Bound, Spanked and Loved: Fourteen Kinky Valentine's Day Stories (99 page)

“Not unless you want her to use that spoon on you,” Rem said with a chuckle as he entered the room. “And then have me use my belt to follow it up.” He leaned in and kissed her gently on top of her head. “Good morning, wife.”

She smiled at the kiss, but then continued on. “I really think it best I stay here,” Birdie argued again, realizing she had never peeled a potato before.

“You’re going to be sitting right next to me in church, young lady.” Anna Mae placed the biscuits in the oven and stoked the fire. “I’m going to go collect the eggs, but when I return, you better have made quick use of that present Rem bought you.” She looked over at a wrapped package on the edge of the table. “No sass from you.”

“Present?” Birdie looked at Rem, surprised and confused.

Rem smiled and nodded. “Go ahead and open it.”

Birdie stood up and walked over to the package and pulled at the string, releasing the brown paper free to fall on the table. Inside was a neatly folded grey dress with a tiny blue daisy pattern. The edges of the collar and wrists were lined with a delicate lace. She ran her fingertips along the fabric, not being able to accept that this dress, this present, this kind gesture, was for her.

“Rem? You shouldn’t have.”

“It’s about time you have a proper dress that hasn’t been worn by my ma. I may not be a rich man, but no wife of mine will only wear cast-offs.”

She held the dress up against her bosom. “It’s so pretty. So perfect in every way.” Tears exploded from her eyes. “I don’t deserve this.”

Rem walked up and smacked her bottom playfully. “What are my rules about talking down on yourself? I’d hate to have to give you a whoopin’ right before church. It would make for a mighty long sermon.” He leaned in and softly kissed Birdie’s lips, brushing away her tears with his work-worn hands.

“I love it, I love...” She paused.

He kissed the tip of her nose, each eyelid, and then her lips again. “Say it, Birdie. Say what you were going to say.”

“I love you,” she whispered. “I do, Rem Langston. I never knew what love felt like until you. These last few days have been the best of my life.”

Rem wrapped his arms around her and pulled her tightly into his embrace. “And I love you. I knew it the minute I rescued you from that shack in the snow. I knew I loved you then, but I had no idea how much until now.”

The door crashed open, breaking them from their love spell. “Rem!” his ma called. “We got trouble!”

Standing behind Anna Mae, was a winded and flushed Timmy Collins.

“What’s goin’ on?” Rem asked, releasing Birdie from his hold and instinctively pushing her behind his broad build.

“Jedson Bluebell is up in arms in the middle of town. Busted up the mercantile pretty good looking for answers to where his Birdie is,” Timmy started, struggling to catch his breath. “I came runnin’ here as soon as it started. But, Rem, he is spittin’ mad and has a shotgun at his side.”

Rem walked over to the fireplace, where a rifle leaned up against the side, and grabbed for it.

Birdie ran to him and seized his arm. “Wait! Please don’t go. My pa will shoot you. He won’t care none of the law. He don’t feel it pertains to him. Please!”

“Birdie, I’m not going to let someone else fight my battles. He’s at the mercantile and may move on to the church or someplace else. I have to go confront him and put a stop to this.”

“But he will kill you! Please! Let me go and talk to him,” she pleaded.

Anna Mae walked over to Birdie and wrapped her arms around her shoulders. “Shhh, dear. Trust your husband.” She looked at Rem and gave a knowing look. “Rem can take care of himself.”

Without saying another word, Rem stormed out of the cabin with rifle in hand.

*****

M
inutes turned to hours, and Birdie could barely breathe as panic overtook her body. Her husband was out fighting her pa, and she didn’t know if either would come out alive. Rem could lose his life all because of her.

“You stop your worrying, girl. You damn well have me in a heap of nerves too,” Anna Mae said. Birdie could tell the woman was doing her best to be strong, but even she looked afraid.

Fear and relief blended when there was finally a knock at the door. Birdie bolted to it, terrified at who and what news would be on the other side. Timmy Collins stood winded as before, but with a smile on his face.

“Rem sent me to tell you both that the matter was taken care of, and he would be home soon.”

“Where is he?” Birdie asked, still panicked that he could be hurt, but not having the slightest concern for her bastard father.

The Collins boy shrugged. “He had to check on the ice or somethin’ like that.” He didn’t wait for a response and ran back toward town effortlessly. His job as messenger was complete.

Anna Mae walked up behind her and placed a hand on her shoulder. “Rem is fine. He sent word so we wouldn’t worry. But he is fine.” Relief filled her voice.

Birdie turned and looked at her mother-in-law. “Do you think Rem would mind if I went up to the ice ponds to find him? I just can’t wait around here any longer.” When Anna Mae looked as if she was considering the idea, she added, “I’ll walk along the river and stay clear of town. Just in case Pa is still around. I promise I will go straight to the ponds and nowhere else.”

Anna Mae nodded. “You go on. You better stay clear of trouble and not make me regret letting you go.”

Birdie leaned in and gave a quick peck to the woman’s wrinkled cheek. “Thank you, so much. I won’t be long.”

Before Anna Mae could change her mind, Birdie reached for her heavy wool shawl and dashed out the door.

She ran along the river’s edge, anxious to see Rem. She hadn’t made it halfway to the ponds, when she saw his figure emerge from the woods ahead.

“Rem!” she called out. She waved her arms so he could see her from the distance.

His brisk walk turned to a run when he realized it was her. In an instant, he was standing in front of her, taking her into his arms. “Birdie? Are you all right?” He pulled away and examined her body. “Is Ma hurt?”

Birdie shook her head. “No, I couldn’t wait for your return any longer. I was so worried.” Now that she was away from his hold, she could see that his shirt was covered in blood. “Oh my! Are you hurt? Have you been shot?”

Rem ran his hand along her face to soothe her. “No. I am fine. This blood is not mine.” He studied her eyes, looking sad. “Your pa...he’s dead.”

Birdie simply nodded. No hysterics, not the slightest ounce of sadness, nothing but a huge sense of relief washed over her. “You did what needed to be done.”

Rem leaned in and kissed her lips quickly, and then looked over his shoulder and the flowing river beside them. “Birdie, I need you to turn away.”

Confused, she asked, “Why?” She walked closer to him, desperate to be held in his arms again.

“Birdie...” But before he could say anything further, she saw a large piece of ice flowing down the river. The sight of large pieces of ice wasn’t uncommon on the Truckee, so why would Rem want her to look away? This was his job after all. Why—

The large chunk of ice floated closer, close enough that she could make out her pa’s frozen form inside of it. His mangled and contorted body folded in the most grotesque way, and his face appeared frozen in agonizing pain.

She should have turned away and screamed. Maybe even cry or feel ill to her stomach. A proper lady would possibly faint at the sight. Something, anything besides what she was feeling. Watching that block of ice in the cold Sierra river was one of the most beautiful sights she had ever seen. She stood on the river bank with her husband’s arms wrapped around her and watched her misery, her pain, her fear all wash down the river with the tiny rapids around it. It was over. She had been freed from her cage—just as the birds at the Valentine’s Dove Festival had been freed from theirs. She was free. Birdie Bluebell was finally free.

About Alta Hensley

Alta Hensley is a #1 Amazon best-selling erotic romance author who has had top-selling books in erotic science fiction, humor, BDSM and historical. She writes the naughty... and then the cure for it.

Being a multi-published author in the Domestic Discipline genre, Alta is known for her alpha heroes, sweet love stories, hot eroticism, and engaging tales of the constant struggle between dominance and submission.

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