Of Yesterday (12 page)

"No. Maybe for some, but I find it endearing. I like
the feeling of being protected, cared for, and I feel safe." She snuggled
her face into the groove of his neck.

 "I'll always care for you. Bringing you here made you
my responsibility. It's always going to be my job to keep you from harm."
He took a deep breath, and his grip seemed to lighten.

Taylor’s smile faded. "You seem tired all of a sudden.
Something seems off."

"I doubt sometimes if I'm making the right choices. Was
I crazy to drop everything and create an entirely different society?"

She hesitated, as if sensing the need to proceed with great
care. "Not at all. You should be proud of what you're doing. Of what
you're accomplishing. I feel honored that you've let me be part of this whole
experience."

Jason reluctantly nodded.

"In fact, I'd like to hear about your latest project.
You haven't mentioned your work in a while," she encouraged.

She watched a smile grow until it took over his entire face,
as his eyes lit up with excitement. Taylor quelled the urge to reach out and
pull him in for a kiss, just as she forced herself to smother the sexual need
boiling inside.

"I'm working hard on completing the church." He
placed a soft kiss to the top of her head. "I want you to be the first
bride to walk down the aisle."

Her breath caught and then exhaled softly, but she did not speak.
She felt as though he had just knocked the wind out of her, and she lacked the
words to express the joy that was surging through her heart.

"I'm adding the stained glass now."

 "Jason…" she began, her heart melting, "I
can't believe you're building a church for our wedding. I've never had a man..."
she paused and looked into his eyes with tears blurring his face. "I've
never had someone be so romantic, thoughtful, and loving."

"You deserve nothing but the best. I want to give you
everything. I know how you've had to make sacrifices moving here, but I don't
want you to when it comes to us."

 "When will it be ready?" she asked quietly. The
need to be married this very moment overwhelmed her. She wanted this man as her
husband more than anything.

"Soon. I'm working harder and faster on this than
anything. I don't want to wait any longer."

Taylor slipped her hands around his neck. Tugging his head
down, she whispered, "You are the most amazing man alive. I know that with
everything I have. I know that."

She smiled at him as she pressed her lips to his. Loving
him. Loving them. Loving the life he was working so hard to build.

Taylor and Mandy sat in the parlor with a ball of yarn at
their sides. Taylor concentrated on the crochet hook in her hand, attempting to
hook it through the blue yarn tangled in her fingers. Turning the hook,
twisting and attempting to pull it through a small hole, was harder than she
thought.

"I see why crocheting is a dying art. You have to have
an unbelievable level of patience for this," Taylor whined.

"I like it. I can't wait to see the blanket when it's
done." Mandy's crochet blanket was almost a quarter of the way finished.
She obviously did not find the task as challenging.

Taylor tossed her mess of knotted yarn to the side. "I
give up. I'll leave blanket making to you."

Mandy giggled and continued on, a soft smile on her face as
she gracefully latched the yarn through her hands. She was a natural.

Without looking up from her work, Mandy asked, "Can I
tell you something? I've been keeping a secret."

"Sure. You know you can tell me anything."

Mandy stopped crocheting and made eye contact with Taylor. "I've
been seeing Josh O'Keefe."

Taylor nodded. "I know. You two have been hanging out a
lot lately."

"I'm in love, Taylor." Mandy blushed and looked
down at the floor. "He asked me to marry him, and I said yes."

Taylor sat in stunned silence. The way Mandy just spoke was
unlike how she usually did. There was no childlike, whimsical feel to it. She
was serious. Different somehow. Taylor had been seeing a change in Mandy for
weeks, but assumed it was the different living situation that was causing it. She
couldn't help but feel protective and a little concerned that Mandy could be
being taken advantage of. Taylor did not know Josh, and worried that he could
be messing with Mandy's delicate emotions.

Taylor cleared her throat. "Mandy...not to insult you,
because that's the last thing I want to do, but are you sure you understand
what love is?"

"Yes, I do. I know I have some issues, Taylor. I know
you think I'm not all there. And the truth of the matter is, I wasn't."
Mandy stood up and started to pace the room. "I've been in a...a fog of
sorts. My mind was cloudy, muddled. It's really hard to explain."

Mandy stopped pacing and sat back down, taking a deep
breath. She looked into Taylor's eyes and smiled softly. "But Josh has
been helping me with that. I see things clearly now. Or at least a little more clearly.
I feel different."

"How has Josh been helping?"

"He makes me talk. He makes me face my past. I hated it
at first, but the more I talked about my parents, the better I felt. I've been
hiding from the pain. Josh thinks I created a perfect dream world in my head
because it was easier than facing the nightmare I endured."

Taylor nodded. "He sounds like a smart man."

"I know I have a lot of growing to do. I know that,"
Mandy admitted. "But Josh is helping me every step of the way. I love him,
and I know he loves me."

"Has he told you that?"

"Yes, over and over. He makes me feel it, too."

A surge of protectiveness shot through Taylor like a bullet.
"What do you mean? Has he...touched you?" Taylor was almost afraid of
the answer.

"He's held my hand, touched my back." Mandy
smiled. "He's kissed me."

Taylor took a big, calming breath. "Just a kiss? How
many times?"

"Stop worrying, Taylor. We've just kissed. I'm still a
virgin, if that's what you're worried about. Josh is a good man. He wouldn't
take advantage of me."

"I'm just worried that you may be getting in over your
head. I know you said you're getting out of your
fog
, but I'm not sure
you're ready for all this," Taylor explained.

"I understand that. But all I can say is that he makes
me happy. I hate being away from him. I want him in my life. I want to marry
him and be his wife."

Taylor went over to where Mandy sat and wrapped her arms
around her. "I'm happy for you. Have you told your brother?"

"God, no. He wouldn't understand."

"I think he would. Maybe not at first, but I think he
would come around eventually."

Mandy shook her head. "Every time I even try to bring
it up, he quickly puts a stop to the conversation." Mandy turned so she
was facing Taylor. "Do you think you could talk to him? Try to convince
him? I think he may listen to you."

"I'm not sure he will. Your brother is pretty stubborn."

Mandy smirked. "You don't have to tell me that. I've
had to put up with that for years."

"But he comes from a good place," Taylor defended.
"He loves you more than anything and I think he just wants the best for
you. Maybe you need to tell him how Josh is helping you work through some of
your problems."

"I don't think Jason will listen to me. Josh said he
would talk to him, but I'm scared it could lead to a fight or something."

"I agree that Josh shouldn't be the one to tell him."

"Then will you at least try? Please?" Mandy
begged.

Taylor let out a big sigh. "I'll give it a try. But I'm
not promising anything."

****

Jason was going to paddle her ass for this, no doubt about
it. She was just finding her feet and testing her limits when it came to this
new relationship of theirs, but she knew enough to know what would land her
over his knee. Broaching this subject was treading on dangerous ground. But for
Mandy's sake, she would bite the bullet and take one for the team if need be.
Her soon to be sister-in-law deserved the attempt.

Taylor walked into Jason's room as he was sitting in a chair,
removing his boots. She closed the door behind her. "Can we talk?"

He looked up and smiled. "Uh oh. Those are the most
dreaded words any man could hear."

"It's about Mandy."

He raised an eyebrow. "Go on."

"Well, she came to me and confessed that she has
feelings for Josh O'Keefe." Taylor wrung her hands together. "She was
hoping that maybe I could help convince you to let her see him."

Jason just stared, his jaw set firm.

"They've gone on a few walks, and have developed a
connection," she continued. "I think Mandy really likes him."

"No," Jason simply stated.

"No? That's all you can say?"

"I said no, and that's the end of it."

Taylor paused for a moment. Pressing the issue any further
was not going to end well for her backside. She took a deep breath and decided
to continue on. "You need to at least be willing to consider this, and not
just dictate."

"I'm the head of this house, and what I say goes. Or do
you need a reminder of that?"

Taylor shook her head. "I know you're in charge, but I
also think you’re wrong."

"You shouldn't challenge your fiancé, Taylor. I don't
think you'd like where it will land you."

She stuck out her chin defiantly. "I am." She
hitched up her dress and placed herself across his lap. No doubt shocking him
that she was initiating the spanking. "You can go ahead and spank me, Mr.
Winters. But just know that I'll be
challenging
you throughout."

Jason chuckled. "Not the wisest position to be in, to
be questioning my authority." He lowered her panties down to her knees,
baring her bottom completely.

Rubbing his palm against her buttock, Jason sent a shiver
down Taylor's spine. She pressed her butt against his hand, yearning for more.
He brought his hand down on her in a sharp spank. She gasped and flinched, but
not in pain. The swat was not of the punishing kind. His hand came down again,
sending a delightful sting across her exposed behind.

"So as I was saying," she moaned. "You need
to allow Mandy to live her life."

SWAT, SWAT, SWAT. Taylor's breath caught as the spanking
increased in intensity.

"I'm warning you." Jason rubbed his hand on her
ass and dipped a finger along the crease, pressing against her tight rosebud.

Taylor arched her back and let out a sigh. "She's a
grown woman and truly in love. She deserves to be treated like everyone else."

SPANK, SPANK, SPANK, SPANK.

"The O'Keefe ranch isn't far from us and she'll always
be nearby," she continued.

Jason spanked her again, this time hard enough to give a little
more sting.

"Ouch!"

"Care to stop this conversation yet?"

Taylor paused and then continued, "You're being
stubborn and won't listen to her. You can't be her protector for the rest of
her life. She deserves to have a husband."

The next spank pulled a cry to escape her lips, and she
moved her hand in an attempt to stop the spanking.

"Move your hand."

She shook her head, but did as he asked, unsure of what he
would do if she defied his command. He moved his finger to the tight entrance
of her backside and pressed firmly. Her breathless gasp was rewarded with him
pressing his finger all the way in to her taboo depths.

"I think we'll continue this conversation with my
finger buried deep in your ass. You may have a change of heart in what you say."
With his free hand, Jason applied three quick swats to her reddened behind.

She clenched around him, struggling for the words needed to
go on. "Jason, I understand that you're the head of household. I respect
you and your decision is the final one. But please listen to me, and make the
right one. Mandy will be fine. Allow her happiness."

He pumped his finger in and out, releasing a hot desire from
within her. Lust surged from her ass as she pressed into his touch. Demanding
more with her silent movements, he added a second finger past her tightly-clenched
rosebud. She could not help but press back against the invading fingers. She
cried out his name as he worked his fingers inside the searing heat of her
tight channel.

Taylor heard the drawer to the bedside table open, followed
by the lid of the lubrication being removed. She bucked against his hand,
anxious for what was to come.

"Relax, don't fight me."

She clenched on his fingers, struggling to ease her muscles
and succumb to the intrusion. He continued to work his fingers in and out,
stretching her opening with each tantalizing pass.

He flipped her onto her stomach on his mattress. "Stay
still. Don't move," he commanded.

Hearing the clang of his belt hit the floor, a shiver worked
its way down her body. Moments later, his hand went between her thighs,
removing her panties completely. He quickly followed the job by removing her
remaining clothing. His hand returned to her reddened behind and he began to
spank lightly.

"Are we done with this conversation?" Jason asked.

Taylor shook her head. "No, Mandy deserves for me to
try to get through to you."

SPANK, SPANK, SPANK.

Taylor pressed her body closer to the mattress, struggling
to evade the continued spanking.

Jason bent over her and pressed his lips to her ear. "Then
I must punish you some more."

Taylor jerked as she felt Jason's cock nudge between the
crevice in her ass. He spread her cheeks with his hands as he placed his
hardness at her prepared opening. She cried out in pleasure as her tight hole
eased open, stretching beyond what she thought possible.

"Jason, I'm not sure I can." Doubt mixed with lust,
clouded her mind.