The Farmer's Reluctant Bride Read Online Free Page B

satchel and pulled out her brush. She sat down again by the hearth
to comb the knots out of her hair and enjoy the warmth of the fire. When she
was done, she went back to her satchel to put her brush away. Hank took the
bath sheet and hung it across two chairs to dry.
    “I’ll be taking a bath myself after
you’re in bed.” He didn’t look at Mandy as he said this, but then he raised his
eyes to her. “Dinner’s just about ready. Nothing fancy, I just warmed some
leftover stew.”
    Hank walked over to where Mandy
stood by the trunk. She was placing her brush back in her satchel when Hank sat
down on the trunk and patted his lap.
    “Alright then,” he said. “Let’s get
this done now.” Mandy instantly started to back away, but Hank was one step
ahead of her. He must have anticipated what she would do, because he
immediately grabbed her arm and pulled her toward him. Mandy tumbled helplessly
over his lap.
    “No, Hank, no,” Mandy pleaded.
“Please, don’t!”
    Hank wasted no time working her
nightdress up over her hips.
    “I promised a spanking, and a
spanking’s what you’ll get.”
    Mandy squirmed and fought Hank as she
felt him tighten his grip around her waist while he bared her bottom.
    “You’ll learn to mind me.”
    Mandy threw her hands back
instinctively to cover her backside, which was still smarting a bit from Hank’s
discipline on the ride home.
    “Amanda Rose. Move your hands right
now.”
    “No!” Mandy’s feisty answer and
stubborn refusal to move her hands did not have the intended effect. It did not
cause Hank to decide not to spank her. Instead, he gave the back of her thigh a
good solid swat.
    “Ow! You can’t hit me there.”
    “I will spank you wherever, and whenever
for that matter, I see fit—your bottom, the backs of your legs—and I may use
something other than my hand if I think you’re being especially difficult.”
    Mandy quickly pulled her hands back
in front of her.
    Hank continued. “My belt, a switch.
You don’t want to go pushing me, young lady. It’s been a long day and I’m
reaching the end of my patience.”
    “You just settle down and take this
spanking without any more fuss. Learn your lesson and we can eat supper.”
    Mandy felt Hank’s hard hand land on
her bare backside and she cried out. Mandy hoped Hank didn’t plan on spanking
her every day. She’d never sit comfortably again.
    When Hank stopped spanking and
lifted her off his lap, Mandy wiped the tears from her eyes. He hadn’t really
spanked her that hard or for that long, but she was just plain worn out. It had
been a very long day.
    Hank stood then and, taking Mandy
by the upper arms, he leaned down and gently kissed the top of her head.
    “Let’s eat.” With that, Hank headed
into the kitchen.
    *  
*   *
    “Are you fixin’ to beat me all the
time?” Mandy wasn’t looking at Hank, but down at her food, her finger fiddling
with the spoon next to the bowl of stew. Hank looked up from his food to
answer.
    “That wasn’t no beating, little lady.
That was a spanking, that’s all.” Hank paused. “And whenever I reckon that you
need one, you’re going get one.” Hank turned his attention back to his supper. “Now
eat your stew.”
    Mandy continued to focus her
attention on her spoon instead. She was trying desperately to figure what to
do.
    Hank looked up. “Mind me now. Eat
your supper.” His tone brooked no refusal.
    Mandy picked up the spoon and
proceeded to eat the bowl of stew that Hank had given her.
    It was hot and tasty and Mandy
suddenly realized how hungry she was. She hadn’t eaten anything that day except
for the biscuit and jerky that Hank had given her when they stopped to rest the
horses and relieve themselves. As she ate, she cautiously looked around her at
the cabin.
    It was one large open room, with
the kitchen and table to one side and a large bed on the opposite side. The
hearth was in the middle of the cabin and kept the entirety of it warm