Taken by Surpise Read online

  “Of course, Lila. How could I forget anything about you? Let me pour you a glass.”

  The memory of Luke’s command when she was in that precarious position in the living room, that he was to be the only one to pour her wine, crossed her mind. Luke and Cole were looking at Cole’s latest masterpiece in his workshop so, Luke wasn’t here to pour it. Also, this was his sister so, she figured that was close enough. “Of course. Thank you,” Lila replied.

  Elizabeth poured two glasses of the Riesling, and the women eagerly chatted and giggled as if they were sitting on the stoop in college again. Elizabeth excused herself to check on the children, after they became suspiciously quiet. As she was walking out, Luke came into the kitchen giving his little sister a bear hug as she walked by him. Lila was smiling at Luke. She loved seeing him so happy to be with his family. He smiled back at her, but the grin disappeared and his face clouded over as he saw the glass in her hand.

  “Wine?” he asked quietly.

  “Luke, don’t be silly, your sister poured it for me. You were out in the shop with Cole.”

  “Somebody say my name?” Cole popped around the corner and joined Luke in the doorway. Cole smiled his cute, baby faced grin, always looking five years younger than he was. Cole was a playful, high energy guy who loved nothing more than to chase his kids around the backyard, and play baseball on the local men’s rec league.

  “Cole, I can’t get over this masterpiece of a kitchen,” Lila said, trying to take the attention off of the wine glass in her hand. Cole made his way into the room, proudly showing Lila all of the special touches he had put in. Lila focused her attention solely on Cole, ignoring Luke brooding in the doorway. She felt like his anger was producing heat, causing her to blush.

  Elizabeth stepped into the kitchen, holding Abby who was covered in mud from head to toe. “Uh, Cole, I’m going to need a hand. So sorry guys, you will have to excuse us. Apparently, the twins and the puppy found a mud pit in the backyard, it’s going to be baths all around.”

  Cole laughed out loud, and hurried to help his wife. “You guys enjoy these snacks and we will be right back.”

  “Actually, if you don’t mind Cole, I’d love to show Lila the piece in the workshop.” Luke was speaking to Cole, but his gaze was intensely fixed on Lila.

  “Yeah buddy, take your time, we might be a while.” Cole grabbed Abby up, mud and all and swung her in the air. “Let’s get this little mud buddy into a tubby. What’d ya say?” Abby’s giggles echoed down the hallway.

  Luke walked over to Lila, carefully took her glass from her hand and placed it on the counter. He then grabbed her now empty hand in his. He turned towards the door without a word and lead her out to Cole’s shop.

  The workshop was as beautiful as the house. The wood gleamed and all of the tools were hung neatly, the floor free of sawdust. Cole had even replaced the high, circular window with a piece of his mom’s stained glass. The entire family was talented with their hands with the exception of their eldest brother, David. He turned out to be hopeless at the do it yourself lifestyle, but a whiz at finance.

  Lila walked to the far end of the shop, seeking a little physical space from Luke, and admired the latest work of art. It was a solid walnut buffet for David and Heather’s dining room. It would match the beautiful table David had asked Cole to build years ago, when the two were first married. Family members often commissioned pieces from Cole, as well as the community. His favorite thing to build was furniture, but he made most of his income renovating homes.

  “Beautiful, isn’t it?” Lila jumped, not realized Luke had come up behind her.

  “Yes, it is.” She ran her fingers over the smooth, polished top.

  Luke took a step towards her saying, “And you are going to look beautiful lying over it for your spanking.”

  Lila gasped, whirling around to meet Luke’s eyes. “Luke, you wouldn’t dare! We are at someone’s house. And it was your sister pouring me a glass of wine, for goodness sake.”

  Luke placed a hand on the buffet, standing between Lila and the door. “Lila, what did I tell you the last time you were over my lap?”

  Lila thought back to that night on her white couch, instantly turned on by the memory of the spanking he had given her. She really didn’t want to be spanked at Elizabeth’s house, but she had a feeling there was no way around it now. She hesitated, then quietly said, “You said two glasses of wine, and you had to pour them, but your sister poured it for me.”

  “Lila, did you honestly think that my rule was different here?” He stepped closer.

  Lila thought for a moment. No, Luke was not one to make idle requests and deep down she had known he was serious that night, but couldn’t believe he would actually act on his threat. The realization that she was about to be spanked, right here in Cole’s workshop fully set in.

  “I’m sorry, Luke, but not here, okay? She started to inch away from him, her hip bumping into the buffet. “Maybe when we get home next week, you could do it then. Okay?” She thought about her white couch back at home.

  “Oh no, Lila. This is happening right here, right now.” He placed a hand on her back and gently turned her so that she was facing the piece, then guided her over the buffet, forcing her to brace herself by placing her hands on the back edge of the furniture.

  “Luke, what if they hear you?” Lila asked.

  “I think they have their hands full. Besides, it’s not like Elizabeth hasn’t been over Cole’s knee before.” Lila was taken off guard by this statement, but was quickly distracted by Luke casually flipping her skirt up, exposing her panty covered bottom. She looked down at the buffet wondering how she was ever going to be able to eat in David and Heather’s dining room after today.

  Luke gently brushed his hand over her bottom, sending tingles all over her skin. “Lila, you directly disobeyed me, and you are going to be punished. Do you understand?”

  “Yes, sir.” Lila was so sure that someone would hear, she couldn’t think about anything else until the first whack! Luke spanked her hard.

  “Ow!” Lila was surprised at how much the smack stung.

  Luke leaned down and whispered into her ear, “I want you to stay quiet.” He gave her three more hard spanks in the same spot, then started to pull her panties down.

  Lila quickly turned her head over her shoulder, “Luke, stop! What if someone walks in?” The thought that Elizabeth or Cole could hear the smacks landing on her bottom was embarrassing enough, but if someone walked in and saw her bared like this she would be mortified.

  “Then they will know what a naughty girl you are, won’t they?” Luke continued to spank her entire bottom with heavy, steady swats until Lila was sure she was going to cry out. She bit her lip as he continued to spank her. He finally stopped, snapped her panties into place and flipped her skirt down.

  Luke gently took her arm and helped her straighten up, then turned her towards him, placing one hand on each of her shoulders. “Lila, you need to learn that no means no,” he said sternly. Lila looked down, blushing. This spanking was not like the last one, it had really hurt. But somehow Luke punishing her for going against his will had her wrapped up like a spring.

  “I know,” she said quietly, then she leaned up, wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him deeply.

  He matched the eagerness of her kiss. “Lila, Lila, Lila.” He kissed her with urgency, needing her right then and there. He grabbed the back of her hair roughly as he kissed her, then his other hand slid up under her skirt and he squeezed her sore bottom.

  Lila let out a yelp, just as the screen door on the back of the house slammed and Cole’s boots crunched through the gravel towards the workshop. “You guys decent in there?” he hollered out, chuckling to himself.

  Lila sprang apart from Luke to the other end of the buffet and tried to look engrossed in the grain of the wood as Luke calmly positioned himself behind the workbench. Caleb peeked in the doorway. If he noticed anything amiss, he respected their privacy and acte
d totally normal. “Hey guys! Dinner’s ready and the kids are in bed. Double date at our place. Let’s go.” The three of them headed to the kitchen, Luke bringing up the rear.

  *****

  Lila’s head lay on Luke’s bare chest, her arm stretched across him and her finger slowly tracing the letters of her name across his upper arm. It was late and they were resting in the guest bedroom of his parent’s cabin, returning after having stayed at Elizabeth and Cole’s late into the night, talking and laughing.

  Lila couldn’t stop thinking about the flippant comment Luke had made about Cole taking Elizabeth over his knee, in the woodshop. All night she watched the couple for signs of a “Head of the Household” as Luke called it, type of relationship. Cole seemed like the most laid back, easy going guy she knew. He definitely didn’t seem like the commanding type. The only thing out of the ordinary that she noticed was that Elizabeth seemed a little bit snippy with Cole at times. Cole either didn’t seem to notice, or just wasn’t bothered by it. The curiosity was too much. Finally, she propped herself up on her elbow and looked at Luke. “Were you being serious about what you said about Elizabeth and Cole?”

  He turned toward her and tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. “You mean about him spanking her?”, he asked quietly. Lila looked down and nodded shyly.

  “Lila, I really shouldn’t have said anything. It’s not for me to share.”

  “Luke, you can’t say something like that and not tell me.”

  “Lila, you know I don’t gossip, and you shouldn’t either. He gently tapped his fingertip on her lips. “I will tell you one story though, because the whole town knows about it. Cole and Beth were just good friends when they went to prom together. Apparently he found her drinking with her friends in the bathroom. Bethy was eighteen at the time, and Cole was furious. He took her out to the parking lot, and someone said that they saw him spank her. Then he took her home to my parents. Being a small town, word got out. Beth and Cole have never mentioned it to anyone, so it’s just hearsay. And they started dating soon after that, I don’t know…”

  “What about Heather and David?” Lila was starting to wonder if there was something in the water out here in this tiny town, making the population act old-fashioned.

  Luke started to chuckle. “Oh, that one I can tell you about. It’s common knowledge. Years ago, when David first asked Heather to marry him, he bought her a cute little white sports car as an engagement present. The only condition was that she was not allowed to speed in it. They were in town for wedding preparations one weekend and Heather was meeting us all at my parents for dinner. She had no idea that David was driving behind her on the way from the highway, up to the cabin. Apparently, she was driving so fast that David couldn’t keep up, and he even saw her run a red light on the way. Well, she beat him to our parents and was waiting for him in the driveway, texting on her phone. He pulled up, took her phone out of her hand, bent her over the trunk of her car, and spanked her right there in my parents’ driveway. We were all waiting for them in my parents’ living room and saw the whole thing.”

  “Heather must have been humiliated!” Lila was shocked. She had no idea that David and Heather had that kind of dynamic in their marriage.

  “Humiliated? No way. Heather walked in, said ‘Hey ya’ll sorry about that,’ hugged everyone hello, then went in the kitchen to help my mom cook dinner. Heather used to say that she was headed down a pretty bad road until she joined a church out where she lived. They taught a family dynamic where the man is the spiritual leader, and the wife submits her will to him in all things. I guess that lifestyle really appealed to her. Heather always says she needed Jesus on her mind and a strong man by her side.”

  Heather seemed anything like a submissive wife to Lila. Although she was a full time stay at home wife, she was as strong willed and opinionated as they came. She always kept everyone in the room laughing and was one of the most outgoing people Lila knew.

  David, on the other hand did seem to have a strong male presence and was what some would call a Type A personality. He was incredibly successful at the financial firm he worked at and Lila knew first hand you don’t get to the top without a desire for control.

  She hadn’t spent much time with Heather and David, but with this new information was now curious to see them together. They were heading up to the cabin later in the week to visit while Luke and Lila were in town.

  Lila wanted more information. “How did Heather meet David?”

  “Online. I guess there is a dating website for single Christians who are seeking that type of marriage.” Luke shrugged. “I think they have rules they follow. I’m not really sure. Maybe you should ask Heather about it.”

  Lila blushed a deep red at the idea of asking Heather something so personal. She was beginning to think that she loved the new found power dynamic shift between her and Luke, but rules? Not for her…although Luke had made a rule about the wine. “Luke, do you want a relationship like that? I don’t think I could do that.”

  “No rules, baby. Just let me be in charge and know that I’m going to spank you when you disobey me. Now, let’s get some sleep.” He gave her a playful slap on the bare bottom, then pulled the covers over them. He was soon breathing deeply, out cold. But Lila could not sleep. What was she getting herself into?

  Chapter 5

  Lila sat in Grace’s kitchen, drinking coffee, laptop and cell phone in front of her. She had just gotten off of the phone with Cecelia. They had set a date and time for a midweek conference. Lila’s plan was to go cold turkey all week, but before they left Luke had suggested the conference call. He knew she would be able to relax better if she checked in after a few days away.

  Lila was looking over the kitchen garden, that Grace lovingly tended to in her backyard, thinking about how well her husband knew her. He seemed to know what she needed better than she knew herself lately. She was surprised by how little she had been obsessing about work on this trip. She also didn’t get her usual power charge following a conference call with her team this morning.

  Luke was right, she needed a week away and they needed time to connect. Lila assumed she would get her drive back as soon as she put on a power dress and her high heels and headed into her city office when the trip ended. The thought of going back actually made her a little sad and she pushed the feeling away as her husband came into the kitchen.

  He headed straight for the pans by the oven, calling over his shoulder, “Good morning, beautiful, how was the call?”

  “Great,” Lila answered brightly. She wasn’t ready to share the disconnect that she felt from her job with Luke, as she didn’t fully understand it herself.

  Luke nodded, looking at her as if contemplating something but then shook his head a bit. “Your favorite?” He went to the fridge for eggs and vegetables.

  Lila loved his omelets but with all of her unsettled emotions, the thought of food turned her stomach. “Not today, thanks. Elizabeth and I will grab something while we are out shopping.” She headed to the room to get dressed, giving Luke a swift kiss on the way out.

  Strolling down Main Street in the small town with Elizabeth was just as if they were in college again, laughing and talking and popping in an out of shops. They both loved fashion and there were a few cute boutiques in town. Afterwards they hit the coffee shop and sat down with two huge lattes and a giant bear claw pastry to share.

  “I love these so much, I made Cole pick two up for me every day when I was pregnant,” Elizabeth giggled. “Maybe that’s how I got so big with the twins.” Elizabeth had always been petite but when she was pregnant with the twins, she really was as big as a house, and then had to go on bedrest at the end of the pregnancy. It took two years for her to lose the weight, but she was back to her small frame.

  “You look great, Elizabeth. No one can even tell that you’ve had a baby.” Lila reassured her.

  “Oh, my body has changed tremendously. Babies do some serious damage to your body, but it is so worth it. You’l
l see.” She casually waved a hand in Lila’s direction and delicately bit into the flaky pastry with the other.

  Lila looked down at her plate. Luke and Lila had discussed the fact that they both wanted kids early on while they were dating. Once Lila’s career got going though, she had placed the thought completely on hold, focusing only on her personal goals at work. The last time the subject had even come up was on their honeymoon. Luke had jokingly picked up her birth control pills pretending to throw them away saying, “Guess we don’t need these anymore,” smiling and laughing. Lila had lunged at him, tearing them from his hand and zipping them securely in her overnight bag. Luke had a look of confusion on his face but never again brought up the idea of her stopping the pill.

  “I don’t think I’m having a baby anytime soon, Elizabeth. I’m not sure if I can head a marketing department, bouncing a baby on my hip.” Lila tried to laugh at the ridiculous idea of a spit up covered gurgling baby, drooling on her couture silks.

  Elizabeth shrugged. “I’m a working mom, though Cole doesn’t really like it. I think he’d rather me be home bare foot and pregnant, baking apple pies. I don’t think my body could go through that again though, and besides I love teaching.”

  Lila picked at her half of the bear claw. “Why doesn’t Cole like you working?” This was news to Lila.

  Elizabeth blushed prettily, but looked miserable. “He kind of has this thing about me working too closely with other men.” Elizabeth looked down at her plate, moving the crumbs around with a fork.

  Lila would have laughed, but she could see the pain in Elizabeth’s face. “What do you mean?”

  “You know how Cole and I got married so quickly after junior year?” Elizabeth looked up at Lila, tentative to share.

  They had made plans to lease an off campus apartment with two other girls, senior year. Lila was shocked when Elizabeth called her from home the summer after junior year and told her that she wasn’t returning the following semester. She had taken an internship at the local elementary school, was going to finish her degree online, and marry Cole. Elizabeth had already found another girl to sublease the room that was supposed to be hers when the school year started back, and set a date for her wedding.