take it out of her hand and place it up against the wall. Gran watches the two of us curiously.
“Hmm,” she says, smirking. “Darius has never been a very patient man.” She takes the broom back. “You two go have your talk and I’ll see you in a few.”
“Perfect idea.” I take Katie by the elbow as Gran trots upstairs.
“Gonna take me to the woodshed?” Katie asks between gritted teeth. “Wouldn’t that just float your kinky boat? Hmm?”
This little girl is going to end up over my lap before she knows it.
I tighten my grip and walk her out toward the kitchen and down the steps. She doesn’t protest, though her lips are thinned, and her eyes are narrowed. I get her all the way to the barn before I let her go. I point my finger to a bale of hay.
“Sit.”
She flounces down but obeys.
I put my hands on my hips and give her a good, hard look. To her credit, she looks mildly abashed. “Now what the hell came over you?”
“I heard what she said,” Katie says in a small voice. There’s a catch in her voice. “And I can’t stand being in the same room with her.”
Is she… jealous? Could it be?
“What did she say that you heard?” I suspect I know what, but I want to hear her say it.
Katie sticks her lower lip out and pouts.
“No pouting, Katie Kat,” I say warningly. “Daddy doesn’t allow pouting.”
Her eyes flash at me, and she actually sticks her tongue out at me like a spoiled little brat. I’ve got her up in the air and over my knee in no time, sitting heavily on the hay bale as I drag her over my lap. I give her one hard smack, and she screams.
“Put me down, Darius Morrow. Don’t you dare!”
That earns her another few good cracks.
“Stop being so stubborn and listen to me,” I say, my hand hovered to spank again.
“No! I heard what I heard. You played these games with Tiffany.” She scissors her legs. “Put me down! Did she call you daddy, too? Hmm?”
I give her another sharp smack. “Stop being so petulant and listen to me.” She bucks on my lap at the next swat.
“Are you just going to spank me until I listen?” she says furiously. That earns her another spank.
I adjust her over my lap. “Yes.”
She finally slumps over my knee. “Fine, then,” she sniffles. “Fine! What do you have to say?”
Now we’re getting somewhere.
“I’m sorry she’s here. I wish she wasn’t. If I knew she was still as sour as a lemon I never would’ve brought you. In fact, if there was a hotel within twenty miles of here, I’d take you there right this very minute.”
She’s sniffling. “You would?”
I rest my hand on the heated swell of her ass.
“You’re damn right I would.”
“I just thought—”
“I’m not finished.”
She sighs, and her voice is softer this time. “Go on.”
“She’s my ex, and of course you know what that means; I don’t tolerate disrespect. But I never did anything with her like I’ve done with you. Once I brought up the daddy thing. And she called me a pervert and told me to fuck myself. And I knew she wasn’t the girl for me. That’s when we broke up.”
Katie sighs. “She said that? I’m sorry. What a bitch.”
I actually chuckle at that. “Yeah, baby,” I say. “Exactly.”
I lift her onto my lap and hold her against me. I take her chin between my fingers and lift her gaze to mine. “What we have is special, baby. I promise you. You’re special to me.”
What are we doing here? I hired her for a job, and I’ve crossed that damn line.
“But I… but you…” her voice trails off, and her eyes are on my lips. She looks summarily chastened and pleased. “I’m sorry.”
I bend my mouth to hers and brush my lips over hers. She sighs and places her hand palm-down on my chest. I wrap my fingers around the back of her neck, wild possession thrumming through me.
I want to conquer this woman. She’s shown signs of jealousy, and it’s inspired jealous thoughts of my own. I want her, all of her, and I don’t want anything to come between us. Not contracts or ex-girlfriends or fears about what’s next. She trusts me. I don’t want to betray that trust.
“Darius!” Gran shouts from just outside the barn. We break our kiss and scramble to our feet, brushing hay off of each other.
“Oh, there you two