Chapter Nineteen
Things to do and events to complete were beginning to quicken the pace as the time for the wedding approached.
After finding out that Cheyenne had actually lost eighteen pounds in a month, Quinn had indeed initiated the daily spankings, which he then spaced to weekly when she didn’t lose any more weight.
And then back to an as-needed basis, which, given her stress level, was more often than occasionally.
Some spankings were just preludes to cuddling, while others were preludes to an early night, according to what she needed.
Cheyenne had seemed to learn quickly not to try to tailor her conversation to how she wanted the evening to end, because it made little difference to the outcome.
“Come on, piscín, let’s get this out of the way so you can relax.” He reached out for her to place her hand in his, as usual, but tonight she ignored him and kept on tying ribbons.
“Cheyenne, don’t ignore me. I know how tired you are because you just bit my head off, so come on so we can enjoy the evening.”
“Not tonight, I’m too busy. You think this is all a game. It isn’t. I have tons yet to do.” She grunted her frustration and slammed what she’d been holding onto the table, storming out of the room.
He was in hot pursuit and stood in the doorway to stop the slamming of that as well.
Quinn, always true to his word, observed every mannerism of Cheyenne’s, and many times, he read her better than she could read herself.
Tonight he stood blocking her exit, waiting for her to react next.
He could see she was exhausted and needed him to take over, but her stubbornness wouldn’t allow it in her present state.
He walked into the room, sat on the end of the bed, put his hand out again and said, “Come sit on Daddy’s lap, baby. ”
She froze and then, turning, yelled, “I hate that you know before me what I need. I love it for when it’s good stuff, but when it means I can’t hide the littlest thing from you well enough to save my own hide, I hate it.”
“Come on, baby, you’re tired and being my, cailín dána. Naughty girls get spanked and then they feel so much better.”
“Please,” she pleaded, not sure what she was asking him to do. He simply nodded.
“Come on, Daddy’s going to spank your naughty bottom and then he’s going to make the rest of you feel better.”
She whispered, “This is insane.”
He just nodded and took her hand in his. “Say yes, piscín, just say yes and I’ll take care of the rest.”
She visibly relaxed the moment Quinn had taken her hand. “Yes.”
He kissed her cheek and drew her over his lap before dragging her panties and yoga pants off, tossing them toward the bathroom.
She wouldn’t need them again tonight. It would be an early night.
When she needed reassurance, he took it there and met her need.
When the stress was overwhelming, like tonight, and she couldn’t climb its mountain, he was more intense, again giving her what she needed.
Tonight it was spanking until she cried, and then a cuddle, bath, another cuddle, and bed.
He left after she had fallen asleep. When he called her the next morning, she was chirping, happy as a lark.
Life was hectic, and Quinn understood. Cheyenne’s mother, who often sat and watched the world go by, perfectly content to be a spectator instead of a participant, didn’t change her lifelong habit of waiting for others to take the lead.
It left Cheyenne to make most of the wedding choices after long days at work.
She wasn’t capable of helping and even gave her assistant, Jacquie, more time off than she could afford in her packed days.
Jacquie rarely asked, so Cheyenne wanted to accommodate her.
Parker had told Quinn about a police officer position in the town next to Liam and Ciaran’s ranch.
Quinlan’s application was accepted and after a quick run up for an interview, he was hired on as a police officer in the five-man Elk Ridge Police Department starting the first of the year, meaning he was going to need to go up to training for a few weeks.
Policing had different mandates than the sheriff’s office but, predominately, the skill set was much the same.
“I have to tell you, baby, that I’m relieved to have been offered that job because, to be honest, ranching full time in whatever capacity isn’t how I want to spend my days. Part time, special needs times, no problem. I actually like it, but for every day, no thank you.”
Cheyenne knew he was trying to set things up to move before he left for training so she wouldn’t be overwhelmed to do it all without him, having learned from his brother’s mistakes. Quinn would check on the work when he arrived and before he returned to Sheridan.
Quinn and Cheyenne had gotten a nice rental near Darby for January.
The house had been recommended by a friend of the O’Connor family.
Cheyenne had heard it might go on the market soon.
If that was the case, they decided to buy it because it was in a prime location and would rent easily.
After a quick run-up to finish paperwork for the various things going on, Cheyenne got the call that it was going on the market.
The owners didn’t have to pay realtor fees and the year’s taxes were paid, so they knocked off half of what they would have paid for a realtor and both parties were happy.
Cheyenne used some of her inheritance money without telling Quinn about it to offer it as a wedding present.
While agreeing that it was a good investment, Quinn had expected to finance it for the short term.
He wasn’t touching her inheritance. Cheyenne decided to purchase it.
She was a good investor, and their house on the ranch was all Quinn and his family’s doing.
It was a good price for the house and just enough acreage.
She was excited about her wedding gift and hoped he wouldn’t be upset she did it without him, but it was done now.
While preparing for their special day, Cheyenne had asked Sean if he would take the place of her father.
Cheyenne sat down earlier in the planning and spoke to Sean and Quinlan about her mother’s reticence to stand and give her daughter in marriage.
Cheyenne was quick to explain it wasn’t that her mother was hesitant that she marry Quinn.
It was the act itself that she shied away from.
Quinlan had asked if maybe her mother had some mental health issue that stopped her from doing things in front of others, which was greeted with a sad shake of her head.
“I now understand she simply can’t do it. Depression is a horrible illness, especially if you won’t address it.” She paused. “I know it sounds terrible, but sometimes I find that I wish that Dad had lived and my mom had passed away. He would have loved this wedding.”
“When we are through all the chaos, we’ll see if we can’t get her some help,” said Quinlan.
“Maybe. I just want to make sure, Da, that you’re okay with doing this. Because what I’m asking you to do is to the Stewart side as well as the O’Connor side and I know that’s not typical. Nor do I know just how it can be done.”
“I know it’s hard, a lómhara. I’ll be proud to stand in for my friend to both give and receive my new daughter. That, my dear, isn’t a problem. I’ll figure it out.”
Sean reached over, kissed Cheyenne on the top of the head as he stood and gave her a hug, before passing her over to Siobhan who had walked into the room.
Siobhan did what she always did best: comfort.
She reached for Cheyenne while she made approving murmurs about the preparations thus far.
When Cheyenne was ready to work on reception favors, Siobhan helped.
Cheyenne worked hard to incorporate the Irish traditions into her wedding, which took on a completely new meaning and a life of its own.
She was not going to let anyone know that she was adding these Celtic traditions, but her expertise was limited and she wanted to share some of the discoveries with someone else.
Mom O’Connor had been the perfect person to do that with because she had the most understanding of why it was important to Cheyenne.
It was to give honor, to carve a place out for herself.
To show her intense love of all that was Quinlan O’Connor and their joint Irish heritage.
O’Connor marries Stuart, just as it would have said in Old Ireland.
But making that happen hadn’t been easy.
The ring, for instance, was naturally a Claddagh ring but was usually passed down from mother to daughter, but Siobhan bought one to be used for the ceremony.
Cheyenne had a simple, thin, inlaid and sculptured band Quinlan insisted he purchase and bestow to accompany the solid platinum Claddagh.
The conversation that ensued over that was not one she wanted to repeat.
Siobhan spent a long time deciding before her son weighed in on the longer-lasting platinum versus 18K gold or 24K gold, which was a good choice as it would be very strong in comparison to the gold.
“She’s going to be wearing it a long time, Mom.”
He had Cheyenne meet him at the same jeweler after Siobhan had gone home.
“What’s up?” asked a confused Cheyenne.
“I don’t get to buy your ring, so I’m buying this one,” declared her affronted fiancé.
How could she argue? If he wanted to do it, was it worth arguing over? Nope. Quinn let her pick out a beautifully etched platinum band, and she got a broader, matching one for him. He seemed satisfied.
Next, Cheyenne incorporated a verse into the program that she found giving instruction on the plight of marrying in the wrong month.
She had the programs for all to read and smile at.
Her favorite line, of course, was November, which read, “If you wed in bleak November, only joy will come, remember.”