“Now, you remind that husband of yours that he’s an elected official and that he needs to listen to the voters.”

Marion McCormick nodded slowly, hoping she didn’t look too bored. She hadn’t planned on getting a lecture in the produce department of the Jackpot grocery store. All she’d wanted to do was come in and buy a few vegetables she could use to make stir-fry for dinner tonight.

She’d expected the trip to take about ten minutes. She hadn’t had a chance to check her watch, but she was pretty sure Mrs. Gates had been harping on her subject for at least fifteen minutes. She couldn’t just walk away, though. Mrs. Gates attended every commission meeting. Marion knew that because she went herself.

When your husband was the County Judge it was prudent to pay attention to things that were happening in the county in case someone ever jumped you in the grocery store…which was exactly what was happening right now.

“Mrs. Gates, the commissioners are going to look at this situation long and hard before they make a decision. As always, they consider all the sides. You know that.”

“Do they? Widening that road up to the Oklahoma border would be a huge mistake. It would be a huge waste of money. It would be a huge burden on the taxpayers.”

I’m getting a huge headache listening to you complain, Marion wanted to scream at her.

“Just the same, that road is used by local residents, and it is in disrepair,” Marion said. “And it’s a country road, not a state one, which means the county is responsible for the upkeep. We have to consider all things, including how the county would be liable if there were an accident there.”

“Hogwash.” Mrs. Gates snorted. “People need to be responsible for themselves. If they’re driving that way they need to watch out for the potholes and go ‘round them.”

Marion fought back the urge to remind the woman that some of the potholes on that road were the size of small cars. That road hadn’t been repaired in years. She also wanted to remind her that just two months ago, the older woman had been involved in a fender-bender and had blamed it on a faulty traffic light and threatened to sue the city of Belle’s Gap.

“Remind your husband that the county hasn’t taken action on our request for funds for the botanical gardens, which would include a community gardens for people to gather food. Of course they’d have to work it in order to be able to harvest there, but it will still help feed some of our county residents.”

“Yes, it would.” This time, Marion did glance at her watch. She had less than an hour before Dallas would be home, and she liked to be there when he arrived, that is if she wasn’t working a shift at the Sheriff’s Department. Right now she was on four days off, though, with three left. She had things she needed to get done today, and a proposal of her own that she wanted to put to her husband.

“I realize you have things to do,” Mrs. Gates said. “Just remind your husband that I vote in every election.”

“I certainly will.” Marion gave her a sweet smile. “You have a good day, Mrs. Gates.”

“You also, Mrs. McCormick.” She wheeled her cart away and Marion fought back laughter. She had to hand it to the woman, she had spunk. Marion hoped that when she was Mrs. Gates’ age that she was still going and blowing and threatening to not vote for a candidate unless he did she wanted.

Not that the threat would change Dallas’s mind. He’d told her just last night that the road was in such disrepair that they were considering closing it off until the repairs could be started. There was no way the commissioners would divert funds from there to the gardening project; no matter how much Mrs. Gates complained.

Marion made her way to the zucchini and summer squash stacked side by side on a case against the wall. She picked up several of each, knowing how much her husband loved stir-fry. After that she grabbed up some onions and peppers. She was just heading toward the mushrooms when her cell phone rang.

She checked the read out and grinned. “Hello, Judge.”

“Mrs. McCormick, how are you?” Without waiting for an answer he continued, “Imagine my surprise when I came home, early, expecting to find my beautiful wife and all I find is an empty house.”

“You’re at home?” She grabbed a package of pre-sliced mushrooms. She always tried to take shortcuts when she could.

“I snuck out.” She imagined him in the living room of their newly-remodeled home, kicking back on the couch. In the year and a half since they’d been married she’d learned his habits well. His favorite place to sit after work was not the recliner, but the couch. He said it was because there was room for both of them on there, and they’d made it a favorite spot for making out.

It was also a great spot to use for spanking. After the room had been fully remodeled that was the first activity that had taken place in there. Dallas had sat down in the middle of the couch and patted his knee.

“Let’s break it in right,” he’d said. “Come over here and let me spank that fantastic bottom of yours.”

She’d given him a flirtatious look, and then wiggled her hips as she walked to him. That particular spanking had been incredible, his hand slapping down on just the right spot, the mixture of pain and pleasure making her quiver with need. And he’d taken her right there, on the new couch, in the newly finished room.

Over the next few months they’d finished every room in the house, tearing down walls and replacing sheetrock, painting, putting up molding and refinishing floors. They’d completely gutted the kitchen, knocking out the wall between it and the utility room, making a huge kitchen that contained all the newest appliances.

They’d also widened the backdoor entrance, making a hallway that led to three more rooms, including what Marion referred to as a “wickedly large master bedroom,” that had a huge bay window that overlooked the wooded area behind the house.

It was one of her favorite places in the house, and one of her favorite places to be spanked.

Now that the house was finished, though, they had nothing to take up their weekends except each other. Dallas’s sons were on a two-month trip to the Caribbean, staying in a house owned by their mother and her new husband. Marion knew he’d wanted them to stay with him this summer, but they’d been excited about the trip, so he hadn’t raised any objections.

They were supposed to be back in August, and they’d set up a two-week visit with her father. Marion knew it didn’t make up for the two-months they were supposed to spend here for the summer, but she didn’t say anything to Dallas about it. She knew that if he wanted to talk to her about his feelings he would.

In the meantime she made sure he was never bored in the evenings.

“I’m sorry I wasn’t there,” she said softly, putting a few apples in her cart. “I’m getting some food to cook for dinner tonight, stir fry.”

“Sounds delicious,” he said.

“Yes, I was waylaid by Mrs. Gates in the produce department. I’m supposed to remind you that she votes in every election.”

He chuckled. “She’s probably not going to vote for me in the next election. We’re going to go ahead with the road improvement project. It’s long overdue, and I’m not really sure why. Not many people use the road because it’s in such bad shape, true, we’re going to change all that. There are still funds for her gardening project, just not the amount that she wants.”

“She’s going to be one pissed-off woman,” Marion said with a laugh. She looked around the store, and then decided to get a loaf of French bread so she could make French toast in the morning. Dallas loved it, along with a few links of sausage.

As she made her way to the bakery, Marion thought about what was in the freezer, trying to remember if there was sausage up there. She didn’t want to ask him because she wanted breakfast to be a surprise. After she picked up the bread, she turned the cart toward the meat section, deciding it was better to buy it and have extra than to have none at all.

She’d just rounded the end of an aisle when she saw Mrs. Gates. The woman’s voice carried. She was touting her gardening project to Mrs. Murphy, who was nodding even though from the look on the other woman’s face, Marion was pretty sure she was experiencing the same feelings Marion had just a little while ago while Mrs. Gates was talking to her.

The section with the sausage products was behind Mrs. Gates. Leaving her cart in the aisle, Marion went over and grabbed a package of the turkey links that Dallas liked. She hurried back to her cart and turned it toward the checkout counter as soon as she could. She didn’t want Mrs. Gates to see her again. Even though she’d let her out of the conversation earlier, Marion was pretty sure she’d grab her again and restate her case.

And Marion had better things to do, like go home to her husband, cook dinner and cuddle in his arms. And maybe, just maybe, she’d get a spanking tonight, too.

*****

“When are they going to start on the project?” Marion took Dallas’s dirty plate from in front of him and headed toward the sink. When they’d gotten married she didn’t think she would enjoy housewifely chores, like doing the dishes while he sat there and talked about his work.

But she loved it, every minute of it. Watching him lean back in his chair, his stomach full from the meal they’d cooked together, was one of the things she enjoyed most. They cleaned the house together, traded laundry chores and even traded turns on the riding lawn mower.

But for some reason doing the dishes after dinner was something she wasn’t ready to let go of. She wasn’t sure what it meant. Of course she didn’t do many of the dishes, since the dishwasher did all the work.

All she had to do was load and unload.

“We’re set for them to start as soon as we vote, and that’s on Monday,” he said. “I’m sure Mrs. Gates will be there to call us all morons, but we have a responsibility to the residents to protect them and keeping the roads safe is one way to do it. I may not be able to vote, as the county judge, but I sit in with the commission and give them my opinion, and that will be to go ahead with the project. I’m pretty sure the commissioners will agree with me.”

She went back over to the table and straddled the chair he was sitting in. She sat down on his thighs and interlocked her fingers behind his neck. “They’ll believe you because you’re the best county judge in the history of Coldwater County.”

He pulled her down for a kiss, taking her lips like he was a commando on a mission. Desire rushed through her. Of course it was this way every time he kissed her, every time he took her in his arms.

“I’m sorry you had to put up with Mrs. Gates,” he said when the kiss broke. “How can I make it up to you?”

“Oh I don’t know…” she toyed with the buttons on his shirt. “You could spank me.”

Marion wiggled her eyebrows at him, savoring the dark, seductive look that came over his face.

“Shall I spank you, or someone else?”

Oh man, if she wasn’t careful she was going to lose it. Role playing during spanking was one of his more colorful suggestions. The first time she’s resisted, saying it sounded too strange. But she’d come to love it. They did it once or twice a month, and it was usually something he surprised her with, setting it into motion by saying something off the wall that confused her for a few moments, until she realized what he was doing.

This was the first time since they’d started the practice that he’d asked her if she wanted to play.

She didn’t answer him at first, and he winked at her, then a stern look came over his face.

“Are you the manager of this restaurant?”

Butterflies took flight in her belly. “Yes, I am.”

“Well, I have a complaint.” He pulled her hands away from where she continued toying with his buttons. “You were my waitress, and as my waitress you started coming on to me.” He looked down to where the top few buttons were undone on his shirt.

“So?” She shrugged. “You liked it.”

“You are awfully fresh. What made you think you could get away with it?”

“I repeat, you liked it.” She struggled against where he held her hands in his. “Let me go and I’ll show you exactly how much you like it.”

“I don’t think so.” He glared at her, and if she didn’t know he was kidding she might think he was actually angry with her. She supposed that’s what people saw in his courtroom when they came in to contest a ticket from either herself or one of the other deputies. She knew he didn’t give in to people when they tried to get out of things, just like he didn’t give in to Mrs. Gates.

“I think your fresh behavior deserves punishment.” He pushed on her slightly, trying to get her to stand. Marion held her ground, pushing her thighs against his.

“No way, buster. What needs to happen here is a good, old-fashioned seduction, instigated by me.”

She leaned down and kissed him, not surprised when he responded with heat, his tongue pressing against her lips. She didn’t open for him, though, instead pulling away. “I thought I said I wanted to be one the one doing the seducing.”

“And I thought I said you needed a spanking.” This time when he tried to dislodge her from his lap he succeeded. He kept hold of her, though, so she didn’t lose her balance. He kissed her again, and then he moved toward the drawers.

Anticipation raced through her, because she knew what was coming now. He was going to spank her with a wooden spoon. She rather enjoyed the spankings he gave with wooden spoons. Something about being spanked in the kitchen excited her. Maybe that’s why she enjoyed doing dishes while he sat at the table, because there was a huge chance it could turn into a spanking.

“What do you think you’re doing?” she asked in a voice full of fake fear. “I’ll…I’ll…I’ll call the police, I swear I will.”

“Go right ahead and try it,” he said as he pulled open a drawer. He rummaged through it, the sound of utensils clinking together the only sound until he said, “Here we go.” He held up a wooden spoon. “What do you think of this little jewel?”

“I think I’m going to scream!” She opened her mouth, and then shut it as he waved the spoon in front of her nose. “I mean it when I said I’m going to call the cops!”

“Go ahead,” he said. “I’ll just explain to them that your bottom needs to be red, because you’re a naughty waitress who tries to seduce her customers.”

“They’ll never believe you,” she said. “They eat in here all the time and I never try to come on to them. Of course, none of them are as handsome as you are.”

“Don’t try to flirt your way out of this.” He let go of her hand. “Undo your jeans and take them, and your panties, down to your knees.”

“And if I say no?”

“Then the spanking will be harder than I’d originally planned.” He glared at her and she thought once again that she was glad he wasn’t really mad. “Do as I said.”

For a minute she thought about saying no. But she didn’t really want to drag this out. She undid her jeans and peeled off slowly, almost moving them past her knees until she remembered his command.

She looked him in the eye as she stopped, and she could see it was a good thing she remembered to stop. If she’d taken them farther down it wouldn’t be a good thing. When she stood she put her thumbs into the waistband of her panties.

“Can’t we leave these on,” she said sweetly.

“You need to learn to follow directions. Do as I said.”

She shrugged and pulled down her panties. After that it didn’t take him long to sit down in the chair and pull her across his lap. Of course she was putting up minimal resistance. She didn’t mind a little bit, to go along with the game, but she had no desire to prolong the suspense.

She wanted spanked.

Now.

He rubbed the spoon against her bottom and she bit back a moan. It wouldn’t do for a horny waitress to act like she was enjoying the spanking she was about to receive, since she’d put up a fuss beforehand.

The spoon slapped down on her bottom and her body jerked, and then the spanking started in earnest, the spoon slapping her, the sting seeping through to her bones. Marion closed her eyes and relaxed into the spanking. She never counted the amount that he gave her, because he always seemed to know exactly how many to give, exactly where to swat, and exactly how to turn her on.

“Not only are you a fresh young woman but you don’t listen, do you?”

Thwack. That one was harder than the rest and Marion exhaled in surprise.

“Excuse me?”

“I asked you a question and you ignored me. I wanted to know if the owner of this fine establishment knew what naughty waitresses he’d hired.”

She pushed away from him and stood, backing up, or rather waddling back since it was hard to move with her jeans around her knees.

“I am the owner.” She put her hands on her hips. “What do you think about that?”

“Oh, I think it’s definitely time to turn things up a bit.” He stood and advanced on her, moving the spoon from side to side like the hand in a metronome.

“Well, you have to…” she stopped speaking as the thought of what she was going to say made her laugh. She was going to tell him he had to catch her, but it wouldn’t be hard since she was hindered by her jeans. She turned and started to hop toward the living room. She’d barely made it two steps when Dallas grabbed her around the waist and lifted her in his arms. Before she knew it she was bent over the end of the couch, and the spanking started again.

She kicked her feet and squealed, holding back laughter as Dallas revealed plans for him to “come into her restaurant every night to see if his spanking made a difference, and if it didn’t, then he was going to spank her again, and again, and again.”

When he stopped she sighed and wiggled her behind, hoping he would take the invitation. Not all of their spankings ended in sex, but the sex that followed one was always incredible.

He was rubbing the spoon against her ass, which throbbed and burned. “Are you going to behave?”

“Maybe.” She cocked her head in his direction. “Maybe not; I guess you’ll just have to wait and see the next time you come in here for dinner.”

“I guess so.” He helped her to stand and then he cupped her face in his hands and kissed her. She felt as if he’d opened her entire soul to him, joining theirs together until she couldn’t tell where one started, and where the one other began.

“Are you going to make love to me?”

“Later, yes.” He kissed each cheek. “Right now I want you to pull up those jeans, to feel your bottom throbbing against the material; to let the burn seep into you even deeper as we watch TV, cuddle. You know what happens when we wait.”

Oh yes, she knew. Anticipation made her want him more, made them tear at each other like it was the first time.

She pulled up her jeans as he lay down on the couch. When she was fully dressed he patted the couch next to him. She lay down so that her back was to his chest. He wrapped her tightly in his arms and then kissed her neck. When he picked up the remote and turned on the TV she closed her eyes and settled into him. This was the comfortable feeling about being married that she loved.

It wasn’t that they watched TV each night. They varied their routine, sometimes vegging out like they were doing right now, sometimes playing cards or board games. Both of them agreed that it really didn’t matter what they were doing, as long as they were doing it together.

They watched a crime show, and then a few sitcoms before the early news came on. As the items played she shook her head.

“What’s wrong?”

“It’s sad, really, all the things that can go wrong in large cities. When I first moved here I worried that I would be bored, that I couldn’t stand small town life. I told you that, before I met you, I was ready to start looking for a job in a bigger city, where there were things happening. Now I’m content to be here where the only thing I have to worry about is writing speeding tickets.”

He laughed and started to caress her thigh. “There’s more going on here, you know that. But I am happy we don’t have to worry about murders and robberies, although there’s no absolute certainty that they would never happen, just that the probability is less.”

Dallas moved his hand up her body, moving her hair away from her neck when he got there. He kissed her neck, sending shivers of delight through her.

“You’re right, there is less chance. I rather enjoy the quiet life we have here.”

He stood suddenly and she fell back into the spot he’d just vacated. He held out his hand and she took it. He led her toward the bedroom, leaving the TV and all the lights on.

Once they were in the bedroom he stripped her slowly, unbuttoning her blouse slowly, and his hands caressing her at every opportunity. When she was naked he gently lowered her to the bed and she watched as he stripped his movements quick and efficient.

She held her arms out and he came to her. They caressed and stroked each other, and when his mouth moved to her breasts she closed her eyes and savored the contact. Feeling his mouth on her always made her quake with need.

When he slipped inside her, Marion closed her eyes and thanked the heavens above that she’d found the one person in life who made her feel whole, that they lived a nice, quiet life where they could continually express how much they cared and loved each other.

She realized he wasn’t moving, and she opened her eyes and gazed up at him.

“I love you,” he whispered as he leaned down to kiss her. “So very much.”

“I love you, too,” she replied. He started to thrust again and she held him close, wanting nothing more than to stay here with him and enjoy the life they had built together