“Thomas! Please! I’m sorry!”

  “I know you are, darlin’. But bein’ sorry doesn’t seem to deter you none, so I’ve got to show you how serious I am.”

  If she hadn’t known before, she was starting to get the picture. Each smack pushed her forward over his lap. Her bottom smarted with a prickling pain that seemed to crawl along the entire surface of her cheeks, even though he seemed to only smack the same two places over and over again.

  “Thomas…” she ground out between parted lips. “Please.”

  “We’re almost there, Rosie. You just take your punishment like a good girl.”

  She couldn’t help but feel flattered by the nickname. It made her feel a warm rush inside that almost made her forget the pain in her rear. Almost.

  But he hadn’t even paused in his rhythm, choosing to punish each cheek in turn until she was sniffling and blinking back tears. Then, much to her surprise, he let her up.

  “Are we done?” she asked, wringing her hands hopefully.

  “Not quite. Fetch me your slipper, darlin’.”

  “My…”

  “You heard me, honey. Now get to it.”

  She frowned at the authoritativeness in his voice, but did as he asked, returning to hand him the thick-soled slipper. “What are you…”

  “Go bend over the bed, sweetheart, and we’ll make quick work of this.”

  Trepidation filling her belly, Rose went to do as he’d instructed, walking so slowly one would have thought she was moving toward her own execution. That, of course, had yet to be determined. For a moment, she considered whirling on him and telling him in her haughtiest voice that she would refuse to marry him if he used that thing on her aching rear. But just as quickly, she decided against it. Though she still wasn’t sure that it was a good idea, there was no denying that she wanted to become Mrs. Thomas Rockwell. She doubted he’d much appreciate being talked to so—after all, he liked to make the threats.

  With a deep intake of breath, Rose bent over the bed, pushing her reddened rear out toward him for correction.

  Much to her surprise, she felt the gentle caress of his hand rather than the firm smack of the slipper. “You’re so very beautiful. Have I ever told you that?”

  “Once or twice,” she replied pertly. “You could stand to say it a bit more.”

  Thomas’s hand smacked down in answer to her sassy tongue, though it wasn’t very hard. “What a naughty bride I have.” And yet, if she wasn’t mistaken, that was pride in his voice.

  Her heart thrilled. She could hardly believe he wanted her at all. A man like him could have any woman he wished. Why would he choose a whore? But she was done doubting it. If he truly meant to take her to the altar, she wouldn’t naysay it again.

  Even the smack of the leather slipper against her bottom couldn’t quell the humming of her heart—though it certainly hurt. The second one followed quickly behind the first, causing her to cry out.

  “A few more, sweetheart. Stay still for me.”

  Oh, how she tried. She wanted him to see that she could be obedient, that she could be of a mind to listen, but it was so hard. The smacks from the slipper hurt so much and they rained down one after another, seeming without end.

  “Thomas! It hurts!” she wailed when she could take it no more.

  “Punishment hurts to teach you a lesson, Rosie-love. To remind you to be a good girl.”

  She couldn’t manage more than an answering whimper and as the next stroke fell, blazing across her poor, tender skin, tears began to fall down her cheeks.

  “I love you, honey. I want to keep you safe,” he said, emphasizing the words with another hard smack of the slipper. “And if I give you an order, it’s only for your safety, out of concern for your well-being.” The slipper landed on each cheek in turn. “If you disobey me, you’ll find yourself spanked, and soundly, each and every time.”

  She wanted to apologize once more, but all that escaped her parted lips was a long, miserable howl.

  Thomas spanked each cheek two more times before she finally, thankfully, heard the sound of the slipper hitting the floor. “Turn around and let me get a look at you.”

  Rose obeyed, moving stiffly with tears still streaming down her cheeks.

  “I’m sorry I had to punish you, sweetheart.” He took her into his arms, cuddling her close. “I don’t like doing that.”

  “Then y-you sh-should stop,” she said, still sobbing.

  “Perhaps you should try harder to obey,” he admonished gently, reaching around to give her cheek a reminding squeeze.

  “Yes, sir!” she squeaked, breaking into a fresh peal of tears.

  “Shh, shh. No need for that. It’s over and you’re forgiven.” Thomas moved to sit on the bed and pulled her onto his lap, allowing her all the time she needed to snuggle close while he petted her hair and waited for her tears to abate.

  “I… I’m sorry,” she sniffled when the tears had stopped. Shyly, she avoided his gaze.

  “I meant what I said, Rosie. I don’t like spanking you. I only do it to keep you safe.”

  “Really?” she asked, reaching for his hard cock and giving it a squeeze.

  “All right, maybe I like it a little,” he chuckled. After a moment, she joined in. “Now, are you ready to clean your face and get dressed? I’m mighty hungry and I’d like to get somethin’ in my belly before I take you for my bride.”

  “I suppose.”

  “Is somethin’ the matter, darlin’? Did you change your mind?”

  She looked up at him, shaking her head. “No. But I don’t understand why you’d want to marry me. You don’t even know me.”

  “All right then. Tell me what I need to know.” And despite what he’d just said about his growling stomach, when he sat back and looked down at her, patiently waiting, she knew he meant it.

  So she began to speak. And she started at the beginning, with “once upon a time.”

  * * *

  Thomas listened with rapt attention, giving his bride-to-be time to say everything she needed to get out. He heard about her past, the childhood that had been much too short and far too painful. It made his own heart ache, because he couldn’t help but think of his daughter, Polly. Her mother, like Rose’s, had died, but fortunately for Polly she’d had a devoted father and uncle. Now, she even had an aunt. Rose hadn’t been nearly so lucky.

  She told him about the father her mother had painted up to be a White Knight who she always half-expected to ride in and rescue her.

  “I even still had that secret hope,” she admitted, lowering her eyes as though she was embarrassed. “But after Mama died, Carolyn went to whoring and then I…”

  He leaned over and pressed a firm kiss to her forehead. “You can stop, if you want.”

  “No. I want to tell you everything. You need to hear it all, you need to know everything, so…”

  He knew what she was trying to say, even though she didn’t finish the thought. She thought, even now, that there was something she could say that would change his mind. Part of him wanted to be irked that she still didn’t seem to understand the depth of his feelings for her, but then, why would she? Who had ever shown her love the way she’d deserved? Not even her mother had done the right thing—instead, she’d filled her daughter’s head with stories of happy endings that had never come true and left her jaded. Even Madame Jewel, who’d shown her supreme kindness, was suspect in Rose’s mind. She worked every day expecting her good fortune to end. She anticipated the worst, so that she was never surprised. Despite what she seemed to think, the more she talked, the more he wanted to wrap her in his arms and never, ever let her go.

  “So… that’s that.” When she ended, she still wouldn’t look at him.

  “Thank you for telling me.” He gently tilted her chin so that her face was visible. “That couldn’t have been easy for you. And I promise, I’m going to do my best to see that you never get hurt again.”

  “You’re not…” She closed her eyes, as though even now she couldn’t bear to look him in the eye. “You still want to…”

  “Marry you?” he supplied. “Yes, I’m going to marry you, Rosie-girl. I was hoping to get something in my belly first, but if you’d rather we can leave straight away.”

  “All right.” The word was spoken so softly that if he hadn’t seen her lips move himself he would have thought he’d imagined it.

  “Rose, look at me.”

  With clear reluctance, she opened her eyes.

  “What can I do, honey? You’re obviously scared as a field mouse who’s nearly been stamped on by a mule. What can I say to set your mind at ease?”

  “Could I… could I still work here?”

  The question caught him so off guard that it was almost two full minutes before he answered. “No, honey, I don’t think that’s going to be possible. For one thing, I’ll want you at home. Polly needs a mother and I’ll want my wife.”

  “And you wouldn’t want your wife working here?” she challenged.

  Thomas didn’t trouble to deny it—the truth was the truth. “Let me ask you somethin’. Why would you want to keep working here?”

  “Maybe I like it.” She lifted her chin in the way she did when she was preparing for battle.

  Little did she know Thomas had no intentions of fighting. Not on their wedding day. Besides, after what he’d just heard, he tended to believe she was beginning to spook. He couldn’t say he blamed her—according to what she’d told him, he was far from the first man to offer marriage and a life away from using her body to survive. She knew nothing else than this life—it wasn’t strange that she would try to cling to it now.

  “Maybe I just like having my own money,” she muttered when he didn’t rise to the bait.

  “I can understand that. But why do you think you’ll need your own money? When you’re my wife, I will see to everything you need, to the best of my ability.”

  She sniffed and turned her head away.

  “Listen, Rosie-girl, I don’t want to have to do this, but if you don’t either marry me or feed me soon, I’m going to go mad as a mountain man.”

  His teasing had the desired effect and she smiled. It was a small smile, but better than nothing. “Let’s go downstairs. I’m sure there will be plenty left. Nettie always makes too much which is why we end up with ham or bacon sandwiches for lunch more often than not.”

  “Mmm, bacon. I can smell it now. Delicious.”

  “Oh, you can, can you?” she giggled.

  “Absolutely. Smells almost better than your perfume.”

  “Thomas! Don’t be absurd!”

  “I said almost!”

  “Let’s get you fed. I won’t be responsible for you trying to eat the furniture.”

  “Hmm, perhaps I could nibble one of your sweet breasts,” he said, just to hear her laugh. He loved the sound of her laughter, even if it happened far too little. He hoped that, in time, she’d come to see she could depend on him and that would change.

  “I could use a piece of toast myself.”

  “Did you say there’d be bacon? I really hope there’s bacon.”

  * * *

  True to his word, Thomas insisted they head for the church straight after breakfast. It hadn’t seemed real when he’d proposed and seemed almost more surreal now that she stood at the front of a church beside him. Madame Jewel and Gabe had come along when they heard the news. Also in attendance were Polly, the mayor, and Louise. And, much to her surprise, Amos and Velma were, too. The moment she’d spotted them, she’d turned to Thomas with a look of wide-eyed wonder.

  “I told you I was up all night,” he’d told her with a sheepish grin.

  Impulsively, she’d leaned over and kissed him, her heart swelling at both the gesture and the way he downplayed it. “Thank you.”

  “I’m full of surprises, darlin’. Most of them are even good ones.”

  She’d rolled her eyes, but she couldn’t help but beam at their guests as they made their way to the front of the church where the pastor was waiting.

  “Rose Gallagher, do you promise to love, honor and obey this man, until death do you part?”

  “I do.”

  “And Thomas Rockwell, do you promise to love, cherish and protect this woman, until death do you part?”

  “I do.”

  The words, spoken in his strong, firm voice, went straight to her heart. To her surprise, she felt her eyes filling with tears. She quickly reached up a hand to brush them away, but not before he’d noticed.

  “Then by the power vested in me by the state of California, I now pronounce you husband and wife. You may kiss your bride.”

  Thomas closed the small gap between them and kissed her soundly on the mouth, to the polite clapping of the crowd. When he pulled away, he whispered in her ear, “There’s much more where that came from. I promise you that.”

  Then they went to greet their guests. Thomas went to talk to his brother, while Rose was picked up in a great, big bear hug by Amos.

  “Put her down, for heaven’s sake!” his mother scolded, laughing all the while.

  “I’m so glad you two were here today,” she told Velma.

  “We wouldn’t have missed it, honey.”

  Then she accepted congratulations from Gabe and Madame Jewel, who took her hands and gave them a squeeze.

  “I’m so happy for you, Rose,” she told her, giving her hands a squeeze. “Thomas is a good man. He’ll do right by you. Maybe now you can find a little peace, hmm?”

  “I hope so.”

  Lastly, she went to Louise, who began nervously fiddling with her dress as soon as she saw Rose approaching. “Thank you for coming.”

  “Yes, of course. Congratulations. You look beautiful.”

  “So do you.”

  “Rose—”

  “Louise—” she began at the same time. She broke off as their voices overlapped and they smiled at each other. “I’m sorry. I know you’ve probably thought I was angry with you, and to tell the truth, I was, at first. But if you hadn’t—”

  “No, I’m sorry, I didn’t want to, but Will…” She glanced over at her husband who was deep in conversation with Thomas and Gabe.

  “Don’t apologize.” Rose reached for her hand and clasped it with her own. “I mean it. If anyone should be sorry, it’s me. I shouldn’t have put that on you and expected you to keep it a secret. I know you were worried about me.”

  “I was,” Louise tearfully admitted. “But I never would have told your secret, if Will hadn’t made me.”

  “Don’t fret about it.” She embraced her with a quick hug. “It all worked out for the best. After all, if you hadn’t, I wouldn’t be married now.”

  “You… you’re happy, I hope?” Louise sniffled.

  “Yes.” She reassured her. “Very happy. I can hardly believe it, to tell you the truth.”

  “I know the feeling. And… and the baby?” she whispered, glancing around to make sure no one was listening to them.

  “It’s all right. I… Thomas got to me in time.”

  Louise looked visibly relieved. “Well, that’s wonderful! A baby! That’s so exciting!” she whispered enthusiastically.

  “You’ll be an aunt again.”

  Just then, Rose felt her dress being pulled. She looked down to see sweet, adorable Polly looking up at her and she felt her heart fill even more.

  “You look beautiful, Miss Rose.”

  “Why, thank you, sweetheart. I think you do, too. Especially your hair,” she praised the braid pinned around her head. “Did your uncle Will do that for you?”

  “No, silly,” Polly giggled. “Aunt Louise did it!”

  “Oh! Well, she did a lovely job.”

  “Miss Rose, now that you’re married to Daddy, does that mean you’ll live with Aunt Louise and Uncle Will, too?”

  Before she could answer, she heard Thomas’s deep voice behind them. “No, darlin’. Rose is going to come home with us.”

  “With us?” the child echoed.

  “Yes. It’s about time we got ourselves home. The house isn’t perfect yet, but it’s certainly livable. And now that I’m married, I think it’s only fittin’ that we live there, as a family.” Then he swung Polly up into his arms, making her giggle. Rose watched with a smile and, seeing it, Thomas embraced her as well, crushing them together in a three-way hug.

  Family. The word reverberated through her, reaching down deep into her soul. Until that very moment, she hadn’t truly realized how very dearly she’d longed for one.

  “Yes,” she agreed quietly and at peace. “Let’s go home.”

  Chapter Nine

  “Look, Miss Rose!” Polly exclaimed as she wandered to a new patch of purple wildflowers.

  Every time she was sure they’d found the last one, Polly spotted another and they had to go over and inspect each and every one. As much as she enjoyed spending time with the child, she was tiring quickly. Thomas had kept her up late last night schooling her in the ways of being a wife. She’d thought that there’d been nothing she could possibly learn in that department, but sex felt surprisingly different and wonderful when done with a man who loved you, who you were beginning to care for very deeply in return. And she’d taught him a thing or two, as well.

  But as enjoyable as it had been, five in the morning, which was when Thomas had insisted on rousing her from bed, had come much too early. She was going to miss being able to set her own schedule, she already felt that keenly. And he would learn to let her sleep in, or else there’d be no more nighttime romps for him!

  Oh, who was she fooling? Not even herself. Just the thought of playing beneath the sheets with her husband made her pussy spasm.

  “Smell them, smell them!” Polly chanted.

  Rose bent and dutifully smelled the flowers, which smelled exactly like the last six patches before them. “Wonderful,” she said with as much enthusiasm as she could muster. Straightening back up, she began to think of how to entice the little girl back to the house so that she could rest for a moment.

  But at that very moment, Polly shouted, “Daddy!” and went running.