Shared by Her Soldiers

by Dinah McLeod

  He scoffed, but it was Sean that spoke up. “Come on, Kaitlyn. That’s bull. Of course you do.”

  As much as she hated to contradict them, she bit her lip and shook her head.

  “I guess you need more time in the chair then,” Jarrod decreed.

  “No, please. If I knew, I swear I’d tell you.”

  “Then I suggest you think very hard.” When he turned away from her, she knew she’d been dismissed.

  She sighed and turned around, trudging back to the chair as slowly as she could. Slow or not, she still made it back, and before she knew it that rough, unvarnished wood was poking into her tender, spanked flesh. That was bad enough, but to add salt to her wound, she had to sit there and think about a mistake she’d rather forget.

  Jamie was waiting in her mind’s eye, looking all petite and gorgeous and it set her teeth on edge. If it had been any other guy… but no, it had been her guy! Or her… her something. She didn’t know exactly what, and that was the problem, wasn’t it? She’d felt like her territory was being threatened when she wasn’t even sure it was hers to begin with. It was confusing and heart-wrenching and strange. And she just hadn’t been able to stomach the idea of Jarrod going out with some girl when he wouldn’t even talk to her. At least, not until they figured out what this whole thing meant.

  But she’d been a fool. She’d been the one wanting something that she couldn’t even name, and she apparently was the only one. So to tally it up, she’d been mean, spiteful, she’d lied, and she’d also been blind to boot. She’d been chasing something that no one else seemed to want. How much more pathetic could you get?

  Ashamed, Kaitlyn felt hot tears begin to course down her cheeks. She’d never thought she would be a girl to pursue someone who didn’t want her back. Besides, had she forgotten that she already had the best husband a girl could ask for? Sean had been right there beside her, and she’d still gone after something else. Not that she wanted him out of the picture—he, in fact, was very much a part of what she’d been yearning for, but still, if she couldn’t have that she should have been satisfied with what she did have right in front of her. Wasn’t it more than enough?

  “Kaitlyn? Is your ass hurting, or do you have something to tell us?”

  With a loud sniffle, she wiped her eyes and stood up. She walked toward them once more, but when she got there, she dropped to her knees, kneeling in front of them. She didn’t know why, it just felt like the right thing to do.

  “I made a big mistake,” she began, thinking how best to put her revelation into words. “I lied, and I hurt Jamie with my lies, even if she doesn’t know it yet. And worse, I hurt you, Jarrod.” She sucked in her breath and somehow found the courage to look at him. “I never, ever should have said those things. They’re the furthest thing from the truth. You are an amazing man and any woman would be lucky to have you. The trouble is… well, I guess I was jealous.”

  “Jealous?” he echoed, as though the word was unfamiliar to him.

  “Yes, jealous. When I spoke to Jamie, well, you’d stopped coming around and I missed you. And the thought of someone else getting to spend time with you when I couldn’t… it was a very spur-of-the moment decision, and a bad one, I know that. But I guess I felt like if I couldn’t see you, then no one should.”

  “I see.”

  At least he didn’t sound like he wanted to strangle her anymore. That gave her the courage to continue. “I know that things… that what happened between all of us… it was weird, I guess. I mean, most people would think it was. But I-I don’t know, having the two of you like that, all to myself… I’ve never felt so loved in all my life. And I do love you, Jarrod. Maybe I shouldn’t feel it as strongly as I do, but I can’t help it.”

  She quickly looked at Sean, horrified that he might have taken it the wrong way, but he was giving her a small, reassuring smile that quickly dispelled her fears. She beamed back at him, relieved. At least she’d put it out there, and no matter what Jarrod had to say now, she knew that she and Sean were going to be just fine. That was more than a lot of people got.

  “I’m sorry.”

  The kind, soft-spoken words turned her attention back to Jarrod. He was staring at her thoughtfully, his brown eyes gentle. Seeing him look like himself again filled her with a rush of affection that made her feel warm from the inside out.

  “I was just busy, honey.” He lifted a hand and stroked the side of her cheek for a moment. “I got a new project at work and I’ve been putting in long hours. I haven’t had much time between work to eat or sleep. Believe me, I would have loved to be here instead.”

  “Really?” she asked, hardly daring to hope.

  “You have my word. I never meant for you to think it was anything else, but knowing you as I do, I should have anticipated it. And for that, I am sorry, Kate.”

  She felt so relieved that she could have melted into a puddle right then and there.

  “I should have called you and let you know what was going on, or given Sean a message. That was my mistake. But the phone works both ways, you know.”

  “I know,” she mumbled.

  “No matter what, you didn’t have the right to spread lies about me.”

  “I know.” She hung her head.

  “Do you have any idea what that could mean for my career if those things were to get back to the general?”

  Kaitlyn gasped and her eyes widened. She’d never thought about that! “But… but they won’t. Jamie wouldn’t…”

  “She wouldn’t?” he challenged. “And you know this because you know her so well?”

  “Well, no, but…”

  “Don’t worry, honey,” Sean chimed in. “You’re going to make all this right when you go deliver your apology to her in person. And if she has told the general, you’ll go to him, too. Won’t you?”

  She swallowed hard at the thought of approaching that steely-eyed, stern man, but nodded. “Yes, sir.”

  “Good. Now let’s get your punishment out of the way.”

  Kaitlyn’s head shot up, her lips in a round O.

  “What?” Jarrod chuckled, not unkindly. “You didn’t think we were done, did you?”

  “I guess not.”

  “Good. Now, go get me the Army paddle.”

  The order made her go stock-still. Even the air around her seemed to go still. The Army paddle was in their bedroom, shoved underneath the bed. Sean had gotten it for making sergeant. The paddle was supposed to be decorative, she surmised, but Sean had been threatening to use it on her ever since he’d brought it home. It was something he’d only followed through on once before and it wasn’t an experience she’d even come close to forgetting.

  “Jarrod…”

  “Do what I say, Kate,” he ordered, steel lining his voice once more.

  With a long-suffering sigh and a pitiful, puppy-dog look to Sean, which was ignored, she stood up and walked to the bedroom. She bent down and leaned over to see where it was. It would have been great if it’d been lost behind the boxes and odds and ends they’d also stuffed underneath the bed, but sadly her eyes caught sight of it right away.

  She leaned over further and stretched her arm out, reaching for it. Her hand closed around the handle and she pulled it out. It was a bit dusty, which she fixed with a few swipes of her hand. It had been a long time since she’d looked at it. It had the Army logo on the front in big, bold letters and was painted green and black. It was nicely decorated, and also long, wide, and nearly three inches thick. She lifted it, testing the weight. She’d forgotten how heavy it was. The idea that it would soon be thudding against her poor, helpless ass was sickening.

  “Kaitlyn? Do you need some help in there?”

  “No!” She leapt to her feet. God help her if they felt the need to come in after her. “I’m coming.”

  When she got to the living room, she saw that Sean had put a chair from the dining room in the middle of the room. Not her punishment chair, thank God, but the sight of it still put a lump in her throat.<
br />
  She walked up to Jarrod and offered the paddle.

  “Thank you,” he said as he took it from her, as though she hadn’t just provided him with a murder weapon. Because she was sure he was planning to kill her ass! “You’re going to get ten, and you’ll bend over the chair.”

  She blinked rapidly at the news, not sure which surprised her more. Jarrod didn’t wait for a response before he stood up. She stepped back as he stood, watching with wary eyes as he walked to the chair. He had just gotten there when he beckoned her forward with a crook of his finger.

  Before she could move, Sean grabbed her shoulder and gave it a squeeze. “I know you’re nervous,” he began. “And I know you’re dreading it, but just know that everyone in this room loves you.”

  She gave him a grateful smile. “I love you, too.”

  “Be a good girl so it goes quick.”

  Kaitlyn sucked in her breath and gave him a nod. She turned her attention back to Jarrod who was watching her, waiting patiently with the paddle firmly in hand.

  “Over the chair?” she asked as she neared, her heart pounding like a drum in her chest.

  Jarrod nodded. As soon as she was in position, she felt the cool wood of the paddle against her cheeks. She winced, closing her eyes tightly, but it only made circles on her cheeks, teasing her with what was to come.

  “What you did was very childish,” Jarrod scolded. “You were acting out and throwing a tantrum.”

  “Yes, sir.”

  Bam. The wood cracked down on her behind with the loudest thud she’d ever heard before. For a moment, she thought she’d gone deaf, but when that moment was done it no longer mattered because all she could think about was the searing pain that had come after the swing of the paddle.

  “Ow!” she howled.

  Jarrod waited for her to settle down. As soon as she felt somewhat calm—or, less shaken, anyway—the paddle was back, stroking the surface of her sore ass. “That was bad enough,” he continued, “but you involved an innocent girl, who’d never done anything to you.”

  “Yes, sir,” she agreed softly.

  The next strike was no less loud, but she was ready for it. What she couldn’t have prepared was the pain that moved across her ass in waves.

  Jarrod gave her more time after that one, but it was still all too soon when she felt the wood against her skin once more. “After this spanking, I’m going to forgive you.”

  Smack.

  “But I don’t know when I’ll be able to trust you again.”

  Splat.

  “That’s going to take some time and you’re going to have to work hard to earn it.”

  By the time that stroke landed, Kaitlyn was sobbing in earnest. Whether it was more because of the hearty paddling she was getting or what he’d said, she wasn’t sure. All she knew was that they both hurt, deeply, and both were well-deserved.

  “And if one day I make the decision to get a girlfriend, that is my decision.”

  “Y-yes,” she agreed, tears pouring down her cheeks. “Ow!” she wailed, in tune to the wood smacking down on her vulnerable skin. “Oh, Jarrod, please! P-please!”

  “And you will be nothing but nice to her,” he continued, ignoring her pleas. “Is that understood?”

  “Ye-yes, s-sir. B-but Jar—” The thud of the swat silenced her. She was gasping for breath and crying too hard to speak.

  “I love you, Kaitlyn Green.”

  The words shocked her so much that she wouldn’t have been able to speak if she’d had the breath to. They were a balm to a wounded spirit, and almost enough to make her forget that she would be eating standing up for the next week, at least.

  “I love you, which is why I’m being so tough on you. You know that, don’t you?”

  Even though her ass would have very much liked to call him on his version of love, she did know it. She felt it, even as he swung that mean, awful paddle. “Yes, sir.”

  “Good girl. Now, you have three more coming, and as much as I would like to, I am not going to go easy on you. Do you understand?”

  She wanted to get down on her hands and knees and beg him to go easy on her, but instead she nodded.

  “I need you to know that Sean and I take lying very seriously.”

  “Yes, sir.”

  “That, and defaming someone’s character,” Sean added.

  “Yes, sir,” she agreed, her voice shaking as she stuck her ass out further for more punishment. To her surprise, she suddenly saw Sean standing in front of her.

  “I’m here to help you,” he told her, his voice soft. When she nodded, he bent and took her wrists in his hands. “I want you to focus on staying in position. This is going to hurt, but you need to take it like a good girl.”

  With another swallow, she nodded. She was too nervous to thank him, but she hoped he knew how she felt.

  “Ready, Jarrod?”

  His only answer was the loud splat of that fearsome paddle against her aching ass.

  Now Kaitlyn knew why Sean had come. The swats were harder than ever before. That last one had her stamping her feet as she wailed.

  Jarrod gave her a few moments to compose herself. She could feel him behind her, waiting, and it made her antsy.

  The ninth came smacking down, the paddle catching both her lower backside and thighs. She was howling, the tears coming too quickly for her to see through them.

  “Shh, honey.” Sean squeezed her wrists. “It’s almost over. You can do it.”

  She tried to respond, but she couldn’t think about anything but the heat burrowing beneath the surface of her skin. When the final stroke came, it wasn’t nearly as hard or punishing as the rest, despite what Jarrod had said. She was grateful for the show of pity, even if her scorched ass could hardly tell the difference.

  The next and best thing about it being over was the feeling of Sean pulling her into his arms. He was murmuring soothing words as he wiped her tears away, but they were still coming too fast. He half-pulled, half-carried her to the couch. When he sat down, she leaned on his knee, letting her sore, achy bottom stick out. The idea of having it touch anything right now was unthinkable.

  The feeling of his hand rubbing her back was in strong contrast to the searing heat trapped in her rear, but the longer he held her the more she could focus on his gentle caress. Then Jarrod was sitting on the other side.

  “Am I f-forgiven?” she sniffled.

  “Forgiven,” he affirmed, reaching forward to cup her face. “I am sorry I left you feeling abandoned last time. It won’t happen again.”

  “It better not,” Sean chimed in. “Who knows what she’d do next time.”

  The two of them chuckled and she was feeling too meek and submissive at the moment to so much as frown at them. Instead, she laid her cheek in his palm, relishing the feeling of having both of them surrounding her. When her cries quieted to sniffles Sean moved behind her. When he lowered his hands to her ass she flinched, even though his touch was light as a feather. He ran his hands up and down her welted skin, as though assessing the damage, testing the heat.

  When she felt the gentle touch of his lips on her spanked bottom, she was overcome with a sense of having both pleasure and pain all at once. She shut her eyes, never more aware of a touch as she was of his lips right this moment. He was taking his time, caressing and kissing every inch of her paddled behind.

  The next thing she knew, she felt Jarrod cupping her breasts in his hands. He captured the nipple of her left in his fingers and began to pinch it. Meanwhile he bent his head and took the right in his mouth, gently sucking it until she mewled in pleasure.

  Kaitlyn’s world was being pulled right out beneath her feet. She’d never been stuck between agony and delight before and it was strangely arousing.

  Almost as if he’d read her thoughts, she heard Jarrod’s voice saying, “You’re not allowed to come. Naughty girls don’t get rewarded for bad behavior, do they?”

  “No, sir,” she said, her voice quivering at the thought of being
denied.

  “Good. Make sure you remember that, or there’ll be hell to pay.” Without waiting for an answer, he switched sides and began to suck her right nipple while punishing her left.

  She didn’t know how long this went on. Time seemed inconsequential. She lost herself in the feeling of their hands, their mouths on her skin. She gave herself over to their care, letting them do with her as they would, and there had never been a better feeling in the entire world.

  * * *

  Kaitlyn hadn’t even known she’d fallen asleep until she awoke. Her eyes lazily fluttered open and she saw that she was on the couch. Apparently, she’d fallen asleep on top of her still sleeping husband. At some point, her gray wool throw had been put on top of them.

  She lifted her head, trying to remember exactly what had happened, but all she could remember was the sound of her own moans ringing in her ears. Where was Jarrod? Had he left? A sense of déjà vu shot through her and had her sitting up, turning her head from side to side.

  Just then, he walked into the living room, holding a glass of water. She smiled in relief when she saw him.

  “Good morning,” he whispered when he saw her.

  “Is it morning?”

  “Close enough.”

  “You couldn’t sleep?”

  “I’ll catch a few hours before I have to leave for work.”

  She glanced down at Sean. His chiseled features looked downright angelic when he slept. “Should I wake him?”

  “Yeah. Why don’t you two move to the bedroom and I’ll take the couch?”

  “OK.”

  “Is something on your mind?”

  She nodded, looking up at him through lowered lashes. “It’s just… I was wondering… you do forgive me, don’t you?”

  Jarrod put an arm around her and pulled her close. Only when she was pressed against him, his heat warming her own body, did she begin to relax. “Of course I do, Kate. I wouldn’t have told you I did if I didn’t. I can’t deny that I’m disappointed, and like I told you, it’s going to take some time for the trust to build up between us again. But I love you, do you understand that?”

  “I do.” Kaitlyn let her breath out slowly, both relieved with what he’d said and feeling the burden of proof. But if he could be patient with her, she could be patient with him.