Free The Intruder by Joannie Kay

to spank me if he didn't love me..." She looked at Kelly and said, "I answered my door without asking who was on the other side, and it's my fault that Quincy Darles learned Jake was in my apartment."
    "That would be spankable at my house, too, but I wouldn't answer the door without looking. I've been to too many crime scenes that started just that way and I know better."
    "I do, too. Now," Kari said with a rueful expression. She had to smile when Kelly giggled, and they talked like old friends.
    Kelly's cell phone beeped and she answered, "Officer Wintrow. Yes, Lieutenant. Thank you, sir." She hung up and smiled. "Your man is on his way. Maybe you ought to go on back to bed before he comes in...?" she suggested.
    "No, I couldn't sleep. I want to know what happened tonight," Kari answered.
    Jake came in through the garage door and came to find them in the living room. "What are you doing out of bed, young lady. You've been ill and you should be sleeping!" he scolded.
    "I slept six hours today, Jake. I'm not tired or sleepy right now."
    "Jase said you are to rest."
    "I've been sitting here resting all night, getting to know Kelly," Kari smiled.
    "Anything at all to report, Officer Wintrow?" he turned his attention to the Officer, who was standing.
    "No, sir. Everything has been quiet."
    "Good. Go on back to the Station and see where you are needed for the rest of your shift. I'll expect you back here tomorrow evening at eight o'clock."
    "Yes, sir." She turned to leave.
    "Good bye, Kelly, and thanks for keeping me company."
    "It was my pleasure, Kari," she smiled in return and then left.
    "You need to be in bed, sweetheart," Jake said firmly.
    "Not until you tell me what happened tonight," she crossed her arms over her chest.
    "Nothing much, sweetheart. I spent all night looking for Darles, but didn't find him. He might have spotted the unmarked car I had on him," he admitted with a disgusted frown.
    "Well, don't worry about it. I feel safe here, and Kelly was very nice. We talked of everything under the sun."
    "Good. I'm pleased you made her feel at home. She's a nice young woman."
    "Did you know they have two children?"
    "Yes, they're Nevin's from his first marriage. His first wife was killed in a car accident, right after the youngest was born. He was left with a two year old and an infant. His Mom helped a lot, and then he met Kelly at work, and they hit it off right away. She adopted those babies as hers, and that was that."
    "Oh, she didn't tell me any of that! I wondered how she could be so young and have a five and three year old!" She paused and then asked, "Did you know that Nevin spanks her?"
    "What? No...! You talked to Kelly about spanking?" he was shocked.
    "She realized that you spanked me when I asked to sit in here instead of at the kitchen table to eat our ice cream. Those chairs don't have cushions!" she said in an accusing tone of voice. "And then she admitted that Nevin spanked her, too, and she asked for a Domestic Discipline relationship because she didn't want to be like her sisters and divorced several times."
    "You two did talk," Jake said quietly.
    "Ut oh... Did I do something wrong?" Kari wanted to know, and her green eyes were full of trepidation.
    "A spanking is personal, sweetheart. Like making love. It happens between two people who love each other, and it should be kept private and personal."
    "Oh... I'm sorry," she said contritely.
    "No harm done, but Kelly is under my supervision. I'm not saying she would want to make trouble for me, but having information of that sort could be a weapon in the wrong hands. Just as me knowing that Nevin spanks her. I don't feel that either of us are abusive, but it could be twisted and used against us by someone with a grudge or an axe to grind," he explained as gently as possible.
    "I'm sorry, Jake. I would never purposely say something to hurt you."
    "I know that, sweetheart, and I'm not upset with you. Kelly and Nevin are good people, and I trust them... but