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Her shoulders slumped. "Outside, Daddy. I’m sorry." Her voice wobbled when she spoke.

"You aren't half as sorry as you're about to be, little girl. What did I tell you would happen if I came home and found out you had not minded me?"

"You said I'd get a spanking on top of the one I was already owed." Her gaze found his again as she added, "But I forgot about that in the moment."

Well, that was good to know. At least she hadn't completely blown him off. Not that he'd ever thought that's what happened. She wasn't a naughty girl. She just let her heart get ahead of her brain sometimes.

She attempted a smile but couldn't pull it off. "I said I was sorry, Daddy. I was afraid Ironside?—"

"Bullwinkle," he corrected without thinking.

She nodded her head. "Right, Bullwinkle. I was afraid that if Bullwinkle was lonely, he might do something desperate. Or he might get heart sick. I didn't know if bulls could get heart sick. But I figured, if there was ever a bull who could, it would be sweet, lovable, Ironside, Bullwinkle."

"That's good to know," he growled, making no effort to match his expression to his words. You see something in Bullwinkle the rest of us have yet to find."

“I try to see the good in people,” she said. “Even if the people is a bull.”

She did, too. She always found the beauty in everyone. Frankly, that scared the shit out of him. The woman had no radar for the bad in people. She needed to develop one. It would help keep her safe.

"You disobeyed, daddy, little gypsy. You broke damn near every one of your rules. All of them."

She cringed. "When you put it that way, it sounds really bad."

"It is really bad," he practically roared. “You could have been seriously hurt, young lady. That's why we have rules. Rules keep you safe. And speakin’ about safety, we have to talk about Dodger. But not right now.”

"What about Dodger? I can't believe you found him. I didn't even know you were looking for him, Daddy. But you did it. You found him!"

She was going to be very disappointed with their discussion. But he could not have a wolfdog wandering the ranch. It was too dangerous. "We'll talk about it later."

Nodding, she returned her gaze to her knees. "I really am sorry, Daddy."

"You're sorry," he repeated. He wasn't sure she even knew what that meant. But she was about to find out. “Time to make sure.”

He stalked across the room, not slowing until he stood beside her at the bed. Wrapping his hands around her arms, he stood her in front of him. Turning so he was closest to the bed, he sat down and pulled her face down over his thigh.

Joy let out a squeal of surprise.

He didn't waste a second, lifting his arm high, then bringing his hand crashing down on her backside.

He smacked her bottom without holding anything back. It didn't take him many swats to realize that spanking her over her jeans, and probably her thermal long johns, was hurting his hand more than her bottom.

Fortunately, he had a remedy for that. Pinning her hands behind her back, he grasped the top of her pants and panties and yanked them down past her knees.

Her bottom bared before him, he took a second to appreciate the pale pink canvas of her ass. Perfect curves in all the right places. He was so focused on her blushing bottom she was able to wrench one hand out of his grasp.

Reaching a hand behind her, fingers sprayed wide to cover the very same bottom he wanted to sink his teeth into, she let out a startled, "Don't. Wait."

"Don't wait? Your wish is my command, Gypsy."

"No, wait. That's not what I meant. Ouch!" She cried. She fluttered her feet and smacked her hands against the mattress. "Please, owie. Stop, I said I was sorry!"

He placed a hand in the small of her back, holding her firmly in place. After the next two smacks, she went completely rigid.

"Wow! Stop! I don't like this! Ouch!" This time her voice came out as a shout. She tried to reach back again, but this time he caught her hand, pinning it to her back.

"I'll stop when I'm finished. And that won't be until I thinkyou've learned your lesson." The room was soundproof, and no one was around his suite anyway. Chance clapped his hand down on her bottom, flattening her cheeks with the impact.

Joy cried out over and over again. Chance paid no attention. He didn't even blame her. He focused on spanking her long and hard. He wasn't angry, but damn it felt good to deliver a few just desserts.