The next day I awoke with the sun shinning into Lances room and he's arms wrapped around me. I was a very content and happy boy.
Most of the day passed without incident. We went riding and swimming. It was a very beautiful day and I enjoyed every moment of it, till dinner anyway.
"Hey little bit," Greg said. "you enjoy the horse back riding today?"
"Yes I did." I snapped. Which earned me a scowl from Lance.
"That's good," Greg said smiling at me. "I am glad you boy's can come out here and enjoy the farm from time to time."
Now that threw me off a bit but I was still stinging over the "little bit" comment so I paid no attention to what he was saying. It was when dinner was almost over that I totally lost it. Greg had just called me "Shrimp Boat".
"LISTEN ASSHOLE," I yelled standing up and hurling my dinner plate at him. " I AM NOT A "SHRIMP BOAT" OR A "LITTLE BIT". YOU WANT TO TALK TO ME THEN CALL ME BY MY NAME."
Lance who was on the other side of the table just stared in shock as my plate hit the wall and shatter, he then turned and looked at me. I turned and ran out the back door.
"Cody Dawson get back here NOW." I heard Lance yell.
Fortunately I had enough of a head start to hit the forest surrounding the ranch before Lance had time to catch me.
I don't know how long I was out there wondering around. Every once in awhile I would here Lance calling me. Then the rain started and I sort of lost my way. I was just wondering around aimlessly, trying to get back to the house.
I finally found a house but it was not Lance's. I knocked on the door and an old man answered I had seen him once or twice. He was the closest neighbor to Lance's parents. However that means that I had some how managed to get ten miles away from the ranch.
"No what the hell is a kid like you doing in a storm like this?" The man asked as he hauled me into the entryway.
"I am visiting the Johnston's and went for a walk." I said shivering. "I kind of got lost."
An older woman appeared with some towels and gave them to me to try and dry off.
"Well I am Craig and this here is Jenny." The man said then he smiled and said. "You must be Cody. You look just how Greg described you."
"And just how did he describe me?" I asked scowling at Craig.
"Why he said you were about 5'6, blond hair, blue eyes and just about the cutest boy anybody could ever hope to see. You know he really is quiet proud of Lance and you, son." Craig said smiling. "Pull off your shirt and pants , son, your going to catch your death"
"What do you mean proud of me and Lance?" I asked obeying the man and beginning to strip.
"He is always talking about how long you guys have been together and how happy you are. And how it must really be so hard on you to be openly Gay because of how small you are and how easy it would be to beat you up. He also says that he is very happy that you have Lance. He says a boy like you needs protection of bigger guys and he shudders to think of what might have happened had you not met Lance." Craig said as he led me to the living room and the fireplace.
I looked down at the floor and felt ashamed. Greg had never told me these things.
"Greg also says that Lance could not have found a more caring and loving person. He is also proud of you for settling Lance down a bit. He never believed Lance would fall in love and settle down with someone. He was not overly thrilled when his only son told him he was gay, but when he met you he said he could understand it. You were just so cute and precious and had this air of need. He wanted to take you in and protect you."
I could feel tears in my eyes. Greg had never expressed these feelings with me. It was odd to think of him talking about me when I was not around. Maybe "little bit" and "shrimp boat" were supposed to be terms of endearment like "half pint". Now I felt like a total _s_h_i_t_. Lance had tried to tell me this and I just would not listen. How was I going to face his family again?
"I need to go." I said standing up.
"No you don't." Jenny said handing me a mug of hot chocolate. "No sit down and warm up."
I figured I would drink the chocolate and go. Until the doorbell rang then I knew I was dead.
Jenny went to get it and Lance burst into the room looking wet and scared. When he saw me relief swept over his face. He bound toward me and picked me up hugging me tight.
"I tttthought tttthat I wwwwould nnnnnever seeee yyyyou aaagain." He stuttered both form being cold and crying.
He sat down with me on his lap. Jenny offered him some hot chocolate too. I was happy to be in Lance's arms but I had never felt this guilty in my life. I tried to talk to Lance but he kissed my forehead and said not now.
We rode in silence back to the ranch. I could feel Lance's anger growing as we headed back. Gone was the relief of finding me and replacing it was the anger of me running not to mention my scene at the dinner table.
"Lance," I said in small voice as he pulled into his parents place. "I am so sorry. I swear I did not mean to hurt your Dad or to run. I know that I was wrong. I just did not know how your Dad felt about me. I am so sorry."
"Cody," Lance said looking at me straight in the eyes. "We are going to go into that house you are going to apologize to my Mom and Dad both for the scene and worrying them. Then I am going to pull my Father aside and ask him if there is still a place in the barn to take misbehaving boys and ask him if he wants to come watch you get your just desserts."
"Noooo Lance please........" I wailed.
"CODY," Lance yelled. "This is not up for discussion. Unless you want me to haul you across my lap right here and now, I would suggest getting that little butt up to the house."
Choking back a sob I headed for the house. Lance came up to me and put his arm around me. He gave me a slight squeeze before we entered the house.
His parents were so worried. They hugged me and his mother ordered both of us upstairs to change into something dry before we talked about anything.
After we were changed and heading back downstairs Lance stopped me and pulled me into his arms.
"I know that what is about to happen is going to be very hard on you baby." Lance said hugging me tight and kissing the top of my head. "But sweetheart you brought this on yourself. I love you to much to let you get away with tantrums like the one you threw at dinner and running out into woods when a storm is brewing and you don't know the woods is just plain crazy. And because of that I am going to whip your little butt raw tonight and spank you first thing tomorrow morning."
I gasped and tried to pull away.
"No," Lance said holding me tighter. "This is not up for discussion. I will NEVER let you get away with hurting yourself. You could have gotten lost or fallen and hurt yourself. There are a lot of steep cliffs out there. I would die if I lost you Cody and I plan on making sure you think twice before acting so impulsively again."
I just hugged him tighter. Boy was my poor butt in for it.
"I am very sorry for my actions at dinner, Sir." I said to Greg looking at the floor. I was deeply ashamed. "I am also sorry that I ran away and worried you both. I have no excuse for my behavior tonight and just hope you both can forgive me."
"Of course we can." Lance's Mom said standing up and kissing my cheek. "You were just tired is all."
I wished I could crawl into a hole and disappear when Lance asked if we could talk to his Dad alone.
"Cody come here." Greg said standing up.
I slowly walked over to him and when I got to him he gave me a big bear hug.
"Son I had no idea that those names hurt you. Whenever Lance brought it up I thought he was just being over protective of you. If you had told me I would have stopped."
"I thought that you resented me." I sobbed. "I thought you were disappointed that Lance loved me."
"Not at all. There is no one I have ever met that is so well suited for my son. I think he is very lucky to have you and you him." Greg said pushing me back and looking down at me.
"I am sorry. If you want to call me "little bit" that is ok. But can we stop the "Shrimp" names?" I asked looking up at him.
"Yes we can stop the "shrimp" names and I would be very pleased if you would let me continue to call you "little bit"." Greg said crushing me to him.
When he let go I turned to see Lance smiling. He motioned me over to him and gave me a hug.
"Dad I hate to have to ask this, and I know half-pint is embarrassed, but do you still have that section of the barn set up for naughty boys?' Lance asked holding me tight against him. I buried my face into his chest and sobbed my embarrassment.
"Well yes so but what do you need it for?" I heard the confusion in his Dads voice.
"Because I got a boy here that has more than earned a trip to the barn. Do you want to supervise?" I sobbed even louder and Lance held me even tighter.
"No son this is between you and Cody. Does Cody go along with this?" He asked concern in his voice.
"Tell him Cody." Lance said pushing me away.
"Yes sir," I said wishing I had got lost in the woods never to return again. "I know that I deserve it. Lance would never hurt me and only does this when I absolutely need it."
His Dad nodded and stepped out of the way as we left for the barn. Once there I saw the corner with a sawhorse and a strap. There was also a bail of hay and a paddle. I winced.
"I am very proud of you for telling Dad what you did. I have also decided not to spank you tomorrow. Instead you are going over my lap for a long hand spanking and paddling, then you are going to the corner, and finally you are going to get ten with the strap. I think that should be enough to make you think a bit before you react."
I shudder but said nothing. I was not going to want to ride the horses the rest of this trip. Lance stripped me and put me over his knees.
"Cody SMACK you have got to learn SMACK how to communicate SMACK SMACK SMACK and throwing a plate and yelling is NOT SMACK SMACK SMACK SMACK the way SMACK SMACK to do it. AM SMACK I SMACK GETTING SMACK THROUGH SMACK TO SMACK YOU SMACK YOUNG SMACK MAN SMACK SMACK SMACK."
"oohhhhhhhhhhhh yes sir........ohhhhhhhhhhh Lance............it hurts.........." I wailed.
"It's SMACK SMACK supposed to SMACK SMACK SMACK boy. Maybe SmACK SMACK you will SMACK SMACK bring up you problems with SMACK SMACK SMACK SMACK someone in and ADULT SMACK SMACK SMACK SMACK SMACK manner and not as a CHILD SMACK SMACK SAMCK throwing a temper tantrum SMACK SMACK SMACK."
"owwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww I will I will........ow wowowowo."
After and eternity he stopped and grabbed the paddle.
WHACK WHACK WHACK WHACK WHACK WHACK WHACK WHACK WHACK WHACK WHACK WHACK WHACK WHACK WHACK WHACK WHACK WHACK WHACK WHACK WHACK WHACK WHACK WHACK WHACK WHACK WHACK WHACK WHACK WHACK WHACK WHACK WHACK WHACK WHACK WHACK
"owwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww ohhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh wahhhhhhhhhhhhhhh Daddy STOP oohhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh my butt is on fire Daddddddddddddddddddddddy I am sorrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrry Stoooooooooooop"
"CODY DAWSON WHACK WHACK WHACK IF YOU EVER WHACK WHACK RUN AWAY FROM ME AGAIN I AM WHACK WhACK WHACK WHACK WHACK GOING TO BLISTER YOU SO hard WHACK WHACK WHACK YOU ARE GOING TO WANT TO THROW YOUR BUTT AWAY WHACK WHACK WHACK
"Daddddddddddddddddddddddddy I be good..........I not run again Daddddddddy stooooooop please wahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh"
When he did stop I just laid there in agony. My butt was so hot and sore I did not want to move. Every time I moved my legs a jolt of pain went through my poor battered bottom.
"Ok Cody you have 15 minutes of corner time then the strapping." Lance said picking me up and cuddling me on the way to the corner.
Stood in the corner with my hands on my head sobbing. I could not believe that he was going to strap me. I was already in so much pain.
"Cody," Lance said as he walked me to the sawhorse. "This strapping is to show you why you NEVER want to purposely do something stupid that might hurt you. I need you to stay in place for the ten. You understand me kiddo?"
I nodded as I bent over the horse. Lance took a minute to rub and sooth my bottom. Then he laid on ten strokes before I had much of a time to react. I held onto the horse and stayed in place. But the fire that strap caused was worse than anything I had ever felt before. When he was done I was just letting out one loud wail.
Lance picked me up and held me close. He then carried me naked back to the house. I do not know if his Dad was there to see us or not. I was in too much pain to care. Lance laid me gently on his bed and got a cold rag to lie on my fried butt.
"Oh baby boy," Lance said crying and rubbing my back. "Don't ever make me do that again."
I was to far gone to pay much attention. I think I mumbled I wouldn't. Then I fell asleep. I awoke the next morning stiff and sore. Lance had his arm thrown over me and I was on my tummy. When I moved Lance woke up.
"Hey kiddo," He said pulling the covers off of me. "How are you feeling?"
"Sore." I whispered my throat a bit hoarse from screaming last night. Plus I guess running all over the countryside in the rain did not help.
"I am sorry." Lance said gently kissing each one of my tender mounds. "But you deserved it."
"I know." I said looking away from him.
"Hey you." Lance said pulling me on top of him and gently massage my butt. "Don't me upset or cranky OK? It is over. I love you. I really really do."
I smiled shyly at him. I always had this slight fear that someday after spanking me he would just leave. I am glad he always tells me how much he loves me after a spanking.
We showered and Lance did all that he could to put out the fire in my butt. It helped but I was still really sore and sitting was not going to happen today.
When we got down to breakfast I saw a pillow on my chair. I must have turned 40 different shades of red. Lance walked over and moved the chair then took my hand and put me at place at the dinner table. I was so embarrassed. I just picked at my food as I stood there.
"Hey little bit," Greg said kindly "You need to eat. And you should not be embarrassed we are your family. Once punishment is doled out in this house everything is forgiven and forgotten."
I looked into Greg's eyes and saw nothing but kindness and love. Why had it taken me so long to recognize that.
"Thank you" I said and began to eat a bit.
"Besides," Greg said laughing. "I can not count the number of times Lance had to stand for his meals growing. Want to hear about that?"
"Yes sir," I said grinning and enjoying Lances sudden discomfort.
"Well high school was the worst for him.........." Greg began.
"Daaaaaad," Lance whined. I had never heard him whine before.
"Hush up boy," Greg said smiling at him.
I enjoyed watching Lance squirm while his Dad talked. Yes today was going to be a good day. I was with my family and all was right with the world. Well except the soreness in my butt, well life cannot all be perfect. But for me it is pretty close.