Page 46 of Rory: His to Discipline

“Oh, lighten up, Mace. Tess is my friend. I just want to make sure she knows what she’s signing on for,” she retorted, sending him a glare. “Girls talk about this stuff.”

“If this is going to turn into ‘girl talk,’ I think I’ll make my exit,” Mason said with an exaggerated shudder. “Tell Rory I’ll see him at dinner and you really should do something about the cobwebs in your hair, Tess,” he stated, fixing Rebecca with a questioning look as he walked by Tess. “Whatever were you girls doing while I was gone, hmm?”

Rebecca walked Tess to the door. “Thanks so much for helping me,” she told her, hugging her goodbye.

“But we did not even find the book,” Tess whispered back.

“That’s all right. I know where it’s not and I still have a few weeks to find it. Tess, I hope you and Rory will be very happy, but I have to know that you understand.”

“I know Rory will be head of his household and I know he will probably discipline me at times.”

“How will you handle that, honey?” Rebecca asked, genuinely concerned.

“I intend to be very, very good,” Tess answered honestly, kissing Rebecca’s cheek and heading down the walk.

Rebecca burst out laughing. “Don’t we all?” she called after her. Too bad that was easier said than done.

* * *

Rory found Tess standing on the top step of a ladder, washing the ceiling in the kitchen. “What are you doing?” he demanded. The mail he’d had been shuffling through was quickly forgotten.

Her back was arched, her little butt sticking out as she struggled to reach as far as she could without moving the ladder.

“Making mashed potatoes,” she replied.

“Babe, seriously, sarcasm?” he asked as he plucked her from the ladder with one arm around her waist. Walking across the room he flung the mail onto the counter before setting her down gently before him. Staring down into her eyes, one eyebrow raised, Tess recalled what she had told Rebecca that very afternoon.

“Sorry,” she said, reaching her arms up around his neck and pulling him down for a kiss. “Why are you home early?”

“I was going to be in court, but it was postponed. I thought we could run a couple of errands,” Rory replied, putting his arms around her waist and lifting her from the floor so they were eye to eye. “Now, this is the way you should be greeting me when I come home, not with a sassy mouth, but with your sweet lips.” Kissing her thoroughly, Rory kept her dangling, her feet quite a distance from the floor as need swept through her.

“I am sorry,” she offered, nibbling on his lower lip, “but I thought it was a stupid question.”

“Did you, now? Well, you may be right, but I don’t want to come home and find you up on a ladder like that again,” he informed her firmly. “We’ll get the guys over here on the weekend to help if we can. Lord knows, I’ve given up enough weekends to help them. If not, we’ll hire someone to come in. I don’t want to see that again, Tess, and I mean it.”

Searching his face, Tess decided it was an order and not a request.

“Okay,” she breathed against his lips pulling his mouth closer.

Rory smiled and met her lips, happy she didn’t argue further. There was no way he wanted to have to correct her today of all days.

“Good girl,” he approved, giving her a sweet slap on her bottom before he set her down. “Now, go get cleaned up and put on something pretty.”

“Where are we going?” Tess asked, automatically keeping her hands over her butt.

“It’s a surprise, now hurry up! We only have a couple hours before the stores close.”

“What store?”

“Grrr,” he growled backing her towards the bedroom. “Are you always going to be this nosey? Can I not surprise my bride?”

“Probably and yes,” Tess squealed, darting into the bedroom and slamming the door.

“You’ve got twenty minutes,” he shouted. “Then we’re leaving no matter how you’re dressed, or not dressed, whichever the case may be.”

“Tyrant,” she shouted back through the door laughing, but she was fully dressed in nineteen.

The flirty black skirt was just long enough, that he didn’t insist she change it, but barely. Silky black stockings and black heels accented her lovely legs. A soft rose sweater hugged her breasts in a way that made Rory wish he had not even mentioned leaving the house, but today was special and she looked beautiful.