Free A Heart's Endeavor by Mary Wehr

bossing her around? She propped her hands on her hips and stood up straighter. Her beasts brushed against his wide chest and she stifled a moan. Her head insisted she put Jack in his place, but her body was pliant to his commands.
    “For crying out loud, Jack, I’m a grown woman. If I want to keep my door unlocked, I will.” There, that should set him straight.
    Mel held her breath while Jack studied her for a moment. Mike had berated her every time she lost her temper. A few moments of silence passed and Mel shifted from one foot to the other. Great, she may have blown it this time.
    Instead of admonishing her, he smiled that sexy smile. “Okay, don’t lock the door.” He wore his usual calm, cool façade. “But remember, your butt will suffer the consequences.”
    A thrill of apprehension coupled with anticipation raced down Mel’s spine. Could she push him and see exactly what he’d do? Did she want to? Hell yeah.
    Jack softened his stance and tucked a strand of hair behind her ears. “I’m sorry, honey. But I see so much ugliness out there. Lock the door for my peace of mind, okay?” Mel relented with a smile, and he chucked her under the chin. “That’s my girl.”
    She waved until the cruiser was out of sight before picking up where she had left off. After another hour of yard work she went back inside the house and jumped in the shower. She threw on a pair of pajamas and ate a light supper. There was nothing on television and she soon fell fast asleep.
    * * * *
    Mel groaned and fumbled for the light switch. She looked at the time. She had been asleep for three hours. Great, now she’d be up for the rest of the night. But that might be a good thing. Maybe Jack would have something in mind to keep her occupied. Since their tryst in the driveway he hadn’t touched her except to hold her hand or give her a kiss. He said he would take things slow. Well, she’d had enough of slow.
    She changed from her Tweety pajamas into a yellow sundress. At fifteen minutes past ten she heard a sharp rap on her door. She peered through the glass and smiled before she turned the lock. Jack looked downright delicious in a pair of tight jeans. He smelled of Old Spice and male. Mel longed to bury her nose in the open V of his light gray short sleeve shirt and inhale her brains out.
    He wore a huge grin. “Good girl. You locked the door.”
    Mel ignored the remark and offered him a cup of coffee. He sat down at the table, and she could feel the heat of his stare as she moved around the kitchen.
    “I was afraid I’d have to discipline you.”
    Mel swung around and planted her fists on her hips. “Really, Jack. This talk about spanking me is getting old.” Who was she kidding? The urge to lie across his hard thighs and let him do whatever he wanted was overwhelming.
    “I like your temper,” he said.
    That comment threw her for a loop. “You do?” Mel set two cups of coffee on the table and handed him the milk. She lowered herself into the chair next to him and reached for the sugar bowl.
    Jack refused her offer of the sweetener and leaned closer. She was conscious of the heat radiating from his body. “You bet. Didn’t your husband ever fire you up on purpose just so he could spank you when you lost your temper?”
    Mel had taken a sip of coffee and nearly choked. “Excuse me?” She grabbed a napkin from the wooden rooster-shaped napkin holder on the table and slapped it to her mouth. Mike may have fired her up, but he hadn’t spanked her. He’d look at her in disgust and tell her to take a chill pill. Mel learned quickly to hide her emotions so she wouldn’t have to listen to his lectures. “No,” she replied once her coffee had settled in her stomach. “Mike hated when I showed any sign of a temper, but in all our years of marriage, he never spanked me. I’m not a child, after all.”
    Jack leaned back in his chair and stretched his legs. “Some women enjoy a spanking. A spanking can be highly erotic for a