She rolled her eyes and grumbled at him, but only because he was right. She did want him to spank her. As much as it had hurt the first time, she’d felt different afterwards, though she couldn’t quite put it into words. Whatever it had been, it had felt good enough that she’d been wanting another one ever since.

  “What did I tell you about rollin’ those pretty eyes?”

  Damn. She’d sort of forgotten that she wasn’t over his knee anymore. “Sorry.”

  “Yes, I’m sure you are,” he replied in a dry tone that made her clench her ass cheeks. When Scarlett got into trouble, it looked like she went all the way. “Now, I’m only going to ask you once. Are you willin’ to submit to this spanking? No, I don’t want you to answer me just now. I want you to take a minute and think about it, because if you say yes, then I’m not going to stop again.”

  “Yes,” she whispered, without a second’s delay.

  Colton arched his eyebrows at her and tsked while shaking his head—most likely thinking that she didn’t know how to listen. But Scarlett knew exactly what she wanted, so why should she wait?

  “Alright then.” Without another word, he took her hand and hauled her back over his knee. He took a moment adjusting her just the way he wanted before his fingers went back to the band of her dainty flowered panties. She’d expected him to yank them down in one fell swoop, but instead he took his time, inching them down little by little. The cool air in the truck kissed her exposed skin, making her shiver. “How do you feel?”

  How did she feel? She didn’t know quite how to answer that one. She felt exposed and vulnerable, she felt his eyes scouring every inch of her naked backside and it made her writhe with embarrassment. Yet, she trusted him, strange as that sounded. Trusted a man she’d known for mere days, hours even. Despite the short time span, she had more faith in him than any man she’d ever known.

  But since she didn’t know how to put any of it into words, she swallowed past her own nervousness and settled for “I’m okay.”

  “Good. If that changes at any point, you let me know, okay? I don’t mean the spanking part—that’s going to hurt. But if you start to feel uncomfortable, let me know.”

  “Yes, sir.”

  To her surprise, Colton gently stroked her exposed cheeks, his touch feather-light. She thought she could feel affection in his caress. “Have I ever told you how much I love hearin’ you say that?”

  “Um, no, sir. I don’t think so.”

  “Well, now I have. Are you ready?”

  Scarlett opened her mouth, but before she got a chance to reply, his hand was already coming down sharply on one cheek, then the other. She’d barely breathed the word “Ow!” before he repeated the pattern. The soft, gentle touch of only moments ago was quickly forgotten and seemed almost like a dream in the wake of his hard, heavy palm. She’d hoped to stay still and take the smacks stoically, to make up for the other night, but that plan was quickly forgotten as her skin heated up.

  “Stop, please!” she was begging before long.

  “None of that, now. I already told you that wasn’t going to work. You asked for this spanking and now you’re goin’ to get it.”

  “You made me!” she cried out, arching her back after a particularly hard smack.

  For a moment, Colton’s hand stilled. “Excuse me, young lady? What did you just say to me?”

  Oops. “I just meant—”

  “Didn’t we just discuss being respectful?”

  “Well, yes, but—”

  “No. No more buts. You need to learn to accept responsibility for your words, for your actions. And you’re gonna start learnin’ right now.” Before she had a chance to argue or even apologize, Colton’s hand was bouncing off her bottom with more force than ever. She didn’t know how he could spank so hard and so quick, but he was quickly covering her naked bottom with rapid, stinging spanks that quickly reduced her to tears.

  Not that he seemed to notice, the big meanie. Either that, or he didn’t care. Instead of stopping or, God forbid, even slowing down, he just continued to rain down bottom-blistering smacks until she was squirming and kicking her legs in protest. Not even that seemed to faze him. He responded by throwing a leg over hers, effectively trapping her as he continued to lay a hand of steel against her hot rear.

  “Colton!” she yelled, tears streaming down her cheeks. “Please! I’m sorry!”

  To her surprise and immense relief, he stopped right away, though he didn’t let her up or even release her legs. “Are you?”

  “Y-yes! I swear I am!”

  “Good. Then you’ll have no problem proving it?”

  Though he said the words casually, she had a feeling that there was a trick behind them. Nonetheless, she was so eager to be done that she nodded. “Yes. I’ll do anything.”

  She could feel Colton’s arm reaching and at first, she flinched, until she realized that his hand wasn’t going for her bottom again. Her relief quickly turned to full-on knots in her stomach, however, when she saw him what he held in his hand. “You… you keep a wooden spoon in your glove compartment?”

  “Of course. Where else would you keep it?”

  She could tell by the sound of his voice that he was grinning, but interestingly enough, she just couldn’t find the humor.

  “We’re almost through here, baby-girl.” When he patted her tender cheeks, she winced, imagining how much worse the pain would be all too soon.

  “Colton, please. Please don’t use that thing on me.”

  “Shh, baby-girl, you’re going to be okay. It’s gonna hurt, but it’ll be over soon. And then you’ll remember to listen to your daddy in the future.”

  “Please, don’t. I promise I’ll be a good girl.”

  “That’s what all naughty little girls say before their whippin’. You’re not going to be able to talk me out of it, so I suggest you lie there and listen so we can get this over with, understand?”

  “I understand,” she whimpered.

  “You were being spanked for being disrespectful,” he emphasized the words with a hard smack of the wooden spoon to her reddened cheek that made her let out an anguished sob. “And then you continued to be disrespectful even after we’d agreed that kind of behavior is unacceptable.” Smack! The spoon landed painfully on her quivering, aching bottom.

  “Ow!” she cried, bucking over his lap.

  Colton continued lecturing as if he hadn’t noticed. “I don’t appreciate the sass or the eye-rolling, young lady.”

  Another swift, hard stroke to her other cheek had her kicking her feet, which did her little good as they were still trapped by his long, powerful leg.

  “I’m sorry!”

  “Are you?” He didn’t sound snide or sarcastic when he asked, merely curious.

  “Yes!”

  “Sorry for what, exactly?”

  “You know!” she insisted, sniffling and wishing she could be anywhere other than over his lap right now.

  “If you can’t tell me, then you must not be that sorry.”

  “I’m sorry because… because I upset you. I’m sorry that I was acting disrespectful. I shouldn’t have rolled my eyes at you, it’s just…”

  “Just what?”

  “Nothing,” Scarlett said, wincing as her poor bottom burned. “It was childish and I’m sorry.”

  “Well, thank you for saying that, but you know what happens to little girls who act childish?”

  Scarlett took a deep breath and shut her eyes tightly before she answered. “They get spanked?”

  “That’s right.” His wooden spoon was soon doing a wicked dance up and down her bottom until she was limp and sobbing over his lap.

  She probably only got a dozen smacks all in, but by the time he put down that damn wooden spoon, she felt like her butt had been stung by an entire beehive and had probably swelled up too. Still, as she cried her eyes out over his lap, she couldn’t help but notice how light her heart felt. She felt carefree enough to fly. That in itself was wonderful, but then Colton began rubbing her back, gently whispering reassurances in her ear, that made the horrible throbbing worth it.

  “You took that pretty well,” he commented, helping her sit up.

  “Ooh!” Scarlett moaned as her tender rear hit his hard thigh.

  “Sorry ‘bout that, darlin’,” he chuckled sympathetically. “Maybe you’d prefer to keep lyin’ down?”

  “No,” she insisted, grabbing fistfuls of his shirt and leaning into him, her voice morphing into a little-girl pout that caught even her off guard.

  “OK by me,” Colton replied easily. If he noticed that she seemed to have lost a few years, he didn’t comment on it, but simply hugged her back, continuing to give her little pats as she sniffled into his shirt.

  Scarlett took her time calming down. There was something so soothing, so special about being in his lap and being cared for like this. She couldn’t put a name to it, but she knew that she didn’t ever want to leave.

  Unfortunately, as they say, all good things must come to an end. Scarlett knew that this would be no exception, but it happened way before she was ready.

  “Oh, crap,” Colton muttered under his breath as he looked over his shoulder. “Get your pants on, baby. We’ve got company.”

  “What?” she squeaked, jumping to the passenger side and hurrying to adjust her clothing as Colton opened the door.

  “Hello, officer,” she heard him say. “Yes, we’re fine, thank you. We had a little car trouble, but we’ve got it worked out now. Yes, sir, we were just about to leave. Thanks for stoppin’.”

  “You lied,” Scarlett accused with a smirk as she buckled her seatbelt. “I guess you should be spanked after all.”

  “You’re welcome to try, baby-girl, but I’d wait a day or two if I was you. Your bottom couldn’t take the consequences just now,” he said with a wink.

  Scarlett giggled to herself the entire way home, feeling deliciously happy with a tingling, hot bottom underneath her blue jean shorts.

  Chapter Three

  “This is where you live?” Colton asked, looking around in dismay and disgust. He couldn’t imagine just leaving Scarlett—beautiful, tiny Scarlett—here in this dump. The paint on the walls was peeling, which wouldn’t be so bad except he could swear he tasted lead just being near them. That, and the dim yellow bulbs through the apartment corridors didn’t do much to dispel the shadows that did little to inspire confidence. He’d been skeptical since they’d pulled into the parking lot, which was why he’d insisted on walking her in, but the more he saw, the more he couldn’t stand the idea of leaving her.

  “Yep.”

  “Have you ever thought about… you know… finding a better place?” As soon as the words left his mouth, he could tell by the way her back went rigid that he’d offended her.

  “I can’t really afford a better place, Colton.”

  Once he’d started, he couldn’t stop, so he plunged ahead, knowing he might come across sounding like an asshole. “You could get a better job.”

  That did it. She whirled on him, her mouth turned down and her brow furrowed in annoyance. “If it were that easy, if I could snap my fingers and have a better paycheck, I would have done it already.”

  * * *

  Colton did his best to suppress a smile. Lucky for her, the words were said without any heat behind them, despite the fact that she was clearly irritated with his meddling. As much as he wouldn’t mind bending her over and taking a look at his handiwork, he very much doubted she could take even another swat.

  And truth be told, that was one of the things he loved about Scarlett. To look at her now, no one ever would have believed that she was the same girl that had been sobbing in his arms only half an hour earlier. She was strong, yet she could submit. She was a good girl, but not so good that she didn’t need the occasional correction—something that, if he read her right, they both enjoyed.

  “I hear what you’re sayin’. I just wonder, is it safe?”

  Scarlett seemed to grow more annoyed with each question he asked. He could see her visibly getting herself under control before she answered. “I’m fine, thanks.”

  He looked around once more at the shadowed hallways. Several of the doors had cracks in them and it just didn’t sit right with him. He’d only known her for a few days, and yet, the urge to protect her and make sure she was safe was overwhelming. It also didn’t hurt that he’d very much like to fuck her—more than any woman he’d ever met, actually.

  “I had fu—well.” She grinned up at him. “I enjoyed spending time with you.”

  “Did you?” he grinned back. He pulled her in close, enjoying the way he towered over her and reaching behind to gently pat her bottom.

  “I did.” She batted her eyelashes at him and his cock stirred. Damn, she was sexy. Even when she was trying to change the subject. “I hope to see you again sometime.”

  “That sounds like a great idea. In fact, how about I take you to my place?”

  She frowned and backed away. “Colton, I’m really not sure I want to rush into things—”

  He couldn’t help but chuckle. He’d just had her bare-assed and begging over his lap, but she didn’t want to rush things. “Don’t worry, sweetheart. I have a couch and I plan on sleeping on it. I just thought maybe you’d feel safer—”

  Her frown deepened, much to his dismay. “You’d feel more comfortable, you mean. I appreciate your concern, really, but I’m fine here.”

  “Okay. I know when I’m beat.” He held up his hands, palms face-up. “Can I call you?”

  “I’d like that.”

  To his relief, her frown melted and gave way to a smile.

  “Thanks again. For tonight.”

  “No, thank you.” He closed the distance between them and bent his head to give her a gentle kiss on the lips. Much to his surprise, when his lips touched hers he felt electricity shoot through his body, making his cock shoot straight up as his balls tingled.

  “Oh, Colton,” she murmured in a sleepy, little-girl voice that made him want to throw her over his shoulder and run away with her, no matter what she said.

  “Night, Scarlett.”

  “Goodnight.” She gave him another small, shy smile before walking to her door. She found the right key on her ring and stuck it in the door before looking back at him.

  “You’re sure that thing has a good lock, right?”

  “Good night, Colton,” she chirped before opening the door and disappearing inside.

  Much to his amusement, he immediately heard the click of the deadbolt and then the chain as it was set. He could see her now, smiling saucily at him through the door and he couldn’t help but grin back.

  * * *

  “Oh, my God, Colton!” Scarlett exclaimed the next morning as she nearly tripped over him coming out of the door.

  He started awake, still blinking sleepily when he looked up at her. “Mornin’.”

  “Morning?” she echoed in disbelief. “What are you doing here?”

  “Isn’t it obvious?” he grinned. “I just couldn’t stand to spend a night away from you.”

  Scarlett surveyed him with skepticism, wondering if that was sweet, or creepy. No, it was definitely creepy. “I don’t understand.”

  Colton got to his feet, quick and agile despite the dark circles under his eyes. “I was just worried about you, that’s all.”

  “But I told you—”

  “I know you did. But I still worry. I’m allowed to care, aren’t I?”

  His sunny grin managed to melt her unease in seconds. “Of course you are. But I wish you wouldn’t worry. I’m fine here. I’ve lived here for six months, and I’ve been fine.”

  “Just because nothing’s happened to you…” he muttered under his breath.

  “You’re being ridiculous. Although, come to think of it,” she tapped her finger on her chin thoughtfully, “an old lady three doors down was mugged last month. I didn’t think much of it, but if you think it’s the neighborhood—”

  “You’re kiddin’ me!” he exclaimed, eyes wide with apprehension.

  “Of course I am,” she giggled, laughing all the more when his expression went from fearful to irritated in mere moments.

  “That’s not funny, Scarlett.”

  “It’s a little funny,” she countered, batting her eyelashes coyly.

  “Yeah? I wonder just how funny you’d think it was if I put you over my knee and spanked you right here in this hallway,” he suggested, trapping her body with his and making her back against the wall.

  Immediately, Scarlett’s heart began beating wildly in her chest and her breath quickened. “You can’t do that.”

  “Oh, no?” he grinned, looking downright wicked and much too pleased with himself.

  Clearly, he knew he had the upper hand. Damn her fair skin! Her emotions showed much too easily.

  “Well, maybe you could.” She scooted to the left, but he saw it coming and matched her step for step. Was it hot in here, or was it just him? “But just because you can do something doesn’t mean you should.”

  “Wise words, for such a little girl.”

  “I’m not that little,” she protested.

  “I wasn’t referring to your height, baby.”

  She furrowed her brow, but couldn’t work out what he meant to save her life. “I have to go to work.”

  “I know. I thought I’d give you a ride.”

  “That’s thoughtful. You’re not stalking me, are you?”

  “Would I tell you if I was?”

  “Colton…”

  “No, Scarlett, I’m not. I think you’re fun to be around, and cute as hell, but I promise, I was genuinely concerned for your safety. Because, if I was a stalker, I wouldn’t hide in plain sight like this, would I?”

  “I don’t know,” she shrugged. “Maybe you’re just a bad stalker.”

  “Hey! I resent that!”

  Scarlett giggled and when Colton growled playfully at her, putting his palms on the wall and leaning into her, she surprised him by darting underneath his arm.