Serendipity Ranch (11 page)

“Would saying ‘I’m sorry’ change your mind?” Serena asked, glaring at the multiple entries already penned.

“You know better than to ask me that. We are working towards changing your bad habits, and if I let you slide, you’d never learn.”

“Can I call you Mr. Meanie instead of Preston?” Serena asked sweetly.

“Are you name calling again?”

“No, Sir! I just
asked
if I could,” Serena said quickly. Name calling resulted in instant discipline. Preston made it clear that he didn’t care if anyone was around if he needed to take her into his RV to administer it either.

“Yeah, right,” he said doubtfully. “This is a smock with matching bloomers. It’s what children used to wear back in the old west. Except for refrigeration, we are going back in time for the rest of the weekend. No TV, phone, computers. And you are going to dress like a little girl to keep your mind focused.”

“Aw, Preston—It’s cute, but really?”

“Yes, really. It’s time for you to let go of this barrier you have. I think that if you dressed the part, it would help you revert back a bit to a place in childhood when you only had to worry about doing what you were told. That means no more sex until you drop the Billy Badass attitude.”

“How come you can swear and I get punished for it?”

“Because I said so,” Preston stated, waiting for the explosion. She despised that statement.

“Why do you always say that?!” And it began. “You jump down my throat to be the perfect example to Sara, but then you do the same thing you tell me not to! It’s not fair!! And using sex as a tool to get me to cooperate? That’s just plain mean!” she shouted as she stomped her foot.

“Are you done?” His voice was soft, calm, and collected.

“No.”

“Well? I’m waiting.”

“I can’t think of anything else to yell at you about right now,” Serena huffed, plopping back on the bed with her arms crossed and a huge pout plastered across her face. Preston waited patiently, hoping she would recognize the temper tantrum for what it was. She looked up at him, abashed. “That wasn't a very grown up way to handle things, was it?”

“No, it wasn’t.”

“Am I in trouble for that, too?”

“Do you think you should be?” Preston was amused. He really enjoyed watching her squirm!

Serena thought for a moment, then shook her head. “I raised my voice, but you didn’t tell me I couldn’t. And I didn’t swear. Not even once!” she seemed to be proud of that fact. “So, tell me about the dress up,” she said, hoping to change the subject.

“We’re going to do some old-fashioned work around here, my love. First, the lock is installed on the gate below, so no one can come up here without my buzzing them in.”

“That’s a relief. That will give me ten minutes to find a way to hide how ridiculous I look, huh?” Serena sniped.

“Attitude, little girl,” Preston warned, shaking his finger. ”Let’s get you changed and then I want to show you something.”

Sighing, Serena lifted her arms for him to pull off her shirt and unsnap her bra. She had lost the privilege of dressing and undressing herself sometime during the last two weeks, never knowing exactly when the transition began. Preston pulled her shorts and panties from her body and turned her slowly around in front of him, naked except for the little pink bow he had placed in her ponytail.

“You still have a little bruise from that smack you got the other day,” he observed, fingering the tiny purple blotch on her otherwise white bottom.

“You hit me hard! I couldn’t believe it. And in front of my crew!”

“They certainly got a good laugh out of it. Next time don’t give me a dirty look when I ask you to do something. This might give you an idea of how much I’ve been holding back, darling.”

“You are mean. You know that, right?”

“So you say,” he squatted down to kiss the bruise before nibbling on her hip, making her giggle.

“I thought you said no sex. It’s been so long,” Serena stated, turning around.

He leaned his freshly shaken chin on the swell of her tummy as he looked up at her. ”This is a teaser. And you got a quickie two days ago.”

“But I want more. Like that first time.”

“How about if you whine a little bit? Neither of us have had the energy during the week, and Sara was here all last weekend. Drew and Janie are taking her to LEGOLAND tomorrow, and she’s doing chores today. Lift your leg,” he said, sliding her foot into the soft, white cotton bloomers with tiny pink silk ribbons.

“They make my butt look big,” she complained, looking in the mirror at her half-naked body. “They are airy, though.”

“Arms up. That’s my good girl,” Preston said, slipping the frock over her head and gently pulling her ponytail out from under the collar. Serena groaned. It was as shapeless as a gunny sack, but also very comfortable and soft. “Well? Look how cute you are!”

“I feel like a total idiot.”

“But you’re
my
total idiot,” Preston chuckled, braiding her long hair into two pigtails to either side of her head. Serena rolled her eyes, saying nothing. Truthfully, she was enjoying the attention, despite feeling silly. “You really are absolutely adorable. Look.”

“The things I do for you—Oh—” she paused gazing at her transformation. She looked about 12 and so—so frilly! “You can’t be serious.”

“Oh yes, I am. Now, when you are dressed like a child, you are to regard me as a guardian, father, brother—I don’t care which. Anything but your lover. We will not go there when you are in this mode, got it?”

“And why are we doing this?”

“Because, sweetheart, you never had anyone to take care of the little girl. Drew did what he could, but by the time you got with him, you were already set in your ways. How do you feel?”

“Like I’m dressed as Heidi and getting ready to go trick-or-treating.”

“We could do that in October if you’d like, honey,” Preston said with a straight face. “Now, you have chores. Go put your boots on and get those goats milked while I finish on the shed. It should be done on time for tomorrow.”

“What’s tomorrow?”

“Your first punishment session.”

Serena watched him walk away. Her heart was in her throat, pounding nosily. He was not joking about this! She frowned, finding long white socks stuffed into her work boots. She threw them on and quickly trotted out to find Preston.

“Preston? Preston!” He ignored her, attaching the door of the shed to the frame. “PRESTON!” she yelled. Serena stomped her foot. Oh shit, he was going to force her into the role, whether or not she agreed. “Preston! Am I going to get in trouble if this dress gets dirty? The damn—darn thing is pink and white, for Pete’s sake!” she whined like a child.

He turned to look at her, his bare chest already gleaming from the heat of the day. He adjusted his hat and studied her. “Where’s your bonnet, Serena? You need to protect your face from the sun.”

“Bonnet? Holy shit, you are out of control.”

“Go get your bonnet from the RV and put another entry in your book. And no, you won’t be in trouble if the dress gets dirty. It’s the one I got you to work in.”

“You are so unbelievable,” she complained as she marched ungracefully back to the RV. She made an entry in her book as illegibly as possible and groaned at the matching calico bonnet that Preston had left sitting on the dresser. She threw it over her head and tied a big bow under her chin. She knew he wasn’t stupid. Maybe he was just possessed by an underdeveloped, socially challenged ghost!

Preston watched Serena as she stormed towards the goat pen, swinging the milking bucket angrily as she slapped at the billowing material around her knees. He really did find her amusing, almost as much as the dogs. “What do you think, girls? Is she going to get herself spanked before this day is through?” Boo barked, attentive to his word. Gem, as always, looked guilty and hid behind the woodpile.

Serena complained bitterly to the goats as she milked the four nannies. They were interested listeners, bleating as she talked, nuzzling her affectionately, and leaning warmly against her back as she tried to complete her chore. By time she finished, her hair was half unbraided and her dress was covered with streaks of mud. She glared in Preston’s direction as she returned to the RV to filter and refrigerate the milk. Pissed off, she popped open a beer and plopped in front of the TV, kicking her muddy boots on the small coffee table.

“Serena? Will you please bring me something to drink?” Preston called, wondering what was taking her so long to come out. When he saw she did not respond, he followed her inside and stood in the doorway. “What are you doing, young lady? Get your filthy boots off the furniture. You know better than that. What are you drinking?”

“A beer. Want one?” Serena asked, raising the can. Preston scowled, using the boot brush to clean his feet before coming inside. He snatched the can from her hand and dragged her to her feet. “Go outside and wait for me next to the hay bale. MOVE!”

Serena’s eyes went wide at his tone. He was really pissed! She had not seen the “honey badger” part of his personality, and it scared her. Without a sound, she ran to obey. Preston shook his head, finishing her beer and then grabbing a bottle of water before joining her. He flipped a pocket knife in his hand as he strode to where Serena waited impatiently. She watched him deftly slice three twigs from the old eucalyptus tree that leaned gracefully over the south end of the corral. He stripped them silently of leaves and knobs, running his fingers over the flexible branches to check for rough spots, then took a piece of hay and wet it in his mouth, using it to tie the three switches together.

Serena started to back up, hitting the wall of hay. “No, Preston. You can’t do this. I wasn’t that bad.”

“What did I tell you about today, Serena?”

“‘I don’t know. What?”

“How were you supposed to view me, and what did that imply?”

“I thought you were kidding!”

“You know darn well that I wasn't. I even explained my reasoning. Now answer me.”

“To not look at you as my lover,” Serena’s breath caught in her throat as he stood, arms crossed over his wide chest, with the eucalyptus switches in his right fist. “And that you were like a guardian, brother, or father today. And we couldn’t have sex when I’m in this role,” she spouted, feeling the tears rising from the back of her throat.

“You also said,” tears started to trickle, “we were going back in time and not have any electric stuff except for refrigeration.”

“Close enough. What about the beer? In this role, are you old enough to drink? Well?”

“No, Sir,” Serena looked at the ground, starting to feel her knees shake.

“And what were you thinking about tracking mud in the house, sitting on the furniture in filthy clothes, and putting your feet on the table? What is my very first house rule, young lady?”

“Respect the home and the head of the house,” Serena submissively repeated, digging the toe of her boot into a small anthill.

“How many of my instructions did you disobey?” Preston demanded firmly.

“All of them, I suppose.” She looked up at him with pleading, large-as-saucer eyes that were wet with pooled tears. “I’m really sorry. I don’t know how to have a Daddy.”

“Did you know that you were disrespecting me by ignoring my requests?”

“I guess so.”

“This is your M.O., Miss Serena. You know better, but you blame your past when you don’t want to do what’s required of you. Lift that skirt to the waist and bend across the alfalfa,” he commanded, piling two green bales on top of each other.

Serena’s teeth chattered as she uncomfortably rested the length of her body over the sweet smelling block, her toes barely touching the ground and stretching her bottom and thighs to present the perfect target for punishment. Preston ran his hand over her bloomers, admiring the round protrusion of her firm, trembling little bottom. Without a word, he lifted his arm. The sound of the switches swooshing through the still air momentarily stunned Serena, but as the hard lash wrapped across her cotton-covered hind quarters, a piercing scream escaped her lips.

"FUCK! Preston! No more!"

She could not move with his left hand leaning into the center of her back. She kicked wildly as a second stroke seared into her sit spots. Serena burst into tears, twisting under the weight of his hand as he brought the switch down with another loud whoosh. Two more strokes and she reached her hands back to protect herself, but quickly pulled them away as the ends of the twigs caught her palms. She was soon weeping copiously and begging him fervently to stop.

“I’m sorrrrrrrrrry, Preston! Pleeeease ssssstop! PLEASE! Daaaaaaaddyyyyy! Stop!” she bawled, clinging to the bundle as her legs kicked wildly. Preston’s heart skipped a beat, hearing her call out to him in such an intimate and personal way. He sighed, put the switch aside, and sat down on a nearby bale to study her.

“Serena, come to me,” he ordered softly.

Sniffling and sobbing into her hands, the girl obeyed and stood before him. He pulled her between the square of his knees and placed his broad hands on either side of her slender hips. Her body trembled with pain.

“Are you going to obey me from now on?”

“Yes, sir. I’m sorry,” she wept. Preston shook his head and pulled her into his arms, pressing her wet face into his right shoulder as he rubbed her back.

“You’re forgiven, baby. Shhh, it’s all over,” he crooned, patting her backside affectionately. “Now go back inside and wash your face. There are some more chores to finish.”

“Can I bring Gem with me?” Serena asked in a tiny voice.

Preston looked for the little dog. She was hiding under a table, looking guilty as always. “Very well. Gem? Come here? You’re a good girl. Go with Serena, okay? She needs kisses,” he said to the animal. Gem crawled out, eyeing Preston as she climbed into Serena’s arms.

Serena buried her face in the soft fur of the dog’s neck and carried her into the RV. Her bottom burned painfully under the soft cotton, and every step made her want to cry out in pain. How was she going to take a real punishment session tomorrow when she had to “pay the piper” for all her transgressions? Serena placed the dog on the bed and climbed next to her, holding the animal tightly to her chest and seeking comfort from the affectionate animal as she cried.