Page 103 of The Protective Gryphen

He didn’t answer directly. Instead, he laid down the law.

“Rules are meant to be enforced, Ian. Now, tell me, Baby, what do I do to punish you?” he asked, his lips by his ear.

At the word ‘Baby’, Ian knew he wasn’t angry with him. This was just Gryphen being Gryphen.

Thank God.

“If I say throw me over your shoulder and take me back to bed, is that an option?” he asked.

When he didn’t answer, Ian offered up more.

“If you don’t like that one, how about I crawl my ass over your lap to be spanked? Pick either of those and I deserve it. I was a very bad boy,” he said, trusting Gryphen with his fantasies.

The deep masculine laughter said it all, and when it was followed up with a kiss, Ian knew he was forgiven.

And that was how you tamed a Marine.

This.

Right.

Here.

As for the kiss, it was deep, and delicious. It was something he’d come to crave, and would never be able to live without.

The whole time they kissed, Ian’s hand was over Gryphen’s heart, and it was thumping away. He didn’t think it had anything to do with the wood cutting, and more or less their morning wood.

When he set him free, Ian blinked.

As he looked up, he only had one question.

“Did you punish me yet?”

Oh, someone was spicy.

Because he was being bold, and Gryphen knew he liked it, he slapped him on the ass.

Hard.

“Next time, Ian, it will be you over my knee. Don’t test me.”

Ian was giddy.

His whole body reacted.

“Yes, Gryphen,” he said, loving how that made him feel. He didn’t understand why, but the idea of him being over this man’s lap and his hand on his ass.

Jesus.

He craved that.

Someone had daddy issues.

Thank God.

“It’s break time,” Gryphen admitted. “Let’s have coffee,” he said, laying his ax against the log and pulling on his flannel shirt to stay warm as his body cooled down.

Then, they sat, side-by-side, to have their coffee.

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