His Rules

Chapter 29

CHAPTER 29

K acey

“A housewarming gift.”

Stephanie pushed her way into my house as soon as I’d opened the door. “Wine and what’s this?”

“You’ll need to find out. After you open the wine.”

I laughed as she waltzed her way through the room as if she was the one living here. “Okay. I’ll find you.” She disappeared a few seconds later and I stood where I was for a few seconds shaking my head.

It felt good to have her in my home for a change. In the four weeks since Drake had been arrested, I’d managed while working twelve-hour days to hunt down a perfect home, my father providing the down payment, the closing occurring more quickly than I’d originally been told. The place was in total disarray, but it was mine. All mine.

Quaint and charming with a gorgeous garden in the backyard and a swing on the front porch. I headed into the kitchen, my thoughts drifting as always to Sebastian. He’d surprised me more than once during the arduous few weeks, his demeanor entirely different.

I’d expected him to remain surly after he’d realized the full extent of the betrayal, but it seemed as if a weight had been lifted off his shoulders.

Plus, seeing him working with his father and brother had been enjoyable. I placed the present on the table and went to grab a couple of wineglasses. I’d unpacked those the night before in celebration. Sadly, the man I couldn’t seem to get enough of hadn’t been able to stop by.

And I’d missed him. Terribly.

I twisted the cutter on the wine bottle and noticed out the entryway my bestie was flitting from room to room. By the time she returned to the kitchen, I had the bottle open and the glasses poured.

“I love it. The best part is the stone fireplace. Gorgeous. Now, you just need a sexy picture above the mantel.” She sashayed toward the island, all smiles.

“Not until I get a new couch.” I pushed a glass over the granite surface and thought about how lucky I’d been to manage the financing. My credit wasn’t bad, it was just mostly nonexistent since I hadn’t owned a car or taken out a loan. And an apartment lease only went so far in the world of financing loans.

Plus, with the criminal allegations against the firm, everyone was being scrutinized and even penalized.

“Truly beautiful. I’m so happy you found it. Was your dad sad to see you leave?”

“I don’t know about that.” I wrinkled my nose. “He’s seeing someone and I think I’d started to crowd his space.”

She almost choked. “You’re kidding me.”

“Nope.” I popped the ‘P’ on purpose. “I think my discussions with him had a great effect. She’s really nice and gorgeous. Whew. But their sucking face was starting to get on my nerves.”

“Ew. Did you suck face right back at him with that sexy man of yours?”

“Um, no. I do respect my father. However, that doesn’t mean I wasn’t sucking face somewhere else.”

“You guys make me happy. Oh, hello. No. You make me want to puke actually.”

“You’re terrible.”

“Yep. I am. How much did this bad boy set you back?”

“The price was low, shockingly low. I was certain the inspector would find dozens of things wrong with it, but there were only a couple of small items. And it closed in two and half weeks. That never happens.” I had been shocked.

“How much did you pay? If you don’t mind me asking.”

“You know everything else about me,” I told her, rolling my eyes. “One hundred thousand.”

“For this house? That’s like one third what it should cost. How did you manage that?”

“I didn’t do anything.”

A wry smile washed across her face, her eyebrows knitting together.

“You don’t think Sebastian had something to do with this. Do you?”

“I don’t know.” Her singsong voice was back. “Why don’t you open your present?”

“Why do I think you have something up your sleeve?”

“I’m not wearing any sleeves.”

I rolled my eyes and set my wine on the island, moving to the kitchen table. I didn’t have chairs yet, but I did have a table. As I untied the ribbon, I could tell she was watching me anxiously. “Should I be afraid?”

“Oh, very, very afraid.”

“Bitch.”

“You love me. Say it.”

I pulled the tissue paper away and immediately growled as I pulled the first item into the light. “Handcuffs? Really?”

“Well, you mentioned Sebastian wants to tie you to the bed. I just provided a method of doing so.” Stephanie couldn’t stop laughing.

After placing them on the table as if they were going to break, I reached into the bag once again. This time, I burst into laughter. “A whip?”

“It’s called a tawse, my bestie. You need to spend some time looking up the vocabulary.”

“Right. You’re so mean to me.”

I groaned when I heard the doorbell. “Might be the cable guy.”

She laughed. “I’ll get it while you play with your new toys.”

“Very funny. Go ahead. I’ll just drink your wine.”

“You better not.”

With the tawse in one hand and the handcuffs in the other, I did have a few wicked images playing out in my mind.

“Um, Kacey. Are you expecting something to be delivered?”

I tried to remember if I’d ordered anything at this point. No, I hadn’t. With the items still in my hands, I headed into the living room and toward the front door. “What is that?”

“It’s got your name on it,” she said. “The delivery driver needs a signature.”

The crate was huge. I moved slowly, embarrassed by what I was holding in my hands. I shoved them onto the empty mantel before returning to the front door. “That has to be a painting of some kind. Who ordered this?” I asked the guy standing in front of us.

“There’s no name. Just sign here.”

No name. I scribbled my signature and Stephanie and I had to work together to pull the crate inside.

“Do you have a crowbar?”

“Does it look like I have a crowbar?”

She rolled her eyes. “Hold on. I have one in the trunk along with other tools.”

I lifted my eyebrows.

“Hey,” she said. “A girl can’t be too careful these days.”

I loved her to death, but the girl was wacky. She dashed back within a few seconds, immediately figuring out how best to open the wooden front.

When she pulled it away, we just stared at the very large and very colorful painting nestled protectively inside.

“Oh, my God. That’s you in the picture. That’s a sinfully gorgeous you.” She was barely breathing as she said the words.

I crossed my arms, uncertain what to think. The picture, albeit very avant-garde, was insanely incredible, rich with color and texture. The girl represented did look just like me, the red dress something I would wear anytime.

At least as long as I was around Sebastian.

“Red really is your color.”

I glanced in her direction. “I didn’t pose for it.”

“Well, it’s stunning.”

There was another knock on the door and this time, we both groaned. I threw my arm out in her direction before she had a chance to say anything. “I’ll get it.” What else did the man have delivered?

When I opened the door, I couldn’t refrain from teasing. “I definitely didn’t order this.” The moment I started to close it again, one big hand smacked it in the middle, pushing it wide open.

“Oh, no, you don’t,” Sebastian commanded with his usually growly tone.

“Who are you exactly?”

“Your boss. And I’m here to remind you that only I can approve your days off.”

He had a wicked grin on his face, a devilish look in his eyes, and one tight pair of jeans on his hot bod. I heard the audible sigh slipping past my lips. So did half the world.

He took a step toward me.

I took a long stride back, almost knocking into the picture.

He was right there only inches away.

Even the scent he wore was different than I was used to, a true slice of a big, tough man with its timber and earth fragrance.

“Well, this would be my cue to leave. Again. We need to stop meeting like this.” Stephanie grabbed her purse and blew him a kiss before scooting around him and closing the door with a hard bang.

We were alone and I found myself gravitating toward him, finally tripping over the edge of the crate and launching myself right into his arms.

“Careful there, baby doll. You don’t want to hurt yourself.”

His voice was dripping with sexual innuendos. “What are you doing here?”

“My right-hand girl wasn’t in the office.”

“What about your left-hand girl?”

He brushed a few strands of hair from my face, still wearing an amused look. “She’s not important and we don’t talk about her.”

I pummeled his chest lightly for fun. “Cheating on me already.”

His answer was to capture my mouth. I shuddered in his hold and having him in my new home seemed as it should be. The kiss was poignant, a reminder that we’d survived an ordeal. But the passion was building. I was the one who pushed him away, licking my lips as I controlled my breathing.

“Did you have something to do with the sales price of this house and ensuring I got the loan?”

He took a step away, shrugging like a kid would do. “I only ensured you had everything you wanted.”

“Everything? What about a bigger office?”

He laughed. “You’re insatiable. We’ll discuss after the new rules are approved.”

“New rules?”

“Yes. Stronger and with intense consequences, especially for bad girls who break them.”

“Hmm… I’m sure you’re glad you don’t have a bad girl working for you.”

He laughed and pulled away, looking around the living room.

“This is the artist from the charity event who you purchased another painting from.”

“You are correct. I think she’s very talented and captured the essence of you perfectly.”

“You don’t really expect me to hang this in my own house.”

“Perhaps not, but you can hang it on the wall of that new office you mentioned. After you’ve earned it.”

As soon as I noticed he was walking toward the mantel, I cringed deep inside. The moment he picked up the tawse thing, I was instantly nervous. “I can explain that. A housewarming gift.”

He turned around slowly, barely lifting his gaze. “A very useful one.”

“For what?”

“For the punishment I’d yet to find time to give you.”

He started walking toward me and I took a step away from the painting, keeping the same distance between us. “For what?”

“For going out on your own finding evidence when I explicitly told you not to.”

“Well, I did keep you out of jail.”

“Not a good enough excuse.”

I held up two fingers with a little space between them. “Is it possible your expectations are just a tad too high?”

“Or too little?”

“So, what’s happening with Drake and Ashley?”

“They will likely be sentenced to several crimes. They’ll enjoy a new residence in the state penitentiary. Nice deflection, but it won’t work.” He took two additional steps toward me.

“The new company is formed, all the paperwork filed?”

“Yes. Everything is in place and we’re already in production for shifting the existing planes to the more luxurious design. We have two meetings next week with regard to purchasing additional hotels, one in Cancun.”

“We?”

“You’ll be there.” He had a truly evil grin on his face. “Another nice try, but you’re not getting out of the spanking.”

“Can I barter for a lesser punishment?”

“What did you have in mind?”

“Anything you want.” I used my sexy voice he loved so much.

“I assure you I’ll get what I want in a few minutes. But you’re still getting the spanking.” He looked around as if trying to find a chair. I had an old chair in the living room and a small coffee table, nothing new. They were two pieces I’d brought with me. The rest I’d need to purchase.

He didn’t seem to care, moving toward the chair and plopping down on the edge. With a soulful look in his eyes, he patted his lap. “Come here, little girl.”

“Me?” I pointed to myself.

“Yes, you. If I have to come get you, your punishment will be that much worse.”

He was serious.

I did my best offering my brightest smile.

He shook his head.

I blew him a kiss.

He lifted his eyebrows.

I shimmied my hips.

He slapped his hand on his legs.

“Come. Now.”

With no other saucy activities I could think of, I walked closer.

“Unbutton your jeans. Pull them down. Your thong too.”

His voice was more authoritative than ever before. A rush of heat and embarrassment swept through me, but I found myself obeying him. When he pulled me over his lap, my face fully flushed.

“Now, you’re going to learn it truly is in your best interest to obey me.”

“I know. Your rules.”

“Exactly. We’ll go with twenty-five. That should help you remember.” He patted my bottom, acting as if he was my controller. I’d show him a thing or two.

“That’s unfair.”

“Aren’t you the one who told me life is never fair in business?”

I squirmed on his lap. “Yes, but this is very personal.”

“Not if the crime was done on company grounds, which it was.” His voice was a little too gleeful as he brought down the tawse not once, but twice. I hadn’t believed something that looked so flimsy could hurt so much.

Dear God, I was wrong. “Ouch!”

“I’m glad it hurts.”

“You’re a terrible person.”

“Just living up to those standards you set for me, my diamond in the rough.” He smacked me at least six times and my breath caught as I gripped his leg.

“Stop.”

“No.” Sebastian continued the spanking, the pain turning to agony, but damn if I wasn’t wet, my pussy throbbing. With him, anything was possible. I continued squirming, catching the fact he was hard as a rock. Once I would have been mortified. Now I was fully aroused. Even my nipples were aching.

He started whistling and I opened my mouth to object, but knew better. He might add to the number of strikes. He was methodical, spanking one cheek and the other, even bringing the thin strands of leather across my upper thighs.

I wouldn’t be able to sit for a week.

As the harsh punishment continued, tears sprang to my eyes, even as my writhing ground my heated pussy against his hard cock. It felt like the spanking would go on forever, but only seconds later he tossed the implement of doom.

He rubbed my aching, hot as fire cheeks for a few seconds before righting me on his lap.

There was something so sweet about the way he wiped the single tear that had slipped past my lashes. “You’re one beautiful woman, Kacey. Never forget that.”

“You’re not so bad yourself. Even if you are a grouch.”

“Mmm… I’m learning.”

“I guess old dogs can learn new tricks.” When I saw the look in his eyes, I clapped my hand over my mouth. I was certain the man was going to blow a gasket.

He rose to his full height, cradling me against him and heading toward the hallway.

“Where are you taking me?”

“To the bedroom. You have a bed, don’t you?”

I wasn’t about to tell him there was only a mattress on the floor at this point. Oh, who cared? The man needed to learn to rough it.

“Is this a bad time to ask you about a raise?” I purred coyly.

“I’ll show you what’s raised.”

As he headed into the bedroom, we both laughed, but something told me this was the beginning of a new phase in our relationship.

One that truly included the word forever.