Page 19 of Christmas Secrets

She flashed him a disbelieving look. “Ye didn’t seem to mind my suffering when ye were spanking me,” she accused.

One eyebrow shot up. “That’s different. Ye had that coming.”

She huffed. “Well, I didn’t like it—ye wouldn’t stop.”

“Then don’t make me work so hard next time to get it out of ye,” he growled softly, nipping her earlobe with his teeth.

“Oh,” she gasped. Then his mouth made its way to hers and Dottie felt her body’s familiar response to his hard body pressing into her soft flesh. As her bottom throbbed and tingled, desire curled through her abdomen.

After a moment, Ben lifted his head. “Do ye still want hot chocolate and biscuits?” he asked thickly.

“Not really,” she replied, pulling his head back down.

Finally, he moved away from her. “Let’s go home then.”

“Okay,” she agreed and followed him as he slid back under the steering wheel and tucked her into his side once again. Even though her bottom was hot and painful, the sensation was starting to recede. More importantly, she was right where she loved to be.

Thistlewind was about 30 minutes away, maybe a bit more with new snowflakes swirling in the air. “It’s snowing,” she said softly.

“It won’t be much according to the weatherman,” he replied. “Just enough to enjoy being in by the fire and having ye in my bed.”

“Aye, on that we can agree.” She squeezed his hand where it lay holding hers on his thigh and he squeezed back.

As they made their way home, Dottie couldn’t help but feel conflicted still. She’d admitted part of what was bothering her, but not near all of it. She hated herself a little bit more now because not only was she still lying to her husband, but she was too big a coward to admit it. Mayhap he’d never find out. Then again, what if he did?

The conflict was real!

And it was driving her crazy.

Chapter 6

Lucerne turned to Darroat the kitchen table, concern wrinkling her smooth brow. They were having some tea after supper. Angus had worked late and stayed to eat because Poppy was working on a‘Christmas project’as she put it. Ainsley hadn’t come in for dinner, so there was just the three of them. “Ainsley still seems a little off, ye did talk to her the other day, right? I think Dal was pretty rough on her.”

Darro nodded and rubbed the back of his neck with a sigh. “Aye, I did talk to her, but I can’t say he was wrong. He’s been putting up with her attitude fer the last few weeks.”

Lucerne’s eyes flashed. “If ye all weren’t taking bets on whether or not Dal could‘tame her’, as ye men put it, then maybe she wouldn’t feel like she was being backed into a corner.”

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