Blessed Beginnings (Hunter's Ridge Book 4) Read online

  Blessed Beginnings

  Hunter’s Ridge, Book Four

  By

  Maggie Ryan

  ©2015 by Blushing Books® and Maggie Ryan

  All rights reserved.

  No part of the book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publisher.

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  Ryan, Maggie

  Blessed Beginnings

  eBook ISBN: 978-1-68259-210-6

  Cover Design by ABCD Graphics & Design

  This book is intended for adults only. Spanking and other sexual activities represented in this book are fantasies only, intended for adults. Nothing in this book should be interpreted as Blushing Books' or the Author's advocating any non-consensual spanking activity or the spanking of minors.

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  Table of Contents:

  Dedication

  Prologue

  Chapter One

  Chapter Two

  Chapter Three

  Chapter Four

  Chapter Five

  Chapter Six

  Chapter Seven

  Chapter Eight

  Chapter Nine

  Chapter Ten

  Chapter Eleven

  Chapter Twelve

  Chapter Thirteen

  Chapter Fourteen

  Chapter Fifteen

  Chapter Sixteen

  Chapter Seventeen

  Chapter Eighteen

  Chapter Nineteen

  Chapter Twenty

  A Note To My Readers:

  About Maggie Ryan

  Ebook Offer

  Blushing Books Newsletter

  Blushing Books

  Dedication

  The Women of Wintercrest and Hunter's Ridge series celebrate the love discovered and shared by women who aren't afraid to explore that secret need to surrender to the men they love. This book is dedicated to all women, and to the men who are blessed enough to share in the passion of these women as well as love, protect and cherish the little ones inside.

  Prologue

  An excerpt from Reunion - Hunter's Ridge: Book Three

  The house was filled with the tantalizing aroma of cinnamon and spices as Lucy and Louisa moved downstairs, hand in hand. Entering the kitchen, they found that Ettie and Franny were at the tall worktable, making cones from prettily patterned paper. A huge pile waiting to be filled was testament to the fact they'd been working for a while.

  "I'm so glad you are up," Ettie said as she glued another cone together. "We sort of stole the idea from Lord Northbridge. Lucas said we could fill them with candy and hand them out to the children in the pageant tonight."

  "I'm sure Lord Northbridge would be delighted that his gift to us is being extended to others. What can we do to help?" Louisa asked.

  "You can start filling them or help Bea and Mrs. Williams package the biscuits." Lucy moved to help wrap biscuits in brown paper, each packet tied with ribbon, a piece of holly added for a final decoration.

  When Lucas and Edward entered an hour later, they found the girls laughing and baskets filled with the cones and wrapped treats. Edith was attempting to sweep the girls from her domain. "Go on now; I've got dinner to make."

  Lucy went to her Papa, lifting up onto her toes to kiss his cheek. His arms dropped around her, holding her close. "Shall we go work on the puzzle?"

  "May we go see Samson and Delilah, Papa?"

  While the others scattered to various points of the house, Lucas helped Lucy into her boots and made sure she had her mittens. With the hood of her cloak pulled over her head, he held a basket while she filled it with carrots and apples. This time when she slipped out the door, it was with her hand in his.

  Instead of rushing to Delilah's stall, Lucy stopped at each one, giving each horse a treat and a few minutes of her attention. Lucas watched as she stroked each large face, telling every animal that they were beautiful or handsome, such good horses. She had been on a facsimile of a horse only hours earlier having her backside caned, and yet her love for the animals was obvious.

  "You spoil them," Lucas teased as she fed Delilah another apple.

  "I can't help it," she giggled. She had removed her mitten to have her fingers free to scratch between the horse's ears. "You spoil me, Papa."

  Lucas wrapped his arms around her. "No, Kitten, it is you who spoil me. You give me so much, and do so with all of your heart."

  After dinner, the family once more piled into the carriages, each person carrying a basket or wrapped gifts to be distributed to the less fortunate. At the church, the air was festive as carriages discharged people full of the holiday spirit. Voices called out greetings an
d the solemn faces usually worn in church were bright with smiles as packages were piled on tables that had been set up in the foyer.

  "It's wonderful to see so many people contributing things for others," Louisa said, as she and Lucy placed some of the family's gifts onto the table. The girls had spent part of the afternoon wrapping dolls, games, wooden cars and spinning tops. Molly, with Joseph's help, added her pile of wrapped scarves, mufflers and gloves, which she and the girls had been knitting for months.

  "I know, it really makes the meaning of Christmas evident," Lucy agreed. "Besides, we have been blessed with so much." Bea and Franny were placing the wrapped Christmas biscuits onto one table while Lucas and Edward laid the smoked hams and turkeys on another. After the pageant, volunteers would stay to fill boxes with a selection of items to be delivered by the pastor and his family over the next week or so. By Christmas Eve, families all throughout the countryside would have a Christmas meal, and toys and sweet treats to give to their children. It was a lovely expression of giving from the entire church membership.

  "What are you protecting so fiercely?" The question was asked by Dr. Fielding as he approached Ettie. Lucy smiled as her sister blushed, the basket of candy-filled cones clutched to her chest.

  "Candy for the children," she explained. "Lucas said their parents would not appreciate it if I gave them out now."

  "I can understand that," Dr. Fielding agreed. "Sticky hands and faces, or cheeks full of candy might distract from the pageant. I must say, it is awfully sweet of you to think of the children. I'm sure they will be very happy to receive a treat after their hard work." He gave her a small bow, shook Lucas's hand, and then entered the church.

  Lucy noticed that Ettie's eyes did not leave the man until he disappeared from view. She looked up to see that Lucas was smiling, aware of his sister's sudden stillness after she'd been bouncing on her feet only moments before. When the organ began to play, he and Frank gathered their family together.

  Lucas led his family into the sanctuary but instead of walking towards their usual pew, he motioned for Frank to lead Bea into an empty pew at the back of the church. Lucy stood at his side as Molly and Joseph, his mother and father, and Mr. and Mrs. Mayes joined the others. Franny was followed by Ettie and then Louisa and Edward. Lucy stepped in front of Lucas into the pew and smiled when he joined her. Being surrounded by those who meant so much to her filled her heart. The church was full to bursting. When Pastor Hawkins entered, his smile was wide as he welcomed them all. Though they began with a prayer, this evening was not like that morning's services.

  He nodded towards the back of the church, where Grace opened the door. The congregation watched as the children began to enter, shepherds holding crooked staffs were followed by an entire heaven's worth of angels, their tissue paper wings and ribbon halos shimmering in the light from the sconces on the walls. Lucy smiled to see children attempting to be so serious and yet breaking into huge grins and waving when they found their families standing proudly watching. A soft wave of sound wafted over the church as a young boy entered, carrying a big star on a pole. He was followed by the three wise men, dressed in robes of purple and gold, each carrying their gift for the Christ child. Lucy's eyes filled with tears even as she smiled to see Joseph entering, his arm around his wife, his face showing a bit of reluctance to be so close to a girl. They were both dressed in plain robes of biblical times, though these children represented the couple that would raise a child who would change the world.

  As the procession moved towards the raised platform and arranged themselves to face the congregation, the organ's first notes rang out and the members began to sing Oh Come All Ye Faithful, voices shaking just a bit as the emotional impact of the pageant enveloped them.

  Pastor Hawkins motioned for his flock to sit and as Lucy did, she found that instead of the hard wood of the pew, she was pulled down onto her Papa's lap. Though a bit shocked at the impropriety of the move, she couldn't deny the gift of comfort he was offering. She smiled as she saw Louisa on Edward's lap. Looking about the church, she realized that while the majority of these members did not participate in a lifestyle such as hers, some obviously did, as other laps were filled. Relaxing, she forgot about what anyone might think as she listened to the charismatic voice of the pastor as he read the Christmas story from the Bible. He preached a very short sermon focusing on blessings, sharing and the love man should have for one another.

  They sang a few more carols, the service ending with voices raised in reverence with the stanzas of Silent Night. It had been the most beautiful service Lucy had ever witnessed. Louisa gave her a hug and thanked Lucas for the pleasure of sharing his church.

  Ettie and Franny were soon surrounded by children as they handed out the cones of candy. Lucy saw Mary at the edge and moved to her. Bending down, she gave the little girl a hug.

  "Did you see me, Miss Lucy? I was an angel and I didn't even fidget!"

  "You are a beautiful angel, Mary. You did such a good job," Lucy said.

  Mary giggled as Lucas scooped her up and moved towards his sisters. "Such a good angel deserves a treat," he said. Mary gave his neck a hug before accepting the cone that Ettie handed her.

  Not a single child left without a treat and there were still a few cones in the basket. "I think girls who worked so hard to ensure such happiness also deserve a reward." Lucas took the basket from his youngest sister and bent to kiss her cheek as he pressed a cone into her hand. He repeated the gesture with Bea, Franny, and Louisa, thanking them all. Instead of giving Lucy her cone, he plucked a small piece of candy from it and held it to her lips. She blushed but opened her mouth to accept the treat.

  "You are my angel," he said after bending to whisper against her ear. "And, Kitten, you have several more treats awaiting you at home."

  Lucy looked up into his eyes, her eyes bright as her fingers dipped into the cone he held, lifting a candy to his own lips, smiling when his mouth opened to take the sweet. "Treats should be shared, Papa, please take me home."

  Chapter One

  When her Papa led her to bed himself, any fatigue Lucy felt from the day fled. Once the door to his chamber closed, he pulled her to him, his mouth finding hers and his hand moving to cup the back of her head to keep her close. By the time he released her, she was panting and trembling as he began to remove her clothing, letting each piece drop to the floor. Forgoing any gown, he guided her to the fur rug in front of the fire, helping her to her knees before he knelt before her. His hands moved over her body, stroking every inch of her skin, gently cupping her breasts, his thumbs giving feather light strokes across her puckered nipples before instructing her to lie down on her tummy. Despite the warmth of the fire that was popping behind its screen, she shivered. While she was entirely nude, her husband had not so much as undone a single button of his clothing.

  When she opened her mouth to speak, he gently pressed a finger against her lips. "Shh, just relax, kitten. You did so very well during your maintenance session. I was extremely proud of you. You also did a wonderful job in performing your penance. You've given me the gift of your submission. Now it is time for you to let me love you."

  Nodding, she laid her cheek in the soft fur as he began to massage her shoulders and down her spine, loosening every tense muscle. When he began to smooth cream across her bottom, gooseflesh rose on her skin as his fingers ran along every wheal left across her hillocks from strokes of the cane. His hands moved down to massage her thighs and then her calves, ending with gentle rotation of each foot until she felt like a limp noodle, positive she no longer had a solid bone in her body.

  "Ohh," she whispered, her eyes fluttering open when she felt his hands gently turning her over and guiding her legs apart. Bending over her, he kissed her softly and had her gasping in pleasure as he licked a turgid nipple until she was squirming before drawing it into his mouth to suckle harder. After giving her other breast the same delicious attention, he slid his lips down her tummy, taking little nibbles along the w
ay before he settled between her thighs. She moaned as his tongue slipped between the lips of her sex, opening them as he loved her. "Papa…"

  "Shh, Lucy. Close your eyes and just feel." It was an instruction she could obey without question. Every stroke of his tongue, every caress of his lips had her sinking deeper into the pleasure. When the tip of his tongue began to lap softly across her clitty, circling the engorged bud, she moaned again, fingers curling into the fur. It was the softest touch and yet ignited every nerve ending in her body and when she came, it was to ride wave upon wave of blissful pleasure, her body quivering long after her husband had given her his final kiss. He picked her up, cradling her to his chest and placed a kiss on her forehead before tucking her into bed. Lucy wanted to thank him, wanted to love him as well, but before he joined her, she was sound asleep.

  Lucy woke with a soft moan of pleasure. Opening her eyes, the light through the curtains told her it was morning even as she blushed at the sight of her husband kneeling between her legs, his lips wrapped around her right nipple, suckling gently. Her body clenched as he gave it a soft bite before lifting his head and meeting her eyes. He didn't speak but used the tip of his tongue to trace a circle around her other nipple, resulting in its tightening and another soft moan being drawn from her. When she felt his knee move, nudging her thigh, she spread her legs wider to accommodate him.

  As always when he touched her, her body was quickly ready. Her hand moved to the back of his head and her fingers ran through his hair as he slid inside her. "Ohh," she moaned as he filled her so completely. His hips rocked gently as he slowly made love to her, his mouth moving from breast to breast to lick, suckle and nip at her sensitive nipples. Every thrust had her bottom rasping against the sheets, the friction reigniting the wheals across her rear.