MissBEHAVED

Chapter Nineteen

Melody

Three months later

Dixon didn’t waste any time moving in with me once we hammered out the details of the Rental Agreement. Within a week, he’d emptied his apartment of everything he wanted to bring and hauled it over to my place. I’d cleaned out a section of my closet and all it took was him putting away his clothes and hanging a few pictures for him to be settled.

My friends were split on whether we’d moved too fast, with Kenny and Charlotte both thinking I’d lost my mind, Grace thought we were living out a real-life fantasy and Raquel and Layla were both cautiously optimistic but let me know they’d help me boot his ass whenever I said the word.

I didn’t foresee that happening, though. Our lives meshed well together from the start. We had our separate businesses that kept us busy, so we didn’t have time to get sick of each other. We split the chores evenly, with Dixon doing the bulk of the meal preparation while I cleaned the bathrooms.

My parents came and visited in May and we invited his grandparents over then so the families could meet. While I couldn’t imagine me and his grandmother ever becoming close, we were at least able to have a polite discussion and share a meal. It was awkward, still, but I hoped that, in time, she’d see I was the right woman for Dixon. And if she didn’t? She could take her judgments and stay out of our lives.

Otherwise, my life stayed the same. Dixon didn’t pressure me to work less or expect me to be a housewife, like I’d worried. He did expect me to follow the rules and, though I tried my best, I spent more time over his knee than I like to admit.

One of those times being right now.

I heard him open the bedroom door but didn’t dare move from my position bent over the end of our bed.

“Good girl,” he said, making me sigh in relief. I’d been quivering in anticipation for the last ten minutes. Now, I’d learn my fate. “Why are you naked and bent over our bed?”

I kept my eyes closed as I answered his question.

“I was rude and hung up on you today.” As soon as I hit end, I knew this was where I’d wind up tonight.

“That’s putting it mildly, don’t you think?” He sat down on the bed next to my head and stroked my hair. “Open your eyes and tell me what happened today.”

Of course he knew my attitude had nothing to do with him; he just bore the brunt of my bad day.

I let out a shaky breath, remembering my afternoon. “I had the meanest lady come in today. From the moment she walked in the door she criticized the shop, the items I had for sale, my customer service skills… everything.”

His hand stilled. “What did she say about you?”

“That I didn’t offer to help her soon enough, but I greeted her as soon as she walked in the door and told her to let me know if she had any questions. I told her that I preferred to let my customers look around for a bit before I approached since shopping for lingerie can be a very personal experience, but she said I should have known that she wasn’t like that.” Tears burned as I remembered the snide look on her face and nasty smirk as she delivered the final blow. “She said she was going to give me a bad review online unless I was willing to give her a substantial discount.”

“You didn’t give in to her blackmail, did you?” He practically growled his question, but I knew he wasn’t mad at me. He was angry with the situation on my behalf. Which was a relief, but I doubted it would get me out of my punishment.

“That’s right when you called. I was so in shock from her demand that I just picked up the phone, and that really pissed her off. She stalked out of the store before I could say anything else. That’s why I freaked out and hung up on you. I didn’t know if I should run out after her or ignore her, but it didn’t matter because by the time I made it to the door, she was gone.”

Dixon resumed stroking my hair. “I’m sorry, baby. I’m kind of glad I interrupted because you shouldn’t give in to bullies.”

“But what about if she gives me a bad review? I have a five-star rating on every website right now.” My reputation was everything, and one vindictive person could really do some damage.

“Then you respond to every one of her posts with the truth. We’ll come up with something that will make her look as nasty as she is. Maybe it will go viral, and you’ll get even more customers. But we won’t let her lies stay out there unanswered.”

I let his words, and his confidence, seep into my anxious brain and begin to calm me. Between knowing I was in trouble and stressing about what would be posted online, I’d spent the rest of the day in a tizzy. But Dixon knew just what to say and do—give me a plan of action to focus on.

“Okay.” I took a deep breath and let it out, relaxing for the first time in hours.

“As much as I understand why you were stressed and upset, that’s not a good reason to be disrespectful and hang up on me, is it?”

“No, it’s not,” I admitted. “I’m sorry, Dixon.”

“And I forgive you, Mellie.” He leaned down and kissed my temple. “But you’re still getting a spanking. A reminder that you shouldn’t take your bad mood out on anyone, and I think it will help you relieve some stress.”

I nodded in agreement.

“Let’s get you up and over my lap.”

I didn’t waste any time getting into position. Over the past few months, I’d come to appreciate these moments between us, and he was right. Getting a spanking did relieve stress.

He began immediately, but instead of the hard, punishment type of spanks I expected, he started off slow, alternating sides in a steady rhythm of barely-there smacks. Gradually, he increased the intensity, but not the pace. He warmed up my bottom until it burned with a warm heat that was mirrored in my clit.

I squirmed, trying to press my pussy against his leg for more stimulation, but he gripped me around the waist and held me still.

“Stay still, naughty girl. I need to deliver your punishment now that you’re all warmed up.”

I groaned, wishing we could skip that part and move right to the good stuff, but Dixon ignored my unspoken plea. Instead of giving me the relief I so desperately needed, he lifted his right hand and delivered a spank that made me squeal. Smack after smack rained down on my behind, leaving me breathless, but no less turned on. Just when I thought I couldn’t take any more, it stopped.

“What have you learned from this, baby?” he asked, stroking my now flaming ass.

“Not to take my anger out on you,” I panted, trying to catch my breath.

His hand shifted lower, between my thighs, dipping into my wet core.

“That’s right. I’m always here to help relieve your stress, though.” Two of his fingers worked inside of me, stroking the spot Dixon knew always threw me over the edge. “Are you feeling more relaxed now, baby?”

I struggled to form words as he picked up the pace. My hips moved against his leg without any instruction from me. My only answer was a long moan as my orgasm rushed through me like a freight train.

He placed his hand on my ass, resting his wet fingers on still burning skin. Not that I even felt that sting anymore. Nope. I was so relaxed I didn’t even care that he was rubbing my stickiness into my behind.

“Feel better?” he asked, sounding smug.

I turned my head to face him and opened my eyes. “I feel much better. Thank you.”

He chuckled for a moment. “I knew one day I’d have you thanking me for spanking you.”

For a second, I considered contradicting him, telling him I was only thanking him for making me come… but that wasn’t true. I didn’t love being disciplined by Dixon, but I did love the way it made me feel. Safe. Secure. Loved.

I shrugged my shoulders in response.

“Do you want to help me relax even more in the shower?” I wiggled my eyebrows, or at least tried to. It was difficult to do lying on the bed, my head cocked sideways.

“I think I better,” he replied. “Somebody made a mess on my leg.”

I rolled off his lap and onto the floor, not caring about his teasing, or the fact that I was naked and had a red butt. I hadn’t been looking for a man or a relationship, but I’d be eternally grateful to Grace for making me go with her that night. Dixon made me happier than I ever expected, and he knew just how to deal with my sassy side.

He stood and reached down to help me to my feet, pulling me into a hug.

“I love you, Melody Sullivan. All your sweetness and sassiness, and even your bad temper.”

“I love you, too, Dixon Williams. All your bossiness and sexiness and even your need to smack my behind.”

“Maybe someday you can be Melody Williams,” he said, tugging me toward the bathroom.

We’d talked about this before, but I was nowhere near ready for marriage, so I gave him the only answer he was going to get for a little while longer.

“Maybe someday.”