30. Brats Get Swats
30
Brats Get Swats
The driver’s door slammed shut as Harvey ripped open the back one to join me. He stood there for a second, a strong figure against the cold wind. I shivered, my thighs quivering. How did he manage to be so hot and intimidating?
I slipped out of my jacket and propped one leg up. “You wouldn’t.”
“Oh yes I would, troublemaker.” He clambered in and shut the door behind him.
Nothing was locked, not that I’d try escaping. In fact, I was bouncing in my seat.
Harvey’s hand wandered up my thigh, my skin simmering under peppermint-striped leggings. “You told me to give you rules and boundaries…and punish you when you broke them. You were being naughty.”
I spread my other leg across his lap. “What are you going to do to me?”
“Take you across my knee.” His voice was calm and steady.
I nestled closer, inhaling my cinnamon addiction. “Then what?”
“You know what, sweetie.” He pulled me across his lap, tempting me into submission with gropes and tickles.
After a few giggles and breathless shrieks, I rolled onto my forearms and arched my hips over his legs into the perfect spanking position.
Harvey gathered my hair over one shoulder. “Bare skin or over the leggings, baby?”
It’d been a long day. Plus, snow coated most of the windows. A passing coworker wasn’t going to get an eyeful of our endeavors.
“Bare, please,” I said.
He edged down my leggings.
My breath hitched, all my warmest parts exposed to the frigid air.
“We won’t do too many,” he whispered, rubbing my bottom. “Let’s try three.”
“Okay.” I clutched his leg and wiggled my hips. I was ready.
“Count them.” His hand came down on my bottom in a light smack.
“One,” I said, arching my back to offer more to him.
He swatted me again.
“Two.” Spanking got my blood flowing, but I clenched my thighs nonetheless.
The third was a charm. That sweet spot right on a rosy, warm surface. An itch I could never scratch on my own. Ooey, gooey feelings glowed with the sting of release. A tear slipped down my cheek.
He leaned over. “Are you okay?"
I nodded and sniffled. “Rub me?”
He massaged my bare bottom, helping the love settle bone-deep. After a minute, he pulled my leggings up and cradled me. “How are you feeling?”
“Better.” I sniffled and wiped my cheeks. “Sorry, I can be bratty. My Little side is more than snuggles and sing-alongs.”
He tucked my hair behind my ear. “I like complexities.”
My lower lip quivered. He liked me. “But you hate my family.”
“Eh, we’ll see. If they made you, they can’t be all bad," he said.
How could he still be so nice to me? Pressing my knuckles to my lips, I gazed up at him from under my long lashes. “So, you don’t want to break up with me?”
He played with the triangle points on my skirt. “No. If anything, I want more alone time with you. Boundaries. I’m not going to church with your family or entertaining them while I’m working. I’m not coming over for dinner every week. I’m not babysitting.”
“But you’ll still date me?” I leaned close to read his gaze.
“Yeah, obviously.” He tickled behind my knee and smirked. “I’ll still stop by your place for cookies.”
“Yay.” I threw my arms around him and peppered kisses across his face. “They’ll be so tasty.”
Chuckling, he pinched my hips. “Yeah, and maybe your family will back off when they discover what a curmudgeon I can be.”
I pressed a hard kiss into his smile-heavy cheek. “You’re not a grump with me.”
He brushed our cold noses. “I tried, but who could be? You’re too sweet.”
I grinned and wiggled my hips. “So are you, Harvey.”
He leaned in for a kiss, and I deepened it. How could one person taste richer than hot chocolate? Or warm me from the inside out with just a smile? He had me under his spell more than any Christmas magic.
I straddled Harvey’s waist and he squeezed my ass under my skirt. Steam coated the inside of his car windows as we rocked our hips together. This was good. The right kind of naughty. And yet…
I groaned and pulled away. “I have to go. Rain check?”
Cursing, he laid his head back on the seat, then wiped his swollen lips. “Yeah, give me a second and I’ll drive you to your car.” He spread his knees and closed his eyes, his thumb grazing my leg.
I hummed and snuggled into his side, enjoying the smirk playing on his lips. “You look so relaxed.”
“In some ways, yeah.” He chuckled and adjusted his jeans.
“Silly.” I tsked and cuddled his arm, though I was kind of tempted to take care of his current appendage predicament. There was only one conversation I could think of that wouldn't result in me taking his clothes off. “I know we’ve only been on a few dates, but how should I introduce you to my family? Gentleman friend? World’s best barista?”
He chuckled. “I’m good with being ‘boyfriend.'"
“You want to be official with me?” I beamed.
He nodded, his dark gaze softening as he caressed my cheek. “In private, you can call me Daddy.”
I squealed and tackled him with a hug.
“Wait, you’re going to shatter something.” He laughed.
Gasping, I sat back. “Wait. What did you mean earlier when you talked about consequences?”
He looked away and played with his eyebrow ring. “I just meant I wouldn’t be as nice about everything. I’d distance myself from them. Which might mean seeing you less or you getting crap from them. Though you could always come to my apartment.”
That wasn’t nearly as bad as I was imagining. “I like your place,” I said. “I’m a little nervous about you seeing where I live.”
“Why?”
“I don’t know. It’s very bare, but lived-in.” We hadn’t painted since I was twelve, and the walls always faintly smelled like the most recent meal.
“It won’t change anything.” He kissed my cheek, then helped me get my car ready.
Eventually, I got home and braced myself with a chipper, “Hi everybody.”
“Shelby.” The little cousins rushed me.
“Finally.” Zack walked over with a burger in one hand and helped me extricate my coat. “You need something to eat?”
“Yes, please.” I managed to get the kids settled in front of the TV and walked over to the kitchen with Zack.
Mom stiffened and left the room as soon as she saw me. I guessed she was taking my request for space pretty seriously.
Zack handed me a plate and started filling another for himself.
I nudged his elbow. “What number burger is this?”
“Shoveling takes energy. I need to load up on calories,” he said.
“Me too," I said.
“From what? Line monitoring?” he mocked.
Aunt Coral came by to squeeze my shoulder. “She was so good with the little ones today. When we used to take you two to Santa, Zack would be screaming and clinging to me and you’d be this laughing little bean.”
Zack slapped some food on a plate for me. “Excuse me for not wanting to be pawned off on some old guy’s lap.”
I patted his back. “Don’t worry, Zack. We have a lifetime to make happy memories.” Despite Mom ignoring me, I hoped that sentiment went for everybody.