Courted: Hyacinth Brides Box Set

by Bree Cariad

  It was both confusing and a relief. While she didn’t know where Gaelic fell on that side of the line, he was a very sweet man. Hopefully that crossed over into the discipline area. Of course, at the same time, Dora also hoped he understood how much a good spanking could do for her. It was a conundrum she found herself constantly thinking about: hoping he was light with the strap and yet also not wanting him to be.

  Deciding there was no real way to pad her behind, she got dressed as normal, pulling on a pair of new jeans and a cute blouse she found the other day at a nearby thrift shop. As she was lacing up her boots, a knock came on the front door and she forgot her fears as she bounded down the stairs. “Gaelic!” she squealed, leaping and giving him a hug as soon as she got the door open.

  “Dora,” he said, pleased, wrapping his arms around her and squeezing. “I’ve missed you, darling.”

  Thrilled at the term, she kissed him and beamed when he sat her on her feet. “I’m happy you came in today. How long are you here for?” she asked as she reached for her coat.

  “A week this time. In fact…” He reached into his pocket and brought out a note, handing it to her. “I figured you’d rather hear it from the horse’s mouth.”

  Confused, she opened up the note to see Chris’s handwriting.

  Dory,

  Ha! I pulled it over on you. I was sure you’d notice or someone would let it slip. You have the next week off. Vacation! This way you and Gaelic can spend all your time together.

  Chris

  P.S. I hid the charge forms.

  Giggling as she could imagine Chris’s expression when he wrote the note, she smiled up at her boyfriend. “A full week together?”

  “Yep. Is that okay?” His expression grew pensive as though he wondered if she would think it was a good idea.

  “Fantastic! I’ve missed you.”

  Grinning, he picked her up and swung her around. “I’ve missed you, too. Shall we go?”

  The first three days with him were amazing. He picked her up early in the morning and they took long walks to Hins Creek Lake, hiked in the forest, and otherwise spent every moment together. When he dropped her off each night, he left her with a warm kiss and she couldn’t wait until the next morning. Unfortunately, in the back of her mind was the whole spanking issue. She hadn’t found a way to bring it up and blurting it apropos of nothing seemed stupid.

  Tuesday, they drove to Seattle for the day, did a little shopping, and visited the Space Needle, but mostly walked up and down the streets talking and enjoying each other’s company. She found peace at Gaelic’s side and she had to admit, seeing several girls look at him and then at her with confusion on their faces had done the opposite to what they might have intended. Instead of feeling cowed by their how-did-she-get-him look, each one made her stand a little taller. Gaelic wanted her, not some skinny-minnie, and that knowledge was both empowering and exciting.

  On the way home, there was a peace to the silence between them. He held her hand as he drove and she watched the trees go by out the window. Neither of them felt the silence had to be filled with words and she loved that about him. As his thumb rubbed lightly over the back of her hand, she found that she felt free to be honest.

  “Gaelic?”

  “Yes?”

  “We’re in stage four.”

  “Okay?” He sounded confused but she wasn’t tense so he must have figured everything was all right.

  “Um…by council rules you can spank me.”

  There was a moment’s silence where he considered that before slowing the car down and pulling off to the side of the road. Surprised and hoping she hadn’t said something wrong, she glanced at him. After putting the car in park, he turned and looked at her, his eyes a darker grayish-blue, something that always happened when he felt strong emotion. “How do you feel about being spanked?”

  That wasn’t a question she had expected. “I’ve been disciplined my whole life,” she admitted. “Even though it hurts, I find peace in it, I guess.”

  His eyes searched hers, though she had no idea what he was looking for. Finally, he relaxed a little and leaned back in his seat. “My father and uncle are two very unique people. Both dominant men who believe in being head of the household. But it wasn’t until I began spending summers in Hyacinth that I found out people actually spanked. Dad doesn’t. Uncle Alex does.” He paused as if looking for what words he wanted to use. “I’ll admit, I was shocked the first time he took a paddle to me. Shocked, horrified, angry…and completely confused. When I talked to Xan about it and found out that for him this was the norm, it kind of threw me.

  “I understand the peace part as Cami has mentioned she feels the same thing. Xan and I both had the same kind of reaction: that it settled us and made us think twice about our actions. My parents never understood my requesting to return to Hyacinth every summer after that. I wasn’t sure I understood it. I knew if I did something disrespectful that I would be punished, but it took several years before I actually understood why I loved coming here.

  “I knew where I stood with Uncle Alex. There was no gray area. You were either right or wrong. That’s it.” He paused, his thumb still rubbing the back of her hand. “I love my own father. But I think it’s through Uncle Alex that I learned to be a man and how to care of and take responsibility for the people I love. And not just in discipline. If he was wrong, he admitted it freely. When he apologized for something he did, I remember being stunned the first time and respecting him even more the second. I’m not strict like he is, Dora. I love you and the main thing is I want you to be happy. If spanking makes you feel better, I’m very willing to go that route. I understand the kind of relief it brings. But I’ve never been a hard-and-fast rule kind of guy.

  “So,” he said after taking a deep breath, “what I’m saying is I may not know when you need a spanking, at least not at first. And I’m going to make mistakes and miss clues all over the place. Xan said I needed to set up some ground rules with you and that if you broke them it was your way of asking for a spanking, but I wasn’t sure how you’d feel about that.”

  Dora was sure right in that moment that she had found the world’s most perfect man. Honest, caring, loving, and wanting to work on things together. There was something to be said for the alpha-male types like Xan and Alex, but while Gaelic could react strongly when she was threatened, he was overall a teddy bear. And she loved that about him.

  “I love that idea,” she said quietly. “I do need discipline from time to time. A few months ago I got myself into a real emotional mess, built it into a huge thing. A spanking would have knocked it right out. For the most part, I’m calm and quiet. But…There’s a peace to knowing you will discipline me when I need it. Because I do need it sometimes.” In a way it was strange talking like this. She and her friends had talked about it often, but discussing this particular subject with a man seemed peculiar and yet as it was Gaelic, it also felt natural.

  “There are a few things that I think are essential to a good, loving relationship,” he continued in a quiet voice. “I’m not even sure they need mentioned as you do them so effortlessly. But how could I discipline you if you did break them if I didn’t set them up as a rule in the first place? That would make me a coward and a cheat. Two things I’m not.” She squeezed his hand and he smiled at her. “Respect and complete honesty are two rules I hold dear, Dora. Both to you and myself. Break either of those and I believe a spanking is warranted. I also feel that if you feel you need one, you should also feel free to ask for it. I would never laugh at you. Ever. I understand that discipline is mental just as much as physical. I also believe it brings the couple closer together. So, please ask. Does that make sense?”

  Beaming, she nodded. “Yes, very much. And I agree.”

  “I love you,” he said, cupping her cheek with the hand that wasn’t holding hers.

  “I love you, too.” Gazing into his eyes, she found herself opening her mouth and blurting out the question that had been in her mi
nd for the last week. “What do you use?”

  Confusion washed over his face. “Use?”

  Blushing as she realized he had no idea what she meant, she explained. “To spank? I thought all guys spanked like my dad and then after talking to Cami and Kathy, I found out every guy seems to have their own unique way of doing it.”

  “Oh,” he said grinning at her. “I enjoy slippering.”

  She stared at him in confusion. “Slippering? What’s that?”

  “Instead of one’s hand, a paddle, or a belt, I use a slipper.”

  “An actual slipper?” she asked, giggling. That didn’t seem very serious. She couldn’t even imagine it hurt very much.

  “Yep. Picked up the idea when I was in England one time and I find it fits me.” Leaning in, he pressed his soft lips to hers and she sighed as he pulled her closer. Never in her life had she felt so secure and loved as she did in his arms. When he pulled back, there was a strange twinkle in his eyes. “Was there a reason for your question?”

  “My question?” Momentarily she was confused as she was still basking in the warmth from their kiss.

  “About how I spanked. Did you want a demonstration?” He winked at her, letting her know he was both teasing and offering at the same time.

  She stared into his twinkling eyes and giggled. His playfulness helped. “I-I would like you to,” she said in a soft voice.

  His eyes warmed and he kissed her again. “When we get home.”

  Chapter 6

  All the way home, her heart beat at a slightly faster rate, but it wasn’t with trepidation. Dora was actually excited. It had been several years since she had been spanked and there was something about the fact Gaelic would be doing it that just added to the whole moment. She should be dreading it, but she did not. Instead, she could hardly wait for them to get there.

  They walked in to find Stephanie and Chris lounging in the living room. “Hey, you two,” Chris said with a smile. “How was Seattle?”

  “Great,” Dora said, looking between the two of them. They looked incredibly happy. “Good news today?” she guessed.

  Stephanie beamed and looked to her husband who gave her a warm smile in return before turning to them. “The house has passed its first inspection. If things move smoothly now, it looks like we’ll be able to move in in June.”

  “Oh!” Dora said, clasping her hands together. “Congratulations! I’ll miss you like crazy,” she admitted, giving each of them a hug, “but I’m so happy for you!”

  “It’s a good thing you’ll be working right next door,” Stephanie laughed. “You can wean yourself off of us slowly.”

  “Never,” Chris said grinning. “Dora’s stuck with us forever.”

  After talking for a few minutes, Gaelic laid his hand on her lower back. It was a simple gesture but it brought Dora’s mind back to what was going on and she looked up. His soft blue eyes gazed down at her and she gave him a soft smile before looking at the other two. “We’ll be in Dad’s study.”

  Stephanie winked at her even as Chris nodded. Neither acted like it was strange, but then they used the study all the time. As Dora led Gaelic to the little room at the end of the house, he leaned over and whispered, “Do you have any slippers?” There was something about the way he asked that made her tremble and not in a bad way.

  “Um, yes? Why don’t you go in there and I’ll be right back.” He nodded and walked into the room as she turned and quickly climbed the stairs, making her way to her bedroom. Grabbing a pair of soft pink slippers with rubber soles from the shelf in her closet, she took a moment to look at herself in the mirror. Her cheeks were softly flushed with excitement and the light green sweater dress hugged her curves slightly. She had to admit even with her nerves about what was about to happen that she was also incredibly eager for it as well. Her and Gaelic’s relationship was just about to become stronger and she could hardly wait.

  She trotted back down the stairs, ignored by her two roommates as she walked away and through the door into the study. Closing it behind her made her heart speed up even faster. Gaelic stood facing away from her, looking at the implements hanging on the wall. “Those are what Daddy used,” she explained walking forward.

  He turned and his eyes lightly crinkled in a smile. “That paddle looks deadly.”

  Laughing, she nodded. “It hurt. He only used that on me when I was particularly naughty.”

  “You?” he asked in surprise. “I can’t imagine you ever doing something bad.”

  “Oh, I can,” she agreed, nodding. “Not so much now, but when I was a teenager I could get into such trouble.”

  A little wicked gleam entered his eyes. “I must admit. I look forward to getting to know that side of you.”

  “Really?” she asked, surprised at how breathy her voice was. Why was this conversation so thrilling? It was almost like…no, not possible. She could not be turned on by the possibility of him spanking her. That was so wrong. It had definitely never happened before. No. She was just happy to be so open with him. That was it.

  “Definitely. Dora Lexington letting her hair down. I can’t wait.”

  Giggling softly, she lifted up her slippers.

  His eyes dropped to the pink pieces of fluff and he nodded, taking them from her. “I prefer the over the knees approach if you aren’t against it.”

  “No, that’s fine,” she said, knowing she was in uncharted territory. Her father always made her bend over his desk or over the arm of the couch. Over Gaelic’s knee made it a whole new experience.

  Taking her hand in his, he walked over to the small sofa and sat down, placing the slippers next to him and drawing her over to his right side. “Thank you,” he said, drawing her attention off his lap where it had been.

  “For what?” she asked, cocking her head to the side in question.

  “For trusting me enough to let me slipper you.”

  She had never really thought about it before. Probably because the only man to ever spank her had been her father. But it did require a lot of trust to allow someone to wallop one’s behind.

  He squeezed her hand and pulled her gently over his lap. Finding herself laying across his knees was a unique experience. Especially when he grasped her hips and pulled her forward a little so that her feet didn’t touch the ground and neither did her fingers. “Oh, boy,” she whispered, giggling nervously.

  “I’m going to warm you up first.”

  Warm her up? She had no idea what he meant until his hand began to massage her buttocks. Her eyes widened. Oh, another new experience. His whole hand and fingers pressed and moved across both cheeks bringing a reaction she was not expecting. As his hand stopped, she tried to get in touch with her own feelings about what was going on. His hand on her rear end had awakened feelings she had experienced before but never in this context. Her physical response was the kind of thing that happened when he kissed her passionately and now she had the same reaction from his hands on her butt?

  Before she could try to come to any conclusions, a muffled snap filled the air at the same time as a slipper landed on her right cheek. A small amount of heat bloomed and almost instantly went away. Quickly followed by a snap to her left cheek, she felt this was something she could definitely handle. And then he increased both intensity and speed.

  Dora was overwhelmed. There were so many emotions and feelings and she didn’t know what she felt anymore. Heat flashed across her buttocks as he continued to spank her and yet it also flashed elsewhere and even while her body writhed and slithered trying to get away from the pain every time a slipper fell, almost instantly she arched right back into the blow. What was going on?

  A low moan left his lips just hiking up the heat growing within her and when he finally stopped, dropping the slipper and once again, ghosting his palm over her dress-covered bottom, Dora finally recognized what she was feeling. And was horrified.

  “Oh my god,” she gasped, bursting into tears and scrambling off his lap.

  “Dora?” he
said, launching to his feet as she backed away. “Did I hurt you?” The alarm in his voice and on his face hurt her as she backed up, tears blurring her vision.

  “N-no,” she sobbed. “Stay away from me. I’m sick.”

  “You’re sick, darling? Dora, I-I’m sorry! I-I didn’t think I—”

  Hearing his stutters, she felt even worse. It was obvious that he thought he had done something wrong. “It’s not your fault,” she sobbed, her back meeting the wall and thus not allowing her to go any further. “It’s not your fault, Gaelic. It’s me. It’s all me. I’m sick.” Breaking into a wail, she collapsed, her rear end not quite meeting the floor before he yanked her into his arms and carried her back to the sofa.

  “It’ll be ah-all right,” he tried to assure her. “Ih-if you doh-on’t like ih-it, we don’t hah-ave to do it.”

  “It’s not the spanking,” she tried to explain through her tears, hearing his worry through his stutters and feeling even worse. “It’s me. It’s me. I didn’t know.”

  “You didn’t know what?” he asked, the pain evident in his voice as he held her close and rocked her back and forth. “What’s wrong, Dora?”

  Sobbing against his chest, she didn’t want to tell him. But he should know. They had a month to get out of this without any bad repercussions and surely the man needed to know his girlfriend was sick.

  “I liked it,” she whispered in utter horror.

  There was a long pause. Even his rocking stopped. “I-I don’t understand.”

  Grimacing even as she shut her eyes tight so she wouldn’t have to see his disgust when she told him, she forced herself to be totally honest. “I’m sick, Gaelic. Twisted. Should probably be at a doctor’s office going through therapy.”

  “Why?”

  “Because I liked it. What you did. It turned me on,” she whispered in hopeless embarrassment.

  “Being slippered turned you on?” There was a strange tone in his voice and she scrunched her eyes even harder as she was afraid to see his expression. Was he horrified? Disgusted? Did he want to run from the room? Of course he wouldn’t actually run. He was too much a gentleman.