SEE CHAPTER 1 FOR WARNINGS AND DISCLAIMERS.

Additional warning: This chapter contains the disciplinary spanking of an adult. If this offends you, don't read it.

CHAPTER 4

Mary looked up when a shadow fell across her paper. She had been attempting to write a story about the morning's gun battle for the Clarion, but the number of wadded up papers littering her desk gave testimony to her lack of concentration. She had been less than repentant when she and Chris had parted company earlier, and now she was mad. How dare he treat her like a disobedient child sent to her room to await her punishment.

Chris entered the newspaper office and quietly closed the door behind himself. He stood there, arms crossed over his chest, contemplating Mary for a full thirty seconds before removing his hat and tossing it onto the table in front of the window. He could tell from her body language that Mary was spoiling for a fight. Well, so was he, and he would be the one to win.

"You want to tell me what the hell you were thinking this morning?" Chris moved to stand in front of Mary.

"I have no idea what you are talking about, Mr. Larabee. I merely took steps to participate in the protection of this town." Mary laid her pencil on the desk and sat back in her chair. She really disliked having to look up to meet Chris' eyes, but she had no intention of showing that he intimidated her by standing up.

Chris growled low under his breath, his frustration mounting. He leaned over and braced his hands on the desk, his face only inches away from Mary's. "You know exactly what I'm talking about. I told you to stay inside, out of harm's way. But, you insisted on disobeying me and put your life in danger."

"You have no authority to tell me what to do, Mr. Larabee. You may be one of the peace keepers in this town, but that does not give you the authority to order me about. This is a free territory, and I have the right to do as I see fit to protect myself and my property." Mary stood and stepped around the desk. She didn't get far before Chris grabbed her by the arm and turned her to face him.

Chris pulled Mary close. "You know, Mary, since I met you I've admired your courage and grit. It takes a strong women to do what you've done. But, you went too far this morning and almost got yourself killed." He moved to the outside wall, pulling Mary behind him. Once there, he used his free hand to shove a stack of books aside, revealing the small hole that was left behind from the bullet that had hit the building during the gunfight.

"Your damned pride got in the way of your common sense. You came that close to dying this morning. Did you stop to think about Billy and what would happen to him if you'd been shot before you acted?" Mary paled. She hadn't realized she had come that close to leaving her young son an orphan. Still, her pride would not let her admit that she had been wrong.

"This is my town, Mr. Larabee. I have and will continue to fit to make it a fit place to raise a family. If that means putting myself in danger, that is exactly what I am going to do." She pulled her arm out of Chris's grasp and was slightly surprised when he let her. "No one ever won a battle hiding behind closed doors where it was safe." She moved to open the door, an obvious invitation for Chris to leave. "Now, Mr. Larabee, I believe it is time for you to leave. I'm sure you must have other business to attend to."

Chris pulled the door out of her grasp and closed it. He then took her by the wrist. "This discussion isn't over. I aim to see that you start thinking before you put your life in danger."

He moved to sit down in the desk chair and pulled Mary over his lap in one swift movement. Chris tossed up her skirts and petticoats until only her thin pantaloons remained to preserve her modesty.

"How dare you do this. Let me up this instant." Mary struggled, trying to extricate herself from Chris' hold, but this arm across the small of her back held her firmly in place.

"Oh, I dare alright. You said it yourself – I'm one of the peacekeepers here. That means I have the right to do whatever I think is necessary to keep the peace in this town. And right now I'm thinking you need a sound spanking to remind you to think next time before you do anything else stupid."

With that, Chris' hand landed a hard slap to Mary's backside, causing her to jerk in surprise. That first smack was followed by several others. Mary continued to struggle against Chris' hold.

"Stop it. You have no right to do this. I'll tell the judge."

Chris laughed, but didn't stop his relentless assault on her bottom. "Judge Travis already knows I'm doing this. You might even say he approved." He shifted her forward so that he could more easily access the tender area where her thighs met her backside. After landing several punishing slaps where she would feel them later, Chris paused, his hand resting on her upper thigh. He could feel the heat from her reddened posterior through her underclothing.

"You gonna listen to me and do what I tell you from now on?" he asked. Mary renewed her struggles and demanded to be let up. Chris sighed and reached for the ruler he'd spotted lying on the desk. "Your stubbornness ain't doin' you any favors." He brought the wooden ruler down on her backside a half dozen times. Mary cried out in pain with each swat. When he was finished, Mary lay limp across his lap.

"How 'bout now? You ready to listen." Mary nodded her head in agreement, not sure she could trust her voice. The ruler landed on her sore backside again. "I want to hear your answer."

"Yes."

"Are you gonna disobey me next time I tell you to do something?"

Mary sobbed. "No."

Chris landed three more swats of the ruler to her backside before tossed it back on the desk and standing Mary back on her feet. Before she knew what had happened, she was cradled in Chris' strong arms. She hadn't been spanked in a very long time. Her husband had spanked her once early in their marriage, but no one had treated her that way since. She felt like a young girl again, but welcomed the comfort of Chris' embrace.

"I'm sorry," she said into the front of his shirt.

Chris rested his chin on the top of her head. "I know you are, Mary. I hated having to do that, but I'd hate to have to bury you even more. What you did today was beyond stupid. You nearly got yourself killed." He pushed her away so that he could look her in the eye. "I care a great deal about you and Billy. I don't want to see anything happen to you – especially something that could have been prevented. I didn't tell you to stay inside just to hear myself talk."

Mary nodded. She knew she had acted foolishly, but until Chris had made that point abundantly clear she had been unable to admit that, even to herself. "I won't do anything like that again." She stepped back and Chris let go of her arms. She rubbed her backside, trying to ease some of the sting that Chris' spanking had left there, but her many petticoats and skirt prevented the massage from doing much good. "I promise I'll do what you say the next time."

Chris grinned. "Hopefully, there won't be a next time. But, if you ever disobey me like that again, you're going to find yourself right back over my knee. And I won't be nearly as easy on you."

"You weren't exactly easy on me this time," Mary complained.

Chris chuckled and moved to pick up his hat. "Coulda' been a whole lot worse. Why don't you go lie down and rest for a while. You've had a hard day."

Mary nodded. She needed some time to herself to think about what had just happened, especially Chris' statement that he cared a great deal about her. "Will you be at the hotel restaurant this evening for dinner?"

"Maybe. I don't know yet. There's still a lot that needs taking care of."

Mary nodded. "Perhaps I will see you there."

"Perhaps." With that, Chris left the newspaper office. He paused on the porch and looked out over the town. Life was already returning to normal. People were going about their business. A couple of women stood outside Potter's store chatting as if nothing had happened only a few short hours before. He watched as a group of children chased each other in the open space in front of the livery. Yes, life in this small town was returning to normal, but why did he feel like things were never going to be the same for him again where Mary was concerned?

Chris put his hat on and pulled a cheroot and a match from his shirt pocket. He struck the match on the porch post and lit the cheroot before stepping off the porch and heading in the direction of Nathan's clinic. It was time to deal with the next problem.