Charlotte flinched, and her temper flared. She suddenly remembered why Max always managed to irritate her. “Max, what right do you have to order me about? I’m a grown woman, perfectly capable of deciding whether I wish to spend time with someone, and I’ll thank you not to boss me. It galls me.”
Max raised his voice. “That’s too damn bad, young lady. You will mind my words. I speak them for your safety, not for your pleasure. As for the right to give you orders, I want you to be my woman, and unless I’m really bad at reading signals, you want that too.” He held a finger to her face. “If you want me to court you, Charlotte Rose, you must agree to obey me.”
Charlotte stared at him and then stammered her response. “That was the worst offer of courtship in the history of courtships.”
“That could very well be,” he growled. “But I’m not concerned about being courtly at the moment. I’m concerned about your stubborn pride getting in the way of your safety. Look here, Charlie. Whether or not you want me to court you, I insist you stay away from him or else answer to me. I won’t watch you harmed at that man’s hands, and I’ll do whatever needs doing to prevent it. Have I made myself clear?”
Charlotte looked into his fierce eyes and swallowed hard. She felt something blooming inside of her that she’d never felt before. It grew stronger than her irritation. It was a feeling of gratefulness and trust. For the first time, she felt like a man cared enough to protect her, and not just any man, a man she believed capable of doing so. What all but eliminated her annoyance was learning than he would ensure her safety even if she offered him nothing in return.
“Yes, sir. It’s clear,” she said, lowering her eyes to the floor.
“You agree to stay away from him then, Charlotte?”
“Yes, Max,” she said, her eyes still cast downward.
“Good girl.”
His two simple words caused her new feeling to grow, as though what bloomed inside of her had been sprinkled with rain.
“Have I mentioned yet that Simon is Tim’s father?”
Charlotte’s head shot up. “No.”
“Right. Now you know. That’s the man who beats his own son, and he punches women as easily as he bows to them.” Max removed his intense gaze from her face. He walked to a bench that had escaped water damage, sat down, and held out his hand. “Come here, Charlotte, and place yourself over my lap. I’m going to give you that spanking I’ve mentioned a couple of times.”
Charlotte’s mouth fell open, and her stomach tightened into knots. A few beats passed before she found her voice, which was small and pleading. “But Max, I promised I wouldn’t see him again. I told you I would mind your words.”
“Yes, and for that reason, I don’t plan to be too hard on you. However, you only agreed after giving me lip and reminding me about your stubborn pride. It’s what led to you becoming ill from heatstroke, and I believe it could lead to much worse if I don’t address it. Come to me now, or it’ll be a longer punishment.”
The expression on his face left no room for argument. Charlotte thought she’d never seen a man so intent on doing something as Max seemed intent on spanking her. She felt her feet walk in his direction as her mind spun. She’d never been subjected to any form of corporal punishment, and she hated the thought of being spanked by a man she very much wanted to remain dignified around. It seemed dignity wasn’t an option when it came to Max, who had already seen her in various states of upheaval. Her lips formed into a pout as she reached out her hand to him. His warm, callused fingers enclosed her soft hand, and he guided her smoothly over his lap.
“Good girl,” he said again, and Charlotte felt relieved that he didn’t seem angry with her. He lifted her skirt and positioned it on her back. “On our journey from Arcadia together, I could tell it hurt your feelings when I threatened a spanking, but I only did so because it scared me when you became ill, and I felt angry when you didn’t seem to pay it any mind. I didn’t want to make you feel sad. Do you understand that now?”
“Yes,” she said meekly, as he pushed up one of her two petticoats.
“The last thing I want is to break your spirit. I don’t want to change who you are, Charlotte. I find your cheek and smart mouth quite adorable, to be honest, but when it comes to health and safety, I don’t wish to hear your tart replies or arguments. I want you to listen to what I say and obey it.”
He lifted her other petticoat. Only her thin drawers protected her tender seat. He settled his hand on her bottom, and she felt the same current of arousal she’d experienced earlier in the day when his thigh touched her knee, only this time the feeling was much, much stronger.
He gave her seat a few light pats and rubs. “Ten swats, Charlotte.”