12 Naughty Days of Christmas: Volume Four

by Piper Stone

  I love nothing better than a good romance story! If the heroine gets spanked, that's just the icing on the cake! I have lived in the Midwest all my life and have a great family which includes five wonderful children and a patient husband. I hope to continue to write. I love it tremendously, and I hope you enjoy reading my stories as much as I love creating them for you.

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  The Architect and the Window Washer

  Gamble on Love

  Agent Thorn series

  The Case of the Great Land Grab

  The Case of the Haunted Stagecoach

  The Heart of Mary

  A Bride for Christmas

  12 Naughty Days of Christmas 2017

  Joannie Kay

  ©2017 by Blushing Books® and Joannie Kay

  All rights reserved.

  No part of the 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 Blushing Books®,

  a subsidiary of

  ABCD Graphics and Design

  977 Seminole Trail #233

  Charlottesville, VA 22901

  The trademark Blushing Books®

  is registered in the US Patent and Trademark Office.

  Joannie Kay

  A Bride for Christmas

  Cover Art by ABCD Graphics & Design

  This book is intended for adults only. Spanking and other sexual activities represented in this book are fantasies only, intended for adults. Nothing in this book should be interpreted as Blushing Books' or the author's advocating any non-consensual spanking activity or the spanking of minors.

  Chapter 1

  Ohio 1875

  Katherine Ogden sighed eloquently, and her too critical mother noticed immediately. “Katherine, honestly. I ask you to do one little thing, yet you sit here and act bored. Why can’t you be happy for your older sister?”

  “One reason is that she is ruining Christmas for this entire town, and for countless others who live elsewhere. Why does she have to get married on Christmas Day? It is selfish of her. I planned to go ice skating this afternoon with my friends, but instead of enjoying my break from teaching school, I am sitting here making table decorations for Barbara’s wedding, while she is out and about, doing whatever she pleases. I wish to enjoy Christmas, but her wedding comes first with you. Yet you don’t insist that she stay home and do these decorations herself. That just isn’t fair, Mother.”

  “I think you are simply jealous that your sister has made a fine match. William Connors is from a fine, upstanding family.”

  “You mean he has a wealthy family. As an only child, he will inherit his father’s estate and money. I overheard Barbara bragging to you about that.”

  “There is no shame in choosing a wealthy man instead of a poor man.”

  “What about love, Mother? I would rather marry for love than because a man is wealthy. Barbara will be bored within a month of marrying William Connors. And…” she drawled out the word dramatically. “Has she considered what her children will look like? They will all have William’s big, floppy ears.”

  “That is enough, young lady. If you are so miserable helping me with this task, then please take yourself elsewhere.” Naomi Ogden did her best to sound unhappy so that her daughter would feel guilty and continue helping with the decorations that were for the Christmas wedding. But, instead of having the desired reaction, Katherine jumped up from the table where they were working, and quickly ran from the room. A couple of minutes later, Naomi heard the front door close as Katherine took off, probably to go skating with her friends. Naomi sighed, wishing that the wedding was over. No one in the household was enjoying the Christmas season as they should. She heard the front door once more, and her husband’s voice calling out that he was home.

  Naomi answered, and soon had the help of her husband to make the decorations. He also grumbled, and said that Barbara should be helping.

  “She is too jittery, dear. The real problem is Katherine; she is so jealous of Barbara that she refuses to do one little thing to help with the wedding.”

  “It isn’t her place, my dear. I can guarantee that Kat isn’t one for all of this frippery. I also have heard with my own ears, Barbara taunting Kat because she isn’t engaged yet.”

  “Katherine is only eighteen, Barbara is twenty-two. There is plenty of time to find a good husband for Katherine.”

  “No, Naomi. You are not picking a husband for Kat. I won’t have it.”

  “Of course, I shall find her a husband. I can just see the type of scoundrel she would choose if given the opportunity. I want her to marry well, a man with good prospects.”

  “That isn’t what Kat wants, my dear. You will not start searching for a husband for her. She will pick her own husband; I promised.”

  “You what?” Naomi screeched, and he winced at the sound.

  “I said that I promised Kat she could pick for herself. Also, I promised to keep you from doing as you did for Barbara. I will keep that promise, my dear, even if it means turning your bottom up for a good dose of hairbrush.” The threat was not made lightly. Thomas had done just that several times during their twenty-four years together.

  “You haven’t spanked me in years, Thomas Ogden. I am much too old for that kind of punishment.”

  “You will never get so old that I won’t take you over my knee should it prove necessary. Is it going to be necessary, Naomi?” he asked, his voice gentle, but firm.

  “No, of course not, Thomas. Although, I can’t see any good coming of Katherine choosing for herself. Marriage is very important.”

  “That is exactly why we will allow Kat to choose her own husband. She is much different than Barbara. Katherine knows what she wants, and she will choose well.”

  “I reserve the right to say no if I feel the man isn’t right,” Naomi insisted.

  “I have final say, my dear. If I feel Kat has chosen well, I will grant permission.” He frowned, and then said quite firmly, “Enough of these decorations. If Barbara wants them, then she will get herself home and help make them. Until such time, we are going to do something fun and Christmassy.” He pushed back his chair, and then pulled her chair back, even though she was sitting there, continuing to decorate the greenery. “Put that down right now, Naomi. I want to spend time with you, doing something other than dealing with the wedding. It is Christmas time. I want to take a walk to breathe in the cold air, and wish others the ‘Blessings of the Season.’”

  Katherine made sure her ice skates were securely fastened to her shoes, and then she glided on the iced-over pond. She loved skating, and knew that her friends considered her the very best. Kat often skated alone, music playing in her ears that no one else could hear.

  That was what she was doing when someone came up behind her, and quickly picked her up so that her feet were no longer touching the ice. “What are you doing? Put me down,” she ordered.

  “I can’t do that,” a deep voice answered in her ear. “You would skate away, and I want to get to know you. I want St. Nick to bring me a wife for Christmas.” He skated them along, holding her much too close for a stranger; still, it was a pleasant experience and quite romantic.

  “A wife? I can’t help you with that,” she stated in confusion, wondering who dared to play such a practical joke on her.

  “You aren’t married or betrothed, are you?”

  “No. You must have me confused with my sister Barbara.�
�

  “No, I don’t like her. You are the woman I want to know, Kat. Please?”

  “You are holding me so tightly that I can’t even see who you are.”

  He continued to skate them around and around. “Just pretend that I am your fiancé, and speak to me. Do you like the man your sister plans to marry on Christmas?”

  “I don’t discuss family business with those who have no right to ask such personal questions. Let me go,” she insisted.

  “Don’t scold me, young lady. I just might stop skating and turn you over my knee.”

  “You’d better not try any such thing.” Katherine was insulted. “I am not a child,” she reminded him.

  “I don’t consider you a child. I’ve been watching you for the last few weeks. I’ve seen how kind you are to elderly people in town. I’ve seen you fill baskets with items purchased with your own money and deliver them anonymously to families who need a little help. You send meat, vegetables, and other goodies; but also, you always include some candy for the children. You have a big heart, Kat. Your sister thinks of no one but herself. I hoped you wouldn’t sound like her when you spoke. Her voice is sharp and shrill, but you have a musical voice. It is pleasant to my ears.”

  “Thank you,” she answered. “Who are you?” she asked curiously.

  “My name is not important right now. Tell me, what do you think made your sister pick Christmas Day for her wedding?”

  “Attention,” Katherine answered immediately. “She likes to be the center of attention, and she is marrying on Jesus’ birthday in order to grab attention away from the holidays.”

  “You don’t like this?”

  “No, I don’t like it! She has ruined Christmas for everyone. The whole town is invited to attend, so she has effectively spoiled any traditions those families have. The reception afterward means they have to eat what Barbara has planned, instead of preparing their own Christmas dinners. People who live far away, and are coming home to be with their family, will get a rude surprise, much less time to spend with their relatives, thanks again to my sister. I tried telling her this, but it only made her feel even more important. Barbara is selfish.”

  “You please me very much, little one. I like a woman who speaks her mind. Does your father approve of Barbara’s plans?”

  “Daddy is allowing Mother to have her way. I think he will be happy to have Barbara married and out of the house. It will be quiet when she is gone.”

  “Will your mother take on your wedding after your sister is safely married?” he asked.

  “Only over my dead body!” Kat said emphatically. “Daddy has promised me that I can marry my choice, not Mother’s.”

  “This is good.” He skated her across the pond, and then he spun her around in a dizzying twirl, before he quickly skated away.

  Kat was frustrated that she didn’t get a look at him, and she couldn’t stop thinking of the mysterious man, even when some of her friends joined her on the ice.

  It was growing dark when Kat started walking toward home. If she was lucky, the decorations would all be finished, and her sister would be away for the evening. However, as soon as she opened the door to walk inside, she heard Barbara’s voice raised in anger.

  Katherine put on a false smile to walk inside the house, wishing she had somewhere else to go. She found her father in the parlor, smoking his pipe, and pretending to read the newspaper he’d bought earlier that day. “Hello, Daddy,” she greeted him, then leaned down to kiss his cheek. “How was your day?”

  “Short, as usual for a Tuesday,” he answered. “When I got home, your mother put me to work on those table decorations, until I decided that Barbara needed to do them herself. It didn’t make either of them happy, as you can hear.”

  “Yes, I complained too. I didn’t feel it was fair that I had to give up my skating in order to do Barbara’s wedding decorations when she wasn’t even here to help. I am afraid I upset Mother, but it simply isn’t my responsibility.”

  “It isn’t fair that I had to come home and see that nothing was done today. The wedding is in four days!” Barbara screeched loudly. Naomi tried to calm her, but Barbara was out of control, as usual, and continued her rant. “I can’t believe that you allowed Katherine to go skating instead of making these wreaths for the tables. She is one of my bridesmaids, and it is her responsibility to help with the wedding.”

  Kat had heard enough. She stomped into the dining room, and said, “I didn’t help because I don’t want to make your decorations. I want to celebrate Christmas, which is far more important than your wedding. I resent that you have ruined Christmas for us, for all of the townspeople you invited, and for those who are traveling home to be with loved ones, only to learn that they have to come to your wedding. No one wants to offend Daddy because he owns the bank. He holds mortgages on their homes; he is the one who decides if they are credit worthy. Their Christmases will be spoiled because you chose to be more important than Jesus Christ. The only reason I am a bridesmaid is because Mother insisted, and don’t you dare bother to deny it; I heard the two of you arguing about it one day when I came home after dismissing the children early. You wanted Cindy Lawson instead of me. This wedding is your responsibility, not mine. If you want table decorations, then you can just make them yourself. Stop whining. You are getting what you want with good old William Connors.”

  “You are such a child, Katherine! You wouldn’t know a good man if one tapped you on the shoulder.”

  “I would at least pick someone who had good moral values, and didn’t give in to my every whim, like William does with you. You tell him to jump, and he begs you to tell him how high. You two deserve each other. You are both selfish, and care more about money than you do each other.”

  “Are you saying that Willy doesn’t have good moral values?”

  “You do know that he fathered a child six years ago, right?”

  Barbara’s face turned beet red. “What do you know of that? You were a child then. Willy told me about that little tramp. He was drugged by that horrid creature, and she got pregnant on purpose. Her plan was to force him to marry her. He didn’t, of course.”

  “The fact remains that dear Willy has a son in my first-grade class. He is a precious child, with his father’s huge ears.”

  “Mother! Make her stop!” Barbara started bawling. “I hate her. I really and truly hate her!”

  “Katherine, can’t you see that you are upsetting Barbara?”

  “Yes, I can see that she is overwrought, as she should be at the thought of marrying a philanderer. Have you even started dinner yet, Mother? Daddy and I are hungry now.”

  “These decorations must be done before I have time to cook.”

  “Daddy, I am going to the restaurant to eat; do you want to come with me?” Kat called to her father.

  “Yes, I do. Make sure you wear a heavy coat. It is cold out there.”

  “Yes, sir.”

  “Daughter, you were very young when William sired an out-of-wedlock child,” Thomas said thoughtfully. “The boy is in your class?”

  “Yes, he is, Daddy. I think he is sweet as can be. I am worried that his father won’t be faithful to his wedding vows. Barbara is making a huge mistake by marrying for his money.”

  “Your mother picked him. We both know the circumstances surrounding the little boy. William has accepted his financial responsibility for the little guy, and he does see him and spend time with him. The truth is that the girl put something in his lemonade, and the child was a result of trickery. Go easy on your sister. She wants to raise the child, but the mother still thinks she can use the boy to get more money.”

  “That is sad, Daddy, and let’s not ruin our dinner by discussing this mess. I will try to be polite and keep the peace, but I am not looking forward to Saturday.”

  “I don’t like big parties either. I have to be nice to people I can’t stand,” he admitted.

  “We’ll have a sing along at the reception, Daddy. That is something we can
look forward to. I do believe Christmas hymns are the best.”

  “They are, but I am not so sure your mother will like us taking control of the reception in that manner. So, what will we sing?” he asked, his eyes sparking in good humor.

  While they were discussing a list of music for the afternoon, Naomi and Barbara walked into the restaurant, coming straight to their table. “We have decided to join you. We are hungry too, and after we eat, the four of us can finish off the decorations before we go to bed,” Naomi announced.

  “I’m sorry, Mother. I have plans for this evening. I met someone today, and he asked me to spend time with him. Since it isn’t a school night, I agreed. I want to enjoy my time off from school.”

  “We haven’t met this man; who is he?” Naomi asked.

  “I don’t know his name yet. He knows a lot about the wedding and our family, however. I imagine he was in school with Barbara.”

  “I don’t like the idea of you spending time with someone we don’t know, Kat,” Thomas spoke up.

  “I will insist he speak to you, Daddy. I don’t want you to worry. We are meeting in a public place.”

  “He probably won’t even show up,” Barbara said in a nasty tone of voice

  “He will show up; he has morals, unlike some men I could name.”

  “I would forbid her to go, Father. She is too young to go out with a man you don’t know.”

  “I trust Kat to use good judgment.”

  The waitress came to their table and took their orders. Barbara talked constantly of her wedding and impending honeymoon. Kat was silent, and was finished eating before the others. She was going to keep the peace. Her sister would soon be married, and she wouldn’t need to worry about her getting on her last nerve every darn day. “If you all will excuse me, I don’t want to be late for my appointment.” She rose.

  “Father, are you going to permit Katherine to run around instead of helping me with the wedding?”