“You know what would’ve been worse than this spanking, Charlotte? If Simon had caught you. You’ve behaved badly and put yourself in danger. You’ve been stubborn, prideful, and disobedient. I’m punishing you sternly to teach you a lesson in the hopes that I won’t have to repeat it. So, I’ll ask you again. What else are you learning from this?”
Her nether region constricted and she clamped her thighs together. It was all so overwhelming to her—the pain, the arousal, the embarrassment. She growled in frustration. “I’m learning that you’re a brute, Maxwell Harrison!”
His hand moved up from her thigh and patted her bottom. “Wrong answer, darlin’.”
She moaned and grasped the cushion of the sofa with her free hand, suspecting that he would make her pay for that remark. She was right. He resumed the swats to the sound of her corresponding yelps of protest. Her tears fell freely and soon she was sobbing and kicking, no longer concerned with modesty. Her crying didn’t move Max and he continued on, peppering every inch of her bottom and upper thighs with stinging swats.
His unrelenting punishment finally pushed her to the state of mind she’d felt before, the place where her pride and outrage turned to vulnerability and the need to be comforted. “M-Max,” she sobbed. “I’m sorry I was too proud to admit my mistake to you. I will do better in the future.”
Those were the right words said in the right tone. Max’s hand finally settled. “All right then, sweetheart.” He rubbed her back and murmured, “Stubborn, stubborn girl. Yeah?”
Charlotte sniffled and nodded.
“If ever there was a woman who needed a good spanking every once in a while, it would be you, honey.” He rubbed her burning backside, soothing it with his touch while his words soothed her feelings.
Charlotte couldn’t bring herself to agree with him, so she apologized instead. “I’m sorry I said you were a brute.”
“You’re forgiven. I reckon it’s nicer than thief or ruffian, in any case.”
“Will you hold me?” she asked in a small voice.
“Of course. Come here, honey.” He gathered her right side up on his lap and held her close. He kissed her forehead, both wet cheeks, and her pouting lips. “That just about wrecked me, you asking that. I will always hold you, for as long as you need, whenever you need it.”
Sitting on Max’s lap with a sore bottom gave her a feeling of contentedness like nothing else. She marveled over how loved she felt in that moment. It felt so much better than holding onto her pride and suffering her mistakes alone. Max punished her, but he also supported and loved her.
Max confirmed the way he felt when his lips brushed her ear with a kiss and he whispered, “I hope you know I love you, Charlotte Rose.”
Charlotte gave him a watery-eyed smile and wrapped her arms around his neck. She knew without a doubt that he did, and she returned the sentiment.
Chapter Nine: What Simon Wants
Max and Charlotte walked hand in hand to the shop. Max had offered to hook up his horse and buggy for the journey to town because of Charlotte’s scraped feet, but she walked a few paces in his cabin and determined she would be fine. Upon arriving at the shop, they found Tim shaping metal hangers for the seamstress. He looked forlorn sitting alone in the corner of the room.
Max walked to Tim and tousled his hair. “Let’s the three of us have a chinwag, scamp. We’re going to work out this nasty business.”
Tim’s eyes took on a glimmer of hope upon hearing Max’s lighthearted tone. He set his work down and brushed aside the light hair draping his eyes.
Max positioned chairs next to where Tim sat on his bench, and he and Charlotte each took a seat. “Three things I want to say to you, Tim, before we get to the less pleasant conversation about Simon. One is, I understand why you didn’t want to tell me about your troubles, but you must understand that something like this shouldn’t be kept secret from me.”
Tim nodded slowly. “I understand that now, Max.”
“Good. Second, I didn’t express before how proud I am that you were offered a scholarship. The way I see it, you’re as rare as a blue horse. I reckon you’re the only lad I know who’s good at book-learning and working with his hands.”
Tim’s face lit up. He beamed at Max and looked at Charlotte, who was smiling as well.
“Third,” Max continued in a mock serious tone. “You need a haircut.”
Tim brushed away more hair from his face and smiled. “Yeah, I reckon I do.”
Max winked and then cleared his throat. “All right, now that the important stuff is out of the way, we need to discuss what to do about Simon.”
Charlotte explained to Tim her suspicion that Simon tried to break into the schoolhouse and then pursued her with ill intent.
Tim’s eyes widened and he addressed Max after hearing her story. “This is what I was afraid of. Simon will take it out on other people if I don’t do his bidding. I should go away and let him have the money.”