A Little Atonement

Maggie Ryan

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publisher.

Published by Stormy Night Publications and Design, LLC.

www.StormyNightPublications.com

Ryan, Maggie

A Little Atonement

Cover Design by Korey Mae Johnson

Images by 123RF/gstockstudio, 123RF/iriana88w, 123RF/Leonid Tit, and 123RF/Andrey Bodrov

This book is intended for adults only. Spanking and other sexual activities represented in this book are fantasies only, intended for adults.

Prologue

Liam looked up from where he was seated behind his desk, his breath catching in his throat. Though she was an adult of twenty-four, today, standing with her fingers twisting in her plaid skirt, her feet shifting, her body trembling slightly, she looked absolutely perfect in the role of a naughty schoolgirl. Giving her a nod, he heard her clearing her throat.

“You wanted to see me, Daddy?”

“Yes, sit down, Elena,” Liam said, gesturing to a chair.

Keeping her eyes on his, she walked to sink down onto the straight-back chair, primly crossing her ankles and folding her hands in her lap. Taking another deep breath, she looked up at her daddy.

“What do you have to say for yourself, little girl?” He loved the flush that immediately colored her cheeks.

“I-I can explain—”

“Can you?” he asked, his eyebrow lifting in a way that he knew had her tummy doing flips. “Well, by all means, Elena, please, explain.”

Elena squirmed and then froze when she saw his lips twitch. His hand lifted, gesturing toward her.

“I’m waiting, young lady.”

Her eyes were locked on his hand, and he had to bite back a grin. It was obvious that she understood that she’d soon feel his hand being applied to her behind—her bare behind. All coherent thought seemed to disappear as she only stammered.

“Um… um…”

“No? You have no explanation?” Liam said.

Auburn pigtails swayed as she shook her head.

“So you admit that you had to go see Principal Jenkins today?”

“Ye… yes.”

“Yes?”

His sharp tone had her jumping a bit in her chair.

“I mean yes, sir.”

“And today’s little trip to his office wasn’t the first one this week, was it?”

“Um… no, sir.”

“In fact, this was the third time this week you were sent to the principal’s office, wasn’t it?”

He saw her emerald green eyes widen and could guess she was most likely thinking that his declaration sounded bad… really bad.

“Yes, sir. I’m sorry, sir.”

“Oh, I’m sure you are. And do you know why I’m so sure?”

Elena’s eyes remained on his as he stood and walked around the desk. “No, sir.”

Liam leaned against the desk and unbuttoned the cuff of his shirt. As he began to roll it up, she squirmed and pressed her hands against her tummy, which was most likely doing somersaults by now.

“Because I’ve found that when my little girl knows that she has been naughty, knows that her daddy knows she’s been naughty, she becomes very, very apologetic. But sweet apologies aren’t enough are they, Elena?”

“No… no, sir.”

“That’s right. Daddy needs to remind you that when you are naughty, when you don’t do your assignments, when you whisper with your friends instead of listening to your teacher, there are consequences, doesn’t he?” His sleeve was now above his elbow, his forearm bare and he heard her soft gasp as he flexed his hand.

“Y… ye… yes, sir.”

“And how is your daddy going to do that, Elena? How is he going to help you be the very best little girl you can be?”

She lifted her eyes to find his blue ones and seemed to accept her fate. “You are going to spank me, Daddy.”

“That’s right. Daddy is going to spank your little bottom.” He straightened. “Come here, Elena.”

She was the picture of a naughty little miscreant as she stood and slowly walked toward him. He patted his palm against the surface of his desk. “Put your hands right here.”

She obeyed, bracing herself against the wood. She mewled when he lifted the back of her skirt to tuck it into her waistband. Putting his hands on her waist, he could feel her tremble beneath his fingertips as he slowly stroked along her skin a moment before he hooked them in the fabric of her white panties. As he peeled them slowly down, he said, “Daddy is going to spank your naughty bare bottom until you are one very contrite little one indeed.”

“Yes, Daddy.” She couldn’t contain a soft moan when his hand caressed her flesh, rubbing across the pale hillocks that he would soon turn crimson. When he lifted it, he heard her catch her breath. It was time.

Chapter One

Three months later

Yanking the strap of the duffle higher on her shoulder, Elena used the tip of her boot to kick over yet another rock. Seeing nothing but little multi-legged bugs immediately rolling into tight black balls, she huffed.

“Yes, it is freaking cold, isn’t it? At least you’ve got armor to keep you warm,” she mumbled, her windbreaker doing next to nothing to keep the chill caused by gusts of frigid wind from seeping into her bones.

Damn it, where the hell was the key? The fake rock holding a spare key to the cabin was not where she’d been expecting to find it.

The light was beginning to fade fast and she was running out of rocks to kick over. Glancing up at the cabin, she pondered how difficult it would be just to break in. Sure, it might be considered breaking and entering, but really, who would blame her? At least a jail cell would be warmer. As it stood, she would soon be nothing but a frozen corpse anyway.

When a shriek rent the silence, she jumped two feet into the air and echoed the unholy sound. Okay, that did it. While it might be acceptable to be found, covered in ice crystals, a frozen statue as testament to her law-abiding ethics, she was not the least bit willing to be found… in pieces, scattered across the forest floor by some creature with pointed teeth and sharp claws that was stalking her just out of sight.

“Stop it!” she softly chided. “You are not some kid who is afraid of the dark. You are a grown ass woman.” The words meant to steady her only served to have her turn toward the woods and yell, “Stay away! I’m a pissed off girl with a gun.” When that didn’t sound very threatening even to her own ears, she added, “And a very itchy trigger finger!”

Not sure if the fact that there was no reply, nor the sound of anyone or anything retreating, meant her threat had been taken seriously or if some mysterious menace was simply attempting to keep amusement from being heard before calling her bluff, she cursed beneath her breath and kicked another rock. Instead of barely moving as the multitude of others had done, this one took off as if she were some football player trying for the league record in field goal distance. Elena knew it was the fake rock as it was so much lighter than the rocks it had been surrounded by. She watched it arc up and up and up, flying toward the trees before it disappeared from sight.

“Fuck!” Finding the expletive wasn’t quite enough, she felt it necessary to repeat it. “Fuck! Fuck! Fuck! This entire idea is fucked.”

Dropping the duffle, she dug her cell phone out of her pocket. Enough with this shit. She wasn’t going to freeze or find herself the tasty delicacy of the day. How many signs did a girl need to understand this was the stupidest thing she’d ever done… or tried to do? Cold fingers began typing in the search field of Google. She’d find the name of the nearest taxi service and get the fuck out of Dodge. Shit, she’d even push aside her apprehension of climbing into some car driven by a stranger who’d decided to earn a few bucks by joining the Uber network.

Oh, that’s a great idea. If he finds out you did, your ass is grass.

“Shut up,” she said to that little voice in her head. “He’d have to actually care about my ass to get pissed off.”

Isn’t that why you’re here? To find out?

“Yes, but since I’ve decided this whole plan is insane, his caring is a moot point, isn’t it?”

When no voice answered, she shook her head. “Great, even you agree this is dumb.”

It didn’t take her but a few keystrokes before she realized that the little wheel that continued to rotate on her phone’s screen was yet another obstacle in her ever worsening life. When even that disappeared and she saw that she didn’t have as much as a single bar, she almost threw the phone to follow the rock’s path. Only the fact that her ring snagged in her hair as she pulled her arm back kept her from following through. Gently untangling the strands of auburn tresses from the prongs of the ring she wore on her right hand, she bit her bottom lip and blinked hard, feeling defeated. She was not only frozen; she was hungry, thirsty, she had to pee, and exhaustion was threatening to drop her to her knees… in the snow.

What? Fuck! It was snowing… of course it was snowing! Though the last of the light was dimming through the trees, she could see big fat, wet, cold snowflakes. From the speed at which they were falling and the rapidness of the accumulation, she feared this wasn’t some little flurry. Nope, this looked like the beginning of what would likely become a thick white cloak covering every inch of her surroundings.

“Okay, think. What would he do?” She snorted at her question. “Fuck him. You saw what he would do… he’d put the spare key in some stupid rock a gazillion paces away from the freaking door. No, the real question is what would MacGyver do?” Picturing the character who managed to escape some pending danger or save the world from everything from floods to the apocalypse with nothing more than a paper clip (that he, of course, had to fashion out of some found piece of wire), she closed her eyes. “Mac, don’t fail me now,” she said. “Show me that you’re more than some hunk with a brain.”

A face popped into her head and it wasn’t that of Lucas Till, the actor chosen to reincarnate the once very popular television series. No, while the man belonging to the face was a hunk of the highest order and had the intelligence and quick wit that had made for some very interesting conversations, Elena was pretty sure he wouldn’t lift a finger… well, not one intending on helping her escape.

“Look, it took a lot of courage to get my ass here. Can’t a girl get one little break?” No answer was audible and yet, when a swirling leaf fell onto the surface of her phone, she grinned. “Right, a bit obvious, but thanks anyway.” There might be no service in these godforsaken woods, but she still had battery power. Though she was sure that MacGyver could have had the iPhone dismantled and turned into some sort of luxurious RV where she could spend the night in warmth, with or without the benefit of strong arms wrapped protectively around her body…

Funny choice of word. You didn’t seem to consider it as protection before. No, as I recall, you found it restrictive…

Forget the fact that she was standing in the middle of the woods in a snowstorm; even if she’d been standing on some sunny beach in the Bahamas, she’d still have felt the shudder as it ran through her body as the words seemed to float on the air. She’d spent months attempting to forget that face, that voice, those arms and yet here she was.

“I’m trying,” she whispered, “but I’m hanging on by a thread.” Her heart skipped a beat when a light pierced the growing darkness. It took her a moment to realize it was coming from her phone. Not wanting to consider the fact that her finger had been stroking across the screen as if down an arm or a cheek prickly with the stubble of a beard, she just accepted the fact that her mind wasn’t so far gone that it had forgotten the handy-dandy flashlight icon on her phone.

Moving the phone up and down, to make sure she could not only see where she was walking, but to keep from knocking herself out on some low overhanging tree branch, she moved toward the last spot she’d seen the rock. It took her a half hour and cost her a great deal of her courage to block out the rustles and sounds from things she had no wish to consider moving just out of sight among the trees before she finally saw the grayish-black rock. A small ridged panel on the underneath told of its true purpose. Lifting her eyes, ignoring the fact that the trees were so thick she couldn’t see even a patch of the sky, she prayed, “Please, please let there be a key.” Elena almost rolled her eyes remembering such inane prayers throughout her life, the outcomes weighing far heavier on the ‘no answer’ than the ‘your wish is my command’ side of the scales. With fingers that were so frozen she was surprised they didn’t snap off like a bean from a vine, she finally managed to shove the panel to one side. She would have cried with gratitude except she was sure the tears would freeze to her cheeks. Pumping her fist in the air, the key pressing against her skin, she turned to the forest.

“Have fun, all you furries; too bad you’re gonna freeze your asses off!” She might have said more but when a branch twitched, she whirled around. Her pace out of the trees was far less cautious than her trip into them had been. Once back in the clearing, she snatched up her duffle, noticing it already had an inch or so coating of snow and tromped up the steps to the front door. She shoved the key into the lock and her heart stopped when she twisted it and nothing happened. “Oh, come on, I’m begging here!” Holding her breath, she had the fortitude to twist the opposite direction. With a click, her salvation was at hand. Pushing against the heavy wood, she stepped inside and slammed the door. Fuck, it was darker inside than out. Running her palm over the wall next to the door, she found the switch and flipped it up. Down. Up. Down. Nothing happened.

No illumination.

No flicker.

Not a goddamned thing.

Too tired to even care, she swept her phone back and forth, lighting her surroundings. She was standing in the living area. The furnishings hadn’t changed; the sofa sat straight ahead, its back serving as a room divider. Two overstuffed armchairs faced the huge stone fireplace, logs neatly piled in a recess waiting to provide warmth. A chocolate brown bearskin rug lay on the wood flooring, providing a soft surface to kneel when… Forcing her thoughts away from the visual she saw in her mind’s eye, she turned toward the kitchen across the room. She smiled, thinking that anyone who stood outside and saw the roughhewn walls, the porch railings formed from tree branches, the steps to the porch fashioned from thick cedar planks would never think that inside was a kitchen fit for even the most demanding chef. Stainless steel appliances gleamed in the light of her phone. The range had six burners as well as a grill top and a large oven. A commercial-sized refrigerator would hold a plethora of common ingredients that with a dash of this and a pinch of that, he’d turn into some culinary masterpiece while she sat at the island, watching in amazement. With that thought, her stomach growled.

Opening the refrigerator didn’t produce a light source much less some perfectly prepared rack of lamb or a dish of those thin slices of potatoes baked in a nest of cheeses that had always made her mouth water. Hell, there wasn’t even one plastic container or box that you’d find in most people’s fridges. Evidently he still didn’t take fondly to keeping leftovers or choose to waste money on electricity. At least there were several bottles of water. Grabbing one, she twisted off the cap and took several long swallows. Thirst abated, she replaced the cap and yanked on the door next to the refrigerator only to find it locked. Well, she’d heard that people were warned time and time again to keep their foodstuffs locked away to keep them safe from marauding bears.

“Great, that’s just brilliant. Bring bears into the equation right before you try to sleep!” Moving back through the room, she lifted her hand to direct the light and stepped around the island to move toward the back of the cabin. Pausing with her hand on the knob of the guestroom, she looked back toward the large picture window where she knew the woods lay just beyond. “Okay, higher ground will be much safer, right?”

Safety… another rather curious choice of words. Bears? Seriously? Let’s be honest… what are you really worried about?

She shuddered, her teeth worrying her lower lip. “You aren’t making this easy—”

If you want easy, turn around and go back to wherever you’ve been hiding. You know damn well I’d never risk your safety, but, if you stay, all bets are off about easy.

She didn’t need his physical presence before her. She could easily see a dark head shaking back and forth, eyes so blue and intense as his gaze locked onto hers that she felt he was looking directly into her soul. His eyebrow… the left one would be quirked as he wondered exactly how delusional she was willing to be.

“I have no choice,” she whispered. “God help me, but I’m staying.”

Since when had she started holding entire conversations with herself? Not wanting to truly consider the answer, she blamed it on the exhaustion that was pulling at her. Retracing her steps, she wearily climbed the steep stairs, one hand gripping the banister, the other holding out her faux flashlight, her duffle thumping against her back with each step. She gave a little yelp when a squeak sounded, her heart pounding until she realized it wasn’t some wild animal, but the stair she’d just put her weight on.

Once at the top, she moved across a small open area where the only thing that kept a person from plummeting to the floor below was a railing. She didn’t have to shine her light around to know that the open area served as an office, his desk dominating the space, shelves containing books and board games behind it. A braided rug in rich jewel tones padded the floor, a thick cushion and throw pillows waited in the bay window, ready to provide a seat or even a pallet to curl up and nap.

She continued down the hall, hesitating at the first door she came to. Had he managed to do what she hadn’t? Had he successfully erased her from his life? Closing her eyes, she fought back the tears that welled. Though her fingers hovered above the latch, she couldn’t make her fingers touch it. There was only one room left and her steps took her to the door at the end of the hall. She knew it was one thing to help herself to shelter and quite another to invade his personal space. But she also knew that she didn’t have the courage to open the other door. If she’d found it emptied—changed—she would know and, for tonight, she simply didn’t have the courage to discover the answer.

Opening the bedroom door, she stepped inside. The bed beckoned, offering escape from her thoughts in sleep, but her bladder was screaming for relief so she walked into the adjoining bathroom.

This room was as modern and elegant as the kitchen below. Dropping her duffle, she practically whined, her feet shuffling as she scrambled to get the zipper of her jeans down with her frozen fingers. Shoving pants and panties down, a small shriek escaped as she sat down, her bare ass instantly pebbling with gooseflesh as it met the cold seat.

After using the bathroom, her attempt to wash her hands had her cursing again as nothing but frigid water sputtered from the faucet. Deciding hygiene wasn’t all that vital, she stripped out of the windbreaker. It had become soaking wet from the snow. Grateful the jacket had kept the sweatshirt she wore beneath it dry, she tossed the windbreaker over the towel rod then moved back into the bedroom again. Without electricity, there was no heat and her fire-building skills could be considered dismal at best. Her boots were the only other items she bothered to remove. As she pulled back the quilt and sheets, crawling beneath them, she could practically hear the animals of the forest chortling, snorting, huffing, or conversing in whatever means they would use to mock her. They might be outside, but dammit, they were covered in nice thick, warm fur coats!

It took several minutes and pulling the hood of her sweatshirt over her head before she stopped shivering. The last time Elena had been at the cabin, it had been in the daytime and in late summer. She’d never really considered how much a few months could change everything, and she wasn’t just considering that, instead of sunshine, there was a blizzard outside the window. Turning onto her side and curling tightly into a ball that was reminiscent of the pill bugs under that rock, she pulled the covers up and over her mouth. She’d cover her nose as well but wanted to breathe without worrying about inhaling the carbon dioxide she was creating with every exhale.

“Good grief, first bears and now noxious air? What’s next? Some psycho wearing a field-hockey mask and carrying a butcher knife? Fuck! Stop! Just stop and turn off your brain.”

When that demand didn’t work, she began to take long, deep breaths. Even though it was cold as a witch’s teat… she groaned at the ‘witch’ and switched analogies. Okay, so it was cold enough to hang meat on those giant hooks… another groan and another switch.

“Fine, it’s fucking cold but there are four solid oak walls surrounding you. There is a thick door and a roof. You’ve no reason to believe you are in danger…”

The chuckle that rang out loudly in her head had her flinching. He was right. She wasn’t worried about bears or a serial killer. What refused to leave her in peace was the worry that this was all for naught. It had been a long time… months during which she’d not answered phone calls. Months in which she’d refused to open emails or texts.

Turning on her other side, she sighed deeply, tucking her head a bit lower, allowing the tip of her nose to seek warmth beneath the quilt. Air be damned. She’d rather slip into eternal slumber than continue to quake with the cold. Part of her demanded she get her ass out of a bed where she no longer belonged and just go. If she were smart, she’d face the fact that while she’d finally stopped running and admitted that she had to finish this, that didn’t mean that he hadn’t taken her silence as a sign that it was time to move on.

Still, she didn’t get up. Looking out the window and seeing the snow falling, she whispered, “I know it won’t be easy. I don’t need easy. I just have to know… is it… am I too late?”

No answer came and yet when she closed her eyes, she found sleep.

Chapter Two

Every sense went on alert the moment Liam stepped out of the garage. Though there was no evidence of another vehicle and no tire tracks in the snow, he felt an unseen presence. Leaving everything in the Range Rover, he moved cautiously toward the front of the cabin. Standing at the bottom of the steps, he made a slow circle to scan his surroundings. Despite the fact that he saw nothing and the pristine surface of the snow was undisturbed, he knew that someone had been there. Looking at the door, he shook his head. Whoever it was had either come and gone as no footprints were visible, or the intruder was still inside.

When the knob turned without benefit of a key, he went onto full alert. Perhaps upon finding nothing valuable inside, the perpetrator had left empty-handed and without bothering to lock up behind himself. Still, Liam was a cautious man and wasn’t about to consider the cabin uninhabited until he checked for himself.

Pushing open the door, he stepped inside. Nothing moved and no sound met his ears except for the hum of the refrigerator and a ticking that indicated the hot water tank had begun to heat the moment he’d opened the panel on the garage wall and turned the electricity and water back on.

Once his eyes adjusted fully, the moonlight streaming through the window allowed him to move silently. Liam checked the door in the kitchen, finding it locked. Turning, he paused, the bottle of water on the island drawing his eye. Someone had definitely broken in.

Ducking his head into the small half-bath beneath the stairs, the laundry room and searching the guestroom, he was assured that he was the sole occupant of the lower level. He climbed the stairs, stepping over the fourth one from the bottom as he knew that to tread on it would produce a squeak. He’d been meaning to replace the slightly warped wood but hadn’t gotten around to it.

On the landing, he paused, listening to see if his presence had been detected. Silence surrounded him, and yet he saw a soft glow coming beneath the door at the end of the hall. There had been no power before he’d turned it on a few minutes earlier, so either the intruder had brought his own source of light and left it behind… or he was still here.

Dividing his attention between the two doors, he opened the first to find it uninhabited. Closing the door and his mind to how he had given up hope that it would ever find the occupant for which it had been designed in residence, he moved to the door of his bedroom and eased it open. He immediately found the source of light. A cell phone was on top of the table next to the bed, a soft beam shining up to the ceiling. It was evident that the intruder hadn’t just left a phone and split. Not unless they left without benefit of shoes. A pair of hiking boots was on the floor beside the bed. Two things about what he saw had his brow furrowing and his anxiety ratcheting down several levels. First was the fact that the boots would only fit a very small man, but add in the neon-pink phone case, and he was pretty positive that his little burglar was a female. Moving forward as silently as a mouse, he found his intruder… well, what little of her he could see.

She was turned on her side, curled up beneath covers that concealed her entire body. The sight of green hair gave him pause. While women were now dyeing or putting streaks of every hue in their hair these days, this green wasn’t one he could see them choosing. It was a drab olive color and as he bent closer, he saw that it wasn’t hair at all. It was a hoodie whose cord had been pulled so tightly beneath her chin that the fleece practically covered all of her eyes. Even the tip of her nose was buried beneath the quilt.

Who the hell was she and what was she doing in his bed? Forget that… how had she gotten inside? The cabin wasn’t easy to find. He’d built high on the mountain, the barely there road not encouraging visitors.

“Who are you, little one?”

When a soft whimper sounded, he realized he’d spoken aloud. Before he could straighten, she turned, small fingers appearing to clutch the covers tighter as she rolled over. What he saw had him rocking back on his heels.

No fucking way!

Sure, the smattering of freckles across her cheeks and bridge of a small button nose could belong to another, but the ring on her finger, a ring he’d had designed and commissioned to be made, was one of a kind. He’d slipped it onto her finger—though not one on her right hand where it was presently being worn. Even though he didn’t understand why she was here or why she’d come back, he immediately shifted into the role that had been as automatic as breathing ever since he’d become a man. Moving to the cedar chest at the foot of the bed, he lifted the lid and removed another quilt. Gently so as not to wake her, he shook it open and then laid it across her. She was always chilled, even in the summer. Burning calories as quickly as she consumed them kept her on the thin side and her body barely made a lump under the covers. With the snow and no heat, the poor thing must be freezing. He stood at the end of the bed, looking down on her.

The anger and sense of betrayal had been real. The hurt over losing her had run deep. He’d spent months not knowing where she was, what she was doing, asking himself if she was as wrecked as he was or had she walked away and found whatever she thought she wanted… what would make her happy as he’d been unable to do? They’d not seen each other or spoken in a long time, but it took nothing more than her presence to have every moment they’d ever shared playing like a film in his head. He knew he had the right to rip back the covers, wake her up, and demand answers… yet he didn’t. He didn’t make a point of going unprepared into any situation. And though he’d definitely been blindsided by her actions that day, and was shocked at her appearance now, he was going to make damn sure he was prepared when she woke.

If her being here meant what he found himself hoping, she wouldn’t have to worry about being cold for long. No, if she had returned to the very spot she’d fled, then she hadn’t dropped by just to say hello.

“Sleep well, you’re going to need your strength,” he said softly, a grin appearing when her nose crinkled as it did when she was puzzled about something, and she gave a soft little snore. His blood quickened as memories flooded through his mind.

When she gave a little whimper, he spoke again. “Shh, I’ve got you. I won’t let anything harm you, baby.” He stood a long time, just watching her, waiting until her fingers relaxed their clutch on the covers and her breathing deepened. Shit, he wanted nothing more than to join her in the bed and pull her into his arms. Instead, he bent to kiss her cheek, extinguished the light on her phone, grabbed additional bedding from the chest, and left the room.

Descending the stairs, he headed for the couch. It sure as shit wasn’t as comfortable as the bed in his guestroom, but it would do. He had no intention of not waking if the little minx attempted to sneak out. Sleeping on the couch, he would have absolutely no worries. He was a light sleeper and would come instantly awake the moment a footfall, no matter how light, fell onto the stairs. After placing several logs in the stone fireplace and lighting them, he made up his bed for the night. While the cabin slowly began to warm with the heat of the flames, he went into the kitchen and placed the half-empty bottle of water she’d drunk from back into the fridge. Well, he’d just add robbery to trespassing. With the discovery of his extra key lying on the counter, he removed breaking and entering from her list of crimes.

He understood how she had found the cabin and how she’d found the key as she’d been here before. Very few people knew about the cabin but there was the very rare occasion when he’d allow others to use his place. A very few, very select group of people had qualified to have earned the privilege. He couldn’t imagine any of his friends taking advantage of him and yet the lack of a vehicle and her very presence was enough evidence that someone had assisted her without informing him of their plan to do so. The question was who? Trust was an extremely important part of his life and theirs. Breaking it, in any way, would be very hard to forgive. Who did he know who might be willing to risk his friendship?

Too restless to sleep or even read, he decided to bring in the provisions he’d brought. It took him two trips to grab all the grocery bags. He was planning on staying a week or so and had come prepared. He turned on the lights, rotating the switch to make them dim and yet providing enough illumination to chase away the shadows. He put the groceries away, stocking the shelves of the refrigerator and filling the baskets on the counter by the stove. He might be in the woods, but damn, he was planning on eating well. A few items went in the cabinets and a few more into the freezer before he returned outside. The snowfall was getting heavier, his boot prints from his first trip to the car already almost completely obliterated. By morning it would be a least a foot or two deep with some drifts even deeper.

He grabbed his backpack and his duffle, then closed the garage door. He could smell the aroma of wood smoke drifting on the chilled air and it made him smile. The moment he left the city, every mile of highway navigated, every switchback driven brought him peace. Though he’d been on alert upon his arrival, and he’d been shocked at the discovery of her in his bed, he disregarded the fact that his head was telling him to ignore his heart. If there was even the barest glimmer of hope that her presence, her return, meant what he prayed it did, he’d do whatever it took to let her know she’d made the right choice.

Back inside, he locked the door and grabbing the bottle from the freezer, poured a shot of vodka, downing it in one swallow. Pouring another, he settled at the island and pulled his cell phone from his pocket. He waited until it connected with the hotspot he’d engaged to boost reception and then dialed, taking a sip from his glass as he waited.

“Hey, sorry to call so late but do you have a minute?” he asked when the phone was answered.

“For you, sure. What’s up? Aren’t you supposed to be enjoying self-imposed isolation by now?”

“Depends on the definition of isolation,” Liam said, taking another sip of vodka. “Care to guess who I discovered in the cabin… in my bed?”

On the other end of the phone, Sean Rodrick chuckled. “Goldilocks?”

“Ha-ha,” Liam said, rolling his eyes, but knowing he’d walked right into that one. It hadn’t taken long running down his list of close friends before settling on one. A certain feisty woman with golden curls who could trust that he’d forgive her. “No, but speaking of Goldilocks, where’s Kathryn?”

“Kathryn, not Katie, I see? Funny you should ask. She’s actually upstairs right now, nose to the wall, contemplating the consequences of her recent choices.”

Liam knew that could mean one of a dozen things but made a guess. “Those choices wouldn’t have anything to do with her bestie Elena, would they?”

The silence lasted for only a moment, but spoke volumes. Liam could practically hear the gears turning in Sean’s head and see that head shaking back and forth. “Is that who’s in your bed? Elena?”

“Yes, and I need to see what Katie knows about it. Has she said anything to you?”

“No, but that would sure go a long way toward explaining why Katie disappeared for hours and why she ran out of gas. Hold on…”

A few minutes later, Sean said, “Okay, I’ve put the phone on speaker. Here’s Katie.”

The next sound was a timid, “Um, hi, Liam.”

“Hello, Katie.” Liam pictured her squirming under Sean’s gaze. Was his friend even now choosing an implement or perhaps rolling up his shirt sleeves? He could almost feel sympathy for the blonde, but still, like Sean, he wasn’t one to let naughtiness slide. “Tell me,” he said, not bothering to elaborate.

“Remember, I love you…”

Her pause did not draw words of reassurance from him. She knew he loved her as well, but he hadn’t called to have an intimate tête-à-tête.

After a sigh, she spoke again. “I know it might not look like I was trying to help, but I was. I’ve watched you change, Liam and, well, Elena hasn’t been the same either. It’s time for this shit to stop… ow!” The speaker allowed the smack that preceded her exclamation to be audible and Liam could easily picture Sean’s hand connecting with his wife’s ass. His friend wasn’t one to let any misbehavior go without a consequence. He wasn’t surprised to hear Sean speaking next in a stern tone.

“Watch the language, young lady.”

“Yes, sir,” Katie said softly and then continued. “I couldn’t bear to see two people I love in so much pain. And, at the risk of adding a few extra strokes to what I’m sure is some huge count, yes, the moment that Elena finally asked for my help, I gave it and would do so again.”

Liam could respect that level of loyalty to a friend, but still. “So instead of calling me, you just drove her up to the cabin?”

“No, I mean, well, sort of.”

“Kathryn Denise…”

“I’m explaining,” Katie said quickly, evidently hearing her full name spoken alerting her to the fact that vague answers weren’t going to be accepted. “Fine. Elena is my best friend and we talk. I’m not saying that I know everything that happened between the two of you, but I know enough. I figured it was a sign. I mean, really. What are the chances she’d asked for help the same week you were going to be up there? You haven’t gone to the cabin in a long time. And,” she said, her words coming faster and with more confidence, “what better place to work it out? Sort of returning to the scene of the crime. Um… anyway, so yes, when she asked, I gave her a ride.”

“I’m surprised you just ran out of gas. You’re lucky your Mini Cooper didn’t bottom out on those roads. That’s a steep climb,” Sean said.

“Oh, it didn’t have to. I just dropped her off on the main road—”

“Are you telling me that Elena walked?” Liam interrupted in disbelief, the glass he’d just raised to take a sip, lowered to the table. “Young lady, are you seriously telling me that Elena hiked, alone, five miles up the mountain, in the dark and the snow?”

“Snow?” Another squeal after a distinct smacking sound telegraphed that Sean was as pleased as he was at hearing her words.

“It wasn’t dark and I didn’t see any snow. Besides, Elena insisted. She didn’t want to damage my car and she said she didn’t want to drive her own, so what was I supposed to do?”

“Telling your husband and me what the hell was going on would have been a good idea,” Liam said. “You know how we feel about putting yourself—or anyone else—in dangerous situations. Hell, you both had to know that choice wouldn’t bode well for your butts.”

“If she doesn’t, I promise she’ll understand by the time she goes to bed,” Sean promised.

With enough information, at least for now, Liam said, “I’m going to let you go. But, Katie?”

“Um, yeah… ow! I mean, yes, sir?”

“Remember that when Sean is giving you an extra round on me, that doesn’t mean I don’t love you.”

“I know, and though I probably should, I won’t say I’m sorry. Give her a chance, Liam… give both of you a chance,” she said with another sigh. He was about to assure her he would when she gave a little giggle. “After all, I risked having a very hot ass. You better be able to tell me it was worth it. You hear me?”

Liam chuckled. “I hear you. Good night, honey. Oh, and Sean?”

“I’m here.”

“This may take a bit longer—”

Sean instantly cut in. “Take as long as you need. Elena is the most important thing right now. And, Liam?”

“Yeah?”

“She wouldn’t be there if she didn’t need you. Don’t fuck it up!”

With that the phone went dead and Liam just grinned. Sean was not only his best friend but also his business partner. They’d discovered they each had a knack for statistics and business in college and had opened an investment firm together upon graduation. Their clients seemed to appreciate their brutal honesty when being advised about their investments. So, hearing Sean tell him not to ‘fuck it up’ wasn’t the least bit of a shock. He just hoped he’d figure out how he’d fucked it up all those weeks ago.

He disconnected and sat, staring into the fire across the room and draining the last of his drink. That day, months earlier, he’d wondered if he had picked Elena up instead of their driving two cars, if her car hadn’t been so readily available, would she still have fled? Now, however, with her not choosing to drive herself, Katie dropping her off and basically stranding Elena without a vehicle, was she telling him that she wasn’t planning to run again? His gaze lifting to the railing at the top of the stairs, he shook his head. After being silent for months, could she really be ready to tell him why she’d thrown away the future they had both been planning, a life together that had promised to be wonderful? Hell, not just thrown it away but had fled from the cabin—from him—as if terrified?

Rising, he placed his empty glass in the sink and ignoring the half-bath, again climbed the stairs and entered the master bath. The floor was wet from where her jacket had obviously dripped. Taking it from the rack, he shook his head. It wasn’t even a real jacket. It was nothing more than a thin windbreaker. If she didn’t wind up with pneumonia, he’d be surprised.

He mopped up the floor and then laid the wet jacket on the towel he’d used. After making use of the facilities, he washed his hands and, opened the cabinet to pull out a new towel. As he was drying his hands, he caught sight of an old wooden hairbrush sitting on a shelf. Picking it up, hefting its weight in his hand, he thought about the irony. Elena was a young woman of the twenty-first century and used all manners of technology meant to supposedly better one’s life. Computers were making education more accessible, smart phones brought people together though thousands of miles apart. And yet, had she ever felt truly connected? He had thought she had, had believed she understood that the most priceless connection, the strongest bond, was one forged between two people.

Leaving the bathroom, he moved to the bed again as he considered that technology had nothing to do with forming what was the most important part of a person’s character. No, something invented hundreds of years earlier whose parts consisted of nothing more than wood and bristles was more than capable of reminding a miscreant that old-fashioned values of respect, good behavior, and honesty were the true measures of a person’s soul.

“Hope you have sweet dreams, because tomorrow you’ve got a lot of questions to answer. And, Elena, knowing you, it’s extremely likely you’ll be giving those answers looking at the planks on the floor while I apply that brush to your ass.”

A gentle snort was her only response.

Chuckling softly, he went down the stairs, tossed the jacket and wet towel on top of the washing machine, snapped off the lights, and slid between the sheets of his temporary bed. At least he’d been astute enough to purchase a sofa that was long enough to suit his frame. Its length assured that his feet weren’t hanging over the arm. That thought had him visualizing Elena bent over the thick, cushioned arm, her panties at her ankles, her cheek pressed into the butter soft leather, the fingers currently gripping the quilt upstairs instead clenching the edges of the cushion to keep them from flying back to protect her bare bottom that was pointed at the ceiling. It was a vision that had his cock stirring and his heart opening. He didn’t know what would happen, but knew that by the time she stepped out of the cabin, he’d either be the happiest man alive or one who would have to accept the fact that he’d lost her again… this time for good. Setting his internal clock, he closed his eyes and was instantly asleep.

Chapter Three

“Go away,” Elena mumbled, pulling a pillow over her head, which did nothing but slightly muffle the repetitive thudding that was attempting to pull her from sleep. It might have been possible to convince herself that she was dreaming of some persistent person knocking at her door but for the aroma of freshly brewed coffee that had her nostrils twitching. While she dreamed in color and often remembered holding conversations or hearing snippets of music that had played in her dreams, she’d never once been able to actually taste or smell anything.

Pulling the pillow away as she flopped onto her back, her eyes opened. The moment she saw the beams running across the ceiling above her head, she came wide awake.

Liam was here.

Was that why it was suddenly so difficult to breathe? Lifting her hand to her throat, the touch of her fingers against a cord told her that, no, his presence wasn’t to blame… at least not fully. Tugging the toggle released the tension and she could push back the hood of the sweatshirt. Once she had, she realized that she was no longer freezing. Throwing back the covers, she moved to sit on the edge of the bed.

Okay, what were the chances that he’d just arrived? Perhaps he’d only had time to put on a pot of coffee and had no idea of her presence. Shit, what if he wasn’t alone? Could there be a woman even now sitting at the kitchen island, sipping from a mug of coffee? That possibility had her breath catching and her knees shaking a bit. What had seemed like a good idea suddenly felt like it was nothing more than some impetuous move on her part. She had no right to reenter his life this way.

“Stop it,” she whispered. “Focus on the facts and then deal with them.”

After taking several deep breaths, she forced herself to her feet. Padding down the hall, she moved to the railing, bracing herself for whatever she saw. Leaning a bit forward, her eyes darted around the room below her… the empty room. Not only was there no woman, there was no Liam.

“See, bothering trouble when you don’t need to,” she chided herself.

Scanning the room again, slower this time, she learned that the chance of him not knowing she was here was just about nil. Otherwise, why would there be sheets and blankets, neatly folded on one end of the couch, a thick pillow on top of the pile? He not only knew she was in the cabin, he knew she’d been in his bed. His choosing to sleep on the couch instead of in the guestroom told her he hadn’t been about to take a chance she’d slip away without waking him. But where was he?

Hearing the thud again, she stepped away from the rail and once back in his bedroom, moved toward the window, kneeling on the window seat.

Her breath caught at the sight of the blanket of white that extended as far as she could see. The heavy weight of the snow that had fallen on the boughs of pine trees caused the branches to hang low. Sunlight caught the ice crystals that had obviously continued to fall all night, making the entire yard sparkle. The scene looked like one straight out of a Currier and Ives painting and was absolutely breathtaking.

Thud.

Turning her head to the right, she not only discovered the source of the noise, her heart skipped a beat as she saw him. Liam was bending over, picking up a split log and placing it on the stump of a tree. With one smooth move, the axe he was swinging found its target and cleaved the log into two pieces. From the pile of logs scattered around the stump, and the fact that she could see he’d shed his thick jacket, discarding it over the porch rail, it was obvious he’d been working for a while.

She watched as he set another log into place and lifted the axe. She knew that even if the log began to move, to sway, to dodge first to the right and then the left, his aim would be true… it always was.

It took her a moment to wonder why the axe hadn’t already begun its descent. Lifting her gaze from the waiting log, she found herself staring directly into eyes that she knew were a deep, violet-tinged blue. She forgot how to breathe as her body instantly responded, her stomach flipping, her blood racing, her heart pounding. Eternity passed within those few seconds as she waited for him to do something… anything. Oh, God, she needed more time. She had thought she was ready, but what if he did nothing?

Then you’ll know it is too late, a soft voice whispered in her head. Though she was no longer standing in the cold, she remained frozen until he moved. It wasn’t to toss the axe aside and storm into the cabin, demanding she get the hell out. It was only a single nod of his head, his eyes remaining on hers for several long moments before he turned his attention back to his work, the steel head thudding yet again, the two pieces of wood falling off the stump on opposite sides. He hadn’t spoken and yet didn’t have to. With his nod, he’d said that just as he’d given her shelter and his bed, Liam was now allowing her a bit more time to pull herself together. But, with the look in his eyes, she realized he’d communicated something far more important. He was giving her notice that though he might not understand—or appreciate what she had to say—he was willing to listen. What more could she expect? Nodding her head as well, Elena slipped from the window seat.

Grabbing her duffle, she entered the bathroom. The sight of a pair of folded towels, a matching washcloth, and an unopened bar of soap on the bathroom counter had her wondering how many times he’d come upstairs without her knowledge. As exhausted as she’d been from hiking from the main road up to the cabin, combined with the stress of not knowing what was going to happen, she knew that if an entire family of bears had broken in, she would have been totally oblivious. Unlike Liam, when she fell into sleep, it was the sleep of the dead. While he could wake at the drop of a pin, it took her much longer to be ready to face the day. And that was a normal day… not one that would either bring them together or break them beyond repair.

Catching her reflection in the mirror, she groaned, surprised that Liam hadn’t turned and fled at the apparition that had appeared in his upstairs window. God, could she look any worse? Any hair that wasn’t plastered to her head was sticking out in different directions. Dirt smeared her cheek and her clothes looked like she’d slept in them… oh, wait, that was exactly what she’d done. Her hand was reaching to close the door when she remembered there wasn’t one to close. Hell, even the shower door was one of clear glass. Not a single frosted panel or strategically etched design would hide a person’s nakedness. The toilet wasn’t tucked into its own little closet either. No, there would be no hiding oneself in the bathroom.

She needed to get a grip; it wasn’t like he hadn’t seen her naked before. She’d practically moved in with him before she’d run away. Still, her fingers trembled as she unzipped her hoodie and shrugged out of it, noticing that her windbreaker was nowhere in sight. Had he taken it to assure she’d be cold if she ran again? Shaking her head, she knew he would never do something like that. Seeing a towel spread evenly across the bar, she thought he’d probably just taken the jacket to hang it to dry by the fire. Dropping her sweatshirt on the floor, she looked at the claw-foot tub, picturing herself immersed in its depths, surrounded by warm water, a thick froth of bubbles concealing her, and yet wasn’t her entire purpose of being here to no longer hide, to no longer shy away from what he had known and she’d denied? Turning, she opened the shower door, twisting the knob to start the water, hoping it wouldn’t be as freezing as it had the night before. When it immediately began to warm, she quickly shed the rest of her clothing. With the soap unwrapped and in her hand, she stepped beneath the spray, tilted her head back and allowed the water to stream over her face. It felt wonderful. She didn’t rush but also didn’t dawdle. After washing, she reached for the bottle of shampoo on the shelf and poured some into her palm. The fragrance of lavender wafted in the air as she rubbed the gel into her hair. It took her a moment, her fingers massaging her scalp, before the significance of the fragrance hit her. Liam never smelled of lavender but knew that it soothed her. The soap had also been scented. He had provided her favorite brands. With her hair and body rinsed, she shut off the tap and grabbed the towel, pulling it around her and tucking the ends in beneath her breasts to form a wrap.

Picking up the second towel to dry her hair, she froze, staring at an object that lifting the towel revealed, and she felt her butt clenching. Her hand shook a bit as she laid a finger against the smooth mahogany wood of the hairbrush, stroking down the design of its grain. It seemed that toiletries and towels were not the only items Liam had left for her on one of his visits upstairs. The presence of the brush—this particular brush—had memories playing on the screen of her mind. This had been the first implement he’d introduced her to. She well remembered that night when he’d decided that her stubbornness about the unfairness of receiving a second ticket within a week had earned her more than a spanking given by his hand. While she still hadn’t been quite ready to admit that she was a bad driver, by the time he’d settled her on his lap, her ass on fire after a paddling delivered with this brush, she had been willing to admit she had a bit of a lead foot. Swallowing hard, she closed her eyes, the film in her mind going dark. Maybe he hadn’t meant this to be anything other than a way to brush her hair.

Right. That’s why it wasn’t on the counter by the sink with that new toothbrush you see. Get a grip, girl. You knew this was likely. In fact, if all you receive for your transgressions is a paddling with a hairbrush, then… can you state honestly that you’ll feel you’ve atoned for all the pain you’ve caused?

Sometimes she absolutely detested that voice in her head… but she couldn’t deny the words were those of truth. Using the second towel to rid her hair of most of the water, she dug into her duffle, looking for a comb. With it in hand, she began to pull it through her tangled tresses, using her hair dryer, lowering her head to blow the warmed air on the underside of her curls, ignoring the brush that seemed such an innocent item and yet she’d learned served dual purposes.

It took her a few more minutes to finish getting ready. She brushed her teeth and pulled on her clothing. The jeans had faded to a soft gray instead of the black they’d been when purchased. The pale pink sweater was soft against her skin, the sleeves a little too long, the cuffs stretched as she had a tendency to pull the knitted fabric down over her hands to warm them. The hem came down mid-thigh and she often sat with her knees to her chest, the sweater pulled over them. It might be sorely misshapen but it was one of her absolute favorite garments.

Looking at her reflection again, she set aside the makeup bag she’d picked up. Her cheeks were already tinged pink, her bottom lip as well from her habit of biting on it when nervous. Black lashes surrounded eyes of emerald green. Normally, she wore just the barest amount of makeup and yet today she decided to wear none. If what she prayed happened, any makeup she applied would most likely be streaked, assuring her face resembled more of a raccoon’s than a woman’s.

She tidied the room, hanging the used towels over the rod, capping the toothpaste tube, and putting her toothbrush into the waiting cup, leaving the brush where he’d placed it. After shoving her discarded clothing into a pink drawstring dirty clothes bag, she put it inside the duffle and left the bathroom. Remembering the neatly folded linens on the couch, she decided to make the bed. Tucking the sheet beneath the mattress, she picked up a pillow, tossing it up a bit and using her hands to fluff it. Placing the last pillow into place, she heard a door opening and then closing. Liam had returned and that meant her allotted time was up. Still, her feet didn’t move toward the stairs, instead returning to the railing.

Memories of sitting in a theater and watching a production of Romeo and Juliet ran through her head as she stepped closer to the edge of her ‘balcony’ once again, her fingers holding tight to the smooth wood. Looking down, she saw him and her breath caught in her throat. He stood, his arms crossed over his chest, his feet a foot apart, his head tilted back, his eyes locking onto hers. God, had he always been so… big? So formidable?

Before she could speak, he did. “Why are you here, Elena?”

Though she’d expected the question, she wasn’t prepared for it to be the first words out of his mouth.

No hello…

No good morning…

No I’ve missed you terribly.

But then again, did she really deserve anything else?

“I wanted to say I’m sorry,” she said.

“No.” His eyes darkened, the blue hue deepening. “You could have done that with a phone call. Why are you here?”

She swallowed and tried again, her voice a bit stronger. “I wanted to explain—”

“No,” he interrupted. “Again, simply picking up the phone would have taken care of that.” He stopped speaking and yet she couldn’t continue. He wasn’t following the script in her head, and she had never been very good at ad lib.

Well, you truly didn’t expect that he’d make this easy, did you?

“Answer the question, Elena. Why are you here?” he repeated, his hand sweeping to indicate ‘here’ meant the cabin… the cabin from which she’d run.

It was time for the truth.

Time to face her greatest fear.

Time to trust that he would understand.

“I came to… stop hiding.”

“From what?” he asked.

She didn’t drop her gaze, didn’t back away, and didn’t run. Instead, she loosened her grip on the rail, her hands falling to her sides as she gave him the answer that had taken her months to admit to herself.

“From you, Liam. From myself. I came to face the truth, to stop hiding. I came to see if there was any chance… if there is anything I can do to make this… us… right. To tell you that I love you and that I need… need my daddy.”

His intense gaze had her will to remain strong begin to falter and then he did the only thing that could make her break; he didn’t ask another question, didn’t speak at all. Instead, he uncrossed his arms and opened them wide. With a strangled sob, she fled from the railing and to the stairs. She’d never know how she’d descended with blurred vision, tears streaming down her face as she leapt off the second step from the bottom and into his arms, never doubting that he would catch her. The moment his arms wrapped around her, she felt as if she were home. Sobbing, she buried her face in his flannel shirt.

“Shh, I’ve got you,” he whispered, the words spoken against the top of her head a moment before she felt his lips against her curls. And she knew that he did—he always had.

Chapter Four

Liam stood, his cheek pressed against her cap of auburn curls, his arms tight about her small frame as she clung to him. No matter what had happened to make her run, he knew he’d never let her go again. This woman was the missing piece of his soul. Without her, he was incomplete. He’d not held her in months and yet the moment he’d opened his arms and seen her eyes fill with tears, he’d ached to hold her, to assure her that she’d made the right choice. That her daddy would be there for her always. When she’d leapt from the stairs and he caught her in his arms, he’d felt his world shift, righting itself from the tilt off its axis her disappearance had caused. He would call upon everything within himself, but he was determined that she would learn that she belonged exactly where she was… now and for the rest of their lives.

He didn’t rush her to settle, they had time. For now, he was content to hold her soft body against his hardness, inhale the scent that belonged solely to her and allow her to soak his shirt and absorb the fact that he had absolutely no desire to ever let her go again. Gradually, her tears lessened, her hitching breaths slowing as she calmed. He stroked down her back, the touch doing as much to soothe him as it did her. When he felt her pull away just enough to tilt her head back, he cupped her cheek with his palm. Her eyes were red, her cheeks moist, the band of freckles across her cheeks and bridge of her nose prominent despite her flush. She was the most beautiful woman he’d ever seen. Her sniffles and occasional hiccups tugged at his heart. Using a thumb to wipe away her tears, he wondered how often he’d repeat that gesture before they were done. Pulling a handkerchief from his jean pocket, he lifted it toward her runny nose, acknowledging the fact that if she objected to this simple gesture, if she refused to allow him to perform something as rudimentary as assisting her in blowing her nose, he’d question how she could be serious about needing her daddy. She pleased him when she didn’t reach for the handkerchief, but blew several times until she pulled slightly back, communicating her nose was clear.

“Thank you,” she said softly.

God, just her voice and the look in her eyes had his insides clenching. He pulled back, then bent and kissed the tip of her nose, something he’d never imagined doing before meeting her. It was her innocent spirit, her awe that she could find happiness with the simplest of pleasures, and, of course, the fact that her nose tipped up just the tiniest bit that had him kissing it that first time when they’d first begun dating. Her eyes had gone wide but it was her flush and delighted giggle that had stolen his heart. Now, with her in his arms, he placed his palm against her cheek and pressed his lips to hers. It was probably the gentlest kiss he’d ever given her and yet it was also one that held the deepest meaning. The touch of her lips against his had his heart unfreezing, the cracks beginning to knit back together.

It would be so easy to let this be the only part of their journey… the sweetness, the gentle touches, the sharing of nothing but words of love. It was so tempting to simply forgive her, to pick up where they’d left off, but he couldn’t. She’d been soft and beautiful that day as well. The day she’d run. What he had to do now was determine what had happened to cause her to change her mind. So no, he couldn’t take the easy path. The very fact that she’d spoken those words, “I came to face the truth,” told him that doing so wouldn’t heal her. Yes, they’d return to this and never take for granted how special it was, but first, they needed to clear the slate, wipe it clean so that she felt she’d received the discipline she’d earned. Without making her atonement, he knew she’d never find the forgiveness she so desperately needed.

Liam carried her to the island, setting her on one of the tall stools. As she settled, he moved around the island and reached for a mug he’d placed on the counter. Lifting the teakettle off the burner, he poured the hot water over the teabag, adding a generous stream of honey. His girl had a bit of a sweet tooth. After pouring a dollop of cream into it, he placed it in front of her.

“You remembered,” she said, wrapping her hands around the mug.

“I remember a great deal,” Liam said, watching a flush creep up her neck. He knew the color would settle in her cheeks. She’d always been quick to blush, something he had always adored.

Nodding, she lifted the mug to her lips, closing her eyes briefly and inhaling deeply before taking the first sip. Just like her blush, he loved the sound of her purr of satisfaction. It was the same she’d give when she was sated after they made love. His cock twitched behind his zipper. He couldn’t wait to make her purr again, and again and again. Pouring his coffee, adding nothing to dilute what he considered the perfection of the freshly ground beans, he drank her in with every sip he took.

“Where did you go, Elena? Do you have any idea how worried I’ve been?”

“I went back home… well, for a few days, but I had to leave. An old friend helped me find a temp job and let me stay in her garage apartment.”

Liam was a bit surprised to learn she’d gone home, but not that she hadn’t stayed. Elena had told him little about her family, but enough that he knew her relationship with her parents had been nothing but a hardship for her for as long as she could remember. As a freelance accountant, she also had the ability to pick up and go whenever she desired. She was very good at her job and her services were often in demand by various companies. Hell, that’s how he’d met her. She’d come to work for him and Sean to establish a better accounting system for their firm. Their attraction had been immediate. Within six months, they’d gotten more serious about their relationship, moving from dating to a dom/submissive one and beginning to discuss a dynamic he’d felt in his gut that she craved. He’d proposed and had been so certain that they would have an incredible life together… then she’d disappeared.

The silence stretched for a few minutes before she set her cup down, her fingers sliding up and down the porcelain. “Liam, I do want to say I’m sorry.” She paused as if expecting him to remind her that a phone call would have allowed that. When he only nodded, she took a deep breath. “And, I-I wanted to explain.”

This was what he’d wanted… what he’d asked himself the moment the taillights of her car had disappeared, what he’d wondered every single day since that one. Prepared to take the blame, to accept the responsibility of his failing her, he nodded again.

“When we met, I had no idea that anyone like you existed. Yes, there are thousands of good-looking men, men who are self-assured and successful. Men who can have any woman they wish, but I never imagined I’d be that woman. From the moment we met I felt a sense of wonder, of awe. With every date, every moment, you pulled me deeper into a dream. I’d never known anyone who paid… well, attention to everything. Like the shampoo and soap.” She paused, lifting her mug. “And this. You had my favorite tea ready. You have always been conscious of every detail and my every reaction. You knew me better than I knew myself, and that scared me.”

“Why?”

“As our relationship deepened and you became my dom, when you began to guide me, to teach me about submission… to love me, I felt that for the first time in my life, I was actually coming alive—not just existing—living, feeling. When you proposed, I was so happy. So incredibly honored you’d chosen me.”

“Then why? Why did you leave me, Elena? What did I do—”

“It… none of it was you, Liam. God, you were never guilty of anything other than loving me. I was just so… so fucking stupid.”

“Are you that anxious to change positions on that stool?” he asked, no longer able to remain silent.

“What?”

“You heard me, Elena. The rules haven’t changed. You aren’t allowed to curse and definitely not to put yourself down.”

She squirmed a bit but nodded. “God, I’m not saying this right.”

“Take your time,” he said.

He watched as she began to turn the ring around and around on her finger. The fact that it moved so easily told him she’d lost weight she couldn’t afford to lose and yet, he didn’t speak. It was obvious she was struggling and he’d sworn to himself he’d listen, no matter how much the words hurt to hear.

“The very first time you brought me here, I could see it in your eyes. Here, within the walls you’d helped build, you were at home. This place is special to you. It was here that you showed me it was all right to be free… to give, to submit, to love without restraint. Do you remember the party we held to celebrate our engagement?”

Liam knew he wasn’t likely to ever forget that day. He’d finally convinced the woman he loved with his entire soul to marry him. Though he’d already begun making plans to renovate the cabin, he’d decided to have a last party. “Yes, I do,” he said. “It was an incredibly special day for me. You were to become my wife and, on that day, we did our first scene as Daddy and little.”

She nodded. “Right. When you first began to speak about changing our dynamic… I didn’t… I was…”

“If we were moving too fast, if you felt I was pushing you toward something you weren’t ready for, didn’t truly wish—”

“Oh, no, it wasn’t that. The first time you said the words ‘Daddy’ and ‘little one,’ it was like you’d looked deep into my soul and seen what I’d never allowed to come out into the daylight. When we did that scene, the day of the party, I was so nervous because others were watching, but you made it incredible. I knew that you’d keep me safe even when you spanked me over your desk. You made it perfect for me.”

He wasn’t feeling enlightened in the least. “Elena, I don’t understand. If you felt that way, if you loved me, loved the fact that we were moving into a new lifestyle, why did you leave?”

“Let me finish,” she said, her voice rising for the first time. Sliding off the stool, she began to pace. “After we finished, do you remember everyone clapped and congratulated us? Wished us the best in our new life together?”

“Yes.”

“You and some others went outside to start grilling, and some of the women went to fix side dishes in the kitchen.” She paused and he nodded, not following but willing to give her time to explain.

“I stayed up here to take a shower and change before the bar-b-que, but when I was done, and leaving the bathroom, I could hear voices. The same voice that had just congratulated me… well, I knew that she’d been lying.”

Suddenly he felt they were reaching the reason she’d left. “Who was talking, about what?”

“Rebecca was talking to some other woman… Pamela, I think? They were still upstairs, standing by the desk. Rebecca was saying that the whole thing was unfair. That I-I’d ruined a perfect play place, that I was desecrating your cabin by demanding you turn it into some pathetic nursery. That I’d-I’d emasculated one of the most incredible doms she’d ever seen; I had stripped you of your manhood. She said you’d not be happy for long playing Daddy to some little mouse who didn’t know what submission even meant. I must have made some sound because they turned and saw me and she… Rebecca laughed. Pamela looked embarrassed, but she didn’t defend me. Instead, she listened to Rebecca saying for me not to worry. That when you finally came to your senses and left me, she’d be ready to remind you what a real woman, a real submissive was like.”

“Oh, Elena, baby, you know Rebecca has problems, is never satisfied or happy. The only reason she was here was because she came with Ronnie. I never was involved with her nor would I choose to be. Why would you believe a word of what she said?”

“I didn’t, not really… not at first. It wasn’t that; it was the fact that you were changing what had been perfect. You began to renovate the cabin—your haven—the next weekend. When you were done, we were to meet here.”

“Right,” he said. “I was so excited for you to see everything, to start our new life together but… you ran.”

“The day we met here, the moment I stepped onto the landing upstairs, I saw that Rebecca was right. There was no more open loft. No more spanking bench or horse. No apparatus at all. The only thing that was the same was the desk. Instead of implements on the walls, there were shelves full of DVDs, books, and board games. You opened the door to my new room and it was a room meant for a child… not a grown woman. You’d changed so very much for me and yet… I had done nothing for you. All I’d ever done was take. I ran because I knew that if I stayed a moment longer… if I was here when you realized that you’d made a mistake… that I’d shatter into a million pieces.”

Liam was through listening to such bullshit. “Now you listen to me, young lady, and you listen good. I don’t give a fuck what Rebecca or anyone else thinks. I will never tire of you. I love you. You take nothing, Elena. All you’ve ever done is give. Yes, I liked the cabin when I first built it, but, Elena, I didn’t renovate just for you. I did it for me as well. I wanted to make into our haven, our special place. Being your husband, your daddy, is the highest honor, the greatest gift you could ever give me. I want to take care of you, to cuddle you, to make life what you dream of because doing so allows me to live my dream as well. Don’t you see that?”

“Not then… but I do now.”

“What made you see the truth?”

“I ran and it was only because I did that I was able to come back.” She moved again, this time around the kitchen island and came to stand before him. “It took time for me to realize that she was wrong. That my family was wrong as well. That worth is not found in being better than anyone else. To realize that what Rebecca said was wrong and you… every word you’d told me was right. Katie helped me understand that a person can’t be weak and choose this dynamic. Weakness has nothing to do with submission. It takes incredible strength. To submit is the very definition of the word. Strength to know that while you will bend, you will never be allowed to break. Strength of mind to understand that by giving of yourself, you receive more than you’d ever imagined possible. Strength to know that only those who are willing to open their heart, to truly allow another person to hold it in their hands, have the most amazing, most precious love of all. It takes strength to ignore the judgment, the misconception, the biases of those people who are too narrow-minded to know that by giving of yourself, you aren’t giving yourself away… you are finding the other half of your very soul.

“By leaving that day, I realized that I had made the only choice that robbed me of the gift you’d given me. I was alive but I was no longer living. Without you, I was empty. I came to realize that it was your gift of love, of respect, of leading me, that had finally set me free… not by changing me but by allowing me to be exactly who I am.”

He crushed her to his chest, his heart feeling as if it was finally beating properly again. Her arms wrapped around his waist, holding him tight, her cheek pressed against his chest. It was several minutes before he dropped a kiss on top of her head and then stepped back, his hands on her arms.

“I never stopped loving you, Elena. But, I swear to God, if you ever pull such a stupid stunt again, I’ll make sure you can’t sit for a week. Understand?”

“Yes.”

“No, Elena, that won’t work anymore. From the moment you stepped into our cabin, you became who you should have been that day. It will be ‘yes, sir,’ or ‘yes, Daddy.’”

“Yes, sir.”

He didn’t fail to notice she’d chosen the less intimate address but, for now, that was fine. She’d come back. She admitted she loved him, needed him—needed her daddy.

“So… what happens now?” she asked.

“First, I am going to feed you and then, young lady, I’m going to blister your bottom for running away.”

“Oh… but, I thought… maybe we could just start over?”

He brushed his thumb down her cheek as he shook his head. “You thought wrong. Little girls who run, who don’t trust their daddies, who spend months worrying themselves sick, believing they are not worthy of love, those little girls are considered naughty.” He watched her closely, saw her chest rise faster as her breathing quickened, saw her bottom lip disappear between her teeth and yet never, not for a single moment, did she remove her gaze from him.

“And do you remember what we talked about when we began making our plans? Do you remember what I told you about what happens when you are naughty?”

Her head bobbed and he shook his. “Words, Elena, use your words.”

“You’ll punish me.”

“That’s right. Why?”

“Why?”

“Yes, Elena. Why is Daddy going to punish you?”

“Because I hurt you. I ran away and—”

“No,” he said, cutting her off. “Daddy is going to punish you because he loves you. Because you need to know that no matter what you do, no matter how naughty you are, I will always love you and will always forgive you. Do you understand?”

Her smile was the most beautiful thing he’d ever seen.

She softly whispered, “Yes, sir.”

Bending, he lifted her chin and kissed her. It was as if he was drinking from the most wondrous fountain. One that gave him back his life’s blood. He so wanted to plunder her mouth, to tangle his tongue with hers, but it was not yet time. Instead, he pulled away, loving her breathlessness, kissed her nose and then lifted her, returning her to sit on the stool.

“French toast or pancakes?”

“French toast, but I can help,” she said, beginning to slide from the stool.

“Oh, no, you don’t, young lady. Daddy is doing the cooking. You are doing the watching. Now get your butt back on that stool and enjoy the fact that you can sit without squirming.”

She blushed but settled on the stool, picking up her mug. If she noticed the tea had long gone cold, she didn’t mention it. Instead, she gave him a shy smile and as he turned to gather ingredients for their breakfast, he had to bite back a grin as she wiggled.

A half hour later, he swallowed the last of his coffee and looked down where Elena was pushing a piece of French toast around and around in a puddle of syrup. She’d been doing so for the last five minutes.

“Are you done?”

She startled a bit, her fork clattering as she released it. “Yes. I-I guess I wasn’t as hungry as I thought. It was great but…”

Elena hadn’t eaten anywhere near as much as he would have liked, but he understood why. Her blush and squirm confirmed that her mind had been more on what would happen after breakfast than what he had prepared for the meal. After dabbing his napkin to the corner of her mouth where a bit of powdered sugar clung, he kissed her forehead and lifted her from the stool, loving it when she wrapped her arms and legs around him. He felt her stiffen a bit as he passed the couch but couldn’t really blame her. They were both aware that it wouldn’t be long before her bottom would be burning. But it wasn’t yet time. She’d been worrying her breakfast to bits, her mind obviously so full of who knew what that she hadn’t been able to enjoy one of her favorite breakfasts. His little one needed to clear her head, to accept that she was back where she belonged. Most important, she had to learn that even though she was going to be punished, once it was done, she could let all her worries of the past go.

He didn’t set her down until he reached the wall. He’d never required corner time before but only because she’d run before they’d fully begun this dynamic. He was a firm believer that reflection was a valuable tool whether it be to consider some goal, some project, or, in this case, naughty behavior.

“Put your nose right in the corner, Elena.”

She looked up at him, her eyes wide before they shifted to the wall. “Liam, I’d rather just get the spanking over with. I’ve never—”

“Oh, there will be a spanking, but first you will do as instructed. The very fact that you not only just addressed me incorrectly, but believe you can determine the course of action tells me that you really need corner time. I want you to think about what you did that was naughty.” He guided her into position, a hand against the back of her head, gently pushing until her nose met the juncture of the two walls. “Be ready to make a full confession when I call you.”

Chapter Five

It didn’t take but a minute before Elena shifted her feet. Seriously? What grown woman stands in the corner?

Women who come back because they need their daddy, the voice in her head was quick to answer.

Yes, but I feel…

Like the naughty little girl you are?

“God, I wish you’d just shut up! This is boring!”

“Excuse me?”

Elena stiffened. That voice was not the mocking feminine one in her head. No, this was definitely one of the masculine variety.

“Elena Michelle Reeds, did you just tell your daddy to shut up?”

Whipping her head around, she saw Liam standing no more than a foot behind her. Had she really said that out loud? She really needed to stop talking to herself. “I-I wasn’t talking to you. I was just—”

“Saying that obeying your daddy is boring?”

“No! I mean… I was thinking this whole corner thing is boring, not you.” The moment his eyebrow quirked, she felt her stomach flip. That’s great, Elena. Go ahead, dig that hole deeper.

“I-I mean, not boring, but… I-I don’t like staring at the wall, my nose already itches and I can’t think like this.”

“Then, by all means, let’s see if we can make it easier for you, shall we?”

God, how she hated when he said that phrase. It usually preceded things that she didn’t particularly like. “Let’s get this spanking done, shall we?” “Let’s see how long you care to continue that snotty attitude, shall we?” “Let’s see if this paddle will make a better impression, shall we?”

“No, I mean, thank you for offering, but that’s okay. I’ll just stand…”

His chuckle silenced her, and she felt her face flush as she realized how idiotic that had probably sounded, but the twirl of his finger indicating she was to turn back around had her hoping that he was in a forgiving mood.

Once she was facing the corner again, it became clear that despite his chuckle, her daddy did not consider her offer humorous in the least. She felt his hands slip beneath her sweater and then his fingers unbuttoning her jeans. The sound of the zipper’s teeth ratcheting along its tracks followed as he leaned over her back to speak close to her ear.

“Let’s see if you’ll find it easier to focus on your naughty behavior with the part of your anatomy that will pay for those choices hanging out in the wind, shall we?”

She wasn’t sure if she would have been able to answer even if his question hadn’t been rhetorical. A tug had her jeans beginning their descent and they didn’t stop until they were at her ankles. When his fingers returned to slip into the waistband of her panties, she couldn’t help but clench her buttocks when they were slowly bared as he peeled the lacy blue fabric down. Once they rested on top of her jeans, she whimpered as the final barrier was removed with his lifting the hem of her sweater.

“Hold this up, Elena. I want to see every inch of that naughty bottom.”

Taking the soft fabric in her hands, she pulled it up a bit, her entire body flushing with heat and yet she whispered, “But it’s cold.”

“Oh, sweetheart, Daddy has a solution for that as well. All the way to your waist, Elena.”

With her sweater bunched at her waist, she discovered the solution when his arm hooked around her waist, pulling her back just a bit before an explosion of sound filled the air. She didn’t have time to do more than gasp before a second swat landed on her other buttock, each of her bare globes already stinging from just the two strokes.

“Warm enough?” he asked, his palm softly rubbing over her bottom.

“Yes.”

“Oh, Elena,” he said, his hand lifting and then descending again, adding to the heat in her rear before she realized her error.

“Yes, sir!”

“That’s better.” His hold at her waist disappeared, but she felt her head being pressed toward the wall. “Step back. No, keep your nose in the corner, but move back and lift your ass. Keep your sweater up. I want to be able to see my handprints all the way from the kitchen.”

She shuffled back a step, the position required causing her to bend forward to keep her nose against the sheetrock.

“Spread your legs.”

A whimper accompanied her obedience as she inched her feet apart.

“As far as your jeans allow, Elena.” Once she was in position, he bent toward her again. “Are you cold?”

“No, sir.”

“Are you bored?”

“No, sir.”

“Good. Do not move and do not think about anything other than what you will be confessing. Understood?”

“Yes, sir.”

She felt him move away and soon heard sounds coming from across the room as he began to clean up from breakfast. It wasn’t anywhere near as difficult to think about all the naughty things she’d done with her bare butt already stinging. It was embarrassing knowing that her ass was in full view and yet she had to admit, it definitely wasn’t boring.

“All right, come here, Elena.”

His instruction jolted her from her thoughts as it seemed like only a moment had passed. But when she straightened, the slight twinge in her lower back told her she’d been holding the position for several minutes. Dropping her hold on her sweater, she bent to pull up her clothing, only getting them to her knees before she realized he was speaking.

“No. Drop them. I did not say you may cover.”

She released her panties and jeans and began to move toward him.

“Sweater up, Elena.” He’d seen her naked before and yet having to pull her sweater to her waist and walk to him, no, make that shuffle to him, made her feel every inch the naughty little girl. It took her a while as her clothing made it awkward, but she didn’t stop until she stood before him where he’d taken a seat in the center of the couch.

Liam pulled her to stand between his spread knees. She was practically trembling, her stomach fluttering, her blood racing. God, how could she have ever thought that this wasn’t something she needed? No, not needed, craved. Yes, he’d spank her but then he’d hold her, forgive her, love her. Her pussy had begun to moisten the moment he’d unbuttoned her jeans and now, just thinking about being held in his arms, lying beneath him, her tender bottom rubbing against the sheets as he made love to her was making it slicker. It took his clearing his throat to pull her from her delicious daydream and to concentrate on the here and now.

“Tell me why I’m going to spank you.”

Before she could stop herself, she giggled. “Seriously? How long do you have?” When he didn’t grin, that eyebrow lifting yet again, she realized that yes, he was serious. This wasn’t playtime… this was discipline.

“I’m sorry. It’s just a rather long list… I’m not sure I even remember everything that earned me this spanking.”

“Tell me what you do remember,” he said, “then I’ll help fill in the blanks.”

“You can do that?” Shit, Elena, of course he can and if you keep up with the smart-aleck remarks, you’ll never get off his lap and on to the loving part!

Closing her eyes briefly, knowing he was only allowing her to do so in order to help her remember, she began. “I listened to someone else… let her opinion matter far more than yours.” She paused and opened her eyes, her feet shuffling a bit on the rag rug beneath her toes.

“Go on, Elena,” he said, obviously not satisfied with her list so far.

“I ran away. Um, and… and I didn’t answer your calls or texts. I know there is so much more.”

“Yes, there is. You continue to belittle the woman I adore. You question the fact that you, the most amazing person I’ve ever known, are worthy. You seem to have reverted back to that little habit of cursing. And, Elena, the one that bothers me the most is that you—”

“Ran?”

“No, but let’s add interrupting to the list as well.”

Shall we? she added in her head, mentally kicking herself for digging her hole a little deeper. “I’m sorry, sir.”

“I was going to say, that you seem to have forgotten one of the very first things we discussed as being vital to any relationship and crucial to one that included the dynamic of ageplay. Can you tell me what that is?”

This time she didn’t go with the first thought in her head. She took the time to slip back in time, to consider the conversations they’d had, the hours spent discussing not only the parameters of their dynamic but the requirements that would allow them to have a fulfilling, successful Daddy and little lifestyle. It didn’t take long for her to be able to give him the answer she knew was correct.

“I failed to communicate. Instead of bringing my concerns to you, I took them on myself. Instead of sharing my feelings, my fears, I internalized them. Instead of trusting you, I doubted myself.”

His fingers squeezed hers. “Exactly. You said that I wasn’t to blame, but, Elena, I am also responsible… as the man who not only loves you but has accepted the gift of your submission and who has taken on the responsibility of helping you become the best person you can be, having you doubt any of that means I’ve failed. You said you realized you’d thrown away the gift I’d given you but, Elena, you also robbed me of the gift you’d given me. You took away part of my heart, my very soul when you ran. You said you came back because you need your daddy. Don’t you see, that Daddy needs you? Will always need you?”

She felt tears welling as he spoke so softly, his eyes locked with hers, the love and sincerity in them so intense that she could barely breathe.

“I’m so sorry, Daddy.”

“Say that again.”

“I’m so—”

“No, the last word.”

“Daddy?”

When he nodded, his entire face lighting up, she realized that it was the first time she’d addressed him as her daddy since she’d returned.

“I love you, Daddy.”

“I love you too, baby girl. Very, very much.” He pulled her closer, wrapped his arms around her and hugged her tight. Pulling away, he kissed the tip of her nose. “I’m still going to roast your bottom, but never ever doubt that you are the most important person on this earth to your daddy.”

She couldn’t speak for the lump in her throat, but she nodded and that seemed like it was enough. He guided her again, this time positioning her to lie prone on the couch, her legs supported on one side, her torso on the other, her bare bottom—his target—centered perfectly over his lap. Experience had taught her that as comfortable as the position was, it didn’t make it her favorite. Not when she knew it meant he could spank a very long time without the blood racing to her head as it would do if she hung upside down over his knee. It also meant there would be a consequence to pay if she didn’t keep her legs down… if she kicked up, her bottom would not be his sole target. The backs of her thighs would be added into the equation. A naughty girl who’d earned a spanking was expected to behave during its delivery.

She felt her sweater being pushed up further and obediently lifted herself slightly so that it could be moved out of his way, lowering back down when the soft cashmere rested beneath her breasts. His palm rubbed against her bare buttocks, fingers stroking as if to familiarize themselves with the topography they’d not traveled in quite a while. When she felt him give each cheek a final, soft pat, she knew it was time.

Despite those swats when she’d been naughty in the corner, this first stroke still startled her. The second had her gasping. Had it been so long since she’d been spanked that she had forgotten how much it truly stung? And this was only his hand. Granted, his hand was so large that he could almost completely cover one of her buttocks. By the sixth, she’d pressed her cheek harder into the cushion in front of her and dug her toes into the one behind. She was determined to accept her punishment with dignity.

“You are not to ever…” he began to lecture, his palm crashing down against her right buttock, “ever believe you aren’t worthy.”

“You are amazing…” Her left buttock received its own punishing swats.

“Intelligent…” These four landed against the middle of her ass.

“Loving and deserving of love.”

Each pause had a set of four strokes landing on one globe of her ass, identical ones landing on the other side, then a set given across both of her now burning buttocks. Each word spoken was driven into her heart as his hand delivered the lesson on her rapidly heating flesh.

“Are you listening to me, Elena?”

“Yes!” she practically shouted, her legs twitching, so wanting to lift, to curl to cover her posterior.

Crisp, sharp slaps peppered across her bottom at a pace that didn’t appear to be slowing in the slightest. “Are you learning?”

“Yes, sir! Ow!”

Strokes continued to descend in a steady cadence. She lifted her head to howl and caught the sight of the fire in the fireplace. God, how could his hand not burn as hotly as her ass, for it already felt as if she’d taken a seat on those logs that were blazing?

“I’m sorry!”

“I’m sorry as well,” he said, fingers gliding across her hot flesh. “I’m sorry that this is necessary. But you need to know that each and every time you step out of line, every time you test either me or yourself, this is exactly what is going to happen. You’ll find yourself over my lap, your bottom bared and then blistered until you truly regret your choices. We’ll finish with twenty from your brush.”

The brush? He went upstairs and got the very implement I can now feel running across my ass? “No! Please, Daddy! No brush! I do regret my choices; I swear I do! That’s enough.”

“Elena, little girls do not dictate when they’ve been punished enough. Nor do they dictate what implements will be used to teach them a much needed lesson. Whose job is that?”

“Yours… but, my bottom hurts already!”

“This would be a rather worthless exercise if it didn’t, now wouldn’t it?” he asked, his tone informing her that he was totally unconcerned that she was about to spontaneously combust. “You need to understand that there is a price to be paid for your behavior, a higher price paid for your lack of trust in yourself and in your daddy. I won’t make you count them this time. Do not put your hands back, Elena. I don’t want to accidently strike them.”

The hairbrush was nothing like his hand. The wood made a thudding sound every time it connected, the weight compressing her flesh even deeper, driving the ache past the fatty tissue of her ass, assuring that she’d feel the paddling long after it was done. By the time he’d laid ten strokes across her bottom, she was sobbing, her promised composure a thing of the past. This hurt!

“Please… please… please,” she begged, her body beginning to twist, to squirm as she ignored his instruction, self-preservation having her hand reaching back in an attempt to throw off his aim, to save herself from even one swat. Her feet kicked up but when she felt herself being lifted as he moved forward, she instantly arched her head back and began to plead.

“Wait! I forgot… please, Daddy…”

He ignored her, draping her over his left knee while his right leg trapped both of hers. Her hands scrabbled for a hold as he tipped her forward, her butt lifted higher and yet she knew that it was no longer his target… not for these extra strokes.

“Please, don’t… ow… ow… ow!” Rapid swats against the tender flesh of her thighs had her wails so loud that she was sure the squirrels deep in the woods paused in their hunt for nuts to sit up and take notice.

“Is it naughty to kick up?”

“Yes! Yes!”

“Is it naughty to reach back?”

“Yes, I’m sorry!”

“Are you going to forget again?”

“No, Daddy!”

“If you do, we’ll start the count over, understood?”

She sobbed as she sputtered that she did, and he easily moved back on the couch, settling her once more face down, bottom up over his lap. Grabbing the pillow he’d slept on the night before, she buried her face in it and shoved her toes in the crack of the cushion behind her.

He waited until she settled and then the brush… the brush she now remembered she hated with a passion began to smack against her poor buttocks again. She bucked, she squirmed, she twisted, but she did keep her arms wrapped around the pillow and her legs down. It took the return of his hand to her bottom, the none too gentle squeeze of his fingers to have her understanding that the paddling was done.

Lifting her face from the depths of the now sodden pillow, she sucked in huge gulps of air. A final pat and then she felt him lifting her… not onto his lap to signify her punishment was done, but to guide her once more to stand between his legs.

She continued to sob, her hands reaching behind her, needing to assure herself that the flames she felt were only those of imagination and not truly dancing across her ass.

“No.” Reaching out, he pulled her hands down. “No rubbing, young lady. You let that fire you feel remind you what happens to naughty little girls. Go put your nose in the corner,” he ordered, pointing to the one she’d recently occupied. “Think about the fact that though your choices belong to you and you alone, making the wrong ones will have your ass burning each and every time.” With a none too gentle swat, he sent her on her way.

She’d already come to hate corner time. Every moment spent had her thinking not about what had sent her there but the fact that his eyes were on her, her punished bottom presented to the room while her vision was filled with nothing but plaster. Embarrassment over the fact that she couldn’t even walk properly but had to shuffle due to the clothing at her ankles caused her face to burn. Well, at least you have matching sets of blazing red cheeks.

“Very fucking funny,” she muttered.

“What did you say?”

Oh, Lord, had she really said that out loud? Freezing in place, she felt him come up behind her.

“Really, Elena? Cursing? So not a good choice, my dear.” He tucked her torso beneath his arm, keeping her tight against his side and began to smack her bottom again. Her feet danced, her bottom wagged, and she wailed. When the barrage ended and she found her balance again, she didn’t even speak but suddenly couldn’t wait to be in the corner, more than ready to hide her shame at being so naughty so soon after he’d punished her.

“Nose to the wall, sweater up, legs spread, and push that very red ass well out.”

“Ye… yes… sir,” she stammered, putting herself into the corner, exactly the place for a naughty little girl.

She had no idea how long he made her stand nose to the wall but it was long enough for her tears to stop and her breathing to even out but not long enough to really cool the fire in her bottom. Still, when he called her to him, she turned immediately, keeping her sweater well up. She didn’t have to shuffle this time for he was standing directly behind her. His arms opened and she threw herself forward, landing hard against his chest, but when his arms wrapped around her, she knew she’d been forgiven.

“I’m sorry I was so awful, Daddy.”

“I know you are, baby. And I know that was a hard spanking and paddling to take. Let’s get you cleaned up—”

“I took a shower this morning.”

“I know, but you forgot something,” he said, setting her back, one hand dropping from her back to move between their bodies.

Elena felt her face heat and her pussy clench as one of his hands moved between their bodies. She knew exactly what he’d find when he put his fingers between her legs. She had gone beyond moist to soaked during her spanking and not even the pain of her paddling had stopped her growing arousal. “I know I’m a little—”

“Exactly, so you know this,” he said, shocking her when his fingers didn’t move to her sex, but tugged on the copper-colored hairs between her legs, “needs to go. Little ones are allowed no secrets. They do not cover their little pussies from their daddies.”

“You want me to shave my…”

“No, little ones do not use a razor. That is Daddy’s job.” He gave her curls another tug and then released them before bending to pull up her panties and jeans. Straightening, he took her hand and led her to the stairs. “We’ll get you nice and clean and then Daddy will tuck you into your bed for a nap.”

A nap? What about… about the part where he made love to her? He had to know she was wet… that she was so needy she was shaking.

“After your nap, we will sit down and review the rules so you’ll know what to expect. All right?”

“Yes, sir,” she said, wanting to say screw the rules and just screw me. But with her bottom chafing against her clothing, she didn’t think that would be such a good idea.

Chapter Six

Liam knew his little one was a bit confused as the punishment hadn’t been immediately followed by a bout of lovemaking. Though he couldn’t miss the glistening between her thighs or the scent of her arousal, and though his cock had been rock hard since he’d pulled her jeans down before smacking her ass during corner time, he was determined to start off on the right foot. Elena wasn’t just his submissive anymore and he wasn’t just her dom any longer. She was his special little one and he was her daddy. And with that change in roles, came a change in how he planned on doing things.

He led her into the bathroom where he’d already made some preparations while she’d stood in the corner after her spanking. Water was slowly running into the tub as he wished to time it being full for when he was ready to place her into it. A thick towel waited on the wide vanity top, items that he knew she’d never seen before placed next to the sink.

It didn’t take long before he had her clothing removed, his hands unable to keep from running down her sides, moving across her belly and finally to cup her breasts, where her pink nipples were standing hard and firm.

“You’ve lost so much weight, Elena.”

“I didn’t try. I just couldn’t eat much.”

“Don’t worry. We’ll get you fattened up in no time.”

“Daddy, I think you’re a little confused.”

“Why do you think that?” he asked.

“Because you are supposed to fatten me up before you roast me.”

He burst out laughing and her giggle had him hugging her tight. It was so fucking good to hear that sound again. Cupping her face in his palms, he bent down until their foreheads were touching.

“Good thing your daddy loves to cook then, isn’t it? I can just keep practicing and practicing until I get the recipe just right.”

“That’s what I’m afraid of,” she said right before she giggled again.

He gave her a soft kiss and then stepped back and turned on the water in the sink. Though the vanity was long enough to easily accommodate two sinks, he’d installed one only, leaving plenty of counter space free. While the water warmed, he picked her up and sat her on the towel. “Lie back and pull your feet up to your bottom and then let your knees drop open.”

When she’d done as requested, he could see that her facial cheeks were as red as the bit of bottom cheeks revealed by her position. He’d never mind her blush as he found it absolutely adorable as well as a testament to how she was unable to hide her emotions. Soaking a washcloth with warm water, he pressed it against her pubic hair. At her gasp, he instantly pulled it away. “Too hot?”

“No… just wet.”

Liam chuckled as he replaced the cloth. “Not as wet as my little one, I do believe.” Yup, he would never tire of that flush on her skin. He allowed the cloth to remain while he mixed water with soap in his shaving mug and used the brush to whip it into a lather.

“I’ve never seen you use that to shave with,” she said, watching his every movement in the mirror.

“Ah, but Daddy has to take more care with his little one,” Liam said. “No electric shavers or disposable razors for my girl. Your skin is far more sensitive than mine.” He grinned and lifted the brush from the mug and dabbed a bit of lather onto the tip of her nose. “And, Daddy most certainly does not shave with lavender-scented cream.”

She laughed and reached up to remove the suds from her nose. “It won’t hurt, will it?”

“No, sweetie.” At her huff, he shook his head. “Do you remember the difference between hurt and harm?”

“Yes, sir.”

“Give me an example, please.”

She squirmed a bit and answered, “Hurt only lasts for a little while. Like a spanking. My bottom is burning, but I know the pain will go away and it didn’t harm me. Harm is something that doesn’t go away or causes injury that lasts for a long time.”

He removed the washcloth, setting it aside as he stepped in front of her. With the shaving mug in one hand, he said, “Good girl. I would never do anything to harm you. You know that, right? Not when spanking you and not when shaving you.”

Her eyes were riveted on his as she said, “I know, Daddy.”

He covered her mound with the lather, using the brush to get into every nook and cranny of her sex. Her nipples were hard as little berries and goosebumps popped up on her skin as he used the fingers of one hand to separate her bottom cheeks before swiping the brush across her perineum and over her puckered bottom hole. Setting the mug aside, he picked up the razor. He took his time, swiping a path through the lather with the razor and rinsing the blade free of fuzz before shaving another swath. She might have truly trusted him, but he noticed she held her breath when he separated the folds of her labia and carefully shaved each hair. With her mound denuded, he patted her right leg.

“Okay, baby girl. Pull your legs up to your chest and spread them wide. Keep them open with your hands.”

His order must have confused her for he had to help her into the position he required. Once she was laid open, he took a rolled towel he had ready and slipped it beneath her, effectively lifting her bottom.

“Good girl.”

After applying another layer of shaving cream, he shaved the sensitive area between her pussy and her rectum and then spread her cheeks again, which made her tense, her legs beginning to tremble. “Relax, Elena. I’m not going to cut you, but I am going to remove the hairs from your sweet little pucker.”

Her freshly bared pussy made it quite easy to see that she was glistening and her moan had his cock protesting its confinement. Keeping her buttocks spread, he continued until every last hair had been removed. Exchanging the razor for the wet washcloth, he ran it under the warm water and wrung it out before applying it again… this time over her bottom hole. He ran it around and around, far longer than it took to remove the remaining lather, lifting it to see her opening pucker so tightly and pulse with her heartbeat. Forgoing the cloth, he pressed his fingertip against her most intimate opening, hearing her gasp and seeing her attempt to pull away.

“No, Elena, relax. Just like you will no longer be allowed hair to cover your pussy, you will not pull away from me when I want to play. Every single inch of you belongs to me and I will touch, lick, play…” he paused, looking into her eyes to make sure she heard every word, “and fuck every part of you.”

Her green eyes were saucers as he informed her that her ass was no longer off-limits. He had every intention of sinking not only his cock balls deep in her bottom, but would be filling it with his fingers, his tongue, plugs, and anything else required to keep her not only obedient, but fulfilled. As if to force his point home, he began to press against her opening, watching it fight his entry, knowing it had absolutely no chance of winning. She softly panted as her sphincter lost its battle, yielding to allow his finger to slip inside.

“Oh… oh…”

“Shh, you’re fine, Elena. Just relax.” He pressed a bit further, moving his finger back and forth until her second ring of muscle stretched a bit, allowing him to press his finger completely into her bottom. “That’s my good girl. We’ll begin training this sweet little flower to open and soon I’ll take your last virginity.”

“Will… will it hurt?”

He’d never lie to her. “Yes, a little, more if you resist. But I promise it will also feel good.”

He could tell that she didn’t believe him and yet from the way her hips pressed against his hand, as if seeking the finger he’d partially withdrawn, he had no doubt that his little Elena would discover she was anal-erotic. Slipping his finger free, he continued to clean her with the washcloth and then removed the rolled towel and helped her to sit up.

Turning her toward the mirror, he said, “Look how pretty that sweet naked pussy is.”

Her scarlet face showed her embarrassment, but her eyes had a sheen to them that spoke of arousal as he dropped a finger to stroke along the seam of her sex. Just one graze of his fingertip over her little nubbin had her jerking. Pulling his hand from between her legs, he turned her again, secured her hair high on her head with a scrunchie, and then scooped her into his arms. He’d timed everything just right as he lowered her into the tub and turned off the water.

“Go ahead and play while I clean up,” he said, dropping a family of rubber ducks he’d purchased months earlier into the tub and watching them disappear beneath the mounds of suds. She hesitated for just a moment and then began pushing bubbles aside to find the toys. By the time he had the shaving equipment cleaned and stored away and pulled up a stool, she was guiding the ducks around the tub, scolding one when it strayed from its family.

He bathed every inch of her, rubbing the cloth over her nipples until they were hugely distended, so tightly puckered that he wondered if they ached. Deciding that they must, he bent his head, drawing one into his mouth, flicking his tongue across the bud again and again until she was trembling and mewling. After treating the other to the same, he gave it a gentle nip, loving her gasp and the splash of water as her legs shook. Releasing it, he instructed her to her knees. He’d already cleaned her pussy after shaving her, but that didn’t stop him from taking several long minutes running the cloth and then his fingers through her sex until she was shaking, her fingers tightly gripping the edge of the tub.

When his finger slid into the cleft of her ass, she clenched her bottom.

“No, Elena, relax your cheeks. You are never to attempt to keep me out.”

Her whimper sounded so sweet, a sign of her submission as she slowly loosened her bottom.

Sliding his finger up and down her cleft, he ran it across her perineum, over her clit, and then back up to what he’d told her was her sweet little flower. Though she was quivering slightly, every gentle press against her opening had her gasps and her mewls growing louder. He smiled at her reaction as she arched her head back and gave a deep moan the moment he breached her muscle. Yes, he was going to enjoy every single moment introducing his love to anal play.

With one finger moving slowly in and out of her rear, he used his free hand to stroke over her vulva, flicking her clit every few strokes until she was trembling so hard he was afraid she’d lose her grip and slip. Her mewl was much louder, sounded far more distressed when he popped his finger from her pucker and gave her clit a final pat.

“Oh, please…”

“You need to come… out of the tub,” he said, barely managing to bite back his laugh when she shot him a look of disbelief. “Oh, no, little girl. Your bottom is still red, so giving your daddy such looks is not a good idea. Besides, you are turning into a shriveled little prune.”

He stood, grabbed a towel, and then helped her to stand. Wrapping it around her, he lifted her from the tub. Tucking the ends in, he once again set her up on the vanity and removed the scrunchie from her hair. He almost chuckled again when her eyes widened as he picked up the brush. This time he used the other side, drawing it through her hair until it lay about her shoulders in smooth waves.

“Naptime, little one,” he said, picking her up again and leaving the bathroom. Carrying her through his room, he paused before the door to hers. “I’ve waited a long time for this. Ready to see your room, Elena?”

“Yes, sir.”

Opening the door, he stepped inside and smiled when she gasped. He didn’t move, just stood holding her as her head swiveled to take in the room he’d designed for her. The walls were a soft yellow, the baseboards, window seat, and trim around the doors a bright white. He’d found the bed in an antique store. It was twin-sized and the iron work was beautiful once he’d removed the rust and painted it white. Curlicues and flowers filled the headboard and footboard. He’d set the bed up on risers that were now hidden beneath the yellow bed skirt. He’d placed a patchwork quilt of many colors on the top, and at the head, a stuffed unicorn sat against the pillow.

There was a white dresser with knobs in the shape of flowers against one wall, a large rocking chair angled in one corner. A small white iron table sat beside the rocker, a lamp with a yellow shade and a book on the surface. Another corner held a low stool, where his girl would sit, her bare bottom on its surface, her nose in the corner when she’d been naughty.

“It’s… it’s perfect,” she said. “Oh, it’s more than I’d ever imagined. Thank you, Daddy.”

“You’re welcome, Elena. I’m so glad you like it. Now, let’s get you dressed and down for a nap.”

Setting her down, he went to the dresser and began opening drawers as she turned in a slow circle, taking in her room again. Making his choices, Liam moved toward the rocker and took a seat.

“Come here, sweetie.”

Once she had, he removed the towel, noticing she couldn’t suppress a shiver.

“Are you cold?”

“A little,” she admitted.

“Another reason to fatten you up a bit. Until then, I’ll dress you warmly.”

“When did you buy little clothes?” she asked as he held up a pair of panties decorated with another family of ducks.

“I’ve been shopping and preparing your room for a long time,” he said as she stepped into the underwear. “I picked out things I thought you’d enjoy and things I knew I would. Like this.” He unfolded the item he’d taken from the drawer and her mouth dropped open.

“They make those for big people?”

“You’d be surprised to learn that if you know where to shop, you can find anything you can imagine for any size person. Do you like it?”

“I don’t know. Does it have one of those openings… you know, in the back?”

“A drop seat?” Liam provided the correct name with a grin. “It sure does. How else are you supposed to go potty easily when it’s cold?”

“Unzip it?”

“No, that would take too long and you’d get cold pulling it down, which negates the purpose. With a drop seat, it will be very easy for you to go potty or for your daddy to lower the flap, pull your panties down, and spank your bottom if you are naughty. Isn’t that a nice touch?”

She shook her head, her cheeks flushed, but didn’t hesitate to lift her feet as he helped her into the garment. Once he’d zipped her from ankle to chin, she looked exactly as he’d imagined. Freshly bathed, smelling of lavender, wrapped in soft fuzzy footed pajamas, with a smile on her face, she was the picture of a precious little one ready for bed.

“Warmer?”

“Yes, sir.”

Pulling her onto his lap, he held her for a few minutes, rocking slowly as she rested her cheek against his chest. This, right now, this very moment, was what he’d yearned for. He’d begun to lose hope that he’d ever experience the perfection of holding the one woman he loved with his entire soul in his arms, rocking her, listening to her soft breaths as the tension she’d been living with began to truly drain away.

“Daddy?”

“Yes, sweetie?”

“When I said I needed my daddy… I-I didn’t mean I don’t need you—Liam—too.”

“I know that, honey, and believe me, I understand. But there are going to be new rules.”

“Will… will you… will we ever… make love again?”

“Yes, Elena. We will make love for the rest of our lives. I haven’t forgotten you are a woman, Elena. I haven’t forgotten what it’s like to hold you in my arms as I caress you, as I make love to you. I promise, my dream is to fulfill every one of your needs. Trust me, there will be fucking.”

She giggled and squirmed, and he knew she could easily feel his erection beneath her bottom. “Daddy, you said a naughty word. Maybe I should spank you.”

He chuckled. “Trust me as well when I say the only spanking that will be done will be by me. Now, are you ready to be tucked in or would you like a story?”

“A story, please.”

He smiled and picked up the book and began to read as he continued to rock. By the time he read the last page, she was sound asleep. Laying the book aside, he didn’t tuck her into her bed right away. Instead, he continued to rock her, cherishing the feel of her in his arms.

Chapter Seven

Elena woke to find herself tucked into her new bed, her unicorn cradled in her arms. She wondered what she was supposed to feel, searching her emotions and then smiling as she realized that there was no rule about how to feel… her emotions, her feelings were hers alone. And going by the fact that she felt warm, secure, and comfy—well, except for the slight ache in her bottom when she rolled onto her back—she was not only content, she was happier than she could ever remember being.

Her eyes drifted over the quilt, the bed, the dresser, and the rocker where she last remembered being. Liam had really done an incredible job. It was like he’d looked into her heart and pulled out what she’d always imagined as the perfect room to grow up in. The soft colors, the bookshelf full of books and toys that had been built beneath the bay window, all called for a little girl to worry about nothing, knowing that her daddy would take care of everything. Wiggling her toes in her footed pjs, she giggled. He’d even made sure that his little one would be nice and cozy when put to bed.

Bed… well, yes, she had slept in this one and had slept well. She hadn’t tossed and turned or awakened with a start after crying out in her sleep. But, if she were honest, she’d much rather be curled up against Liam’s body in his big bed. He’d said they’d make love but when? She wiggled again, remembering the feel of his hard cock as he’d rocked her. It wasn’t like he didn’t want her and after stroking her during her bath, he’d surely known she was desperate for him to take her, so why hadn’t he yet done so? When she’d been his submissive, he hadn’t placed her in a corner after he’d spanked her. He’d placed her on her knees and unzipped his pants. She’d kneel, her bottom throbbing, her eyes on his hands as he pulled his cock from his pants, watching as he stroked himself from root to tip. She’d lift her eyes to his and wait. He’d place his hand at the back of her head, pulling her forward and smearing her lips with the pre-cum oozing from his cock. Only when her lips were coated would he speak the command to open. She’d swallow hard, open her mouth, and accept his shaft between her lips.

“What are you doing?”

Shrieking, Elena’s heart pounded as she looked up to discover Liam in the doorway. It took a moment before she realized that she’d drawn her legs up and her hand was beneath the quilt rubbing against her sex. Snatching her hand free, she felt her face heat and her bottom clench.

“I-I didn’t mean to. I was thinking about you. I’m sorry…”

“Little girls do not rub themselves, Elena Michelle.”

“I know, but—”

“No buts,” he said, crossing the room in far too few steps. Pulling the quilt and sheet back, he reached for her. “I didn’t expect to have to demonstrate the effectiveness of this drop seat so quickly, but you just admitted you knew better.”

“No, Daddy, please don’t spank me!”

“Yes, Elena, every time you are naughty, remember?” He pulled her across his knee, dropping his leg over hers and had the buttons undone and the drop seat lowered before she could blink. The first swat landed and was immediately followed by another.

“Daddy, I’m sorry! I won’t do it again!”

“Won’t do what, Elena?”

“I won’t touch myself down… down there! Ow, please, Daddy!”

Her plea didn’t stop his hand from landing, swat after swat alternating from cheek to cheek. When she thought he was done, she discovered he’d only paused to pull down her new panties. The spanking resumed on her bare bottom. It didn’t take near as many strokes to have her squirming and bucking as her bottom was still tender from her first trip over his lap only a few hours earlier.

“Who is the only one allowed to touch your pussy, Elena?”

“You are.”

“Who decides when you get to come?”

“You do… ow, please!”

Each crack of his palm caused a new cry as the fire built.

“And who earns a spanking every single time she is naughty?”

“I do!” she wailed her answer, her feet drumming against the floor, her hands clutching the colorful rag rug beside her bed.

“That’s right. You do. And the next time Daddy catches you with your fingers anywhere near where they don’t belong, you will not only get your bottom spanked, you will then bend over the bed, lift up onto your toes, and offer your red, hot bottom to my belt. Is that clear?”

“Yes! Yes, Daddy!”

He gave her another dozen hard swats before his palm rested against her fiery flesh. After a few minutes, he lifted her and seated her on his knee, her hiss of pain ignored as her poor posterior took her weight. He held her as she cried, stroking down her back until she was only giving an occasional sniffle.

“Looks like I’m going to have to lay in a big supply of handkerchiefs, doesn’t it?” he asked, producing a fresh one from his pocket and holding it to her nose. She blew hard, not caring that she was being helped, just knowing that with her nose running like a faucet and her tears clogging her throat, it was hard to catch her breath.

“Thank you,” she managed, wiping a hand across her cheek.

“You’re welcome,” he said, giving her a hug and a kiss on her forehead before moving her to stand. “See that little stool?”

She almost groaned, spying it in the corner. “Yes, sir.”

“Go sit on it but let your bottom hang off the edge. You’ll bend forward, your nose touching the wall for ten minutes. And, Elena, if you disobey or wiggle about, I’ll take off my belt. Are we clear?”

“Yes, Daddy.”

“Then go to your naughty corner now.”

Elena turned away and trudged across the room. How had she gone from thinking how perfect everything was to lowering her aching bottom down to a small white stool, scooting back until her flanks hung off the edge before bending forward and sticking her nose to a wall—again!

Corner time might be new, having her pussy shaved as well, but she’d never been allowed to pleasure herself. Would she ever manage to go a few hours without being naughty? It was a long ten minutes but she didn’t dare move a muscle, the thought of hearing the hiss of a belt being pulled from its loops keeping her nose glued exactly where it had been ordered.

“You did very well, Elena. You may come out and make your apology.”

Standing took a moment but she was soon before him again. “I’m sorry I was naughty, Daddy.”

“I’m sorry as well. I was coming to wake you up for lunch, but now it seems you’ll have your tummy filled before we go downstairs. Kneel, Elena.”

The order had her eyes widening. This was exactly what she’d been thinking about. Did he somehow know? She dropped to her knees, her eyes on his hands as they unzipped his jeans and extracted his cock. Her pussy—the one she’d just been spanked for touching—spasmed and she had to bite her bottom lip to keep from moaning.

“Eyes on me, Elena,” he said, drawing her gaze up from where he was stroking his length to meet his. “Naughty little girls make a proper penance when they’ve been exceptionally naughty or have to be punished repeatedly in a day.”

She nodded and felt his hand cup the back of her head, pulling her forward a bit.

“Keep your eyes on mine.”

She obeyed but could feel the pre-cum being spread across her lips, the scent she remembered as his filling her nostrils as he coated her lips.

“Open.”

She opened her mouth, her lips already sticky with his seed.

He guided his cockhead between her lips. “Suck.”

Her entire body shuddered as she obeyed, closing her lips tightly and hollowing her cheeks. Her tongue ran across the fat mushroom head of his cock, tasting the pre-cum that still seeped from the slit.

“All the way down now, Elena. Make a proper penance or you’ll feel my belt and then try again.”

She didn’t need any further instruction. Bobbing her head, she began to move up and down his shaft, her tongue flicking along the ridge, dancing across the glans before taking his cock further into her mouth, her tongue running around the frenulum, her saliva coating his dick as she took more and more into her mouth. Her eyes began to water as the head nudged against the back of her throat and she had several more inches to take. It had taken her many attempts before she’d learned to fight against her natural gag reflex, to allow her throat to open, to accept him slipping inside.

“You remember. Every inch, Elena.”

His eyes never wavered from hers though he appeared a bit blurry as hers were tearing up, but she didn’t want to disappoint him… not again. Gagging a bit, she forced herself lower, reminding herself to breathe through her nose and knowing that he would not make this easy for her but he’d never harm her either. It wasn’t pretty, it wasn’t quiet, it wasn’t neat as she struggled, gagged, slurped, and strings of saliva dripped from her chin, but she performed her penance.

When his hand tightened in her curls, she knew he was close. She reached forward and cupped his balls gently and it wasn’t but a moment before she felt them tighten. Moving the final inch, his pubic hair tickled her nose and then he groaned and erupted, shooting thick ropes of sperm into her throat, filling her so quickly she struggled to swallow, to keep her mouth in position, her lips tight around his jerking cock. By the time he pulled her back, she was a little lightheaded.

“Release,” he said and when she opened her mouth, he pulled his cock free, allowing her to draw in deeper breaths.

He reached out and stroked her cheek, her chin, feeding her a drop of sperm she’d not managed to capture. Sucking it from his finger, she calmed, breathing deeper until her heart was no longer pounding. He pulled his finger free.

“Thank you, sir. Thank you for punishing me and thank you for allowing me to make my penance.”

“You’re welcome. You did a good job, Elena. Both in accepting all your punishment today and in giving a proper penance.”

“It-it wasn’t perfect,” she said.

“No, but did you perform it with sincere contrition and with love?”

“Oh, yes, sir.”

“Then it was perfect enough.” He lifted her from her knees and drew her into a hug before kissing her, not pulling away even though she knew he could taste himself on her lips, on her tongue. Her pussy pulsed with the kiss, but she knew that it wasn’t her place to soothe it, to touch it. Her pussy, her mouth, and… and her bottom belonged to one person—her daddy.

* * *

After leading her into the bathroom, he washed her face but did not allow her to brush her teeth, not bothering to explain why as she already knew she wouldn’t be allowed to do anything to remove the taste of him until he was ready for her to do so. She found the drop seat was convenient as he instructed her to go potty. They returned to her room where he dressed her in a pair of fleece-lined purple leggings and a thick sweater spotted with a variety of different color polka dots. After making the bed, he sat her down on it, ignoring her squirm as he pulled a pair of thick socks over her feet before slipping them into a new pair of boots. He brushed her hair and pulled it up into two pigtails, tying one end with a red ribbon, the other with a yellow one. She smiled as she caught her reflection in the mirror above the dresser. She looked years younger than her chronological age.

Lunch consisted of thick grilled cheese sandwiches and bowls of his homemade tomato soup. It was hot and filling, and though he’d tucked a napkin in the neck of her sweater to serve as a bib and cautioned her to blow on each spoonful of soup, she didn’t feel ridiculous, she felt cherished. The only thing that could have made it better would have been if he’d allowed her to place one of the fat pillows she’d snagged from the couch on her stool. But when she set it down on the wooden seat, he quirked his eyebrow.

“I… I guess not?”

“You guess correctly. Little ones who earn themselves two spankings and a paddling before lunch do not get to ease their discomfort with pillows.”

After lunch, he sent her to get her coat. “I don’t know where you put it, Daddy. The last time I saw it was in the bathroom.”

“No, honey. Not your windbreaker, I meant your new coat. It’s hanging in your closet. Oh, and your mittens are in the top drawer of your dresser.”

It took her longer than really needed as she stood in her closet, gawking at all the clothes hanging from the rods. Dresses, blouses, skirts, and sweaters filled the space. He’d not only shopped, he must have bought out the store. Clothes weren’t the only items. Shoes were on racks; sneakers, rain boots, slippers, saddle shoes, and Mary Janes were lined up, waiting to be worn. There was also more than one coat. A pale pink coat with a fur collar and an actual fur muff draped around the hanger beckoned, but seeing a navy blue one next to it, and knowing he had suggested a walk, she stroked the fur for a moment before pulling the blue one from the hanger. She grabbed a red pair of mittens from the drawer and ran downstairs.

“Wow, you bought a lot of clothes!”

He laughed and took the coat from her, holding it open so she could slip her arms into the sleeves. “I did, and I can’t wait to see you in every outfit.”

“I love the pink coat. It is so pretty!”

“I’m glad you like it. You can wear it later this week when I take you to town.”

She wasn’t sure she liked the sound of that. “Town? Like where… other people are?”

“Yes, the town is small, but I’m pretty certain there will be people. Why?”

“I-I’m not sure. What will they think seeing a grown woman dressed like… like a little girl?”

“Don’t you fret about that, Elena. Trust me that you’ll be just fine. Give me your hands.”

She held out her hands and he slipped her mittens on. After he had pulled on his outerwear, he opened the door and they went out onto the porch.

Elena pushed the worry about the upcoming visit to town from her mind as she looked around in awe. “It looks like a wedding cake!”

Liam laughed. “Well, it is certainly white, isn’t it? Ready to take a hike?”

“Can we build a snowman instead?”

“Sure we can. Where do you want him?”

Elena looked around and then pointed to the place where she’d entered the woods. “Over there. That way he can keep watch on all those animals I heard rustling around when I looked for the rock with the key.”

Liam looked toward where she pointed. “Why would you look for the key rock in the woods?”

“Because that’s where I kicked it,” she said. Looking up, she saw his eyebrow lift. Giggling, she tugged on his hand to get him moving, explaining as they walked toward the trees. “So, it flew really far and I could hear animals moving. It scared me but I knew I’d freeze if I wasn’t brave enough to find it. By the way, are there bears up here?”

“Yes, bears and wolves though I haven’t seen any near the cabin. I’ve seen a lot of deer and smaller animals like rabbits and opossums.” He suddenly stopped and squatted, pointing to some marks in the snow. “See those?”

She bent over, peering at where he pointed. “Oh, are those bear tracks?”

“No, those belong to a raccoon, but they prove a point. You are never to go into the woods without me. I don’t want you to worry too much about wildlife. Like I said, the larger predators don’t tend to come close to civilization and living among nature is one of the reasons I chose to build up here, but you could easily get turned around and lost.”

“Oh, you don’t have to worry about that,” Elena said, scanning the woods. “In fact, why don’t we build our snowman over by the cabin? That way we can look out the window and see him.”

His laugh rang out loudly, but he simply stood and lifted her off her feet until her face was level with his. “This is your snowman, sweetie. We can build wherever you want.”

“Then by the porch,” she decided instantly.

“Your wish is my command,” he said, kissing her before putting her down. “Now, do you know how to roll big balls for your snowman?”

“Daddy!”

“What?”

“I don’t want my snowman to have balls!”

This time he laughed so hard he bent over, clutching his side while she stood staring at him. When he could speak, he shook his head. “Oh, Elena, I forgot how adorable you are. I didn’t mean testicles, I meant how to start with a little ball…” He chuckled and she huffed but couldn’t keep a straight face. “Look, I’ll just show you, okay?”

She watched as he started in an area close to the woods and slowly walked forward, keeping the small clump of snow together and making it grow larger with every revolution. Understanding what he meant, she began her own ball, walking beside him, her mittens soon covered with snow as they made their way toward the porch. By the time they reached it, he had a huge sphere of snow and while hers was smaller, it wasn’t little.

Liam asked her exactly where her new friend should stand and after looking up, she pointed to a spot directly in front of the window. Not only would they be able to see him from the living room, she could look down from the window seat in her room and wave hello. When the base was in position, he lifted hers on top, making the snowman’s torso.

“Now for the head,” he said. “Why don’t you roll it while I pack these well so he won’t tumble down with a stiff wind?”

“Okay.” Elena repeated the movements, not having to walk quite so far or so long before she had a good-size ball that would be their snowman’s head. Once all three were together, she smiled but then frowned. “He needs a face.”

“Yes, he does. And some arms. Why don’t you run inside and get a carrot out of the fridge? That will make a good nose. I’ll find some sticks for his arms.”

She rummaged in the fridge and returned outside with her hands full. Liam looked up and laughed. “I didn’t say bring the entire produce drawer, sweetie.”

“I know, but he needs more than a nose.” Dropping her selections into the snow, she held up a bunch of grapes. “These can be his eyes and mouth.”

“Baby, I don’t think you’ll want to watch some bird swoop down and pluck his eyeballs out.”

“Ewwww! That’s gross!” she squealed, jerking her fingers back from where she’d been about to push a grape into the snowman’s face.

“Besides, they’ll just slip out. You need something with a bit of texture for the snow to grip onto.”

“How about these?” she asked, plucking a plum from the snow. Before he could answer, she shook her head. “No, they are too big and smooth.”

“Don’t worry, we can find some small rocks under the porch. The snow isn’t too deep there.”

Elena looked back toward the porch and the darker area beneath it. Shuddering, she said, “I am so not going to crawl under there.” Turning back, she gave him a smile. “That’s what daddies are for.”

“Oh, is that what they’re for?” he asked, picking her up and swinging her around.

“Yes,” she squealed, laughing at their play.

“Okay, then,” he said, kissing her before setting her down. “You stay here and eat some grapes while I risk life and limb finding some stones.”

“Sounds good to me.” She did indeed eat some fruit while he got down on his hands and knees and crawled beneath the porch. “Watch out for spiders!” she called, popping another grape into her mouth.

“Watch out for diving birds,” he called back.

She immediately scanned the sky and heard him laugh.

“Very funny, Daddy,” she said, rolling her eyes but quickly finished the cluster of grapes and had eaten a plum by the time he returned. “Here,” she said, handing him a plum after he’d spilled the small rocks he’d collected onto the ground.

“I’m not really hungry, sweetie.”

“But he needs another button and I’m full,” Elena said, pointing to the snowman’s body where she’d inserted the pit of the plum she’d eaten.

“Ah, well, in that case, thank you,” Liam said, taking a bite of the fruit.

Elena bent down and picked up several of the small rocks. “These are perfect. Thanks, Daddy.”

“You’re welcome. I even brushed the spiders off.”

“That’s because you are the best daddy in the world,” she said, going up on her tiptoes to kiss his cheek. He smiled and added his ‘button’ while she carefully pushed two larger stones into place for his eyes, then used several small ones to form his mouth. Finally, she pushed the carrot into the snow and stood back.

“He looks great, honey,” Liam said from where he’d stuck the first of two forked twigs into the middle sphere to serve as arms.

“Wait,” she said, dashing into the house again. This time when she returned, she was carrying a scarf she’d pulled from her duffle. She’d totally forgotten about it yesterday when she’d been so cold. Wrapping it around his neck, she stood back, this time smiling. Reaching out, she took hold of the forked stick and gave it a small shake.

“Hello, Mr. Snowy. My name is Elena. It’s such a pleasure having you as our guest.”

“It’s my pleasure. You are a sweet, adorable hostess, the absolute best little girl in the universe.” She smiled as Liam altered his voice from where he’d disappeared behind their very plump creation.

“Then maybe you can tell my daddy not to spank me?”

“Not likely.”

She laughed and then squealed, turning to run when Liam popped up and reached for her.

“Come back here, little girl!”

“Not likely,” she said, tossing his words back to him and then dropping into the snow and forming a snowball. Soon, the white missiles were flying back and forth and her shrieks filled the air. When one landed on the crotch of Liam’s jeans, she stared and then burst into giggles. “Oops! Look, Mr. Snowy, Daddy has white balls too!”

“Oops? I’ll show you oops.” It was clear she had no hope of escaping as he reached her within three steps. Tossing her up, he caught her, slung her over his shoulder and planted a swat on her bottom.

“Ouch!”

“Oops!”

He kept her in place as he turned back toward the cabin. She didn’t argue as snow had slipped down the collar of her coat, into the back of her leggings, and over the tops of her boots. Her mittens were soaked, but cold as she was, she couldn’t have been happier.

A Little Atonement by Maggie Ryan (1)

Prologue

Chapter One

Chapter Two

Chapter Three

Chapter Four

Chapter Five

Chapter Six

Chapter Seven

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