Read Online Corrected by the Colonel by Celeste Jones - Free Book Online Page A

for a ride and now, not even twelve hours later, I am betrothed to his cousin? The same man I thought was an insolent footman two days ago?
              Life had certainly taken an interesting turn for Miss Cassandra Sheridan. No turn more interesting than her current position lying across Blaise Sinclair's lap while he spanked her bare bottom.
              She kicked her feet to thwart his efforts to punish her backside. Blaise's palm cracked on her thighs. "Hold still," he said, "or I'll take off my belt and tether your ankles. Or maybe I'll use it on your naughty behind."
              "What?" Cassandra reared back and attempted to turn to stare at Blaise over her shoulder, but he buried his hand in her hair and gave a possessive tug to her tresses sending a tingle of desire through her body.
              "Stay in position. Listen to my instructions. Take your punishment like a good girl."
              He certainly gave orders like a colonel. Well, she had not enlisted in the army and she had no intention of obeying him like a simpering private. She kept her head down, but grabbed hold of his calf and dug her fingers into his flesh.
              "You're asking for it now, Sassy Cassie." Blaise loosened her grip on his calf then placed both her hands at the small of her back and held them firmly in place. "I said to take your punishment like a good girl and I meant it." He punctuated his words with a sharp crack to the center of her buttocks.
               His wide palm smacked the same spot over and over and over again. Although her mind told her to continue to struggle against Blaise's dominance, her heart told her to hold still. This was where she belonged.
              With each impact on her bottom more and more of Cassandra's stress and uncertainty melted away. The burdens of the last few years, intensified by her father's most recent illness, built to a crescendo and finally the dam broke. Tears flooded her eyes and with each stinging swat of Blaise's hand she gave up her struggle against him.
              She relaxed her shoulders, dipped her head, and let the tears flow. She sobbed for her lost mother, her frightened sisters, he sickly father, and finally, she wept over her failure to make everything turn out right. She had believed sheer force of will would be sufficient to achieve her goals, but she had been wrong and her plan had gone completely off kilter.
              She sobbed so hard she didn't realize the punishment had ended until Blaise lifted her gently to sit on his lap. He buried her face against his neck, while stroking her back and rocking to and fro on the bench whispering words of comfort in her ear.
              "There you go, my little Cassie. Let it all out."
              She knew she ought to pull herself together and attempt to retain at least a miniscule amount of dignity, but she was just so tired. Tired of trying to hold it together for her entire family. Exhausted from worry and anxiety.
              She sighed and snaked her arms around Blaise's waist, pulling herself closer to his strength.
              "That's my girl." His voice rumbled under her ear. "You're mine now. Let me take care of you."
              Cassie knew it was ridiculous to think that a mere army colonel could save her and her family from financial ruin, but what choice did she have?
              She sighed and rested her head on his shoulder.
    ***
              He could hardly imagine what the men under his command would think if they saw their colonel rocking a beautiful woman on his lap and cooing to her as though she were a frightened child, but at that moment, Blaise Sinclair cared of nothing but the warm little body trustingly snuggled against his.
              He had never planned to fall in love. Never intended to marry. While most second sons resented their lot in life as no more than a