Chapter Two
Cleve took his time changing out of his suit. He wanted to give his temper a bit of time to cool before he paid his feisty neighbor a visit. He'd known she was upset with him last night and again this morning, but she'd gone too far with this little bit of revenge. Of course, she was going to deny any involvement, and he was going to paddle her butt for lying, too. He was walking through the house, prepared to go and visit Pebbles when his doorbell rang.
"Chief Blankenship!" the officer standing there looked at him in surprised recognition, but his expression changed to one of horror at the situation in which he found himself..
"Officer Divens, what can I do for you?" Cleve asked cordially.
"Uh... well... There's been a complaint, sir. Your neighbor doesn't like the odor... I'm sorry, sir. I didn't know you lived here," the young man swallowed hard, hoping his face wasn't as red as it felt."
"Who made the complaint?" Cleve asked curiously.
"Miss Kelsey Sherwood," he pointed to Pebbles' condo.
"Thank you, Officer. I'll get it cleaned up right away. It was a practical joke... by Miss Sherwood, and I am sure she is going to want to clean it up."
"Is she that woman who came in to the station this morning?" the young man's curiosity got the best of him. "Awww shoot! I'm sorry, sir. That's none of my business."
"Yes, it's the same woman, and it appears I'm going to have to lay down the law pretty firmly," Cleve confided. "Don't worry, Officer Divens, I will see to it this mess is cleaned up right now. If anyone else calls to complain, tell them the situation is under control."
"Yes, sir, I can do that. Thanks for being so understanding."
"You did your job, Neil, and I appreciate how difficult it was for you." Cleve smiled at the young man to show there were no hard feelings. He watched as the young officer followed procedure and radioed in that he was finished with the call and available. Cleve then stuck his keys in his jeans pocket, shut the door, and marched next door.
"I certainly hope you intend to get that disgusting mess cleaned up immediately, Chief Blankenship!" Kelsey stepped outside to confront him before he could ring the doorbell. "I like to have my windows open, and with that stench, it is impossible to do so!" She wanted to laugh at the look of anger on his face. She'd seen the police car come to follow up on the complaint she called in.
"I came to see if you wanted to help clean it up... in the spirit of neighborliness, of course," Cleve said.
"Sorry, I'm working and much too busy. You shouldn't have ordered this stuff if you didn't have time to deal with it."
"I didn't order it."
"You didn't?" Kelsey asked in surprise.
"Did you happen to see who made the delivery? I'm sure there has been a mistake of some sort." Cleve wanted to see how far Pebbles was willing to go with her deceit.
"No, I didn't see a thing," she lied. "She'd watched through the window as Mr. Treas unloaded the stuff right where she asked him to.
"You don't know anything at all about this...?" Cleve asked with a disarming smile.
"Nope, not a thing," Kelsey felt smug. "I feel sorry for you, having to clean up that mess in this weather. It smells so bad!" she commented, and it was all she could do to keep from laughing at him. Revenge smelled sweet.
"Mr. Treas called, Pebbles. Said he wasn't happy because he felt the load was too small for what my wife paid. Naturally I called the man back to see if he made a mistake on the delivery. Imagine my surprise when he described my wife..."
"Really? I didn't know you were married?" Kelsey prided herself on having a decent poker face.
"I'm not." He gave her one of his 'tell me the truth' smiles, and then said, "Mr. Treas is a little put out that he was involved in a prank."
"Well, I imagine so. Poor man!"
"He suggested a good spanking for the woman who pulled this prank."
"A spanking!" Kelsey repeated in shock. "That is ridiculous!"
"I think a spanking is exactly what she needs," Cleve said, nodding his head. "Fortunately, I was able to get a good description."
Kelsey started to feel a bit uneasy. In her plan, Mr. Treas didn't call and talk to Cleve, but the man was a cop and she should have known he would get to the bottom of things. "Well, I hope you catch her," she said with a disarming smile. "I need to get back to work."
"You need to get to work, all right," Cleve nodded in agreement. "You need to get busy cleaning up this mess."
"What? Don't be ridiculous!"
"Mr. Treas said my wife is tiny and has red hair and wears it pulled up on top of her head... just like Pebbles Flintstone," Cleve added that last little touch just to watch her green eyes turn to fire.
"You don't think I am responsible for this, do you?" Kelsey faked indignation.
"No, I don't think you responsible, I KNOW you are responsible, Pebbles. You wanted a bit of revenge and now you are going to clean up this mess. Just tell me one thing, do you want your spanking before or after you move that mess from my driveway?"
"Now just a minute, Mister! You can't seriously expect me to clean up this sh**!" Kelsey was furious. "I won't do it!"
"Yes you will, or you'll get a spanking before AND after," he promised.
"You wouldn't dare do that! You can't come over here and start making accusations. You don't have any proof."
"I'm sure Mr. Treas would be willing to ID you, Pebbles," Cleve stated matter-of-factly. "The man feels you used him and he doesn't like it. He is an honest, hard-working farmer, and he doesn't appreciate being part of a practical joke."
Kelsey was not one bit happy at being caught out. "I can't see why he is so upset. I paid him well, and even extra to get that stuff delivered today! He should be happy he made a sale, and he had no right to betray me when he learned it was a practical joke!"
"He's upset because you made a fool of him, Pebbles. You'd best get busy; it's going to take all evening to move that stuff out of my driveway, and if I get any complaints from the other neighbors, you're going to tell them that this was your idea of a joke."
"No I won't!" Kelsey refused. "I'm busy with work, and you are on your own. Next time you're tempted to take someone's stereo power cord perhaps you'll remember this lesson!" Kelsey turned to go back inside her house but Cleve took her arm and stopped her.
"Pebbles, I am dead serious. You ARE going to clean up this mess, and you ARE going to do it right now. One more word of argument, or one more nasty comment, and you ARE going to get a spanking before getting started, and when you are finished, you ARE going to get a spanking for pulling such a ridiculous, childish, petty stunt, and then trying to lie about your involvement. Now, you come on out here and get a shovel and get busy, or we'll go inside my garage and paddle your cute little fanny."
"You just try it, you big bully, and I'll call the cops and have you arrested, and if they refuse, I'll call the television station and report you to the media!" Kelsey promised, trying to jerk her arm free of his grasp. It didn't work. Cleve held her tightly and pulled her along with him to his place, where the garage was already open. "No, you wouldn't!" she tried once again to free herself from his grasp.
Cleve was through talking. He pulled her along and hit the button to close the garage door, and while the heavy door was coming down, he took a seat on the steps leading into the house and jerked her down over his knee and started spanking the seat of her jeans.
"Owwwww! Stop it, you son of a bitch!" Kelsey screamed furiously. "Stop it right now!" She kicked and reached around to pinch Cleve's side as hard as she could.
Cleve let out a yelp and immediately brought both her hands back to the small of her back and pinned them there. "You shouldn't have done that, Pebbles. Now I'm going to make sure you regret acting like a brat." He suited actions to words, and started applying his hand again.
Kelsey was shocked by how much his hand hurt on the seat of her jeans! She'd never been spanked, and it was not only humiliating and embarrassing, it was painful as could
be! "Stop! Owwww! Please! It hurts too much! Owwwww!" Kelsey hated herself for begging, but she simply couldn't stop herself. "Please stop, Cleve. I'm sorry I pinched you! I'm sorry for trying to get even. Please... I'm sorry!"
Cleve continued to spank her wiggling bottom. "You're only sorry because you're getting a spanking. I imagine you will be truly sorry by the time you've finished dealing with all this mess, young lady."
"Owwwww! Ouch!!! I'm sorry! Please stop, Cleve! Please!" Kelsey was horrified when she started crying.
"Are you going to stop giving me sass and clean up this mess you are responsible for, young lady?" Cleve demanded, giving her upper thighs a couple of hearty spanks for emphasis.
"Yes!" Kelsey promptly agreed, anything to stop the spanking. She immediately found herself on her feet and Cleve hit the switch to open the garage door and the garage was flooded with daylight once more.
"Here is a pair of gloves so you don't get blisters. You can spread that stuff on all the flower beds in both our yards, and don't go overboard or you'll kill our plants," Cleve ordered. "The yard tools and wheelbarrow are yours to use. Don't waste time. I want this done before dark, and I want this driveway hosed down so I can pull my car inside without tracking manure inside."
Kelsey swiped her face with the backs of her hands before pulling on the gloves. She hated yard work and hired a company to mow her grass. She hired a nursery to put out flowers and tend the beds. She wanted no part of spreading the fertilizer over their yards. "Why don't I just call Mr. Treas and have him come and remove his product? It would be much simpler..."
"For you, yes. But, you started this and now you will deal with it, young lady. Get busy or I'll take you over my knee again. You don't want to give me another reason to spank you right now, Pebbles. You have a serious punishment coming and you don't want another spanking before that happens."
"No!" Kelsey was horrified at the very thought of another spanking. "Please don't! You already hurt me and I don't ever want that to happen again. I'll clean up the mess, but only if you promise you won't do that again!" she put her hands on her hips and faced him. "I'm already sore as can be!"
"You are sore because you didn't heed my warning, and you were promised you would be punished. I'm not going to change my mind, Pebbles, and if you know what is good for you, you'll get your little butt busy right now and stop arguing with me."
Kelsey looked at him for only a few seconds before deciding she needed to do as he said or he would actually spank her sore bottom again! She picked up a shovel and pushed the wheelbarrow out beside the pile and got busy. This was going to take hours and she absolutely hated yard work of any kind.
Cleve got a bottle of water from the fridge he kept in the garage and took a long drink as he watched the little redhead work. At the rate she was going it would take her a week to finish moving the pile of manure from the driveway and spread it around the flower beds, trees, and bushes. She looked perfectly miserable and he was positive that she was learning a lesson, a lesson she desperately needed to learn.
"I'm tired, Cleve, and I need a break," Kelsey whined an hour later. Her back and upper arms were aching and it looked as though she'd barely made a dent in the pile. She was discouraged and wanted nothing more than to go inside and take a shower and lie down.
"You've got a lot to do yet. Get back to work."
"That's easy for you to say. You're sitting on your butt, sipping water, and watching me do all the work by myself. You could at least help!"
"Help? I didn't order this delivery, Pebbles, and it's plain to see that spanking is already wearing off... Maybe I need to give you another one to get you motivated again...?"
"You are a bully!" Kelsey declared, but she started shoveling manure into the wheelbarrow once again.
Pebbles was a spitfire, Cleve decided. He watched her work a while longer and could see that she was beginning to show signs of pain in her arms and back. He abruptly realized that she wasn't used to doing this sort of work and she'd done enough to make her body ache. He got to his feet and took the shovel from her and pitched in. "I'm getting hungry, young lady. Let's get this done."
Kelsey was shocked at how quickly he loaded the wheelbarrow and it only took a few more minutes to complete the job that would have taken her another two hours at least. When he told her that she needed to wash down his driveway, Kelsey gave him a dirty look, but followed his instructions and soon the driveway was spotlessly clean and the horrible stench wasn't nearly as noticeable. She was delighted the job was finally done and turned to go home, weary, and in need of a bath.
"Just where do you think you're going, Pebbles?" Cleve reached out to stop her.
"Home. I need a long soak in the tub."
"Aren't you forgetting something?" Cleve asked softly and watched as her green eyes filled with comprehension.
"No...!" Kelsey shook her head. "I'm still hurting from before, Cleve. You can't!"
"Yes, I can."
"I already cleaned up the mess and I said I was sorry! That should be enough, especially since you already spanked me once and it hurt!" Kelsey tried to tug free but Cleve didn't let go. Instead he drew her closer to him.
"You earned a spanking, Pebbles, and you are going to get one to remember. We're going to be neighbors for a very long time and you will not be free to do something like this again. It's best you learn that lesson right now." He gently pulled her into the garage behind him.
"No, Cleve! You just can't do that again! Please! I've already learned my lesson, I promise. I will leave you completely alone!" Kelsey desperately pleaded with him, but he merely flipped the garage lights on and put down the door to give them privacy. "Nooooo!" she struggled to get free. "Please... Let me go! You have no right to do this again!" she started to cry.
"Crying isn't going to help, Pebbles. You earned a good spanking, and I guarantee you will think twice the next time you're tempted to tangle with me."
"I have no intention of doing that...! Why won't you believe me?" she demanded as he pulled her down across his lap for the second time that evening.
"Actions have consequences, little lady," Cleve said softly, and then kept his word. He intended to give her something to think about when she tried to sit for the next few days.
Kelsey cried from the start. Her skin was so sensitive, and she was going to have bruises. She wasn't going to be able to sit down to work, either, and she knew that Cleve had no idea that he was creating serious problems for her. He was simply angry with her for pulling that stupid prank, and determined that she not repeat it. She wouldn't, but there was no way to convince him of that.
Cleve felt sorry for the redhead and he stopped the spanking sooner than he intended, wondering if she was more fragile than he realized. When he offered to comfort her, she pulled away from him and slapped at the button to raise the garage door. "I never ever want to see or speak to you again, Cleve Blankenship. Stay the hell away from me." She ran through the door, sobbing, and Cleve suddenly felt guilty. Was he too hard on her?
*****
Kelsey ran straight upstairs and into her bathroom and stripped out of her clothing in an attempt to release some of the heat that was making her skin burn relentlessly. She turned on the shower and quickly stepped in and did her best to ease the pain by aiming the hand held shower at her backside. The needles of spray hurt and she cried out, but the cool water felt good on her stinging flesh. Kelsey cried and cried and took her time showering and washing the horrible smell of manure off her body. Once she was done, she wrapped a towel around her hair, dried off with another large towel, and then went to her room and looked at her backside in the full-length mirror hanging on her closet door. Her butt and upper thighs were a deep dark red and Kelsey immediately took out a tube of aloe gel and applied it liberally. The cooling relief was instant, but Kelsey was truly done in. Her back and shoulders and arms ached unbearably from using the shovel over and over for hours. She crawled into bed and cried herself to sleep. There was no way sh
e would be able to work while she was in so much pain.
*****
Cleve heated up his soup but it didn't taste as good as he hoped it would. He felt bad and knew he wasn't going to get any peace of mind until he checked on little Pebbles and made sure she was all right. He quickly washed his few dishes and then headed next door, prepared to have the door slammed in his face. He rang the doorbell but there was no answer. He started to knock, but to his shock and disapproval, the door opened. It was clear as could be Pebbles hadn't locked it. Cleve went on inside, calling her name, but when he didn't get an answer, he decided he needed to make sure she was all right.
Chapter Three
Cleve felt guilty as he walked through the condo that was a mirror image of his. He called out a time or two, but when he opened the door from the laundry room that led to the garage, he saw that Pebble's car was still there. She had to be home. He didn't hear water running, and she wasn't in her office, wearing earphones, which was his next thought. Calmly, he made his way upstairs, wondering if he should have picked up his gun. A quick look in one bedroom told him it was being used as a storage room for odds and ends.
Finally, Cleve found Pebbles. She was in the other bedroom upstairs, and sound asleep. She had obviously taken a shower, and she went to lie on top of her quilt with a towel around her hair and one around her womanly body. Both towels had come off... and Cleve winced when he saw how red and sore her backside looked. He'd spanked her hard, meaning to give her a lesson, but from the looks of her bruising skin, that second spanking wasn't necessary. Poor little Pebbles was going to unable to sit down at all for a day or two! He saw the tube of aloe lying beside her, and decided she needed another coat. He was startled at the feelings he had for the woman. She wasn't the type of female he was normally attracted to, but for some reason she was under his skin.
"Pebbles," Cleve spoke softly, not wanting to startle the redhead. "Wake up, sweetheart. I'll put some more of this on you," he said. Cleve put a generous amount on his hand and gently started applying it to her upper thigh first.
Irritable Page 2