Rescuing Lilly (3 page)

"You have to the count of three to get upstairs before I show you the consequences of disobedience in this house," he threatened, standing up from his chair. "One... two..." He paused as she stood and began backing up toward the island, looking nervous but still not backing down from her defiance. "Three," he counted as he picked her up behind the knees and threw her over his shoulder. "I already told you that I don't put up with disobedience and I definitely don't put up with disrespect." Jake landed a hard smack on her behind as he began to climb the steps.

"OW! What are you doing?!" Lilly screamed and began pounding on his back with her small fists.

"Showing you what happens when you disobey me," he responded with another swat.

"You can't just do this to people! OW!" Lilly landed on her feet as he set her down and she turned to run out of the room, struggling to pull herself together.

Jake caught her by the top of her arm and pulled her back to where he was sitting on the edge of the bed. With a swift move, he pulled her across his thighs and began spanking again in earnest. He said nothing as he spanked her a dozen hard times across her behind as she wiggled and kicked to evade his hand. At fifteen, he decided it was time to start laying into her. "I don't know how you were raised, but I don't let people talk to me the way you just did, and I can guarantee that I was not raised to speak that way to anyone." He punctuated his comment with two hard smacks to the top of her thighs. "I am trying to help you and give you a place to stay while your hand heals and you get better."

Lilly couldn't believe how sore her butt was and she was still wearing her jeans. As he kept spanking, she started to feel guilty about what he was saying. He really was just trying to help her and she was rude to him for no reason other than she wanted to argue. She felt tears starting to well up in her eyes, but she swore she wasn't going to give him the satisfaction of making her cry from a little spanking. Although, this wasn't little and after another minute of smacks she wasn't sure how much more she could take. "OW! Please stop! Jake please! I'll go to bed I swear!" she yelled as tears slid down her cheeks.

Jake stopped for a minute and rubbed her back. "I'm not spanking you because you didn't go to bed, I'm spanking you because you disobeyed and disrespected me," he said softly as he continued rubbing. She started to calm a little bit and relaxed over his knee. "And if you continue to disregard the rules in this house, your little behind is going to feel the effects. Do you understand me?" He patted her bottom again and waited for a response.

"Y-Yes," she managed to whisper, unsure of why she felt like he really cared about her.

"Good girl. I'm going to give you ten more to help you remember for next time."

"What?" she asked in shock. She didn't think she could even handle ten more with his rock of a hand. "But I'm sorry. I promise I won't be rude to you again. I'll follow the rules, I swear."

"I'm sorry sweetheart but this spanking isn't over until I decide, and I think you need a few more to help you remember. You're gonna be fine. I want you to think about how you acted and what you're going to do to change your attitude." With that, Jake laid ten more hard smacks to her sit spots as she cried and apologized on his lap. After rubbing her lower back for a minute until she slowed her crying, he lifted her up and sat her on his lap cradling her head against his chest and shoulder. "Shhh. It's ok. It's all over now," he whispered against her hair and then kissed her head.

"I-I can't believe you did that," she muttered into his chest.

"Sorry, but you deserved it."

"I did not," she said looking up at him. When she saw the frown on his face and his eyebrows raise, she lowered he head back down to stare at her lap. "I'm sorry. I'm not usually so rude. I guess I've just been stressed."

"What are you stressed about?" he asked gently, hoping she would tell him more about her life before she landed in his arms.

Lilly shook her head. She didn't want to tell this man that she just sucked at relationships and probably didn't even have the capacity to love someone; much less how much debt she was in and her lack of income.

"Okay. I understand," he said as he lifted her up and set her down in bed. Pulling back the covers, he lifted her chin with his index finger. "You can trust me Lilly. I understand that you don't feel like talking right now but just know I have an open ear whenever you're ready. Okay?"

Lilly nodded as he tucked her in and kissed her on the forehead.

---oOo---

Lilly opened her eyes and jumped, looking around to figure out where she was. Once she realized she was in Jake's house, she calmed and slowly recollected what had happened the day before, and the spanking Jake had given her last night. She could barely come to grips that it had really happened, and went to go look in the bathroom mirror to see if her bottom showed any damage. As she pulled down her pajama pants, she paused.
When did I put on pajamas? I only remember wearing my jeans
. She shoved the idea out of her mind thinking she was just so tired she didn't remember. She glanced in the mirror and saw faint pink areas that almost looked like the shape of handprints on her bottom.
He really did it!

Lilly padded down the steps in her bare feet, trying to be as quiet as possible. She figured if this was a ranch, everyone would be up early and she would be able to make a clean escape. Now all she had to worry about was how she was going to get out of here, especially without her car. Thinking back to the drive home from the hospital and seeing the car on the side of the road, she didn't think it was too far from the ranch - at least it didn't seem that far while they were driving. Either way, she was used to exercise, running three miles a day back at home. Home-where was home now? As she turned the corner at the bottom of the steps, she glanced around to look into the kitchen. There was no one there. She turned to the other side to look into the living room. No one there either. She relaxed her shoulders and walked into the kitchen, hoping to find something to eat to give her some energy for her trip to her car. Lilly perused the fridge and found some fresh fruit and a bagel. Throwing it in a plastic bag, she headed back up the stairs for her suitcase. After throwing some on some cotton shorts, a tank top, and some sneakers, she zipped up the suitcase and carried it back downstairs.

"Where do you think you're going?"

Lilly turned to find Jake leaning in the doorway between the kitchen and the back porch. He had his arms crossed over his chest and was glancing back and forth between her and the suitcase.

"Oh. I was just going to head back to my car. I really don't want to impose or anything." She spoke quickly and moved to pick up her suitcase, hoping she could rush out before he could respond.

"Put it down."

Lilly paused at his warning tone and looked up to see his jaw clenching and a penetrating look in his eyes. She slowly let go of the handle, her mind fluttering at how to respond to his anger. "Please don't be angry. It's not that I don't appreciate your generosity. I just ..."

"You were just going to run out. Without saying a word," he answered for her. He didn't sound as angry this time but it seemed his voice had a tone of weariness or regret laced with steely impatience.

Lilly looked down. She started to feel guilt creep up into her face and knew she was blushing.
What do I do now?
The passing seconds felt like hours as she felt his eyes boring into her from the doorway.

"How were you going to leave anyway?" he asked, walking closer to her until he was standing directly in front of her. She could feel his heat radiating off of him as she stared at his dusty work jeans. Her eyes worked their way to his chest. He was wearing a blue plaid shirt with the sleeves rolled up. It was unbuttoned from his neck down to the top of his chest. He smelled of sweat, dirt, and the remnants of a delicious brand of cologne she couldn't place. Not realizing, she took in a deep tantalizing breath of his rugged aroma.
God he smells good
. She felt herself weaken in the knees just from his scent and closeness.

When she didn't answer his question after several moments, Jake heard her deep breath and tried a different approach. He just wanted to pick her up and hug her and tell her that he would take care of her and that she didn't need to run away from him. But he didn't want to get too close too fast and he couldn't figure out what was running through her little mind. She was unbelievably frustrating and interesting at the same time. He took her chin between his thumb and index finger and pulled her to look at him. "Please don't tell me you were going to try to walk to your car."

She stared into his eyes, hoping he would pull her in closer so she could taste his lips. When he spoke, she shook herself out of the little trance, and her defiance came back with full force. "You know I'm not some weakling who can't walk a couple of miles down the road. I run three miles nearly every day. I'm sure a little walking isn't going to hurt me. So to answer your question, yes, I am going to walk to my car."

"Twelve miles is quite a walk. And if I do recall, the doctor told you to rest for the next couple of days, not walk a half-marathon," he stated matter-of-factly. He grabbed her by the elbow and began pulling her toward the stairs.

Lilly pulled back on her arm but he just continued to tug her until they were at the bottom of the stairs. "But. But wait-" she began.

"But nothing. Get back upstairs and get into bed," he ordered, giving her a swat on her behind.

Lilly couldn't believe his high-handedness. His ordering her around was going to have to stop. "You can't just order me around like this!" she argued, turning around to face him as she stood on the second step. Her point seemed better argued when she was standing almost as tall as him.

"I told you that I make the decisions around here and since you are staying here, you have two choices. You can do as you're told and get upstairs and back to bed, or we can have another little discussion like we did last night about what happens when you disobey me. And then I'm going to put you back into bed. What's it going to be?" Jake raised his eyebrows as he waited for an answer. He watched as her face scrunched up and she suddenly turned around and stomped up the steps like a five-year-old. He smiled as he watched her cute little behind angrily make its way to the top of the steps. This girl might be a little spitfire, but she was sure hot as hell and he couldn't help but want to chase her up those steps and take her to bed.

As Jake turned to walk back into the kitchen, Sylvia walked through the front door. Sylvia had taken care of his family for twenty years and was practically a mother to him and his brothers when he was a child. Jake was only eleven when his mother died, and his brothers were fifteen and sixteen. Sylvia had been there for him while his brothers were out taking care of the ranch with his father. His father passed away when he was twenty, and it was then that his brothers, Ethan and Kyle, decided to leave the ranch-life to work in the city as property salesmen. Jake took over the ranch while Sylvia cared for the house.

"Hey, Jake! How are you this morning?" she greeted kindly as he sat down at the kitchen table. Sylvia noticed the smile on his face and continued, "Looks like you are just fine and dandy today. Is there something you want to tell me?"

Jake explained the previous day while Sylvia began making breakfast of bacon, eggs, and buttermilk biscuits. Once he was through, Sylvia set a plate in front of him. "Well, honey, it seems like you might have a thing for this girl."

Jake tried to hide the truth, but Sylvia could always see right through his intentions. "No, I just feel bad for her. I don't know why she is running away, but she hasn't been doing a very good job taking care of herself and she obviously needs someone to look after her."

Sylvia smiled and nodded. "Well, I'm sure she is grateful that you are willing to help her."

"So grateful she just tried to run off again," he said under his breath.

"What's that?" Sylvia asked when she heard him mutter something.

"Nothing, just thinking about what I have to do for the rest of the day," he lied. He looked towards the stairs and then back at Sylvia as he opened the back door. "Will you keep an eye on her until I get back for lunch? I have a feeling she isn't the kind of girl that takes bed-rest seriously."

"Of course I will. I'm sure she and I will get along great. See you around noon!" she smiled and waved as he walked out the door toward the stables. Sylvia was curious about this girl. She didn't see Jake get so flustered about a girl very often. Actually, she couldn't even remember the last time he mentioned any girls. He seemed to keep more to himself after his father passed, and the ranch kept him more than a little occupied on a day-to-day basis. It was almost as if he needed a girl to come to him for any type of relationship to prosper. This was the perfect situation! She smiled to herself and made a plate to take to Lilly, hoping she could get to know her a little better.

---oOo---

Lilly plopped back down on the bed, angry that her escape attempt was sabotaged. Just as she laid her head down on the pillow, she thought he heard a female voice coming from downstairs and figured Jake had invited some bimbo over while she was held hostage in a guest room. She slammed her fist into the pillow, wishing it was his face. Maybe a punch to his jaw would knock him off his high pedestal. She listened again for the female voice but couldn't hear anything but the jingle of silverware.
Now he is making breakfast for that whore!
Lilly slammed her head down on the pillow and closed her eyes. She didn't know why the thought of him making breakfast for someone else bothered her so much. He hadn't done anything but boss her around since they met... except for last night when he had been so sweet as he held her when she cried on his shoulder.
But that was after he beat me into submission with the palm of his hand!
Her thoughts were flying back and forth in her head when there was a small knock on the door. Lilly froze. Slowly the door opened and a lady who looked to be in her early to mid-sixties walked in carrying a tray of eggs and bacon. She had a sweet smile on her face and Lilly wondered if it was Jake's mom.