Laying Down the Law (2 page)

He wasn’t afraid to be the bad guy, to tell her when enough was enough.

Callie was going to find herself with a red butt for this bit of forgetfulness. A woman living alone should always have her doors locked, particularly at 1am in the morning.

He’d feel much better if she lived with him.

Then he’d know for sure that she was protected 24/7. Because he would ensure it.

But he was taking this slow. She still wasn’t entirely sure of him and he didn’t want to scare her off. There was a lot to get used too, particularly when she wasn’t used to answering to anyone. She was having to adjust to his rules, to his domineering ways and he figured that if he insisted she move in with him too soon she’d bolt.

So he’d kept his advances to mere kisses and caresses, resisting the ever pressing urge to pick her up, carry her to bed and make love to her all night. Even now, angry as he was, his cock was hard, pressing against his jeans. For cock was hard, pressing against his jeans. For the last two months, since he’d pulled her over for speeding, he’d been in a constant state of arousal.

A light shone from the front part of the building where her clinic was located. Holding the whimpering dog as gently as he could, he walked through the overcrowded backroom, and opening the door to the surgery, stepped inside. He knew that was where he would find her.

She was so tiny, so small and defenceless sitting there that she could easily be mistaken for a child. But Tanner knew too well that she was all woman. The light glinted off her long black hair which hung in a thick plait down her back. She leaned over a table, her head resting on her folded arms. Weariness was written in every line of her body. Tanner cleared his throat quietly, not wanting to frighten her.

With a gasp, Callie turned, her violet With a gasp, Callie turned, her violet eyes widening as he heard her breath catch. But she didn’t scream, for which he was truly thankful. Callie could yell loud enough to wake the dead.

“Tanner, what are you doing? You frightened me. Oh, no, what happened?” Her gaze turned immediately to the injured mutt in his arms, depriving Tanner of her full attention.

He was used to it.

For Callie, animals always came first, above anything or anyone else. It was one of the truly frustrating and truly remarkable things about her. It was also the thing that made her the best vet in town.

“Come in, place him here.” She guided him over to an exam table and he placed the dog on it gently. “Poor fella.” She ran her hand over his head and the She ran her hand over his head and the dog immediately turned his head so he could lick her hand. Didn’t matter what sort of animal they were, large or small, wild or tamed, they all fell in love with Callie. Not that Tanner blamed them, no, he didn’t blame them one little bit.

“Sorry?” he asked, embarrassed when he realized she’d asked him a question. He was the Sheriff for God’s sake; he was always on the top of his game. But this little woman almost had the power to bring him to his knees. Almost.

“I asked what happened. Are you okay, Tanner? You seem a bit shook up.” Tanner shook his head. “Just a long day, squirt. He ran out in front of my police car, I tried to stop in time but I think I hit his back leg.”

“Poor baby,” she murmured. Tanner

“Poor baby,” she murmured. Tanner wished she’d look at him like that, speak to him in that soft murmur. He could see her now, under him, a smile on her face, her eyes half-closed with arousal. He’d thrust his way into her wet sheath, drive himself inside her, make her scream with pleasure.

He shook himself as he realized she was speaking.

“I think it’s just bruised, but I’ll have to take some x-rays. I can take care of him. You should head home, Tanner. It’s after midnight and you look like you need some sleep.” Tanner frowned. If anyone needed sleep it was Callie. She had large, dark circles under her eyes, which stood out like bruises against her pale skin. She’d lost more weight since he’d last seen her a week ago. And he really didn’t like the fact that she thought she was going to take care of an injured animal by herself. They knew nothing about this dog. He herself. They knew nothing about this dog. He could turn on her at any moment and someone as slight as Callie would have no chance against an animal its size.

Sure, he seemed placid enough at the moment, particularly considering he was injured and in pain. But that could change at any moment.

Yeah, like hell he was going to leave her here alone.

“Why don’t you just give him some pain relief and take care of the rest in the morning, Callie?” he asked.

She shook her head tiredly. “Best to get it out of the way now, particularly if it turns out to be broken. Besides, I’m fully booked in the morning. And it’s not like I could sleep anyway.”

She worked as she talked, and as always he marvelled at her confident movements, the he marvelled at her confident movements, the strength she held in that slight body.

“Is that why you’re still up?” he asked, concerned. “Why haven’t you taken the sleeping pills the doc gave you? You have to get some sleep. Insomnia can be very unhealthy, squirt.”

Callie snorted. “What are you, my father?”

“Callie,” he growled warningly, and she nodded slowly in recognition of that tone.

Both of them knew he wouldn’t hesitate to take her to task for her behavior. He wasn’t going to be denied.

“Sorry.” She rubbed her hand over her face. “I’m fine, Tanner. I have a really sick cat and I was keeping him company. It’s Mrs.

Shuckley’s Purdy, she got into a fight.” Tanner flinched, he knew how much Mrs.

Shuckley loved that cat, if anything happened to it… no wonder Callie looked so concerned.

“Think Purdy will make it?”

“Lord, I hope so.”

Tanner moved to the dog’s head, patting him, prepared to grab him if he even looked Callie’s way. She set up the x-ray.

Amazingly, the mutt stayed quiet, seemingly happy with the attention he was getting despite his pain. Tanner watched her as she continued to work.

“How often do you take jobs at night with no assistance?”

She smiled at him. “Tanner, this is my job. I’m a fully trained vet. I know what I’m doing.”

“Anyone could have walked in here, Callie. What if you get a dangerous animal that Callie. What if you get a dangerous animal that you can’t handle by yourself?”

She shrugged. “I’ve been fine so far.” He snarled softly. “Not really the point.” She ignored him. “It’s just as I thought, bruised.”

Callie went to pick up the dog, but Tanner quickly intervened.

“I’ll do it.” He pushed her aside gently, and knew she must be really tired when she let him take over without argument. He carried the mutt over to a large cage, putting it inside, ignoring the way the dog looked at him imploringly, with sad eyes. It was almost as if he was accusing Tanner of abandoning him.

Tanner shook off the foolish thought.

“Will you keep him?” Callie asked as she patted the dog’s head softly before closing the cage door. “It’s only some bad bruising. You cage door. “It’s only some bad bruising. You should be able to take him home tomorrow.” Tanner shook his head. “No, I’ll take him to the pound.”

Callie nodded thoughtfully and he knew immediately what she was thinking.

“No, Callie,” he stated firmly. She looked up at him in feigned surprise, her eyes wide.

“No, what?”

“No, you can’t keep him. You’ve already got enough pets to take care of now. Your apartment is overflowing and you are not taking him on as well.”

Callie frowned fiercely. “You’re not the boss of me, Tanner Jamieson.”

“Well, you certainly need one. Look at you; you’re so exhausted you’re practically swaying where you stand. You’ve lost even more weight, Callie, so I know you’re not more weight, Callie, so I know you’re not eating properly. You simply don’t know when to say enough is enough so I’m going to say it, enough Callie. No more taking in stray animals and keeping them as pets, no more late night’s watching over sick cats, no more poor eating habits. And definitely no more unlocked doors.

You hear me?”

He didn’t raise his voice, but he knew she was paying attention by the way she took a healthy step back from him.

“Anyone could have snuck in here and hurt you, raped you, killed you. That is unacceptable, Callie. I will not have you endangering yourself.”

Callie’s eyes widened as she took another step back, coming to an abrupt stop as she hit the wall. She swallowed heavily.

“Why do you even care, Tanner? I’m a grown woman, my behavior isn’t against the grown woman, my behavior isn’t against the law, and therefore it has nothing to do with you.”

“Your behavior is against
my
law. You know how I am, Callie. What I believe in.” Years ago Tanner had discovered domestic discipline, and knew he wouldn’t be happy in a relationship without it. He firmly believed that he should guide, protect and discipline his wife where necessary. It was a large responsibility, to be in charge of someone else’s health and wellbeing, but he knew it was right for him.

“You believe in spanking me. But you can’t just boss me around and spank me when I do something
you
don’t like.” And he also knew it was right for Callie.

“I care about you, Callie. I don’t want you hurting yourself. You need a keeper, kiddo. Speaking of foolish behavior, your back kiddo. Speaking of foolish behavior, your back door was unlocked, squirt. That is unacceptable, Callie. I will not have you endangering yourself.”

Callie’s eyes widened at that as she took another step back, coming to an abrupt stop as she hit the wall. He watched as she swallowed heavily.

“Now, we can do this the easy way or the hard way.” He pulled out a stool and sat on it.

“You can come over here and place yourself over my lap for your spanking or you can make me chase you around the house. But when I catch you, I’m going to drag you to the kitchen and wallop your bare butt with a wooden spoon. Your choice.”

Not much of a choice he knew, and she was balking even as she walked towards him slowly. She was so tired it almost broke his heart, but he knew that this is what she needed to help her sleep, a way to get all her worries, her concerns, her fears out so that they didn’t build up inside her as they often did. Callie was a worrier, she couldn’t help it, but she also didn’t know how to release those worries.

When she was within arm’s length he reached out and grabbed her, laying her across his lap. Bringing his hand up, Tanner rubbed her bottom through the cloth of her soft pants.

“You really don’t have to spank me, Tanner,” she murmured tiredly, resigned.

“I don’t like seeing you looking so unwell, Callie. You need to take better care of yourself, and if spanking you helps you to do so then I’ll spank you as often and as hard as is necessary, do you hear me? Talk to me, baby.

Tell me if you’re feeling overwhelmed. I’m here for you to lean on, you can rely on me.”

“So you say, but how do I know you won’t just leave me like everyone else.” won’t just leave me like everyone else.” There was a tired dejection to her voice and he knew she was thinking of her family.

They weren’t close to her. She had three older half-brothers, but two of them had left home as soon as they could, unable to stand living with her oldest brother, Ryan.

They had a different mother to Callie.

Their mother had died and then their father had married Callie’s mom. Kane, the youngest of the brothers, was seven years older than Callie’s own twenty-six and worked in the city.

Tripp, Tanner’s best friend, was currently working in Washington.

Callie’s oldest brother, Ryan, ran their family ranch; he’d raised Callie when their parents had died when she was just ten. Tanner knew it had been hard on him at twenty-two, having a ranch to run and a baby sister to raise, but to Tanner’s way of thinking he’d spent far too much of his time and attention on the ranch and little on Callie. She knew no boundaries, had little in the way of restraint.

Her discipline was sadly lacking.

She was his best friend’s baby sister and he wasn’t about to see her hurt herself through overwork or her lack of sense about her own security. If spanking her meant she got more sleep, that she remembered to stick to the speed limit and carry her cell phone on her at all times, then that was what he was going to do.

Each time she placed herself over his lap docilely, as if she couldn’t quite believe what was happening. It wasn’t until after the first spank landed that she started to fight.

“I know it’s hard for you to believe. But I didn’t enter this relationship easily, Callie. I am here for you. I am not going anywhere. It’s going to take you some time, but you will going to take you some time, but you will come to trust in me.”

“Some sort of relationship. All you do is spank me.”

He stood her up so he could look into her eyes. “I’m trying to take things slowly. But don’t make the mistake of thinking that means I don’t want you. I’m hard for you every time I’m around you, and a lot of the time when I’m not. I go to bed thinking about you and I wake up with a hard-on from having dreamed about you all night. I want you, Callie-girl. But I want you to fully trust in me before we make love. Got me?”

She nodded, her face a little glazed.

“Then let’s get this over with, shall we?” He sat back, letting her go so she could climb over his lap of her own free will.

SMACK!

His first spank was heavy, firm and she jack-knifed in shock, letting out a small screech. Predictably, the first smack broke her docility and she started to squirm, fighting against his hold. Tanner knew what to expect, he already had a firm hold on her as he laid into her vulnerable bottom.

“Tanner, stop! That hurts!” she screeched, her legs pumping as she attempted to find freedom.

“It's meant to hurt,” he said grimly, spanking her heavily from the top of her buttocks down to the top of her thighs. Over and over his hand landed heavily on her bottom and it wasn’t long until it warmed beneath his punishing hand. Her bottom had to be stinging.

She stopped fighting, lying over his knees, sobbing heavily. But he knew he had to keep going. This lesson was one he did not want to repeat. Because next time she left her door repeat. Because next time she left her door unlocked, someone intent on doing her harm might walk right on through.