The Sheriff and the Mayor by Starla Kaye Page A

over,
Cassie Anne.”
    Now
she backpedaled. “I shouldn’t have said that.”
    He
patted his knee. “Over. Now.”
     
    What
had she been thinking provoking him like that? What was she even doing about to
slide over Dalton’s lap? To be spanked. She didn’t like getting spanked, didn’t
want to go to bed with a sore bottom. But instead of changing her mind, she
sucked up the courage to ease across his hard thighs. The denim rubbed against
her mound and she tingled low in her body. The reaction irritated her.
    “Good
girl.” He nudged her forward a bit more.
    “I’m not a girl,” she protested, although she always felt like a naughty girl
when he spanked her.
    He
gently rubbed her bottom, stroked a calloused finger between her legs, and
flicked her clit. “No, darlin’, you’re definitely not a girl.”
    “Stop
that.” She squirmed, uncomfortable with him discovering the moisture beading
between her lower lips. “Just do it. Spank me, I mean.”
    His
hard hand landed firmly on her right buttock. She sucked in a breath. “How
about not so hard?”
    Instead
of obliging her, he sent a half dozen biting smacks down. She yelped and craned
her head back to glower at him, her braid landing in her face. “I’ve changed my
mind.”
    To
her surprise, he raised both hands. “Your choice.”
    If
he let her up and she didn’t take this spanking, she knew there might not be
any saving their relationship. Was she actually ready to give up on them?
    “I
mean it, Cassie. This is your choice.” His gaze held hers, but she
couldn’t read what he really felt.
    “You’ll
be done with me if I don’t let you spank me.” She tried to see his reaction,
but his expression still gave nothing away.
    “We
might not find our way out of this problem between us. Spanking you doesn’t
have anything to do with that.” He carefully put his hands on her slightly
tender bottom. “But I’m a spanker.”
    Meaning
if they did manage to salvage their relationship, she would face spankings from
time to time. She might not like them, but they weren’t that big of a problem.
If she loved him enough to want to be with him, she would accept his ways.
    She
settled back down, uncertain and confused. “I don’t know either…about staying
together or not,” she admitted. She planted her hands on the floor. “I can’t
believe I’m saying this, but spank me anyway. I probably do deserve it. And I
know you need to do it.”
    She
heard his sigh of relief and then felt his body stiffen. His hands went up, and
then one came down fast and hard. He didn’t say another word; spoke only with
that hard hand. By the time he was done, she was a limp, sobbing mess draped
over his lap.
    When
she’d recovered a bit, he helped her stand and helped her out of her clothes.
All of them.
    Still
without speaking he bent her over the sofa he’d sat on. As she struggled to
stop sobbing and braced her hands, he shoved down his jeans. He didn’t even ask
if she was ready for him, they both knew she was. His hands gripped her waist,
she held her breath, and he rammed deep.
    It
only took a few long intense thrusts before she cried out in her release. He
followed seconds later.
    “I
love you, Cassie.” He pulled out of her body and eased her up as well. “But…”
    He
didn’t finish the sentence, but she understood. “I love you, too, Dalton. But…”
Tears filled her eyes as he redressed and silently left her house.
    It
struck her as she heard him drive away that they hadn’t used protection. Just
one more possible problem to add to the rest.

 
    Chapter Seven
     
    It
was finally Saturday, finally the day of the Grangeville Parade that kicked off
the bulk of the events in the town’s celebration month. Cassie wasn’t really in
the mood for a day of putting on a happy face and pretending everything was
great. Yes, the floats had gotten finished and, as far as she knew, all of the
other things involved with today were ready to go as well. Excitement