Mary Quite Contrary by Amelia Smarts

Chapter Three

Mondays were always slow at the restaurant, so Mary spent a good deal of the day cleaning. Without a single customer, she was alone with her thoughts as she wiped down the counters with vinegar and baking soda. She couldn’t stop thinking about Benjamin Gray, and she didn’t like the thoughts she was having. They were unwholesome and embarrassing.

She kept thinking about his threat to Willow—that he would pull down her trousers, leaving her bottom bare and vulnerable to the bite of his strap. Surely she should find such an image repulsive, but instead she felt an ache from low in her belly to her loins. It was a pulsing, distracting ache that made her want to touch herself between her legs.

The restaurant was empty by eight o’clock that evening, and Mary thought of closing up early. But as she approached the front door, the very man on her mind entered. A flush overtook her from head to toe the moment she saw Deputy Benjamin Gray. The sun had gone down, and the dim lighting from the coal-oil lamp served to romanticize him. She pictured him next to her bed, unbuttoning his shirt and removing his belt. She wondered what he looked like under his clothes, a thought that did nothing to assuage the heat her body was experiencing.

For his part, he seemed completely unaware of the effect he had on her. “Good evening, Mary,” he said, taking off his Stetson.

She somehow found her voice. “Hello, Ben. You here for supper?”

“No, just another lemonade if you have it. Or a coffee if you don’t.”

“No lemonade, but you’re in luck, I brewed some joe not too long ago.”

He sat at the same table where they’d sat the day before. Mary excused herself to the kitchen to get the coffee, and also to take a look at herself in the window’s reflection. To her relief, she didn’t look as disheveled as she often did at the end of the workday.

She returned to the dining area with two mugs and a carafe of coffee and sat down opposite of him. She was curious about his visit. “You could have gotten a drink at the saloon and had a lot more company,” she said. Then, worried that she sounded rude, she added, “Not that I mind you coming here.”

He smiled and took a sip. A look came across his face—one of pain or displeasure—but it vanished quickly.

“Is it too hot?” she asked, and took a tentative sip out of her own mug.

“No, no. It’s good.” He coughed. “Strong,” he added. Clearing his throat, he said, “Truth is, I didn’t only come for the coffee. I came by to make sure Willow helped you out today as I asked her to.”

Mary shook her head. “No, I’m afraid not, but please don’t worry about it.” She didn’t like that Ben was bothering with such a trifling matter, when surely he had more important things to do.

His expression grew serious. She liked his smile, but there was something thrilling about his somberness. The hardness of his jaw and the narrowing of his eyes served to make him appear handsomer. “I’ll have another talk with her,” he said.

Mary stared into the black liquid in her cup, rippling softly from the movement. She wondered if the talk would include another spanking threat, and she suddenly became aware of her entire body. She clenched her legs together and shifted on the wooden seat.

In the same serious tone, he said, “My job is to protect people from grievances both large and small. I agree with you that Willow committed a small grievance. I don’t think she should be shipped to San Quentin, but I do think she should make it up to you.”

Ben stood with his coffee and walked around the dining room, studying the framed pictures on the wall and the various local artwork. He complimented a couple of pieces in a much friendlier tone. Just when she was feeling at ease again that he had dropped the Willow matter, he stopped in front of her register and said sternly, “What’s this?” He indicated the open drawer exposing the money from the day’s earnings—not much, less than ten dollars.

The tone of his voice, surprised and scolding, caused her hackles to be raised immediately. She stood and walked over to where he was standing. “I was about to count the money when you walked in,” she said defensively.

He studied her a moment before shaking his head. “No, you weren’t. When I came in, you were on the other side of the room.”

“Well, after I closed the restaurant for the night, I was going to count it,” she insisted. “What does it matter?”

He closed his eyes as though he was gathering his patience. It made her feel like she was nine years old and not nineteen. When he opened his eyes again, he looked at her with exasperation. “Anyone could have come in and stolen that money. When the front door is open, the cash register should be closed and locked. Surely this is common sense?”

She waved her hand dismissively. “It’s Thorndale. People don’t just walk in and steal money.”

“They only steal pies, I suppose,” he responded, raising a sardonic eyebrow.

She placed her hands on her hips and tilted her chin up. “That was different. Willow was hungry.” Mary knew she was losing the argument. It would have been better to admit she’d committed an error in judgment and promise to lock her register in the future. But she didn’t want to appear foolish to Ben. It was preferable to appear contrary.

It seemed that he was going to let the matter drop. He turned and walked toward the door. Mary’s heart sank. She didn’t want him to leave. She was just about to say so when he surprised her. Instead of walking out the door, he locked it. Turning back toward her and glancing at the grandfather clock, he said, “It’s closing time, isn’t it?”

She looked at the clock too. “Close enough.”

He pulled the curtains down over the large glass window. “Good, then we can have a talk and be assured of no interruptions.”

Mary’s heartbeat quickened. Remembering his ‘talk’ with Willow, she looked down and fidgeted with her hands.

“Look, Mary. I like you,” Ben said.

She wasn’t expecting that. She looked up and stared questioningly into his eyes.

“I like you too much to see you getting taken advantage of. I’ve been in law enforcement long enough to see the worst of human nature. By leaving the register open, you’re making it very easy for someone with questionable morals or desperation to steal from you.”

“So it would be my fault if the money were stolen. Is that what you’re saying?” She couldn’t help herself. As much sense as he was making, she was offended that she was being scolded like a schoolgirl.

His eyes narrowed. “Now look here,” he said, sauntering across the room toward her. He stopped when he was a horse’s length away. It was close enough to be confrontational without being intimidating. “You’re being purposefully contrary. All you have to do is say that you understand and will protect your money in the future. Is that too hard for you to say?”

She couldn’t explain it, but it was too hard. It would be admitting defeat somehow, or owning up to the fact that she wasn’t really cut out to be in charge of such a large establishment.

When she didn’t respond, he raised an eyebrow. “Or perhaps you need consequences to assist you in learning this lesson.” His voice was teasing, but his gaze was still serious.

Her breath caught, and she hoped her thoughts weren’t written all over her face. She was imagining being turned over the handsome deputy’s knee and spanked hard like a naughty little girl. The image was both mortifying and intriguing.

“What kind of consequences?” she said, her voice near a whisper.

“I don’t know. A spanking comes to mind.”

“You, you wouldn’t,” she stammered. “You said you’d never actually do that to Willow when you made that threat.”

“No, but I would spank you if you agreed it was necessary to learn a valuable lesson.”

He waited a long time. She had plenty of opportunity to drop her pride rather than her drawers, but she was experiencing such a strange mixture of defensiveness and curiosity. When she’d first set eyes on Deputy Benjamin Gray, all she could think about was being pulled into his arms and kissed soundly. Every fiber of her being was attracted to him.

Finally, he pivoted and took hold of a straight-backed wooden chair that was scooted up against a table. She could only watch mutely as he placed it determinedly in the center aisle, out of the way of other tables and chairs. Once it was positioned how he wanted it, he pinched the fabric of his trousers and sat, placed a palm on each knee, and looked at her with one eyebrow still raised. “Well, seems you’ve made your choice. Come and place yourself over my lap for a spanking, young lady. We’ll see if that teaches to you to mind your money properly.”

He didn’t look angry. If anything, he looked rather amused, but there was still seriousness attached to his gaze, which showed Mary he was not joking. He fully intended to see his spanking threat through. The same pulsing between her legs that she’d experienced earlier in the day while daydreaming about Ben came bounding back full force.

She wanted to laugh. Instead, she walked to him. Finding her voice, she said, “This isn’t necessary, Ben. Do you threaten to spank everyone who errs in judgment?”

“So you admit it was an error?”

She shrugged and looked down at the floor. All she had to do was admit it, and it would be settled. But the proverbial cat had caught her tongue.

Ben shook his head and clicked his tongue. “Tsk. You had your chance.”

Before she could protest further, he took hold of her arm and pulled her down over his lap. She squealed as her feet left the floor.

Once she gained her balance, it surprised her how comfortable she felt in her current position. Her body fit perfectly over his lap, and if she weren’t about to receive a punishment, she might have relaxed. Her belly flipped with both arousal and nervousness as he lifted her skirt and placed it over her back.

If embarrassment could kill a person, she would be dead. She could only imagine what he was seeing—her practical petticoat pulled taut over her generous bottom. The indignity of the situation struck her dumb, so she didn’t protest when he next hitched up her petticoat and bunched it around her hips. She closed her eyes tight and clenched the legs of the chair with her fists.

She nearly jumped out of her skin when his hand rested on her bottom. “My guess is you haven’t had many spankings in your life,” he said.

She shook her head. “No. But what makes you think so?”

He chuckled. “Because if you had, you would have done more to avoid getting one. Spankings hurt.”

Her belly flipped again, and a renewed heat spread from her cheeks to the shells of her ears. She squirmed slightly. “I don’t like being ordered around,” she said stubbornly. “I do well for myself, you know.”

“I never said you didn’t. I can tell you’re competent.”

Despite the fact that she was about to be punished, her heart warmed to hear his mild compliment. She didn’t have much time to dwell on it, however, because the next thing she knew, a sharp swat connected with her posterior. Another came, and another one after that.

It didn’t hurt in the least, and the temptation to laugh raced through her, but again a small voice inside of her warned not to do it. She knew he wasn’t striking with full force, plus the protection of drawers caused the spanking to feel like nothing stronger than firm, repetitive pats.

After ten swats, he stopped and said, “Well? Have you learned your lesson?”

She couldn’t help it then. She bit her tongue and squeezed her eyes shut tight, but laughter bubbled up from her stomach to her throat and came out in a loud, raucous giggle. Once she began to laugh, she found it hard to stop, and her whole body was soon overcome with quivering mirth.

It was some time before she regained her composure, and she was only able to do so because Ben’s silence was disconcerting. She looked over her shoulder to get a look at his face. He looked amused, but dryly so, and with a certain gleam in his eye that told her any amusement he felt was only derived from her response, not from what caused it in the first place.

“I’m sorry,” she said, laughing again. “It’s just… It didn’t hurt at all. And after you said how much spankings hurt… I… I’m sorry.” She dissolved into giggles again and dropped her face down toward the floor again.

“You haven’t answered my question,” he said, his voice strikingly calm in comparison to her excited rambling.

She racked her brain, trying to remember what the question was.

He reminded her. “I asked if you’ve learned your lesson. Will you keep your money locked up from now on?”

“Oh, right. Um, maybe.” Her mind was mush, alternating between mirth, embarrassment, and arousal.

“Wrong answer, darlin’,” he drawled.

She knew then that he planned to continue spanking her, harder, and perhaps she should have at least attempted to answer him seriously. He wrapped his left arm around her waist, and with what seemed to be effortless maneuvering, pinned her torso tight against his legs. She couldn’t move her hips or bottom an inch no matter how hard she fought.

What happened next was predictable, but she hadn’t expected how much it would sting. Again and again, he spanked her bottom. The cracks rang out sharply in the empty room, and were accompanied by her shrieks and gasps. His hand felt like solid wood as it bounced off her poorly protected skin, layering one after the other on the fleshiest part of her bottom.

With every spank, the pain grew, and so did her outrage. She felt completely out of control and fearful of how long the episode would last. “That’s enough!” she cried out, furious and humiliated that she was enduring something so painful after laughing over the first few pats.

He paused for a moment, and she dared to hope that he was finished. Instead, he said, “Ten more.”

“No!” she cried out, as the last ten spanks were applied with what seemed to be extra force. After the very last swat, his grip on her loosened, and she scrambled off his lap. As she righted her skirt, tears coursed down her face.

She couldn’t bear to look at him. “You’re horrible. I never want to see you again.”

He stood and reached out to her. “Aww, honey. Was it really all that bad?”

She backed up a step. “Leave, please,” she said, her voice quivering with humiliation and anger.

“I will if you wish,” he said. “But I think we should talk first.”

“About what?”

“About how angry you are. You did agree to get spanked, didn’t you? Maybe not in words, but by coming to me when I said to?”

“Yes, I suppose, but I didn’t think it would actually hurt.”

“You thought it wouldn’t hurt? A spanking?”

“I didn’t think it would hurt that badly, no!”

“It was a very mild punishment. Tell me, are you in any pain, right in this moment?”

Mary thought about it. Her bottom tingled, and it felt warm, but it didn’t hurt. “Well, no, not really.” She glanced up to see him offer her a gentle smile.

“Look, darlin’. I was planning on letting you up after the first couple pats. But you made it clear what I’d done thus far wasn’t the least bit effective. What kind of man would I be if I didn’t finish what I started—what you in fact agreed to?”

She shrugged. “A nice man?” In spite of her fury only moments before, the anger was draining out of her.

He let out a short chuckle. “I guess it’s best you know something about me now. I am not nice.”

“That’s too bad. I want to be courted by a nice man, not a horse’s ass.” Realizing what she’d just said, she clapped a hand over her mouth. She could feel her face heating up. “Not that… Not that you ever asked to court me, but…” She wasn’t in control of her faculties, thanks to this man who had punished her in the most undignified way imaginable.

He took a step toward her. When he wrapped his arms around her and brought her close to his chest, she didn’t fight it. Rather, she melted against him, feeling warm and safe somehow.

“I would like to,” he said. He ran his hand down her back, leaving a hot trail of pleasure in its wake.

“What?” she asked, just as softly.

“I would like to court you.”

It was what she’d wanted since first laying eyes on him. She was drawn to him, and it felt right resting in his arms—both thrilling and comforting at the same time. But when she recalled how only moments ago, the flat of his hand had been striking her bottom, embarrassment surged to the forefront of her thoughts.

“Don’t answer now. Think about it,” he said, perhaps sensing that he wouldn’t like the answer resting on the tip of her tongue. “If you decide to allow me the pleasure of courting you, meet me at the live oak tree tomorrow at dawn. If not, don’t show up, and I’ll know your answer.”

She nodded, and he gave her a quick squeeze before releasing her. Once their bodies were no longer touching, she felt bereft, but not for long. He touched her chin and tilted her head up so that their eyes would meet. His expression was kind, if not nice, and his eyes twinkled.

“Something I hope will sway you in the right direction,” he said, his voice deep and rough. He leaned down and paused an inch before his lips met hers, giving her time to break away if she wanted. He brushed his lips against hers, and she let out an involuntary hum. Her breath came out in shallow pants, and she closed her eyes as pleasure ricocheted in her belly.

Being kissed was nothing like she’d imagined. She’d thought it would be a sensation involving the mouth only, like drinking something warm. Instead, the kiss sent sparks throughout her whole body, from her lips to her toes. When he reached around and pulled her closer by the nape of her neck, she gasped and let his tongue meet hers. She felt dominated and cherished at the same time. The way his kiss continued gaining momentum let her know that he was just as enamored by the sensation as she was, and knowing that she gave him such pleasure caused her to swell with pride and happiness.

The kiss was over far too soon. Their lips unlocked, and she opened her eyes.

“You’re awfully sweet, Mary dear. I won’t forget that kiss anytime soon.”

“Nor will I.”

He smiled. “Tomorrow at dawn. The live oak tree. Don’t break my heart.”

He turned and walked toward the door. As he passed the register, still open with the money on display, he paused and turned back toward her. “And don’t leave money out in the open ever again.”

“I won’t.”

“Good girl,” he said, giving her a wink. He unlocked the door and walked outside.

Mary felt like he took some of the air out of the room with him. The restaurant suddenly felt empty and cold, and she could hardly organize her thoughts enough to focus on the final closing chores. As she placed the chair where she’d been spanked back by its table, she tried to force the punishment episode out of her mind.

Her outrage over being spanked battled with her amazement over the kiss. She knew she had only hours to make her decision over whether to be courted by the handsome deputy, and she wanted to make the right one. If she hadn’t been so tongue-tied, she would have asked for more time.

But she only had until dawn, and it came way too soon.