Page 61 of Punish Me

“Those days are over,” I reply.

“Good for you, lil’ sis,” Brayden says. “Guess I don’t have to worry about you after all,” he says, winking and then returning to his food.

Shayla and Cee-Cee return at that moment with the dessert.

“Umm...are we ready for dessert yet?” Shayla asks a little too high-pitched.

“Girl, bye. That business is settled and done,” I say, rolling my eyes in the direction that Ambrose and Lyndsey disappeared.

I see Shayla’s shoulders relax. She walks to me and sets a dessert plate down in front of me. While the men are chatting up Cee-Cee, Shayla whispers in my ear, “I thought she was gonna catch those hands.”

“She’s a blonde bitch, not a dumb bitch,” I whisper back. “I backhanded her, but I didn’t have to chin-check her ass.”

Shayla giggles and takes her seat beside my brother again. By the time the dessert finishes passing around, and I’ve slid a slice of pumpkin coffee cake onto Ambrose’s plate, he returns.

He smiles at me with so much love that my heart bursts.

Settling into his seat, he leans close to whisper in my ear.

“Listen, I know that you were supposed to spend the weekend with me. And I know that we hadn’t planned for Cee-Cee to be here...”

My heart hitches at what his next words may be.

“I was hoping you’d still stay anyway. She needs to get used to seeing the two of us together overnight since she’ll be seeing it soon anyway.”

Smiling at him, I peck him on the lips and say, “That’s fine by me.”

“When’s the wedding?” Cee-Cee pipes up across the table from me.

“Valentine's Day,” Ambrose and I both say at the same time.

“That’s cool!” Cee-Cee exclaims.

We’re not having a large ceremony, but something sweet and simple at Dominic’s vineyard in North Georgia. Our siblings, our parents, and our closest friends will be there. We’ve planned for fifty people, and I cannot wait for the special day to seal and celebrate our union.

“I thought that we could go shopping for your dress next weekend,” I announce to Cee-Cee, knowing that next weekend is Ambrose’s scheduled weekend with her.

“Really?” she asks, smirking.

“Yeah, that’s when Shayla and I will be looking for ours, as well. Besides, my big sister, Mak, is flying into town to shop with us, and I’d love for you to meet her.”

“A girls' weekend!” she exclaims.

“Right,” I agree.

Ambrose links his fingers with mine and lifts them to his lips. Kissing my fingers, he stares into my eyes and says, “You know I’m going to have to punish you for that little display of temper back there.”

“She had it coming,” I hiss.

“And so do you.”

My eyes narrow at him as my breath hisses and my pussy tingles.

“I promise, you’re going to love it,” he whispers.

EPILOGUE

It’s been a beautiful two years with my wife ruling by my side at Top Tier Construction by day and reining in my heart and in my home by night.

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