Page 56 of A Little Christmas Caper

“Yes, Sir. I’m very sorry and I promise if you let me come back I won’t get in any more trouble.”

“Don’t make promises you can’t keep, sweetheart. And you are always welcome here. It takes a lot more than a couple ill-advised pranks to get you kicked out of Rawhide Ranch.”

Relief washed over her, and she managed a small smile. “Yes, Sir. Thank you.”

“All right, little one.” His expression still stern, Nick held out a hand. “Let’s go have a talk.”

Michelle

The walk back to their room was made in silence, and each step just ratcheted Michelle’s nerves up higher and higher. Allie might have been the one in trouble, but eventually Michelle would have to come clean, too. And unlike the last time, when she’d confessed to having feelings for Nick, she doubted Allie would be as understanding.

At least she didn’t have to be the one doling out discipline for Allie’s little cookie escapade. Her guilt wouldn’t have allowed her to really give Allie what she needed. And honestly, it was kind of cute, a bunch of Littles sneaking in to steal cookies from the kitchen. But even as she thought it, she realized her amusement at the situation came largely from the fact she wasn’t “in charge”. She didn’t have to be Big and responsible, which gave her the freedom to see the humor in what had happened.

She had a feeling Nick saw it as well, but he had to do his Daddy duties and punish Allie anyway, a job she did not envy at that moment in the least. Did it make her a bad Top to feel so relieved to let someone else be the bad guy for once? Maybe, but then again, Nick had offered to take on that role for this particular incident. He’d practically demanded it, really, so maybe it didn’t make her a bad anything.

Well… she had been a shitty girlfriend, but that was a different matter. One they could hopefully wait to talk about until later.

But her hopes at being able to put off her confession were dashed when Nick opened the door to their room and Allie let out a low moan. “Michelle, what did you do?”

Fuck. Her purchases must have been delivered while they were in Master Derek’s office. Just her luck. Guilt twisted her stomach into knots as she stepped into the room behind them. How were there so many? She didn’t think she’d gone that overboard. “I went to the gift shop. I’m sorry, Allie, I’m sure they’ll let me return some of it. All of it.”

“You promised me.” Tears shimmered on Allie’s lashes when she turned, and the look of betrayal in her babygirl’s eyes hurt more than any spanking she’d ever received. “You promised me this wouldn’t happen again.”

“I know, baby, and I’m so, so sorry. I just—” Michelle cut herself off with a shake of her head. Anything she said now would just sound like excuses. “I’m sorry. I don’t know what else to say.”

“You can start by cluing me in on what’s going on here.” Although Nick’s tone was light, there was a dark current underneath that had her bottom clenching as if anticipating the punishment she so obviously deserved.

“I, um. Well—”

“Michelle has a spending problem,” Allie cut in, crossing her arms and shooting a heated glare in Michelle’s direction. “And she promised me she’d stay within our spending budget for this trip but it’s clear she didn’t. I swear, this is the only time I ever wish I could paddle your ass, Michelle. What the hell were you thinking?”

“I wasn’t.” As far as explanations went, it sounded lame even to her own ears. But it was the truth. “I was in a funk this morning and I thought maybe some retail therapy would help and… I guess I went overboard.”

“You guess?” Flinging her arms open, Allie gestured wildly at the piles of packages surrounding them. “I don’t have to guess, Michelle. I know you went overboard. I can’t believe you!”

“All right, enough.” Though he barely raised his voice, Nick’s words echoed with authority. “Allison, I am going to ask Michelle some questions. And unless you want to stand in the corner with a bar of soap in your mouth, you will keep your lips sealed until I tell you to speak. Nod if you understand me, little one.”

Still glaring, Allie pressed her lips together and gave a single, sharp nod of acknowledgment.

“Good girl. Now, Michelle.” When Nick turned to her, the firm set of his jaw had her swallowing audibly. “What was the spending budget you and Allison agreed to for this trip?”

“Um. Five hundred dollars, Sir,” she answered quietly, already dreading the next question.

“And how much did you spend in the gift shop this morning?”

God, she was going to be sick. “About three times that.”

It looked like Allie’s eyes were going to pop out of her head, but she kept her lips pressed so tightly together the edges were turning white.

Nick let out a low whistle. “You’re going to be a very sore little girl by the time I’m through with you, pet. I take it this has been an ongoing issue for you?”

The promise of punishment sent her heart fluttering with anticipation, even as dread sat in her stomach like a rock. “Yes, Sir.”

“So, what happened?” At her blank look, he raised an eyebrow. “You’ve already shown me how responsible you can be, Michelle. Something must have happened to trigger this… episode.”

When she still didn’t speak, he sighed and shook his head. “You broke a promise, darlin’, and you’re about to be soundly punished for it. But not until you talk to me.”

“I don’t know what’s wrong with me,” she managed to whisper. Great, he hadn’t even touched her, and already the tears were coming. “I was just hurt and lonely, but I knew it was stupid, so I figured I could just poke around in the gift shop for a bit and maybe that would help and the next thing I knew I was swiping my credit card and the damage was done.”

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