Page 62 of Dirty Discipline, Vol. 1

Adam is listening intently, so Troy continues on. “The biggest example however was that the woman who was passing out the gifts happens to be the same woman Hallie got to know by innocently walking from your house to Traci’s for a counseling session. Hallie heard a submissive crying out in pain while being paddled by her HoH through an open window. Hallie had to go through the torture of having to walk by without helping. To you and me, we understand what was happening in that house was consensual and if done right, even loving. But to Hallie, she had to turn her back on someone who was being abused. Are you really sure you want your niece with you so much that you are willing to constantly put her into these types of uncomfortable situations as she goes about her normal everyday life? Trust me, Adam. I’ve been doing a lot of thinking on this very topic myself.”

Troy stops and looks back down into Hallie’s eyes, tears now streaming down her face. His anger at Adam is fading as he reaches out to cup her face, never taking his eyes from hers as he continues on. “If we really care about Hallie, we need to give her the space and time she needs to figure out what it is that’s going to make her happy. I don’t know all of the things she’s had to go through, but I know it’s been a long time since she’s… since you’ve got to decide what you really want in life. I’m not willing to force you into something I know you could never accept in the long run. You’re too important to me for that.”

There. He’s said it. He’s outed himself. Twenty reasons or not, he wants Hallie in every sense of the word. They barely know each other, but it doesn’t matter. During the two weeks apart, he had convinced himself his memory was faulty. He was sure that when he saw her again last night he would realize his attraction to her had been a fleeting result of the extraordinary events that brought them together. Now, less than twenty-four hours after being back in Eagle’s Pass, he is just as sure that his life has been irrevocably changed by the spitfire in his lap. The depth of his feelings for her should scare him, but the only emotion he can recognize is excitement.

Adam clearing his throat brings Troy back to the moment. Looking up, he can see he had gotten through to the older man. Troy can hear the emotion in his warbling voice as he addresses his niece. “Hallie, honey. I never thought of it that way. You have to know, your aunt and I just love you so much that we want you to be happy and safe. I’m sorry if I tried to railroad you into staying here with us if you aren’t going to be happy here.”

Hallie speaks for the first time since opening the gift. “I know you both love me, and I love you too, but I am just so confused right now. I’m not saying I won’t want to stay here… but I’m also not ready to say that I am ready to stay for good. Can’t you please give me a little more time to figure things out before I have to make a decision?”

Aunt Gina tries to reassure her. “Of course, honey. You can have as much time as you need.”

It’s her husband that corrects her. “Gina, we both know that’s not true. She has some time to decide, yes, but as an adult, she is going to have to join the co-op if she decides she wants to stay. I’m on the Housing Board. I can’t go breaking the rules, not even for family.”

Gina snaps at her husband. “That’s crazy, Adam. Hallie is way more important to us than Eagle’s Pass.”

“I’d watch your tone, my dear.” Adam shoots his wife a look that Troy recognizes from the HoH’s handbook that says to straighten up or you’re gonna find yourself over my knee. When Gina looks properly quieted, Adam continues on. “And of course, Hallie is more important to us. What I’m trying to say is that if Hallie is not happy here, then we can’t break the rules and have her stay. We’ll just move back to New England so we can be together there.”

A choking cry escapes from Hallie. “Oh God. Stop! You both love it here. I’m not going to let you move away from Eagle’s Pass because of me. I’ll just sign the papers. Thank you for the thoughtful gift.” She is trying to be brave… and failing miserably.

Troy is happy Adam beats him to the punch. “Nobody needs to be signing anything yet, young lady. Troy is right. We have a few more weeks before we need to make any decisions. I’m sure you want some time to explore what is available for you here in Eagle’s Pass in the way of going back to school or finding a new job. I’m sorry I tried to rush things along, but there is no harm in waiting a bit longer and then we can decide what we need to do closer to the next Housing Board meeting. Is that okay?”

Troy can feel her relaxing into his arms at being given more time. “That would be great, Uncle Adam. Really. Thank you so much. It is a wonderful gift. I just need to think things through is all.”

Troy reluctantly lets Hallie out of his lap to cross the room and give her aunt and uncle a big hug. Troy looks at his sister for the first time in a while and she is grinning from ear to ear. Damn. He is never going to live this down.

Chapter Nine

Two days later, Hallie is up at the crack of dawn for no other reason than the butterflies in her tummy were fluttering strong enough she was feeling sick to her stomach. The problem is, she isn’t quite sure what has her more nervous. The fact that she’s about to go skiing again after swearing she’d never again hit a ski slope, or the fact that she is going skiing with Troy Jackson.

Troy. She’d given up trying to resist him. She’s fallen hard and fast. She’d at least had a chance of pretending he hadn’t caught her attention up until Christmas morning, but between him giving her the most thoughtful gift she’s ever received and his standing up to her Uncle Adam for her, the protective wall she’d been trying to erect between them had crumbled down.

The really hot kiss on Christmas Eve didn’t hurt either. Hallie would be lying if she didn’t admit to being disappointed that in spite of spending a lot of time together the last few days, Troy has yet to try to kiss her again. Granted, they’ve been surrounded by their families almost every minute, but she can’t help but wish he’d been able to sneak in a kiss at some point.

Which brings her full circle to the butterflies this morning. For the next two days, she is going to be alone with Troy. Her aunt and uncle had been thrilled with the planned ski outing up until they realized it included a night away at the ski lodge at Copper Mountain. They had insisted Troy needed to drive her home tonight, but Troy had put his foot down that would be silly considering the package Traci had bought him was for a two-day pass with a night’s lodging and dinner in the fine dining restaurant.

In the end, Uncle Adam relented because Troy had reminded him that Hallie was twenty-three years old and had been living on her own for many years before coming to Eagle’s Pass. It also didn’t hurt that Troy had sworn he would never do anything to put Hallie at risk. It had been nerve-wracking watching the two dominant men go head-to-head and Hallie’s respect for Troy only grew as she watched him expertly handle her sometimes old-fashioned and always bull-headed uncle.

It is barely seven and Hallie is already showered, dressed, and packed. She heads out to the kitchen in search of caffeine in hopes it will calm her nerves while she waits the last half hour for Troy’s arrival.

Aunt Gina is already up, putting a pot of coffee on. “Good morning, Hallie. I’m not surprised to see you up early.”

“Morning, Aunt Gina. You knew I would need coffee, did you?”

“Well, you always need coffee. I was talking about how nervous you must be to be going skiing for two days with Troy.”

Hallie had been getting the mugs out of the cabinet, but she turns she sees her aunt’s smiling face. “I’m that obvious, am I?

“Not at all, honey. But anyone would be a little nervous in these conditions. It’s perfectly normal.”

“Well, I still think I’ve lost my mind to give skiing another try.”

Aunt Gina tsks, shaking her head with a giggle. “Oh, Hallie. You don’t need to be nervous about skiing.”

Hallie is confused. “Well, then what?”

Gina has come to stand in front of her niece, looking down the few inches gap with a loving smile. “Hallie, it must be so exciting to be falling in love. I can tell he cares about you very much. I’m so happy for you.”

“Whoa. Aunt Gina, I barely know the man. Let’s not get carried away.”

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