The Arrangement Anthology 1(161)

“I’m sorry, what was that?” He cups his ear like an old guy and leans in closer to my mouth. “Did you say you want your punishment now?”

“No!” I laugh and back away from him.

“I think that’s what you said. It was something like Sean, I’m a really bad girl and I want it right now.” The way he says it combined with the look in his eye makes my toes curl. Why does he seem hotter when he’s acting twisted?

I have up my hand and I’m backing away from him with a huge smile on my face. “I think you heard me wrong, old man.”

Sean’s jaw drops for a half a second, then he rushes at me. His shoulder slams into me and we fall to the ground. My back hits the ground, but Sean cradles my head. Half a beat later, he’s sitting on my chest and has my arms pinned above my head. “Old man,” he mocks. “You really know how to turn a guy on.”

I laugh and try to twist away. When that doesn’t work, I say, “I want my punishment later. Later!”

Sean laughs and shakes his head. His dark hair is damp from the snow. “Oh, I don’t think so. Let’s see, what would be fitting for scaring the life out of me and pushing me down the hill?”

“What? Why am I getting two punishments?”

“It should be three—you ran away, too.” Sean let’s go of one of my arms and tries to hold me with his knee. I can dip my wrist backward, so I do it. I grab a fistful of snow and hurl it at his face. He gives me an incredulous look. “You did not just do that.”

Before I can say anything, Sean flips me over, yanks down the back of my pants and spanks me three times. I yelp and try to get away, but his grip is too good. When his hand strikes my skin, the cold makes it sting longer. After the last strike, Sean shoves his hand down the back of my pants and pulls away. It isn’t until he releases me and I stagger to my feet that I realize what he did. I screech and jump up and down. He put a ton of snow in my panties. “Oh my God! You suck! You suck! You suck!” I dance around, swatting at my butt, trying to get the snow out.

Sean smiles and folds his arms over his chest, watching me. “You deserved it.”

There’s too much snow. The skin on my hiney is stinging. I fall on my back and try to sweep out the snow that hasn’t melted. I get most of it out and grab a hand full of snow. I stand and walk directly toward Sean. “That was evil.”

He’s smiling. His hands go into a defensive position. “I wouldn’t do that if I were you. You’ll just end up getting pinned to the ground and force fed snow.”

“I eat snow for breakfast.” I meant it to sound all butch and scary, but it doesn’t. Sean laughs out loud. His eyes close as his shoulders shake with laughter. He looks up at the sky and laughs harder. I hurl my snowball at him and it smacks into the side of his face. He stops laughing. His eyes narrow and he races toward me.

I dart up the hill with Sean on my heels. He chases me and brings one of the sleds with him. When Sean catches me, he’s breathing hard. His arms feel so good. I lean against his chest. Sean stiffens at first and then seems to relax. He lets me hold onto him, even though I’m sure he wants to peel me off. I glance up at him and say it. I don’t care how stupid it is. I know how I feel and that’s all that matters right then. “I love you, Sean.”

He holds me tighter and kisses the top of my head. “I love you, too.”





CHAPTER 10





Sean and I duck in the car behind the tinted divider after he’s frozen. I don’t mind, but Sean insists we warm up. Sean produces the thermoses and we both have a hot drink. It’s weird, but Sean is a different person when sex isn’t involved. He smiles and doesn’t guard his thoughts as much. It’s like he’s been trapped in a cage and suddenly broke free. Sean’s laughter rings out and his teasing is light and playful. I love this version of him.

“What are you thinking about?” he asks, and then takes a sip of cocoa. It’s insanely hot. The hotel gave it to us on the way out. It’s really good.

“I’m wondering what it would be like to be with the Sean that I saw out there.” I point to the hill. There are tracks from where we were sledding, and a few piles of snow where I crashed. I’m a sucky sledder, but I own it, so it’s all good.

Sean’s lips twist into an awkward smile. He looks over at me after a moment. “I honestly don’t know. When I’m with you and we’re doing stuff like that—sledding, flying a kite, having a snowball fight—I don’t feel like myself. It’s like I forget everything that’s happened for a few seconds and I can breathe again. I can’t hold onto that guy, Avery. He didn’t show up until you came along—I mean, I haven’t felt that way in a very long time.”