Shared by Her Soldiers (18 page)

“She wouldn’t?” he challenged. “And you know this because you know her so well?”

“Well, no, but…”

“Don’t worry, honey,” Sean chimed in. “You’re going to make all this right when you go deliver your apology to her in person. And if she
has
told the general, you’ll go to him, too. Won’t you?”

She swallowed hard at the thought of approaching that steely-eyed, stern man, but nodded. “Yes, sir.”

“Good. Now let’s get your punishment out of the way.”

Kaitlyn’s head shot up, her lips in a round
O
.

“What?” Jarrod chuckled, not unkindly. “You didn’t think we were done, did you?”

“I guess not.”

“Good. Now, go get me the Army paddle.”

The order made her go stock-still. Even the air around her seemed to go still. The Army paddle was in their bedroom, shoved underneath the bed. Sean had gotten it for making sergeant. The paddle was supposed to be decorative, she surmised, but Sean had been threatening to use it on her ever since he’d brought it home. It was something he’d only followed through on once before and it wasn’t an experience she’d even come close to forgetting.

“Jarrod…”

“Do what I say, Kate,” he ordered, steel lining his voice once more.

With a long-suffering sigh and a pitiful, puppy-dog look to Sean, which was ignored, she stood up and walked to the bedroom. She bent down and leaned over to see where it was. It would have been great if it’d been lost behind the boxes and odds and ends they’d also stuffed underneath the bed, but sadly her eyes caught sight of it right away.

She leaned over further and stretched her arm out, reaching for it. Her hand closed around the handle and she pulled it out. It was a bit dusty, which she fixed with a few swipes of her hand. It had been a long time since she’d looked at it. It had the Army logo on the front in big, bold letters and was painted green and black. It was nicely decorated, and also long, wide, and nearly three inches thick. She lifted it, testing the weight. She’d forgotten how heavy it was. The idea that it would soon be thudding against her poor, helpless ass was sickening.

“Kaitlyn? Do you need some help in there?”

“No!” She leapt to her feet. God help her if they felt the need to come in after her. “I’m coming.”

When she got to the living room, she saw that Sean had put a chair from the dining room in the middle of the room. Not her punishment chair, thank God, but the sight of it still put a lump in her throat.

She walked up to Jarrod and offered the paddle.

“Thank you,” he said as he took it from her, as though she hadn’t just provided him with a murder weapon. Because she was sure he was planning to
kill
her ass! “You’re going to get ten, and you’ll bend over the chair.”

She blinked rapidly at the news, not sure which surprised her more. Jarrod didn’t wait for a response before he stood up. She stepped back as he stood, watching with wary eyes as he walked to the chair. He had just gotten there when he beckoned her forward with a crook of his finger.

Before she could move, Sean grabbed her shoulder and gave it a squeeze. “I know you’re nervous,” he began. “And I know you’re dreading it, but just know that everyone in this room loves you.”

She gave him a grateful smile. “I love you, too.”

“Be a good girl so it goes quick.”

Kaitlyn sucked in her breath and gave him a nod. She turned her attention back to Jarrod who was watching her, waiting patiently with the paddle firmly in hand.

“Over the chair?” she asked as she neared, her heart pounding like a drum in her chest.

Jarrod nodded. As soon as she was in position, she felt the cool wood of the paddle against her cheeks. She winced, closing her eyes tightly, but it only made circles on her cheeks, teasing her with what was to come.

“What you did was very childish,” Jarrod scolded. “You were acting out and throwing a tantrum.”

“Yes, sir.”

Bam
. The wood cracked down on her behind with the loudest thud she’d ever heard before. For a moment, she thought she’d gone deaf, but when that moment was done it no longer mattered because all she could think about was the searing pain that had come after the swing of the paddle.

“Ow!” she howled.

Jarrod waited for her to settle down. As soon as she felt somewhat calm—or, less shaken, anyway—the paddle was back, stroking the surface of her sore ass. “That was bad enough,” he continued, “but you involved an innocent girl, who’d never done anything to you.”

“Yes, sir,” she agreed softly.

The next strike was no less loud, but she was ready for it. What she couldn’t have prepared was the pain that moved across her ass in waves.

Jarrod gave her more time after that one, but it was still all too soon when she felt the wood against her skin once more. “After this spanking, I’m going to forgive you.”

Smack
.

“But I don’t know when I’ll be able to trust you again.”

Splat
.

“That’s going to take some time and you’re going to have to work hard to earn it.”

By the time that stroke landed, Kaitlyn was sobbing in earnest. Whether it was more because of the hearty paddling she was getting or what he’d said, she wasn’t sure. All she knew was that they both hurt, deeply, and both were well-deserved.

“And
if
one day I make the decision to get a girlfriend, that is
my
decision.”

“Y-yes,” she agreed, tears pouring down her cheeks. “Ow!” she wailed, in tune to the wood smacking down on her vulnerable skin. “Oh, Jarrod, please! P-please!”

“And
you
will be nothing but nice to her,” he continued, ignoring her pleas. “Is that understood?”

“Ye-yes, s-sir. B-but Jar—” The thud of the swat silenced her. She was gasping for breath and crying too hard to speak.

“I love you, Kaitlyn Green.”

The words shocked her so much that she wouldn’t have been able to speak if she’d had the breath to. They were a balm to a wounded spirit, and almost enough to make her forget that she would be eating standing up for the next week, at least.

“I love you, which is why I’m being so tough on you. You know that, don’t you?”

Even though her ass would have very much liked to call him on his version of love, she did know it. She felt it, even as he swung that mean, awful paddle. “Yes, sir.”

“Good girl. Now, you have three more coming, and as much as I would like to, I am not going to go easy on you. Do you understand?”

She wanted to get down on her hands and knees and beg him to go easy on her, but instead she nodded.

“I need you to know that Sean and I take lying very seriously.”

“Yes, sir.”

“That, and defaming someone’s character,” Sean added.

“Yes, sir,” she agreed, her voice shaking as she stuck her ass out further for more punishment. To her surprise, she suddenly saw Sean standing in front of her.

“I’m here to help you,” he told her, his voice soft. When she nodded, he bent and took her wrists in his hands. “I want you to focus on staying in position. This is going to hurt, but you need to take it like a good girl.”

With another swallow, she nodded. She was too nervous to thank him, but she hoped he knew how she felt.

“Ready, Jarrod?”

His only answer was the loud splat of that fearsome paddle against her aching ass.

Now Kaitlyn knew why Sean had come. The swats were harder than ever before. That last one had her stamping her feet as she wailed.

Jarrod gave her a few moments to compose herself. She could feel him behind her, waiting, and it made her antsy.

The ninth came smacking down, the paddle catching both her lower backside and thighs. She was howling, the tears coming too quickly for her to see through them.

“Shh, honey.” Sean squeezed her wrists. “It’s almost over. You can do it.”

She tried to respond, but she couldn’t think about anything but the heat burrowing beneath the surface of her skin. When the final stroke came, it wasn’t nearly as hard or punishing as the rest, despite what Jarrod had said. She was grateful for the show of pity, even if her scorched ass could hardly tell the difference.

The next and best thing about it being over was the feeling of Sean pulling her into his arms. He was murmuring soothing words as he wiped her tears away, but they were still coming too fast. He half-pulled, half-carried her to the couch. When he sat down, she leaned on his knee, letting her sore, achy bottom stick out. The idea of having it touch anything right now was unthinkable.

The feeling of his hand rubbing her back was in strong contrast to the searing heat trapped in her rear, but the longer he held her the more she could focus on his gentle caress. Then Jarrod was sitting on the other side.

“Am I f-forgiven?” she sniffled.

“Forgiven,” he affirmed, reaching forward to cup her face. “I am sorry I left you feeling abandoned last time. It won’t happen again.”

“It better not,” Sean chimed in. “Who knows what she’d do next time.”

The two of them chuckled and she was feeling too meek and submissive at the moment to so much as frown at them. Instead, she laid her cheek in his palm, relishing the feeling of having both of them surrounding her. When her cries quieted to sniffles Sean moved behind her. When he lowered his hands to her ass she flinched, even though his touch was light as a feather. He ran his hands up and down her welted skin, as though assessing the damage, testing the heat.

When she felt the gentle touch of his lips on her spanked bottom, she was overcome with a sense of having both pleasure and pain all at once. She shut her eyes, never more aware of a touch as she was of his lips right this moment. He was taking his time, caressing and kissing every inch of her paddled behind.

The next thing she knew, she felt Jarrod cupping her breasts in his hands. He captured the nipple of her left in his fingers and began to pinch it. Meanwhile he bent his head and took the right in his mouth, gently sucking it until she mewled in pleasure.

Kaitlyn’s world was being pulled right out beneath her feet. She’d never been stuck between agony and delight before and it was strangely arousing.

Almost as if he’d read her thoughts, she heard Jarrod’s voice saying, “You’re not allowed to come. Naughty girls don’t get rewarded for bad behavior, do they?”

“No, sir,” she said, her voice quivering at the thought of being denied.

“Good. Make sure you remember that, or there’ll be hell to pay.” Without waiting for an answer, he switched sides and began to suck her right nipple while punishing her left.

She didn’t know how long this went on. Time seemed inconsequential. She lost herself in the feeling of their hands, their mouths on her skin. She gave herself over to their care, letting them do with her as they would, and there had never been a better feeling in the entire world.

* * *

Kaitlyn hadn’t even known she’d fallen asleep until she awoke. Her eyes lazily fluttered open and she saw that she was on the couch. Apparently, she’d fallen asleep on top of her still sleeping husband. At some point, her gray wool throw had been put on top of them.

She lifted her head, trying to remember exactly what had happened, but all she could remember was the sound of her own moans ringing in her ears. Where was Jarrod? Had he left? A sense of
déjà vu
shot through her and had her sitting up, turning her head from side to side.

Just then, he walked into the living room, holding a glass of water. She smiled in relief when she saw him.

“Good morning,” he whispered when he saw her.

“Is it morning?”

“Close enough.”

“You couldn’t sleep?”

“I’ll catch a few hours before I have to leave for work.”

She glanced down at Sean. His chiseled features looked downright angelic when he slept. “Should I wake him?”

“Yeah. Why don’t you two move to the bedroom and I’ll take the couch?”

“OK.”

“Is something on your mind?”

She nodded, looking up at him through lowered lashes. “It’s just… I was wondering… you
do
forgive me, don’t you?”

Jarrod put an arm around her and pulled her close. Only when she was pressed against him, his heat warming her own body, did she begin to relax. “Of course I do, Kate. I wouldn’t have told you I did if I didn’t. I can’t deny that I’m disappointed, and like I told you, it’s going to take some time for the trust to build up between us again. But I love you, do you understand that?”

“I do.” Kaitlyn let her breath out slowly, both relieved with what he’d said and feeling the burden of proof. But if he could be patient with her, she could be patient with him.

“I
love
you. Now, maybe someday, if I meet the right person and she’s a good fit for
all
of our lives—yours, Sean’s, and mine—then maybe I’ll consider dating. But I don’t know when, or if that will ever happen. You’re such a handful as it is that it’s all Sean and I can do to keep you in line.” His other hand reached around to ruffle her hair, making her giggle. “But Kate? If you
ever
interfere with my life in that way again, you can expect more than a paddle punishing your ass.”

She shivered at the implication. How could a threat sound so terrifying and delicious all at once?

She nodded her understanding and had just turned to shake Sean when she heard Jarrod speak up.

“You can’t think of a better way to wake him that that?”

She lifted her eyes to his and once she saw the gleam in his brown depths, she smiled. Yes, she could think of a much better way. Sliding beneath the blanket, she went down the length of her husband’s toned body until she found his cock. He’d lost his pants at some point during the night—probably right before he’d lain down with her, knowing Sean—and his cock was poking through his boxers. He always got a semi when they laid together like this.

She began at his belly button, putting slow, sweet kisses on his skin, just as he had with her hours earlier. She trailed them down until she came to his waiting cock. It trembled as she reached it, as though even while its master slept, it knew the plans she had for it.