Page 73 of A Flower for Angus

He took her hand and pulled it up on his shoulder, then wrapped his long arms around her where he could massage her sore bottom. “Poor little mite,” he crooned, “ye can’t say I didn’t warn ye. Ye knew what ye were doin’ when ye chose to be sneaky and dishonest with me.”

She yawned and leaned into him. “That feels really good, but I’m still not forgiving you yet.”

He cupped her chin in his palm, his eyes serious. “I don’t need yer forgiveness lass, I need ye to take better care of yerself. In fact, I insist on it. Ye fell asleep in the middle of my lecture last night, which means ye were completely worn out.”

“Maybe it was just boring?” she giggled, unable to help herself. Then she gasped when another hard swat landed on her already sore rump. “Ouch! Angus!”

“I can pick up where we left off,” he warned. “I mean it, Poppy, ye can’t go on this way.”

“Can we pick this up after I pee, get dressed, and have some coffee?”

Angus scowled. “I like ye just the way ye are. Once a lass is fully clothed, it’s like puttin’ on armor or somethin’, she just gets sassier.”

“I-I’m not sure why that’s so funny,” Poppy replied, giggling helplessly. “I can’t seem to help it, but it is.”

Angus rolled his eyes and led her to the half-bath next to the bookshelves. “Ye’ve probably lost half yer senses from exhaustion. Get in there before you let loose on my shoes,” he grumped. Poppy giggled at that too.

In the bathroom she washed her hands after relieving herself and then scooped the back of her clothes down over her posterior to inspect her butt. She’d really expected to see some horrible bruises, to be honest, and was surprised to find there weren’t any. Tenderly she felt some of the deeper red spots with her fingertips and grudgingly concluded she just looked well spanked. The rat had done a good job of roasting and tenderizing her jiggly globes.

She scrunched up her nose. They were jigglier than they used to be, she’d lost weight she couldn’t afford to. Try as she might, she couldn’t regurgitate the anger she’d felt last night. Like he’d reminded her, she’d been warned, and that warning was the very reason she’d hid her nightly excursions to the study from him. That just left her feelings to be resolved.

It wasn’t politically correct to spank women these days, but her Scottish highlander was anything but politically correct. He lived under a traditional clan system that had existed for centuries and it was deeply imbedded in who he was. Dominant, protective, and all male. Bottom line—he wasn’t going to change.

And neither was she.

She glanced at her watch and gasped. It was almost noon. She was supposed to have met with William Santino, the CEO of Delanoy at 8:00 a.m. at the Condoloro building. She needed her phone.

Grabbing the door handle, she turned it and shot out of the bathroom. “I need my phone; I had a meeting this morning.”

Angus grabbed her hand and swung her around. “He called. I told him ye’d reschedule when ye were feelin’ better.”

“You should have woken me up,” she protested.

“I asked him if there was anythin’ urgent that couldn’t wait, and he said nay. Just paperwork that needed to be signed and some decisions he didn’t know if ye would approve of yet.” Angus pulled her into his arms. “Ye hired him, Poppy, so ye must trust him. Let him do his job.”

She bit her lip and finally nodded. “I realize you are right, Angus. I have trouble letting others handle things that are important because I want them done right.”

“Are ye guilty of micromanagin’?” he teased with a sudden grin. “Employees don’t grow and learn that way. They need to make mistakes and learn from them.”

“I need some coffee,” she replied, twisting away from him with a sigh. “Then I need a hot shower and to make some phone calls, in that order.”

“Nay, ye need yer coffee, a hot shower, and then lunch with me,” he told her. “I’m takin’ ye out to a nice diner of yer choice and ye are going to relax and eat a good lunch. Then ye can make yer phone calls.”

Seeing the set of his jaw, Poppy knew he was determined, so she gave in as gracefully as a pout could be and nodded. “Okay, fine. I am hungry. And it’s been a long time since I’ve been to Fiorelli’s. I love their Italian food.”

Angus poured her a cup of the steaming brew, added a lump of sugar and asnoot full of cream, as he called it, then handed it to her. “Just like ye like it.”

She took a sip and moaned with pleasure. “I still haven’t forgiven you, just so you know. It’s going to take more than a good cup of coffee and a butt rub.”

He chuckled that deep rich tone that always gave her goosebumps. “Like I said, I’m no apologizin’ for yer spankin’ and I don’t need forgiveness. I’ll do it again if I have to.”

She eyed him over the rim of her cup.

He eyed her right back, his arms folded across his broad chest. “Is that look a challenge, lass?” he asked smoothly. “Because if it is, we never did finish our conversation last night. The one where ye say ye’re sorry for deceivin’ me and ye won’t do it again?”

She was instantly contrite. “I am sorry for deceiving you. I didn’t like it, but I felt the urgent need to get things done and I knew youwouldn’twant me to. So, I just didn’t tell you.”

“That sounds more like ye’re sorry you had to deceive me, not that ye did.”

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