Chapter 15
Jesse
What was taking them so long?
Even though she was seated as close to the kitchen as physically possible, she couldn’t actually see anything. Or hear anything more than the low rumble of their voices.
Until Edie started to pace. That she could see, for a little while. But then her Daddy got up and something happened because now she couldn’t see either of them.
Dammit.
“I’m not your fucking sweetheart.”
Uh oh. Jesse winced in sympathy. If she cussed at her Daddy like that, she’d be tasting soap for a week.
But he’s not Edie’s Daddy.
Right. He wasn’t. And Jesse had never been one to share, especially where her Daddy was concerned. So what was that little hollow spot beneath her heart all about?
Stupid emotions.
She was just about to get up and march herself back into the kitchen to demand answers when her Daddy stepped into the entryway between the kitchen and the living room. All of a sudden, he was her entire focus, and her heart beat a little faster at the sight of his stern face.
Then he moved into the living room, and her attention shifted to the woman standing beside him, looking equally stern. As one, they crossed the room and took their places in front of the couch, both of them with their arms crossed over their chests. Despite the differences in their size, they were equally intimidating in their own way and her bottom clenched in anticipation of what was to come.
“Um. Hey, guys. How’s it going?”
Two singular eyebrows raised, and she shifted in her seat, her heart now beating so fast she was surprised it didn’t simply jump out of her chest and head for the nearest racetrack.
Her Daddy spoke first, and she knew just from the tone of his voice what their decision was. “You’ve been a very naughty girl, Jesse Lynne. Haven’t you?”
“Y-yes, Daddy.” Oh god, oh god, this is really happening.
“Edie and I had a long talk about your request. And we both agree she isn’t ready to punish you for the way you left. Yet.”
Tears pricked at her eyes, and she had to swallow hard a few times before she could get her response out. “Oh.”
“But…” Daddy glanced over at Edie, seemingly waiting for some kind of signal. After a long pause, she nodded, and he continued. “But we’ve come up with a bit of a compromise.”
“What kind of compromise?”
“I still owe you a punishment for that little disappearing act you pulled on me. If you agree, Edie is going to give you the warmup, and then you’ll be going over the arm of the couch for Daddy’s belt. Are you okay with that plan?”
Was she okay with it? It wasn’t what she’d asked for, and it wouldn’t give her the relief she wanted, but it was better than nothing.
Right?
“I’m okay with it.”
“Good. And are you comfortable with Edie spanking your bare bottom?”
Heat flashed through her, and she prayed they couldn’t see the evidence of her sudden arousal in her face. “Yes.”
“Then why don’t you go potty and we’ll get started. We’re going to be awhile.”
Humiliation added to the heat burning along her skin as she glared at him. “I don’t need to potty, Grant.”
Her Daddy’s expression hardened, but before he could reprimand her, Edie stepped in. “Little girl, you are in more than enough trouble already without digging yourself any deeper. I suggest you do as you were told before I decide you need a lesson in respect.”
It had been so long since she’d been taken to task by Edie, the shock of it snapped her back into that more submissive mindset. “Yes, Ma’am. I’m sorry.”
“Apologize to your Daddy, not me.”
“Sorry, Daddy. I didn’t mean to be rude.”
Looking slightly surprised, Daddy nodded. “Thank you for the apology, baby.”
She was so desperate to get away from their stern gazes, she hurried past them to the bathroom. Despite her protests, she actually did need to potty. And she took her time doing so.
No need to rush back to her doom, right?
Edie
She couldn’t help but chuckle at the sight of Jesse all but running for the bathroom. Poor Little girl had no idea what she was in for.
But then she looked up at Grant and once again found him just watching her with those unreadable eyes, and suddenly she felt like the naughty little girl in the room.
It was the most disconcerting type of whiplash.
And she kind of liked it.
“Ah, sorry if I overstepped,” she said, forcing herself not to shift from foot to foot like a Little girl in Big Trouble.
“You didn’t. I would have called you on it if you had.”
“Oh. Okay. Um, good, I guess.”
“You’re a natural at this.” His tone had turned thoughtful, and he was still watching her with those eyes that saw far more than she was comfortable with. “And Jesse still responds to you. I used to watch her at play parties before we were together. I’ve never seen her cave that quickly for anyone but me.”
Pleasure fluttered in her belly, warring with the concern and worry tying her up into knots. “I don’t really know how to respond to that.”
“You don’t have to. It’s just an observation.”
Tilting her head to the side, she studied him. “You do that a lot, don’t you? Observe.”
A smile tugged at the corner of his mouth. “It comes in handy.”
“I imagine it does.”
“You sure you’re up for this?” he asked, his tone and expression turning serious. “We can wait if you need some more time.”
It was tempting. So fucking tempting. But she knew herself well enough to know that if she took him up on that offer she’d just keep finding reasons to keep putting it off.
And deep down in those places she tried hard not to examine too closely, she wanted to punish Jesse for what she’d done. This was a chance to find out if she could actually go through with it, and she didn’t want to give that up. “No. I just want to get it over with.”
“I understand that feeling. I usually enjoy punishing Jesse, but not for something this big. And not when she’s been keeping things from me.” He blinked, suddenly looking sheepish as if he’d said more than he’d meant to. “Sorry if that’s a bit too much information.”
“No, it’s fine.” She let her lips tug up in a wry smile. “And same, if we’re being honest. Punishing her was often the highlight of my day when we were together.”
“Good to know,” he said with a wicked little grin of his own. “Now, let’s go see what’s taking that Little girl so long.”
She tried not to read into the fact he hadn’t said ‘My Little girl’. They were just words, with no hidden meaning waiting to be unearthed.
Because, really, it wasn’t like they had room for her even if she wanted to be with Jesse. Maybe that kind of thing happened in the romance books Taylor was always reading, but it didn’t happen in real life.
Right?
Hovering in the hallway, she watched as he knocked on the door to the half-bath. “Time’s up, Jesse. Come take your medicine like a big girl.”
“It’s not medicine, Daddy, it’s a spanking. And, uh, I’m still going potty.”
Edie coughed to cover the laugh bubbling in her chest. But she must not have done a very good job, judging by the glare Grant sent her way before he turned back to the door.
It had been a long time since a man had given her butterflies. But every time Grant looked at her that way, like he was tempted to put her over his knee instead of Jesse, her stomach went wild with nerves.
Just her luck he belonged to someone else.
“That’s your choice, little outlaw. But you have five seconds to get out here before I start adding one minute with the stingy lube in your naughty bottom for every second you keep us waiting.”
A shocked squeak came through the door and two seconds later it swung open, revealing a very disgruntled looking Little girl. “That was a mean trick, Daddy!”
“It wasn’t a trick. It was a promise. Now march your butt back into the living room and ask Edie to spank you.”
Again, she had that almost nauseating mix of pleasure and worry dancing in her stomach at his words. This was either the best idea any of them had ever had or the worst, and there was really no way to tell until they’d gone through with it.
As a group, they headed back to the living room, where Jesse stood beside the couch. When Edie didn’t move closer, Jesse flicked a nervous glance at her Daddy, then sighed and clasped her hands in front of her. “Edie, will you please spank me for not telling Daddy where I was going and turning off my phone so he couldn’t find me?”
Oh, man. That simple plea was enough to shove any doubts she had about this whole thing right out of her mind. “Of course I’ll spank you, naughty girl.”
Red stained Jesse’s cheeks as Edie sat on the couch and reached for the button on her pants, then jerked her hand back at the last second and looked up at Grant. If Jesse was still hers, she’d know exactly how she wanted to proceed. But she wasn’t, and although Edie hated feeling like she needed permission, she asked for it anyway. “Should I…?”
“Yes. Naughty babygirls don’t get to bare themselves for a spanking.”
Fucking hell. That shouldn’t be hot. It shouldn’t. But a familiar ache was making itself known between Edie’s thighs as she once more reached for Jesse’s jeans, this time with slightly trembling fingers.
She managed to get the button popped and the zipper down, but she hesitated as she began pulling the dark denim over Jesse’s slim hips. Her girl had filled out some since she was nineteen, and Edie’s breath caught in her throat at the sight of those soft, creamy curves.
Apparently, she hesitated too long. Because suddenly there were hands on hers, larger, firmer hands, guiding her to pull Jesse’s pants to her knees.
“Panties, too,” Grant murmured, making her shiver as his breath brushed over the shell of her ear.
“Yes, Sir.” The reply was automatic, almost instinctual, but it felt so right she couldn’t regret saying it. Especially when she heard Grant’s sharp intake of breath.
“Good girl,” he growled in her ear, and fuck if her panties weren’t soaked.
There were so many ways this could, and probably would, blow up in their faces. But she was in too deep by then to care.
Jesse, she realized when she glanced up, was watching them. Raptly. Eyes wide, pupils blown, she was obviously having a very similar reaction as Edie to the scene that was playing out between the three of them.
“Are you ready for your spanking, Little girl?” Edie asked.
Pink blossomed on Jesse’s cheeks, exactly the way Edie remembered it. “Yes, Ma’am.”
“Come here, then.” Taking her by the hand, Edie guided her over her lap, with Jesse’s torso and legs stretched out on the cushions on either side of her. Given their height difference, over the knee spankings had always been a bit awkward, but the depth and length of the couch gave them more than enough room.
Edie ran her hand over the smooth skin of Jesse’s bare backside, as much to warm it up a bit before she began spanking as to indulge her own need to savor the moment. She’d fought this, tooth and nail, but now that she was here she was damn well going to appreciate the moment.
“I won’t ask if you know why you’re being spanked, Little girl, because clearly you do. So I will just remind you that worrying the people you love for no reason is not acceptable behavior, and hopefully by the time your Daddy and I are through with you, this will be a lesson that won’t need to be repeated.”