Chapter 7
Seven
Grant
I’d woken up and lounged in bed for far longer than I usually did.
Thankfully, the injury wasn’t as bad as I’d feared.
My mind was on Dalton’s threat, the one issued before he helped me into bed.
That wasn’t the time to delve into serious topics, but he promised in no uncertain terms that he’d be checking me over in the morning.
Dalton planned on handling me, and I was pretty certain I wouldn’t like his belt or being spanked at all.
But I’d agreed to his two rules—listening to whatever he told me to do and being honest about my needs and wants.
They seemed perfectly agreeable last night.
However, it left me wondering what sort of things he had in mind.
Stretching my arms over my head, I rolled out of bed and walked to the window. Peeking outside, I saw snow covering every inch of my property, though it didn’t appear to be a lot. Probably less than six inches. A knock sounded on my bedroom door.
“Come in.”
Dalton strolled in, carrying a mug of coffee with his jump bag on his shoulder. “Did you just wake up?”
“Morning. Yes. Eight is pretty late for me. Usually I’m out of bed by six-thirty.” I accepted the coffee, and he kissed my cheek. One chaste kiss shouldn’t have affected me, but it did. Damn it. He was going to get me worked up before the caffeine hit my brain.
“Sit down. Let me see how it looks this morning.”
“It’s hard,” I deadpanned.
“Your injury, not your dick, though I can take care of both.”
I had nothing to say in reply. Dalton set his bag on the oversized armchair nearby.
He snapped on a pair of gloves. Though the sound never bothered or aroused me before, I fantasized about him doing other things while wearing them.
Side-eyeing me, he waited for me to get the hint.
Grumbling, I tugged my lounge pants off and positioned myself on the mattress.
I had a feeling I wouldn’t be needing them for a while.
He wasted no time in removing the gauze and tape, checking the edges of the wound, and applying some sort of ointment.
I crossed my arms over my chest, waiting for him to finish.
“Do you have something more important to do, Grant?”
“Kendall will probably be awake soon if she isn’t already. I can cook breakfast.”
“I raided your fridge and she’s already happily content with eggs, toast, sausage, and coffee. I put cartoons on for her. She knows that our conversation is important, and she will be all right for a little while.”
“I’m not used to people taking care of me.” Letting out a breath, I took a few good swallows of coffee. It tasted delicious, somehow better than what I fixed for myself. I’d have to ask Dalton what his secret was. Noticing a thermometer in his hand, I cocked an eyebrow. “I’m not sick.”
He returned it to his bag and pulled out a small cylindrical container. “The wound could become infected, and you’re warm to the touch. Since you’re drinking coffee, I can no longer use the digital one.”
“I don’t know what you’re prattling on about, but I’m perfectly fine.
” He was the one who handed me the coffee in the first place.
Dalton shook down a glass rod in front of me.
I ignored whatever he was doing and continued drinking my coffee.
He popped open the top of a tube. His hand was obscuring the lettering, but when he squeezed a gel onto the tip of the thermometer, I spat the liquid across my sheets.
“You’re not sticking anything where you seem hellbent on sticking it. ”
“I’d hate to add to your predicament, but I’m no longer playing. Turn on your side or I’ll punish your ass with my belt and then check your temperature, anyway.”
“The chances are slim to none that the wound is infected. The ax barely grazed my thigh.”
“You have a listening problem.” He tapped my hip with his free hand. “Do as I said.”
“There is no reason to use that style of thermometer on me.” I hated how whiny my tone came out. I didn’t recall ever speaking to anyone like that.
“One.”
I stared up at Dalton, not quite believing him. He seemed as serious as ever, but shoving a glass instrument up my ass hardly seemed like a good time for either of us.
“I’ll quit drinking coffee. You can use the other one in a little while.” I set the mug down for good measure.
“If you cooperated, we’d be almost done by now.”
“I appreciate what you’re doing, however, I’d like to get dressed and eat breakfast before checking on the horses.”
“Trey stopped by this morning.” Dalton gestured for me to comply, but I was not having it. “He cleared the snow from all the locations it needed to be cleared, and all the animals are fine.”
“I didn’t think your rules would include medical procedures that involve my ass.”
“Two.” Dalton set the item on my nightstand. “Do I need to spell out what’s going to happen if I get to three?”
“Dalton,” I growled. He took my chin in his hand and tilted it upward, forcing me to stare up at him.
“For the rest of the time I’m at your house, I’d like you to call me ‘Sir’. Last chance to do as I’ve said.”
Though I attempted to convince myself that I didn’t have a bratty side to my personality, something about his tone and the way he cut through my bullshit prompted me to disregard the order. I would not be compliant until he forced me to be. I gave him blank eyes.
“Roll onto your side, Grant.”
“I’m not going to do that.”
“Oh, lumbersnack.” He clenched and released his jaw as his gorgeous blue eyes studied mine. “You’re going to wish you did.”
Dalton released his hold long enough to manhandle me onto my stomach.
He kept my leg in a semi natural position so I didn’t put any pressure on it, but it hardly mattered.
The sound of leather being pulled through the loops of his jeans sounded over my shoulder.
After thinking about our kiss in the backroom at the fair, the way he carried me inside last night, and all our interactions in between, I was finally going to get what he’d promised.
“I may have bitten off more than I can chew, Sir.” I coughed on his requested title, choking on my words. If anyone deserved to be referred to as Sir, it was Dalton, but it sounded odd on my lips.
“Five strikes, and then we’ll see if you have a fever.” He tugged my boxer briefs to mid-thigh.
I braced for the leather strap. Dalton landed the first one across the full expanse of my ass. I hissed as the pain registered, and again when the afterburn flared. “Fuck.”
“Four more to go.”
The next one expertly caressed my right asscheek.
It would have been almost soothing if the skin wasn’t so sensitive.
Another stinging bite attacked the same spot.
He delivered each one with incredible precision, and I bit down on my fist to keep from yelling.
Dalton allowed me the moment. Breathing through the pain wasn’t enough.
Instead of allowing myself to process it, I sassed him. “So, this is what turns you on?”
“No. Punishing you for not listening brings me no joy. I hoped this would help you work through whatever is going on, but you’re holding everything in.”
He rubbed the back of my head, and the gesture was so soothing.
Dalton wouldn’t let me spiral out of control as long as he was around.
Though it might have appeared to everyone else that I had a good handle on things, the awful truth was that I’d been burning the candles at both ends, even after both of my businesses were placed in good hands.
I worked ridiculous hours, refusing to let the control slip because I needed to stay busy.
Allowing him to shoulder some of the crap that I hadn’t shared with anyone would grant me the freedom to explore a side of me I never let see the light of the day.
He would balance our relationship as much as I would, and I looked forward to a new beginning with him and Kendall.
She was the sweetest thing, even though she’d let herself get bogged down with grief.
After allowing one night of her burdens to be taken off her shoulders, despite my getting hurt, the air around her seemed lighter than I’d observed in months.
Tears pricked my eyes, and I blew out a breath. For a long time, I had been holding it all together on my own. “I apologize for messing this up. Sir, I'm completely out of my element. I’ve never done this.”
“You haven’t messed anything up. No one is perfect, besides, it means I’ll have to get more creative.” Dalton patted my head once more before moving his hand to my hip. “Two more.”
Nodding, I gripped the comforter with both hands.
He targeted my left ass cheek, lining up his belt and delivering a snapping blow.
It hurt as badly as the other ones. I was not used to being on the receiving end of a correction, and I didn’t want him to use his belt again anytime soon.
The last stroke fell in the same spot. Groaning, I took several deep breaths and let them out.
“You took it better than I thought you would.” He patted my ass once and his cool hand felt soothing under the circumstances. “How’s your leg?”
“Compared to the burn on my ass, it’s just peachy.”
Dalton smacked each of my upper thighs hard enough to make me wince. “What did you say, Grant?”
“My leg isn’t currently experiencing any pain, Sir.”
“Good boy,” he praised.
His words touched me in a way I didn't expect.
The surprises just kept coming. I heard the whipping of air over my shoulder and I glanced to see him shaking down the thermometer.
So much for thinking that he would forget about it.
I said nothing as he parted my asscheeks and tensed as the tip touched me.
“Relax.”
“Easy for you to say,” I mumbled.