Princess Lisa, Part One

Hey Spanky Friends!

Here's a new one for ya. Wait. It's Thursday, not Friday. Wow. Am I tired. I just realized that it's not Friday. Wow. Freaky. I have been fighting something off this week and have been sleeping a lot. Apparently, I didn't sleep enough.

Oh, well. Since I have this all ready, I might as well post.

Damn, what a dork. Hope this finds you all well and happy!

Michelle


Bent over, her hands on the high-backed wooden chair, her ass high in the air, Lisa waited. Her heart pounded, sweat trickled down her neck. The heater came on, warm air rushed over her bare breasts, her hips, her sex.

Jake paced behind her, his boots echoing off the hardwood floors. “So let me get this straight. You didn’t clean the kitchen, nor cook dinner, nor shop today because you didn’t think I was coming home.”

“No. I was going to do it all. My car broke down and it took all day to get it fixed. By the time I got home, it was too late and you were here and were already angry.”

“Where’s the bill from the auto shop?”

“They’re sending it.”

“So, if I went out to the car and checked the trunk, there wouldn’t be a bunch of bags from the mall there.”

Inwardly, she choked, picturing the bounty of amazing goodies she’d purchased that afternoon. She kept her tone strong. “Nope. I told you, I went and got some mascara, only mascara at Macy’s. Then I went out and the car was dead. I got a jump, then the car died on Maple.”

“And you took the long way home because…?”

“There was an accident and I wanted to avoid it.”

“You know, if all kinds of strange things hadn’t been preventing you from doing what I ask you to do around here, I probably wouldn’t have you bent over this chair right now. This is the third weird occurrence this week that’s stopped you from getting your chores done. Do I ask too much of you?”

“No, Jake.”

“When you got laid off, I was cool with it, wasn’t I?”

“Yes, Jake.”

“I gave you six months to find a job. I get the economy’s bad, I get why you haven’t found one yet. And I know I make enough money at the shop. But your contributions to the household have been bad at best for the past two months. Every time you promise me you’re going to do something, somehow something happens. The house isn’t clean, there’s no food in the fridge, but the TV is always warm when I get home.”

A hard spank to her right bun, she yelped and jumped. The sting echoed through her body, making her legs shake a bit.

“Hands on the chair!” he ordered.

She obeyed quickly. Damn it. She’d finally blown it. She knew she’d been pushing it. But that sale had been so much fun. She and Sophie had gone to town. Thankfully, Sophie was hiding her purchases for her. She’d sneak them in tomorrow when Jake was at work.

Stupid Jake. This was all his fault. If he’d let her keep their housekeeper after she’d lost her job, the house would be clean. And what was wrong with watching TV? It was why it was there, for God’s sake. And also why the mall was there, to go shopping. Thankfully, she handled the family finances. Jake had no idea how much she’d spent lately. She knew it wasn’t right, but damn it, compared to Sophie, Lisa lived the life of a slave girl.

Sophie got everything she wanted. Henry didn’t make her work. Sophie had a housekeeper, a gardener and a personal trainer. Henry treated her like a princess. Lisa wanted to be a princess, too. She knew they didn’t make the money Henry did, but they weren’t that poor. Even without her income, they could afford a housekeeper, but Jake was a hardass. While she loved him insanely, he expected too much out of her. He liked his work so he thought working was great. He thought everyone should be working as hard as he did. But she hated her job. She’d never found a day job she liked. Watching TV, talking on the phone and shopping was so much more fun. He just didn’t understand her.

If only she hadn’t agreed to this Domestic Discipline thing. It had been exciting in the beginning and truthfully, Jake had helped her lose weight. But now? All she wanted to do was hang out and shop with her friends. But the man was practically psychic and always seemed to catch her breaking his rules. She just needed to get better at the game. She’d tell Jake whatever he wanted to hear and then she’d do a bit of housecleaning tomorrow to put him off. Anything to stop him from punishing her. She hadn’t been spanked in so long, she’d forgot all about their agreement. Until this little reminder.

She wished he’d get this over with fast. Survivor was on and she didn’t want to miss it.

“So here’s the deal. I’m gonna leave you a list from now on. If you don’t get everything done, I’m spanking you. Hard. Not a few, either. For everything you don’t get done, you get twenty-five.”

“Twenty-five!”

Excruciating pain seared her ass, Jake laid into her with everything he had. She screamed, shocked and surprised at the force with which he delivered his swats. Again and again, he spanked her taut, bare buns. One cheek than the other, he walloped her. He spanked the sides of her butt, then zeroed in on her sit spots and wouldn’t stop. What was wrong with him? What had gotten into him? This hurt!

“Jake! Stop!”

“You (swat) don’t tell me (swat, swat, swat) stop!” he thundered, aiming each swat on her poor burning sit spots.

She danced from foot to foot.

“Feet on the floor!” he demanded.

She obeyed, but it wasn’t easy. The man wouldn’t stop spanking her! He struck each cheek in turn, then performed a crescendo on her most sensitive spots. Again. Blazing it. She howled. Tears streamed down her face to drip on the hard flat wooden seat.

After a machine gun report of severe spanks all over her ass, he stopped. The pain reverberated through her rear and legs. She shook all over, sweat poured from her body, she wracked with sobs.

“You will obey me, woman! No more of this crap! You hear me?”

“Yes, Jake,” she cried, her voice cracking.

“God, you piss me off. I expect respect in this household. You do what I say!” Spank! “When I say!” Thwack!

“Yes, Jake! Yes! I’m sorry!”

“You sure as hell better be! I’m the boss around here, not you!” Swat, spank, whack! “Say it, say, ‘you’re the boss, Jake’!”

“You’re the boss, Jake!” she quickly said.

He rubbed a hand over the burning flesh of a bun. Please let it be over!

But unfortunately, the agony of her buns began to melt into naughty feelings throughout her sex. She loved being displayed like this for him. Loved his power over her. Her sex swelled with want. She hoped he made love to her. How could he resist?

©2011, Michelle Carlyle

Peeping Teri, Conclusion

Hey Spankos!

How are you guys? I’m doing great. Tired, still a bit hungover, but great. Reno rocked! I got to stay in a suite that looked like a Bond villain’s suite. Huge, two walls of windows on a high floor with a Jacuzzi tub. I’d fill the tub, turn off all the lights and watch the city lights of Reno and the moon rise through the big windows. Many baths along with tons of hours spent gambling. God, I love slot machines! I came out with less than I went up with but won a bunch of money that helped keep me gambling the whole time. Only problem with Reno? No husband to fuck and I must have smoked sixteen cartons of secondhand smoke. Casinos are notoriously hostile environments. Loud 80s music, blinking lights, machines screaming for you and enough cigarette smoke to create a constant fog. Gak. But I had lots of fun. Snow on the way up, snow on the way back, but we managed to avoid chains. Couldn’t believe it was snowing in mid May. Neither could anyone in Reno. Still, overall a spectacular trip and much needed. I’m feeling more myself.

So here’s the conclusion of Peeping Teri, next week a new story!

Hugs to all you great people!

Michelle

Rafe’s doorbell rang. If Teri had busted his windows and lied to him, she’d pay a price for that. Over his lap. Her pants around her ankles, that fine ass of hers spanked into a nice shade of beet red.

His cock stirred. God, he loved spanking deserving little girls. Then making love to them. Teri would be particularly fun. Bent over his bed, her red ass in the air, a contrite look on her face that would turn quickly to tortured pleasure.

Watch it, McKellan, your hard-on will give you away.

He opened the door and took in a quick breath of air at the sight of her luscious breasts pressed firmly against her white tank top. Her red mouth parted slightly, her sparkling brown gaze, that cute turned up nose. Man, he wanted her. She sent him a quick smile, then averted her gaze and bit her lip.

She looked guilty as hell. So she was the culprit. It was all over her face. Well, he could help her with her conscience. But first, he had to get her to confess.

“Come on in.”

She hesitantly followed. “Wow, nice place, um, Rafe.”

“Thanks. Always been into making my house nice.”

“Love your antiques. Wow, what you’ve done to this place. Really nice work.”

“Glad you like it. Follow me and let’s go look at the fence.”

She followed him outside and up to the scene of the crime. She inspected the fence and the branch, then turned to him. He caught her scent. A mixture of lilac and spring air. He mentally slapped himself. Had to get something out of the way before he kissed her.

She nodded at the fence. “So, yeah, I can fix this. Pretty easily. Got a chainsaw, got all the tools. Should be a snap.”

“Not fair you having to fix a problem caused by a misbehaving teenager. Wonder what he was doing up there?”

She quickly turned back to the damaged fence. “Oh, you know kids…”

He took the necklace out of his pocket. “Oh, check this out.”

She turned to him, he handed her the necklace. She took it, her eyes went wide with surprise. “My necklace! I didn’t even know I’d lost it. Where’d you find it?”

“Found it in this hedge.” He crossed his arms and sent her a disapproving stare.

All the color left her face. “Um… wow. That… um. Teenager must have stolen it and climbed the tree to get away from me and fell and then crashed through your—”

“Teri,” he drawled. “Do you have something to confess to me? Because I really don’t like liars.”

“I didn’t do it!” she shrieked, taking a step back. “The cat! He did it!”

He stifled a laugh, but forced a stern look on his face. “Teri. Tell me the truth. What the hell were you doing in that tree?”

“I wasn’t! I… I…” All at once, her shoulders drooped, her face reddened, she looked like she was about to cry. “God! I can’t deal with this!”

She went to move past him, he blocked her way. “Tell me the truth.”

“I can’t! You’ll think I’m a bigger idiot than you already do! Oh, God, I just practically confessed! This is terrible! I didn’t do it! Oh, hell, you already know I did. You freakin’ caught me and now you’re gonna think I’m an idiot and you won’t like me and I just can’t stand making an ass out of myself in front of the most beautiful man I’ve ever seen in my life—oh, God!” she said, waving her arms around dramatically.

“I just told you you were beautiful and that I have this massive crush on you! Oh, God! I just confessed to having a crush on you! I wasn’t spying on you, not really! Oh, God, I just confessed to spying on you!”

She was the most adorable creature he’d ever met in his life. But she was one adorable creature that needed a lesson.

“I see. I have a solution to our problem here.”

“Yes, call the police! Put me away! I’ll move! You’ll never have to see me again!”

“I think I can handle this all on my own. Come with me,” he said taking hold of her wrist. He pulled her inside.

“You’re gonna call the cops, you’re gonna have me arrested, aren’t you? Oh, God, the publisher will stop my contract! I’ll be destitute!”

“No,” he said, dragging her into his living room. He sat down on the couch and yanked her down across his lap.

“Wait, what are you doing?”

“I’m sentencing you to a good old fashioned spanking for breaking my windows and lying to me, that’s what I’m doing.”

“You can’t spank me!”

“The hell I can’t.”

He pinned her flailing limbs, tugged the back of her jeans down to her ankles, taking her panties with them. He took in a short breath at the sight of her amazing, wiggling alabaster rear and long, beautiful legs. Gorgeous.

“But I’m an adult!” she cried, kicking her legs.

“You sure as hell aren’t acting like one! Now, lady, you don’t ever lie to me again!”

He reached back and let the weight of his arm power his swing. Whack! She jumped and yelped, a red mark in the shape of his large hand appeared on her white flesh. His hand nearly covered her entire ass. And boy, wasn’t that pretty?

“Ow! Rafe! Stop, I’m sorry!”

“I don’t think so. But you will be by the time I get through with you, brat.”

Rafe let himself go. The feel of her warm, soft body across his lap, the sight of her perfect rear, those wonderful round globes jiggling with every slap, gave him a raging hard-on. He hoped she’d couldn’t feel it, but his reaction wasn’t going to stop him. This was too much fun. He spanked and swatted her, fully enjoying her cries of pain, her repentant sobs.

Again and again, he smacked her gorgeous behind, watching it go from a nice pink to a deep red. He spanked the top of her ass and the very bottom, concentrating a good long time on her very sensitive sit spots. She yowled and protested and apologized profusely, but he made sure to be thorough. He wanted to make sure she knew never to cross him. If they were to have a future together, she needed to understand his limits.

Finally, she stopped fighting and collapsed against his lap, whimpering miserably. He finished up with a nice round of solid spanks to her entire behind, including the backs of her gorgeous thighs.

He stopped and rubbed her flaming cheeks. Felt marvelous to his touch. His thoughts traveled to that inviting place between her thighs.

“Now before I let you up, I want all of it. Everything you did to me. Spill.”

“I’m sorry,” she wailed.

“I know that. I want information.”

“O-okay,” she sobbed. Sniffing, she said, “I was spying on you. I’m a terrible person. I’m going to hell. God is sending me to hell. Well, if I believed in God, he would. He’d send me there.”

He chuckled deep in his throat. “You’re not going to hell. Why were you spying on me?”

“Because you’re so beautiful, I couldn’t help myself. I’ve never done anything like this before, but you’re so hot and I haven’t dated in so long and I’m home alone all the time and then you move in and you’re so gorgeous I just wanted to stare at you all the time.”

He loved this. Loved it. “So how did you break the branch?”

“I climbed up there to get a look at you in your kitchen and I couldn’t see your table so I scooched out and the next thing I knew the branch broke and I was in your hedges.”

“So why didn’t you just come clean then? You were stuck in that hedge when I went out there, weren’t you?”

Sniff. “Yeah.”

“Well, honey, why didn’t you just say something?”

“I was too embarrassed.”

“So you broke my windows.”

“I’m so sorry about that! I felt terrible! I ran around the back of your house and stepped through them before I could stop myself. I’m horrible. You hate me, don’t you?”

“Uh, no. So is that it? You just liked looking at me? That’s why you were spying on me?”

“Yeah, you cook shirtless a lot and I couldn’t help myself… I’m sorry. You think I’m a creep, don’t you? You hate me, don’t you?”

“No, I don’t. So that’s all? Anything else you want to confess to me?”

“No…that’s it. Oh, the telescope! It was pointed into your… I’m so terrible!”

He swatted her a few more good ones.

“Ow! Rafe, I’m so sorry!”

Chuckling, he pulled up her pants, turned her over on his lap and smiled down at her. Tears dripped off her long lashes, her face was red with contrition. Her luscious full lips beckoned to him.

Dropping his gaze to her mouth, he leaned down and kissed her. His brain went offline. His cock raged in his pants. No woman had ever tasted so sweet, felt so good in his arms. She opened her mouth more widely and made little animal noises in the back of her throat, twisting her sensual tongue around his. Wow, what a great kisser she was! What a hot babe! He wanted her in his arms and bed forever.

She snaked her arms around his neck and pulled him closer. He wrapped his long arms around her and held her close. When he pulled away, she yanked him back and kissed him hard. She caressed his shoulders and stroked his chest. He got dizzy with desire and could only think of being inside her.

He pulled away. “I want to make love to you. I want to see you. But only you, I’m not into sharing.”

She burst into tears.

He got alarmed. “What? Are you married? You don’t want to?”

“No! You’re making me happier than I ever have been! I want you, too, Rafe! So badly, you have no idea.”

He grinned down at her. “Oh, I got an inkling. Only from now on, you want to look at me? Just lift up the covers. Don’t be climbing that tree again or you’ll find yourself over my knee.”

“Oh, Rafe!” She threw her arms around him and kissed him.

©2011, Michelle Carlyle

Peeping Teri, Parts Two and Three

Hey Spankos!

I am so excited! My new book is selling well, and I'm going to go celebrate in Reno! Gambling! Drinking! Dancing! Mayhem! My favorite cousin and I are driving up there, just us girls, and we're going to have a fabulous time! Hubby hates gambling, doesn't drink much and I am tired of trying to entertain him in places he doesn't want to be. We finally decided a couple years ago that he shouldn't go to Reno anymore. I went alone a couple times, but that wasn't as much fun. Now my cousin is totally on board and we have a blast together! I got myself a room with a Jacuzzi tub and I can't wait!

Whooo-hooo! Vacation!!!!

Hope you all have a spectacular week! Here's a double portion of story today, just for you!

hugs,
Michelle


The phone rang. Teri wrapped a towel around herself and went to answer it.

“Hello?”

“Uh, hi. Is this Teresa Bond?”

She didn’t recognize the voice. “Yes.”

“Hi, this is your neighbor, Rafe McKellan.”

She broke into a coughing fit and nearly dropped the phone. After much effort, she calmed herself. “Uh… sorry. Yes, this is Teresa, but you can call me Teri.”

“Teri then. Did you hear that crash?”

“What crash?”

“Look in your backyard. A limb came off your oak and smashed part of the fence and landed in my yard.”

She quickly whipped up some alarm. “Oh, my God,” she exclaimed. “Was anyone hurt?”

“No, no. Well, maybe. I think someone was climbing in your tree, fell into my yard and then ran out my side yard. Because my antique windows are busted, looks like someone ran right over them, trying to get out of my yard. You got any teenagers over there?”

“No,” she said, her voice cracking. She cleared her throat. “No,” she replied in a strong tone. “I’m single, have no teenagers.” Quick, lie! “But there is a kid who lives around here that likes to climb trees. Maybe it was him.”

“Who is he?”

“Billy Goody, lives down the block, but he’s in school. Man, I hope there wasn’t a burglar or something around. Did you call the police?” Please don’t have!

“No, no. Cops won’t care about a few broken windows. Think I spooked the kid when I ran outside after he fell. Must have been hiding there when I checked the damage. Then when I went over to your place, he must have taken off, ran through my side yard and crashed through my windows before he could stop himself. Bummed about those windows. Cost me a bundle and now they’re worthless.”

“That’s terrible. And all this happened when I was taking a shower?”

“Guess so. Sorry I went through your yard without permission, I just wanted to make sure no one was hurt.”

“No problem. Thanks so much for making sure I was all right. That’s very thoughtful of you.”

“Well, I’m glad you don’t think I’m some Peeping Tom in your yard…”

There was a weird note to his voice. Or was it the guilty voices screaming in her head?

She laughed nervously. “No, no, wouldn’t think that about you. You’re a good guy. I mean, from what I hear. I mean, you seem like a nice guy. I mean, what I’ve seen of you. Even though, technically we’ve never met.” She was such an idiot!

“Have to remedy that. And right now. Could you meet me out in the back so we can evaluate the damage? You should call your insurance company.”

“Oh, I will. Actually, I can fix that, if it’s not too bad.”

“You a carpenter?” He sounded surprised.

“Added two rooms onto this place by myself.”

“Good for you. Come on out and we’ll check it out and see.”

“Okay. Give me ten.”

“See ya in ten.”

Her heart beat so hard, she thought she’d keel over. She was going to meet him! In person and everything! She practically danced to her room. What should she wear? Something feminine and pretty. She chose a white tank top which would show off her pumped arms and a plain pair of jeans. The tight ones. Didn’t want to appear like she’d gone out of her way to look good. She needed to look casually hot. Heh-heh-heh.

But when she turned to face the mirror with the outfit on, she gasped. Her face looked like she’d had a fight with her cat and lost.

Hey! Perfect excuse! Her cat had attacked her!

Of course, anyone who met Theodore—and Rafe had—wouldn’t believe it. She’d tried to pill him, that was it. Yes. She’d tried to stuff a pill down his throat and he’d fought her. It would have to work!


“Hello,” she called out over the fence. Suddenly, she was staring into Mr. Beautiful’s stunning blue gaze. He must be standing on a ladder.

He sent her a blinding white smile that made her heart stop. “Hey there, what happened to you?”

She couldn’t respond, he was too amazing-looking.

His smile faded into a frown. “Are you okay? You’re lookin’ at me like I’m a ghost. I’m real,” he said, flashing that white-toothed smile at her once more.

She shook her head quickly. “Sorry. I just… No. I’m fine.”

“What happened to your face? You’re bleeding.”

“Lost a fight with my cat. He doesn’t like being pilled.”

“Holy Cow, I guess not. Jeez. You should get a new cat. Wait, is that him?”

Theodore stood docilely at her feet.

She gave a quick nod. “Don’t mistake that innocent look. He’s a menace.”

“You don’t say.”

She cleared her throat and straightened her shoulders. Forcing herself to stop staring at the gorgeous god, she turned her attention to the broken fence. She walked up and gave it a close examination. “So, this looks fixable. Chainsaw off the branch, buy a couple new boards. I’ll take care of it.” She glanced up at him, then had to avert her gaze. He was too much. Too cute, too handsome and she could smell his marvelous cologne from where she stood. Her knees threatened to give way. “I’ll… uh… need permission to come onto your property.”

“Sure, sure. Why not now? I mean, you ought to see what the damage is on this side.”

She looked up at him, he was checking out her breasts. Score! Looked like he was working hard to maintain eye contact. Perfect! The tank top worked!

“I hope it’s not worse than over here,” she said.

“No. No. Branch mainly fell into a hedge here. But I figured you might want to check this side.”

Her pulse pounded in her ears. “Yeah. Sure, that’d be good. Um, shall I come to your front door, then?” Then ravage you in your bedroom?

“Yeah. Wow, those scratches are deep. Kinda wide, too. Your cat did that?”

“Uh… yeah. Cat. Forgot to use the kitchen mitts, you know, oven mitts, those usually protect me…” So lame! “I’ll meet you at your front door.”

“Good.”

Rafe watched Teri walk back into her house. Nice ass. Nice legs. Nice everything. He’d noticed her the first day he moved in. He’d wanted her from the moment he’d laid eyes on her. She’d been cleaning off her roof. What a body! He wondered if she was seeing someone. Cute little thing. Sultry mouth, dark eyes, short dark hair, long lashes, around his age, mid-thirties. Hadn’t seen any men hanging around her place. He knew she was a mystery writer, he’d been a big fan of hers since her first book came out. He hadn’t wanted to mention that, didn’t want to make her uncomfortable. And while the picture on the jacket cover of her book was hot, it didn’t do the woman justice. She was beautiful.

He was so happy that stupid branch had given him a reason to talk to her. And now she was coming to his house. He’d offer her a glass of wine, loosen her up and see if he could find out if she was dating.

There was only one thing bothering him. That story of hers about the cat made no sense. How did the cat scratch her back? And the scratches didn’t look like a cat made them. At all. And they were so fresh. But why would she lie to him?

The answer smacked him square between the eyes. The broken branch. Somehow she was responsible. But why wouldn’t she come clean about it? So she’d been fooling around in the tree and a branch broke? Why would she lie about that? Why would she freak out and run out through his yard, busting his windows in the process? Why would she want to cover that up?

No, had to be a teenager, she seemed too mature for that kind of crap.

He walked over to the hedge where the branch had fallen. Pushing through the brush, he saw something yellow. Reaching in, he grabbed it. A piece of cloth with a bit of fresh blood on it. Didn’t look like it came from a boy’s shirt. As he was pulling away, a glint of metal caught his eye. Peering deep into the hedge, he saw what looked like a necklace of some sort. He pushed in and grabbed it. A gold heart necklace engraved with a T.

What the hell? If this wasn’t the most incriminating evidence, he didn’t know what was. His blood boiled. She broke his damned windows, then stood there with that innocent look on her face and lied about her cat attacking her. Why would she do that?

He didn’t know, but he was going to find out. His doorbell rang. If she’d busted his windows and lied to him, she’d pay a price for that. Over his lap. Her pants around her ankles, that fine ass of hers spanked into a nice shade of beet red.

©2011, Michelle Carlyle

Peeping Teri, Part One

Hey Spankos!

Okay, so everyone apparently has read Fast Ticket To A Spanking. So I’m skipping posting the rest of it and I’m starting a new story, which I hope you have not seen.

I hope this finds you all well and happy.

Michelle


Teri leaned out a bit out on the branch, angling for a better view of Rafe’s kitchen. The thick tree limb bit into the backs of her thighs, her hands were scraped up from climbing the large oak, but she didn’t care. One look at her new next-door neighbor was worth any amount of pain.

Theodore meowed pitifully below her. Stupid cat. He was supposed to be her excuse. If anyone caught her, she’d say she was trying to rescue her cat. Every time she’d climbed the tree in recent years to trim the branches, the cat had followed. Now when she really needed him, he circled underneath, crying for her. Idiot.

She could just see Rafe’s stove, but not his kitchen table. She scooted further along the branch. Fridge came into view. The oak branch bowed some, but she knew they were super sturdy. Took a lot to break an oak limb.

She inched a bit closer and just caught sight of Rafe’s wooden kitchen table. Killer!

A sound rang out like a firecracker and suddenly, she was falling through the air. The next thing she knew she was eating shrubbery.

She’d fallen into a hedge in Rafe’s yard! Oh, God, no! Adrenalin pumped into her system, her heart thumped painfully in her chest. She was surrounded by sticky, itchy brush, caught in the middle of giant patch of boxwood. Pain seared the skin on her back, felt like something sharp dug into her. She moved and tried to extricate herself, but she was stuck about a foot above ground. She couldn’t get any leverage.

She couldn’t see outside the hedge. She must be three or four feet from the edge. Christ! How would she get out of this without Rafe finding her?

“Wow! What the hell?” came a deep voice from right near her.

She stopped moving and stopped breathing.

Please God, don’t let him find me here!

“That’s a big branch, damn. Wonder why it fell? Hey!” he called out.

She jumped.

“A branch just fell. Anyone get hurt over there?”

Teri didn’t move.

“Damn, smashed part of the fence. Better go over and see if someone’s home.” The sound of footfalls faded off, a door opened and closed.

With a renewed sense of urgency, Teri flailed with all her might for the edge of the brush. Didn’t matter how much it all hurt—the limbs scraping against her bare skin and face— she had to get out of there.

With great effort, she finally managed to crawl out of the bushes. She scrambled to her feet and tried to figure out what to do.

A gruff voice rang out from her yard. “Hello? Anyone here? Sorry to trespass, but I wanted to make sure everyone was okay over here. Oh, hi, Kitty. Good kitty. Where’s your mistress? Her car’s here. Maybe she’s in the shower or something, she didn’t answer the door. Oh, well.”

Rafe was in her yard! The hunk of the block was actually touching her soil! She’d never mow her lawn again.

“Wow, that’s quite a telescope… But why is it pointed at my house?”

She froze, all the breath left her lungs. She had her damn telescope set up on the second story balcony pointed right into his bedroom. She was going to die. Right then. God would strike her dead, punish her for her transgressions.

“Oh, well, whatever.” She heard him walk away.

Holy Christ! He was coming back! Where would she go? Where would she hide? Quick!

She raced around the back of his house. She tore around the corner and into his side yard. But before she could stop herself she crashed through three windows lying on the ground on newspaper, shattering the glass.

Thank God, she had on her work boots, so she’s hadn’t gotten cut, but she’d destroyed the windows. Why the hell were they just sitting there? A can of paint sat nearby. Oh. He’d repainted them. She stepped out of the third one and finally noticed their design. Oh, God, she’d just smashed his antique windows! She’d overheard him talking about them. Cost a small fortune at an auction. Irreplaceable with original glass from the late 1800’s. Jesus, no!

His front door closed. She opened the gate and slipped out into his driveway. No sign of him. Moving low, she dashed for her house. Just as she reached her front door, she heard a loud cursing from his yard.

“They smashed my windows! Goddamn it! Someone’s gonna pay for this!”

She nearly fainted. Clutching her chest, she dove inside her house, slammed the door and collapsed against it. She was such an idiot!

Rafe was such a nice guy, he didn’t deserve this. She’d attacked her Number One Crush. How could she forgive herself? This was terrible!

Catching her breath, she caught her reflection in the front hallway mirror. She gasped. Blood streaked her face, her clothes were torn, a shoulder completely exposed. Holy Hell! She wouldn’t be able to leave her house for a week!

Teri pushed away from the door and stumbled into her bathroom. Tearing off her clothes, she threw them in the garbage and tucked her boots under the sink. She turned on the shower, hopped in and squealed loudly from the pain of the water hitting her many cuts.

She scrubbed herself with soap, a bit alarmed at the reddened water as it swirled below her. How hurt was she?

When she got out of the shower, she evaluated the damage. Three prominent scratches on her face and neck; innumerable cuts all over. Especially her back. A huge deep cut from the end of a branch was particularly ugly and painful. She tended to her wounds, crying out from the disinfectant. Thankfully, her injuries were minor. But what a bona fide IDIOT!!

The phone rang. She wrapped a towel around herself and went to answer it.

“Hello?”

“Uh, hi. Is this Teresa Bond?”

She didn’t recognize the voice. “Yes.”

“Hi, this is your neighbor, Rafe McKellan.”

©2011, Michelle Carlyle