Page 66 of Tanner
Tanner’s jaw tightened. Junie sat on the bench, looking guilty as sin, cheeks flushed, while the other girls shifted nervously in their seats, avoiding eye contact with Boone.
Poppy left next, giving each of the girls a hug and wishing them good luck before leaving herself. Although she only glanced at Sam, she muttered a “sorry” as she walked by.
His sweet little baker had gone and gotten herself into realtrouble this time, and while part of him was still proud she’d finally stood up for herself, the Daddy in him was already mentally calculating exactly how long and thorough the reminder spanking she had coming was going to be.
“Well,” said Boone, taking charge as always. “What have you all got to say for yourselves?”
After a long, silent pause, Kenzie held up her arm, fist clenched, and gave a shake of her fist. “Go team?” she called out with a smile and hopeful expression.
Tanner barked a laugh. He needed to get his girl and get gone. “Okay, Junie, let’s go.”
“You girls need to thank Sam and Mitch for not pressing charges,” Boone instructed.
The Littles turned, looking properly contrite. One by one, they mumbled their thanks and apologies. Sam waved it off with a grunt. “Just get them out of here before I change my mind. And, Tanner, you owe me a new shirt.”
Junie wouldn’t meet his eyes as she walked past him. Her cheeks were bright pink, her clothes still had faint smears of frosting and pie filling, and she looked every bit like a Little who knew she was in trouble. Good.
He didn’t say a word until they reached his truck. He buckled her in carefully. A tear fought to spill from the corner of her eye. That damn near broke his heart. Unable to stop himself, he took her chin, tilted her face up so that she looked him in the eye, and gave her a long, passionate kiss.
Pulling back, Tanner smiled at her. “Before anything else is said or done, I want you to know I’m very proud of you for standing up for yourself, Cupcake.”
“So, I’m not in trouble?” she asked, confusion, hope, and the hint of a smile on her face.
“Oh, you’re in trouble.” Tanner laughed. “You’re in big trouble.”
Reaching behind the seat, he pulled out a plain, empty manilafile folder. He opened it and gently pressed the crease right against her nose.
“Consider this a mobile timeout corner, little girl,” he said quietly. “You’re going to hold this folder against your nose and spend every minute of the drive back home thinking about the right and wrong way to handle things. No talking.”
Junie made a small, nervous sound but didn’t argue. She kept her nose pressed in the crease of the folder the entire drive, quiet and obedient. True to his word, Tanner let the silence stretch, giving her time to sit with her choices.
By the time they reached the ranch and he led her up to his suite, the air between them felt heavy with anticipation. “Our first order of business is getting you cleaned up.” Once she was out of the bathroom and had changed clothes, he opened the door to his play room and flipped on the low lights.
The space was already prepared exactly the way he wanted it—soft lighting, the spanking bench centered, a few carefully chosen implements laid out neatly, and a thick blanket folded on the big chair in the corner for aftercare.
“Stand in the middle of the room,” he said, voice calm but firm.
Junie obeyed, her hands twisting nervously in front of her. Tanner closed the door behind them and locked it with a soft click.
“Strip down to your panties. Fold your clothes neatly and place them on the chair.”
He watched as she slowly removed each piece of clothing, her cheeks burning with embarrassment. When she was down to just her soft pink panties, he sat on the edge of the spanking bench and crooked a finger at her.
“Come here, Cupcake.”
She stepped between his spread thighs, gaze fixed on the floor. Tanner placed his hand under her chin and tilted her face up so she had to look at him.
“You know why we’re in here, don’t you?”
“Yes, Daddy,” she whispered, voice already small.
“Tell me.”
“I… I wrote a mean message on a display sign about Cherry. Then I got into a food fight and ruined a bunch of the pastries and cakes I spent all morning making. It cost me money and made a huge mess in the bakery that now has to be cleaned before we can open again.”
Tanner nodded slowly. “That’s right. Like I said before, I’m proud of you for finally standing up for yourself, Cupcake. Cherry’s had it coming for a long time. But the way you did it? That was not okay. You let your temper get the best of you and hurt your own business in the process. That’s why we’re here. Daddy’s going to make sure you understand that there are better ways to handle people like Cherry.”
He let that sink in for a moment, watching her shift from foot to foot, her fingers twisting nervously in front of her.
