake.”

The swaying stopped. Hayes’ arms dropped from my waist. I untangled myself from around his neck. We were no longer touching, but our eyes remained locked on one another’s. I could sense that great, passionate shift that now stood between us—a force larger than our relationship as friends, or boss and employee.

I stood speechlessly staring at Hayes as if he were an altogether different man. I could see in his blue-gray eyes what everyone had been telling me all along. Hayes Jenkins was in love with me. And I had feelings for Hayes. Dormant ones that had been hidden deep within me. Buried by time, distance, another partner. Feelings that now bubbled to the surface. Freed by one kiss and the magic of one dance.

As reality sank in, my breath caught in my chest. Hayes opened his mouth to speak, his soft gaze resting on me. “Luna, I—”

“Louie—cake time!” my sister, Josie, called from across the room. My eyes snapped over to where she stood, her arms frantically waving at me, her white-blonde messy bun bobbing on the top of her head. Apparently, she did not check off the final box on her list. Cupping her hands around the sides of her mouth, she gave a loud whisper, “I can’t find the knife.”

All romantic tension forgotten, wedding planner panic took over. Murmuring an apology to Hayes, I untangled my mind from his spell, spinning on my heels and rushing to my sister.

Breathlessly, I asked, “Josie did you look underneath the tablecloth? I always keep the cake-cutting knife hidden underneath the cake table. You know that.”

My little sister rolled her eyes at me. “No kidding, Louie. This isn’t my first rodeo. I checked—it wasn’t there! You must have forgotten it!”

My eyes darted around the room, frantically searching for the clear plastic box marked, ‘Cake Server.’ The crowd had gathered around the table, making bets on whether the happy couple would smash cake into one another’s faces. The bride and groom linked arms and were heading for their cake. In a matter of seconds, they would be standing at the cake table, the bride’s family heirloom silver-plated cutter missing.

Where had I put it? I never forget to put the cake cutter under the table. Never.

There was a tap on my shoulder. “Looking for this?” I turned to find Hayes, holding the plastic bin in his hands.

“Thanks. Hold it for me?” I sighed with relief. Hayes held the box, watching me curiously as I carefully opened the lid. Removing the white glove from within, I slipped it onto my right hand. I reverently lifted the shiny knife and server from the box. I hurried over to the table, discreetly depositing the items on the tiny X marks of tape and shuffled back into the shadows by Hayes. I quickly took off the glove and placed it back into the box. Hayes replaced the lid, murmuring, “Talk about attention to detail.”

I smiled as my eyes trained on the happy couple. They held their hands together around the handle of the knife just the way I had shown them last week during my three-hour mandatory ‘Bride and Groom Bootcamp.’ I always held it the week before the ceremony to be sure they knew what would be expected of them on their big day. I also always requested Memaw fix them fried chicken for lunch, so they never minded.

“How’d you find the box?” I whispered.

“A magician never reveals his secrets.” There was a twinkle in his eyes as he said, “Also... you left it in the office. I saw it in there just before the wedding, but I assumed you knew it was there. You never seem to forget anything.”

Had I left it in the office? I meant to move it to the hall after I had finished decorating the barn but seeing Hayes for the first time after he kissed me had thrown me into a tizzy. In my flustered state, I had forgotten all about going to the office to get it and take it with me to the Mess Hall.

Hayes was right—I never forgot anything. This would never do. We had narrowly missed an absolute wedding disaster. A bleak spot on my career. What on Earth would have happened had Hayes not come out with the cake knife when he did? My stomach roiled at the thought of Josie running toward the couple, messy bun bobbing, yelling, “Here, use this!” and handing the bride a plastic butter knife. I shuddered. This would never do.

I was first and foremost, a professional wedding planner. And I could not let one fine-ass cowboy distract me into making mistakes.

“Hayes—we need to talk,” I whispered beside me. His arm pressed against mine as we stood next to one another, watching the bride feed a dainty bite of cake to her groom. The heat from his body radiated into me, once again clouding my thoughts.

“What about?” he asked quietly.

Clearing my throat, I took a deep breath, preparing my speech and trying to ignore that delicious clean man smell emanating from him. “I pride myself in my work. And though last night was lovely, you’re my boss now... things between us are...” What word could I use to describe that band of tension that ran between us and had me forgetting cake knives and wearing soaked panties all day? Things are... sexy between us? Smoldering, delicious, panty melting?

But it needed to come to an end. I just wasn’t a baby girl kind of girl. It wasn’t in me. And as much as I was attracted to Hayes, it wasn’t fair to lead him on.

I took a deep breath. “Things between us are... weird. We need to maintain a professional demeanor if we are going to work with one another. What happened last night... can’t happen again. Also, things like close, slow dances are off limits. As well as inappropriate jokes,” I added.

His brow furrowed. “What joke?”

Giving an exasperated sigh, I said, “You know. The joke you made in the barn... the marriage proposal—”

Hayes turned to fully face me, his hand suddenly on my waist. His gaze locked on mine. I held my breath as he said, “It wasn’t a joke.”

A buzzing filled my ears and my heart seemed to stop beating. White heat covered my face. A cheer went up from the crowd as the couple kissed.

The features of his face were etched in stone. The color of his eyes seemed to darken as he stared into mine. “I’m serious, Louanne. I’m in love with you. I have been for some time now—over ten years to be exact. Ever since that night of stargazing in the bed of my truck.” My breath caught in my throat. Wordlessly I stood, staring up at him

His hands went to either side of my face. My cheeks tingled as his fingers wound their way into my hair. “Regardless of what happened between us last night, I’d marry you today if you’d let me.”

Wordlessly I stood, staring up at him. He wrapped his arms around me as his face moved toward mine. My eyes closed. His lips were on mine, pressing against me. Time stood still for a moment and I allowed myself to return his kiss. A slow melting inched over my body as he held me, our lips joined. All thoughts of maintaining a professional, working relationship were forgotten.

He pulled away. His dusky gaze held mine. A smile spread across his face. “You have no idea how badly I’ve wanted you.”

Fear be gone and taboo baby girl/daddy concerns be damned. It was time for Luna the moon goddess to replace good girl Louanne and be the woman who took what she wanted. And, I wanted Hayes.

“Me, too,” I whispered.

Where did we go from here?

* * *

“Get it together or forget it forever, Louanne,” I demanded to my reflection. I had been messing with my hair for the past twenty minutes—which was utterly pointless as it was pin straight. I longed for volume, curls, anything other than... ordinary, which was what I had. At least the light brown had no gray—yet—and the bangs Beezus had cut in to frame my face looked pretty, but still, I longed for the beachy waves Bridgette got from just a few minutes with her magic hair iron. I had already spent ten minutes longer than usual dabbing concealer under my eyes and lengthening my lashes with mascara. It was nearing early summer, so my skin had a touch of color from the ranch sun. I pinched my cheeks, staring unhappily at my reflection.

What was wrong with me today? Scratch that—I knew exactly what was wrong with me today. Hayes had declared his love for me. And we hadn’t yet seen one another since his confession.

After our second kiss last night, he got called away by Travis to lend an extra hand. A cow was birthing and his usual assistant, Georgia, was under the weather. Casting me a glance over his shoulder, Hayes left with Travis.

Josie and I, along with the staff, cleaned up as much as we could. I dried every dish by hand, wanting to stick around and talk to Hayes after the kiss, but Josie was growing impatient and we had ridden to the ranch together.

On the drive home, Josie asked me more than once why my head was in the clouds, and why I had ‘that weird look on my face.’ I tried to make small talk about how pretty the bride was, or how did she think the food went over, but I was gone.

I dropped her off at my mom’s house, then made my way to my cozy cottage. Pulling up to the little white house, I took a deep sigh.

The porch steps were dotted with potted flowers. The handmade wreath I had made last week hung on my bright blue door. The porch light shined, welcoming me home.

I went in, locking the door behind me. After showering, I laid in bed a long time, remembering the kiss and the way Hayes’ body had felt pressed against mine. His words lingered in my mind: I’m in love with you. Lying on my bed had me even more wrangled up. My hair still smelled like him.

Eventually I fell asleep. My morning alarm had woken me up, puffy-eyed and messy-haired. Try as I might, I couldn’t get myself looking good enough to suit me. Because, I knew I would be seeing Hayes.

It was as if the world now spun in a different direction. I had known him almost all my life. My time spent on the ranch with him had grown and changed over time, but now, it was completely different.

Hayes had declared his love for me. And he had kissed me where other people could see. Staking his claim.

But could I be a baby girl?

I had always been a little intimidated by the devotion the Jenkins men gave their women. Yes, it was thrilling to watch. And I was envious of the protective way they doted on their girls. But I was also terrified by their dominant nature. I was an independent woman who liked to do things her own way and did not answer to a man.

But hidden deep inside me was a very strong urge to cuddle up on Hayes’ lap and call him... Daddy.

I was so utterly, impossibly confused. Huffing a sigh, I gave myself one last long look. “Give it up, girl. It’s time to go.” I pulled on my worn cowgirl boots, smoothing my long skirt over top, grabbed a light jacket, and headed out the door.

The drive back to the ranch was surreal. I watched the sunrise over the hood of my little white Jetta, winding up the curving road to the ranch. As I drove, I talked to myself. “Louanne, you need to tell him that even though you may have feelings for one another, you’ve worked too hard for this job and you want to maintain a professional working relationship. Or... just tell him that you think you might love him, you want to make him your daddy and rip his clothes off and jump on top of what has to be a magnificent cock.”

I parked the car and allowed myself one bang of my forehead on my leather-wrapped steering wheel. I took the last sip of my French vanilla creamer with a dash of coffee. Then, I got out to face the day.

The heels of my boots crunched over the gravel as I made my way to the office behind the Mess Hall. Mumbling to myself as I went... remain professional... declare your undying love... keep your job... have his babies. I put my key in the lock and turned it. The door easily opened without the usual jiggle I had to do—either the lock was acting up again, or someone else had already unlocked it.

I opened the door to reveal Hayes, seated at my desk.

His face brought back the memory of the kiss. His declaration of love for me. The spanking, the kiss, the dance, the... the word daddy whispered in my mind. Clearing my throat, I tried to assemble a cool composure. Overly conscious of my body, and how it may look to him, I walked over to the desk.

Hayes stood, stepping out from behind the desk and moving toward me.

“Hayes—” I started, ready to repeat the monologue I had crafted on the drive to the ranch. He took one last step, closing the distance between us. His hands went to either side of my face, cupping my cheeks. His eyes closed, and his mouth was on mine.

All words were erased from my mind. My knees went weak, my head lolling back. My lips parted, letting his tongue slip inside my mouth, exploring. His hands went to my jacket, undoing each button slowly. I shrugged out of the coat; it fell to the floor with a soft whoosh.

My arms wrapped around his neck, my hands running through his soft, short hair. He grasped my waist, squeezing my hips. Leaning up on tiptoe, I pressed into him. My breasts felt heavy, my nipples straining against my bra. He moved from my hips, caressing my back. One hand snaked forward, taking my aching breast into his hand. He cupped and squeezed, gently. My nipples further hardened. A soft moan escaped my mouth as we kissed.

Hayes’ hands returned to my waist. They circled me, lifting me. I giggled as he turned me around, setting me up on the desk like a doll. I sat on the edge of the desk, my legs parting as his thighs pressed between them. His hands went to the back of my neck, tangling in my hair. Tingles ran from my neck down my spine. His mouth found mine once again. He kissed me hungrily. My core melted. My pussy clenched. My panties were wet.

The smell of my arousal from underneath my skirt reached me as his hands went to my bare knees. My breath caught in my throat. Goosebumps rose on my skin as he made his way up my thighs. Then, his hand found my pussy. Over my damp panties, he ran two of his fingers, pressed together. Up and down over my panties, stroking my clit. I shivered, my knees trembling.

His other hand went to my lower back, pressing me further in toward him as his fingers moved quicker. Breaking away from his kiss, I turned my head to the side, letting a moan escape my lips. His mouth went to my neck, licking and biting. His fingers found their way underneath the elastic waist of my panties. Exploring through the tendrils of my curls, his fingers dipped within me, collecting my juices. His slick fingertip found my clit once more, rubbing and stroking.

My hips gyrated, my ass pressing into the wood desktop. I grabbed the back of his head, pulling him in toward me. My mouth was on his. My tongue darted between his lips, the craving and passion in his kiss deepening with each stroke of his expert hand. My pussy tightened and clenched.

His fingers slipped from within me and went to the waistband of my panties.

I froze.

I pressed the palms of my hand into his chest. I pulled my head back away from him. “Hayes. I—”

His eyes focused on mine. “Luna—I’m sorry.” His hands found their way out from under my skirt. Embarrassed, I looked down at my lap, smoothing the material. I waited for him to speak again. “I got a little carried away. I shouldn’t have...” He trailed off.

Kissed me? Sat me on the desk? Fingered me? Tried to take off my panties? What could he say... I had wanted him to do all that he did and more. But things were moving too fast. In one night, Hayes had gone from childhood crush to almost lover. And I was still the good girl. And as much as I wanted to sleep with him, I didn’t want the first time to be a wham, bam, thank you ma’am on my desktop.

My eyes locked on his. I cleared my throat and said, “Hayes. I need to slow down.” A whoosh left my lungs. I read his face for a reaction.

His brows sprang up in surprise, his eyes widening. Before he could begin the long apology I knew was coming, I hopped down from the desk. “I don’t want you to apologize for anything that happened. It was my decision too. I just need some time to sort out my emotions.”

Closing his mouth, he gave a nod. “I respect that.”

“I’m sorry, I just... it’s a lot happening really quickly and—”

“Take all the time you need. You, Louanne Dixon, are worth the wait. Every second of it, baby girl.”

Shivers ran through me at his gentle words. I had no idea what to say.

The ringing of my phone startled me. I used the opportunity to compose myself, picking up the receiver and saying a cheerful, “Louanne Dixon, event planner.” Hayes gave me a long look, a tight grin, then left my office.

The door shut quietly behind him. I let out an enormous exhale of breath and plopped down in my chair. Trying to focus on the client’s concerns, I half listened, my mind in a dream-like state. A smile slowly spread across my face. I had a feeling my multiyear dry dating spell had ended abruptly. My hand swept over my desk where Hayes had sat me down, the memory of his hand in my panties sending chills down my spine.

Luna the moon goddess.

* * *

The staff were gathering in the Mess Hall for lunch. Memaw was already dishing up enchiladas when I arrived. A blush crept into my cheeks when I saw Hayes seated at the table, an empty chair beside him. Quietly, I snuck in next to him, sitting down.

“Hey, baby girl,” he whispered to me, flashing me a stolen smile.

Baby girl. The words made me melt.

“Hey, yourself,” I murmured back. My hand brushed over my tingling lips. I wanted to kiss him again. Underneath the table, his hand rested on my knee. My skin tingled with warmth from his touch.

Memaw stopped in front of me, holding the pan in one hand and a spatula in the other. She gave my face a long, hard stare. A blush crept into my cheeks—I felt like she could read every emotion on my face. After a long, hard look, she gave Hayes a nod, saying, “It’ll stick. And it’s about damn time, too.” Digging her spatula into the dish, she slapped a chicken enchilada down on my plate. “Not a moment too soon. I was beginning to think poor Hayes would die a bachelor. Death by unrequited love.” Cackling, she went off to the next plate.

My face burned. Had everyone in the Mess Hall heard her? There had been whispers about Hayes and me around the ranch as long as I could remember. People were not going to allow us to quietly and privately figure out what was going on between the two of us. They would make it a family affair. Having Memaw—who had absolutely no filter—call us out in the middle of staff lunch was exactly what I didn’t want.

Georgia’s mouth dropped open. Looking from Hayes to me, then from me to Hayes, she said, “Are you kidding me? It’s finally happening? After all these years?”

Bridgette showed up with Lila Bell on her hip. “What, Georgia? What’s happening after all these years?”

Georgia looked to me to confirm Memaw’s words.

I said nothing.

“Mind your business, G. Or I’ll tell Brody you’re starting rumors again. That didn’t go so well for you last time.” Hayes gave her a threatening look.

That shut her up. When Bridgette first arrived in Little Peak, Georgia had gotten herself into trouble starting a rumor that pertained to Bridgette’s dating life. It was water under the bridge now, but they all still liked to tease Georgia about it. Georgia’s pretty mouth closed, a blush rising on her cheeks. Bridgette hid her mouth with her hand, giggling behind it. Lila Bell mimicked her mother, giggling as well. Giving me a wink, Bridgette took off toward the drinks table, calling over her shoulder, “Yeah—that didn’t go over so well with Brody. Did it, G?”

Brody sat down beside Georgia. “Did I hear my name?” he asked, smiling and showing his perfectly straight bright white teeth. Hayes and asked, “Is it true? What Memaw said in the kitchen?” He nodded toward me. “’Bout you and Louanne?”

“Why don’t you let me and Louanne figure that out and we will get back to you all.” Hayes’ tone said there was to be no more discussion on the matter.

“Suit yourself,” Brody said, scooping up a bite of his enchilada. “But when that announcement comes out, it’ll be a pretty big day on the ranch. Might even have to throw a party to celebrate.”

“You forgot to bless the food,” Hayes said, obviously ready to get the attention off whatever was going on between the two of us.

Brody gave him a wink. “You’re right, little brother. And we have a lot to be thankful for today.”

The rest of the meal went more peacefully. There were a lot of sidelong glances and open stares at Hayes and me. I did my best to eat, but between the additional attention and Hayes’ hand on my knee, I couldn’t.

* * *

Every day after lunch I went to the ladies’ room to wash my hands and freshen my lipstick—Bridgette always teases me, calling me ‘prissy.’ So today, of course when I stepped into the communal bathroom, Bridgette and Georgia were already in there, waiting to corner me for information. I had to laugh, as Georgia begged, “Tell us, Louanne—pretty please?” Bridgette chimed in with, “It’s only a matter of time before the cat is out of the bag. Josie already told us you two were slow dancing at the wedding.”

Georgia’s cheeks blushed prettily as she said, “I heard there was a kiss.”

Should I play it cool? Act demure? Deny? Excitement filled me as I gushed, “There was a kiss. And he told me he loved me.” I would keep everything else a secret... for now.

Their eyes widened as they gave a collective gasp. I laughed, enjoying the shock on their faces. “Details, Louanne,” Bridgette demanded. “We need details! Are you guys, like official now?” The two women crowded in closer, waiting for me to spill the beans. Honestly, after the emotional whirlwind of the last few days, it felt good to have some girl talk.

How much to reveal? “I don’t know... it’s been weird ever since Hayes came back on the ranch. I mean, we’ve always been friends and there were feelings there on both sides at times—”

Georgia jumped in excitedly, “Girl, that boy has been in love with you for years. I’ve had to listen to his brothers tease him about it every time we go to Bud’s—”

Bridgette elbowed her. “Shush, Georgia. Let her tell the story.”

I continued. “Anyway, he’s my boss now, which makes it weirder. Last night I was prepping for the wedding and I said, ‘always the wedding planner and never the bride.’ He overheard me and told me that he could change that at any time if I wanted.”

“He threatened to fire you?” Georgia gasped.

Bridgette rolled her eyes. “No—he offered to take care of it for her. As in make her a bride.”

“Oh. Gotcha,” Georgia said.

“So then, he asked me to dance. And we’ve danced before but this time it just felt... different. You know?” I asked.

Both women nodded their heads, their eyes shining with memories of their own early love. “Then, I told him he couldn’t joke like that—the marriage proposal joke—and he told me he wasn’t joking and that he loved me, and that he would marry me today if he could.”

A chorus of ‘aawww!’s came from Georgia and Bridgette.

“And we kissed. And it was amazing. But then we both got busy and I didn’t see him again till the morning.”

Georgia chimed in, “Sorry about that—I wasn’t feeling well last night and couldn’t help out with Bessie. I hate to miss a birth—”

Bridgette blurted out, “What happened this morning? You two were sitting awfully close at lunch.”

“I came in this morning prepared to tell him that we needed to keep things professional,” I left out the part about his hands underneath my skirt, “but then he kissed me. And that’s as far as we’ve gotten.” I let out a deep breath.

“What are you going to do?” Bridgette asked.

“Honestly, I don’t know.”

Georgia looked from me to Bridgette, then back to me. Bridgette got a worried look on her face, as if she had read Georgia’s thoughts. Georgia said, “Uh... Louanne, you’ve been on the ranch a long time—”

“Longer than the two of you put together,” I said. I had a feeling I knew where this was going. If Georgia thought I wasn’t in on the Jenkins men’s way of life by now, she was more naïve that I already thought.

Bridgette interjected, “Right. So, you know?”

I held back an eye roll. “If I didn’t know before you two showed up... which I did, and so did the rest of the town... then it would have been pretty obvious every time Georgia came out of Brody’s office with a sniffling nose, rubbing her ass.”

Georgia blushed. Bridgette giggled.

Turning to Bridgette, I said, “Or you, girlfriend, every time you say one of your dirty jokes and Travis gives you ‘the look’ and says, ‘just wait till we get home.’” It was Bridgette’s turn to blush.

Still, even though everyone knew that the Jenkins men were spanking men, it was different when you might be one of the women they would be spanking on the regular. Sure, Hayes had spanked my ass for being mouthy. But officially dating a Jenkins man entailed a lot more than that. Softening toward my nosy friends, I said, “But, I do appreciate your concern, and honestly, it wouldn’t hurt to have someone to talk to. You know... just in case Hayes and I were to... enter a relationship.”

“We need to sit down and hash this out. Prepare you for life with a Jenkins man. Dive into your feelings and see where this thing is headed.” Bridgette grabbed my arm. “Girls’ afternoon out! Stat! I’ll see if Alice would mind watching Lila Bell. This mommy needs a little girl time.”

“Yes. Great idea, Bridge. Let’s go to Bud’s,” Georgia said with a mischievous gleam in her eyes.

“Bud’s? In the middle of a work day? I can’t go out drinking!” I protested.

Bridgette gave me a hard stare. “You work too much, Louanne. Besides, it’s a Saturday. All of the guests from last night’s wedding will be checked out by three p.m. and we don’t have anything on the schedule for tomorrow.”

“Except church,” Georgia said dreamily. She wasn’t particularly religious, but Brody was in the choir and the man could sing. Since Brody had taken to doing solos a few years back, the female population of Little Peak had suddenly become quite devout, never missing a service.

“So, you have no obligations, you probably worked fifty or sixty hours this week, and with a possible spanking relationship on the frontline, you are in desperate need of girl time. Am I right?” Bridgette put a hand on her cocked hip.

I had to laugh. With her blonde curls, full ass, and sassy attitude, I could see why Travis enjoyed taking her over his knee. “Okay—you’ve twisted my arm. I’ll go.”

Georgia clapped her hands. “Girls’ afternoon out! Let’s go. I just need to tell Brody.”

“Don’t you mean, ask Brody,” Bridgette teased.

“What about you?” I asked Bridgette. “Don’t you have to ask Travis?”

“Bridgette has a lot more... freedom in her relationship than I do. Travis is more laid back than Brody is. But Travis is controlling in... other ways.” Georgia covered her mouth, giggling.

Bridgette elbowed her in the ribs. “Save it for Bud’s, G.”

This was going to be an interesting afternoon.

Bridgette got Lila Bell settled with Alice. Georgia got permission from Brody to go. Bridgette put on her lipstick and black leather jacket. I went to find Hayes and tell him I was taking off.

His brow furrowed when I told him I was leaving the ranch for the afternoon. “Can we talk later?” he asked.

“Of course,” I answered in a very professional—pretending his hand was not down my panties this morning—kind of way. I had to keep control of the situation. I was still in charge of my life, even though I had absolutely no power over my soaking, clenching pussy. Faking a cool demeanor—though my crotch was on fire, with butterflies tickling my stomach—I breezily said, “Feel free to call me later.”

I drove Bridgette, Georgia, and myself to Bud’s in the Jetta. The bar had only been open for the past couple of years and though I lived close, I had yet to go. I wasn’t much of a bar person—if I had time and money on my hands I went to a salon—but it was fun to be out with the girls.

The place was empty—it was only four o’clock. We took a high-top table near the old jukebox. Bridgette said, “Pick your poison. I’m buying.”

“I’ll have a Pinot Grigio if they have any chilled. Otherwise I’ll take a Cab. Thanks, Bridgette,” I answered.

Georgia snorted. “It’s Bud’s, Louanne. He’s got beer—draft or bottle.”

“I’m afraid I’m not much of a beer drinker,” I answered, trying my best not to sound prissy.

Georgia turned to Bridgette. “Get her one of those hard ciders if he has them. I’ll take a bottle of Bud.”

“Check. One Miller Lite draft, one bottle of Bud. And one cider.” Bridgette turned on her heel and went to the bar. The bartender smiled when he saw her. We watched as she ordered our drinks. A few minutes later, she was back, holding all three at once.

“Impressive,” I said, accepting a bottle from her. The label said ‘Hard Apple Cider.’ I took a sip. It was delicious. Like carbonated apple juice. “I like it.”

Bridgette smiled. “Good. Now finish that one because you are going to need a second one for the conversation we are about to have.” She had already downed half of her pint.

I took another dainty sip. Georgia eyed me. What the heck? Why not? When in Rome. Holding the bottle back, I tipped my head, chugging a good quarter of the sweet liquid. I put the bottle down, wiping my mouth with the back of my hand. A huge belch escaped my lips.

A cheer rose up from the table. “Louanne—I didn’t know you had it in you,” Bridgette said, raising her glass to mine for a ‘cheers.’

I giggled. “I don’t, usually. I should warn you girls—I’m kind of a lightweight.”

“Me, too. Which is why I’m only allowed to have two drinks,” Georgia said.

I giggled. “Allowed? That sounds so strange. I mean—most women do what they want and don’t have to check in with their partners. Or have their drinks numbered by them.” I took another sip of my drink.

“Well, as you well know from working on the ranch for so long, in the Jenkins family, one does not ‘do what they want.’ The men are in charge in the relationship,” Georgia said.

“Or your ass is grass,” Bridgette interjected.

“I’m so used to doing things my own way. I’ve been single forever. I live alone. And until Hayes came back, Brody pretty much left me alone to do my job,” I said.

“Right—but the key word you said was ‘single.’ If you are with Hayes, you are no longer single, which means you will have to answer to him,” Bridgette said.

As much as I loved and respected Hayes—and as wet as my pussy had gotten when he spanked me—I didn’t think I could handle that type of relationship. I was an independent woman and did not want a man in charge of me, telling me what I could and could not do. Besides, I was a reasonable person. I made good choices. I didn’t need a man spanking my ass—although that spanking in the kitchen really had improved my mood at work. Wrinkling my nose, I said, “Answering to someone else? That sounds terrible.”

Georgia and Bridgette exchanged glances. Georgia placed her hand reassuringly over mine. “It’s not. It’s wonderful. Maybe we aren’t describing it correctly. A spanking man isn’t just spanking your ass when he feels like it—”

“But he does do that,” Bridgette interjected with a wicked grin.

Georgia laughed, then continued. “He’s so much more. He’s doting and caring and cherishes you like you were the only woman on the planet. And his spanking is usually out of concern for your safety and well-being.”

“And there is such a thing as a sexy spanking, you know,” Bridgette added.

“Really? I always thought it was just a punishment thing,” I lied, blushing and thinking about the one sexy spank Hayes had given me.

Georgia put her hand on mine, saying, “Oh, there are punishment spankings, too. Believe you me. I could not sit down all day last Sunday because Brody found out that I had accidently spent the cash he gave me for the church collection on beer with Bridgette the night before.”

“But it was an accident,” I said.

“Carelessness,” they answered in unison. After sharing a laugh, Bridgette leaned in. “But back to the sexy spanks. They are the best. They get your ass all warm and tingly and make you practically ache to have him inside of you.”

Georgia slapped her on the arm. “Bridgette!”

Bridgette shrugged, the shoulders of her leather jacket rising and falling. “What? It’s true. My pussy is dripping after a spanking from Travis.” She chugged the rest of her beer.

My face was burning. My ears felt like they were on fire. I had never, ever said the word ‘pussy’ out loud. Ever. Though I had experienced firsthand (excuse the pun) what she was talking about, it made me uncomfortable. I finished my drink.

Georgia hopped up from her seat. “I’ll get the next round. Louanne looks like she needs another drink.”

“Don’t use your church cash,” I interjected.

Georgia rubbed her bottom, laughing. “No kidding.” She was over to the bar in a few strides of her long legs, her dark hair swishing behind her.

I was envious of how brazen Bridgette was about her relationship. She felt no need to apologize for who she was and what she liked. I was also made uncomfortable by her demeanor, and first instinct was to clam up. But I had questions. Lots of them. Plowing my way through my shyness, I asked Bridgette, “What did Georgia mean, back at the ranch, when she said that Travis is less strict but makes up for it in other ways?”

“Oh, that? Travis is my daddy,” she said.

I was so glad my drink was empty. Had I been sipping it, I would have spit it out in shock. My brows rose. “Your... d-daddy?” No way! There was more than one daddy in the Jenkins brood? I knew all the men spanked but I had no idea there were other daddy/baby girls on the ranch.

“Yep. My daddy. My father is Dale Jones. And he’s a damn good one. Love that guy. My daddy is Travis. Daddy as in daddy dom. I call him Daddy and he calls me baby girl. And spanks me and spoils me and takes care of me. And he likes to be in control—in and out of the bedroom,” she said with a wink.

It was so taboo, so wrong, so... sexy. And I wanted to experience it with Hayes. My pussy clenched in my panties, my clit pulsed. I was sure I would be changing my panties when I got home. “If you don’t mind me asking, does Travis spank you when you are... bad?” I asked. I couldn’t think of another word for it but it seemed strange to call a grown woman ‘bad.’ I thought about Hayes taking me over the island for my sassy mouth.

“He spanks me when I’m bad, he spanks me when I’m good—hell, he spanks me when I walk into a room. My daddy is an ass man and as you can see, I’ve got enough to keep him busy for a while.” She patted her round hip to make her point. I laughed. Bridgette had a full, gorgeous ass that I was envious of. I was average height, average weight, average hair... average ass. But when Hayes looked at me, I felt like the most beautiful girl in the room. And the way he looked at me—didn’t make me feel average at all.

Continuing with my line of questioning, I asked, “So, if Brody is a bossy, strict spanking husband and Travis is sexy, spanking daddy dom husband, what does that make Hayes?”

She wiggled her brows. “Oh, Hayes is definitely a daddy.”

I widened my eyes, raising my brows in mock surprise. “Really?”

“Yep. And if I had to guess, I would say Hayes is going to be the strictest of them all. He has a very serious manner about him. Don’t you think?” she asked.

Strictest of them all? What would that entail? I wasn’t even sure I was ready for a full-time spanking daddy, much less a strict one.

Georgia returned with the drinks, also managing to carry all three at once. How often did they come here? Georgia handed me mine. Holding up her bottle, she said, “Cheers, to the first meeting of the Spanked Wives Club!”

Bridgette said, “Hear, hear! Cheers!”

I held my glass in midair, unsure what to say. “I... uh... I’ve never been spanked (only a little white lie, right?) and I’m definitely not a wife.”

“Yet,” Bridgette said.

Huffing, I asked, “What makes you so sure—”

Georgia said, “I heard Memaw say, ‘it’ll stick,’ when she was talking to Hayes at lunch.”

“Yes, but what does that have to do with anything?” I asked.

Bridgette leaned in. “Once Memaw says, ‘it’ll stick,’ you’ll be married within the year.”

“Really? Who has that been true for?” I asked.

They both raised their hands in the air.

I took a long sip of my drink.

“And if I decide I don’t want to be a spanked wife?” I squeaked.

“Have you seen the way Hayes fills out a pair of Wranglers? And those smoky eyes? Have you had his homemade vanilla ice cream? You’ll come around. I’m sure of it,” Bridgette declared.

Georgia giggled. “Besides. I love getting spanked. It’s so... hot.”

The question that had been plaguing me finally came to the surface. “Does it always hurt?”

“Yes... if you are in serious trouble. It does. But you won’t get into too much trouble. You’re a good girl,” Bridgette said.

“I don’t see you stirring up too much mischief. Although—” Georgia wrinkled her brow, considering me for a moment. She had known me longer than Bridgette. After contemplating, she answered, “You are kind of uptight. And a little bossy. I don’t think that will bode well for you in a relationship with Hayes.”

Bridgette took a gulp of her drink. “You can get kind of worked up, Louanne.”

“I do not,” I protested.

Georgia wrinkled her nose. “You are a little... prissy. You like everything a very particular way—”

“And sometimes you get mad at us if we mess it up,” Bridgette added matter-of-factly.

“I do not,” I repeated. “And I am not prissy.” I looked down at the bottle I held. My pinky was sticking out as I prepared to sip my drink. Bridgette eyed me. I clamped my pinky firmly to the glass.

Georgia put her hand over mine, saying softly, “We like you just the way you are. I’m just saying that it might cause you some friction with Hayes.”

“Why would it cause friction with Hayes? It’s just me, doing my job and telling everyone what needs to be done and when,” I huffed.

Georgia shrugged. “If you enter a relationship with Hayes, he will have the final say on matters. And you always seem to like to have the final say. I’m just saying, I could see that causing some friction between the two of you.”

“And Jenkins men resolve friction with one thing,” Bridgette said.

“Spanking,” I murmured.

“Bingo,” Bridgette said.

I could be a tad uptight. And yes, I was known to freak out on our employees from time to time for their silly screw-ups. But overall, I was easy to get along with. Wasn’t I? There was only one person I trusted to give me an honest answer. My sister, Josie.