Of Yesterday

by Alta Hensley

  Placing her nearby but far enough from the madness, Jason stared at her, his eyes dark with rage. "What the hell were you thinking? Why in the hell would you run into a burning barn?" He grabbed her by the shoulders and shook her. "Are you insane? You could've been killed!"

  She wheezed, every breath she took burned her lungs. "I thought you were inside, or at least could've been." She coughed and swiped at her streaming tears with the back of her hand. "And the animals. I couldn't just leave them to die."

  He loosened his grip and wrapped his arms around her. "Christ! I'm so mad at you!" He placed soft kisses in her soot-covered hair. "I'm furious!" He pulled away and glared into her eyes. "I could have lost you. You could have died! Do you get that?" He placed a soft kiss on her lips, stealing whatever breath she had managed to reclaim.

  "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have—"

  "You're damn straight you shouldn't have! But we'll deal with that later." He pulled away and started examining her body. "Are you hurt? Do you have any burns?"

  She shook her head and attempted to assure him that everything was all right. But her breath came in shallow, rapid gasps. Her mind fogged and her vision began to give way to darkness. She faintly heard Jason call out her name.

  ****

  When her eyelids opened, Taylor was aware that time had passed. The setting sun shining through her window cast shadows along the walls. She was lying in her soft bed, staring into the most comforting, loving, blue eyes she had ever seen.

  "Hello, sleepyhead," Jason whispered as he leaned down and kissed her forehead. "You nearly scared me death."

  She tried to talk, but the burn in the back of her throat radiated.

  "Don't try to speak right now," a voice behind Jason ordered. She looked over his shoulder to see a man she assumed to be the doctor.

  She struggled upright, her muscles weak and her head still spinning.

  Gently, Jason placed his hands on her chest, preventing her from sitting up any further. "Taylor, just rest right now," he soothed.

  The doctor came over and examined her eyes and the inside of her mouth. "You're a very foolish, yet brave girl. Running into a burning building wasn't the wisest choice you could make, but I give you credit for having such courage. You're lucky to still be alive." He patted her leg. "You're going to be just fine. Get some rest tonight and drink plenty of fluids."

  The doctor's light lecture was nothing compared to the glare she was receiving from Jason. His eyes darkened to a steely grey and his arms were crossed against his chest. His jaw tightened and his forehead creased, giving off the most intense scowl she had ever seen. She suddenly did not want the doctor to leave. Being alone with Jason was not high on her list right now.

  When the doctor did leave, she prepared for the worse. She bashfully looked into Jason's eyes and with barely a rasp asked, "Am I in trouble?"

  Jason chuckled. "More than you could even imagine. Although I'm so proud of you. You saved all those animals. You're a strong woman, Taylor." He sat on the bed and wrapped his arm around her, allowing her to place her head on his chest. "But right now I want to you get some sleep."

  "Stay here with me. Please."

  He kissed the top of Taylor's head. "I'll never leave you."

  Taylor smoothed her hand under his shirt, enjoying the feel of his skin against her palm. "Jason, I was really scared. I thought I was going to die."

  Jason whispered into her smoke-filled hair, "I'll never let anything happen to you like that again. It's my job to protect you, and I'll make damn sure you never feel that fear again."

  She stared up at Jason as he tucked the blankets tighter around her body. His face still dirty from the fire, his eyes shadowed with exhaustion. "Jason, being here in your arms, I've never felt so safe."

  Jason rested his cheek against the brown curls of her head. "You're safe, sweetheart. I'll never let anything harm you again." He whispered the soothing words as he placed soft kisses along her forehead. "You need to get some sleep."

  Shivering, she closed her eyes and let herself relax against the warmth of his body. Taylor was so tired that she could not prevent her mind from shifting hazily between reality and the nightmare of the fire. She fought the weight of her eyelids to look up into Jason's worried eyes.

  He gazed down at her and whispered, "You're safe, sweetheart. You'll always be safe."

  Chapter Twelve

  Taylor made her way into the kitchen. She was not sure what time, or even what day, it was. She stood barefoot on the wooden floor, watching Jason clean up the last of the dishes.

  "I can do that." Her voice was clear, with only a slight scratch to it.

  Jason turned around and smiled. "You look good. You sound good, too."

  Taylor brushed her hair behind her ears, suddenly self-conscious of her appearance. "What time is it?"

  "Almost 8PM. You've slept all last night and most of the day." He walked toward her, wrapped his arms around her lower back, and gave a soft kiss on her dry, chapped lips. "Are you hungry?"

  Taylor shook her head. "Where's Mandy?"

  Jason growled. "On a walk...with one of the O'Keefe brothers. I'm not happy about it."

  Taylor tried to conceal her smile. "I'm sure she is loving every moment of it. Good for her."

  Jason frowned. "I don't want to talk about it."

  His gaze met hers and took on a subtle shading. Taylor could tell there was something on his mind. Being able to read his expressions pleased her. They were getting closer and closer every day.

  "What is it, Jason?"

  "About yesterday..."

  "I know. I was scared, and I didn't know what to do."

  She reached out for him, but he pulled away. Anger washed over him. "You don't need to be acting like some hero. I'm supposed be the hero. I'm supposed to protect you and this land. What you did...what you did..." He began to pace along the drying dishes, attempting to walk off his fury.

  "I was stupid. I know, and I'm sorry."

  Jason paused and turned to face her. With a devilish grin he said, "You damn sure will be. I want you to go upstairs and wait for me in your room."

  Taylor opened her mouth to protest, but thought better of it. Messing with Jason while his temper was still flaring was about as stupid as running into a burning barn. She took a deep breath and turned around to make her way to the stairs.

  Taylor sat at the edge of her bed, fiddling with her ash-stained fingers. Getting all the soot out from under her nails was going to take her days. Waiting for Jason seemed like an eternity. Not knowing what to expect was excruciating. Was he going to spank her? Most likely, and frankly, she deserved it. She would not fight him on this one. She had already made up her mind that she would willingly submit to the punishment in store. This was the lifestyle she knew she was getting into, deep down. This was the lifestyle she had grown to love.

  She laid back and stared up at the white ceiling with the old fashioned light above. Her eyes scanned the curtains, the wallpaper and the old worn rug in front of the doorway. She was going crazy inside. And why in God's name was she finding herself getting aroused? Nothing she could do could distract her from her thoughts of Jason. How long was he going to make her wait?

  She contemplated going downstairs. Maybe she should just walk down there and lay herself across his lap and get it over with. He might be mad she came down, but if she was going to get spanked anyway, how much worse could it be?

  Drumming up the courage to turn the door handle and make her descent, she heard the heavy weight of his boots pound against the stairs.

  Jason walked into the room, eyes dark, lips in a firm, straight line. He closed the door behind him and took a moment to just study Taylor. The moment seemed like an eternity to her.

  "I'm going to punish you."

  "I know." She swallowed the forming lump in the back of her throat. But also noticed the wetness forming between her legs. How could anxiousness and eroticism be mixed together?

  He took off his belt, ma
king Taylor's heart skip. Jason sat down beside her on the bed. "Come here."

  Prickles against her skin sprang up as his palm glided its way down her back. The shiver continued as he lifted her across his lap. Taylor released a light gasp as he nudged her thighs apart with the press of his strong hands. Breathless and yielding, her fears buried under a surge of sensuality, Taylor closed her eyes to allow the surrender.

  She looked over her shoulder, knowing there was no way to avoid this punishment. The set to his mouth was hard, his eyes determined. The faintest of smiles lingered in the corner of his mouth. Something was different. His demeanor was not exactly what she expected.

  "What you did could have killed you. I could have lost you."

  Taylor swallowed back the lump forming in the back of her throat. His lecture could very well be worse than the discipline to come.

  "It’s my job to protect you, care for you." He lifted up her dress, exposing her white cotton panties. "It’s also my job to make sure you never do something so foolish again." He grasped the band of her panties and lowered them down to her knees.

  Taylor tensed and gasped at the exposure. "Jason? What are you doing?" The blush shot through her entire body. Lying across his lap with an uncovered behind was almost too much to endure.

  Jason ran his palm from the top of her ass, to where her butt met her thighs. "Bare bottom spankings from now on, Darlin’. I want to be able to see my handy work."

  Taylor relaxed into him, nervous about what was to come, but aroused by his soft touch, and silky voice even more so. She did not move, wriggle, or fight his caress. She closed her eyes and absorbed every moment.

  "You’re lucky to be alive and not have any injuries. You could have been burned."

  Jason parted her legs further, opening her crevice completely to his view. What started as a blush had no doubt reached a level of fiery red against her heated face. Never had Taylor laid across a man’s lap, with her ass in the air, legs spread wide, and everything private in full sight. With only a breathless gasp and a slight tense of the body, Taylor allowed Jason to do as he pleased. Resistance never entered her mind.

  His fingertip dipped into the natural contours of her bottom, sliding seductively along her puckered opening. "But after tonight, you’ll definitely be feeling a burn." Jason’s finger rubbed over her anus in small, measured circles.

  Taylor’s breath caught, trapped in her throat by the desire for him to press past her opening. Jason removed his hand and reached for something beside him. Taylor kept her eyes shut, clinching her fists in nervous anticipation. Was she going to be spanked with a paddle, a brush, or the belt he had removed before placing her over his lap?

  Moments later, Jason applied smooth cream to her puckered rosebud that desperately craved to be invaded. "I like this," she confessed. "I want you there. I want you to take me where I’ve never been taken before."

  He continued to rub and tease by pressing the tip of his finger past the tight skin. "I want you, too. And I plan on making this tight ass mine. But right now, you’re about to get a punishment that will make you think twice before putting your life at risk."

  Taylor had expected to be spanked by now, had expected to feel the sting of his hand. The anticipation was excruciating. She looked over her shoulder, brushing the curls from her eyes so she could see what Jason had in store. In his hand was a root of some sort, carved into a shape like the tip of a penis.

  "What is that?" she asked.

  "This is a ginger root I carved into a shape that will fit into your bottom." A mischievous smile washed across his face. "And very soon, you’ll find out why this is a punishment you won’t forget."

  Jason placed his hand between Taylor’s shoulder blades and pressed her all the way down again. The only thing she could see was the wooden floor boards below her. She could not help but buck against the root as it made contact with her skin. The fear of the unknown and the pressure on her entrance caused all her nerves spring to life.

  He spread her buttocks and pressed the root past the tight hole. She jerked.

  "Hold still," he ordered.

  She whimpered at the sharp bite of the intrusion.

  "Relax, sweetheart." He continued to press the root further, demanding the access. "I want you to close your eyes and concentrate on the sensations. Focus on the discipline."

  Her hands flailed until they found his calves and dug in. Her breath hitched with every movement of the root. Inch by inch, the ginger made its passage to her depths. "Oh, God."

  The root was almost all the way in, spreading her hole to its limits. Her anus continued to stretch, but her pussy pulsated in desire. The tight muscles gave as she took the thickest part of the root.

  Taylor shook her head, her voice strained. "Jason, I can’t. It stings."

  Jason paused until Taylor gave him the hint to continue on, by seductively pressing her ass to his hand.

  "Take a deep breath and relax. You can do this." He leaned down and kissed the top of her bottom. "Do you need me to stop? If it's too much -"

  Taylor shook her head to interrupt. "No, don't stop. I want more."

  With a final push that had her crying out, Jason shoved the ginger root all the way to the carved base.

  Jason leaned down and placed soft kisses on her lower back, working his way to each cheek of her butt. He moved his hand to her clit and pinched. She pressed against his touch, desperate for the tender reward for her submission.

  He continued to rub and stroke her bud, driving her passion to a whole new level. "Now the punishment is just about to begin."

  "What? The root isn’t it?"

  He snickered. "Oh, it is. Wait a few more seconds and see just how much of a punishment it is."

  As if on cue, a slow burn began to build in the depths of her canal. A burning that rippled its way through her entire bottom hole.

  Pressing down on her back when she tried to struggle, Jason whispered, "It’s all right. It’s supposed to burn. It’s going to light your ass on fire. But it will also make you crave me buried deep inside of you." He tapped the base of the root. "This will teach you to never go near a real fire ever again."

  The burning in her bottom melted any sense of control. She panted against the sensation as the heat grew in intensity. A scorching fire set her insides ablaze, yet her pussy throbbed for more.

  Jason adjusted her bottom with his knee so her ass was higher up and on better display. As if the root wasn’t enough, Jason began to spank her inferno of a butt.

  Taylor desperately tried to wriggle loose from his grasp. "Jason, please! I’m sorry!"

  He continued to spank. Every time Taylor clenched her ass, tensing from the spanking, it made the burning from the root build.

  Taylor could not breathe, could not move. All she could do was clinch her fist and close her eyes and commit herself to the punishment. Jason was right. She would not be forgetting or repeating this one for sure.

  "Who’s in charge, Taylor?"

  SWAT.

  "You are."

  SWAT.

  "Will you ever do something like running into a burning building again?"

  SPANK. SPANK. SPANK.

  "God, no! No, I won’t ever again. Please, Jason, it burns!"

  SWAT.

  "Just a little bit longer. But if you ever do something like that again, I’ll double the length of time. Are we clear?"

  SPANK. SPANK. SPANK.

  "Yes. Yes!"

  The spanking continued on until she could not tell where the fire in her ass started and where it ended. She burned, she stung, but more importantly she submitted. She knew she wanted this, just as bad as she wanted Jason. She knew that when this God-awful punishment was over, she would be completely surrendered to Jason and his way of life. She did not want a repeat of tonight, but would allow Jason to discipline her however and whenever he chose. She wanted to give him that power. She wanted to hand over the trust to him. She was completely his.

  Chapter Thirteenr />
  Intimacy was the only way to explain it. Jason had never spanked a woman before. Although with Taylor, it seemed natural and right. He planned on having a traditional marriage, with traditional roles, but never concreted the idea of spanking his wife into the equation. With Taylor, it was clear she needed to be taken in hand and therefore it was never a question. What Jason did find shocking was how his cock hardened each time he spanked her, or even when he thought of doing so. Taylor was a bundle of passion bent over his knee, giving herself and her submission to him. He had no idea the power and intensity that act of discipline could give.

  Her hands, which were caught behind her back in his, were now relaxed. She no longer fought the punishment. The spanking had served its purpose and he recognized when he had reached her limits. He removed the ginger root, pulled her up and sat her on his lap, pressed hard against his chest.

  "Jason, I’m sorry." Her voice cracked as she nuzzled her face into his neck.

  "I know, sweetheart. Just don’t ever let me catch you putting your life at risk again." The possession he felt for this woman, curled up in his lap, was overpowering. "It’s done. It’s over."

  He stood her up and covered her red bottom with his hand. She shifted uneasily, but then settled into his touch. His cock hardened further in response to her softness.

  "I like feeling the heat of your ass against my hand," Jason admitted.

  "It stings." She pouted.

  He pulled her face away from the crook in his neck so he could look into her tear-glistened eyes."And well-deserved."

  The blush that overtook her face was almost as pink as her recently-spanked behind. Jason did everything he could not to chuckle. He turned her around and pressed her over the edge of the bed before she could even put up a fight.

  Taylor propped herself on her elbows and looked over her shoulder. Blowing at the loose curl dancing in front of her eye. "Are you going to punish me some more? I really am sorry."

  "After what you did…I should. But, no. I’m going to take care of the soreness." He placed his palm in the middle of her back to keep her still. He pulled out a tube of salve from his pocket and dipped his finger in it. "Stick your bottom up for me and hold still."