Accepting His Ways (Quinlan O'Connor Book 2) (6 page)

“Look, doc. I get she needs to go, but she has some obvious issues over this whole thing. It isn’t going to make her better if she’s over anxious. I have a friend who is an internist and while this isn’t his normal realm, if he agrees to come to the house and check on her at least once a day, can we try it at home?”

“Well, we could try but only for twenty-four hours.” He turned to Cheyenne. “You hear me young lady, just twenty-four hours. If you aren’t noticeably better, or if you get even a sliver worse, you go straight to the emergency room and have them call me.”

She nodded her head and tried to smile with little success. Doc took down the information for Carter Taylor, MD and sent them on their way. Only after a steroid and penicillin injection, with several other medications and only after final assurances that she would be watched continuously and a phone call to verify Carter’s participation, did the doctor agree.

Subdued, sick, and now a little worried about what all this dom attention would earn her, she moaned in the car as hot tears she hadn’t the ability nor the inclination to stem ran down her face.

Quinn looked over and, putting a caressing hand on her cheek, he thumbed away the tears.

“What’s the matter, baby? I know you aren’t feeling well. I wished you didn’t refuse the hospital, but I understand why you did. We’re going to try to do this your way, okay?”

“I know you’re irritated with me, your doctor thinks I’m a nut, and Carter is probably angry with me. He has more work and now I’m going to expose your parents to this. I feel crappy about it, but I do really feel terrible.”

“We know you’re sick, so don’t you worry. I brought in Carter so that you could possibly avoid the hospital, and while I have no doubt you will get a lecture from him about going to the doctor sooner, we will both leave that for when you’re well.”

Carter agreed to give her twenty-four hours to begin to feel better, or he would directly admit her to the hospital. Quinn vowed to carry her in himself, kicking and screaming if she didn’t improve by the next afternoon. “Which may be the case, I fear.”

Carter looked at Cheyenne sternly and said, “This little one isn’t going to give you any trouble because if she does, I’ll have an ambulance take her, then will order all her medication by injection. Then when she’s better, I’ll take her over my own knee. You might ask Susie how well that is to handle when it’s punishment and not play.”

“No, no, I promise to get better. I promise I won’t need that.”

“Just agree that you will go if I say it’s necessary.”

She nodded her head.

Luckily, for Cheyenne, she did improve. After being put to bed, Quinn stood guard over her and when he was on shift, he charged his parents to do the same. Under their care she did well. When she was fully recovered, and the medication cured the pneumonia, Quinn set about curing the stubbornness and working on the reasons behind it.

It had been over two weeks since Cheyenne had been so sick and had two doms overseeing her recovery. Quinn had watched her carefully during that time and was confident that she was well enough to pay the piper.

“Hey, I thought we’d stay in tonight.” Quinn’s statement was very casually given.

Cheyenne looked at Quinn without speaking for a moment. “Okay, I guess, but I thought we were going to the club. Ashley and Richard had planned to go, and I haven’t seen her in a while. We were going to talk wedding.”

“We can go tomorrow night. Saturday is usually the more fun night anyway. Everyone shows up.”

“Except Ashley, she works on Saturday.”

“Well, why don’t you meet her on Sunday and discuss the wedding?”

“Sunday, your mom wants us to go to church and then have Sunday dinner with them. Come on, what is really going on here?”

Quinn reached for Cheyenne’s hand and pulled her to him, wrapping his arms around her. “I think it’s time we talk about what happened a few weeks ago and why you’re having such a hard time seeing a doctor.”

“I think going to the club would be better,” she said as she tried to twist out of his grasp.

“Cheyenne, we’re about to be married, and I need to know about this fear.”

She did twist out of his loose grasp this time and said, “I’m not afraid.”

“Aversion, then—you have a tremendous aversion to doctors. We need to talk about this and now is the time.”

“No, what you really want to know is why I didn’t do as you told me. Why I didn’t follow orders like a good little submissive, which is what you expect.” She walked around the table, snatching up the things left from dinner.

He calmly took the items out of her hands and put them away. “No, but I do want to help if I can. You’re right in some ways. What you did wasn’t okay for you or us as a couple, but your submission is always your choice. Sure, because we live this dynamic, I do my part by taking care of you, and a part of that’s expecting obedience when it matters, but, honey, that isn’t submission. True submission is giving me your obedience even when I don’t ask for it.”

“Oh, I see. If I don’t do what you want, even when I can’t help it, you’re going to get your payment extracted. That’s what this is all about, you getting what you want.” She slammed the cupboard door shut and stomped to the sink.

He grabbed her upper arm securely, twirling her toward him. “All right, that’s enough. We aren’t getting anywhere this way so we’re doing it my way. I tried to ease into this, but you aren’t letting me, so I know how to take control. Watch, Cheyenne, this is me taking control of a situation. Now, strip.”

* * *

Cheyenne stared at Quinn, regret showing on her face. She shook her head at her uncontrollable tongue. Really, though, the tongue was only doing what the mind was telling it to say and because of it, now she was going to end up doing what he wanted. She figured her tongue would get off easier than she would.

“Sorry, I just don’t think I have to tell you everything,” she tried with a more passive voice and not looking at him, as she didn’t move to comply but it was obvious the words and tone did not match.

“I’m sorry too,
a stór,
but this can’t happen again. Informing me of everything isn’t the goal here; it is to tell me the important things and to take my direction if it is for your own good. You can talk to me and discuss your viewpoint respectfully. Now, do what I said. I want to see your beautiful breasts and your luscious ass.”

Quinn walked over and picked up his leather case, and she heard him take out papers. She sneaked a peek and found him giving her the “dom” look as if he knew she was going to stop to check out what he was doing.

“
Anois
, Cheyenne.” His impatience was obviously growing.

Submission left again, she faced him and yelled, “I am, damn it!” Her face flushed with her emotions.

Quinn said not a word but taking two strides to bring him alongside Cheyenne; he turned her around and landed several hard smacks to her still panty-covered bottom under partially removed yoga pants.

“Is that enough of an attitude adjustment or do we need to address it further?”

“I hate it when you go all macho on me. I’m a person in my own right.”

“Yes but you’re also part of me. You don’t have the right to risk your health in our relationship. It isn’t how I… we do things.” Seeing there was no further movement to undress he noted, “I see you need more.” He turned her to slap her ass again repeating his warning, leaving his handprint overlapping the last ones, handprints showing along her panty’s edge. “Take the rest off now before I take it off for you. And I would not advise it if you like that shirt or that cute panty set.”

She yanked her clothes off and tossed them in a pile in the only corner close to her.

“Perfect. Now go to that corner and fold those clothes facing the wall, bent over.” He was so calm, as though he wasn’t pushing all her buttons.

“Now that’s ridiculous.” She stood with her arms crossed over her breasts. Oddly, she felt her muff was covered well enough.

“No, what is ridiculous is that you think you’ve any influence over this now. You gave up your chance unless you’re playing your yellow card.”

He sent her to the corner with another searing smack to her bottom cheeks when she didn’t respond, and its message was acknowledged in her yelp and immediate reaching back to soothe her nates.

“Those hands are to be on the clothes not your ass, Cheyenne.”

She screeched her irritation but reached down and folded the clothing giving Quinn a perfect view of all the jewels in her buried treasure trove.

“Now what?” she asked standing up straight and placing her hands on her hips, bared breasts forgotten in her irritation.

“You’re a sassy minx tonight, aren’t you?” came his exasperated reply.

“No, I’m a frustrated, irritated, irate woman who is going to say this only one time. I hate doctors and no matter how angry you are at that, no matter how sick I get, I’m still not going to see a doctor if I don’t have to, and that’s my right.”

“Are you playing your yellow card?”

“Yes. No.” She shook her head.

That was when she really noticed Quinn. She saw he wasn’t looking at the papers he had in front of him but was leaned back on the couch with one arm on the back, the other hand on the armrest propping his chin and right ankle sitting on the left knee.

He was everything she ever needed, and he deserved her everything. She looked at him cautiously. His facial expression was pained, as though he had a problem he was trying to puzzle out. She was his problem, as usual.

“Quinn?” She took a step out of the corner she was never really in, unsure what to do. “What’s wrong?”

“Turn around,
cailín dána.
” Cheyenne faltered, still unsure what to do with the unfamiliar sight of a nonplused, if not worried, Quinn.

“I’m sorry,” her hesitant voice said sweetly.

“I know,
a lómhara
, but I have to work this problem out. Turn around while I do that.”

“I want to help. Why won’t you let me help figure things out, whatever it is?” Cheyenne asked Quinn with a mixture of irritation and concern. “If I’m the problem, then I want to be part of the solution!”

“Right, then turn around and calm down, that will help a lot. Look at the wall, think of sandy beaches and blue waters or mountain waterfalls, streams with deer frolicking. Think about whatever will settle you down, hell, think of a solution you haven’t tried to fix this doctor thing while I think.”

After a moment, she did turn around. This wasn’t humiliation; it was Quinn’s way of taking control of the situation. His way of removing the chaos that had ensued. She needed to tell him what she already knew of her fears. She didn’t know it all, and was not sure she wanted to examine it too closely right now, but she would share what she could. She tried to relax and finally found her safe and calming place, residing mentally in his arms. She existed there until she felt Quinn’s hand on her shoulder.

“Better?” he asked quietly.

“Yes.”

“Sir. This is also punishment.” His voice was loving.

“Yes, sir.”

He leaned down to kiss her forehead and then pulled back looking into her face.

“You
are
better.”

She nodded. “So are you.”

He drew in a deep breath and let it out slowly. “I am.”

He led her over to the sofa and Cheyenne sucked in a breath when she saw a leather strap, the small thin one that concentrated its sting. The one she loved to hate so much.

“This is discipline,
a lómhara
and you will know it when we are done unless you’re safe wording.” His voice stayed calm and steady. “You’re my whole world. The person I get up for in the morning. You’re who brings a smile to my face and a spring in my step. You’re also the one who can set my temper flaring and my hand itching. I can’t and won’t allow you to take the types of chances with yourself as you’ve done recently. And after this lesson, I hope you never do it again.”

Cheyenne shook her head. “No, sir.”

“Good.” He sat down and pointed the way she should lay over his knees.

This was it. She accepted either that he would discipline her or she wouldn’t. If she didn’t, she knew he would not force the issue but what would happen after that was anyone’s guess. He said she could challenge him, but if she did and his mind was not changed, she accepted his discipline. This brought them back to the question of, did she accept it. She wanted to clarify, and if it was the right answer, she knew she would. This time, anyway.

“Sir?”

Quinn looked up in surprise before softening his full continence in a smile. “Yes,
a
lómhara
?”

“I don’t think it’s fair to punish me because I’m afraid to do something.”

Quinn reached up and pulled her onto the lap he was ready to lay her over and waited. She put her head on his shoulder allowing him to draw her in snugly.

“I really am afraid and have been for a long time. I have this crazy panic when I see a doctor in his office. Since I was a little girl, I’ve panicked. And then, with dad dying in the hospital, it just cemented that fear of anything doctor.”