Rescuing Regina (2 page)

That scared me more than anything.

“Good.” His voice hardened. “You do as I say, and you don’t give me any lip.” He emphasized by squeezing one hot butt cheek, and I went up on my tiptoes. “Understand?”

I sagged against the car, trying to catch my breath.

“The correct answer is
yes, sir
,” he prompted.

“Yes, sir.” I felt numb. Cole Townsend had spanked me. I still couldn’t believe it.

My burning ass told me to believe it.

“Now we’re going to get back in the car. We’re going to settle this mess tonight, one way or another.” He pulled up my panties and helped me up. How could hands that caused so much pain be so gentle?

I went to pull up my jeans, and he caught my arm.

“Leave them down.” His voice cracked like a shot.

My face heated despite the cool night air. We were on a private road, surrounded by a pine forest, but the humiliation still stung. I tottered back to the car, jeans around my knees. My disciplinarian brought up the rear. He helped me into the car, and paused. I blinked up at him. I must have had a frightened look on my face, because he gently brushed my hair back.

“You’re going to be okay,” he said.

I shifted on the seat and whimpered.

“Let’s get you home.”

I spent the car ride squirming on my hot bottom, wondering what the heck had just happened. Once again, I’d gotten in trouble. Once again, Cole came to my rescue.

He’d spanked me, but I couldn’t think about that. I couldn’t get my pot-addled brain around it at all.

A part of me knew I deserved it.

Cole stayed silent, letting me stew in my thoughts as his car rolled through the night. I pressed my forehead against the cold glass and closed my eyes.

Ever since I came to our little town, I’d been trying to escape. My parents moved here for my dad’s factory job, a job he would lose anyway when he started drinking again. I was six and the most jaded kid ever. For some reason, our new neighbor took it upon herself to drag me to Sunday School.

The lesson was on Noah’s ark. One of the students, a little blonde girl my age, asked the teacher what the animals ate all those months on the boat.

“Probably bunnies,” I said loudly. “They have lots of babies. Because they’re always screwing.”

The teacher blustered for a moment. “Cole,” she called to an older boy, sitting up very straight, wearing a perfectly pressed suit. “Will you sit by Regina and help her get settled in? She just moved here.”

The blond boy nodded, polite and stern even though he couldn’t be more than twelve. He came and sat beside me, and I tried not to look too pleased. The little girl who had asked the question shot daggers at me with her eyes. I stuck my tongue out at her and cozied up to my handsome new babysitter.

“Hello, I’m Cole,” he said. “Welcome to Licking Hole.”

I sniggered. “Do you know what that means?”

“Yes.” He fixed me with a level stare. “Do you?”

I took a moment to study him. At twelve, Cole was already a dreamboat. He was clean and serious, without a spot of dirt on him. I was wearing a little dress with no tights. The skirt had a tear in the corner and had dirt stains from when I’d shut it in the car door. I was gross and disheveled, and desperate to impress this older boy. When I had announced where I was moving, the big kids at the trailer park had told me exactly what the name of my town could mean. I didn’t quite believe them, but if it would help me make an impression on this good-looking young man, I was willing to spill the beans.

“I do,” I said. “I bet you don’t.”

“A licking hole is where hunters put salt to attract deer, so they can shoot them. That’s what it means.”

“No, it doesn’t,” I sneered. “It’s when someone puts their tongue—”

“Regina?” The teacher cut in brightly, oblivious to my and Cole’s conversation. “Do you want to tell the class where you live?”

“No,” I said, but caved after encouragement. “Shady Park.”

“That’s a trailer park,” the girl with blonde curls giggled.

My cheeks went hot.

“That’s right, Lucy,” the teacher said, oblivious to the classism going on. Lucy waited until the teacher turned her back before sticking her tongue out at me.

I waited until we were in line to go up to the service before I yanked on her perfect curls.

Lucy howled.

I started to make my escape when someone pulled me back. Cole Townsend, tall and prim, had my arm in a lock.

“Let go,” I said even though I liked the attention.

“I’m supposed to watch over you,” he said, very sternly, and took my hand.

He held it all through the service, only letting go to hold the hymnal between us during songs. He pointed out the words. Afterward, he escorted me down to the fellowship hall again, got me lemonade and cookies, and took me to the bathroom. He waited for me outside the door until I was done, and checked to make sure I’d washed my hands.

By the end of the service, I was in love.

But then noon came, and the neighbor took me back to the trailer park. She never took me to church again. I tried walking there and got lost. Mom and Dad found me and I was grounded until school started. I got through summer dreaming of the blond boy in a suit, with more reserve and poise than a politician. I couldn’t wait for school, only to learn that Cole was six years older than me. Lucy was my age, though. The little blonde witch was just waiting to pull my hair.

Even though we lived in a small town, I didn’t see Cole a lot. We moved in different circles. Each time, my heart beat with excitement. And each time, the space between us widened into a chasm.

Now he was sheriff, and I was in the back of a cop car, where a kid from a trailer park belonged. My life was over. Other than my burning buns, I felt relief.

The car stopped and I opened my eyes, half expecting to see the little police station on Main Street. Despite its unfortunate name, Licking Hole was a quaint little town, with enough money to build a beautiful brick library, a white columned courthouse and sheriff’s office.

I didn’t expect to see a little brick rancher with a neat lawn. Cole had brought me home all right, but not to my mother’s trailer. I’d only seen this place a few times but I knew exactly where I was.

Cole’s house.

I sat up straight, stinging butt forgotten.

“What are you doing? Shouldn’t we be at the station?”

“I wanted someplace quiet. We’re going to have a chat.”

The word “chat” had never been so ominous. My bottom still stung. I shifted uneasily, and he told me I could pull up my jeans.

Well, thank you very much.
I bit back my response as he came around and opened my door.

What was going on? Why was I at his house? I couldn’t even wrap my mind around the fact that he’d spanked me.

I hesitated long enough for him to order me out.

“Yes sir,” I said with just enough mockery to keep my pride. But when I slid out of the seat my legs wobbled and I would’ve fallen if he didn’t catch me.

“Easy.” The mess of what I’d drunk and smoked that night was taking its toll, both abandoning me in my time of need and leaving me weak. My head felt foggy, and I needed food, stat.

Cole’s hard muscled arm around my waist felt so good. I let myself lean on him up to the door. He took his arm away to unlock the door, and I hated losing his warm support, even for a second. The thought startled me into bitchiness.

“What, locked? Are you afraid of big, bad criminals?”

“Not afraid. Just smart. I know the monsters are out there.”

“And I don’t?”

“You got into the car with one.”

“Benny? He’s harmless.”

“I didn’t mean Benny.”

His dark tone made me swallow my comments for a moment.

Before I could say anything, he led me to a bench in the entryway and had me sit. To my surprise, he knelt and took off my shoes. His proximity made me flush, so to distract myself I studied his house. Sunken living room with couches and a TV. Carpet looked new. So did the hardwood floors. Everything was clean, if a little sparse.

“Nice place,” I said.

“Thank you.”

He’d bought this house while I was in college. Cole always so serious and ahead of his time. Lifeguard at fifteen. Police academy at eighteen. Elected sheriff before thirty.

The house was probably just part of the plan. A white picket fence, a wife and two point five kids were probably next on his to-do list.

I studied the gorgeous wood floors, feeling suddenly out of place.

“You still haven’t told me why I’m here.”

He stood, and kept his eyes on me as he took off his badge and his belt. The sight of his gun made me stifle a gasp.

“Let’s get you cleaned up first.” He turned on bare feet.

I didn’t move. After a few steps, he realized I wasn’t following. “Regina, come on.”

“Is this where you take all your perps?”

“I’m off duty. You aren’t a perp.”

But I was. He didn’t even know how much. “Then what am I doing here?”

He saw the worry in my face, because he sighed and motioned to the couch. “Sit.” Even without his badge and in bare feet, he was still the picture of authority. Under different circumstances, I’d enjoy teasing the seriousness in his hazel eyes.

“Regina,” he warned.

I gulped but held my ground. “I’d rather stand. Are you going to read me my rights?”

“Do you want me to?”

“What is this, Cole?”

“Sheriff Townsend.”

“Whatever. I’ve known you all my life,” I said.

“That’s why you’re here. Sit down, Regina.” I did and regretted it when he towered over me, a stern teacher chastising a naughty schoolgirl. The sheriff and the town screw up. “You’re in a load of trouble.”

I nodded. I couldn’t refute that.

“Getting drunk, leaving the bar with Benny-whose record isn’t pretty, trespassing on private property—”

“Getting drunk isn’t a crime.” Neither was getting into a car with Benny from the bar, even if he did have a criminal record. I wondered why Cole included that in my list of sins.

At least he hadn’t found out about the weed.

“Then there’s this.” He dangled the baggie of pot in front of my face. Benny must’ve flung it out of his car when he was gone. Or, more likely, it fell out in his haste to get away. Just my luck.

“That was Benny’s.”

He kept glaring at me. I squirmed.

“I just smoked a little for nerves. I’ve never done it before.”

“Never?”

I hesitated.

“Stand up.” His whip-like tone startled me to my feet. He turned me around and bent me over.

Oh, not again.

Cole swatted me through my jeans, hard.

“Ow.” How he’d gotten it to hurt through the denim, I had no idea. Maybe my behind was bruised from my last beating.

“That’s the consequence of lying. Sit down again.”

“I don’t wanna,” I pouted, rubbing my butt. But I obeyed with a little wince. I’d started to learn disobedience wasn’t the way to go. He’d more than proved he was willing to spank me.

“Now you’re going to tell me the truth or you’ll regret it. How much of this stuff did you have with you?”

“Just that.” I didn’t protest that it was Benny’s again, guessing that Cole just wanted to know my involvement. He seemed pretty focused on me, and only me.

“This is your first time smoking pot?”

“Third or fourth,” I said. “The last times were all in college.”

A little of his anger ebbed away. “Were you planning to sell this?”

I started to answer then hesitated. He said no lying.

“I thought about selling it, yes,” I said with total honesty. “I need money.”

“If I find you’ve lied to me—”

“Cole, I swear I only thought about it. Benny mentioned dealing it, I decided it wouldn’t be right. The only reason I got in the car with him was because I was tipsy at the bar. Believe me, it won’t ever happen again. And if this is some sort of sting, I’m happy to testify to Benny’s statement about selling, if you want.”

After my little outburst, Cole relaxed so much he looked like a different man. He sat down on the couch beside me, like I was a friend and not a suspect. Relief washed over me, so intense it made me wonder about the depth of my feelings for my sheriff. Maybe I hadn’t gotten over my schoolgirl crush.

“This isn’t a sting. We know Benny’s getting pot with intent to deal. I was afraid you were caught up in it. You shouldn’t be anywhere near Benny or the people he deals with.”

“Well, no worries about that. The man is disgusting.”

Cole nodded, looking pleased. I felt more confused than ever.

“What is this anyway? A new form of interrogation? Your own version of good cop/bad cop? Stern cop and…sadistic spanking cop?”

He almost smiled. Almost. Which was fine because I wasn’t trying to be funny. “I did get carried away with the spanking.”

“Yes, what was that? You freaked me out.” I shifted on my seat, pressing my legs together. I’d been more than freaked out. I’d been scared and aroused. It was the arousal, mainly, that freaked me out.

His quick glance at my legs told me he hadn’t missed the movement.

“You were belligerent, and I wanted to get your attention. I couldn’t have you repeating that behavior again.”

“Being a smart aleck?”

“Propositioning a cop.”

“I didn’t know that was such a serious crime.”

“It is, because some men on the force would take you up on it. And I can’t have that.”

“If you don’t trust your men, there’s no need to take it out on me. I doubt you spank all the people who try to bribe cops.”

“No. Only you.”

I felt perversely happy knowing I was the only one.

“And it’s not that my men are corrupt. They’re good people, for the most part, but you would be more than a little temptation.”

I blinked at that.

He seemed pleased with my surprise. Leaning into me, he brushed his arm against mine. “So you see, I had to nip that behavior in the bud.” His tone gentled. “Did I scare you?”

“No, not really. Well, maybe at first. But a little bud nipping never hurt anyone.”

His eyes crinkled, and my panties gave up hope of ever being dry again. I hadn’t meant to be flirty, but now that he’d taken it that way, warmth rushed over me.

I licked my lips and he focused his gaze on my mouth. Arousal hit me so hard I felt dizzy.

Oh my god, were we having a moment?

I shivered and my nipples hardened.

“The truth is,” he said, “I could charge you, but I’d rather handle things differently.”

What were we talking about? Oh right, my crimes.

“I’m okay with that.” I liked the idea of Cole handling me.

“You might not agree when you know what it entails. When I say you’re in serious trouble, I mean it, Regina. And not just because of the stunt you pulled tonight.”

A part of me felt relief that he might know about all the ways I’d broken the law, even before I got fired. Nothing got past those hazel eyes. His lashes were long as a girl’s, and dark brown, the color of chocolate. Yum.

Now I was hungry.

“Regina, focus. How much?”

“What?” I’d missed the question.

“How much money do you need?”

All the warmth sucked out of my body. I sat up, muscles stiffening. Cole put his hand on my knee, but the reassuring touch wasn’t enough to calm me down.

“I don’t know. A lot.”

Admitting that I needed money was more humiliating than the spanking, than being manhandled by my lifelong crush, than being forced to totter to the car with my jeans around my thighs.

“Your mom’s been sick for…”

“Awhile,” I whispered.

He nodded. “Okay.”

“Okay? Just okay? It’s not okay, Cole.” I tore my gaze from his dreamboat eyes. What was I doing in this house, sitting next to this perfect man? Any other girl would kill to take my place. Of course, they’d be here because he asked them out on a date, nice and proper, and invited them in afterwards for a nightcap. He’d put his hand on their knee and it would be just the beginning…

My stomach soured. I didn’t deserve to be on the couch with this golden boy. “You should just charge me,” I muttered.

“I’m not going to do that. There will be consequences, but instead of the law, you’ll be answering to me.”

The thought of answering to Sheriff Sadist and his iron hand made me shiver. And not because I was afraid. The tingles in my panties had only grown stronger, spreading through my entire body whenever he touched me. Even when he had been spanking me.

Especially when he spanked me. I had to get out before I lost my mind.

“Sheriff Cole bending the rules? That doesn’t sound like you. You can’t just go around bending the rules for just anyone.” I risked a glance at his stunning profile. To my surprise, he was looking right at me.

“You’re not just anyone.”

The look in his eye took my breath away. He was still stern and intense, but the warmth in his hazel eyes turned hotter. It was wonderful to have Cole Townsend look at me like that, but it wasn’t right.

“Please just charge me,” I said softly. “I don’t deserve any special treatment. You’re the sheriff of the whole town and I’m a delinquent.”

“You’re not a delinquent.”

I held up a hand to count out my crimes. “Possession of an illegal substance, trespassing, attempted breaking and entering, intent of theft—”

“What were you going to take?”

“Scrap metal. It’s just sitting there and…Mr. Roberts always let me take it. Said it wasn’t worth the hassle of selling. So I’d take it down and keep the money.” I took a deep breath. I’d never admitted to myself the fact that my boss probably knew how much the metal was worth, but wanted me to have the money. He let me keep my pride by earning it.

“And now that he fired you, you can’t.” The pity in his face made me want to crawl into a hole. He put his hand on my shoulder. “It’s going to be okay.”

I laughed because I didn’t know what else to do. He sounded so sure of himself.

“You trust me right?”

I gazed into his hazel eyes.
Of course I trust you.
The words sat on the tip of my tongue. My stomach growled.

“I’m going to make you some food.” He stood, and my body cried out at the loss of his warm weight. “Shower first. I bet you’re ready to get out of those clothes.”

“Why, Cole, I thought you’d never ask.”

He glared. “You’re wet and cold, and coming down from a high. I’m going to get you something dry to wear, and you’re going to wash up. You’re filthy.”

I huffed. He didn’t have to say it like that.

He led me to a little bathroom. The ranch house wasn’t much to look at from the outside but inside everything looked clean and new.

“This is nice tile,” I said as if I was getting a tour. “Who did it?”

“I did.” Cole said. “I fix this place up on my days off.”