Jessica pushed the stroller up and down the aisles of the home decor store, running her hand over every gray stone and tile sample. Having always dreamed of owning a large, classic Texas craftsman’s style ranch home, Jessica was eager to choose the flooring.

All the television show fads were into making houses look old. That was not what Jessica wanted. A house that could stand the test of time, made of strong, earthen materials. Stone, brick, tile, marble. Those were the elements she desired for her dream home. And they did not come with a small price tag.

“Did you check the sale section, first?” Ray asked, coming up behind Jessica from another part of the store.

“Ray, it costs what it costs,” Jessica murmured, running her hand over the perfect marble. Warm rich tones with streaks of mica, she was in love. “Can you do marble for an indoor floor?” she wondered to herself.

“Maybe if you are on The Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous,” Ray said, looking at the price tag. “Jessica, the cost of this is insane.”

Since finding out that she was now the wealthy wife of a real estate mogul, Jessica had taken to spending, quite a bit. From her new black leather ankle boots with the little zip up the back, to her designer skinny jeans, Jessica was loving her outfit. Topping it off with a cream-colored cashmere sweater, Jessica had never felt better dressed. Noticing a tiny dot of Evan’s morning syrup on the fibers of the sweater, Jessica reached into the oversized black leather Coach bag that hung over her shoulder, pulling out a pack of baby wipes. Dabbing carefully at the sticky spot, Jessica barely noticed Ray looking her over.

“Miss Jessica, is your hair different?”

Flipping her freshly highlighted locks over her shoulder, Jessica shrugged casually. “I just had a hint of sun-kiss added. Do you like it?” The truth was Jessica had left Evan with Carrie, driving to Clinton for a full spa day. The day began with a salt scrub pedicure, then moving on to a full body seaweed wrap and massage. After the spa, Jessica had hit the hottest salon on her side of Texas, paying an extortionate amount, close to what she had charged at the salon in Manhattan, and had her hair trimmed, highlighted and deep conditioned. The total cost of the day was still well under what was even in half of one of Ray’s rubber banded bundles of cash.

Ray’s brow creased, eyeing his new bride suspiciously.

“What do you think of this tile, Ray, it’s half the price of the marble?” Jessica asked, aiming to change the direction of the conversation.

“Where did you have your hair done, Jessica?” Ray asked, not taking the bait about flooring. “And is that a new purse,” his eyes moved down to the floor, “and shoes?”

Jessica laughed, waving her hand in the air. “Just a few new things.”

Knowing Ray sat down on the first of every month to pay bills and look over the monthly expenses, Jessica figured she had a few weeks to enjoy being rich before Ray caught on to her spending habits. At that time, she figured she would sit him down and explain that she was just having a little fun and would cut back. A woman could get the beginnings of a very elegant wardrobe put together in the time frame of three weeks. Returns were not allowed at most boutiques. But these were pieces that would last her a lifetime.

“How many new things, Miss Jessica?” Ray asked, his daddy tone making a sudden appearance, as he crossed his huge arms over his chest.

Caught sooner than she had anticipated, Jessica smoothed her hair, saying casually, “Just a few, Ray. Can we talk about this later? We are here to pick out flooring.”

Ray looked down at Evan in the stroller. He was sleeping soundly. Then he looked back to Jessica. “We can come back later. I’d like to grab a cup of coffee with you. Have a little chat, while Evan is sleeping.” Taking the handles of the stroller from her, leading the way, Ray guided them out of the store.

Feeling nervous butterflies fluttering in her stomach, Jessica quickly tried to add up her recent spending. Mental math was never her strength, but the number she was coming up with was much larger than she would have thought. Ray would not be pleased.

Sighing, Jessica followed her husband out of the store. She knew the truth would come out sooner or later, but Jessica was not ready to give up her newfound shopping habits.

Entering the diner next door to the flooring shop, Ray pulled the stroller up next to a table. Pulling out a chair for Jessica, Ray gave her one of those looks that made her knees weak. Jessica situated herself, placing the big handbag carefully in the chair next to her. Ray sat down across from her.

Placing his phone on the table in front of him, Ray locked eyes on Jessica. “I’m scared to even look,” Ray said, ready to pull up their bank information on his screen.

Seeing his finger hovering over the app with the emblem for their bank, Jessica cleared her throat. Twirling her hair in her fingers, Jessica said, “Let’s not then.” Giving Ray a bright smile, Jessica picked up a menu and opened it. Hiding her face behind the oversized papers, Jessica said, “Let’s see, let’s see, what am I hungry for?”

A large hand came over the top of the menu, pulling it down to reveal the face of a not very amused husband. “Miss Jessica,” Ray warned.

“A girl has to eat!” Jessica exclaimed. Ray’s brow raised about two inches and Jessica gave up her avoidance tactic. It wasn’t working. Time to come clean. “Okay.” Putting her menu down, Jessica gave a great sigh. “Here’s the truth, babe. I grew up kind of broke. My salon does well, but I could never afford any fancy extras. I’ve always been attracted to glamor; I can’t help myself. I mean, look at my salon. It’s on Main Street of Poke Town, all decked out in red and black leather and zebra print for goodness’ sake. And you’ve seen my magazines. I drive all the way to Kent just to flip through those beautiful glossy pages. I like nice things.”

She was relieved to see a small smile soften Ray’s face as he said, “I’ve seen the magazines. There are quite a few of them, actually.”

“Right? And I never could afford any of the clothes I had dreamed of. I poured my love into my coffee instead, no pun intended.”

A chuckle came from the other side of the table and Jessica relaxed.

“I couldn’t buy high quality things, so I would shop for knock offs, or second hand at yard sales. And I buy really, really good coffee.” Twelve bucks a pound was steep on her salary, but when the dark liquid hit her lips every morning, she knew it was money well spent.

“So, you could have a taste of the good life?” Ray quipped. Pun for pun, that was a good sign.

Sure, that her charms were melting the ice of her frugal husband, Jessica answered, “Exactly,” while flashing Ray a smile.

Ray looked at her inquisitively. “Are your teeth even whiter than before?”

“New toothpaste,” Jessica said with a wave of her hand. Now, was not the time to tell Ray that for just two hundred dollars you could have your teeth whitened in fifteen minutes at the Clinton mall.

The waitress arrived at the nick of time. “What’ll you have?” she asked in a bored voice.

Ray put a hand on the menu Jessica was about to pick up. “Two house salads, a grilled chicken breast,” he looked at Jessica’s pleading face, “and a burger for my lady.”

“No fries?” Jessica mouthed to him.

“Don’t push your luck,” Ray said, handing the menus to the waitress.

“You want fries with that?” the waitress asked, not bothering to look up from her pad.

“Are you going to eat the salad?” Daddy Ray asked Jessica.

Nodding emphatically, Jessica gave Ray her most well-behaved look.

“Yes, please,” Ray answered the waitress.

“And a Coke, a large one,” Jessica added.

Chuckling, Ray said, “I’ll have an unsweetened tea, please.”

“Gotcha.” The waitress turned and left.

“We aren’t done with this discussion, you know that, right?” Ray asked.

“I know. But can’t it wait till later. I am really enjoying this day,” Jessica asked.

Smiling, Ray acquiesced. “All right. Shall we talk flooring, instead?”

“Yes.” Jessica was certain, if given a little time, she could bring Ray over to her way of thinking. What was it hurting to spend a little money here and there? He would come around. She was sure of it.

* * *

The small room in the back of the cottage was just big enough to hold a twin bed, and a desk. Ray’s computer sat opened on top of the desk, the screen staring back at him. Taking a deep, calming breath, Ray counted to ten before he clicked on the arrow to show the second page of transactions for that month. The bank statement page opened, and Ray growled to himself. Two full pages and he was only five days into the month. Unbelievable.

There were lines and lines of purchases all attached to stores Ray never knew to exist. Most of the store names started with, Le, or La, and a few had little apostrophes over the names. These were not your classic department stores; he could tell by the purchase amounts.

Every transaction was in the triple digits. Ray could barely believe his eyes. Yes, his wife was looking more elegantly dressed than usual, but he had figured she had treated herself to a few new things, as she had told him. Ray had no idea that for the past three weeks, Jessica had been treating herself to a whole closet of new clothing. And spa days, massage bars and cafes.

At the rate his wife was spending, Ray would be lucky if he would be able to put laminate down in the new house. Heck, that was only if he could afford to finish the house. Running a hand along the back of his neck, Ray stood from the desk.

Ray loved spoiling Jessica. He wanted her to have everything that her heart desired. The amount of spending though, was ludicrous and wasteful. No matter how full their bank account, Ray’s humble beginnings would not allow for him to have his wife live this extravagantly. Something would have to be done.

Not being able to stomach going through any more of the pages, Ray called out, “Jessica, can you come in here, please?”

“Sure, babe. Just a sec,” Jessica called out.

Reminding himself to remain calm, Ray paced between the door and the desk, which with the length of his legs, was about two steps. Jessica popped into the doorway, looking like a vision in a purple silk tunic and dark denim pants. Diamonds sparkled from her earlobes.

Taking a step towards her, Ray asked, “Are those new earrings? Tell me those are cubic zirconia.”

“Cubic za-what? No, silly,” Jessica laughed. “They are real. Don’t worry, they were on sale.”

“How much, exactly?” In his brief overview of the bank account, Ray had yet to get to jewelry store spending.

“Well, it wasn’t a sale, more like buy one get one free,” Jessica said, holding her arm up towards Ray. Her slender wrist was adorned with a sparkling, diamond tennis bracelet. “But I promise that was before we had our little chat at the diner. I’ve been pretty good about spending since then.”

“How good?” Ray asked, sitting down at the computer. Skipping over thousands of dollars of deficit he had already scanned, Ray went to the date that he and Jessica visited the flooring store. Typing in a query, Ray pulled up every penny spent since the day that Jessica had promised to curb her spending.

“Pretty good?” Jessica answered. Ray detected nervousness entering her voice. His guess was that Jessica had not been good at all. Jessica had been bad. Very bad.

Scanning the purchases from that day to now, Ray calculated an estimate of spending. Ten thousand dollars. Unable to control his anger, Ray slammed his hand down on the desk. “You have got to be kidding me, Jessica,” he roared.

Taken aback, her face pale, Jessica turned to leave the room. Ray grabbed her arm, turning her and sitting her down, hard onto the bed. “Sit down. We are not finished here. I’m sorry I yelled. But you are not leaving this room.”

Jessica sat, hands in her lap, looking up at Ray, her eyes wide as saucers. Ray did not allow himself to get angry, or lose his cool. And he made a point to never, ever raise his voice. But this— he glanced over at his computer, his stomach feeling sick. He hadn’t worked the way he had to have Jessica fritter it away on designer stuff that she, heck, no one, ever needed.

Carrying the computer over to Jessica, Ray pointed to the number at the top of the screen, under the words, total transactions this month. “Read this number to me.”

Clearing her throat, Jessica squeaked out the number. “Forty-five thousand four hundred and seventy-seven dollars?”

“And thirty-eight cents.” Ray snapped the computer shut, returning it to the desk. “In one month.” There were some years in the past, that amount was what Ray had earned, annually, running the bar. “All gone, in less than thirty days.”

“Yikes,” Jessica said. She twisted the bracelet around her wrist.

“We are so far beyond, yikes, Miss Jessica. This is not an uh-oh, oopsie, kind of mistake. This is serious trouble, young lady.” Ray wanted to flip her right over his lap and whale away at her rear end right then and there, but he was too angry to allow himself to punish her in this moment. And spanking alone was not going to cover it this time.

“I don’t even know where to start,” Ray said, running his hand over his short hair, pacing in front of Jessica. Jessica sat, perfectly still and silent on the bed. “What am I going to do with you?” He looked her over. She was breathtakingly beautiful. The elegant clothing hung from her frame perfectly, the deep purple complimenting her golden hair, the diamonds sparkled prettily in her ears. “Jessica, I am not opposed to you having nice things and treating yourself,” he said, softened by her silence. “However, I am opposed to extravagance for extravagances sake.”

Sitting down next to her on the bed, Ray wrapped an arm around Jessica’s shoulders. “My biggest problem with this whole thing, is that you promised me to cool it after that day in the diner. Do you call ten thousand dollars, cooling it?” he asked.

“No. It just added up so fast. I wasn’t thinking.”

“Exactly. You spent carelessly without a thought. I want you to go and wait for me in our bedroom while I figure out what to do with you.” Needing time to calm, it would be best for Jessica to be in another room.

Jessica gave a nervous gulp, then looked wide eyed up at Ray. Taking his arm from around her shoulders, he said, “Go.”

With one look over her shoulder, Jessica left the room.

* * *

“You owe a debt, and you are going to pay me back that debt. The last ten thousand will be paid back over the next ten days. A thousand a day.” Ray stood, in front of Jessica, arms crossed. He looked dangerous.

“How am I supposed to pay back a thousand dollars a day?” Jessica asked.

“Chores, punishments, spankings, restrictions.”

Growing indignant, Jessica protested, “I am not a teenager. I am a grown woman.”

“A grown woman, with a Daddy, who is as of now, completely grounded for the next ten days.”

“Grounded? You have to be kidding me.” Jessica jumped up from the bed, throwing her hands on her hips. One moment too late, she realized her mistake. In two seconds flat, Ray had her pinned down over the edge of the bed, her torso pressed into the mattress, his left hand on her back. Ray pressed his leg against the back of her thighs, pinning them to the front of the bed. Her bottom lay over the edge of the mattress. With his right hand, Ray paddled her bottom, hard, with loud, stinging smacks.

“Do I look like I’m kidding?” he growled. His huge hand came down hard and fast, targeting the center of her bottom.

“No, sir!” Jessica exclaimed, tears stinging her eyes. Ray had never spanked her so hard. “I’m grounded, I understand.” The spanking stopped. Ray took his hand from her back and stepped away from her, releasing her from her position on the bed. Jessica quickly stood up, adjusting her hair and clothing, then very obediently took a seat back down on the bed.

Returning to his menacing stance, Ray said, “Can we continue our conversation, now, young lady? Or do you want to interrupt me again?”

“Go ahead, Ray,” Jessica said, demurely. Her stinging bottom reminding her tongue to control itself.

“Over the next ten days, you will refer to me as daddy, or sir. There is no Ray in your world, right now. Understand?”

Jessica nodded, unable to say the words required of her.

“Answer me, young lady.”

“Yes, Daddy,” Jessica said, her face burning.

“I will oversee your every move over the next ten days. You obey, or the punishments get harsher. Do you understand?”

“Yes, sir.”

“Good. I know you aren’t ready to leave Evan overnight, but Mama and Carrie were eager to take him during the day for the next ten days. I told them you and I are having a little stay at home honeymoon. That way I can focus fully on you, and we can set the standards and expectations for this marriage. There is no way you should have felt comfortable spending like that after I specifically told you not to. That tells me I am not doing a good enough job as your daddy. If you think you can do whatever you want with no consequences, then it’s time to learn a lesson.”

“I understand,” Jessica mumbled, wanting the lecture to end. One look at Ray’s face told her the conversation wasn’t over.

Scared wasn’t the right word to describe how Jessica felt looking up at the huge, angry man in front of her. Terrified was more like it. But not in a way that she thought Ray would hurt her or damage her psyche. Jessica knew her ass was going to be on fire over the next ten days, on top of the grounding and whatever else Ray had planned. But if she were to say she didn’t love every minute of her husband taking her in hand in this incredibly strict manner, Jessica would be lying to herself. Looking at Ray as he stood, towering over her, arms crossed, Jessica wondered if she hadn’t, in fact, been secretly testing out her new husband’s resolve.

The first few months of their marriage, Ray had spanked Jessica quite a few times. There was the Nancy Drew incident, as well as a few others, but Ray had let a lot of things go. Exploring the bounds of their new dynamic, Jessica wanted to know how far Ray could go. And now, she was going to find out.

* * *

Wes’ nerves were shot, and he was hanging on by a thread. If anything could go wrong with a pregnancy, it was seeming to with Carrie’s. First, there was the intense morning sickness that seemed to last all day. Carrie would wolf down a huge meal, only to have it come back up. After the first few months went by, Carrie’s blood sugar was found to be high. Sweets, Carrie’s preferred food group, had to be taken off the menu. Wes was watching her like a hawk, he was not going to take a chance on his wife developing gestational diabetes.

None of those concerns were half as torturing as the day Carrie woke up to a bed of bright, red blood. In an absolute panic, Wes drove her straight to the emergency room, fearing a miscarriage. Calling Ray on the way to the emergency room, Ray helped to calm Wes. There were several reasons for bleeding in pregnancy, Ray told him. After informing Ray that Carrie was happily munching on leftover brisket in his truck while he drove, Ray talked Wes down from worrying about the worst-case scenarios, offering to meet them at the hospital.

Carrie sat, calm as a cucumber in the front seat, next to him. “Wes, I am so hungry. I really think I’m fine. I wouldn’t be this hungry if there was something wrong,” she said, licking the low sugar barbeque sauce Mama had made, from her fingers. Wes pegged Carrie’s calm demeanor to his wife being in shock.

In the back of the emergency room, Carrie received an ultrasound. There on the screen, was a happy little baby, moving its’ little arm buds around as if to say, hello. The sound of a strong heartbeat swishing over the machine.

“Just a little placenta previa,” the doctor told them after the exam. “Nothing to worry about. The placenta is over the cervix. It will cause some bleeding, but usually rights itself in time. If it doesn’t, we will have to schedule a C-section, but no worries about that until we see what it does on its own, in time.”

A C-section was out of the question for Wes. There would not be the risk of surgery. His heart couldn’t take it. “What can we do to fix it?” he demanded.

“There is no, fix. You just should be a little more careful. No running, no jumping, no squatting, and no sex.”

“No sex,” Carrie murmured, looking crestfallen.

That was the absolute least of Wes’ concerns. “Should she be on bed rest? I mean exactly how much moving can she be doing?”

“I am not subscribing bedrest, but I want Carrie to take it easy. No horseback riding, that’s for sure,” the doctor said with a wink at Carrie’s red cowboy boots sticking out over the end of the exam table.

“He put a stop to horseback riding the second we found out I was pregnant,” Carrie said with a wave of her hand.

“No riding horses, or cowboys for you, I’m afraid,” the doctor said. The two women laughed as Wes sat, fuming in his seat. This was no joking matter. That placenta had better make its way to where it was supposed to be in his wife’s body. Having his wife or baby in danger just wasn’t an option Wes could live with.

* * *

“You are in this bed until that baby is born. Am I making myself clear?” Wes stood over his tiny wife after situating her onto the couch.

Laying under her quilt, propped up on pillows, Carrie chuckled in response.

“I am not kidding, Carrie Ann. Look at my face. Do I look like I’m kidding?”

Carrie looked up, considered Wes’ face, then burst out laughing. Doubling over, Carrie laughed even harder.

Running his hand through his hair, Wes paced in front of the couch. “Nothing is funny here. You are going to sit in that bed and not move an inch. I’m serious, Carrie Ann.”

Tears were streaming down his wife’s face. “Oh, Wes. You can’t control everything. What are you going to do next? Spank my placenta till it gets in the right place?” Carrie let out a howl, followed by a peal of laughter.

Imagining himself spanking a placenta, it wasn’t out of the question for him, Wes felt his shoulders start to shake as an involuntary chuckle made its appearance. “No, I guess I’m not.” Ending his anxious pacing, Wes sat down beside Carrie. Resting his head in his hands, Wes groaned. “But could you just stay in the house, at least?”

“No, Wes,” Carrie said, drying her eyes on her sleeve. “I’m perfectly fine. You heard the doctor. It’s not like I’m doing gymnastics or anything. It’s just walking.”

“Stop teasing me,” Wes said sheepishly.

Getting a hold of herself, Carrie rubbed her hand over Wes’ back. The gentle pressure from her touch felt reassuring. “Wes, all that matters is the baby is fine. I feel like I finally found my purpose in this world.” Reaching into the purse beside her, Carrie pulled out the pictures the ultrasound technician had snuck to her, saying, “Bringing this little baby into the world is all that matters.” Showing the picture to Wes, she asked, reverently, “Look at those little hands, aren’t they precious?” It was against emergency room policy to share images with patients, but no one could say no to Carrie.

Wes took the picture from Carrie’s outstretched hand. The little baby was still forming in her belly, but it was a precious little baby, his baby, Carrie’s baby. A miracle created from their love for one another. Handing the picture back to Carrie, Wes put a hand on his wife’s small, round belly. “Hey there, little fella,” Wes said softly.

“What makes you think it’s a boy?” Carrie teased. “I get the feeling we have a little cowgirl in there.” Carrie’s pretty, brown eyes looked shyly up at Wes. “What do you want to name the baby, if it’s a girl?”

“I want to name her, Carrie,” Wes said, simply.

“No,” Carrie laughed. “Be serious.”

“How about, Mama?”

“No, Wes,” Carrie said, playfully smacking Wes’ shoulder.

“Well, I’m plumb out. What name do you like?” Wes asked.

Carrie rubbed her hand over her belly, a habit that she had taken to doing most hours of the day. “I like the name, Rose,” she said, shyly.

Wes said the name over in his mind. Rose. The name sounded pretty, like the flower it was named for. “It’s beautiful,” Wes said. “Little Rose.”

* * *

It was the first day of Jessica’s grounding.

“When a woman spends ten thousand dollars in one week, you can’t trust that woman. Right, Miss Jessica?” Ray asked from the driver’s side of the Jeep.

“Yes, Daddy.”

“Do you know what I have to do with a woman I can’t trust?”

“No, Daddy.”

“I have to keep an eye on her. Keep her by my side. Until I know I can trust her again. Isn’t that right, honey?” Ray asked, giving Jessica’s thigh a tight squeeze.

“Yes, Daddy,” Jessica said, flushed by the pressure of his hand.

“You will be right by my side for the next ten days. First stop is the salon.” Ray pulled the Jeep into a parking spot on Main, right in front of, ‘Jessica’s’. Not wanting the salon owner shirking her responsibilities, Ray had Jessica spend a few extra hours in the salon, taking care of any clients who had booked appointments for this week.

Climbing out of the jeep armed with paper, duct tape, and a brand spanking new black Sharpie marker, Ray got to work. In his perfect handwriting, he lettered another one of his signs. They were becoming famous around Poke Town.

Trying to peek over his shoulder as he wrote, Ray blocked the paper from Jessica’s sight until he had finished. With a flourish, he tore a piece of duct tape, twisting it into a hook and attaching the paper to the window.

Feeling her face burning, Jessica read the sign out loud. “Jessica’s is closed till she can learn to behave herself. If you need her over the next few days, the naughty girl can be found attached to her daddy.” Turning to Ray, she said, “Please take that sign down, Ray. This is my place of work,” cringing as she looked back at the black words.

“Ray, who’s Ray?” he asked, placing a sharp smack on Jessica’s bottom and chuckling at her obvious embarrassment.

“Please, Daddy,” she murmured, looking up and down the empty street, hoping no one would pass by.

Laughing, Ray took the sign down. “I’m just teasing you, honey.” With his supplies, Ray made a second sign. Replacing the first with the more discreet message; Jessica’s is making some improvements. Re-opening in ten days.

“Is that better, baby?” Ray asked.

“A little bit,” Jessica answered sheepishly.

“Next stop, the bar.” Walking down Main Street, hand in hand, the couple headed over to Ray’s.

The sign Ray had hung had been improved upon. Under his handwriting was an angry message in chicken scratch. “Give us our bar back, Ray. Or else.” Chuckling, Ray took the sign down.

“My money is on Callaway,” Jessica said.

“I think so. He was here when I hung it up.” Unlocking the door, Ray gestured for Jessica to step inside, following her. “Glenn will be here at noon to take over his new bar.” Jessica and Ray had agreed that though the bar held fond memories for them both, they would enjoy the bar more occasionally as patrons, rather than owners. “Looks like the post office is hiring. I’ll have to keep that in mind for my next career.”

“I think your next career should be a hobby, as a midwife. With all the money you have stashed away, you can just skip working and we can hang out all day.” To Jessica’s surprise, she was loving spending every minute with Ray. He drove her around, took care of all the expenses, planned the meals. All she had to do was mind her manners and be his good girl. It really wasn’t such a bad gig.

Turning on the lights, Jessica and Ray meandered around the old bar. The dark wood walls, scuffed wooden floors, and gleaming bar tops were hard to say goodbye to. Wandering over to the jukebox, Jessica picked out the song she desired to hear.

Turning back to Ray, she asked shyly, “Would you sing this one for me again, Daddy?” Standing by the jukebox, Jessica looked at Ray. At her request, a wide grin spread across his face. The tall, strong man, walked slowly over to her. Jessica closed her eyes as Ray’s huge arms enveloped her body, wrapping around her tightly. Burying his face in her hair, Ray sang the words softly into her ear.

Ray’s baritone sang out the words, sending chills down Jessica’s spine. She could hear the hunger in his voice, the sadness of the time spent before she was his. Never having heard the lyrics so clearly, Jessica understood why this was the song Ray thought of when he thought of her.

He had been waiting. For over a decade. For her. Staring into Ray’s shining, warm, brown eyes, tears biting at her own, Jessica whispered, “You were waiting for me, weren’t you, Ray?”

“Yes,” he answered. “A long, lonely time. I would play this song after you would leave the bar. I wanted you so badly, but I knew it wasn’t meant to be. It was—painful. To want someone so badly to be yours.” Ray wiped at his sparkling eyes. “I loved you from afar. When you kissed me that night on your couch?”

“Yes,” she interjected. “When you finally told me what I was drinking was Moose Juice,” Jessica laughed at the memory.

“That’s the night. Our first kiss. When I felt your lips on mine, I knew you were coming home to me. I knew the waiting, the heartache,” his eyes smoldered into hers as he rasped the words, “the hunger, they were all coming to an end.”

“Lucky me,” Jessica murmured.

“When a man finally gets the woman of his dreams, he takes superior care of that woman. Knowing every second with her is an absolute gift. And he knows this because of every second that he spent without her,” Ray said, his voice hoarse with emotion.

“You take the best care of me, Daddy,” Jessica whispered into Ray’s chest.

“This little punishment might have been my selfish way of having you by my side for every second of every day. Just to feel what it was like.”

“And how is it, having me all to yourself?”

“Addictive, delicious, fulfilling in a way I didn’t know existed. Jessica, I want to be with you every moment of every day. I know that’s not possible, so I’m just relishing in this week.”

“And you are relishing in my punishment?” she asked, eyebrow raised.

“That too. You really crossed a line, young lady,” Ray grabbed her bottom with his hand, giving it a hard squeeze. “I still have to spank you over that bar.” Ray’s gaze cut over to the gleaming bar top.

Jessica turned her head over to the bar. During their date nights, after her second glass of wine, Jessica had imagined doing all kinds of things with Ray on that bar. Bending over it for a spanking was not one of them. Turning her gaze back to Ray, he caught her reading his face to see if he was joking.

“It’s happening, little girl. I have wanted to bend you over that bar and spank you ever since you came in here dancing in those short shorts. Which, if you ever wear again, I am going to rip off and take you right then and there, grocery store, library, I don’t care where we are. Understood?”

Flushed faced with insides warm and melty, Jessica’s knees went weak. “Yes, Daddy,” she whispered.

Grabbing her hand and leading her over to the bar, Ray gave Jessica a ravenous once-over that almost made her jeans fall off.

“Up you go,” Ray held Jessica’s hand as she stepped onto the brass footrest bar that ran around the bottom of the bar. Balancing on tiptoe, Jessica reached her arms over the bar top, holding onto the other end of the bar. “Comfy?” Ray asked.

“Yes,” Jessica said, holding herself in position. Though not sure how comfortable she was going to be when Ray was done with her.

“Let me see, what should I spank my girl with?” Walking behind her, Jessica felt like prey being stalked by a predator. Unable to move a muscle, or risk falling, she was trapped. Ray reach his arm alongside her body, grabbing a clean bar towel from the stack he kept behind the bar. Twisting the cloth and flicking it in the air with a loud snap, Ray said, “This should do the trick.”

“That sounds likes it will sting, Daddy.” The towel snapped again, the sound tightening Jessica’s muscles.

“It’s for bad girls. I owe you so many spankings in this bar, Miss Jessica. Today for overspending, but in the past, you could have used a caring daddy to spank your bottom. Couldn’t you?”

“Yes, Daddy.”

“All those nights, drinking too much, flirting, trying to drive yourself home. What I wouldn’t have given to beat your behind.”

The towel cracked and snapped biting her bottom. Glad that her bottom was happily covered in strong denim, Jessica sucked in a breath. The next snap came and the sting bit into her.

“Who’s your daddy, Jessica?” Ray asked, flicking the towel and punishing her twice more.

“You are, Daddy,” she gasped.

“Good girl. I like you over the bar, it’s a beautiful sight. But now I want you over my lap.” Ray helped Jessica down from the bar. Seating himself comfortably on a barstool, Ray stood Jessica in front of him. “Take down your jeans.”

Hot embarrassment burned the skin of her face. Peeking over at the windows facing Main Street, then back at Ray’s determined face, Jessica unsnapped her jeans, unzipped them, and pulled them down to her knees.

“Good girl,” Ray said, taking in her bare skin. He had told her that under no circumstance over the next ten days, was she allowed to wear panties. “I want you bare in those jeans, your mind on me.”

Mortified, as well as incredibly turned on, Jessica had nothing to say as she stood before her husband. Guiding Jessica over his lap, the barstool being the perfect height for an over the lap spanking, Ray smoothed his hand over her bare bottom. Skin tingling, Jessica did not anticipate the sharp slap. She gasped as Ray spanked the spots that the towel had hit.

“When Daddy says no more spending, what does that mean, young lady?”

“No more spending,” she answered between spanks. Ray’s hand was huge, and it came down hard on her bare bottom. He spanked each cheek in turn as he spoke.

“You were a bad, bad girl. Weren’t you?”

“Yes, Daddy.”

“What happens to little girls when they are bad? What do their daddies have to do?”

“Spank them.”

“Hard?” Ray asked, pausing his spanking.

She knew the answer, but with her bottom burning and stinging the way it was, she hated to say it. “Yes, Daddy,” she finally managed to squeak out.

“That’s right.” Smack, smack, smack, Ray’s hand came down hard and fast.

Jessica’s bottom was on fire, she started to squirm her hips. Not one to beg during a spanking, Ray was reaching her pain tolerance. “Please, Daddy, I’ll be good.”

“I know you will. Now, that I’ve taken you in hand.” Two more spanks landed. “You were testing Daddy, weren’t you?”

“Yes, Daddy, I’m sorry, it won’t happen again!” Jessica was surprised by the tears that came to her eyes, then even more so by the sobs.

“I’m sure it will, honey, and I will take care of you then, just as I am now.” Patting her bottom gently, Ray lifted Jessica up from his lap. Standing from his stool, he wrapped his arms around his little girl.

Jeans still around her knees, Jessica melted into Ray’s broad chest as his arms enveloped her. Sobbing, Jessica let Ray hold her as she snuggled further into his chest, wrapping her arms into the burrow she had made.

Kissing the top of her head, Ray rubbed Jessica’s back. “You needed a good old-fashioned spanking, didn’t you, baby?”

The headstrong, independent, always in charge before Ray, woman, nodded her head and wiped her tears on her daddy’s shirt. Jessica did not recognize her old self at all in this moment. The feeling of being Daddy’s well cared for, well spanked, and absolutely adored little girl moved her. The peace and comfort of his special care made Jessica complete. And hungry for her daddy’s affection. Reaching up on her tiptoes, Jessica kissed Ray.

Taking her face gently into his hands, Ray returned her kiss, greedy for her love. Releasing her, Ray kneeled, helping Jessica to step out of her jeans. Kissing her again, Ray grabbed under Jessica’s bottom, surprising her by picking her up. Jessica wrapped her legs around Ray’s waist as he lifted her onto the bar. She gave a sharp yelp, when her punished bottom hit the cold, hard bar top.

“It’s time to say goodbye to this old bar,” Ray whispered into her ear. “What do you say we go out with a bang?”

* * *

Ten days had come and gone. They had been the greatest ten days of Ray Stevenson’s life. Who needs a honeymoon when you can have your new wife right by your side instead? To please, to punish, to spoil, to spank, any moment you wanted to do.

As always with the most memorable experiences in life, there came a time for real life to pick back up where you had left off. Ray sighed, satisfied that over the last ten days, he had tied Jessica as tightly to him as possible.

The looks she gave him out of the corner of her eye when he got stern with her, told him everything he needed to know. Her hands were all over him, her mouth kissing him, every chance she got. The independent, strong woman, had finally allowed herself to become a daddy’s girl. And Daddy was loving it. With the love of a good little girl by his side, Ray was complete.

Their time was over, and it was time to get back to work. Ray walked over the house site, impressed by the progress the crew had made. The home was being wrapped in stone today. Jessica wanted a house that could stand the test of time, and she was getting it. The wide front porch ran the length of the house. The windows and doors ran floor to ceiling on the ranch style home. Turning the brass knob, Ray stepped inside.

Having yet to see it all come together, Ray whistled to himself. “Well, color me impressed,” he said, his voice quiet. The bright oak hardwoods ran the length of the foyer. Ray had talked Jessica out of tile floors. He didn’t want Evan, and any other children they might have, slipping and hitting the hard flooring. Everything else, Ray had let Jessica pick.

And she had done a beautiful job. Walking through the empty house, the sound of Ray’s steps echoed against the bare walls. Had he built it too big? He wondered as he walked the sprawling ranch house. There were four bedrooms down the back hall, in addition to the huge master he had painstakingly planned out. No, he decided. Ray always wanted to be sure there was space for Buttercup, should she want to return to Poke. At the last minute, Ray had the contractor add a small bathroom into one of the back bedrooms, just in case Buttercup should come for an extended visit.

Ray also wanted to fill the house with rambunctious children. As many as Jessica would give him.

“Hello,” Carrie’s familiar voice rang out, “we’re here.”

Turning, Ray went back down the corridor to greet his guests.

* * *

Sprawled out on a blanket, the group finished off the last bites of the picnic Ray had packed. Salami, cheese, bread and fruit, it was all gone, every last crumb. Carrie had eaten three of the cupcakes from Sarah’s bakery, licking her fingers.

“Ray, that was delicious,” Carrie said, laying back on the blanket Ray had spread in the grass. Rubbing her belly, Carrie said, “The baby thanks you.”

“That baby is eating for three,” Jessica joked, poking at Carrie’s ribs.

“Stop,” Carrie giggled. “I can’t help it if I’m growing a hungry little cowpoke. You weren’t so small yourself, Miss Jessica.”

Groaning, Jessica said, “Don’t remind me. I’ve just now gotten back into my jeans.”

“That means it’s time for another one, doesn’t it?” Ray teased, winking at his wife.

“Maybe,” Jessica shrugged, “who knows?” She smiled, watching Evan toddle over to Wes.

Plopping down on his bottom, Evan giggled, grabbing Wes’ hat from where it sat next to him on the blanket. “Cowboy,” he said, putting the hat on his head.

Laughing, Wes said, “That’s right, Evan. You’re going to be a cowboy. Isn’t that right, Jessica?”

“And soon you’re going to be a daddy for your own little cowboy, or cowgirl,” she said to Wes.

“It’s a cowgirl,” Carrie said. “I’m almost certain.”

Wes gazed over Carrie’s belly. Reaching his hand out and placing it over the bump, Wes held it there.

Suddenly, Wes jerked his hand back. Laughing at his start, Wes placed his hand back on Carries’ stomach. “I felt the baby kick, Carrie. I felt it.”

Placing her hand over Wes’, Carrie said, “The baby started kicking at the sound of your voice. She likes hearing her daddy.”

With pride in his voice, Ray said, “You’re going to make a great father, Wes.”

“I’ll do my best,” Wes said. “I will give it my all.”

The sun began to set over the majestic Texas hills. The burnt orange faded to a rosy red. As with every day, the sunset was making way for a new sunrise and the promise of a new day.