Sweet Town Love

by Maggie Ryan

  “Okay,” she whispered in response. Her knees almost buckled when he smiled.

  Panties Are Not Optional by Georgia St. Claire

  Kathy Wilson has to find a new place to live and the immaculate town of Menton, with its abundance of flowers, nice people and ideal room rental seems like just the place. When she meets a great guy over lunch on a park bench and he brings her flowers for their dinner date that night, she is hooked. What’s not to love?

  Nate Burrows spots the cutest gal having lunch in the park and knows that she is new to town – he’d remember if he’d seen her before and Menton was too small for her to have stayed hidden for any length of time. As he’s watching her while contemplating how to introduce himself, she antagonizes one of the town’s most powerful citizens and he intervenes to smooth things over. Nate is smitten and secures her agreement to have dinner with him. It’s his big chance to convince her to make Menton her new home, but first he needs to explain how old-fashioned the townsfolk tend to be and what’s likely to happen to misbehaving women. There’s a very real reason why panties are not optional.

  Chapter One

  “I’m one short, Dottie. Would you check the ladies room please? I’m already behind schedule, I can’t afford to lose any more time.”

  “Sure.” The diner owner put down the cloth she was using to wipe down a freshly cleared table and headed to the back of the building. She returned almost immediately. “Sorry, Cliff, no one in there. Which one are you missing? Maybe I overheard something.”

  “She didn’t come directly in when I unloaded the passengers. She looked pretty green around the gills. I’m guessing she’s one of those folks who get bus sick. Last seen, she was headed back up the street.”

  “Uh oh. I had a cousin like that. Based on what I saw with her, she would do anything to avoid getting back on the bus once the nausea set in. How far is she riding?”

  “She didn’t actually buy a ticket. A car came tearing up as I was about to pull out of the station and the driver basically pushed her on board. Gave me some bills and told me to drive her as far as the money would take her. She’s a little thing. Oh, don’t get me wrong, she’s of age, I’m sure, but she didn’t try to argue, just walked to the very back of the bus and took a seat. The woman stayed until I pulled out and then flipped the bird as I drove away. Can’t help thinking that little gal’s out of a bad situation, but I hate to continue on and leave her stranded here. She doesn’t need another hard knock right now.”

  “I can ask the sheriff, in case he knows something, but I doubt it. This stop wasn’t for much more than an hour. How much trouble could she get into?”

  They looked at each other and shook their heads. Just then a tall man wearing a sheriff’s uniform entered the diner. He removed his Stetson and nodded to them as he headed to a table.

  “Wait, Will. One of Cliff’s passengers has wandered off. He needs to get back on the road; he’s running late. Do you know anything to shed some light on the matter?” Dottie asked.

  He shook his head. “Not a thin’. It’s been a quiet mornin’. Anythin’ you want me to know once she does show up?”

  The bus driver shook his head. “She was quiet, no problem on the bus. I think that she was suffering from motion sickness, so she probably hasn’t just mistaken the time.” He pulled some cash from his pocket and handed it to Will. “She didn’t purchase a proper ticket, so here’s what I was given. I’d appreciate it if you would return it to her when you see her. It’ll ease my conscience some, since I’m gonna head out and leave her behind. I just can’t afford to fall any further behind schedule.” He nodded goodbye and went out to the idling bus.

  The sheriff followed him out of the diner. “Drive careful, now. No speedin’ to try to make up the lost time. Word has it that 83 has a bad accident near Springfield, so if you take 126 instead, you should avoid the slow down.”

  “I appreciate the information. Thanks.” Cliff climbed aboard the bus, closed the doors and pulled away from the curb, carefully checking his mirrors for his errant passenger.

  After taking a moment to study the length of Main Street looking for anything out of the ordinary, Will went back inside the restaurant. “Let me know if you see her, won’t you, Dottie?”

  “Sure thing, Will. Feeling like the special today?”

  “Yup, and about a gallon of coffee. Ray bought the cheap stuff again for the station.”

  Kathy turned her face to the sun, eyes closed, and let the soothing warmth ease her spirits. She leaned back on the park bench and surrendered to the peace of the moment. The bees were buzzing from flower to flower in the carefully tended beds, birds were chirping and she could smell that the grass had recently been mowed. There had been so much chaos in her life recently that she had forgotten how much she enjoyed the simple serenity of taking the time to enjoy nature. Well, with the events of the last few hours, her life had obviously just undergone a drastic change and it was up to her to make the decisions going forward that would bring her what she wanted. No more letting other people push her in whatever direction they wanted. This small gem of a park was only two blocks from her new home; she would make it a point to take time to smell the flowers from now on.

  Her stomach rumbled and she sighed as she opened her eyes. The fresh air had restored her normal good health and her appetite was reminding her that she had missed dinner the night before. She opened the plastic bag and fished out the sandwich makings that she had just purchased down the street.

  Things were already starting to look up. So far her new town was really pleasing her. The buildings were well kept up with lots of window boxes and flowering containers. There was no sign of litter anywhere. The town was small, but had all the necessary shops near her rented room. It was unusual to find a decent size grocery store right in the middle of downtown—a real lifesaver when one has to function without a car. The room she’d rented was nicely appointed and the landlady seemed friendly. Now she just needed to find a job. Since she was willing to do just about any kind of scut work, she wasn’t expecting that to be a problem.

  Flattening the bag to make a work surface next to her on the bench, she opened up the bread and took out two slices. Then she picked up the peanut butter, unscrewed the lid and removed the foil cover underneath. She dipped in the paring knife she’d also purchased and used it to spread a thin coat on the first piece of bread. It would be wise to be sparing with her resources until she had a steady paycheck coming in. She carefully cleaned the utensil on the other slice to make sure that no peanut butter was wasted and then turned her attention to the jar of cheap grape jelly.

  Normally she would use a bottle opener to lift the lid slightly and break the airtight seal, making it easy for her small hands to twist it open. But she hadn’t wanted to spend money buying something that she would rarely use. She’d just have to hope that desperation would give her strength. She took a deep breath and gave it her best effort. She couldn’t feel even the slightest bit of yield. “Damn!” Gathering the hem of her tee shirt, she fitted it over the jar, hoping to get a better grip, and tried again. No luck. “Shit and double shit! What am I supposed to do now?” she asked the cosmos.

  “I beg your pardon! What did you just say?” demanded the man sitting on the next bench as he looked at her with a displeased expression.

  The Wright Recipe

  By

  Maggie Ryan

  Chapter 1

  Cara's grip on the two heavy bags was slipping as she attempted to insert her key into the door of Max's house. Her mumbled curse had her turning her head as if to reassure herself that no one was within hearing distance. Her sigh of relief came at the same moment the lock clicked open and she managed not to drop the bags as she entered the code to disable the alarm on the keypad. Kicking the door closed, she shifted her load and hurried across the living room towards the kitchen. Her next curse was very audible as she tripped and several items spilled from the tops of the overloaded grocery sacks.

 
; "Damn it!" she said again, barely managing to keep herself from falling to the floor. "What the hell?" Looking back, she saw that the ottoman that was supposed to be tucked close to the chair was sitting in the middle of the room. It was too heavy to move back with just a nudge of her foot and her arms were full and beginning to feel as if they'd drop from her shoulders at any moment.

  Her huff had the soft brown curls on her forehead lifting a bit. Placing the bags on the kitchen counter, she shook out her arms and returned to the living room. She dropped to her hands and knees in order to rescue the jar of artichoke hearts that had rolled beneath the dining room table and then crawled around to add the loaf of French bread, the bulb of garlic and a plastic bag of green beans to her load. Standing again, she returned to the kitchen and had just opened the refrigerator when a ringtone shrilled, causing her to almost drop the chicken. Putting it on the shelf, she slammed the door and grabbed her purse, digging through it until she found her phone.

  "Hey, what's up with moving the furniture around? I almost killed myself falling over the ottoman!"

  "I moved it for a reason," Max said. "You and I are going to have a little discussion when I get home."

  She didn't like the sound of that as a memory of the last time they'd had a "discussion" played in her head. It had involved his sitting on the ottoman and her being draped over his knees. Her nerves kicked in as she looked at the bags of food. A definite change of subject was needed.

  "You wouldn't believe how long it took to shop. It took me forever to pick through all the beans." She winced as a nervous giggle erupted but she plowed ahead. "Oops, I mean haricot vert! Isn't that a funny name for green beans? Anyway, I knew you'd want only the best so I didn't mind picking through the huge bin. Oh, I also got those special artichoke hearts but had to ask for them. They were way up on the top shelf so I didn't see them but the nice store clerk helped me. I got everything else too—"

  "Cara, slow down."

  His tone gave nothing away about how he was feeling or what he was thinking. As always, just hearing his deep voice had her tummy flipping and her heart rate accelerating. She'd willingly sit and listen to him read names out of a phone book just so she could hear the treacle tone sliding over her body and warming her… Thoughts of warming had her blurting out her newest diversionary ploy.

  "How are you feeling? I know you must be tired after your shift. How about you just take a nice long nap and I'll take care of prepping for class? Oh, I've got a better idea. How about I just meet you there? That way you won't have to come all the way out here to change and then pick me up at my apartment—"

  "Cara, I want you to take a deep breath and listen to me—"

  "But, I have—"

  "Now." Though his tone didn't change, the one word had her closing her mouth and taking the breath he'd ordered. He evidently heard her obeying as he said, "Good girl. Now, take another. Are you ready to listen?"

  "Yes."

  "Excuse me?"

  Oh, God. His question—in that tone—confirmed what she'd feared. She was in trouble… big trouble.

  "I meant, yes, sir."

  "That's better. What are you wearing?"

  His question threw her and she actually had to glance down to see what she'd donned that morning. "Um, blue jeans and a t-shirt, why?"

  Max's side of the conversation kept her off-balance when he didn't answer her question but instead said, "I want you to take the shears and go into the backyard—"

  "But I need to put the groceries up and prep—"

  "Cara Alexandria Fischer, if you interrupt me again, I assure you that you won't be a happy camper. Do you understand?"

  "Yes, sir, but what's in the yard? Oh, I know! You finally got me a puppy!" God, had she really just said that? She could almost see his dimples appear with his grin at hearing her pretend she didn't know what he intended.

  "Cara, you are just too cute, but that isn't going to save you this time. Take the shears I left on the ottoman and go to the backyard. You'll find a nice big tree sitting right in the middle of the yard. I want you to cut a switch and strip it properly. Are you with me so far?"

  Releasing any hope she had to "cute" her way out of what was coming, her answer took a moment as she swallowed hard. "Ye-yes, sir."

  "Good. After you have your switch prepared, go on and use the bathroom if you need and remove your shoes and your jeans. Fold your jeans neatly as you'll need them for class tonight." She wondered if her soft moan was audible and decided it hadn't been as he continued. "Then, go into the living room and stand in your naughty corner. I want your nose pressed against the wall and your panties pulled down beneath your sweet cheeks. Hold your switch behind your back. I want it touching your pale little bottom as you think about why I am going to take it from you, bend you over your punishment ottoman and blister your butt. Do you have any questions?"

  Yes, why does hearing you speak of "my" panties, "my" switch, "my" naughty corner, and call the padded footstool "my" punishment ottoman have my bottom clenching and yet I'm not bolting for the door?

  Of course, she didn't voice a single one of those questions. Instead, she took another deep breath and answered, "No, sir."

  "Go ahead and put the groceries away—"

  "Should I prep—"

  "Honey, I won't warn you again not to interrupt me." He paused as if to allow her to finally grasp his words before he continued. "We'll prep them later. Put them up and then do as you've been instructed. And, young lady, I suggest you be ready to tell me exactly why you'll be squirming on your stool during class tonight. I'll be there shortly. I love you, sweetie."

  "I love you too," she said. After he'd said goodbye, she hung up the phone. There was still time to grab her keys and flee. She was a grown woman who didn't have to accept the switching she had just been informed was coming. Sighing, she knew the only door she'd be exiting would be the one in the kitchen that led to the backyard to do exactly as he'd instructed. Max might be planning on setting her butt on fire but he was the love of her life. If he were going to punish her, especially if he were going to switch her, he had a very good reason for doing so. To be honest, she had been waiting for the shoe to drop ever since she'd awoken with a horrid hangover two days ago. Regret instantly flooded through her as she began to put the groceries away. Folding the brown sacks took only another minute, and then she sighed. It was time.

  Going into the bathroom, she washed not only her hands but also her face in an attempt to calm herself. Not yet emotionally ready to face the music, she pulled her hairbrush through her curls and then decided she should brush her teeth. The shrill of the phone had her spitting out the foam in her mouth and dashing back to the kitchen.

  "I was just going outside, I promise!" she said, rushing into the living room and grabbing the shears off the ottoman. "I've got the shears—"

  "Cara?"

  "Bridget? Oh, I thought you were Max. I didn't even register the ringtone."

  A giggle came from the receiver. "Yeah, I sort of figured that when your voice was all apologetic and you mentioned shears. Does that mean what I think it does?"

  Cara thought of spinning some tale about going outside to prune the rose bushes, but knew her best friend would easily see through any attempt to lie. "If you think it means your brother-in-law ordered me to cut a switch, then, yeah."

  "Poor baby," Bridget said. "What did you do this time?"

  "What do you think?" Cara asked, sinking down on the ottoman. "Wait, how come you don't sound like you are in trouble?"

  "Perhaps because I'm smart enough not to confess? Gee, Cara, how many times do I have to tell you that Max does not need to know every single thing you do?"

  Slightly irritated, Cara sat up a bit straighter. "I didn't say a word about what happened. I haven't even seen Max since last Friday. He's been on shift at the firehouse. Same as Tony."

  "Well, I don't know then," Bridget said. "Besides, I can't imagine them being that upset. It was a bachelorette party after all
."

  "Yeah, one that got out of hand," Cara said. "We all pinky swore not to breathe a word of what happened. When I find out who ratted us out, I'm going to be cutting another switch to use on their behind!"

  "It wasn't me and I haven't heard of anyone getting into trouble. Well, except for you, of course," Bridget clarified with a laugh. "Listen, I was just calling to make sure your plans for Max's birthday came through. I didn't want to slip up and say something about it if you hadn't gotten things worked out."

  A smile lit Cara's face as she thought of her planned surprise. "Yes, I finalized them today. I've got the card in my purse. I was planning on giving it to him tonight but maybe if I just leave it out and he sees it before he—"

  "Not a good idea, honey," Bridget interrupted. "You know how our men feel if they think we are attempting to manipulate them, especially if it comes to punishment."

  "Yeah, you're right," Cara said, her smile disappearing. "Speaking of which, I've gotta go. If I'm not in the… um, ready when Max gets here, my butt will be sorer for sure."

  "Okay, I understand. Oh, are you still coming to class?"

  "I think so. I mean, he didn't say anything about canceling and I already bought all the ingredients."

  "Good, then I can't see him spanking you too hard if you are going to class. We'll see you there. Um, you won't say anything—"

  "No, of course not. I don't want to get you in trouble," Cara assured her and then giggled. "But, if I find out it was you who ratted me out… no promises."

  Bridget's laugh came through the phone. "Again, it wasn't me. Thanks, you're the best. Love you, Cara."

  "Love you back."

  Pushing up from the ottoman, she walked through the kitchen and went out into the yard. The wind was blowing, lifting the branches as if beckoning for her to come and make her choice. It wasn't often that she took one of the limbs, but when she did, she wondered if the tree felt any of the pain she knew its sacrifice would be giving her own bottom. Glancing around, she was grateful that none of his neighbors were outside. Having to cut a switch was bad enough, having the activity witnessed would be hard to explain. Though she wanted to return inside with the evidence of her upcoming discipline as quickly as possible, she took her time in making her selection. She'd learned the hard way that simply snipping off the first available branch wouldn't work. Instead, she'd most likely be back outside but with her bottom already hot and red, cutting the proper implement for her chastisement. Running her hand along a branch, she discarded it as too thick. Max had taught her the requirements and the third branch she considered would do nicely