Finding Rowena Page 2

  She expertly hopped onto the bed, not letting a single kernel of the buttery goodness fall from the bowl. "Get your act together, and we'll be just fine." She scoffed at the lyrics. "Easier said than done."

  She grabbed the remote from the bedside table and clicked on the mounted TV, smiling when the venue for the newly elected Governor of Oregon's acceptance speech filled the screen. "Just in time."

  The overly excited reporter spoke, "Mr. Montgomery is a very private person, and I say, good for him. We need a person in office who worries about the issues of the people, not some TV star, looking to land his next role."

  "I agree, Bob, but with privacy, comes secrecy. Is Oregon ready for a governor who likes to keep his hand close to his vest?" The woman on the TV shook her head seriously. "Then we have the rumors."

  "Speaking of rumors. I have been told that someone has spotted Evelyn Burkshire, Mr. Montgomery's longtime girlfriend, entering the building at his side."

  Ro rolled her eyes and muted the TV as the song on the sound system changed. "If I wanted to hear people drone on and on about government, I'd go back to S.E.A.L.; besides, I only watch for the hot guys. Well, guy."

  She smiled to herself as she ran her finger over one of the three leaf clovers stitched into the throw blanket she had draped over her lap. It was her mom's attempt at recreating the baby blanket she had when she was left at the fire station all those years ago.

  Tears filled her eyes as she looked across the room to the bassinet her baby blanket rested on, her hand automatically going to her flat belly. Stupid. That was how she felt every time she thought about how she'd jumped the gun last time.

  They had made it past the twelve-week mark. The doctor had said everything looked great. She had begged Octavius to stop at the baby store on the way home and pleaded with him to put it together as soon as they walked in the house. Three days later, she lay on the paper covered table, her heart pounding in her chest as the tech searched for a heartbeat.

  While wiping the tears from her lashes, she shoved a handful of popcorn into her mouth, a few pieces falling onto the bed.

  An image on the screen caught her attention. "Holy shit!"

  "Ma'am, this is a restricted area."

  "I know, I know." She dug into her cross-body purse. "Sorry, I know it's in here somewhere. Stupid hobo bag and its lack of pockets. I can't find anything. Aha!" She held up her S.E.A.L. ID card. "I'm with Security Enforcement and Logistical Services." She rolled her eyes at his questioning look. "I'm with the company that is providing the security for this event. You know, the company that gave you this temp position. It is absolutely imperative that I speak to one of my men. Now."

  "Just a second, ma'am." He reached for the radio on his hip.

  "No! Just let me in, and I will find one of the guys, myself."

  He simply raised a brow as he pushed the button. "Um, DeLuca, I have a woman at the back entrance, demanding to be let in, she claims to work for S.E.A.L."

  "Description."

  "Long dark hair with purple ends."

  "Damn it, Rowena." It was her husband who spoke through the radio this time, and if the grumbles in the background were anything to go on, he wasn't the only one upset with her.

  In a penny, out a penny. She pulled the radio from the shocked man's grasp. "Did you see her? She looks—"

  Before she could complete her statement, the device was pulled from her hand. "Not another word, Ro."

  "Luca, did you see her? Did you see my sister?"

  With a growl, he pulled her down the hall and around the corner. "We know nothing about this woman."

  "I do. I know."

  The man in front of her softened the slightest bit. "Ro, honey, you don't."

  "I do. I feel it here." She put her right hand over her heart.

  "You're about to feel it here." A solid swat landed on her ass. Octavius.

  With a nod of his head, Luca led Trident to the end of the hall where they were stood guard; no one would get past them.

  "I cannot believe you, Rowena. This is work."

  "This is family."

  "Ro." She watched her husband, his lips moving as he quietly counted to ten. "I know this is hard, but you can't do stuff like this." As he rubbed his hands across his stubbled jaw, he took a deep breath. "You are going to get the spanking of your life when we get home."

  "So, I can stay?"

  "Of course, that's the only thing you heard. Would you go home if I told you to?"

  She bit her lip and looked at the floor. "I would, but I wouldn't be happy about it."

  "That's what I thought. I'll take you to the control room."

  "Wait, I have to talk to her, to see her."

  "You will not go anywhere near her until we do a complete background check. Do I make myself clear?"

  "But she's my sister."

  "And you are my wife." Within seconds, she was bent over the man's arm, his hand bouncing off her butt. "You will stay away from her until I am sure it's safe. Do I make myself clear?"

  "Yes, Sir."

  "Try again."

  "I'll stay away, Daddy. I promise." As soon as she was released, her hands went to the seat of her pants.

  "No rubbing, Rowena." He gathered her in his arms. "It's not forever, sunshine. Just until the background check comes back."

  "How long?"

  "A day, two tops."

  "What are you wearing?"

  Rowena looked down at her rainbow-covered pants. "My pajamas, I was going to bed."

  Jay pushed his glasses up his nose as he turned back to the computer. "Those pants might be pajamas, but that tank top is inappropriate."

  "I was in a hurry."

  He tossed her his sweatshirt. "I know you better than that, Ro. Putting a bra on didn't even cross your mind."

  "Of course not, didn't you hear? I have a sister!"

  An uproar of voices from one of the monitors caught their attention. "A few minutes ago, I received a gracious call from my opponent, congratulating me on a well-run campaign. I thanked him for his willingness to run, and I truly do appreciate it. But I will tell you what I appreciate more, and that is the time each and every one of you took to support me, to vote for me and to be here with me tonight." The crowd cheered.

  "He sure likes himself, doesn't he?" Jason grumbled.

  She threw his sweatshirt back at him. "Shh."

  "None of this would be possible if it were not for the support you have all shown me. Your support is only overshadowed by the support of the wonderful woman in my life. Evelyn, come out here please."

  The cameras panned to the side of the stage. The woman hesitantly emerging from behind the curtain, was the reason Ro was sitting in the dimly lit room—her sister. "We look so much alike." Jason scoffed, and she grinned. "Well, besides the hair."

  Governor-elect Montgomery turned back to the crowd. "This beautiful woman right here is the reason I am here today. Her support, dedication, and loyalty has pushed me to be a better man, and will, in turn, push me to be a better governor. I couldn't imagine having anyone else by my side in the governor's mansion. Which is why, right now, on live television, I am asking her to be my wife."

  Rowena watched as the man turned from the podium and took a knee. "This is so romantic!"

  The woman stared down at the governor-elect, a hand covering her mouth, her eyes round with shock. "Evelyn Marie Berkshire, will you do me the honor of becoming both my wife and First Lady of the great state of Oregon?"

  "I-I don't know what to say. I wasn't expecting this."

  "I only require one word."

  As if remembering where she was, Evelyn snapped to attention. She stood straighter with her shoulders pushed back and a blinding, if somewhat wobbly, smile split her face. "Of course, Branson. I would l-love to be your wife."

  "Did you leave every light in the house on?"

  "I was in a hurry."

  "You'd better hope you remembered to lock the door, or we won't be making it past the kitche
n." He sighed when she didn't answer. "You don't remember locking it, do you?"

  "No."

  He killed the engine before turning and taking her hands in his. "I know you are excited, but I need you to be prepared. If it turns out this woman is who we think she is, there will be a chance that she doesn't want anything to do with you."

  "How could you not want your sister? She's a built-in best friend."

  "That is what I love about you. Your optimism is always at the forefront, but that optimism also has the potential to crush you."

  She reached across the car, resting the palm of her hand on the side of his face. "I'm optimistic, not naive. I know there is a chance she will run for the hills as soon as she learns of me, but I have to give her the chance to make that decision. Then pray like hell that she will make the one I so desperately want her to make. I have to open myself up to the possible pain, in order to feel the joy."

  "How in the hell did I get so lucky?"

  "I liked your uniform."

  He huffed a laugh before unfolding from the car. At the door, he turned to her. "If this door is unlocked, you are to stay out here while I do a sweep, am I clear?

  "Yes, Sir."

  He jiggled the handle. "Good girl."

  "Oh, thank God. I was not prepared for that spanking on top of another one."

  He swung the door open. "You know the drill. Upstairs."

  As slowly as she dared, Ro climbed the stairs. When she entered the bedroom, she cringed at the mess she'd left behind.

  "What in the world?"

  "Um. I was in a hurry?"

  His left eye twitched the slightest bit. "At ease now."

  As soon as she was in position, he walked to the closet. Her belly constricted. It wasn't going to be an easy little hand spanking; he was getting an implement.

  "Do you know why you're getting this spanking?" His voice sounded from the depth of their walk-in closet.

  When he emerged once more, she replied, "Because I was supposed to be home in bed, not gallivanting all over the city?"

  "Some." He sat on the bed, their small oval paddle in hand. "I am going to spank you for two reasons." He ticked them off on his fingers. "The first reason is because you don't realize it, but you put yourself in harm's way tonight."

  "I was only coming to talk to you."

  "Sunshine, I know you better than that. If the guy manning the door hadn't radioed Luca, you would have gone in search of Evelyn; finding me wouldn't have even crossed your mind.

  As she chewed her lip, she nodded her head. "You're right, Sir."

  "Second, you put the security firm at risk, by flashing your ID and demanding entry. Had Mr. Montgomery seen that, it would have been grounds to break our contract. His contract is a big one, and word of mouth is even bigger. This is our livelihood I'm talking about. Not just ours, Jason's, Luca's, and every person we employ. You put all that at risk."

  "I didn't think of that."

  "I know. That's why you're going to be spanked, so those things do cross your mind next time. Come on. Let's get this over with."

  She allowed her arms to drop to her side and walked to the open space between his spread legs. "I'm really sorry, Sir."

  His hand went to the elastic waist of her pants, pushing them down her leg. "I know, sunshine."

  Ro gripped his shoulders as she stepped from the ring of fabric. Next, was her shirt; in one easy movement, he had it pulled over her head, her breasts falling free.

  "Don't cover them."

  "But—" His sharp look had her dropping her hands again.

  "If you wanted them covered, you should have worn a bra."

  She mumbled under her breath as she looked away from him.

  "What was that? I didn't catch it."

  They both knew he had heard her, but she also knew it was better to willingly repeat her mumbled mistake than to deny him what he demanded. "I said that you pick on me more on the days you notice I haven't worn one."

  A smile spread across his face. "You may be right." With those four short words, his smile disappeared. "But I didn't ask you to barge into an event you had no business being there in the first place."

  "No, Daddy, you didn't."

  As he shook his head, he took hold of her chin. "I love you, but you must think before you react."

  Without another word, he pulled her over his thigh, her head and torso resting on their bed and her toes just brushing the floor. His fingers slipped into the waistband of her panties, and he pulled them down to just below her butt cheeks. They wouldn't stay there for long.

  The feeling of him running his hand over her still white nates had her relaxing the slightest bit, but it only lasted a few seconds before his hand disappeared, only to return with a solid spank to the roundest part of her ass.

  She willed herself to hold still. After all, this was just the beginning. Back and forth, he went, left, right, left and then back again. The heat was just starting to build when the lecture started.

  "When I heard your voice over that radio, my heart started pounding in my chest." A swat caught the underside of her butt.

  "I'm sorry." Another three swats to her right cheek. "I wasn't trying to make you mad."

  As soon as the words left her mouth, the spanking stopped. In one swift movement, she was on her feet, her underwear falling to the floor. "Do you think I'm spanking you because I was mad at you?"

  "No. Never!" Her eyes rounded, pleading with him to understand what she was trying to say. "I know you would never spank me in anger. I just assumed." Her eyes fell to his chest.

  "It wasn't anger that had my heartrate picking up." The finger under her chin gave her no choice but to look at him once more. "It was fear."

  His hesitation didn't sit well with her. "I was in a building secured by you and the men you trust with your life every day. What did you have to fear?"

  "It's more than likely nothing, but I don't have a good feeling about this new governor of ours."

  "I'm pretty sure you said the same thing about Jason when he joined your team."

  "I wasn't wrong; that man is nerdy. Nerds creep me out."

  O's shiver had her snickering. "You trust him with your life."

  "More importantly, I trust him with you."

  The kiss he planted on her forehead had her melting, and heaving a heavy sigh, she climbed back his lap. "I won't interrupt again, Daddy."

  This time, it wasn't his hand that rested on her naked ass, but the smooth, cool wood of his paddle. Apparently, her warm up was over.

  When the paddle came down on her ass, she let out a squeal and gripped the bedding beneath her face.

  "A few hours. That is all you would have had to wait. I would have come home, and we could have tackled this doppelganger thing together."

  The wood rained down on her poor, upturned ass. "I'm sorry. I didn't think; I just reacted."

  His growl was the only warning she got before he moved to her sit spots. "Irresponsible. Reckless."

  The assault on the crease beneath her ass had her kicking her feet up. It did her no good. He simply pulled her legs back down, pinned them between his own legs and landed a couple of swats to her thighs.

  Those spanks were the ones that got through to her. The sharp pain cut right through her defenses.

  "I'm sorry," she said, letting her body go limp as she sniffled into the blankets.

  O didn't stop. Instead, he made sure she felt the volley of swats he laid down on her thighs. "I love you, sunshine. Don't make me repeat this lesson. Please."

  The final swat landed as the plea slipped from his lips.

  Lying on her side, her head resting on her husband's chest, her bottom burning, Ro's mind ran wild.

  "It's not like you to be this awake after I've roasted your ass. Talk to me, baby."

  "Am I that easy to read?"

  "We've been together long enough, I can tell when you're holding back. I can practically hear all of those questions running rampant in the beautiful little
head of yours. Ask."

  "What was she like?"

  "Ass freshly spanked, and she wants to talk about her sister." He chucked ruefully. "I should have known."

  When he went silent, she turned on to her belly so she could look him in the eyes. "Well?"

  "There isn't much to report. I only saw her once, and she only said a couple words to us."

  "What did she say? What did she sound like? Did she look as elegant in person as she did on TV? Do you think she will let me dye her hair?" He tried to hide the smile threatening to take over his face, but Ro saw it.

  "All she did was apologize for making them late. I think she was more telling Mr. Montgomery sorry, but it was directed at us."

  "Manners are never a bad thing to have." She ignored his eye roll. "What else?"

  "As far as what she sounded like, she sounded like you. Maybe a slightly higher pitch to her voice. I don't think she is going to let you anywhere near her hair, though."

  "Those blonde highlights would look amazing with some purple." The smile on her face slipped the slightest bit. "Do we think we have any more siblings? Older sisters, maybe a baby brother?"

  O gathered her in his arms, his lips landing on hers. "We don't even know if the two of you are related." At her arched brow, he sighed. "Yes, the two of you look identical."

  "Twins!"

  "Yes, if I were to take an educated guess, I would say the two of you are twins. What are you doing?"

  As she cracked one eye open, she rolled her eyes at him. "Shh. I'm trying to talk to her through our twin telepathy."

  "Your what?"

  "I'm trying to send her a message with my mind."

  "Ro, baby, you didn't even know she existed before tonight. That connection is not magically going to appear if it even exists."

  "I've never tried this before. Maybe it's been there the whole time, and I just didn't know how to use it."

  "She'd better hope she can't feel your pain, or she's got one hell of a sore ass right now."