by Maggie Ryan
Stuffing her feet into her fuzzy slippers, she padded down the hall and into the kitchen to make a pot of coffee, glad that she had remembered to pick some up in Denver before going out the night before. Setting it to brew, she grabbed a yogurt from the fridge to eat while her coffee brewed. The rich aroma of the coffee brewing caused her to smile as she remembered how Jason had doctored hers up last night. She didn’t know what had come over her. She hadn’t drank her coffee that way for a long time. Well, since ninth grade. Since…her parents had passed away. She used to love to drink coffee in the morning with her dad before he went to work. It was really their only time together since he worked such long hours. She could barely choke the bitter drink down without a ton of sugar, cream, and of course a sprinkle of cinnamon on top.
She shook herself out of memory land, threw away her empty yogurt container in the trash and set her spoon in the sink to wash later. She grabbed her favorite mug out of the cabinet and filled it with coffee. Choosing to drink it black, Melissa slammed shut the Pandora’s box she had just opened. Flipping on her mp3 docking station, the folk rock of the Lumineers filled the air and the space between her and the past. She opened her blinds and sunk into the couch to enjoy her coffee and watch the birds flit back and forth to and from the bird feeder she had placed outside the window.
After a few minutes of watching the birds pick the choicest seeds and vie for spots on the feeder, she allowed her thoughts to drift back to last night. She had never been treated so tenderly in her life. She didn’t know how he knew exactly the right things to say and do, or if he realized how she had longed for someone to do everything he did last night. Her mind went back to the way his hands felt on her body. Shaking herself, she had to remind herself that he was just a friend. At least that’s how he thought of her.
His hands were literally all over her body last night in the most intimate way it had been touched in a long time. Yet he had made no moves on her. She thought she had felt him poking into her stomach the night before, but she must have been wrong. Her stomach fluttered as she thought about the man who was equal parts tender and stern. The man exuded authority. Honestly, she had never felt so cherished in her life. She didn’t feel ashamed when he disciplined her, just cared for. And the way he had rubbed the arnica on her bottom afterward. It had felt so good. It had turned her on, but more than that, it had made her feel safe.
It did worry her a little that he had left. There was no way after last night that she could go back to seeing him as a platonic friend. What if he didn’t feel the same way?
A piece of paper caught her eye on the coffee table. Setting her cup of coffee down, she picked up the note and scanned it.
Melissa,
I hope you had a good night’s sleep. I would like to meet up to talk to you about everything that happened last night. Give me a call.
Jason
She folded up the piece of paper setting it back on the coffee table. Looks like she would be finding out soon enough. Nervous energy filled her at the thought. Taking several slow breaths, she attempted to slow down her heart rate. Logically, she knew there was nothing to be nervous about. Jason had been like a rock to her in the last several months. No matter what, she knew that wouldn’t change.
It really was no surprise that they hadn’t taken their friendship to the next level. When Melissa met Jason, she had worked incredibly hard to distance herself from any type of relationship until she knew for certain she had her head on straight. Her start in Corbin’s Bend had been rocky, to put it mildly. More recently the memories had began plaguing her again. Flashbacks, that’s what Dr. Yu had called them.
Dr. Yu was the therapist that the discipline board had sent her to see after she had been caught allowing her boyfriend to stay with her. What a fiasco that had been. Not only had he turned out to be a deadbeat, but a criminal deadbeat at that. Actually, make that a lying criminal deadbeat. She had gone into the relationship thinking he was HOH material and had even began a Domestic Discipline relationship with the guy.
It was all a lie. He had just been using her and had almost gotten her kicked out of her beloved community to boot. It had all resulted in two semi-public discipline spankings ordered by the discipline board and three months of therapy sessions with Dr. Yu. What it turned out to be was a big wake up call. She had gone into the whole spanking lifestyle as a naive eighteen, almost nineteen year old. Through her sessions with Dr. Yu, she had learned a lot about herself and what a healthy spanking lifestyle was. She had continued on well after her three months was up, although she had skipped her sessions these last couple of weeks.
The flashbacks came back at this time every single year since her parents had died. The anniversary of the car accident that killed them was coming up. The closer it got the worse the flashbacks got. Life would be going along as usual when out of the blue, Melissa would be abruptly transported back to the car with them, with the screech of metal exploding in her head and the seep of blood all around her. It was so real she often couldn’t convince herself that it wasn’t happening all over again. The dreams were just as bad. There was no way she was going to risk being put on meds again, the way she had been the years after the accident, so she kept most of what was happening to herself. Determined to handle this herself, if there was anything she could do to escape, she did it. If that meant going out dancing and drinking well past her limits, that worked for her. Obviously, her remedy caused more problems than it had solved.
Last night, after Jason had picked her up, honestly was the first time in weeks she hadn’t been plagued by thoughts of what had happened all those years ago. It was the best night’s sleep she had had in years. It had been blessedly dreamless. Stretching, she languished in the blissful, boneless feeling that exuded every inch of her body and soul. This was the kind of peace she could get used to.
Chapter 4
Despite the late night, Jason had woken up bright and early this morning feeling on top of the world. Melissa had been sleeping so sweetly last night that he had left a note and slipped out. Checking his phone for the tenth time that morning, just in case he had missed her call, he was disappointed again. He was sure she was just sleeping in. It had been a big night and, he was sure, an emotional one for her.
Gathering his tools, he headed over to Travis’s house to take a look at his toilet. The community had a maintenance company, but Jason had offered to take a look at it for his friend so that he wouldn’t have to wait for someone else to show up. Travis had been assigned as his mentor when he moved into Corbin’s Bend several months before, but he had quickly become a good friend.
Jason had grown up in a rural community across the state. He pitched in with his dad’s construction and remodel business first as a helper, but eventually worked his way up to partner. Jason had proved to have a knack for working with his hands. He could look at something and just knew how it worked and what was wrong. When working on a project, solutions appeared in his mind almost intuitively. His gut told him if he would find something unexpected behind a wall or some sort of unseen damage. The business had flourished and he had packed up and opened a second shop across the state from where he had grown up. He went to visit his folks frequently, but had found his niche around the Denver area.
He had been working on a remodeling job for clients so they could put the house up for sale when he had stumbled across a folder for Corbin’s Bend. Not one to snoop he didn’t look any further. Finding a collection of straps and paddles in the closet, his curiosity piqued. Immediately witnessing a few well placed smacks to the bottom his client had given to his wife decided for him. He would be digging a little deeper. A few internet searches later he had discovered that Corbin’s Bend was a spanking community where couples and even singles moved to enjoy a kink friendly environment. Some couples practiced Domestic Discipline and others just liked to play.
That moment had changed his life. Something fundamental had opened inside of him the minute he had seen that array of implemen
ts in his client’s closet. It was like a light bulb going off in his head. He felt definition settle into his very being. He had always had a protective personality toward women, even as a thirteen-year-old kid the instinct had been going strong. Alpha was in his genes. His tendency to draw girls and eventually women who needed him to take care of them became evident. He preferred it that way, but had always felt like something was missing. Loving discipline was that missing piece to the puzzle. It wasn’t long before he was packing his bags again and moving into Corbin’s Bend himself. He was single at the time. He wasn’t necessarily even looking for love, but he knew that once he found it, this was where he wanted to be. His thoughts flitted back to everything that had happened with Melissa last night. Something fundamental had changed for him, again. He had never felt anything like he had last night in his entire life. Puzzlepieces just clicked together perfectly. That is how he felt from the moment he had put her in his truck to the kiss on the cheek he had given her before he said goodnight.
Loading his tools in his truck, Jason headed to Travis’s. Walking to the front door, he saw a note attached to it that said to come on in. He headed inside. A cozy domestic scene greeted him. The kids were hard at work building a fort in the front room.
“Uncle Jason,” they cried in unison, running to him and flinging themselves in his arms. After giving the kids a big bear hug, a boy of five and a girl of seven, he took turns swinging them around the room in circles while they squealed with glee. Travis’s wife, Lucy, appeared in the doorway grinning from ear to ear. He gave her a quick wink before returning his attention to the kiddos. Turning into a tickle monster, Jason chased them to the couch and tickled them until they were out of breath. Grinning up at Lucy, he scooped them both up in one fail swoop and deposited them both of his lap as he sat down to catch his own breath.
“You just can’t help but rile them up can you,” she said, still smiling.
“I can’t help it that you have two of the cutest kids in the county.” He laughed, ruffling their hair as they giggled. “I can’t help it if they get ornery after I leave.” He winked.
Lucy cocked her eyebrow. “I think it’s you who’s the ornery one. Now come into the kitchen and have some brunch,” she said, wiping her hands on a towel. “Kids, go wash up.”
The kids raced each other to the bathroom, and Jason headed for the kitchen. “Mmm, smells delicious, Luce.” The sight of biscuits and gravy, scrambled eggs, and fruit salad made his stomach grumble. He pulled out a chair to sit.
“Ah-ah,” Lucy tisked, “you need to wash your hands, too.” He threw his hands up sheepishly.
“Whoops, I can’t believe I forgot.” He chuckled. “These delicious smells have bewitched me and made me forget my manners.” Lucy smacked him with the towel as he walked by her on his way to the sink.
Travis walked in the kitchen sweeping his wife into a kiss. Laughing, he said, “Now, Luce, don’t go around smacking the help. You might drive him away, and we will be left waiting on the plumber.”
“Oh no,” Jason interjected, “with a spread like this in front of me, it will take much more than a flick of a towel to drive me away. I’m not going to miss out on Lucy’s world famous biscuits and gravy.”
Travis set the table and Lucy laid the steaming dishes in the center while the kids skipped back in and took their seats. “Mommy, can I have juice pleeeaaase,” Carrie sang out.
“Me too, me too,” Jacob begged.
His Mom nodded. “Apple or orange juice?” she asked, depositing a serving spoon into each dish.
“Apple,” the kids called out at the same time.
“What about you boys? Do you want coffee or juice?”
“Coffee, please,” they both said at the same time and burst out laughing.
They all sat around the table passing dishes and filling plates. At his first bite, he groaned, “Oh my God, this is heaven. Thank you for this.” He glowed appreciatively at Lucy.
She smiled at him. “With a reaction like that, you can sit in on a meal anytime.”
They ate in silence as they enjoyed the meal for several minutes, and the kids chattered cheerfully between bites. Glancing up to take a sip of coffee, Jason noticed Lucy looking at him knowingly. “What?” he asked. “Do I have something on my face?” He took his napkin and wiped his face just in case. Lucy continued to sit and smile at him. “What?” he asked again, incredulous.
“You met someone didn’t you? It’s written all over your face.”
He gaped at her a moment. “You could say it’s something like that,” he said, trailing off and looking over at Travis.
“Don’t look at me. She is the one with the sixth sense.”
“Oh please, like I said, it’s written all over your face,” she admonished. “It doesn’t take a psychic to see that.
“Well, now that you mention it,” Travis said, his eyes twinkling, “you have been making moon faces over there like your mind’s a million miles away, and you’re going all dreamy eyed.”
“I can’t get anything by the two of you, can I?” He put his arms up in mock surrender. “Yes, there does happen to be someone that I’m hoping to ask out today, and that’s all I’m saying until I actually ask her and she says yes.”
Lucy looked at him like the cat that got the canary. “I knew there was something different.” Both husband and wife looked at him knowingly.
“Uncle Jason’s got a girlfriend. Uncle Jason’s got a girlfriend,” the kids chanted.
“Not yet, I don’t,” he mused quietly, “but hopefully soon.”
After brunch as the kids settled in to watch cartoons and Lucy washed up the breakfast dishes, Travis and Jason headed to the hallway bathroom to see what they could do about the toilet. Jason could feel Travis eying him as he set to work on fixing the toilet. He knew Travis was just trying to be polite by not asking about it, but Jason didn’t think he would recover from the holes being bored straight through his head. He looked up, crinkling his eyes. “Will you just ask already?”
“Hey, you said you didn’t want to talk about it. I was just trying to respect your wishes.”
“I know, I just wasn’t ready to talk about it in front of the whole family. You remember Melissa Toselli don’t you?” he asked, working the plunger in the toilet.
His friend gave him a knowing look. “I wondered when the two of you were going to move things past the friendship level.”
“Oh you did, did you? And you were going to mention this to me when?”
“I figured the two of you would work it out eventually.” Travis winked. “A single man and single woman spending every available moment together? It doesn’t take rocket science to put two and two together,” he said, giving Jason a nudge with his elbow. “What happened to change things?”
Jason told him all the details of what had happened last night not leaving anything out. It still made his heart clench to think of how vulnerable she had been and how much trouble she could have gotten into if he hadn’t come along when he had. Seeing her crumpled like that against the wall had been one of the scariest moments of his life.
The slightly older man shook his head. “I’m sure you know better than I, but from what I’ve heard she’s had it pretty rough. Her parents died when she was very young, and from what I understand, she’s been on her own for a very long time. You have to tell her how you feel and let the chips fall where they may. Just know that you are likely to have your hands full for awhile, at least until she feels safe.” He sighed. “The ramifications of a trauma like that is not something that goes away.”
Jason nodded thoughtfully as he continued to work on the toilet. “I think where Melissa’s concerned, she’s worth it.” He shrugged. “I’m willing to take on whatever she has on her plate right along with her. Travis, I think I’m in love with her.”
Travis grinned. “Melissa’s a sweet girl, Jas. I think she’s worth it, too. There’s just one thing that’s bothering me about what happened last night.”
“Well, I don’t know if you’ve done the math,” he said, tucking his hands into his pocket, and I could be wrong, but it seems like she might be a little young to be going to bars or clubs. If I remember correctly, she was barely nineteen when she moved here which would put her at twenty now.”
“Shit,” Jason cursed. “She looks young, but I assumed that if she was at the bar that she was old enough to be there. How have I known her this long without knowing when her birthday is?”
“Jason, I hate to tell you this or even suggest it, but if the board were to catch wind of a second infraction and one as big as this one, I don’t think it will bode well for Melissa.” He cleared his throat. “I know this isn’t how you would want to start off a relationship, but you should consider finding out the truth sooner, rather than later, just in case you need to take care of this before the board has to.”
Jason pressed his lips into a grim line taking his consternation out on Travis’s toilet, working the auger’s crank as hard as he could. He wasn’t sure how open Melissa was going to be to dating him if he spanked the daylights out of her every time he came near her, but the idea of her having to bare her bottom for a public spanking on that big stage, or worse, be evicted from the community made his blood run cold. “I’ll talk to her and see what she has to say about it. I will make sure she understands how serious this situation is if she really is under twenty-one. I don’t think after last night that she will be frequenting bars anytime in the near future anyway,” he said as he pulled the auger from the toilet. “Has Jacob been torturing Carrie’s Barbies again, Trav?” He quirked an eyebrow up at his friend. “I think I found your problem.” He grinned, holding up the auger to show the decapitated Barbie head.