Spanking Her Highness (10 page)

Taking a deep breath, and trying not to think about how and when she was going to tell her family, Queenie walked out of her bedroom and down to the backyard.

Frilly paper decorations were everywhere. If Queenie had expected classy understatement from her soon-to-be-sister-in-law, she'd have been surprised. But Gabby was out there, young and exuberant, and still attached to teenage frivolity. Queenie smiled at memories of when she was 20. She'd been a total hellion.

Ace was manning the barbeque at the moment, and the smell of brisket and ribs was wafting all over the yard. None of the guests had arrived. There was still half an hour until they were expected.

"Hey, brother."

"Hi, Q. You look like summer daisies."

She glanced down at her yellow sundress with its bright white belt and smiled. "Thanks, Ace."

Ace's eyes swayed away from her, and she looked over her shoulder. Will Mazie stood there surrounded by her family. Her next-oldest brother, Trey and his wife, Liv, were laughing at something. And her little sister Jackie and older brother Deuce had arrived as well, early to help with things, and they'd joined in the conversation, their smiles friendly and open.

"Shit," she whispered. She'd hoped to avoid Will in a sea of party guests. "He's a little early," she pointed out.

Ace shrugged. "Some mistake on his invitation. It doesn't much matter, does it?"

It sure did! But she didn't let on. "No. Course not."

"Looks like Consuela could use a hand, Q. That's a lot of paper napkins she's got flying in the breeze."

"Yeah. Holler if you get too hot there in the smoke."

"Deuce will take over the cookin' soon. He's better at it."

Smiling, though she wanted to frown, Queenie made her way over to Consuela, who was struggling with a stack of napkins and a mountain of plastic cups . "Let me help."

Consuela eyed her. "I can manage, niña."

"The napkins are flyin' all over, Connie." She reached out for the stack, but Consuela twisted away. The pillar of cups tilted.

Two strong hands took the things away. "Let me help," Will said smoothly. "Where do you want these?"

Consuela pointed. "Queenie will show you."

"I will?"

The older woman's mouth thinned. "Yes."

They exchanged a gaze that had Queenie sighing with resignation. This was more of
do the right thing
undoubtedly.

"Right. Okay."

Once Will had put the items down, he turned to Queenie. She tried to give him a neutral look, but she knew she looked irritated instead. She didn't want to deal with him. She didn't want to have a pleasant conversation. He would demand answers to questions she didn't want to consider.

"You look lovely," he began.

"Thanks." He looked pretty damn good in his western dress shirt and black jeans, too. He had fancy, black leather suspenders with leather fasteners on as well. Will was a handsome man, but she wasn't going to tell him.

"I've been thinking about you over the last couple of days."

"Oh."

He sighed. "So, that's the way it's going to be, huh?"

"What do you mean?"

"One syllable comments. Surly looks. Are you going to start pelting me with food, too?"

The idea made her smile a little, but she quickly put her grin away. "Should I?"

"If it would make you marry me, go ahead."

"I don't want to talk about it."

He nodded toward her father and brothers. "Have you told them yet?"

"I told my father and Consuela." She watched him stand a little straighter.

"Good. What about everyone else?"

It was a question she'd been struggling with, but she didn't want to admit it. "The timing isn't right."

"I see." The way he said it suggested that he thought she was procrastinating and it made her bristle.

"No you don't."

"Oh yes I do."

"You have no idea."

"I think I do."

"No you don't!"

Gabby walked over and smiled. "Bickering?"

Will smiled. "No, of course not. Congratulations on your engagement, by the way."

"I need to go talk to my father," Queenie said, her body tense. What she wanted was a nice cold beer, but she couldn't have that. Not for a long time. "Excuse me."

"Wait," Gabby said, holding up a camera. "I want a picture of you two."

Queenie felt her brows draw together. "What for?"

"My memory album."

Will laughed. "Oh, it'll be memorable, alright."

Queenie confronted him, hands on her hips. "Just what do you mean by that, Will Mazie?"

"Your frown will remind Gabby exactly how…delightful…you can be. It's a common expression for you, isn't it?"

Eyes narrowing, Queenie, got in his face. "You were going to say 'bitchy', weren't you?"

Now he was annoyed. Queenie saw his face darken. "If the shoe fits…"

"Oh! You are such an ass…big jerk!"

Gabby's head swiveled between them, her eyes big and round, but Queenie barely spared her a glance.

"Don't take that tone with me, Queenie Journey!"

Gabby let out a little 'oh!' when Queenie swung her arm to slap him. Will easily caught her wrist before she could connect. They struggled for a minute, and Queenie felt her blood boiling,  completely incensed by his smug expression. As she stomped on his instep with her high-heeled dressy cowboy boot, he grunted and released her, hopping around before he grabbed her up by the waist and hauled her over his shoulder. The way he controlled settling her in place so carefully would have been tender if she hadn't been so mad.

Everyone in the yard stood and stared. The DJ had barely finished setting up, but Johnny Cash's "Ring of Fire" played like a warning to Queenie.

Queenie screamed invectives at Will, totally embarrassed by her ignominious position.

"Hey! Don't y'all just stand there," she hollered. "Somebody help me!" One of her dogs barked, but it sounded like enthusiasm. Even the dogs were against her!

Maybe her father was going to help; his posture changed. But all he did was take a puff on his cigarette. "You gonna do her harm, son?"

"No, sir. We're going to have a little…conversation."

Deuce, the only Journey with his mother's pale blue eyes, nodded and chuckled. "I love a good chat myself."

Queenie wasn't making it easy. She squirmed and beat on his back with her fists. How dare he do this to her in front of her whole family. And why wasn't anybody coming to her rescue? "Let me go!"

Ace turned and gave his fiancé a stern stare that said she'd been caught trying to meddle.

Gabby looked from Queenie to Ace, shaking her head. "I didn't do it!"

Angrier than ever, Queenie flailed and wailed. "I hate you, Will Mazie!"

He started toward the house. "Fine with me." Both of the terriers trotted alongside them as they went into the cool interior and toward the stairs.

"Where are you taking me?"

"To your room where we can have this talk in private." They'd come to the landing. "Which one is it?"

"I'm not telling!"

"Never mind. Lucy and Ethel are standing in the doorway."

"Oh!" She struggled hard again. Her arms were getting tired and yet he didn't seem in the least bit affected by her blows. She knew they'd entered her room when the carpet color changed and Lucy and Ethel trotted in as though they belonged there.

He dumped her on the bed and she let out a little oof, quickly squirming away from where he stood.

Watching him start to undo his suspenders, her heart skipped a beat. A part of her wanted to sit there, passive, enjoying the sight of him stripping down. She'd never actually seen him naked. Queenie moistened her lips. Was he planning on making love to her again? Her nipples tingled.

But he took off his suspenders and nothing else. Queenie tried to stomp on the niggling disappointment she felt, but wasn't particularly successful.

"W-what are you going to do?"

He folded the suspenders carefully over his hand, tucking the metal parts in his fist and leaving a short tail out. "I'm going to spank your rear until you can't sit."

"No! I won't let you!" Her bottom heated in anticipation as she scrambled toward the headboard.

"Don't make me chase you down, Queenie."

"You can't do this!"

"Oh really? Your whole family seems to think I can."

And a bunch of turncoats they were, too. There weren't very many ways she could get out of this, but she had to try. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to hurt you."

"Yes, you did."

Well, actually, she most certainly had meant to hurt him. But admitting that wouldn't help her cause. "I'm sorry. I was angry. You make me so angry sometimes."

He grinned. "I'm glad I bring out the passion in you."

"Passion! Why you…" She knelt up, intent on smacking him in the chest, but he grabbed her and turned her, pulling up her pelvis until she was kneeling on the bed with her butt facing him. "Hey!"

"Hey yourself," he said, throwing her skirt upon her back as he pressed her shoulders down. "Hold still!"

"Like hell I will!" Lucy and Ethel began to bark and dance around the bed, adding to the mayhem happening on it.

He brought the strap down on her butt hard, then, while she was slightly stunned with the sharp pain, he yanked down her thong. "I'm going to enjoy making your butt red, you little brat."

"Ow!" He was peppering her rear and upper things mercilessly, each staccato blow harder than the one before. Quickly, her butt went from discomfort to raging fire, and it kept getting worse.

"I will not tolerate such out-of-control behavior from my wife!"

"I'm not your goddamned wife!"

"Not yet, and watch your language!"

Her butt felt like it was being flayed. The sharp smacking assaulted her ears a microsecond before a new, painful welt was added. "Ow! Okay, I'm sorry! I won't do it again!"

"I don't believe you." His spanking continued apace, and she began to beg.

"Please stop. Please stop, Will. I promise! I promise!"

He paused and bent to peer into her face. She figured the tears streaming over her cheeks were probably making her look pitiful. It hurt so badly, though. And, really, she felt kind of bad about stomping him. He made her angry, yes, but there was no call for her to get violent with him.

"I'm sorry," she whispered as he stared at her.

"Okay. Now I believe you."

He gave her a tiny shove and she let herself fall on her chest on the bed, her bottom one big flaming nerve ending, throbbing and stinging fiercely.

"Now go stand in the corner."

"What?"

He spoke patiently, as though she was a child. "Go stand in the corner."

"You mean like a kid?"

"Exactly. Naughty girls stand in the corner."

"But I'm not a girl, Will! I'm a grown woman!"

"Maybe you ought to learn to act like one. Go on! Stand in the corner!"

Grumbling, she got off the bed and moved to pull up her thong, but his command to stop made her pause. "What?" she snapped.

"Panties down. I want you to stand there, holding your skirt up with your panties down."

Oh the humiliation! Was there no end to this punishment? "Come on, Will…"

"Do it."

Hobbled by her panties, she moved to the one empty corner of her room and stood facing it. Slowly, she pulled her skirt up to her waist and held it at the small of her back. A flush stole over her whole body. It was, by far, the most embarrassing thing she could remember ever doing.

"How long do I have to stand here?"

"Until I believe you've learned your lesson."

"How long will that be?"

"Hush."

"But, Will-"

"Hush! I want to ponder your red butt in silence."

"Oh!" A froth of anger burbled through her brain.

His chuckle didn't help matters.

She opened her mouth to curse at him, but he said, "Uh-uh-uh," and she closed it with a snap. He was the most infuriating man alive.

Chapter 7

Gabby watched as Queenie and Will came back to the party. All the guests had arrived by that time, and the barbeque was in full swing. Ace had given her more than few dark looks and she knew she was in for it. It had been stupid of her to think that the early invitation ruse would slip by Ace. But he hadn't done anything to keep them apart either! None of the Journeys had. The photo had cinched it, though. Gabby thought that maybe having them cuddle up close together, smiling, would make them feel all gushy and happy together. She'd never anticipated that they'd get into another shouting match, especially with the whole family around them.

As she watched Queenie quickly snatch away her hand after subtly rubbing her rump, Gabby's own bottom ached in response. Her eyes moved over her fiancé. How mad was he really? And could she worm her way out of the punishment?

Toward the end of the evening, she thought she saw Will and Queenie sharing a secret kiss under the wisteria trellis in the darkest corner of the yard. But maybe she was wrong. They certainly hadn't seemed kindly disposed to each other earlier.

Still, Gabby had a little hope for her scheme. And if Ace had seen the kiss, too, that might make him less inclined to whale away on her behind. Maybe.

As the party broke up, Gabby did her best to stall. She helped Consuela with the clean-up and took down most of the decorations as Ace paid the DJ and helped him load his things in his truck.

She was thinking that maybe she'd got away with her misbehavior and sought to sit with the rest of the family, where they were enjoying the end-of-day rehash. They all looked up at her and smiled as she approached, and she couldn't help but smile back. They were a beautiful family. So tall and good looking, with their dark hair and strong features. Both Queenie and Jackie were feminine complements to the Journey men, giving the family the softening it needed. They'd accepted her with open arms, and their affection made her feel loved as no other people had.

Even Leo, old-fashioned though he could be, had been okay with Gabby moving right into Ace's suite, cohabiting with him while they worked out their wedding details. The coordination of the dates had everyone wrapped up in spaghetti, though, so Gabby was leaning toward having the smallest ceremony possible at the church, maybe right in the priest's office. Ace didn't seem to care, so long as it was, "quicker than a snakebite."