by Maren Smith
“Can I please get up now?”
He swatted each cheek with his firm hand before guiding her off the bed. “Shall we put together a grocery list while we eat dinner, tonight?”
Sammie’s groan was dramatic as she added an eye roll for good measure. “Are you kidding? The last thing I want to talk about right now is stuffing a turkey.”
“I’m not surprised that you’re feeling some empathy for the poor, stuffed bird,” Pete deadpanned, playfully pulling on the base of the steely stopper.
She swiveled her neck to glare at him. “Very funny. You should’ve been a comedian instead of a rancher. Remind me to call the producers of HBO in the morning.”
He rubbed her fanny and responded with a heavy sigh.
It was obvious her handsome husband had thoroughly enjoyed himself and that this type of kinky amusement seemed to run in his family. “I still think that your older brother could continue his and Jessie’s age-play fun without the spankings. I told Jessie to be patient, but since we’ve been engaging in the same kink, it’s easy for me to understand her frustration. How about if I talk to Trent...” She was almost finished with her thought when a sharp slap was administered to her naked ass, which just so happened to be filled to the brim with a steel implement.
“Jesus Christ, that hurt! Was that your idea of an answer?” she bravely sassed, once again peering over her shoulder.
“Behave, little girl and watch your mouth,” he warned, applying another smack to her bottom. “Unless you’d rather sit at your desk all day with a plug up your tush.”
“Okay, I’ll be good. But will you please talk to him?”
His answer came along with a subtle wink. “When I decide that the time is right.”
HEARING A SOFT KNOCK, Sammie grabbed her work tote and quickly bolted for the entrance. As she opened the door, Jessie was standing with a hand resting on her cocked hip. Her strawberry blonde hair was pulled back into a bun and she looked a bit pale from morning sickness.
“Did Pete leave for work, yet?”
“He’s been gone for a couple of hours,” she said, lifting her shoulders. “You know he leaves the same time as your husband.”
“Did you get instructions from him not to discuss my current marital issues?”
“Why in the hell would you ask something like that?”
“Because you have a strange expression on your face. You know, like the cat that swallowed the canary?”
The corners of Sammie’s mouth twitched, but she fought the smile by pressing her lips together.
Jesus. She reads me like a damn book!
After exiting the house, Sammie made sure the door was locked by wiggling the shiny gold knob. “Ever since Ben Levy snuck into Trent’s house that morning, Pete has a thing about keeping the doors locked.”
Jessie nodded, her lips curving downward. “Since I was kidnapped by that creep, everyone in this town has been locking their doors.”
“Sorry for bringing that up. I know it’s not easy for you to talk about...”
She shrugged and looked her sister in the eye. “Speaking of things that are difficult to discuss...”
“Come on, let’s walk while you get a load off your chest,” Sammie encouraged, gesturing with a hand. “Have I ever turned my sister down for a heart to heart chat?”
“Trent and I have lived the best kinky relationship ever, and now it’s gone from sizzling to fizzling. I’ve done some snooping on erotic blog sites, and it’s still possible to be kinky even if you’re pregnant. What do you think my strong cowboy is afraid of?”
“I don’t know, and if Pete does, he’s not talking, which is unusual for him,” she said, satisfied that her answer was not completely a lie.
“Do you think you could ask him for me?”
Sammie’s butt trembled at the memory of the thick plug she’d been warned with that morning. “I don’t know...”
“Come on. You guys seem to be getting along better than I’ve ever seen. It’s like there’s a bond between you that’s becoming stronger every day. Am I right?”
“Yeah.” Sammie’s answers were coming out in a choppy, high-pitched voice, one or two words at a time. It was almost as if her little girl personality was emerging, and she needed to keep a lid on it.
“Well, I want that, too!” Jessie said loudly, stopping dead in her tracks in the middle of the road.
“Come on, you know that Trent is madly in love with you, and he’s probably concerned with the baby’s safety. Just be patient, and things will work themselves out. They always do.”
“Jesus! That’s it? That’s your answer? Hey, I thought you were on my team!”
“I am, but...”
“Look, I know Pete’s new at being the head of your house, but since we were raised the same way, I’d think you could understand my need for a daddy!” Jessie said loudly, walking closely behind her twin sister.
“You haven’t been pregnant that long. Give Trent a chance to adjust to the changes in your body...not to mention the mood swings.” At that moment, Sammie could feel Jessie’s blue eyes boring a hole through the back of her as she nestled her key in the office door.
This dialogue needs to end before I get myself into a shitload of trouble.
“Who in the hell are you? My sister has never darted an issue in her whole fucking life!” Jessie insisted, her arms outstretched as she trailed close behind Sammie into the entrance of their law boutique.
“Calm down, kiddo. I understand your frustration completely, but you might be overreacting. The best advice I can give you is to let things fall into place naturally.”
Jesus. Some of my answers sounded like a phrase you’d find inside a fortune cookie. Thank God, she’s finally getting settled at her desk.
LUNCHTIME AT REYNOLDS & Reynolds started off with an eerie silence, but Jessie finally perked up when Sammie came out of her office with the news that she and Pete were going to put together a Thanksgiving list that evening. And then she suggested that they go on the Pinterest website for table decorating ideas.
“I’ve always wanted to make edible decorations for the Thanksgiving holiday,” Jessie said, quickly typing several search words into her laptop.
“Be sure to check out the candy corn turkey cookies, chocolate-covered turkey pretzels, and a pumpkin gingerbread trifle, besides the usual holiday fruit pies.”
Jessie cocked her head toward the screen and saved each pin to her Thanksgiving page while calling out all the necessary items for Sammie to add to their grocery list. “Thanks so much for offering to have this fun dinner. I know there will only be four of us, but the amount of food is always endless no matter how many guests you have for this holiday.”
“Are you kidding? Pete and I are so excited to host our first family holiday meal, and I’m thrilled that the guys decided to close the dude ranch for Thanksgiving weekend. It’ll give their employees some time off to have with their families.”
Pulling out her cellphone, Jessie checked the calendar. “Trent mentioned they also want to close from Christmas through New Year’s, and he’s hoping that they’ll be able to give their employees a paid vacation plus a holiday bonus.”
“I guess we’ll need to take the same vacation days, too, and maybe this would be a good time to start figuring out what kind of gift we can afford to buy for everyone.”
“Sounds like a good excuse for us to go shopping at the mall!”
Sammie grinned. “Since when did we ever need an excuse to shop?”
CHAPTER TWO
“YOU’RE AN ABSOLUTE natural behind a desk, Pete. Maybe you should’ve been a banker,” Trent teased, strolling into the large reception area. “Is Karen sick, or did she decide to head out early for Thanksgiving?”
“She’s driving to see her folks in Sedona, so I said it would be fine if she wanted to get ahead of the holiday traffic. But don’t worry; Denise is on her way to relieve me. Can I get you a mug of morning brew, sir?” he joked, tipping his cup at him.
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“I’d never turn down an opportunity to be served by my younger brother. And since it’s been way too long since you’ve offered me a cup of coffee, I like it black.”
Pete hummed nervously, while he poured the steaming dark liquid in a cup and handed it to him. “Do you mind sticking around for a few minutes? I want to run something by you.”
“You want my opinion? Okay, now you’re scaring me.” Sitting down on the tan leather bench, Trent drew the white stoneware to his lips and blew off the curls of steam.
“Remember when I told you that Sammie was all onboard with my becoming the head of our house?” Pete asked, absentmindedly playing with the rim of his cup. “Well, as it turns out...she’s also been reading some daddy/little girl novels, as well...”
“And why, pray tell am I the recipient of this personal information?”
“Quite frankly, I could use a few tips.”
Trent put his cup on the desk and shook his head. “And you had me and Jessie believing that you were shocked by our age-play lifestyle.”
“I must admit, I was a bit taken aback at first. But Sammie always seemed so enthralled with Jessie calling you daddy, and quite frankly, with the way their father ran out on them, I can totally see why.”
He chuckled and playfully shook a finger at him. “If I remember correctly, you accused me of breaking all the house rules.
Pete sighed, rubbing the back of his neck. “Yes, but now that you’ve pulled back the reins on your kinky lifestyle...”
“Jesus. Do we have to talk about that?” Trent paused for a moment, studying his brother’s demeanor before dramatically inclining his head. “Please tell me this discussion isn’t going to include details of my sex life...”
Pete looked both ways and then at the main entrance door. “Christ, keep your voice down. What if someone hears you?”
“We’re all alone, so just answer the question, dickhead.”
“Okay. We both know Jessie is upset that your little girl/daddy play went out the window when she got pregnant, and now I’m afraid for her to know we’re enjoying the lifestyle you don’t seem to be interested in anymore. I don’t want your wife to become jealous. The girls have always been so close...”
Trent took a sip of his coffee, mulled over the situation, and slowly put his cup down. “She has our child growing inside her, and I just don’t want to take any chances. Things are different now, but that doesn’t mean we can’t resume our kinky fun after the baby is born.”
Pete grinned as his dark eyebrows rose. “I understand. Hopefully, someday Sammie and I will be in the same situation. We’ve been trying, but nothing yet...”
“Has she talked with her doctor?”
As Pete’s hand reached to rub the back of his neck, there was a fleck of amusement in his eyes. “Yes, and he mentioned that we might be trying too hard.”
“I guess we didn’t have that problem. It was a one and done happening for us,” Trent joked. “But thanks for being up front instead of dicking me around.”
Pete shrugged his shoulders. “I’m not usually good at this heart to heart stuff, but thought we should have this conversation...”
“I’ll make it right with Jessie, but let’s keep this all between us, okay?”
Pete cracked his knuckles and responded with a sheepish grin, knowing he’d already warned Sammie to keep the subject off the table.
Trent smacked his hands hard against his thighs. “Well, Dr. Phil, if this sex therapy session is over, maybe we ought to get back to work.”
“As always, your timing is impeccable. Thank God, Tiffany is here to relieve me!”
CHAPTER THREE
THANKSGIVING DAY FINALLY arrived, and the four of them dined on the usual delicious fare—turkey, stuffing, gravy, cranberry sauce, two types of potatoes and an array of pies for dessert. Everything was home-cooked, the décor was festive, and the four of them enjoyed everything about spending the holiday together at Pete and Sammie’s house.
It was around eight when Trent noticed how tired Jessie was becoming and suggested to Pete that they pitch in to clean up the dishes before going home. The words had just left his lips when Sammie sauntered into the kitchen with a full goblet of wine, causing one of Pete’s eyebrows to shoot up in response.
“Don’t we have a two-glass rule, princess?” His tone was serious as his arms crossed while deliberately asking the crucial question from across the room. Jessie and Trent were about to scrape food down the disposal but quickly stopped to glance at each other in amusement. It didn’t take much to make Sammie’s fair skin blush and Pete’s stern but loving chastisement always did the trick.
“Yes, but I’m a big girl and am quite capable of deciding when I’ve had enough to drink.”
Jessie casually walked past her sister and angled her mouth toward her ear. “You’re already in trouble, sister. If I were you, I’d zip it.”
“Thanks for the advice, kiddo, but I don’t give in quite as easily as you,” Sammie said with bravado, obviously egging Pete on.
Trent tipped his head in Jessie’s direction. “Before World War Three breaks out, let’s help these two clean up, so we can bolt out of here,” he suggested, trying to hide his crooked smile. “I don’t want to get caught in the crossfire.”
“Aww, you want to leave? Things are just heating up! You can’t get this kind of drama on television!”
“Uh-huh, But I’m thinking my brother and your sister need some privacy right about now.”
Pete scrubbed a hand over the dark bristle on his face. “I hate to cut this Thanksgiving holiday short but...”
Sammie threw a sideways glance at Pete as she put down her glass of wine and started to gather the dishes and large serving pieces off the table. “Party pooper,” she mumbled.
A wicked grin played at the corners of his mouth as he quietly followed behind her. “Party-pooper?” he parroted. “That’s it? That’s your retort?”
Jessie and Trent stood side by side, obviously stepping up the pace to finish the dishes quickly. “Play nice together, you crazy kids. We’ll be out of here in a minute,” she offered in a singsong tone, lifting her chin in the air.
“Okay, our work is done here,” Trent said with a wink to Jessie.
“I hope our little disagreement over my naughty wife’s third glass of wine won’t keep you from coming back for leftovers tomorrow,” Pete called out as he entered the kitchen from the dining room. “Same time, same channel.”
As Sammie walked toward the three of them, she rolled her eyes. “Sorry, this party is ending so early.”
Trent sighed and nodded in Jessie’s direction. “No problem. We’ve all had a long day,” he said, giving Sammie a quick kiss on the cheek before shaking Pete’s hand. “Thanks again. Everything was delicious.”
“We always have a blast together, no matter what the occasion,” Jessie agreed.
PETE WATCHED HIS BROTHER and sister-in-law walk down the road before turning toward Sammie. And though his tone was authoritative, it had a gentleness to it. “I think that little backside of yours desperately needs some urgent attention tonight.”
“Urgent?” she asked sardonically, cocking her head.
“Three glasses of wine during dinner and then that big disrespectful finish? If I didn’t know better, I’d think you were craving a spanked bottom tonight,” he scolded as a wave of desire breezed through his hardening cock.
Her eyes rose toward the ceiling. “I don’t know that I’d use the verb craving...”
“You’ll march yourself into the bedroom right now, young lady. We can debate my usage of the English language while you’re draped over my knee.”
AFTER SAMMIE SAUNTERED down the hall, he guided her into their spacious bedroom. “Get undressed, please,” he directed nonchalantly, calmly sitting down on the edge of the mattress, patiently waiting for her to comply.
Though she submitted, there was a hint of reluctance in her demeanor.
“Now, come stand in fro
nt of me, sweet pea.” After taking her in between his legs and holding her hands, he studied his wife’s beautiful face radiate heat as she squirmed in her bra and panties.
“Are you going to tell me what’s wrong, or am I going to tell you?” he asked gently, choosing his words carefully.
She didn’t answer.
“I know your father was never around and it left a gaping hole in your heart.”
Sammie nodded but kept her head down.
“That’s why Jessie loves and misses the daddy/little girl play with Trent.”
The subject was obviously making her nervous. “But what does this have to do with me?” she insisted, fidgeting from the awkwardness of his lecture.
“Even though our domestic discipline lifestyle started out slow, you knew deep inside that you wanted me to play the part of your daddy.”
“And you know that this conversation makes me uncomfortable,” she mumbled, her cheeks blushing a bright shade of crimson. “Why do we have to talk about it?”
“Because I think you’re craving constant attention. And I’m willing to give it to you daily,” he said through a wolfish grin. “But I don’t care for the disrespect. Especially not in front of Trent and Jessie. You know he’s put their kinky play on hold for now, and you don’t need to exacerbate the situation by baiting me when they’re around. How many times do we have to go over this?”
Her eyes were glued to the floor, and she waited patiently for him to continue.
“I had a conversation with Trent, and he’s going to try and see if he can bring back some of their age play fun. But for now, I’m asking you to behave yourself when we’re with them. Do you understand?” he asked pulling her up onto his lap.
She pursed her lips and played with the buttons on his shirt. “Maybe I’m too old for this kind of thing.”
“That’s not an answer.” He shook his head and tapped her nose with his finger. “Am I taking good care of you?”