Chapter 1 #3
Tess nodded weakly and cuddled closer to his body until Rory set her on her feet and dried the remaining tears.
Holding her pink panties he steadied her as she stepped into them, her hiss of pain letting him know he’d done a good job of spanking her disobedient little butt. As Tess reached for her slip Rory snatched it up and slipped the tiny scrap into his pocket.
“I think we’ll leave just the crinoline for now.
Maybe it will remind you of what happens when you ignore my wishes,” he told her as he pulled her back into his arms. Tipping her chin up, Rory settled his lips on her soft mouth.
For a moment Tess froze, trying to reconcile the intense longing she had for his kiss with the anger she felt inside from the spanking.
Unable to separate the two, she sank into his embrace as he gathered her still closer.
Heat coursed through her body that had nothing to do with the pain of her bottom.
Light-headed, she struggled to keep her legs straight for fear they would no longer support her.
Rory’s lips were stealing her breath and she pulled her head away to gasp in air.
Hot kisses trailed along her chin and down her neck, lightly nipping at the place where her pulse beat madly.
If he hadn’t been holding her up, she would have sunk to the floor.
All thought of weddings, haircuts and spankings flew from her head and all she could think about was how to keep this feeling from ever ending.
A hard hand began to rub the back of her thigh, fingers sliding ever closer to the wet core of her and she did nothing to stop them until that firm hand grasped her freshly spanked cheek.
The sudden pain straightened her spine as she struggled to get out of his arms, her breathing ragged.
“Time to get a move on, babe,” Rory informed her getting to his feet.
Turning her in the direction of the vanity, he adjusted himself as inconspicuously as he could.
She might be uncomfortable for a few hours, but he was pretty sure he could match it.
Hard and aching all day would not be a good thing and he wanted nothing more than to bend Tess over the bed and slide firmly into her from behind, making contact with the heat he’d raised on her beautiful bottom with every stroke.
Tess stood in front of the vanity on wobbly legs as she tried to fix her make-up. Good thing Rory had stopped her from putting on her mascara or she would really be a mess, although it galled her to feel grateful to him for anything right at this moment.
“Rory,” Tess called as he put his hand on the doorknob. “Do you hate my hair so much?”
Rory turned and met her eyes in the mirror. “No, it’s lovely,” he told her his voice dark with need.
“Then why did you spank me? Why were you so against it in the first place?”
Rory debated how much of the truth he wanted to share. The last thing he wanted to do was frighten her. Maybe a little honesty would satisfy her, but in reality, it didn’t matter anyway. He would have her, all of her and that was that.
“I spanked you because you disobeyed me,” he told her quietly with steel in his voice.
“And I didn’t want you to cut it because at some point I planned on using your hair to bind you to me.
Now I’ll have to find something else. It won’t be as soft or as comfortable, but I’m sure I’ll come up with something. ”
Tess gasped, the mascara falling from nerveless fingers as she stared into his determined eyes. She had no doubt Rory meant to do exactly that and she shivered as he closed the door. Whether from longing or nerves, she did not know.
* * *
Tess pulled herself back to the present just as Maggie and Nick were exchanging rings.
There was an awkward silence for just a moment when Father O’Connor asked Maggie if she promised to love, honor and obey her husband.
The whole congregation seemed to be holding its breath.
From her position, Tess could clearly see Nick’s face as he looked at Maggie, his heart in his eyes.
When Maggie hesitated, he leaned slightly forward and whispered something in her ear.
Immediately Maggie softly repeated her vows and it seemed to Tess the entire congregation sighed in relief.
Nick’s brother, Mason, who was sitting in the front pew on the groom’s side, grinned and his wife, Rebecca, blushed scarlet as Mason slid his arm around her.
The rest of the wedding went smoothly and soon Tess was being escorted from the church, her small hand tucked securely in Rory’s arm.
Every step caused the stiff crinoline to brush against her sore bottom and it took all of her will power not to stop in the middle of the aisle and rip it off.
With a phony smile plastered on her face, Tess pinched his arm and whispered.
“Please, may I have my slip back?”
Rory smiled and nodded to assorted guests, but basically ignored her request, guiding her into the receiving line and sliding his arm around her. Patting her bottom, he leaned over and brushed his lips across her cheek.
“Not until I’m convinced you’re going to mind me, babe,” he told her softly before he straightened and began shaking hands with the long line of well-wishers.
Tess gave up, forced a smile and chatted with the guests, occasionally managing to push the heel of her shoe into Rory’s instep.
Retaliation felt good until he tipped her chin up and looked into her eyes so fiercely she began to back-up.
Unfortunately, there was nowhere to go and he clamped his arm around her waist, pinning her to his side and occasionally brushing his hand across her skirt just hard enough to cause her more discomfort.
By the time pictures had been taken and documents signed, Tess was ready for a drink, or ten.
* * *
The limo ride was short and Tess made a point of sitting across from Rory instead of next to him.
Molly and Patrick were whispering and smiling, not an inch separating them.
Rebecca was unusually quiet, her small hand resting on the swell of her stomach.
Mason had insisted she would be more comfortable in the limo and she was, except for the tension she sensed between Rory and Tess.
It seemed that Tess was as uncomfortable as she was for some reason.
Watching Tess squirm and fidget it suddenly dawned on Rebecca exactly what was wrong with Tess and she gasped. Instantly, Rory had his arm around her.
“Are you okay, Rebecca?” he asked solicitously, concern etched in his rugged face. “Do you need me to call Mason?”
“No, I'm fine,” Rebecca assured him as her eyes flitted uneasily between him and Tess. Good Lord, not another one she thought. There just could not be so many men in one area that believed in spanking their women. It was unheard of in this day and age. Mason and Nick were brothers, so it stood to reason they might have this character flaw in common, but Rory too? No way. He was a detective for God’s sake, sworn to uphold the law, protect and serve.
Rebecca looked away, realizing she was staring at Rory in amazement only to find Molly blushing profusely.
Horrified by what she saw in Molly’s face she burst out, “Not you too?”
Molly slipped across the space between the seats quickly, taking Rebecca’s hand as she settled in beside her.
Rory and Patrick exchanged confused glances, but Rebecca ignored them.
If sweet funny Patrick spanked his wife, then there was no help for any of them.
Molly was psychic; she had to see it coming. Why didn’t she run?