Jessica's Cowboy Daddy - Melinda Barron Page 0,45

once on her ass, and then back and forth, the tears she’d been trying to hold back fell.

She didn’t voice any objections, though, but when she thought her ass would actually catch on fire she cried out. Hawk kept going for at least another five minutes as her cries filled the country air. If anyone was nearby they would come to investigate.

When it was done he rubbed his hand against her bottom. She sniffled and tried as hard as she could to keep herself from begging to be released from her bonds. She heard the door open and close, and open again moments later.

Something cool cascaded down her bottom, and then Hawk rubbed what she knew was lotion into her bottom. He coated it once, and then again. It made her feel so much better.

When he was done she said, “I’m sorry I misbehaved. I know better and I won’t do it again.”

“I hope not, my sweet pea,” he said. “If something happened to you…” He didn’t finish his sentence, but she felt the same way he did, but in reverse. If something happened to Hawk she would lose her mind.

He undid her bonds and carried her into the house. He gently placed her on the bed, then left. She heard the front door close, and then he was back. She was still crying, and he lay down next to her and stroked her back as she cried.

She fell asleep, loving the feel of him as he held her.

Chapter 14

Jessica put the lasagna in the oven just as the sun started to set. They’d had a lazy afternoon with very little conversation or food. In fact they’d slept a lot. That wasn’t surprising to her, since she’d been considered a murder suspect for the first time in her life. Now she was wide awake and feeling great, although her ass hurt something fierce.

It wasn’t unusual for them to relax after a punishment. It was like they were both coming to terms with it. Jessica was realizing she’d done something against the rules, and put herself in danger. She wasn’t sure what Hawk was thinking about, and she didn’t plan on asking him. He was on the sofa now, his fingers flying over the keyboard of his phone.

She sat down beside him, grimaced, then changed positions so she was on her side, leaning into Hawk. He put his arm around her and kissed her forehead. She watched as he fumbled with his phone, then he put it down.

“Everything okay?” she asked.

“Holt wants to know if we’ve made our decision,” he said. “I guess Jackson is bugging Leslie.”

“I’m going to do it,” she said.

“With no discussion?”

“Do you want to try and change my mind?” She traced a figure eight on his thigh.

“In this case, no.” Hawk made the same figure on her shoulder. “I don’t think this guy is particularly smart, but I do think he wouldn’t give up the truth very easily. However, and this is horrible to say, but it’s obvious he hates you. That’s why he’s trying to frame you.”

“I don’t understand why.” She nestled down so her head was on his lap. “I was nice when I broke up with him. I gave him the ring instead of keeping it. I left town so people didn’t have to choose sides. What did I do wrong? You’re a guy, what do you think?”

She turned her head toward him so she could see his expression. She could tell he was thinking about it carefully, and it worried her he might, somehow, think she was in the wrong.”

“Did you do it all of a sudden?” he asked.

“Well, it was obvious we were growing apart.”

There was a pause, a long one. Too long for her.

“What?” she asked.

“Obvious to who, you? Or him? Did the two of you talk about it?”

Now it was her chance to be quiet. Finally she said, “I hate it when you make sense.”

“I’ll take that as a no, that you didn’t talk about it.”

“Not a word,” she said. “Well, we talked about the fact his mother didn’t like me, and that would make a relationship difficult. But I never said it would be impossible.”

“But you were thinking it?”

Jessica turned her gaze away from him. “You know I’m not good at commitment. Learned that from my mother. Men were good for a while, but ultimately you have to rely on yourself.”

“Okay, let me ask you something that might actually piss you off.”

“Listening,” Jessica said.

“Was Grant your Daddy?”

“Good Lord no.”