By Brandy Golden

Missy held the small white bundle to her cheek, feeling its velvety softness before putting it back down with the rest of its litter mates inside the rabbit hutch. She sighed deeply knowing that Rafael would be one of the first bunnies to go for the Easter rush once St. Patrick’s Day was well behind the consumers. He was pure white with a rosy pink nose and big pink eyes. Everyone wanted beautiful white bunny rabbits! They were the perfect Easter bunny for some grubby little brat to cry for and then discard almost as quickly as the chocolate eggs were devoured.

Sometimes she hated Easter! At least since she had met and married her wonderful husband, Brant Wells, three years ago.

Brant was a country veterinarian and Missy helped him in his clinic. But he was also the Easter Bunny man, as the kids around Mapleville, West Virginia called him. He raised rabbits on the side and always strove to have a nice batch of cuddly, soft baby bunnies for Easter for the kids to play with and take home for their very own pets. Personally, she liked the floppy eared ones the best but the traditional eared bunnies had their fair share of fans as well.

Unfortunately, the kids were spoiled and many of them tired quickly of the little bunnies and the work involved in taking care of them, so they would bring them back. Especially if they were damaged by the family dog or cat! Missy was very softhearted and hated seeing the shy little animals maimed or dead because of carelessness.

That had been Leonardo’s fate last year.

Leonardo was now a big white bunny with floppy ears and large doe like eyes. But his right leg was crippled after a run in with the Hanson’s poodle named Muffy. Eight year old Taylor Hanson had decided that Muffy and Leonardo needed to get acquainted and be friends—and they had.

Or at least they had gotten acquainted!

It was a venture which had ended up with the tendons and muscles torn in Leonardo’s hind leg, rendering it almost useless. Now he dragged it around behind him as he moved rather than hopped on it and it angered Missy to see it.

Brant had a different view though, one that did not coincide with Missy’s. He was much more pragmatic. The funds he raised from the Easter bunnies benefited the care he gave to abandoned dogs and cats each year trying to place them in homes. He needed those funds in order to keep his adoption program solvent. His father had done the same thing for years and now that he was retired, Brant had taken over his practice and continued the “Easter Bunny man” tradition.

Missy sighed heavily as she walked down the row of rabbit hutches, checking the food and water, and occasionally cuddling one of the soft little bundles. Tomorrow was the big day—the opening day for bunny adoption. She hoped Taylor Hanson didn’t get Rafael. She intended to make sure he didn’t! His mother had already been in the clinic asking about white rabbits again this year. There weren’t that many white ones and Rafael was special to Missy. He was a runt—and so cute and helpless! She shuddered to think of him at the mercy of Muffy the poodle, or the orange marmalade cat the Hanson’s owned.

“Are you cold? You’re shivering.”

Warm hands slid up the sides of Missy’s arms and she turned around to see her handsome blond haired husband grinning at her.

“Not cold, just thinking of Rafael in Garfield’s jaws,” she retorted, pulling away.

Brant chucked her chin up so he could look into her green eyes. “How many times have I told you not to name the rabbits?” He asked, shaking his head in amused exasperation. “You’re just setting yourself up for trouble if you let yourself get attached.”

His warm gray eyes meandered down her slim figure, pausing in strategic spots to appreciate the views. Her button down blouse was open at the neckline and down to the third button, giving him a glimpse of creamy cleavage between the blue checked flannel shirt edges. The shirt was tucked into figure hugging jeans that showed off her perky butt cheeks to perfection. Silky curls like burnished copper glistened in the morning sunlight, framing her pretty face in wild abandon, just touching the top of perfectly arched brows.

Missy’s stubborn chin jutted defiantly. “How can I not get attached when I take care of them from the time they’re born?” Her eyes flashed and her finger waggled under his nose.

“You don’t have to, that’s what Jim is for. He feeds and waters all the animals,” Brant pointed out mildly, trying not to remember their morning tryst in the shower. He grabbed the offending finger and drew her to him to drop a kiss on the full pouty lips. After satisfying his need to kiss her he spun her around and landed a meaty swat across her backside.

“Hey—what was that for?”

“For getting yourself all worked up again—and I know you are,” he silenced her outburst about to happen by putting his long finger against her lips. “It’s probably time for a reminder to behave in the morning. I’ll take care of that tonight.”

Missy rubbed the twin victims of his attack and glared at him. “There is no need for that, I’ll be fine tomorrow!”

Brant changed the subject. “So Rafael is the only one with pink eyes this year?”

“He’s the only albino, yes,” she replied tersely.

“Mrs. Hanson has already asked for him.”

“You didn’t promise her did you?” Missy’s eyes opened wide in shock and disgust. “Tell me you didn’t promise Rafael to that destructive brat of hers?”

Brant’s eyes narrowed at her tone. “No, I told her it was first come first served,” he said, the warning tone clearly evident in his voice. “But she will be here bright and early in the morning even though the price is two hundred dollars for him. She fully intends to pay it and I think you better make sure you indulge her. She always buys rabbits for all the kids in her son’s class at school too, so we can’t afford to lose her as a customer. Three or four hundred dollars is a big chunk of money for the adoption program.”

Missy slumped with relief. “I’ll just have to hope someone else gets here first and buys him then. Maybe he’ll have a fighting chance at a decent owner.”

“You get too wrapped up in these rabbits,” Brant replied sternly. “There had better not be any trouble with the Hanson’s tomorrow or you won’t sit for a week! Are we clear on that?” He pushed her chin up again to look into her stubborn face.

Missy’s bottom lip trembled with temper and despair. She just knew Taylor Hanson would end up with Rafael, she just knew it. She wanted to stamp her foot and scream but she knew Brant wouldn’t hesitate to march her straight into the house and into the bedroom and use his belt to welt her backside if she did so. Sometimes it just wasn’t fair to be married to a man who spanked!

“Missy!”

The warning was clear in his deep tones and she finally nodded her head and looked away from his dominant visage. She had no one to blame but herself; she had entered the relationship with her eyes wide open. Embraced it even! She loved Brant with all her heart and wanted to be a good wife to him. She even appreciated his discipline most of time because she knew she had a temper and needed it, craved it, whatever you wanted to call it. Just sometimes—like now—she wished she could have it her way!

“Yes, Sir, I understand.”

He knew her submissive tone did not match her attitude but he it would attend to that later. “Good! Now I have to get to work.” He cupped her cheek in his large palm. “I do love you, darling, but please stop getting attached to these rabbits. Please?”

“I’ll try,” she replied dully.

Missy watched him walk away and then flopped herself into a lawn chair that sat up against the barn. Twisting one of her bright curls around and around her finger she pondered what to do about Rafael. There was no way Taylor Hansen was getting her bunny, not if she still drew breath. There had to be a way out of this!

She stretched her long jean clad legs out in front of her and went trhrough her options.. She knew the adoption program was important and that it needed the money from the rabbit sales, but surely they could spare one small bunny? The fact that Mrs. Hansen was willing to pay two hundred dollars for an albino bunny was astronomical! No one could compete with that price! Unless—a slow grin spread across her lightly freckled face as an idea took shape in her mind. She had two hundred dollars in her special savings account. She could run into town, take out the cash, and be the first buyer in the morning!

Missy jumped to her feet, excitement prodding her along as she ran into the house and grabbed her purse. Once she got the cash, she would be able to put it in the tin box first thing in the morning, as soon as it was prudent, and before Mrs. Hansen got there. Then she could hide Rafael! It was a brilliant plan! The only question was where to hide the little rabbit? The bunny sales would go on until Easter and she wasn’t sure how to keep him hidden from Brant for the next three weeks.

Oh well, she refused to think beyond these immediate actions or to ponder what Brant would have to say when he finally realized the truth of what had happened. He couldn’t object that much if he had the cash could he? After all, he just wanted the rabbit sold and her money was as good as Mrs. Hansen’s, right? She comforted herself with those thoughts as she made her way to the bank to begin implementing Rafael’s rescue!

******************

Brant curled his finger at his lovely young wife and patted his long bare thigh. “Come here, darling, time for your reminder.” He admired her shapely curves, especially with nothing on them. He always insisted she be naked for his discipline. He knew it made her feel more helpless, a feeling she thoroughly enjoyed. He in turn loved the feeling of her silky skin against his bare thighs, his erection hugging her side and his hand in the soft tresses of her hair as he began to spank her cheeky backside. He was sure if those delicious buns could talk they would be admitting to many deeds gone unpunished in the past. As it was, they were fair begging to be spanked—and he was happy to do it. It was too bad she wasn’t especially happy with him tonight because it meant he had to punish her a bit harder than he really wanted to.

“We don’t have to do this,” complained Missy as she obediently dragged her feet in his direction. “I said I wouldn’t cause any trouble and I meant it, Brant. Don’t I always keep my promises?” Her full lips were in a decided pout as she stopped to stare down at him with those mysterious green eyes. He got the distinct feeling they were withholding a secret from him but he couldn’t be sure. They were just a little too bright—a little too accommodating—and they didn’t match the lovely pout she was so good at.

“Let’s just say instinct tells me otherwise,” he responded in silken tones. “Come on now, over you go.”

Missy rolled her eyes and relented, allowing him to guide her down over the platform of his broad lap. She had to admit the rush of being over Brant’s lap was undeniable even if she didn’t agree with the reasons. She shivered, goose bumps breaking out on her slender frame as the cool air nipped her bare flesh. Brant’s thighs were warm beneath her tummy and she could already feel his hardness against her side reminding her of pleasures to come. It wasn’t until the first crack of the paddle across her buttocks that she realized this was a bit more serious than she had anticipated.

“Brant, what are you doing?” She cried, looking back at him reproachfully. “You’ve got the cracker barrel paddle out, that’s for punishment!” She eyed the hateful paddle that was up in the air above his shoulder as he paused to look at her. She hated that paddle! It might be lightweight but it carried a powerful sting and left her yelping in its snapping wake.

“Call it a stern reminder,” he drawled just before he snapped it down for the second time, eliciting another squeal from her. “I want you to know exactly what to expect if you disappoint me!”

Twenty five spanks later and Missy’s butt was on fire and she was making all sorts of promises! When Brant let her up she danced around rubbing furiously, almost in tears. This was the strongest reminder she had ever had! It did not bode well for the future if he decided he didn’t like what she had done. It was enough to make her change her mind—almost.

“Ow, ow, ow,” she chanted as she stomped her feet to mitigate the burning sensation. “That hurt, Brant!”

“Poor baby, come here and I’ll rub it better.” He grinned, thoroughly pleased with himself.

“Not with that damn paddle in your hand!”

He waved the paddle at her. “Uh uh—language, little girl! You’d best watch it! Now get over here!” He set the paddle on the bed and held out his arms.

Grumbling Missy allowed him to enclose her in his embrace as he stood up and took her in his strong arms. His fingers kneaded the hot flesh of her proud buttocks and she sighed against his shoulder. It did feel good, she had to admit.

She had to laugh when he finally gathered her in a tight embrace and fell backwards on the bed with a groan. Picking her hips up he placed her on his throbbing erection and let her slide down the shaft until he was buried within her tight sheath.

Missy took over from there and she enjoyed every minute of her erotic ride until finally collapsing against him as his final helpful thrust put them both over the edge of pleasure. It was awhile before they finally settled down to sleep.

“Remember, behave yourself tomorrow,” he warned, slapping her buttocks a few more times before spooning her into his side.

Missy yawned and nodded. She was totally sated and fell into a deep sleep until the dream woke her up. Rafael had turned into a Dom rabbit and was chasing does around with the cracker barrel paddle clenched in his teeth!

“What the hell,” she muttered as her eyes opened and she sat up to brush the hair out of her eyes. She looked at her watch—four o’clock in the morning!

“What’s wrong? Are you okay?” Brant mumbled as he looked up at her in the moonlight.

“Yeah, it just some weird dream about Rafael chasing females with a paddle in his teeth! How weird is that?” She yawned and snuggled back down on his shoulder.

“Guilty conscious, even Rafael knows you need spanked.”

He was rewarded with a punch in the shoulder before they drifted back to sleep.

*******************

“What do you mean the albino rabbit is gone?” Mrs. Hansen stared angrily at Missy while Taylor ran up and down the rows of rabbit hutches, looking for the one with the pink eyes.

“Where is he, Mom, where is he?” His voice shrill voice rang out in the early morning air and sent slivers of irritation throughout Missy’s slim body. The child was an absolute menace!

“I’m sorry, Mrs. Hansen, but its first come first served. The albino was taken first thing this morning.”

“But you just opened fifteen minutes ago, how can that be?” She spluttered in protest, her chubby chin quivering with outrage. “Your husband promised me the albino, how could you sell it?”

Missy tried to placate the antagonistic woman although inside she glowed with satisfaction of having thwarted her and her evil offspring. “I’m sorry if there was a misunderstanding but the albino’s are rare and so they are never promised ahead of time. It’s always first come first served.”

“Is there a problem here?”

Both women looked up to see Brant standing there.

“Your wife here has already sold the albino rabbit you promised me yesterday,” huffed Mrs. Hansen. “Really, I should take my business elsewhere if this is the way you treat customers.”

Brant’s eyebrows snapped together like a precision lock as he frowned at his wife. “Is this true, Missy? You sold the albino already?”

“It’s true, Brant,” promised Missy sincerely. “The money is right in the cash box, he was really sold.”

She sounded sincere but her eyes held a triumphant sparkle that Brant couldn’t miss. She had either done something to deliberately keep Tyler from getting the rabbit or else someone had miraculously beaten Mrs. Hansen to the punch. He didn’t bother to check the cash box; he knew the money would be there. Missy wouldn’t lie about that—and she couldn’t hide it either if she did. No, she had really sold it, but to whom? He hadn’t noticed any cars but then he’d been busy in surgery with a cat until a few minutes ago.

“Now what am I going to do? Tyler will be so disappointed!”

The offspring in question was busily trying to open one of the rabbit hutches where the bunnies were all huddled in a corner trying to get away from his prying fingers. “There’s a white one in here, Mom,” he called to her. “Maybe it’s the one with the pink eyes!”

Missy managed to grab the hutch before he knocked it over while his mother came puffing after her.

“They don’t have any with pink eyes, son,” she replied, staring hard at Missy again. “They sold the only one they had.”

“’But you promised!” The wail could be heard clear over the meadow and the horses whickered in the corral.

Missy intervened. “Hey, Tyler, I bet we have one you’ve never seen before!”

He stopped wailing and stared suspiciously at her. “What?”

“It’s a spotted bunny! Really cool, no other’s like him either,” she promised. She took him down to another hutch and pointed at the small bunny in the back. “See there?” He’s white with black spots! Isn’t that cool?”

The bottom lip quivered with doubt as he studied the rabbit in question. “I don’t know—I guess he is kind of different.”

“I saw Jerry Kincaid looking at him yesterday; I bet he’s going to ask his mother for him.”

Missy just happened to know that Tyler Hansen and Jerry Kincaid didn’t get along and neither did their mothers. It was amazing how useful bits of community trivia could be.

“I’ll take him,” crowed Tyler, he brown eyes lighting up with devilment. Even Mrs. Hansen seemed placated at the thought of one upping their neighbor. She nodded in agreement.

Brant smiled approvingly and went back inside the clinic. Now that the emergency was over and the waters settled, he could get back to work. Strange about that early buyer though. It was too bad too, because it completely spoiled his surprise for Missy for Easter. He’d been planning on coming right down and taking Rafael away and telling Missy he had sold the rabbit himself. But the surgery had gone on a little longer than he intended and he had missed the opportunity to beat out Mrs. Hansen—and the earlier buyer! He should have done it yesterday but he’d been so tired after working all day that it had slipped his mind until after he was already in the house. He hadn’t wanted to go back out. Oh well…there would be other albinos at some point in the future if Missy really wanted one. He dismissed it from his mind for the time being.

************

The Easter bunny business was good and the rabbits sold like hotcakes, especially the closer it came to Easter. Missy had managed to keep Rafael hidden for a full week in one of the empty stalls in the barn but she was getting worried about him. He didn’t seem to be doing very well and she was afraid it was because he wasn’t getting enough sunshine. She made a decision; Rafael had to have vitamin C!

Since Brant had stopped coming out to check on sales and there were still other white rabbits, she decided to start putting Rafael in with the other rabbits once the sales were over for the day. It was a bold move, but knowing how busy Brant’s surgery schedule was for awhile she figured he wouldn’t notice. He didn’t—but Jim did!

It was a few days later when they were getting ready for bed that Brant made his casual observation. “According to Jim, someone must have returned the albino bunny today. It’s funny that you haven’t mentioned it, I would have thought you would be ecstatic.”

Missy’s hand froze in midair where she was brushing her hair with the hairbrush. She laid the brush on the bathroom sink and stepped into the bedroom, her heart thudding in her chest. What was she going to do now? Of all the scenarios she had been thinking about, this wasn’t one of them! She stared bleakly at her husband, waiting for him to order her to get the Cracker Barrel paddle. She was amazed when he came to her and took her in his arms instead.

“Don’t worry, darling, I know why you haven’t told me.”

She mumbled something unintelligible into the front of his bare chest and he went on without asking her to repeat it.

“You’re afraid I’ll make you sell your bunny all over again, aren’t you? Well, I’m not going to do that. He’s yours to keep.”

He chucked her chin up and looked into her shocked face with a tender smile. “I know how much that rabbit means to you and I have to confess, I was going to buy him for you as an Easter surprise, but someone beat me to it.”

“B…buy him for me?” She stuttered, trying to think quickly. Relief was washing over her in waves, followed by strong surges of guilt. The conflicting feelings were upsetting her stomach. Lord—what a mess!

“Yes, darling girl. I had it all planned but the surgery ran late on opening morning so I didn’t get down there to buy Rafael and hide him away for you. Someone beat me to him. I regretted that, but I’ve been looking around for another albino for you. I haven’t found any so I was really happy when Jim told me the good news!”

He was positively beaming and Missy’s heart sank. She felt lower than the lowest slug on their back steps, lower than the step the slug crawled on, lower than slug slime! She opened her mouth to speak but nothing came out.

Brant stared curiously at her, obviously waiting for her to throw her arms around him in adulation and exuberant pandemonium. Instead she burst into tears. He was so good to her and she was so…so…bad! “Oh, Brannnnnt,” she cried, drawing his name out in one long sobbing wail.

He looked stupefied with shock. “What in God’s name—what on earth is the matter, darling?”

“I d…don’t d…deserve you,” she sobbed noisily.

“I think you’d better explain; I’m totally lost!”

She ran to the closet instead and grabbed the Cracker Barrel paddle out of the toy bag they kept on the floor. Then she ran back and shoved it in his hand while the tears streamed down her face. “Just s…spank me and g…get it over with,” she bawled.

Brant took her arm and led her to the bed where he put the paddle aside and placed her firmly on his knee. Then he gently pulled both her hands away from her wet face. “Explain,” he demanded gently.

“I bought Rafael,” she announced hoarsely. “I went to the bank the day before the sale started and took out two hundred dollars of my savings and bought him myself the next morning! Then I hid him from you until he started acting sick and I was afraid he needed sun shine so I started sneaking him back in with the other rabbits in the evenings,” she blubbered trying to get through the explanation as quickly as possible. The darkening of his face didn’t bode well for her backside but she wanted to come clean. She couldn’t stand him being so nice to her when she had been so deceitful!

“I see,” he replied thoughtfully. “And just how did you plan to explain him once I noticed the pink eyes? You couldn’t hope to hide it forever.”

“I don’t know,” she confessed. “Rescuing Rafael from that monster child seemed the most important thing to worry about at the time. I didn’t want to think about later.”

“Well guess what? It’s later, darling.”

She nodded miserably. “I know—and I’m sorry.”

“I love you. You know that, don’t you?”

“Yes, I know,” She smiled at him through her tears. “I love you too.”

“Stand up then, lets get out of these clothes.”

Missy’s bottom tingled as she slipped out of pajamas and panties and stood obediently before her husband, head bowed, her expression penitent.

He didn’t say anything else as he took her across his knee and pinned her legs with one of his. Then he picked up the paddle she hated so much. Desperately she sought for reassurance once again as the helpless feeling overwhelmed her. “I’m sorry, Brant, really sorry!”

His low rumble reassured her. “I know you are, darling, but there can’t ever be any deceit between us. You know you need this and you want to make amends so be a good girl and take your punishment.”

Then he brought the paddle crashing down over and over again until the cheeky mounds and the backs of her thighs were a bright crimson color. She had given up squirming and laid over his knee sobbing brokenly, her heartache finally being assuaged by the fire in her bottom. God that paddle hurt!

Brant dropped the paddle and turned her over, cradling her in his arms. “You were very brave, darling, you hardly struggled at all. I don’t think I even needed to pin you.”

She ran her palm down the side of his face. “I deserved it,” she whispered, “and I wanted to please you.”

His hand went to the curls between her legs. “You always please me,” he replied throatily.

That was when Missy stopped thinking.

The End

I hope you enjoyed Raphael’s Rescue.  I love to write and  hope to bring many more stories to you as I get my bearings with my website and social media.  I’m kind o f a hermit when it comes to these things, but I’m trying to “get out more.”

Please view my Amazon page and pick up a couple of stories for Easter!  Love those western romances?  Check out  my Thorn series, you will love the growly Thorn and the charming Boxcar and their lovely brats..

If you like contemporary and a deeper story, check out The Cat Lady.  What seems a simple case of looking for her identity for Lacy Parker, turns into a hidden history of immense proportions. And of course, a hot policeman at her side to guide her along the way doesn’t hurt anything either.

Thanks for visiting and come back again!