Summer Solace (17 page)

“I know you don’t believe me, Gabe, but I am sorry. I won’t bother you again. I hope you find your mate. You deserve to be happy,” she said quietly.

Gabriel believed her. He allowed his face to loosen and released some of his anger. The small woman was gorgeous and that had been part of her problem. She expected to be worshipped and denied nothing while never truly giving of herself.

He opened her door and said, “Thank you, Tanya. I have found her. If you don’t mind a bit of advice?”  He waited until she nodded her head. “Learn to give instead of taking all the time. I know you are beautiful on the outside. Show everyone the beauty of your heart because that is what truly matters. You do deserve a good man, Tanya. Find one that loves all of you.” 

She felt his words wash over her and knew she would think about them for a very long time. She slid into the car and before he closed the door, she smiled up at him.

“Thank you. Whoever she is, I hope she knows she is a very lucky woman,” Tanya said.

Gabe prayed that Joanna would agree, as he shut the door. He would owe Jake big time for this, as it would take several hours for him to take Tanya home and return to camp. Gabe knew he would need to help with the kids and also knew that dinner was going to be really late unless someone stepped up. He was about to return to the site to ask Scott to take over when he heard his best friend’s voice behind him.

“Where’s Joanna?  What happened, Gabe?” Scott asked.

Gabe tilted his chin down the road at the disappearing car. He said, “Tanya happened.” 

Dana gasped.

“What did Tanya say to her that made her leave?” Scott asked while Dana rolled her eyes. Gabe saw her but didn’t reprimand his sister.

“They didn’t actually meet. Jo just heard her say she was the love of my life.” 

Scott looked confused. Gabe sighed, “We weren’t actually, um, ready to make introductions.”  Seeing Scott look down the road and then back to his best friend, Gabe admitted, “We were making out in the truck, okay?  Get the picture?”

Scott grinned. “Aren’t you a little old for necking in a car for God’s sake?” 

Gabe heard Dana try unsuccessfully to stifle a giggle. He glared at her, but then he grinned. “Okay, okay. Not exactly my best decision but, hell, I couldn’t exactly make out with her up at camp now could I?” he said as if it made perfect sense. “I was trying to decide if I should let her calm down or -”  His smile faded as his eyes also drifted towards the road.

Dana had heard enough. “I know I’m not exactly in the position to give you advice, big brother, but would you like a suggestion?” 

Gabe looked at his sister and saw her smile. He wondered why she had questioned her position but nodded.

“Go get her, Gabe. Don’t waste any more time. Go to her, explain what happened and don’t you dare come back without Joanna!” 

Scott looked down at his wife. “I agree. Don’t worry about things here. You have more than enough help. Hurry up and get going as I need to remind Dana that cursing isn’t allowed and those kids are going to get sick of swimming at some point.” 

Gabe chuckled seeing Dana reach out and punch her husband’s arm, understanding her comment about her position. Scott grinned down at her and wrapped his arm around her waist pulling her in even closer.

“Seems like a lot of spankings are in the works. Did Brian take Susan’s request seriously?”  Gabe asked and when the answer came on the wind, her voice promising to be a good girl, followed by the crisp smack of Brian’s hand on a bare bottom, his smile grew. “If you need more privacy, Jo said there was an isolated spot up to the left of the beach. Follow the path and you should come to it.” 

Scott thanked him and Dana did as well. Before the door shut on the truck, Dana reminded him not to bother coming back without Joanna. Accepting her order as it was meant, out of love and caring, he assured her that he would obey. The couple watched him drive away and then turned back to camp.

“I thought you changed you mind about spanking me, Scott,” Dana said. “Are you really going to spank me?” 

Scott pulled his wife towards him. He smiled, “When have I ever changed my mind about a spanking, Dana?  I think you need at least a few swats to remind you to behave. Besides, I feel the need for some privacy after all of this drama.”  He reached down and cupped her bottom in his hands.

Dana smiled and felt her insides both churning and tingling. It seemed like forever since her last really good spanking. When he ran his hands over her bottom, she was as anxious as he to find somewhere private.

“Ye - yes, Sir,” she managed, her breath ragged and her pulse racing. She no longer was thinking about Susan, Tanya or even Joanna. Her mind zoned in on one thing – her husband. She tightened her grip on his hand and allowed him to take control. They returned to the campsite and when Dana paused at the table to whisper where she was going and why, Karen smiled and assured them that Jessie was just fine with her. Dana knew that the women of the family would always be willing to step in and help with any of the children should a need arise.

Scott held his wife’s hand as they passed the children and then Shelley. This time it was Scott who stopped and informed Eric that they would be away from the group for a bit. Eric shrugged. When Amber saw the way the two were looking at each other, she grinned. Scott quietly asked her to keep everyone away from the area.

“How long?” she asked, a smile on her face. She grinned even larger when Scott simply growled at her and pulled Dana up a path to the left. She heard Dana giggle and then her voice drifted down to Amber.

“A long, long, long time. Don’t hold dinner. I’ve been a very naughty girl.” 

Amber heard the couple laugh and a short yelp as Scott popped his wife’s bottom. Amber continued to smile as she walked back to camp. She was starving and anxious to discover what she had obviously missed. It was startling to think that something exciting was always going on out in the middle of the woods!

By the time Amber climbed back down to the camp, it was bustling with activity. The children were being dried and changed out of their swimwear. Eric had set up Jessica’s playpen under the shade of a huge oak tree and was enjoying a beer while keeping an eye on his niece. Karen was busy seasoning steaks and wrapping huge potatoes in foil to be baked among the coals of the fire. Shelley was prepping hamburgers while watching the hot dogs that had been started for the children. Brian and Susan had arrived and they were working on getting their tent up. Amber walked across to help.

“Hi! Glad to see you finally made it,” she said as she picked up a tent stake and began to hammer it into the ground. She looked up and realized that her brother wasn’t responding. She rolled her eyes when he bent to kiss his bride tenderly where she was kneeling as she wrapped rope around a stake he had previously placed. As he straightened, Susie bent forward even more, and her shorts drew up. Amber could swear she saw red blooming across her sister–in–law’s lower bottom cheeks. Amber shook her head and stood. She dropped the hammer next to the stake and simply walked away, the two never even saw her go.

Amber joined Karen who was now setting out plates and silverware. “Since the love birds don’t even know I’m alive, how about you?  Need some help?” 

Karen grinned and glanced over at the couple. “Always, thanks. Hey, don’t blame them too much. I think Brian just wants to make sure that Susan feels forgiven and loved after her spanking.” 

Amber’s eyes widened and she stared at the couple. She noticed that they both were constantly reaching out and touching each other. She shook her head. “Hey, where are Gabe and Joanna?  Where’s Jake and didn’t I see Tanya earlier?  What happened?” 

Karen filled her in with low voice as she didn’t want to get into trouble for gossiping. She looked to make sure Eric was still busy with Jessie while the story came out.

“It was something!  Gabe stormed out of here like a bat out of hell. Jake is taking Tanya home and believe me, I think Susie will behave far better from now on. Scott dragged Dana off somewhere and I have no idea what happened to Joanna.” Karen paused, grinning. “Geez, to think we’ve only been here a few hours. It’s a little scary thinking about how much trouble we could get in during an entire week!” 

Shelly finished putting the hamburgers on the grill and joined them. She was just in time to hear Amber explain the whereabouts of Dana and Scott. “They said not to wait dinner on them and I think they’ll be a while,” Amber finished and Shelly laughed.

“Poor things,” Shelly said. “With a new baby, I guess it is hard to get some alone time even if it comes with the price of a spanking. Hey,” she said with a huge grin, “Perhaps we need to designate that area as the parlor.”  The women giggled even as they seriously considered her suggestion. There was a room in the large family home designated as the punishment parlor. Every single female in the Jamison household had spent time there. It was used for tending to naughty bottoms and though the sounds of a plaintive woman were not totally inaudible, the walls had been built thicker and with more insulation than normal. Karen grinned and soon all three women were giggling.

Chapter 13

While his family was busy making dinner, putting up tents, and in one case, taking care of a case of swearing, Gabriel pulling up in front of Joanna’s small cabin. Every window was shuttered, but he doubted she was asleep. Her Jeep was parked at an awkward angle, as if she barely managed to stop before leaping out of it and going inside.

Gabe turned off the ignition and took a few minutes to compose himself. He was surprised to find he was more than a little upset with Jo. She had told him that she trusted him. Yet at the very first sign of something she didn’t understand, she had fled his arms. His mouth tightened as he remembered her cursing at him and he knew she had earned another trip over his lap. This would be the third time for the same offense. He would explain what had happened first, but if their relationship was to continue along the path he knew it was meant to travel, his love was going to be asking for a spanking just as Susan had earlier. He climbed out of the truck and stepped up onto the porch.

He knocked his knuckles hard against the oak door and heard the sound ring out in the silence. Having received no response to his first knock, he rapped on the door again, longer and more forcefully.

Joanna heard the first knock and ignored it. She wasn’t in the mood to explain why she was crying to anyone. As the second knock sounded, she pushed up from the bed and stood. She wouldn’t answer the door but she needed to see who it was. Campers were not to bother her at her home, but occasionally it did occur. Her sense of duty overrode her need for privacy. If someone truly needed her, she would do whatever she could to help. She walked silently from her bedroom through the hallway. She stepped up to the door and almost screamed when it thundered under someone’s knock. She put her hand to her chest, her heart pounding. She was reaching for the lever to open the door when her hand froze.

“Jo?  Open the door, Joanna. I need to speak with you.”  Gabe’s voice was loud but not raised. He knocked again and then she saw the latch rattle under his hand. She reached out to flip the lock closed, something she had forgotten in her earlier haste. She was a microsecond too late as the latch disengaged and the door pushed open a bit.

Gabe’s voice was concerned as he spoke louder, “Jo, honey?  Are you okay?  Can you hear me, Jo?” 

Her hand flew to cover her mouth to stifle any sounds she might make. Her head whipped from side to side as if seeking a place to hide. The door was opening further when she turned and fled back across the room. She heard pounding footsteps behind her and gave a short scream as she tried to close the bedroom door against Gabe. He inserted his foot into the doorframe and grabbed the edge of the door with one hand.

“Don’t, Jo. You know I’m not going to hurt you. I just want to talk with you and explain,” he said, keeping his eyes on her.

Joanna felt tears well in her eyes. She was humiliated. She had dared to hope, dared to love again and as she remembered this man’s kisses, his fingers on her skin, his lips demanding her response, she broke. Sobbing, she let go of the door and flung herself across the room. Gabe stepped into the room and flipped on the light. She was standing as far away from him as possible, the rumpled bed between them. Gabe saw the twisted pillow, the damp sheets and felt an incredible sadness engulf him.

“Ah, honey,” he said, his voice soft. “Sweetheart, don’t cry. Don’t -”

“Don’t you dare tell me what to do!  I hate you. Just go away, you’ve done enough damage. I have nothing to say to you!” Joanna’s voice was breaking even as she shouted. She picked up a pillow and threw it at him.

He easily batted it aside as if it were nothing.

Infuriated, Joanna picked up a book on her nightstand and lobbed it at his head. He caught the book and realized it could have done some damage if it had connected with his head. It was a heavy volume.

“Stop!” he ordered, his tone deepening with the expectation of being instantly obeyed.

Joanna simply snorted, picked up another book and threw it. Though it barely glanced off his forearm, his patience had ended. She picked up another.

“Stop it, Joanna. Toss another and I’ll toss you over my lap and give you an additional spanking,” he warned.

Her hand froze in the air.
Did he just threaten to spank her?  Did he say an ‘additional’ spanking?
  Part of her longed to deck him with the book but another part of her recognized his tone. She tossed the book onto the bed and stepped to stand against the wall, her chest heaving. Gabe watched her and slowly nodded.

“That’s much better,” he acknowledged. “Are you ready to act like an adult and let me explain or do you need to have your bottom smacked first?” 

Her mouth dropped open in disbelief. He had not only threatened to spank her, she realized he had every intention of doing so!  When she failed to answer, Gabe reminded her. “You know to answer me when I ask you something, young lady. Have you already forgotten that rule as well as the one of trust?”