Jill Gallagher was happy to see the police officer who came in answer to her call to 911 after her Beauty Salon was robbed. She threw herself into the startled man’s arms, and told him she needed a hug.

John Callahan thought she needed a spanking even more… working so late at night, and all alone, with the door to her business unlocked… and when he discovered her car doors were also unlocked, he couldn’t resist scolding. The final straw was when he took her home and discovered the door to her residence unlocked as well! John can’t resist taking her over his knee and giving her a lesson.

Jill isn’t shocked by his behavior. His sister-in-law, Ruthie, was one of her clients and a good friend, and she’d told Jill all about the Callahan men and their old fashioned ideas. Jill just hoped this particular Callahan man would stick around.

Chapter One

I met John Callahan in the line of duty. His duty, not mine. I was robbed at gunpoint at the end of a very long day of doing hair, and John came in answer to my 911 call. I was terribly frightened, and angry, too, and when the tall policeman entered the beauty salon I owned, I reacted just like a girly girl and threw myself into his arms, weeping hysterically.

“Are you injured, Miss?” he asked politely, trying to pry my arms from around his neck.

“No, just scared,” I bawled, not even caring if my make-up was ruined. I needed human contact, and the policeman was safe in his uniform, and I probably wouldn’t have cared at that point what he looked like, or if he was married… I just needed a hug.

“Is there someone I can call?” he offered politely, patting me on the back, and doing his best to make me feel safe.

“Nooooo! My parents are out of town, and my older brother is a pain in the patoots! He’d just yell at me, and I can’t handle that right now.”

He snickered a bit at the last comment, and said kindly, “I know all about older brothers. Try to take a deep breath now. You’re safe; I won’t let anyone hurt you.”

“Thank you,” I whispered, looking up into his dark eyes, and realizing for the first time that he was gorgeous. “I should have had the door locked while I was cleaning up, but I didn’t. This man just walked right in, wearing a ski mask, pointed a gun at me, and demanded all the money from the cash register.”

“Is there anything you can tell me about him… height, approximate weight…?”

“I know who it was; Jerrod Mays. I cut his hair two days ago; and I recognized his hands; he was wearing the same rings on his fingers. He was wearing the same jacket then, too, and the same shoes… and the gray eyes were his. I didn’t like the way he looked at me while I was cutting his hair, like I was a piece of meat. He asked me out, and I refused. He didn’t like it at all, and I was a bit concerned he’d throw a fit, but he left, and I hoped that was the end of him.”

“You have a good eye for details,” he complimented me, and called it in, asking officers to be on the look-out for Jerrod. While John was still questioning me, he got a report telling him that the suspect had been apprehended, and was still carrying my money in his jacket pocket, along with the gun he’d used to threaten me.

“You’re good,” I said in awe of him, and he smiled.

“We’re here to serve, it’s my job, and you made it much easier than normal.”

“Well, cutting hair is my job, too, but I’m good at it… just like you’re good at your job.”

He grinned, and I swear I was half in love right then and there. He finished up, and stayed with me while more evidence was gathered. I was able to tell them where to dust for Jerrod’s fingerprints, and once they were all done, John told me I could lock up and go home.

He must have seen the fear in my eyes, because he asked, “Why don’t you call a friend and ask if you can stay with them tonight, Miss Gallagher?”

“It’s kind of late to do that,” I answered. “What time do you get off?” I asked boldly.

“I was off about an hour ago,” he admitted. “But, Miss, you don’t even know me,” he stated.

“Are you married?” the thought suddenly occurred to me, and made me sad.

“No, and I’m not seeing anyone, but that doesn’t mean that I can spend the night with you, and you shouldn’t be asking a strange man to do something like that!” he scolded, and I immediately realized he thought I was asking for something else.

I blushed furiously, and then said, “Wait a minute, I’m not making myself clear. I’m not THAT kind of girl!” I declared. “I’m just scared, and I don’t want to go home alone right now. I was thinking about going to a diner and getting something to eat.”

“Can’t you get something to eat at home?” he asked skeptically.

“I could, but you just don’t understand… My parents’ house is really creepy at night, and I’ll never be able to make myself walk in there alone after tonight.” I shrugged when he continued to look at me. “I just thought you might be hungry, too…? I’ll understand if you don’t feel like babysitting me.”

“I am hungry,” he admitted with a smile, “and there’s no reason we can’t share a table... But before I can do that, I have to go back to the station and check out. Are you able to drive yourself to McKinney’s?” he asked. “It’s close to the station, and I should be able to get there within an hour.”

“That would be perfect. Thank you… I don’t even know your name…?” I giggled nervously.

“John Callahan, Miss Gallagher.”

“Call me Jill,” I said breathlessly, and was pleased that he waited on me to lock up and then walked me to my car. It felt nice not to have to worry about someone leaping out at me, and I was sure I’d be imagining all sorts of things if I was alone. John got in his patrol car, and I drove a bit more slowly to McKinney’s. I told the hostess that I was waiting for a gentleman, and was going to take a moment in the restroom to freshen up. By the look on her face, I could only deduce that I looked a fright, and a glance in the large mirror confirmed my suspicions. I was pleased to have enough make-up with me to fix my face, and of course I was able to make my hair look better with almost no work at all. When I went out to see the hostess again, I said by way of explanation, “I’m sure I don’t look as scary now!”

She smiled at me, and walked me to a booth. I was pretty sure that I could see John when he walked in, and I ordered herbal tea, and tried to relax. The thoughts of the robbery weren’t uppermost in my mind… The fact that I’d met John Callahan was blowing me away! Ruthie Callahan was one of my clients, and I knew all about the Callahan brothers, and their propensity for spanking. I knew I should be shocked by that little tidbit, but I wasn’t. Not at all. I felt it was natural for a man to be the head of his household, and if there was a darn good reason for a spanking to happen, then it should happen… I’d felt that way since I was a little girl, and I’d been looking for a man like that since I was old enough to start looking. I’d decided early on that I’d rather be single than marry a man I didn’t consider worthy of my respect. I wondered how John Callahan would make me feel, or if he’d give me a chance to know him better. Just because I thought him gorgeous didn’t mean he would be attracted to me.

Unbidden, thoughts of the robbery returned, and I chided myself once again for not locking the door after my last client left. It was the sort of thing that a husband, or a boyfriend who loved the woman in his life, should take exception to and apply consequences of a physical nature on her bottom, and I wondered what would happen if John Callahan were more than a casual acquaintance. I made my mind get away from that subject, and I reassured the server that my friend would be along soon. She gave me a pitying look and walked away, and I had to smile. John Callahan wasn’t the type of man to say he would come, and leave me hanging. He probably got hung up, and things were taking longer than planned. I wasn’t going anywhere, and I could be very patient when need be.

I sighed in relief when I spotted him talking to the hostess, and when he looked in my direction, I waved. He came over and took a seat, dressed in a simple t-shirt and jeans. “I was afraid you’d give up on me and go on home,” John admitted. “I’m sorry it took so long, but my Lt. wanted all the paperwork done on Mays before I left.”

“That’s understandable. Thank you for helping me tonight, John, and for giving me a hug when I needed it. I’m not normally so forward with people I’ve never met.”

“You were frightened, and that is understandable,” John told me, and then said, “You really should have had that door locked, Miss Gallagher.”

“I know,” I said with a guilty flush, “and I wish you’d call me Jill.”

“Will your father have anything to say on the subject, Jill?” he asked curiously, and I knew exactly what he meant by the question. After all, he was a Callahan man.

“My father doesn’t have much of a voice at our house,” I admitted. The server came to take our order, and I knew that John wasn’t just humoring me by agreeing to meet. The man was hungry if he was planning to eat all of that food!

“You said your parents are out of town…?” he asked, returning to the subject.

“On a business trip… and my brother, Frank, is married and lives on the other side of town. He wouldn’t appreciate a call unless I was murdered.”

“I’m sure he cares,” John smiled.

“Nope. I’m just a fly he’d like to shoo away and forget about. And, I don’t need another lecture from him. I already scolded myself for not locking up.” I saw John start to say something, but he mentally stopped himself. “John, I have to be upfront and tell you that I know who you are.” That got his immediate attention. “Ruthie is one of my clients, and a good friend. She’s told me about your family, and I feel as though I know all of you even though we haven’t met in person before.”

“You’re the Jill Ruthie talks about all the time!” he nodded. “I didn’t make the connection earlier. Small world,” he smiled and relaxed a bit, and I suddenly realized that he must know a lot about me, too. Ruthie loved to talk.

“I didn’t know who you were until you said your name, and then I just knew you had to be Ruthie’s brother-in-law. She’s said a lot of nice things about all of you.”

“Even Luke?” he grinned and winked.

“Oh, especially Luke,” I giggled. The server brought our food, and we enjoyed spending time together. I felt at ease with John, and it was a shock to both of us when we realized the time!

“You need to get home and get some sleep!” he stated in a firm tone of voice.

“I don’t think there’s going to be time for that,” I confessed. “My first client is due in just a couple of hours. I have time to go home and shower and change, and get back to the salon.”

“What on earth? What kind of scheduling is that? You were just closing up at ten last night when Mays robbed you! And you have to be there by seven this morning?” His dark eyes told me he didn’t find that appropriate at all.

“This is a special circumstance, John. I wouldn’t normally go in quite so early, but one of my clients has to catch a flight later this morning to go to her sister’s funeral. I offered to come in early for her.”

John nodded in understanding, and told me it was nice of me to do that for her. We got to our feet, and when we both reached for the check at the same time, he said, “I don’t let a woman pay the bill.”

“But, I invited you,” I reminded him.

“I would have said no if I couldn’t afford to pay,” he stated firmly, and that was that. He didn’t let me leave the tip, either. I knew I was seeing some of that Callahan old-fashioned behavior popping out.

He walked me to where my car was parked, and frowned when the car door was unlocked. “Jill, didn’t you lock your car doors?”

“I must have forgotten,” I fibbed. Truth to tell, I wasn’t big on locking doors. I knew that I should, but those extra two seconds it would take to do so seemed like an awful lot of effort at times.

To my shock, John announced that he would see me home. I told him it wasn’t necessary, but he insisted, making a point of reminding me that the house was creepy when my parents were away. I didn’t bother to correct him, or to tell him it was creepy even when they were home! It was a very old house, and it creaked all the time.

John got out of his car and followed me up the walk to the house, and I realized that I was in trouble the very second I reached out and opened the door without making a pretense of unlocking it first! “You are kidding, right? This is all some practical joke that Ruthie fabricated to make the cop go nuts, right?” John demanded, clearly exasperated.

“I don’t think that getting robbed at gunpoint would be something Ruthie would do to pull a joke on you, John. I’m just terrible at remembering to lock doors.”

“The door on the salon was unlocked last night, your car doors unlocked, and you knowingly came home to an unlocked empty house!” John said calmly, but his dark eyes were flaming. I didn’t know what to say. For some reason, my knees felt weak, and my heart was pounding, and my stomach had butterflies. “Little girl, you need your bottom tanned!” There he was…! Right in front of me…!! Just the kind of man I knew I wanted and needed!

“I don’t know what to say…” my voice squeaked.

“I know what to say… and what to do!” John stated with conviction. He pushed open the door, and marched me right inside. The staircase to the upstairs was right inside the entry, and John pulled me over there, and took a seat on the third step, and hauled me right down over his right knee! In the next instant, his right hand was slapping my bottom, hard! I cried out in surprise and shock that it actually hurt so much to get a spanking! “You are going to start locking doors, little girl, do you hear me?” John scolded as his large hand repeatedly burned my bottom. “You could have been hurt or killed last night!”

“I know! I’m sorry!” I kicked my legs, and when he spanked lower and told me to stop kicking, I stopped, but immediately put my hands back to cover my stinging rear. John simply grabbed my hands in his left hand, and pinned them to my back as he continued spanking me. “Owwwwww!” I yelled. “OWWWWW!”

“Stop complaining, Jillian Elizabeth Gallagher!” he scolded, using my real name for emphasis. I sniffled, and started crying. “You are lucky someone hasn’t hurt you! Leaving your car doors unlocked is just plain asking for a perv to hide in the back and make you drive somewhere so he can rape you and leave you for dead… and do you know how foolish leaving your home unlocked is? It’s an open invitation for every burglar and rapist in town!” The spanks accompanying his words brought me to sobs, and I was praying he would stop soon, but John was determined to do a thorough job of punishing me, and he did. I was promising to lock my doors long before he stopped, and I actually meant to keep my promise by the time he finished. “I’m going to be watching to see that you do, little girl,” John made me a promise, too, and then put me on my feet. He was every inch the policeman as he checked out my parents’ home, and assured himself that no one was hiding inside. I was awfully glad I’d made my bed before I left yesterday, and that the housekeeper had come in and done her thing. The house was at least clean!

John turned to me and said, “You should be safe now, Jill. Lock up after me, and make sure you lock up when you leave for work. Promise me?” he asked meaningfully, and all I could do was nod. He started to say something else, but decided against it, and got into his car and left. I made my way upstairs to my bedroom and bath, and the first thing I did was take off my clothes so I could look at my backside in the mirror. It hurt horribly, and I could easily see why. My poor bottom was bright red and covered with stinging handprints. I got into the shower, and tried not to wince when the spray hit my tenderized rear.

I tried not to think about what happened and how it affected me, but that spanking was all I COULD think about. The pants I wanted to wear to work were too tight, and my bottom burned even more when I put them on, and it didn’t take me more than ten seconds to decide to wear a loose fitting skirt instead. I made sure the house was locked up tight when I left, and I even drove with my car doors locked, wincing at the contact of my bottom on the leather seat. I even made sure to relock the salon door until another stylist arrived, and I chattered about nothing, but in the back of my mind was one John Callahan…

Copyright © 2007 by Christian DD Group.