Discipline Down Under (17 page)

“Canada?” Peg squeaked. Her whole body began to shake. She was so close to getting Tripp back, and now to think she’d be half a world away again. It was too much to bear. “No!”

Her father nodded. “Yes. We have to be there in four weeks.”

“Oh, Daddy…” Peg rose and rushed out of the room, sobbing. Her heart was in tatters. This was the worst news possible.

* * *

To Tripp, it was the worst news possible. He’d felt himself reconnecting with Peggy. He could see by her gaze, by her soft smiles, that she’d missed him. At least a little bit. His goal had been to coax her to come back to Katherine with him. But he’d also wanted to find out if she was willing to accept his leadership. It was not in his nature to be other than the head of household. It was a part of him that he couldn’t change and still be himself. It had taken him time, but he realized that it was so ingrained as to be inseparable from his personality. He could give a little, give her leeway and allow her to test and mature by making some small mistakes, accept that she was a girl who loved her phone, but the bigger issues had to be dealt with more firmly. She’d have to accept that he would spank her if she misbehaved in any significant way.

If Peggy couldn’t accept that, if she hadn’t come to realize that he wanted to have her trust to do what was right, then he’d give up. There was only so much heartache a person could stand, and he’d reached his limit. This was all or nothing. Tripp had to try, and try hard, but Peggy had to try, too, if they were going to make it work.

Winston watched Peggy rush away. “Well, that was the wrong thing to say, I daresay.”

Tripp rose, wondering exactly what he should do. Should he leave and hope Peg could coax her father into staying in Australia somehow? Should he stay and fight for her? She couldn’t stay without a job of her own, not more than a few months, at least. But, if he could get her to stay for those months, maybe they could make something lasting and permanent out of their rocky beginning. There was hope.

Winston looked distinguished in his navy blue suit and lighter blue tie. Even his pocket square was perfect. His gaze speared Tripp. “What part do you play in this?”

“I love Peggy.”

The older man rubbed his face, looking put upon. “Of course you do,” he said sarcastically. “Because this can’t get any more difficult than it is. Well, I want her to be happy, but I have a job to do. I don’t know where to compromise on this. Does she love you, too?”

“I’m not sure. Maybe.”

“Well, let’s be civilized. I’ll tell the maid to set an extra place for dinner and we’ll talk it over.”

To Tripp, that sounded like they had a shot at it at least. “Thank you.”

“Don’t thank me yet. I’m not sure how we’d arrange for her to stay.”

“She can stay on a tourist visa for a few months or… if we get married.”

Winston’s brown eyes sparkled. “You’ve been thinking about this.”

“A little,” Tripp said with a small smile. “Would ya allow me to marry yer daughter?”

“Not my decision. Peg’s a modern girl with a mind of her own. You ought to be asking
her
.” With a nod, Winston started toward the kitchen. “We’ll see. Remember, she’s my little girl.”

Tripp didn’t say it, but thought,
she’s my girl, too.

* * *

Dinner was somber. Peg realized it was because of her long face and red-rimmed eyes, but she couldn’t help feeling as she did. She wanted to rail at her father, scream at him to do something to prevent this move. She also wanted to take it out on Tripp, whom she realized was totally innocent in all of this. She kept her mouth shut and picked at her food.

After a while, Peg’s dad put his napkin on the table and stood. “I’m not interested in dessert. How about I leave you two to enjoy it? I have some work to do in my home office anyway.”

Peg wanted to spend more alone time with Tripp, though it seemed rather a dismal future for them. Every minute was important to her, so she tried to give Tripp a pleasant smile as her father walked away.

Tripp took her hand and squeezed her fingers gently. “I’m sorry about all of this, Peggy.”

“You know, I’m only just beginning to get used to being called Peggy. And now, of course… I have to go.”

“Ya don’t have to go. Ya can stay.”

“I can’t. I have to go with my father. The government won’t let me just hang out here forever.”

“No, but… you and I could get married.”

Peg’s heart skipped a beat. “M-m-married?”

“Yeah, we could. Only we’d have to make some agreements, some compromises.” His gaze held hers intensely.

“What did you have in mind?”

“There are some things about me that I can’t change, luv. I’ve thought it over these past weeks. One thing I can’t change is my need to be the dominant party in a relationship. I have to be the head of household.”

“Why?”

“Because I’ve always been in charge of my own destiny. I’ve made every effort to move away from the cattle station and follow my own dreams, even though it might disappoint my family. It’s a decision that was hard to make, but I made it. It still hangs over my head, but that’s part of maturing. We have to realize what it means to be true to ourselves. And, I also have to be dominant because that’s how I was raised. Men in my family are the end of the line where big decisions are concerned. They listen to all parties, but, ultimately, it’s the man’s responsibility to make the decision and take the consequences. That kind of responsibility comes with a price; it’s hard to try to always be right. I’m not saying I’ll never make mistakes. Far from it, but I’ll try not to and I’ll keep yer feelings and yer goals in mind all the time. I’ll listen to ya and not denigrate what ya have to say.”

“Saying no is a non-starter?” She’d have liked to cajole, but it would have been counter-productive. In many ways, Peg craved that kind of benevolent dictatorship in her life. People had let her flail around for far too long. She had no direction and nowhere to find a map.

Tripp nodded. “A non-starter. It’s my only requirement. I’ll love ya in any case, but without that one stipulation, we can’t make something out of this relationship.”

“You’ll listen to me?”

“Absolutely. And almost all day-to-day decisions will be yers. However, on a few big things, like if ya endanger yerself, cause harm to others, behave thoughtlessly when it can be avoided, I
will
spank ya. I promise you, I will. If ya can’t handle that…”

“It can’t be the answer to everything.”

“Agreed. Like I said, I don’t want to run every detail of yer life, hell, or even a large share of them. Just the important things.”

Wiping her eyes with the back of her free hand, Peg nodded. “I’ll do my best. I promise. What about my friends? My phone?”

“We’ll work that out. I can’t expect ya to give it up, I realize that now. All I can ask is that ya keep yer safety in mind and ya learn to respect others yer with. Don’t text and drive; don’t get so lost in your phone that ya lose track of dangers around ya; and don’t neglect the other people who deserve yer polite attention.”

“Thank you. It was definitely an issue for me.”

“So, will ya marry me?”

Could she live with him and accept his rules? Could she love him forever, maybe start a family with him? Could she make Australia her home, so far away from family and friends? Tripp’s family would be good to her; she was sure of that.

“I could still do my photojournalism, right? Because I got a note back from the publisher and they want to send me a contract to look over. They didn’t reject me.”

“That’s fantastic! I told ya you could do it! And remember, professional rejections are about
it
, not
you
. It won’t all be easy. Ya didn’t answer my question.”

“Yes, I’ll marry you. I love you.”

“I love ya, too, Peggy. I was very hurt when ya left me. I was a great
berk
to let ya go.”

“I pretty much gave you no choice.”

He smiled a soft smile. “No. I had no choice. I might be a dominant person, but I’m not likely to imprison ya.”

“I know. I’m not always my best friend.”

“Enough of that, now. Shall we tell yer father?”

“Kiss me first?”

Tripp encouraged her to stand, tugging on her hand, and then he took her face in his cupped fingers and kissed her sweetly. Peg was having none of gentle, however, and pressed her whole body against him, kissing him forcefully, tasting his love with every moment they breathed together.

When they broke, Tripp kissed her on the nose and said, “I hoped… I brought you a ring.” He reached into his pocket and pulled out a diamond solitaire, set in gold. “I hope it’s okay.”

Peg held out her hand and he slipped the jewelry on her ring finger. “Oh, Tripp, I love you so much.”

“Just don’t leave me again, Peggy. That’s all I need.”

* * *

Peg’s mom flew into Perth to attend the wedding, and Peg was a bit of a nervous wreck as she tried to make it the best party it could be in only a short period of time. Peg wanted a big wedding with all the accoutrements and Tripp wanted something smaller and more intimate. They’d had a few tiffs over it. The afternoon after her dress shopping was perhaps the worst of the arguments, when Peg had told him about the two dresses she was most interested in. His lack of helpfulness had been irritating.

“Help me decide.”

“Pick whatever ya like, Peggy. I’m sure it’ll be beautiful. Try not to break the bank for yer dad, though.”

“But I don’t know if strapless would be better, or if I should go with something more conservative. What do you think?”

He’d pushed his shaggy hair back from his forehead, and sat back against the sofa cushions. Her dad’s condo was bright with summer sunshine. “It doesn’t matter to me, luv. You’ll look gorgeous no matter what ya pick.”

“Tripp…”

“It’s yer decision.”

“You’re no help at all.”

“If it was up to me, we’d go visit the magistrate and have it done simple and quick. This big wedding to-do is for yer benefit, Peggy. I know it’s been a dream of yers for a long time and I don’t want to say no. But I’m not too interested in wedding dresses.”

“But I really need your help!”

“Fine. I’ll pick strapless.”

She paused in her pacing. “Why? What’s wrong with conservative?”

He looked thoroughly exasperated. “Nothing! Ya wanted me to pick!”

“But you have to have a reason or it doesn’t count.”

“Make the choice yerself. I honestly will be pleased with whatever ya choose.”

She had stomped her foot. Perhaps that had been the wrong thing to do. “You must have an opinion! Tell me!”

He stood. “I’ll tell ya this, Peggy-girl, if ya don’t get a grip, I’ll take ya over my knee. Maybe that’ll help ya make up yer mind.”

“You are so mean to me, you big bully!”

“Bully, am I?”

She should have taken his tone of voice more seriously. She realized that later. “Yes, you are. A big, mean, rotten bully who can’t even make up his own mind.”

“My mind? Yer joking. Make a decision yerself, or I’ll make it for ya with the palm of my hand.”

After sticking her tongue out at him, she’d gotten about three paces away when he’d grabbed her and hauled her back over to the couch. “Enough of that!” He sat and pulled her over his lap.

They had been alone in the condo. There had been no one there to hear her protesting when Tripp had pulled her dress up and panties down.

“Stop!”

“Not on yer life. You’ve had this coming for a week. Every little detail has had ya in a fit. Ya need to get past this and stop fretting over things that won’t be important a month after the wedding. This is about you and me building a new life together, not whether yer dress has straps, or shoulders, or a tutu.” His palm connected smartly with her quivering behind to punctuate his lecture. Every word he’d uttered after that had been accompanied by a spank, until her bottom was burning and screaming for it to stop.

“I’m sorry,” she said on a sob. “I’ll pick. I’ll make the decision on these details.”

A few more spanks and then he’d asked, “Are ya sure? Because I don’t want to hear ya calling me mean and rotten and undecided again.”

“I won’t! I promise. I’m sorry I said that.”

He stopped spanking. “All right.” They had rearranged themselves so that Peg was sitting on his lap. “I know these things are important to ya, luv, but I think yer frustrating yerself for no good reason.”

She wiped her cheeks with her fingertips. “You’re probably right. Mother will help me make the decision. She told me to go with the strapless. I’m just so nervous about this party going well. I only plan to get married once.”

“I know. I know.” He kissed her wet cheek. “Once is all ya need, and me, too. But try to enjoy the experience while ya make yer plans. Have a little fun, okay?”

She’d nodded. “Okay.”

They’d shared a long kiss and Peg had something more interesting to focus on for a while.

* * *

The wedding went off with a few minor missteps. Peg only got spanked once more in the two weeks between the dress and the big day. Her friend, Mandy, had flown in to be by her side, and her dad was proud as a peacock as he walked her down the aisle. Her strapless lace and satin dress was perfect, as it turned out.

Tripp looked a little straight-jacketed by his tuxedo, but his handsomeness had Mandy sighing with jealousy. His friends, Victor and Nigel, were in attendance, Victor acting as Tripp’s best man.

When the words were said, the buzzing in Peg’s ears finally started to abate, and the world came into focus once again. She was incredibly happy to be with Tripp. He was everything she wanted and needed. He took care of her and gave her room to grow, without letting her get out of hand. He was, in the end, her discipline down under, and the brightest star in her southern hemisphere sky.

The End