Page 146 of A Very Naughty Christmas

“Get a grip, girlie!” she told herself as she climbed out of the truck. Derek could well be the best thing that ever happened to her and she couldn’t let her own insecurities and self-doubt get in the way.

She loved him.

Kendra squared her shoulders and walked into the building, going quickly to Derek’s office to find him before they had to start seeing patients.

He was standing at his windows staring out at the wintery landscape and he turned when she walked in behind him.

“I’m sorry. I got scared,” she said earnestly.

Derek opened his arms to her and she ran straight into them, sighing as he pulled her tight against him. “I love you, little girl, and it’s okay to get scared. It’s not okay to put walls up between us. We will be discussing this later. Am I understood?”

Kendra’s bottom clenched involuntarily as she looked up into his stern features. “Yes, sir.”

Firm hands cupped her bottom as he lifted her to her toes. “This will be your first punishment since you’ve been mine. This isn’t going to be like our play or like the first two spankings here at the office. I plan to spank you hard and remind you who you belong to so you don’t doubt my feelings again.”

She knew from the look on his face he was very serious and this would be a spanking she would long remember. “I understand.”

Derek nodded, straightening up and turning her toward the office doorway with a hefty swat. “Good girl. Get to work.”

“Yes, sir,” she said softly. She turned back and went up on tiptoe to kiss him on the chin before scurrying out the door.

She heard his soft chuckle behind her, which soothed away the rest of her anxiety. Everything was going to be okay.

* * *

“So you were snowed in overnight with Dr. Studly?” Serena, the practice phlebotomist, asked her with a grin.

Kendra had never liked Serena; she was a Barbie lookalike. Perfect and blond, always ready to point out the faults in other women. She’d been hurtful to Kendra more than once.

“Yes,” Kendra said softly, not really wanting to volunteer any other information.

“What a waste. Someone like you has no idea what to do with a man like that; now I would have made the most of that opportunity.” She eyed Kendra up and down, a look of distaste in her eyes. “Poor Dr. Malcom, stuck here with you when it could have been such an interesting experience.”

Kendra straightened; normally she didn’t react to Serena’s catty behavior but for some reason today she saw red and couldn’t stop herself from reacting. “Poor Dr. Malcom did just fine with little ole me! He really doesn’t go for the obvious slutty come-ons women like you give out. You might as well wear a sign that says: ‘All Aboard.’”

Serena gasped, shocked by her response. “How dare you!”

“How dare you be such a catty bitch!” Kendra yelled, totally forgetting she was standing in the lab tech’s domain and within hearing distance of the waiting room.

“Nurse Jacoby!” Derek’s voice barked from directly behind her.

She turned to face him, a flush staining her features. “I… she… I…”

“I don’t care what the provocation was. You are better than this type of public pettiness,” he said firmly. “Nurse Jacoby, you are dismissed for the day.”

Kendra blinked; he was sending her home! She glared at Serena, who looked on smugly.

“Thank you, Dr. Malcom. I can’t believe she attacked me like that,” Serena said, adding a little sniff to sound pitiful.

Derek turned toward Serena with a frown. “I seriously doubt Kendra reacted without provocation but I only heard what she said. Count yourself lucky I didn’t hear what it was in response to.”

Serena gaped as Derek caught Kendra’s arm and pulled her out of the room after him, leaving her with no doubt he was on to her catty little games.

Kendra was thrilled he’d set Serena down so thoroughly. “Thank you, Derek!” she said, resisting the impulse to hug him.

He pulled her into his office and shut the door after them. “I wouldn’t thank me so quickly, young lady. You are in serious trouble.”

She flushed and looked at the floor.

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