Page 65 of Dirty Discipline, Vol. 1

He can detect her breathing has picked up the pace as if she is getting excited. He’s not surprised. He’s had a semi-erection for the last three days. “I’d like to think so, yes.” He can see her relaxing.

“So, Traci tells me you’re in the Air Force. I hardly know anything about what you do.”

“Well, I’m afraid I can’t share all that much. I work in the IT/security division.”

“How long have you been in the service?”

“Just over eleven years. I joined right after…” Troy hasn’t talked about his parents with anyone in a long time. Hallie is watching him closely. “My parents were killed on their way back from a mission trip the summer after I graduated from college. Traci had just graduated from high school and was preparing to go to college in the fall. It sort of knocked us both on our ass for a while there. Traci was the strongest. She threw herself into college and worked hard. I pretty much took almost a year off, sitting on my ass feeling sorry for myself.”

He can see the sympathy in her eyes. He doesn’t want her to feel sorry for him. “Oh, Troy. I wish I didn’t, but I know exactly how it feels to lose a parent you love too soon. It fucking sucks.”

Her choice of words brings a chuckle. “You really do like to talk like a truck driver, don’t you?”

“Sorry. Bad habit. Does it really bother you? I know it drives Uncle Adam crazy.”

“Oh, it doesn’t bother me as much as it does him, although I usually prefer to save that kind of language for specific times where it might be more appropriate.”

“When would…” her voice trails off as she blushes a very cute pink. “Oh…”

“Sorry. I didn’t mean to make you uncomfortable.”

“Yes, you did.”

Such sass. “Okay, maybe I did. Do you mind?”

“I guess not, as long as you don’t threaten to spank me for it.” Her eyes grow as big as saucers as soon as the words are out of her mouth.

Troy can’t help but laugh out loud. “If you could see your face. You’re adorable when you blush like that.”

“I don’t want to be adorable.”

“What do you want to be?”

“I don’t know. Sexy. Smart. Sassy.”

“Oh Hallie, believe me, honey. You are all of those things and so much more.”

The passion burning back at him from across the table has Troy about to leap over to take her in his arms. Only the arrival of the pancakes puts a kibosh on that plan.

When the server leaves, Hallie grins at him. “Saved by the pancakes.”

“You have no idea.”

“So, I know you used to live in Washington DC. Where else have you lived?”

“Well, I was stationed in Florida, Texas and briefly in Germany before transferring to a big project three years ago that had me in DC. I’ve been trying to get back to Colorado for years so I could be closer to Traci. We are the only family each other has and I hated being away so much. I’m grateful for the close-knit community of Eagle’s Pass. I know it’s not the same as real family, but she has made some very close friends here. I just wish she’d find her own HoH and settle down. I know she’s always wanted to have a big family and she’s anxious to get started.”

“What about you? Why haven’t you settled down yet?” She’s trying to act nonchalant, but he can tell she’s fishing for information on his past relationships.

“No big reason. I guess I just haven’t found the right person… yet.”

“So, no marriages? Engagements?”

“Nope.”

“Wow, what’s wrong with you?”

Troy laughs. “Gee, I don’t know for sure, but I guess I’ve never found the right kind of

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