Page 38 of Ranch Rules

“I know you’re confused,” he said, his voice gentler. “So let me help you. I’m in charge here and you do what I say. Understood?”

Miserably, she nodded.

“Good. Now that I think about it, let’s make a stop by the bathroom first.”

Natalie had no choice but to trail behind him as he walked toward the bathroom. She watched dubiously as he picked up the bar of soap sitting on the sink and turned on the faucet. He kept it under the running water for a minute before switching it off and turning to her with the wet bar in his hand.

“Come here.”

The furrow in her brow deepened. “I took a shower this morning.”

“Good to know. Come here.”

“But—”

“Natalie.”

The sound of her own name had never made her squirm quite like this before. “Okay. But I still don’t understand what—”

“Don’t worry. You soon will.”

Frowning, she nonetheless obeyed.

“Open.”

“Open what?”

“Your mouth.”

Her stomach dropped at this bizarre pronouncement. He didn’t mean... he wasn’t going to put that... that soap in her mouth, was he?

Almost as though he could read her thoughts, he said, “Naughty girls who tell lies get their mouths washed out with soap.”

She shuddered. He couldn’t be serious. But a quick peek at his face revealed that there wasn’t a trace of humor in his expression.

“Unless, that is, you need another spankin’ first to remind you to obey?”

Her eyes fixated on the slick white bar. A few bubbles were clinging to the soap. She gave another shudder, but knew very well that her butt couldn’t take any more spanking. And she had lied. “I wouldn’t have if I’d known this was going to happen,” she muttered, only partly for his benefit.

“Well, now you know. But the taste of soap in your mouth will leave a lastin’ impression, trust me. You’ll never lie to me again, I s’pect.”

Taking a deep breath, Natalie steeled herself and opened her mouth. It was worse than she could have imagined. From the first moment that the slimy soap was inserted, she was wincing and gagging. Thomas only pushed it partway in before rubbing it back and forth over her tongue. He probably only did it for a solid minute, but to Natalie it might as well been a lifetime.

As soon as he withdrew it, she rushed to the sink, but he stopped her with a stern, “Uh-uh.”

She whirled on him, tears already in her eyes as the acrid taste continued to fill her mouth despite the removal of the soap. “Please, you can’t—”

“Soon. Now, follow me.”

Casting one more lingering look full of longing at the faucet, Natalie followed Thomas.

“Now, on the bed.”

This time, she didn’t argue, didn’t even hesitate. What was the point? He’d have what he wanted in the end, anyway.

But when she lay on the bed, Thomas shook his head at her. Despite her scorched rear, she felt a flash of temper. She swallowed it back just in time.

He circled his finger in the air and Natalie took it as her signal to roll onto her stomach.

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