Where was she, anyway? Surely, she wasn’t still abed at 10 o’clock, although he’d hardly complain if she were. As he approached the door, he paused, hearing a noise from the bathroom across the hall. It sounded like water splashing. An eager grin tipped his lips—Janelle was in the tub. Perfect. Dropping his satchel outside the door with a thunk, he opened the door. With a squeal, she sank deeper into the sudsy water, calling out a warning to the intruder, “Don’t come in here. I’m in the tub!”
“I hope so, sweet pea. I was planning to join you.”
That deep voice, followed by the sight of his familiar, sexy grin stopped Janelle’s racing heart. She sighed in relief. “Aaron, you took a year off my life! I thought it was one of your brothers or worse—your pa. You should really put a lock on that door.” Slightly irritated with him for scaring her, the tone of her voice was a bit snippy.
“You’re a little sassy this morning, Janelle.” Aaron said this sternly while stripping off his clothes. “Watch your tone, little lady. I was trying to surprise you, not frighten you. I called your name at least twice.” He was standing stark naked next to the tub now, and her mood instantly changed. He watched in amusement as her eyes tracked down his body.
“Did you miss me?”
“You know I did. I hate sleeping alone.”
“Your cheeks are pink and rosy. Is that from the bath, or were you thinking about your husband as you lay here naked?” he teased. Smiling at her discomfiture, he signaled with his hand and ordered, “Scoot forward. I’m coming in.” The water sloshed over the sides as his big body slid in behind her. It was a tight fit, but once seated, he settled her on his lap before sliding deeper into the warm water.
“Mm, this is the only way to greet your man after he’s been away—warm, wet, and naked.” His hands slid easily over her slick, soapy body, gliding around to her breasts that were now poking temptingly out of the water. The chill of the air on her wet skin made them peak tightly, and she wiggled her bottom against his already lengthening cock.
Her hands slid up and covered his as they played over her breasts. Arching her back and pressing more firmly into his hands, she groaned softly, “I missed you so much, Aaron.”
His mouth on her wet skin was busy, and he murmured a husky, “Me too, darlin’. Was I right? Were you thinking about me when I came in?”
She giggled. “Actually, I was thinking about dinner last night.” She turned and rolled over so they were chest to chest. More water sloshed over the sides with her movement, but they didn’t care. “What was that between you and Heath? I’ve been dying to know. Did you have an argument?”
“No, but Heath’s a pain in the a—uh—neck.”
“I thought Heath seemed to be awfully amused by something. While everyone was laughing, he seemed to be more boisterous than the others, and for a whole different reason.” Turning back around, she relaxed against him, groaning as his hands came around to cup and tease her soapy breasts. Smiling into her fragrant hair, he let his hands roam. He had to admire her attempts to keep up her end of the discussion.
“Um… Thinking back, he seemed to be laughing at you, husband.”
“He’s very perceptive, and knowing that we’re newlyweds living in a crowded house with very little privacy… Well, I guess he put two and two together.”
“I don’t understand,” she murmured, her voice getting husky with her mounting desire.
“He knew I was in agony, and it was all your fault.”
That caught her attention. “Me? What did I do? I slaved all day preparing that meal. In my day, it’s called fast food, but in 1878, it’s slower than molasses. Kindly explain how your little—whatever it was between you and your brother—had anything to do with me?”
“You, my sweet, were a temptress. It was torture sitting there watching you lick the meat juices from your fingers, and that little pink tongue kept peeking out, seductively gliding across those plump lips. Darlin’, you had me dying to pull you from your chair and carry you off to the first private spot I could find. I wanted to render you helpless with carnal pleasures.”
“Really? You got hot from watching me eat? Is that a usual thing?”
“Who knew watching a woman eat could be so arousing? Well, actually… it was watching you eat that drove me wild. The shiny juices glistening on your lips were pure torment, but then you dredged a fried potato in ketchup and lifted it to your mouth. And then you groaned. Well, darlin’ that triggered an immediate response in my trousers, which was highly inappropriate at my mother’s supper table.”
Already painfully aroused, his hands began to play, his libido triggering more than his cock’s response and inspiring a second wind as well. His fatigue long forgotten, he pressed warm kisses along her throat and jaw.
“Thank goodness I finally calmed down. That could have been very embarrassing.”
“Hmm…” she said with wonder. “Mickey D’s an aphrodisiac—go figure.”
Done talking, Aaron slid one hand up to cup her chin and angled her head back so he could take her mouth. Eagerly responding, Janelle sunk her hands into his thick, wavy hair and clung to him, sinking deeper into the kiss.
After several minutes of frantic, feverish kissing, Aaron was losing control fast and ordered brusquely, his voice raspy with passion, “Straddle me, sweet pea, and take me inside. I need you now.”
Lifting her hips enough to get in position, she sank down onto his thick shaft, groaning at the familiar stretching fullness. When she leaned forward to come back into his arms, she writhed against him, rubbing her slick breasts across his chest as she pressed her lips to his neck and nibbled up to his ear. She whispered, “I love you, Aaron.”
Thrusting fully up inside her, he groaned back. “I love you too, sweet pea. It feels so good with your heat surrounding me. Ride me. I need to feel you coming around me.”
Their coupling was quick and passionate, each reaching a stunning, simultaneous climax. Afterward, they lay cuddling in the cooling water. Aaron leaned them forward, holding Janelle firmly against his chest as he turned on the hot water tap, not ready to be done with their bath just yet.
“We’ve got more water out than in, now. Ma will pitch a fit.”
“We’ll have to clean it up before she gets home. She is so good to me, Aaron. I don’t want to cause her any more work.”
“Mmm…” Aaron hummed in contentment. Relaxing in the warm tub with her naked skin against his was heavenly. As his hands glided up and down her back, they moved lower to catch her rounded cheeks. “I was thinking on the ride from town…”
“Uh-oh, that’s never good.”
Sass wasn’t a good idea considering his hands were in close proximity to her butt. She yelped in surprise when he lightly slapped her butt for that comment. “As I was saying, I was thinking that I owe you a punishment or two, darlin’. You broke the rules again, and with all that’s been going on, I haven’t had time to get to it.”
Janelle tensed against him and lifted her head to look into his serious face. “We never settled our argument, did we?”
“No. We’ve talked around it or hinted at it but haven’t had a serious discussion. Have you had more time to think about what I said and what you want to do?”
“Yes, Aaron.” Looking down shyly, she stroked the gleaming skin on his chest. She looked nervous. He knew submitting to his authority was difficult, but after what they had just shared, surely she couldn’t throw that away. But he had thought long and hard about her reaction to his last attempt at discipline and decided that would never happen again, so he offered up a concession.
“If it helps, honey, I have decided that I won’t be asking you to cut switches again in the future.” His hands gently stroked her bottom. The glistening white globes were too tempting as they poked a fraction of an inch out of the water. “They would be too harsh on your delicate skin, and I know you are afraid of them.”
“Oh, Aaron, really? Thank you for considering my feelings.”
“That doesn’t mean you won’t feel my hand, paddle, or if need be, the strap, Janelle.”
“Yes, sir, I understand.” Looking him straight in the eye, she owned up to her decision. “I had already made up my mind to submit to you, even if it meant a switching. As my husband and the head of our household, I will follow your rules, including yielding to punishment as you see fit.”
“When did you decide this, Janelle?” Had she arrived at this conclusion while scared out of her mind on that mountainside, thinking she might die? He preferred it to have been a well thought out decision, arrived at while she was calm and rational.
“I first thought about it while you were leaving me after our fight that night. Then again while I was sitting in Meyers woods and praying that the portal wouldn’t appear.” She looked at his surprised expression and gave him a small smile. “I went there confused and upset. I was devastated when you left because I knew I loved you already. The modern woman in me was having trouble wrapping her head around spankings and submission. My pride was at stake, of course. Because you were right, I wasn’t protesting the switch. It was letting you lead and take charge. I see now that I need your loving guidance to help me adjust to life in this new time and to marriage in general. I don’t want to fight or have a tug of war for power. It’s just…” She paused, considering her next words.
“You can tell me, Janelle.” He cupped her face in his hands and lifted her to his kiss. “You can tell me anything.”
“I was wondering if we could talk about things. I have a special insight into our future that might be helpful. It’s my history after all.”
“Honey, I like your independence, and in case you haven’t noticed, there are quite a few things that you know more about than me—medicine, for instance. I don’t want to control you, Janelle. I want to love you and make you happy. I also want us to live a long, healthy, safe life together. So, I will continue to make decisions and enforce the rules that are for your well-being and in the best interest of our marriage.”
“Well-being and best interest are pretty broad topics and leave a lot of room for your interpretation, husband.”
He chuckled. “You’re a quick learner, honey. Brains and beauty—I am one lucky man.”
“Hmph!” she grunted at his teasing.
He laughed at her expression. “Follow the rules, and you’ll have nothing to worry about.”
Moving her off him, he rose from the tub and helped her out. He dried her first before toweling himself off. Pulling her back into his arms, he lifted her chin until she looked at him. “Let’s get past this spanking so we can start out fresh. Tell me which rules you violated the day you ran off to the woods.”
“Which time?”
“Janelle? Is this a good time to be flippant?”
“Sorry. I broke rule number one.”
“Which is?”
“I didn’t stay where you put me. I also broke a promise to you by not staying in the house. What’s more, I was disrespectful and sassy. My behavior in the store was not a good reflection upon you, but I owned up to that already. I really acted silly over that switching, didn’t I?”
“I wouldn’t say silly.”
“You wouldn’t?”
“No. Bratty comes to mind.” A frown compressed his mouth. He was failing miserably at trying to be serious as his lips twitched, revealing his suppressed amusement. She looked adorable, all rosy and warm, fresh from her bath, but he had a punishment to see to. Playtime would have to come after. “You were in rare form that day. Not only were you bratty, you were also insolent, provoking, cheeky, brazen—”
Her hand covered his mouth, cutting off his list of her flaws. “Okay, Aaron. I think I get the picture. I already said I was sorry. I really mean it, honey. Can you ever forgive me?”
“I already have, Janelle.” He kissed her and pulled her close, hugging the breath out of her. “But I always want you to be honest with me, like you were that night. Like you, I am new to marriage, and I have a lot to learn about being a husband. I made mistakes that night, too. From now on, if you’re scared of something or think I am being a tyrant, let me know, and we’ll stop, cool off, and talk it over. I can’t promise I will always relent as I did with the switch, but I will listen to your concerns. But you have to stop running away at the first sign of conflict.” He looked at her to make sure he had her attention. “Don’t you agree?”
“Yes, sir,” she agreed promptly while she grinned at him broadly.
“What?” Had he said something funny? She looked entirely too pleased with herself.
“I love that you are willing to bend some, Aaron. That’s what I was talking about—compromise. See?”
“I do, love.” He paused to give her a deep, sensuous kiss. Reluctantly, he pulled away. “Now let’s focus, or we’ll be here all day. I want you to put yourself in my shoes. If you were the head of the household, what punishment would you give for your dangerous and foolish behavior that night?”
“A nice, gentle spanking followed by a lot of kissing and cuddling in our bed?”
“I like the sound of that, and we’ll do that often for pleasure. But I said punishment. I’m serious, Janelle.”
Sighing, she looked down at her hands. Once again, she was wringing them furiously, a sure sign of her agitation. “Well, since it was the third time I didn’t stay where you put me and it resulted in me getting kidnapped and almost dying on that mountain, and since the hairbrush didn’t teach me my lesson, I guess… it’s, uh…”
He waited patiently. Could she really bring herself to ask for it?
“Say it, Janelle, so I know you are sincere in submitting to this punishment.”
Nodding, she looked up at him, having gathered her courage. “I think you should spank me, Aaron. And this time, I think you should use…” She gulped before finally spitting out, “Your strap.”
He pulled her into a huge hug. “Aw, honey, I know that was hard. I’m proud of you. It’s a good thing I’m deciding your punishment, not you.”
She looked at him in surprise. “Does that mean no strap?”
“No strap.” Pulling the towel from around her, he turned her and spoke low into her ear, “Bend over and place your hands on the edge of the tub. Spread your legs.”
Nodding, she obeyed without question and got in position.
She was beautiful and naked before him, all creamy bare skin and soft curves. Unable to resist, he glided his hand up her back and pushed her upper body down further. Gently but firmly, he pressed her lower, until her chest was resting on her hands and her behind was aimed high in the air. All her intimate parts were on prominent display for him, and she wiggled slightly in response. He could smell the spicy scent of her arousal, and his fingers itched to caress between her legs. “Spread a little wider, darlin’. Perfect. Now stay right there, exactly where I put you.”
That familiar expression made her smile despite her impending spanking. He reveled in her submission and leaning forward, asked softly, “Is it too much to ask for a wife to stay where her husband puts her?”
Smack. His open hand landed on her bottom. Still warm and a little wet from the bath, it stung his hand as much as it surely stung her bottom, but she kept silent and stayed put. One more landed, and yet another. Soon, he had established a steady rhythm as his big hand colored her entire bottom and upper thighs to a rosy pink. Although not as hard as the previous spankings, he built heat with each swat. He continued until she gave a small moan of response. When he stopped, his hand rested firmly on her back, indicating he wasn’t through yet as the other began caressing her tingling, fiery skin. The strokes were soothing, and the tingling sensation melded over her bottom until it spread between her thighs. As he expected, she was gushing with wetness.
* * *
With her legs spread wide, Janelle pressed against his seeking fingers. His firm hand against her behind had created a nice, warm, tingling sensation, which was now spreading to even more sensitive parts. She gasped
as his fingers dipped and stroked, finding her wetness. They played over her moist flesh, intimately gliding through her folds, teasing and building the tingle to an ache. It was more than she could stand, and she let out a small whimper and a groan of pleasure. What would he think about her getting turned on by a spanking?
Aaron, observant as always, didn’t miss a thing and answered her unspoken question. “This, my love, is a fun, pleasurable, playful spanking. Something we can both enjoy. You are already wet and drenched from those few love swats, and they have made me quite hard and ready for another go round, myself. See what fun it can be, darlin’.” His voice had taken on a tone that was raspy with desire, but his next words gave her pause. “This won’t be the case during real punishment, however. You understand that, don’t you?”
“Yes, sir.”
“Punishment spankings are meant to teach a lesson. Pleasure spankings are meant for our mutual enjoyment.”
“Aaron?”
“Yes, sweet pea?”
“Can we get on with the punishment so we can focus on the pleasure, please?”
A warm, husky laugh rolled from him as he removed his fingers and swatted her bottom playfully. “As you wish.”
Janelle felt him shift beside her and she could hear him remove something from the shelf behind her. She didn’t dare look, having vowed to stay where he put her this time. Suddenly, she felt something cool and smooth rub over her heated flesh. What did he have now? That was her last thought before a stinging blaze of fire burst along her lower cheek. She gasped at the fiery sensation but managed to stay in place.
Another stinging blow landed, followed by another and another. Heat encompassed her behind quickly as the blows rained down. The fifth brought tears to her eyes, and the sixth had her gasping for breath. There was a pause, then the gentle caress of his hand. “Do you understand the difference between the lessons, Janelle? The one for pleasure is quite a bit different from the one for punishment, don’t you think?”
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