Mistletoe Magic by Maddie Taylor – Extended Preview

It snowed straight through the night and half the next morning. When it finally stopped, they had a total of twenty inches. The large snowfall was unusual for December, but not unheard of in the mountains. They still had no power, so kept to her room, warm in her bed, with piles of covers and their body heat doing the trick nicely. Lucy would periodically go to the door and demand to be let out, only to come back meowing in five minutes from the cold pervading the rest of the apartment.

With not much to do, they made love and talked, though mostly the former. And they laughed, especially when they dressed in six layers of clothing just to go to the kitchen and forage for food. Dixie’s cupboards didn’t have much to offer without benefit of a working microwave. Therefore, they dined on cheese and crackers, peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, and soda, which didn’t need ice because of the sub-freezing temps in her apartment. They also went through an entire pack of Oreos—Double Stuf, of course.

“Is there any other kind?” he asked. To which she replied teasingly, “Of course, there’s Golden Oreos.”

“Ugh, blasphemy!” he cried and ended up making her pay for that sorry lapse in judgement by tickling her until she admitted the original Oreo was by far the best.

That had led to more impassioned touches and incredible sex.

By late afternoon, they were getting a little stir-crazy and once they heard a snow plow make a pass down her street, decided to brave the elements and take the Expedition in search of more provisions.

With only half-boots in her closet, which wouldn’t do much to keep her dry in nearly two feet of snow, Kyle carried a giggling Dixie piggyback to his truck and deposited her backwards in her seat. He dropped a kiss on her smiling lips, spun her on her bottom until she was facing front, locked her seatbelt in place, then laid another wet one on her before closing the door. She then watched, laughing until she was breathless as he tramped through drifted snow past his knees in what seemed to her like slow motion, arms wind-milling at times to keep from either taking a nose dive or falling ass backwards in the deep snow. Finally, when she had tears rolling down her cheeks, he made it to his side of the vehicle.

He got in and started the engine, letting it warm up after sitting out in the frigid temperatures overnight. While he waited for the windshield to thaw, he leaned over and dragged her to him, his lips and tongue erasing her case of the giggles. He didn’t stop until the vents were blowing warm air and she was sighing pleasantly into his mouth.

“I should have made you listen, Dixie,” he said when he lifted his mouth a fraction, while gazing intently into her eyes.

Pulling back so she could see more of his expression, she blinked, not understanding.

“All those years wasted,” he began to explain, but paused to tug off a damp glove with his teeth. He then cradled her cheek with his hand. “When you wouldn’t answer my calls and kept walking away every time I stepped in the same room, I should have sat you down and made you hear me out. Barring that, I should have turned you over my knee and paddled your gorgeous ass when you didn’t.”

A sneaky grin tipped her lips. “You could have tried, big boy.”

“You think that I wouldn’t have?”

“Back then, with teenage Kyle, no.” Her mittened hand came up and caressed his face, still ruddy from the cold. “Bossy, worldly, alpha male Dr. Prescott, damn straight, so I’ll try not to give you a reason to.”

“Baby, you already have. In fact, maybe I should make up for lost time.”

“What do you mean?”

His fingers curved beneath her bottom and he lifted her, hauling her across the center console into his lap. When he had her straddling his thighs, he reached down and adjusted his seat.

“Kyle… You’re not seriously going to… uh, spank me…” for some reason she whispered the last few words as if someone were around to overhear, “are you?”

“I intend to prove to you I mean business.”

“Not necessary,” she replied quickly while shaking her head. “I believe you.”

“Hm, that’s not how it sounded a minute ago.”

His thumbs located the waistband of her fleece-lined snow pants and his hands dipped inside her panties. She liked having his hands on her, they were big and warm and confident, but for what he had in mind she wasn’t quite sure those were desirable qualities, especially when anyone passing by could see them.

“We’re on a busy street, in broad daylight.”

His head popped up and he looked around; she did too, craning her neck to the side and behind her. Not a soul was stirring. He leaned back, arching a brow. “They’re abandoned except for us, no one will see.”

“But, Kyle…”

“This is happening, Dixie,” he replied, undeterred as he squeezed her bottom. He didn’t hesitate to begin peeling down her pants, either.

She squirmed, frowning. “Wait…”

“No,” he replied, one arm clamping around her waist to hold her still as he continued to inch her panties to the tops of her thighs. He began to rub his palm all over her bare ass. She whimpered softly and saw his lips curved slightly upward. He knew he had her, darn him.

“I can’t believe you’re doing this.”

“We’ll just have a sample.”

“If someone sees—”

“There isn’t anyone around; besides, my windows are tinted.”

Her eyes shifted to the dark smoky glass she hadn’t noticed and she relaxed the tiniest bit. “You could have said so,” she grumbled with a little pout.

He arched a brow, his big hand unceasing in its caresses. “A dozen swats, one for each year you gave me the silent treatment. Sounds fair, don’t you think?”

“Mm, I s’ppose,” she murmured, starting to enjoy how the heater blowing full force warmed her skin, and how his gently massaging hand warmed other parts that she hoped he would pay attention to afterwards. Despite how many times he’d brought her to climax in the past twenty-four hours, she pressed her hips into him invitingly, her demeanor changing from resistant to pleasingly compliant. How bad could a dozen swats be?

“Have you ever been spanked before, Dixie?”

“No.” Aroused, she was now squirming a bit beneath his fingers.

“Not as a kid?”

“Nope,” she repeated, sort of, while pressing her upper body against his firm chest. Her hands slid up and gripped his shoulders, hanging on as she savored the feel of his touch, fingers stroking, squeezing, and lightly abrading tender places, although she couldn’t help wondering why he was playing twenty questions when they could be getting down to business.

“How about a playful swat from a lover?”

She raised her head and met his gaze. “I haven’t had that many lovers.”

“That makes me happy, but I don’t want the details, okay?”

Pausing, she bit her lip. “I don’t think I want to know, either.”

“I can promise whatever you’re thinking, I’m not nearly the dog you or the press made me out to be, although I wasn’t exactly a saint.”

She nodded hesitantly, going quiet as she looked away.

The arm at her waist moved, and his fingers tilted her chin up, forcing her to see him.

“I’ve always been faithful in all of my past relationships. I don’t cheat, and don’t ever plan to. My parents have been staunchly devoted to one another and happily married for thirty-four years, as were their parents for over half a century. When I find the right girl and settle down, I plan on following their example.”

“That’s rare these days. What’s their secret?”

“Honest communication for one. That’s why I was clear with my rules and expectations and why we’re going to clear the air with a spanking right off the bat. Can you live with that?”

She’d been on her own for a while now, not being subjected to anyone’s rules for some time, except Pete, and he was easily gotten around. Kyle, she suspected, wouldn’t be so easily swayed. Again, she bit her lip as a parade of confusing emotions marched through her head, one following the other, until the swirling riot of feelings settled in her chest, cooling her ardor somewhat. He wanted honesty? She’d give it to him, and did.

“I’m not sure because I’ve never experienced anything like faith and trust, and heaven knows I’ve never been spanked or anything like it, but I guess—if you’ll be patient with me—I’m willing to try it your way.”

“Always, Dix, and never, ever would I do something that would break that trust or cause you harm. And you can take that to the bank.”

She giggled suddenly, thinking of the pink ceramic pig on the shelf in her room. “I hope you mean your bank, because mine has fallen on hard times.”

His fingers flexed on her behind. “Dixie, I’m serious.”

“Sorry. I get what you’re saying, Kyle, and I do trust you.”

“Good girl, now turn around and lie across the console, knees on my thighs, ass in the air. We’ll get this taken care of, then go forage for supplies.”

His vivid description sent an erotic image to her already rattled brain. She bit her lip once again as she stared at the padded armrest between his bucket seats.

“Up and over, darlin’.”

With him guiding her, she got into position. It was warm, the heater continuing to blow, defeating the bitter cold outside. Their talking had steamed up the windows, further shrouding them in privacy. His palm running slowly up the backs of her thighs and over the twin globes of her upraised ass made the interior of the vehicle seem even hotter. Her face flushed at the intimacy.

A rustling sound of his coat from behind her was her only warning that this spanking was indeed happening, now. His hand came down crisply on one side, though not as hard as she expected. It smarted and caused her skin to tingle. She wiggled a bit, but said nothing as he repeated the smack on the other side. Kyle followed it with two more, moving briskly from side to side with a little more zip.

These caused a quick intake of breath, as she noted the tingle increased to a sting, but still made no sound of protest. He gave her the remainder more sharply, causing a considerable bite in what she now understood was punishment, and clearly not foreplay. At the sixth swat, she let out a yelp as the warmth changed to fire, at the tenth it had become a sustained whimper because her butt was now fully ablaze. By number eleven and twelve, which landed lower than the others where her cheek met her thigh, she cried out his name.

“Kyle, please…”

“All done.” Gently, he ran his hands over her burning behind in a soothing caress. Her ass was ablaze, yet it was nothing compared to the burning between her legs. That needed seeing to more so than her bottom. She ached, despite having made love with him at least four times and been brought to climax twice that in the past twenty-four hours. Two to one was an impressive ratio and quite unselfish on his part. And now, she was as hungry as if it had been a year, all from a spanking. Beneath his slowly circling palm, she couldn’t keep from moving and wiggled her hips.

“Come up here, Dixie,” he urged.

She heard him, but didn’t move, unsure if she could on her own. He hadn’t gone easy, not that she had anything to compare it to, and each smack, especially the last few, had stung, a lot. That wasn’t the problem, however. It was the heat rushing to her face, surpassing that on her behind and between her legs. She dropped her head onto her arms.

Kyle Prescott had just spanked her—holy freakin’ crap!

“Come up here and talk to me, baby.”

When she shook her head, he went into action, lifting and flipping her upright, while moving her onto his lap. As his arms enveloped her, she buried her face in his neck, her hand crawling up his chest to curve around his shoulders.

“Dixie?”

“I’m okay.”

“Are you sure? A first spanking can be emotional.”

“That’s not it.”

“Then what, baby? Don’t shut me out.”

“I liked it,” she admitted, in a whisper that was barely audible against the thick collar of his cable-knit sweater.

“What was that, darlin’? I couldn’t make it out.”

She groaned. “Please, don’t make me say it again.”

“Honest communication, remember?”

“I said I liked it,” she repeated more loudly, then in another muffled groan added, “I’m so embarrassed.”

“Aw, darlin’, don’t be,” he murmured as his arms flexed around her. “Lots of women are aroused by a spanking; nothing wrong with that. I was going for a different reaction from a punishment; then again, I went easy this first time.”

Her head came up as her mouth fell open. “That was easy? It hurt, a lot.”

“Spankings usually do. That’s the point, in order to correct unwanted behavior. It’s called negative reinforcement.”

“I know. I took psych 101 in college.” Then something occurred to her. “Does liking to be spanked make me a masochist or something?”

He chuckled.

“Kyle, I’m not kidding.”

“Nor am I. And if that light spanking ‘hurt a lot,’” he added, echoing her words, “I doubt you’re into pain. I laughed because you’re awfully cute post-spanking. Cuddly, soft, and warm, like Lucy.”

Dixie rolled her eyes; being compared to her surly devil cat wasn’t what she considered cute, at all.

“I also liked everything about that,” he said with a gentle smile as his hands rounded her curves.

She bit her lip again. If that was his idea of light, she couldn’t help wondering what a medium or hard spanking would be like, and vowed to try her damnedest to avoid finding out. Easy seemed enough for her, for now.

“What’s going through that gorgeous head?”

“How hot you are when you go all alpha on my ass.”

He shook his head. “Dixie, the truth.”

“Okay, I was thinking… If you can spank me in your car, do you think you can, um, fuck me in it, too?”

She felt flames light up her cheeks—a common occurrence, lately—as his eyes widened. He stared at her for a fleeting moment before his lips tipped up in a sexy grin. “Damn straight I can, baby.”

In a flash, he captured her lips, and rather than starting out slow and soft, as he’d done in the past, they were instantly demanding. Connected at the mouth, their hands worked between their bodies to free him.

“No condom,” he groaned abruptly, out of frustration.

“I’ve got one in my purse.” Without breaking contact, her arm reached out to the passenger seat, searching blindly until she found her bag. One-handed, she dug through it, deep to the bottom. “Got it,” she said triumphantly as she sat back and held it up between them. It was battered and had lint stuck to the wrapper.

Kyle grunted with obvious disappointment. “That’s seen better days; exactly how long has it been in there?”

“Um, a year, maybe more?”

“Baby…”

Tilting her head, she smiled artfully up at him. “That’s better proof than a lab test that I’m clean, plus I’m on the pill.”

He answered with a grin. “You’ve got nothing to worry about from me. I was tested before I went abroad, and I haven’t been with anyone since my head became preoccupied with a sexy redhead in a little white apron.”

Convinced, she tossed the shabby condom over her shoulder and grinned.

Lips coming together again, they yanked her pants and panties down one leg, thwarted once again by her boots. Even with them bunched around her ankle, it was far enough for him to get the right position, and he drove up inside her. The way he filled her completely was incredible, as was the feel of his big hands clamped around her warm, tender ass as they helped her find a rhythm in the cramped space.

It was a frenzied, fiery joining, and as she felt her climax quickly approaching, she tossed her head back while groaning his name. Kyle’s lips seared a path down her throat to the pulse pounding in the hollow at the base of her neck. As he latched on, surging hard and fast inside her at the same time, she came.

The height of her passion, and his that followed a split second behind her, drained her of all doubt. She loved him, as she had in school and all the years that had followed, although she’d only ever admitted it in her dreams. Now she could shout it to the world, but she didn’t, not quite yet.

They eventually made it to the Save-a-Lot, the only cars in the half-plowed lot those with four-wheel drive. Getting a cart and feeling very domestic, they scrounged through the picked-over shelves for cold provisions. Pumpernickel, not her favorite, was the only bread in stock other than a pack of hot dog buns, which they threw in the buggy as well. Canned tuna, a new squeeze bottle of mayo, single-serving bottles of juice, more soda, cold coffee—Frappuccino, because Kyle was jonesing for caffeine—chips, chips, and more chips, and two more packs of Double-Stuf Oreos.

At the checkout, while laughing at the junk food rolling down the conveyor belt, a man came up behind Kyle and slapped him on the shoulder.

“Another gorgeous redhead, Prescott? Save some for the rest of us.”

He whirled, then grinned when he recognized him. “Mack, you brought your precious Beemer out in the snow? I’m shocked, more so that your princess car made it.”

His smile was replaced by a scowl at the ribbing. “I know, it doesn’t do shit in rain, let alone snow. I got stranded at Chelsea’s place, so I’m here in her Jeep.”

“Poor girl. And was she so sick of having her ex underfoot that she sent you with a shopping list to get a moment of peace?”

“Bastard,” he shot back, though it was obviously typical banter for them. Then his face softened into a genuine smile. “Actually, we came to a meeting of the minds last night.”

“No joke?” Kyle asked, serious now.

“You know we’ve both been miserable since we broke up.”

“And you know what I say, divorce in haste, repent in leisure. It’s not always greener and no relationship is easy. You’re better off sticking around and working to revive what brought you together in the first place, rather than calling it quits, in most cases.”

“Yeah, yeah.” Mack winked at her. “Get used to him being right all the time, babe. He always is.”

“Now tell her that she’s the only gorgeous redhead I’ve been with, before she freaks out.”

“You were the one in the stairwell?” he asked. Dixie flushed furiously, making Mack grin. “Well, all right. He’s been moping about the one that got away for a long damn time.”

“Mack,” Kyle warned, but his friend went right on.

“When I saw the two of you making out under the mistletoe, I had great hope that horrible Mr. Hyde would morph into jolly Dr. Jekyll again. Does you two being domestic and shopping together mean he’s gone for good? If so, thanks for that, babe. He’s been hell to work with lately.”

“Really?” she asked, sending a scowling Kyle an interested sidelong glance.

“Meet Jake Mackenzie, aka the mouth of the south. And stop calling her babe.”

“I’m also his partner.” The shaggy-haired, barrel-chested man in the padded flannel shirt appeared more like a lumberjack than a doctor. “I know things, beautiful. Call me.” He held his thumb and pinky up to his ear like a phone as he gave her an exaggerated wink, then walked away chuckling, with Kyle glaring holes in his back.

As she considered their interesting exchange, Kyle paid for the groceries and with all the bags in one hand, grabbed hers with the other and led them out of the store.

“You were worried about that redhead remark,” he said a few minutes later as he pulled onto the main street. “You’re going to have to find a way to trust me, Dixie, or this won’t work.”

“I’m sorry,” she replied softly. “Remember, you said you’d be patient with me.”

His fingers curled around hers where they rested on the console, where he’d spanked her not an hour ago. He tugged off her mitten and raised her hand to his lips.

“I’m nothing if not patient, darlin’. I’ve been waiting twelve years for this opportunity. I’m not about to give up so easily and neither will my itchy palm.”