Page 15

CHAPTER 14

“Sweetheart, we need to get going,” Barren told her as she gave Erika another hug.

“Sorry, Daddy! I’m just going to miss everyone here so much. They all have such kind auras.”

“We’ll miss you too!” said Sadie. She was standing with Master Derek and had a sad smile on her face. “Come back anytime!”

“I’m sure we’ll be back,” Barren told her as Phoebe turned and launched herself at him. He braced himself, catching her against him and holding her tight.

“Bye!” she said, waving as he led her outside.

“Are you all right, sweetheart?” he asked her as he opened the passenger door before helping her in.

“I will be,” she sniffled. “I just h-hate goodbyes!”

“But it’s not goodbye forever,” he told her. “I’ll bring you back. I promise.”

“Okay, Daddy.”

He did up her seatbelt, then handed her Snickerdoodle, who had been waiting for her.

She grabbed her necklace, pulling the teal part into her mouth to chew on it.

“Good girl. I’ve put a bottle of water in the cup holder for you. I expect it to be all gone before our first stop or else Daddy will have to take you into the backseat and give you a baby bottle, okay?”

Barren loved the way she blushed at those words, while squirming in happiness. He’d actually bought her a baby bottle at the store and had been using it more regularly. He found giving her a bottle of warm milk at night really did help relax her and get her off to sleep.

He’d also discovered that if he didn’t watch her water intake that she’d go hours without drinking.

“I’ll try, Daddy.”

After shutting the door, he headed around the truck, climbed into the driver’s seat, buckled himself in, and started Cherry.

Damn, her engine really did purr. She was a gorgeous truck.

“You said your dad bought you this pickup?” he asked her as he drove down the driveway, passing the security guard at the gates.

“Uh-huh. When I saw her, I fell in love with her. Red and white are obviously my favorite colors. The white leather seats and the red exterior just seemed perfect. My dad bought all of my brothers a car when they turned twenty-one, so he bought me Cherry. Of course, my brothers didn’t think I could handle her.” She patted the dashboard. “They were wrong. Dad was the one who taught me to drive so he had confidence in me.” She was silent for a long moment.

He'd noticed that she would often do that. Just pause and stare off into the distance. He let her have those moments, knowing that she was still grieving.

“I still miss him so much,” she said.

“Of course you do. You’ll always miss him, sweetheart. Because he was a good man and a great father. What’s important is that he loved you and he’d want you to be happy.”

“I know he would. He’d like you.”

He raised his eyebrows. “Even though I’m so much older than you are?”

“Hmm, yeah, he might not have liked that. He’d probably have given you one of his Dad-looks, told you that if you hurt his princess that he’d rip your intestines out and strangle you with them. Things like that.”

“As he should. He had a precious girl to protect. I’d do the same if I had a daughter.”

“Did you ever want kids?”

“Hmm, I used to. But my ex didn’t want them and now… I’m not so sure. What about you?”

What would he say if she said she wanted them? Was he ready to adapt his life for a child?

Whoa. Getting ahead of yourself there. But he couldn’t deny that he was imagining her in his life.

Permanently.

“I don’t know, either. I hadn’t thought about it much if I’m honest because I never found someone I thought I would want a relationship with long-term. I’m happy either way.”

Reaching over, he squeezed her hand.

“We need to stop soon, though, Daddy.”

“Why is that? Do you need to go potty? How is your booster seat? Comfortable?”

“It really is. I didn’t think I would like it, but I’m so much higher now.”

They’d had a booster seat in the store at Rawhide Ranch that could be used to raise her up.

“I don’t need to go potty, though,” she told him.

“Then why do we have to stop?” he asked. They had a tank full of gas and he was going to drive as far as he could today before she grew tired. This trip would take them a couple of days.

“Snacks of course! You can’t have a road trip without snacks. I’m pretty sure it’s illegal.”

“Illegal? Really?”

“Uh-huh. I think they might throw you in jail.”

“That does sound serious,” he said. “What sort of snacks do you think we need?”

“Hmm, I like Gushers, Swedish Fish, Twizzlers, Snickers, and chips.”

“What sort of chips?” he asked.

“All of them.”

“Right, well, you’re not going to get all of that. But we’ll stop and you can choose one snack.”

“One snack, Daddy? Are you serious?”

“Very serious,” he said firmly. “One or none. It’s your choice.”

“I don’t think that’s even a choice, Daddy. I don’t think I can survive on just one snack.”

“I think you can do it.”

“This is gonna be a great road trip, Daddy!” she cried. “The bestest ever.”

“Glad you think so, my baby. I’m just happy to be on a road trip with you.”

“Aww, Daddy, you’re the sweetest.”

“Into the corner. Now.”

She stomped her foot before looking down at it in shock. Oopsie. She hadn’t actually meant to do that.

“Did you just stomp your foot?” he asked, arms crossing over his chest.

“It wasn’t me! It was my foot! It’s out of control. Just this morning, it kicked me.”

They were on the last leg of their road trip. Tomorrow, they’d arrive at his house, and she was feeling a bit nervous. Which might be part of the reason she was acting up.

“Stomping your foot isn’t going to help your situation,” he told her. “Daddy told you to wait for him while I went and checked us in, didn’t I?”

“Yes, Daddy.”

“And what did you do?”

“I got out of Cherry. But, Daddy, you don’t understand. There was a puppy.”

“A puppy who you didn’t know. He could have been dangerous.”

“Daddy, it was a puppy. Puppies aren’t dangerous.”

“I know it looked cute, sweetheart. But just because something looks nice doesn’t mean it is nice. And you didn’t know the person with the puppy.”

“Daddy, she was a really sweet person.”

“Which you didn’t know when you approached her and asked to pet her puppy. She could have been a kidnapper. She could have stolen you, trafficked you, and then I would never have found you.”

Okay. Phoebe stared at Barren at a loss for words. Which wasn’t entirely normal for her.

“Daddy, she had to be in her seventies. I don’t think she would be a very good kidnapper.”

He crossed his arms over his chest. “She could have been a front lady. The real kidnapper could have been sitting in a van down the road. You are too trusting.”

“Don’t you think you’re the opposite of too trusting. You’re untrusting. Is that the right word? Anyway, it doesn’t matter because she was just a nice lady walking her puppy and I got puppy cuddles. I thought you would be happy for me, Daddy.”

“Happy that you got out of the pickup which was directly against what I told you to do? Because that is the biggest issue. You disobeyed me.”

Shoot. She couldn’t exactly argue that. “Am I in big trouble, Daddy?” she asked.

“You are. Into the corner while I get everything we need inside.”

Phoebe sighed sadly and shuffled her way into the corner. This sucked. She hated timeout.

The door opened and closed, and she hummed quietly to herself until he returned. Then she felt him move up behind her.

“Is it over, Daddy?” she asked, perking up. That was a short timeout.

“No, it’s not. But there are a few changes needed.” He drew down her skirt. It was a longer, flowing skirt that reached her knees and was a bright red. She wore a pair of tights underneath for warmth. Those went down to her ankles too.

Her panties soon followed.

Uh-oh.

“Shuffle your feet back and then spread them wider. That’s it. Now, lean forward so I can see that naughty bottom.”

He’d never made her do this before and she was certain that she did not like it. She felt very exposed.

“That’s better. Now, reach back and part your bottom cheeks.”

“Daddy!” she cried, turning to look at him.

He was sitting in a chair that he’d pulled into the middle of the room. That wasn’t a good sign. Was he going to sit there and stare at her? His eyebrows rose as he gave her a stern look. She gulped. Double uh-oh.

“That’s not your safe word,” he said.

“Um, no, it’s not.” She wasn’t so uncomfortable that she needed to use it.

“Then what should you be doing?” he asked.

Yikes. Turning back around, she reached back and parted her bottom cheeks. She could feel how red her face had grown as she spread them wide. How much could he see? Likely everything.

Phoebe wasn’t sure how long she stayed in that position. But she was growing tired when he told her that she could let go and straighten.

Then he helped her turn before crouching in front of her to remove her shoes and clothes from around her feet.

“I’m sorry, Daddy.” She wrapped herself around him once he stood. “I shouldn’t have disobeyed you.”

Barren kissed the top of her head. “I know you think I’m overbearing, but I just want to keep you safe.”

“I know. I just have a weakness for puppies and kitties and cute things. It’s an affliction, really.”

He snorted. “An affliction, huh? Sounds terrible.”

“Oh, it really is.”

“But it isn’t your love of cute things that resulted in you ending up in timeout or getting your bottom spanked, is it? It’s because you disobeyed Daddy.”

“I didn’t get my bottom spanked,” she pointed out.

“Oh, my baby. You thought the punishment was over? I’m afraid not.”

“Noo, Daddy,” she protested as he led her over to the chair and sat on it.

“Yes, little girl,” he countered as he drew her down so she lay over his lap.

“I don’t want a spanking,” she grumbled.

“Well, you’re getting one. I’m going to start with my hand and finish with the naughty-girl paddle.”

She tensed. “What naughty-girl paddle?”

He shuffled her on his lap so he could reach over to grab something that he must have placed on the bed. Then he held the item in front of her face so she could see it. It looked far too big to her and was round and made of black leather. Along one side in pink stitching were the words, Naughty Girl.

That was just rude.

“Where did you get that?” she asked.

“At the shop at Rawhide Ranch.”

She hadn’t seen him buy that!

“That seems premeditated,” she muttered.

“A Daddy always has to think ahead,” he told her before moving the paddle away. “Paddling wasn’t on your hard limits, but you can always change that or use your safe word.”

Drat.

She could. But she was also kind of curious. “I’m okay, Daddy,” she told him as he rubbed her bottom.

“That’s my brave girl.”

The spanking started without warning, and even though she’d been expecting it, well, it was still kind of a shock. She started kicking her feet, trying to wriggle off his lap. But he held her tight, his hand delivering punishing blow after punishing blow.

Finally, her body gave in to the pain, letting it flow through her. She slumped on his lap, her bottom on fire, sobs escaping her mouth. Tears dripped down her cheeks as he stopped spanking her to rub her back.

“How are you doing, little one?” he asked.

“I’m o-okay, Daddy.”

“I hate making you cry. But sometimes I think you need this, don’t you? An excuse to let go and cry.”

Well, she didn’t think she wanted to admit to that, but yes. She supposed she did.

He moved and then something cool was laid over her bottom.

“Time for the paddle. Just five since it’s your first time.”

Five? That sounded awful. When the first one landed, she screeched and he paused.

“Shh, little girl. We don’t want our neighbors calling the police.”

Well, she’d like to see him take a paddling without crying out. Another smack of the paddle, but thankfully, she muffled her cry this time. But wow! That hurt! It burned and stung, and she wasn’t sure how she could take any more.

Number three landed and she sobbed. She was a mess by now, she couldn’t even see because her eyes were blurry with tears. The paddle landed twice more, and she was done.

Barren helped her up, then carried her to the bed. He lay on his back with her sprawled on top of his chest. Then he rubbed her back until she calmed down before reaching over to grab some tissues so he could wipe her face.

“How are you doing?” he asked as he arranged them on their sides, facing each other. He brushed the hair off her face, leaning in to kiss her forehead.

“My butt hurts.”

“It’s supposed to hurt.”

“That sucks, Daddy.”

“I know. But I want you to remember this the next time you think about disobeying Daddy, all right? You could have waited until Daddy returned and asked him if you could go pat the puppy. Then I could have taken you.”

She sighed long and loud. “I’m not sure now is the time for Daddy-logic. I’m wallowing. I have a sore bottom. I just want cuddles and chocolate.”

He laughed. “I can do the cuddles but not the chocolate.”

“There should always be chocolate after a spanking!”

“I’m sorry. No chocolate. But what about a kiss?”

“Hmm. Let me think about that.”

He tickled her until she squealed.

“Okay, okay, I want a kiss!” she cried.

Barren cupped the side of her face and kissed her. It started off light and teasing, then became more heated.

Hot and heavy.

She squirmed on the bed, her need for him growing. He’d teased her. Kissed her. Touched her. But they hadn’t gone any further and it was starting to kill her.

“What about orgasms?” she whispered. “Are they allowed after a punishment?”

“No. Not usually.”

“That’s so sad.”

“My poor baby. Do you need to come?” he asked.

“I’ve needed to come for ages. You’re driving me insane. Looking all sexy all the time and I just want more of you. Please. I don’t have to have the orgasm, but I could give you one.”

She shuffled closer, pressing kisses to his neck and tugging down his shirt so she could kiss the top of his chest.

“Sweetheart, you don’t know how much I want that.”

“Then let me, please?”

“If I let you do that, then there is no way I can resist touching you. And I shouldn’t give you pleasure after a punishment.”

“Just this once?” she asked.

He shook his head and stood, pointing down at her. “No.”

That was it. She was going to die from a lack of pleasure.

It was official.