Carrie took her hand from her face and ran it through his dripping hair. Her fingertips trailed over the side of his face and traced over his lips. “Yes,” she whispered.
“Yes, you’ll marry me?” Wes looked on, hopefully.
Carrie laughed. It felt good to laugh again. “Yes. I will marry you, Wes.”
Wes jumped up, pumping his fist in the air and letting out a loud “Whoop!” Mud splashed up all over the two of them. Wes wrapped his arms around Carrie tight and picked her up off the ground, spinning her in circles. He put her down, then leaned down and kissed her, his arms around her. Wes reached for her left hand and slipped the ring on her finger. Wrapping one arm around her waist, the other around her back, he tangled his hand in her hair, pulled her close and kept right on kissing her.
Back at the house, and changed into dry clothes, Ma winked and said, “I told them to go ahead and eat without you.” Carrie and Wes sat in the kitchen, drinking milk from tall glasses, eating plates heaped with leftovers. Their bare feet rested on one another under the small breakfast table. The newly engaged couple were beaming, laughing over nothing and sitting as close as possible.
Wes sat back, hand on his flat stomach. “I couldn’t eat another bite.”
“Even if it was your mama’s famous apple pie?”
“Well, maybe I have room for just a few more bites.”
Carrie served them both pie and coffee, making Wes’ just as he liked it. As they nibbled at their dessert, Carrie said, “Well, there is just one little problem.”
Concern quickly crossed Wes’ face. “What’s that?”
Smiling, Carrie said, “Mabel is going to throw an absolute fit when we put her right back into that horse trailer.”
“You’re coming back with us? Now?” Wes’ voice sounded like he thought Carrie’s declaration was too good to be true.
“Yes, Wes. The Lonestar Cattle Company is my home, now.” Carrie leaned in and kissed her fiancé. Wes placed a hand gently on each side of her face and kissed her back.
“That’s the second-best news I’ve heard all day.” His grin was so wide it made Carrie laugh out loud.
A moment later, Wes quickly sobered. “Carrie, we need to talk. Is there somewhere more private we can go?”
“Of course.” Carrie peeked through the kitchen doorway into the family room. The unexpected storm had driven everyone inside, and they were enjoying a football game on TV.
“How about the barn?” Wes asked. The smile went from his face, the joy from his voice. The change in his demeanor made Carrie feel wary.
“Okay,” she said softly. Wes took her hand into his and quietly led her out the back door, to the barn.
When they were inside the building, Wes pulled the door shut. There was a bench against one wall, and Carrie sat down nervously. Wes ran a hand through his still damp hair, then sat beside her. It was a few moments before he finally spoke and Carrie’s stomach was in knots.
“Carrie,” he started. Turning towards her, he placed one hand over her hands that sat together in her lap. He looked into her eyes, “When you left that night—I understood. It was all too much. But you ran off into the city by yourself. Then you took off home. You refused to answer my calls. I was worried sick.”
“Oh, Wes, I’m sorry.”
Wes held up a hand to stop her. “Carrie, my mistake was waiting too long to propose, and I apologize for that. But I wouldn’t be doing us any favors if we began our engagement without being true to who we are and what we want.” He lightly ran his fingertips down the side of her face. “And who we are right now, is a Daddy with a little girl; that took her hurt, and her pride, and went way too far.”
Tears burned her eyes. Thinking about the pain she had caused them both with her fear and pride caused a wave of guilt to come crashing down on her. Carrie knew now, why Wes had asked to go somewhere more private and why he wanted to come to the barn. Her stomach felt like she had swallowed a ball of ice when she saw Wes draw the brown leather strap from behind him.
He laid it on the bench between them. Then he looked at Carrie. “Is this the type of marriage that you want to enter into with me?” he asked solemnly.
Twirling the lovely silver and green ring in circles on her finger, Carrie looked at the horrid little brown strap. The memory of Wes punishing her with the strap on roundup day was still fresh in her mind. Then she looked into the kind, rugged face of her heart and soul—her daddy.
“Yes,” she whispered.
Giving a small nod, Wes beckoned her.
Knowing she was committing herself to a life of unconditional love, guided by strict discipline from her man, Carrie adjusted her clothing and put herself over Wes’ lap.
He lifted the strap from the bench and laid it across her bare bottom. “Baby girl, promise me you won’t ever leave like that again, no matter the circumstance.”
“I won’t, Wes. I promise.”
The strap came down, and the familiar biting sting came with it. Carrie inhaled sharply. It came twice more, the hot burn spreading across her bottom. Carrie did not fight the pain. Instead, she let it melt away the guilt that had seemed to be suffocating her. As Wes continued to spank her with the strap, she lay across his lap fully embracing the well-deserved chastisement from the man who was her everything.
When Wes put the strap down and pulled her up into is arms, Carrie let her tears flow freely.
Holding her tightly, Wes murmured into her hair, “Carrie, I was lost without you. Absolutely lost.” Smiling down at her, he said, “How soon can I make you my wedded wife?”
“Christmas,” Carrie said softly.
“Christmas?” Wes asked, gently tilting her gaze towards his with a finger underneath her chin.
The worry and regret of the past months were now gone. Carrie felt a haste to begin their new life together. “I’d like to be married at Christmas.”
“Then for Christmas, I will have the best gift of my life,” Wes said. “My wife.” Carrie laid her head on Wes’ chest as he lovingly wrapped his arms around her. “Daddy mine, forever,” she whispered.
The End
Shanna Handel
Shanna Handel is a spanked wife and author of clean spanking romance that is seriously hot. She balances submission with naughtiness in her daily life, as well as in her works. All of Shanna’s stories include tales from her experience, as well as direct quotes from her loving, firm husband. Her goal is that you come to love her characters as much as she does, and she hopes her books cross your mind every once in a while after you read them.
Visit her website and blog here: www.shannahandel.com
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