Boss Daddy Read online

  That was the final straw. I simply ignored his request and went on with my decorating. After all, I’m a professional, experienced wedding planner. And these brides would not have tears in their eyes over their big day without things going my way. I don’t mean to sound rude, but I know what I’m doing, and Hayes needed to back up and let me do it.

  He would just have to remember that even though he oversees the events department, I do the weddings—and what I say goes.

  * * *

  “Hayes Jenkins, you put that wooden spoon down, right this instant!” I narrowed my brows, throwing my hands on my hips for good measure. I hoped my tone sounded angry enough to hide the fear I felt inside. I trembled at the sight of the implement in the broad hand of the six-foot two-inch cowboy who stood before me.

  A slow grin spread across Hayes’ face, his white teeth sparkling at me from underneath his full lips. Running his free hand through his sandy hair, his blue-gray eyes focused on mine. The determination that flashed within his gaze sent a shiver down my spine as I inched away.

  “I’ll put this spoon down when I’m finished with it. And not a moment sooner.” Like a predator stalking its prey, Hayes slid toward me. His long, lean muscles rippled underneath his shirt as he casually swung the spoon in his hand.

  Feigning confidence, I expertly flipped my hair over my shoulder. “And what exactly do you mean to do with it, may I-I ask?” I stuttered, knowing full well what a Jenkins man used a wooden spoon for. My bottom bumped into the countertop behind me. My hands gripped the ledge. I was trapped, facing my stalker.

  Hayes took another stride toward me. His left palm rose in the air, opening and lying flat before him. His right hand lifted the spoon, tapping his empty, outstretched palm with the smooth, round end. A light ‘smack’ filled the room each time it landed. “I think... Louanne... you of all people know exactly what I intend to do with this spoon. After all, you have worked on the ranch longer than any other employee. Flip that beautiful golden-brown hair at me all day—it doesn’t change a thing.”

  My buttocks clenched beneath my skirt. I pressed my backside further into the counter behind me, as if to protect my asset. “Hayes Jenkins, I will say it one more time. You put that spoon down, right now.”

  “Or what?” he asked, cockily raising a brow at me.

  “Or, or... I’ll scream!” I shouted.

  He chuckled. “Go ahead. No one will hear you. And if they did, they all know better than to interrupt a man correcting his woman.”

  I gasped. “I am not your woman. I am your employee and you have no right to lay a finger on me. It’s... it’s... illegal! Not to mention distasteful—”

  The grin dropped from his lips. “Let me tell you what I find distasteful, Louanne. Little girls that mouth off to their bosses with a disrespectful tone.”

  He had me there. Just moments ago we’d been in a heated argument in front of the other staff. Okay—I had been in a heated argument. Hayes had just stood there, his jaw getting more and more tense with every nasty word I threw out, his blue eyes turning a stormy gray.

  I had been shocked when he’d taken my upper arm in his firm grip and guided me to the kitchen off the Mess Hall, where I now found myself stuttering my way through my defense. “I-I was just telling you that you were doing everything... wrong. I have a certain way I do things. And that way is the right way. And when some big... brute comes in and messes everything up, then yes, I get angry.”

  He took a long-suffering breath. “The way you had the gauze set up around candles was a fire hazard. And as your boss, I am not going to watch this ranch burn down just to appease you. I know you’ve done things your way on the ranch for a long time. And bless my brother’s soul—you seem to be the only woman in the world Brody lets have their way with everything. But I’m your boss for a reason. And that reason is that sometimes you require a little direction. Which I am more than happy to give to you. Now, would you like to apologize for that sassy tone you took with me? Or maybe for questioning my judgement? Disrespecting me in front of the staff?” He gave me a long stare.

  I crossed my arms over my chest. I was still fuming. “Every good decorator knows that battery-powered LED lights are for people that don’t have enough class to light a real candle. They are tacky, and I will have no part in it.” I turned my nose up at him.

  One brow lowered over his now steel gray eyes. His arms crossed over his chest—spoon still in hand—his forearms pushing up his bulging biceps until they looked enormous. When he spoke, his voice was laced with danger. “Are you saying you aren’t going to work this wedding?”

  “I’m saying that if there is anything in this wedding powered by a battery, then I’m not going to be there to witness it,” I sniffed.

  His chiseled jaw tightened. “Are you sure you want to give your boss an ultimatum, Luna?”

  How dare he use his special nickname for me at time like this! Luna, my foot. I took a deep breath, steadying my nerves and steeling my trembling voice. “I’m saying I do things my way, or not at all.”

  His eyes narrowed at me, his head shaking in frustration. “And that, little missy, is exactly why I am holding this spoon. You are one little girl that is in dire need of a severe attitude adjustment. Brody has gone on too long letting you have your way at every turn. I’m your boss now and boss you I must. And it starts with a good old-fashioned spanking, young lady.”

  My heart stopped beating in my chest. My jaw dropped wide open. A white-hot heat spread across my face. A ball of ice formed in my stomach.

  “You wouldn’t dare,” I whispered, knowing full well he would.

  “Being back the past few weeks made me realize I was the only one who would dare,” he said.

  “Dare to what?” I gasped.

  He said, “Put you in your place, Louanne. Take control of your out of control, over-controlling manner. There is no doubt you excel at your job and you bring in a healthy income for the ranch. But the way you do it—it’s abrasive. It’s been your way or the highway for too long around here. And that changes, now.”

  I threw my hands in the air, protesting, “But the way I run things is how I get the job done! Brody says that my personal style is the reason the event side of the ranch is making so much money. We have people coming from all over the country to experience my country chic weddings. Not to brag but—”

  “You are bragging. And the one thing you seem to be forgetting is that the only way you got to where you are is with the assistance of other members of this team answering each and every beck and call of yours and never questioning a single one of your decisions. It stops now. The only way to help you see your bratty behavior is by treating you as any cowboy gentleman would when a brat comes along his path—redden her bottom and spank the sass right out of her,” he said.

  Was he being serious? I answered my own question with another question—was Hayes ever not serious? He was really going to spank me! Right here in the kitchen where anyone in the Mess Hall could hear.

  My hands went to my bottom, grabbing it as if I could protect it. My eyes slid to the exit that was just to Hayes’ left. I wasn’t the high school track team sprint champ for nothing—I could make it... if I just slid past him and made a break for it, I could outrun him. Sure, he had his brute strength. But I was slight and quick. Sophomore year there wasn’t a boy at Little Peak High that could out run me.

  Taking a big gulp of air, I look up at Hayes from underneath my mascaraed lashes, feigning sincerity. “Hayes, you’re right. I’ve been... a bit... extra. What do you say we—” looking toward the exit, I brought my arms up by my sides and lunged past him, flinging myself toward the bright red ‘exit’ sign, calling over my shoulder as I fled, “—finish this conversation some other time!”

  Adrenaline rushed through my veins, my heart thumping against my ribs as I made my escape. A smile started to stretch its way across my face as I neared the door. I was going to make it!

  “Oomphf!” A sharp tug on the wais
t of my skirt made me momentarily lurch forward, then, like when you hit the brakes too hard in your car, I was pulled back, straight into the rock-hard arms of Hayes. My back pressed against his chest, his arms locked around me. If I wasn’t so terrified of what was to come—and panting to catch my breath—I might have relaxed into his arms. The hold felt... nice. His body heat wrapped around me like a blanket. My shoulder blades pressed against his strong muscles.

  He whispered in my ear, “That was cute. Reminded me of watching you run the high school track in those tiny little burgundy shorts, years ago. Where did you think you were going exactly?”

  Clearing my throat, I focused on getting myself out of trouble. If I couldn’t avoid this punishment by running, maybe I could talk my way out of it. I squeaked, “I-I’m sorry, Hayes. You’re right. It won’t happen again, I promise.” Strong hands moved to my shoulders. Slowly, he turned me to face him. His gaze was only inches from me.

  “It most certainly will happen again, Louanne. I’m sure of it. And when it does, I will do then, what I am going to do now. Spank your ass.” With that, he grabbed hold of my hand with one of his, and with his other hand, snatched the abandoned spoon from the top of the big kitchen island. Before I had time to protest, Hayes had me bent over the island. My stomach dug into the ledge as my chest pressed against the cool metal of the stainless-steel top. The hand he held was suddenly wrenched behind me and attached to my lower back. My free hand pressed into the island, steadying my upper half.

  This was really happening. After all the years of working with Jenkins men—men who were notorious for running a tight ship and disciplining sassy woman—I was going to be spanked by one. And spanked by not just any one of the four drop dead gorgeous muscle-laden brothers—it would be the one I had practically had a lifelong crush on.

  Hayes.

  My mouth was dry, my tongue like sandpaper. I had no words. My body tightened into one frozen Louanne Popsicle. The ice that was forming in my stomach grew into baseball-size hail. Funnily enough in my arctic state, underneath my skirt, my pussy was a hot, melty mess.

  My cheeks burned as Hayes tightened his grip on the hand he held behind my back. His other hand went to the hem of my skirt.

  “Hayes, no! Please... don’t!” I protested as the material went up and over my waist. Cool air rushed over my panty-clad bottom. Goosebumps rose up and down the backs of my bare thighs. I squeezed my eyes shut tight. This was not happening.

  Then, the first whack of the wooden spoon landed on my panty-covered rear end. “Ouch!” I cried. A burning sensation immediately danced over my skin, the heat growing as it traveled. “That hurt!”

  “Spankings hurt,” he said.

  No shit, Sherlock, I screamed in my mind. I could sense him raising the spoon again. My face tightened, my buttocks clenched as I braced for the impact. This spank landed on the curve of my bottom—not protected by my thin undergarments. The sting was twice as bad on bare skin. I sucked air in between my teeth. I hissed under my breath, “Mother Mary!”

  “Oh, Louanne, we are just getting started,” he chuckled.

  “What?” I gasped. The two smacks of the spoon were the most physical discipline I had ever received in my life—and I had had enough. “Please, Hayes. I’ll be good. I promise! What do you want me to do? I’ll do it! I’ll apologize in front of the—damn it, Hayes, that hurt!” The fire spread as the spoon came down two more times in quick succession. The spanks were getting harder. I could feel my bottom jiggling under the wooden implement. The fiery pain spread. I danced from tiptoe to tiptoe. I longed to rub the sting out with the hand he held behind my back.

  “Am I getting through to you? Do you understand where an attitude gets you?” he asked.

  “Bent over an island having my rear end beat like a meringue?” I cried.

  “Ah. Still sassy, I see. The spoon isn’t working for you. Let’s get these panties down and I’ll handle that beautiful bare ass with my hand,” he said.

  This could not happen. The man I had known all my life and who had recently become my boss could not see my bare bottom, much less spank it like a daddy spanking his little girl. “Hayes, let’s talk this through—”

  “The time for talking is over,” he said. His fingertips hooked into the elastic waist of my cotton panties. I could feel them being pulled down as my bottom was slowly exposed to him. My cheeks burned furiously—though not as bad as the lower set of cheeks currently were. Again, I squeezed my eyes shut tight as if to block out the humiliation of what was happening.

  Hayes continued to lower my panties until they were just under the curve of my bottom, resting around the tops of my thighs. “Now I’m going to spank your bare bottom with my hand until you are one very sorry little girl.”

  “But I am sorry!” I protested. I tried to peek at him over my shoulder, showing him my earnest face. Surely he would see how remorseful I was and pull those panties right back up into place! No such luck. All I got was a glimpse of his clenched jaw and the determination flashing in his eyes. His huge, paddle-like hand rose in the air.

  His hand came down on my bare skin. A warm, tingly sensation spread over my bottom. Shockingly, it was a pleasurable sort of pain that danced over my jiggling ass cheek. To my surprise, my pussy clenched, leaking juices of excitement. Hayes’ husky voice demanded, “Spread your legs a little further.”

  But I was a good girl. And good girls didn’t do that sort of thing. My mind pictured myself from an aerial view. If I were to spread my legs, what would he be able to see? My wondering ended quickly as a sharp, stinging swat landed on the center of my left cheek.

  “That’s going to leave a mark,” I hissed between my teeth. It was a warning smack—I had no doubt—and left me aching for the sexier, lighter spank he had first given me with his bare hand. Gulping, I obeyed his demands. Inching my feet apart, I spread my legs against the constraint of the elastic panty band around my thighs. The cool air now rose between the cheeks of my ass, traveling up my cleft. And no doubt making the shiny wetness of my arousal visible to Hayes. To my intense shame, I could smell the musky scent of my wet pussy filling the air.

  Could Hayes? Did he know how much this punishment was turning me on? Did he know that for years I had been curious what it would be like to be taken in hand by him? The questions left my mind as his hand began coming down in earnest. I was getting the spanking I had earned by mouthing off to my boss in the Mess Hall. Sexy feelings melted into panic as my ass was lit up by the fiery spanks. I was shocked by how quickly the pleasure turned to pain. And how much it was making my pussy pulse to have him control me like this.

  His fingers tightened around my wrist. When he spoke, his firm tone made my pussy quiver. “As your boss I will now oversee your ass as well as your work. If your attitude is snappy, sassy, too bossy, your bottom is going to pay.”

  “Isn’t that something I should have to agree to?” I asked between clenched teeth, tears springing in the backs of my eyes at the pain.

  “You already did.” His hand landed twice more in the same exact spot.

  “How so?” I asked, dancing on my tiptoes and trying to keep the sass, and the tears, from my voice.

  “By coming into the kitchen with me. You knew that you had earned a spanking. You knew that I was going to give you one. And you wanted it,” he stated.

  “You dragged me in here by my arm! I tried to run away the second you made your intentions clear!” I protested.

  His hand paused in the air. “So, you are telling me, you’ve never wondered what it would be like to be spanked by a Jenkins man?”

  “Err... that’s not what we’re talking about. You were saying I agreed to being spanked—which I did not. Wondering... that’s different.” The pause in the spanking gave me a moment to catch my breath. But now, the stinging was turning to a pulsing, throbbing feeling. How I longed to rub my poor bottom!

  “But you did come with me. And you don’t deny you deserved a spanking, do you?” he asked.
r />   I had been over the top defiant with him earlier. But admit I needed a spanking? Never. “Um... does a grown woman ever need a spanking?” I squeaked.

  “In my humble opinion, almost every day. Especially a woman like you,” he said.

  My bottom ached. What could I do to end this? I didn’t think I would be able to make it much longer without crying. He had already seen my bare bottom—he didn’t need to see me cry, too. “I’m really sorry. You were right about the candles. And I shouldn’t have sassed you like that—especially in front of the staff. I-I’ve learned my lesson and I’d like to get back to work. Are you... finished?”

  “You tell me. I think you need a few more spanks.” His mouth moved to my ear, his hot whispered words tickled my earlobe, melting my core. “I think you need a daddy to tell you you’re a naughty girl. Bend you over his knee and properly spank your bare bottom till you are crying and begging to be let up. What do you think?”

  Heat crawled up my neck, flooding my face. More moisture pooled between my legs as my knees turned to jelly. “I- I... uh...”

  “That’s what I thought,” he said. I could hear the grin in his voice.

  My panties were put in place. My skirt neatly situated back over my burning bottom. Hayes released my hand, pulling me gently to an upright position.

  I fought through my freshly spanked shame and forced my gaze to meet his. Our eyes locked. My heart fluttered at what I could sense within his eyes.

  Things between us had shifted.

  Despite my punished bottom and utter humiliation at my sexual response to Hayes correction, I smiled up at him.

  Smiling back, he gathered me into his arms. “There’s a good girl.”

  * * *

  Weeks went by, a thin band of tension running between Hayes and me. To my surprise, the spanking had changed my attitude. I hadn’t realized that I had fallen into a habit of barking commands to my colleagues and snipping at them if things weren’t done perfectly to my liking. The memory of Hayes pulling down my panties and baring my bottom forced me to bite my tongue on more than one occasion.