Lessons to Learn Part I

         Dallas/Jalen

Author’s Note: This is one of several back stories I will be writing about our Sheriff Jalen Christopher Brooks from Diamond Springs to fill in his earlier years with Dallas Kincaid and the time he spent with his mentor, at the Smoking K ranch. The lessons he learns, the discoveries he makes, how to become a “real” man and discovering love and to become comfortable with his sexual choices in an era when these things were kept secret and not talked about. Discipline relationships were not openly spoken of and there were no terms such as “Top” or “Brat” at that time and Jalen although having some brat type qualities in his late teens and early twenties actually is in training for his mentoring, or being a “top” for Brett when the young outlaw comes into Jalen’s life, being a “Brat” type.

My thanks to Katie for reading over parts of this story and giving feedback and helping with a title and my thanks also go out to Dizzy for also reading over parts of the story and giving me encouragement to continue to write on this series.

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

Seventeen-year old Jalen Christopher Brooks sat on a grassy hillside on the Smoking K Ranch. It was Spring and this hillside had become his favorite place to go when he wanted to think. He enjoyed the smell of the new grass, the wildflowers, the drone of newly hatched insects and the butterflies that flitted from blade of grass to blade of grass. This particular day he found himself thinking about an incident that had happened between him and his new boss about a month ago. He was still puzzling out why the man had put him over his lap and even more mystifying, why he had allowed it. Dallas Kincaid had bailed him out of jail after he had been arrested for brawling at the saloon, which had broken out after he had wanted to leave a poker game he had been playing with some older men. One had strongly objected to him leaving with the money he had won from them and had ended up taking a shot at him, missing as he passed out drunk. He had shot back also missing as the man slouched forward onto the table and then all hell had broken loose.

Sheriff Coleman had come and broken things up and hauled all the combatants to jail and Mr. Kincaid had been notified by Deputy Collins and had come and bailed him out. He had wanted to object, wanting to tell the man he could pay his own bail, but when the older man spoke to him and looked at him in a manner that for some reason he still couldn’t fathom, froze him in his tracks he didn’t object. He thought that from the disappointed, exasperated look in his boss’s eyes and the  stern way he had addressed him he was going to hand him his walking papers and send him on his way, not what the older man had proposed once they got back to the ranch and had set down to talk. He had never in his wildest imaginings believed the man would want to spank him like a little boy for what he had done. He mused about the scene. Mr. Kincaid had put him over his lap and spanked his bare bottom until it was red and sore and then put him to bed like he was seven instead of seventeen. It had hurt a great deal more than he thought it would and despite his belief it would be a child’s punishment had found  to his mortification he had been sobbing and wriggling and wiggling and kicking and begging for it to stop. Each smack had felt like pure fire after a while. It was nothing like anything he had experienced before. Jalen thought about the fact that he had never had a male figure in his life that was like a father or a Papa and although when he was very little his mother had spanked him occasionally, it had not been like Mr. Kincaid had done. It had never been bare and it had always been done when she had been angry and frustrated with him. She hadn’t explained to him why she was doing it and so he had never really learned anything from the punishments. After she had died and the Madam of the house she had worked at tired of him at the tender age of ten, he found himself on the streets of San Francisco, eking out an existence. He was tall for his age and was able to get odd jobs, but a lot of the time he had stolen to get what he needed. The times he had been caught he’d been strapped harshly and sent on his way, tossed aside like an unwanted object to be thrown away. He didn’t have any education. He couldn’t read or write, but he had always gotten by. As he grew he’d hang out at saloons and learned to play Faro and Poker and had become rather good at those games and it supplemented his income. He had heard the horror stories of the orphanages and had worked to avoid getting into anything that would have had him sent to one. He also learned early on that drinking wasn’t worth getting drunk. He had found himself sick and fleeced enough times to learn that lesson well. As he grew older he drifted from place to place for work. He had earned a horse and tack at one place where he had learned about cattle and herding them and then began to hire on as a ranch hand when he could. He wasn’t always taken on because of his youthfulness, but a couple of months ago found himself being hired on here at the Smoking K Ranch. He had ridden in on that first day all arrogant and cocky and full of himself. He wondered now why Dallas Kincaid had even hired him on.

He chewed a blade of grass and the image of Dallas Kincaid’s face floated in front of him. The tanned features, clean shaven strong jaw, the Smokey blue eyes and the black, softly curling hair that framed his face. He wondered at the conflicting emotions that image created. In one way he liked the man, he was kind and caring to him. But he did have an awfully hard hand and the experience had been a bit embarrassing, but it hadn’t killed him and he had been able to submit to what he had thought would be a child’s punishment to keep his job. He wondered if Mr. Kincaid had really meant what he told him…that he would put him over his lap and heat his backside to fire again if he stepped outside the boundaries he had placed for him.

Jalen continued to wonder why the man had even bothered. Most men would have just fired him and sent him on his way. He had even made him move into the house and away from the other hands. Mr. Kincaid had said it was to cut down on the influences the other men were having on him. As far as Mr. Kincaid was concerned, he was still a boy and shouldn’t be exposed so much to the seedier side of life, but he had already spent most of his life on that side. He knew about bordellos as he had lived in one as a child and certainly knew what went on there. He had been in saloons since he had grown tall enough to not be questioned if he were old enough to be there and also knew what went on there as well. He didn’t see what Mr. Kincaid thought he was protecting him from. He had told him their relationship wasn’t so much like a father and son, but more like an older man mentoring a younger one and guiding him to become a real man. Jalen wondered what a “real man” was. Mr. Kincaid had said that Jalen had his own version of what a man should be and Jalen supposed that was right. He had seen the men who had frequented the bordello his mother had worked at and those that frequented the saloons and had met some whom he had worked for, but none had been like Mr. Kincaid…they didn’t care what he did or how he acted as long as he did the job he was hired to do. Jalen wondered why his present employer was so different. He didn’t see anything different or special about himself that the older man would take any kind of interest in him. He had told him that he had captured his heart…he just couldn’t understand that or how that was possible. Jalen hadn’t liked being spanked one bit, but in a strange odd sort of way for the first time in his life felt cared about. He thought that in and of itself was strange. He shook his sandy head in amazement. When he was a child he had watched the men who had come into his mother’s place of work trying to identify which one might have been his father…the man who created him. His mother would get annoyed when he would ask and tell him that all he needed to know was that she was his mother and the one who took care of him. The young man sighed. He knew Dallas Kincaid wasn’t his father and that he wasn’t going to take that role either, but he couldn’t help wonder what the difference between a father and a mentor was. To him it seemed right now to be one and the same thing. Someone who placed boundaries and had certain expectations and provided consequences for stepping over those lines. Tired of the thoughts that milled around in his head Jalen leaned back in the sweet grass, closed his green eyes and fell asleep.

*****

Dallas Kincaid hadn’t seen the young man he had taken under his wing for a while now and wondered where the boy had gotten off to. He had checked the barn. The youngster’s horse was there, but there was no sign of him and the other men hadn’t seen him for a while either. He checked a few other places and then remembered that the young man had liked the grassy hillside on the other side of the pastures that had been fenced off for the cattle and walked in that direction. He saw a figure lying in the grass on the hill and smiled. He stood there and gently called his name in his rough, pleasant voice,”Jalen Christopher Brooks.” Dallas repeated the young man’s name until he saw the green eyes flicker open and smiled. He held out his hand for the younger man to take and pulled him to his feet. “Looks like you fell asleep kid. It’s time to go back to the house.” He told Jalen.

*****

Jalen drifted up to consciousness as he heard his name being called in a rough, pleasant voice and smiled at the older man as his green eyes flickered open and he saw Dallas Kincaid’s hand held toward him. He extended his own hand and took the larger one and felt himself being pulled to his feet. “Hi Mr. Kincaid. I guess I fell asleep.” Jalen said a little abashed.

Dallas chuckled. “The warm sunshine and the smell of the sweet grass and wildflowers can do that.” 

Jalen grinned sheepishly. “I suppose so.”

Dallas nodded. “Yep…it’ happens to me too.” He informed the teen. He put his arm around Jalen’s waist and guided him toward the house. “There’s somethin’ I want to talk to you about.

*****

Jalen could tell from the older’ mans demeanor and slightly stern tone that it was something he’d better listen to. He had begun to learn the mannerisms of his boss and to pay attention to them or there would be a stinging swat coming his way. He walked with Dallas.

Once at the house Dallas guided Jalen to the settee in his study and said, “Have a seat.”

Once Jalen sat down, Dallas Kincaid took a chair directly across from him and asked directly, “Do you know how to read and write Jalen?”

The young man looked away from the smoky blue eyes. “Umm…I can get by when I need to.” He answered evasively.

Dallas gave the youngster a stern look. “That’s not what I asked you Jalen, would you like to try that again and I want the truth.” He added sternly.

Jalen bit his lip and then shook his head. “No Sir, I never learned, but I’ve gotten by all this time without knowin’.”

Dallas nodded. “Yes…I’m sure you have, but you can get by a whole lot better if you learned how. I think you should learn and I’m willin’ to teach you.” Dallas told the youth.

Jalen’s green eyes widened. This was something totally unexpected and definitely new. “B-but why?” He stuttered.

Dallas said, “Because it’s important if you want to progress in life, get a good job and most particularly to know if you’re being cheated or not.”

The young cowhand shook his head. “I can tell by the look on their face and in their eyes.”

The older man nodded. “I’m sure, but this way you can be doubly sure.”

Jalen frowned. “I’ve gotten by this far with no schoolin’ I don’t see the need for it.”

Dallas said sternly, “Well I think it’s in your best interest to learn and I’ll teach you. I’ll teach you basic arithmetic as well. We will have lessons each day and you’ll do the practice assignments I’ll give you.”

Jalen scowled. “I don’t see why I need to. I’ve gotten by all this time without needin’ to know any of that stuff…besides, I’m too old to be doin’ lessons and all that.” He scoffed.

Dallas said firmly, “You will have lessons and you will learn. You’re not too old. Boys your age still attend school in town. There won’t be any further arguin’ and the lessons will be completed when given.” He told Jalen.

Jalen continued to argue. “But I don’t see the need for them…it’s a waste of time…I’m here to do a job for you…not lessons!”

Dallas looked at Jalen patiently and said quietly, “I told you kid…I care about you and what happens to you. The last time I had you over my lap I told you that I would do whatever I needed to do to help you become a real man. Bein’ educated is one of those things. There will be no more arguin’ about it. Keep on and I’ll make my point with you in amore memorable way.” He warned.

Jalen stayed quiet for a moment, knowing exactly what was meant by the words that Dallas Kincaid had spoken. “Yes Sir.” He made the expected response.

Dallas shook his head slightly, but said, “Let’s see what you know so we can know where to start.”

Dallas had placed a few pieces of paper and a pencil on a side table by the settee earlier, when preparing for this talk with his young cowhand. He now went over to a bookshelf and began to peruse the titles there.

*****

Jalen watched the man go over to a bookshelf. This room held more books at one time than Jalen had ever seen in his life. He watched as the older man picked out a book from the shelf and bring it back to him.

*****

Dallas found the primer he had been looking for and with a smile brought it back to Jalen. He sat down on the settee now next to him and opened the book. He pointed to the letter A and asked Jalen, “Tell me what letter this is.”

Jalen repeated, “It’s the letter A it’s in my name.” He told Dallas.

Dallas nodded. “Yes, it is.” He continued through the book, Jalen pointing out the letters he knew. He recognized the ones in his name almost immediately, while others he was less familiar with he had a bit of trouble with. He was able to recognize all his numbers and could count up to one hundred and Dallas was grateful for that because it meant the boy knew about money and other things that required numbers. The older man then printed Jalen’s full name on a piece of the paper he placed on the closed book and wrote with the pencil. “Tell me what this is Jalen.” He said, showing his handiwork to the boy.

The youngster studied the writing for a few moments, and then said, “It’s my name. Jalen Christopher Brooks.”

Dallas smiled at Jalen. “You did well.” He told him. You know all the letters in your name and can recognize your name spelled out, even with the letters all jumbled up. That means you’ll be able to recognize other words when you learn all the letters and they’re all jumbled up to form other words.”

Jalen was surprised by the praise. He had thought the older man would tell him he was stupid and couldn’t learn and wasn’t worth his time to teach. “You really think so?” He asked.

“Yes, I do. You’re not stupid Jalen, just uneducated and we’re goin’ to take care of that.” Dallas told him firmly.

The youngster nodded. “Yes Sir.” He responded.

Dallas reached across Jalen over to the side table where he had taken a piece of paper to write Jalen’s name on and handed him the pencil. He used the book they had been looking at as a flat surface and placed another piece of paper on it. “I want you to write your name for me.” He told Jalen.

Jalen frowned, but bit his lip and taking the pencil in his fist began to form the letters on the paper, pressing down hard which was making it harder for him to form the letters.

Dallas allowed Jalen to write the way he knew how before correcting anything.

Once the youngster was finished the older man looked the writing effort over.  

Jalen watched the older man anxiously.

Dallas nodded. Most of the letters were fairly legible, but some were pretty shaky and others weren’t legible at all. “That’s pretty good.” He commented. He looked into the green eyes. “There’s room for improvement though. With a little practice it will be even better.” He told the young man.

Jalen had a relieved look. “’Kay Mr. Kincaid.” He said quietly.

Dallas ruffled the sandy hair. We’ll work on it. Remember, I’ll be giving you assignments each day and I’ll expect you to complete them and to do them correctly before anythin’ else. If you have any difficulties you come to me and let me know, all right?”

Jalen nodded. “Yes Sir…I’ll do that.” He told Dallas.

The ranch owner said, “Good, then we understand each other about this?”

Jalen sighed a little, but nodded. “Yes Sir.”

Dallas smiled. “Tomorrow we’ll begin, but I’d like to show you one more thing before we begin our lessons.”

The young cowhand frowned. “What?”

Dallas said, “The way you’re holdin’ your pencil. It makes it harder to write when you’re pressin’ down so hard.” He told the youngster.

Jalen looked at him. “It does?”

The older man nodded. “Yes, it does. Here…let me show you.” He took the pencil and placed it in Jalen’s hand in the proper position.

Jalen allowed Dallas to position the pencil and frowned a bit at the unfamiliar positioning and feel of the pencil in his hand and fingers.

His boss smiled at him and said quietly, “Why don’t you give writin’ your name a try this way and let’s see how you do?”

The young man looked at the older one, and then attempted to write his name holding the pencil in the new position. He didn’t really like the unfamiliar feel of the pencil, but had to admit that writing the letters was a bit easier, even if they looked a bit shakier than usual.

Dallas watched and praised,” That’s very good. It will get better with time and practice.”

Jalen nodded. “I suppose it will.”

The older man smiled. “I’m certain it will.”

The young cowhand looked up at his boss and then gave him a small smile. “If you really think so.”

Dallas nodded. “Yes, I really think so…in fact from my own experience with learnin’ to read and write I know so.” Dallas’s father had been a preacher and Dallas had spent many hours copying bible verses until his hand ached and if he didn’t he also did it with a bottom that ached as well.

The youngster set down the pencil and said, “I need to get back to work now.”

Dallas nodded. “All right, We’ll begin work on this in the mornin’.”

The young cowhand nodded. “’Kay boss.”

*****

The next day Dallas set Jalen up at his desk in his study. He set out the paper and pencil. He had written the letters A, B & C at the top left hand corner of each sheet of paper. He would have him write a page of each letter. He needed to know how much arithmetic the boy knew so had written a page of simple single numbers to add and one with single numbers to subtract. He suspected the youngster could probably add and perhaps subtract because of his proficiency at playing cards, but doubted the boy knew much about multiplication or division no less other more complicated arithmetic like fractions etc. He would teach him though and the boy would learn. He could see Jalen had a quick mind and definitely had the intelligence to learn if taught correctly.

When the young cowhand came down from his room Dallas had breakfast prepared and smiled at the youngster as he arrived in the kitchen. “Good mornin’ Jalen.”

“Mornin’ Boss.” the young man said, pouring himself a cup of coffee and going over to the table where breakfast had been prepared and served up. “Smells good.” He commented as he slid into his chair.

Dallas had made pancakes with eggs and bacon along with fried potatoes and toasted bread. The older man smiled. “Well, tuck in my boy. You’ll need a good breakfast for brain food.” He teased.   

The young cowhand gave his boss a quizzical look. “Why do you say that boss?” He asked.

Dallas said, “You haven’t forgotten already? Our agreement that we’d start your lessons this mornin’?”

The youngster wrinkled his nose. “No, but I had sort of hoped you had.”

Dallas shook his head. “No chance kid. I wouldn’t forget somethin’ like that.”

Jalen sighed a bit. “Yes Sir.”

The older man said, “I have your assignments prepared and on my desk in the study. You may sit there and work on them. When you’re finished then you can join the other hands in the upper pasture and help them to move the cattle.”

Jalen frowned. “Can’t I do that first and then do the other when I come back?”

The older man shook his head. “No, I told you yesterday, lessons first, work second.”

The young cowhand scowled. “You ain’t hirin’ me to do lessons…you’re hirin’ me to do work!”

Dallas shook his head. “Look Kid, I told you yesterday, they’ll be no arguin’ about this. I’m payin’ you to work and I consider your lessons part of the work I’m payin’ you to do.”

Jalen frowned. He didn’t know how to counteract logic like that. “Yes Sir.” He replied.

Dallas nodded with satisfaction at the youngster’s compliance.

*****

When breakfast was through and Jalen and Dallas along with the other hands had completed the barn chores The ranch owner shooed his young cowhand to the house and to the study to complete his lessons. He had sat in the study for a while giving the boy one of his stern looks each time he began to drift from his task. Once Dallas was satisfied that the youngster was well on his way to completing his task he left the study to take care of some other things he needed to do.

When his boss left Jalen leaned back in the chair and flexed his hand and fingers. They had begun to ache. This had been harder than any other kind of work he had to do. He frowned at his efforts. The letters had become more and more shaky and malformed the longer he had tried to write. He tossed down the pencil disgusted with the work and stood up. He needed a break. This was too hard and he needed to do something he was familiar with and that was riding and herding cows.

Jalen slipped out of the house quietly.  He was very good at moving sneakily as he had to do that when he was stealing to survive, so had a lot of practice. He headed for the barn and there he tacked up his horse and headed out to the upper pasture to join the other hands in moving the cattle.  

When he arrived the other cowhands greeted him and thought nothing more of it.

*****

When Dallas Kincaid had completed his tasks in another part of the house and had returned to the study to check on his young cowhand’s progress he frowned when he saw he wasn’t there. He thought at first that perhaps the boy had just gone off to the outhouse, but when the older man checked he wasn’t there. He went back to the study and examined the unfinished work. Dallas saw the deteriorating handwriting on the first page of letters. The second and third ones hadn’t been touched and the arithmetic problems hadn’t been finished either. The older man swore under his breath and went to look for his recalcitrant cowhand.

When the ranch owner went to the barn he found the youngster’s horse missing from its stall and he knew without a doubt where his missing cowhand had gone. He tacked up and mounting, kicked his horse into a ground eating lope and headed for the upper pasture.

When Dallas arrived up at the pasture he spotted Jalen and called sternly, “Jalen Christopher Brooks! I want you to go back to the ranch house immediately! There’s work you need to do there you haven’t completed!”

Jalen protested. “I finished the work I could do.”

The older man rode right up to the younger one. “You didn’t finish the lessons I gave you to do. Now you get back to the house and do what you’re told.” Dallas said very quietly, so as to not embarrass the youngster, but also very sternly.

Jalen scowled. “I’m more valuable to you doin’ this, than that stuff.” He argued back in a low voice.

Dallas arched an eyebrow. “Are you arguin’ with me Jalen?” He asked so only Jalen could hear.

Jalen studied the man in front of him for a moment and then, with another scowl, said, “No Sir, even if I were it wouldn’t do any good.” He sneered and then wheeled his horse around and headed back to the ranch.

The other hands didn’t quite know what was going on with their boss and the young cowhand, but thought it best to keep to their work and mind their own business. No one wanted the boss’s wrath turned on them and chance getting fired.

Dallas watching the other men nodded more to himself than anyone else in satisfaction that everyone was tending to their own work and weren’t gawking or paying undue attention to what was going on between him and Jalen.

*****

Jalen arriving back at the ranch brought his horse into the barn and untacked him and groomed him with practiced efficiency. He headed for the house, still scowling and flung himself into the desk chair. He was not going to do any more lessons. They were too hard.

Dallas rode into the yard and put up his horse. He saw his young cowhand had made it there ahead of him, the young man’s horse groomed and in its stall. He headed into the house. The older man walked into the study and shook his head at the younger man’s demeanor. It exuded nothing but defiance and he said quietly, “Jalen, we agreed you’d work on lessons. Now, if you want to break that agreement, then all you have to do is to say so and that will be that.” Dallas told the youngster.

“You won’t be mad…won’t fire me?” Jalen asked, a bit anxiously.

Dallas shook his head. “No. We have an agreement. That means we both want the same thing. If we don’t want the same thing any longer, then we go back to employer and employee instead of me bein’ your mentor.”

The young cowhand thought about things for a moment and sighed. He had tried to work at the lessons, but they had been hard. He had written the letters as best he could, but all they looked like to him were squiggly lines that were supposed to be letters that didn’t look like the ones Dallas had made for him to copy over and over. Jalen had never had to sit for any period of time to work on and practice any skills that went along with education because he hadn’t attended school. He lacked the self discipline to stick to the task.

Dallas asked, “What happened here Jalen? When I left it seemed the work was goin’ okay. When I came back to check on how everythin’ was goin’, the lessons were left unfinished…and there was no sign of my young cowhand. Was there a change of heart about learning to read and write?”

Jalen looked down and then said, “I’ve gotten along all this time without readin’ and writin’ why do I need to learn now?” He gave a little pout that made him look younger than his seventeen years.

Dallas shook his head and said sternly, “Jalen Christopher Brooks…we’ve gone over this several times now. What got in the way of this work bein’ completed?” the older man asked.

Jalen bit his lip at the use of his full name and the stern tone. He hedged and said, “I did what I could.”

Dallas arched an eyebrow. “Hmm…from the looks of things it doesn’t look like much of the work I assigned was accomplished. I want you to rethink your answer Jalen and I want an honest one. I want to know what got in the way of the lessons being finished. We talked early on about honesty bein’ important between us if we want to keep this arrangement.” The older man reminded the youngster.

Jalen nodded and then said quietly,” It was too hard and I couldn’t do anymore.” He told Dallas.

Dallas nodded. “Do you remember us talkin’ yesterday that if things got too hard you were to tell me?” He asked softly.

Jalen nodded. “Yes Sir.” He said quietly.

Dallas sighed. “I’m disappointed that didn’t happen Jalen. I was upset when I came to check on you and you were gone. We had also agreed you’d let me know if you were leavin’ for any reason so I’d know you weren’t here and I wouldn’t worry about where you’d gone. It is only courteous to do that young man.”  The older man scolded.

Jalen looked down a bit ashamed now. “Yes Sir…I didn’t think of it that way.” The youngster also didn’t like the idea of his boss being disappointed. He wasn’t quite sure why that bothered him, but it did.

Dallas nodded. “It’s important to think about these things Kid. It’s all part of carin’ about each other. It also shows respect for each other.” He stated.

Jalen said quietly, “I’m sorry Mr. Kincaid.”

Dallas nodded. “I know it Kid and you know how we agreed to take care of things like this.”

Jalen squirmed, knowing very well what his boss meant and was referring to, a spanking. The teen thought about things. He knew he had broken an agreement he had made and although it hadn’t seemed to matter much to him before when these kind of things happened, it seemed to matter now. He still had a difficult time understanding why things seemed so different with Dallas Kincaid when it hadn’t seemed to matter much with anyone else before. Whether it was because he cared for him in a manner no one else had, or because of the intimate way he had shown him his caring, putting him over his lap and baring his backside and setting it on fire he couldn’t really put his finger on. It was just different somehow and he wasn’t sure why. He knew he deserved a spanking though because he had broken their agreement and had been rude to his boss out there at the upper pasture. He also felt bad inside that he hadn’t sought out help like he had agreed and had run away from things when they had gotten too hard, something he realized he had done most of his life. Jalen came to a decision. He realized he wanted what this man had to offer, even if he didn’t like it at times. He realized on one level he needed someone he could trust to guide him and to hold him accountable for his actions in a way no one else had or could because he hadn’t allowed it. He realized however that he was willing to put his trust and his well being into this man’s hands. He respected Dallas Kincaid and trusted him in a manner he hadn’t trusted anyone else since his own mother.   Jalen nodded both to himself and to Dallas and responded quietly, “Yes Sir…I know how we agreed to handle things and I’m willin’ to allow our agreement and current arrangement to stand.”

*****

Dallas could see Jalen was thinking things through and didn’t pressure him or speak to him, allowing the youngster to come to his own decision about their current arrangement and the agreement they had come to. He could tell by the boy’s eyes that he had conflicting thoughts, but when he finally looked up at Dallas and acknowledged that he wanted to continue their arrangement and agreement, accepting that he deserved to be spanked Dallas was relieved inside. He nodded at the youngster’s acquiescence. “All right, you’re sure?” He asked softly, wanting to make absolutely certain that they were both together on this.

Jalen blushed slightly, but said softly, “Yes Sir, I’m sure.”

The older man got up, walked over to Jalen and gave him a tight hug. “I’m proud of you.” He told the boy. “You made a very hard decision Kid.”

Jalen took a deep breath and said, “I know Sir…it will be a life changin’ decision.”

Dallas smiled. “Yes, it will be, but you’ll find it a good one, even if there will be times you’ll think you were crazy to agree to it.”

Jalen gave Dallas a little boy grin and nodded. “I’m sure I will, especially when my bottom is bein’ set on fire.”

The older man chuckled. “Yes, especially then I’m sure.”

The young cowhand found himself snuggling into the big man’s hug and for a moment felt odd, but then dismissed the feeling and relished it instead. It felt safe and right.

*****

Dallas felt Jalen snuggle into his arms, then stiffen for a moment as though the boy were indecisive, but then the youngster snuggled in once more as though he made up his mind. The older man felt a warmth spread through him as he realized the gift the teen was giving him, trusting him with himself as well as his well being. It was a huge responsibility and on one level it scared Dallas to death, but on another it thrilled him.

Dallas said quietly, “Let’s get this over now so we can move on. What do you say Jalen?”

The youngster bit is lip for a moment, and then nodded. “Yes Sir…I think that would be best.”

The older man nodded and went over to the door of the study and closed it. He also pulled the curtains over the windows shutting them to ensure their privacy. Going back over to the settee, he sat down next to the youngster. “Tell me Kid why am I goin’ to spank you?”

Jalen squirmed and said softly, “’Cause I left the house without tellin’ you and I was rude to you up at the pasture and…I didn’t complete the work I was assigned and didn’t seek out help like I agreed to.”

Dallas nodded. “I’d say that just about covers everything.”

The young cowhand squirmed once more in his seat, anticipating the next step, but still hoping that it wouldn’t come. “Yes Sir.” He responded.

Dallas gently tugged the youngster to his feet and stood him in front of him. “Take down your jeans and underpants.”

Jalen blushed a bit, bit his lip nervously, but then with slightly fumbling fingers complied. As he was doing so he was again wondering to himself what he was doing and why. One look into the Smokey blue eyes told him his answer, because here in front of him was someone who cared enough to do this. The youngster slid his clothing down to his ankles.

The ranch owner praised, “Good boy.” He took the young man’s arm and gently moved him to his right side and then over his lap. He said, “No biting your lip or any other part of your body. You can hold onto my leg if you need to. No puttin’ your hands back either. Any of those things will earn you extra swats.” He warned. 

The young cowhand nodded. “Yes Sir.” He acknowledged the reminders.

Dallas then patted the upturned mounds in front of him in warning and then began the spanking. He started with more sting than force, focusing on the center sit spot and then moving to the centers of the mounds and placing overlapping swats until the backside over his lap was a bright pink bordering on red.

 *****

Jalen at first didn’t think much about the spanking. It stung and he had expected that from the other time, but it wasn’t long before the heat and the sting combined made things very uncomfortable. He let out little gasps and took deep breaths when a particularly stinging swat landed on the fast becoming sore bottom. When the swats focused on a particular area, with several landing in the same spot he couldn’t help shifting a little to get them to land on a different place, but he was being held firmly in place and the swats landed exactly where the older man wanted them to and the younger one didn’t.

*****

Dallas shifted the youngster over his lap forward a bit more so his under curves and sit spots were exposed and began to swat the more soft, tender sitting area with hard, slow swats, waiting for the sting of the first one to reach it’s maximum effect before landing the next, making sure his swats overlapped some each time. He was going to make very sure the boy’s sitting area ached each time he sat for the rest of the day.

*****

Jalen yelped as the harder swats made contact with his more vulnerable sitting area. He began to wriggle and squirm more, but Dallas was prepared for this and his unerring hand continued its assault making Jalen’s eyes tear now and he began to sniffle despite himself. As the harder, slower, more painful swats continued to land and one landed on a particularly sore spot he bit his lip hard.

*****

Dallas watched the young cowhand carefully and when he saw him bite his lip smacked each of the back of his legs sharply causing the boy to let go of his lip and cry out. “Oww!” The older man scolded. “I warned you that there would be extra swats for being naughty and biting.” He moved back up to the mounds and the boy’s center sit spot spanking the whole area with hard burning swats as a penalty.

*****

Jalen was shocked when all of a sudden the backs of his thigh exploded in sharp stinging heat. He yelped out loud letting go of his lip and then heard Dallas’s scolding words and couldn’t help but beg as his sore backside was revisited with focus on his center sit spot. “Oww! Oh…please! Don’t! It hurts! Stop!” Jalen begged, kicking his feet and holding now tight onto the older’ man’s lower leg as he had been instructed to do in the first place.  

*****

Dallas scolded as he spanked, “It’s supposed to hurt…that’s what a spankin’ is and I’ll know when it’s time to stop.” He continued the spanking moving back down to the under curves and sit spots. He also smacked the inner under curves so the youngster wouldn’t be sitting a saddle for the rest of the day either and that there would be an ache that could remind him for the next day as well. The ranch owner scolded now as he spanked. “You will do the work you are assigned and will seek out help with it if you’re havin’ trouble or you’ll find yourself over my lap learnin’ this lesson once again.”

Jalen yelped and responded, “Yes Sir!”

Dallas continued now focusing a bit more on the sit spots, “You will also tell me where you are goin’ and not sneak away. If that happens you won’t be sittin’ comfortably for a few days.”

The young cowhand wriggled and wiggled and kicked his feet as this lesson was brought home to him in a most painful manner on his sit spots that were glowing a bright red now.

“Oww! Oww! Y-yes S-sir!” Jalen cried, tears flowing freely from his bright green eyes now.

Dallas continued, “Being rude to me will also earn you a trip over my knee. That’s naughty because it’s disrespectful and you will learn that doin’ that will earn you a bottom that will ache for quite a wile.” The older man put action to words and spanked hard and slow making sure he caught the even more tender inner under curves as he spanked.

The youngster over his lap was sobbing now and the older man heated the boy’s bottom well. When Jalen finally gave into the spanking going limp over Dallas’s lap, realizing that fighting would earn him no reprieve, the older man made a complete circuit making sure no part of the backside before him went untouched as he reignited the fire he had set there. Once Dallas had done this he stopped the spanking and began to rub the sobbing young man’s back. It had been a tough spanking, but one that had been earned and well deserved. He was certain the youngster had learned this lesson and wouldn’t repeat it for a while.

*****

Jalen had been kicking, squirming, wriggling and wiggling, but to no avail. It seemed that whenever he moved the hand found a new spot to set on fire. No matter what he did his backside was being set on fire and all he could do was to cry and try to endure. He finally realized that no amount of fighting the spanking was going to make it stop and so gave in, going limp over the older man’s lap. He howled and wailed like a toddler as his flaming backside was set on fire once more all over and hadn’t quite realized when the spanking had stopped until he became aware of a warm large hand rubbing his back. He sobbed. “I-I’m s-sorry.”

*****

Dallas kept rubbing the boy’s back until he heard the soft apology and then righted him carefully, making sure that the very sore bottom wasn’t touching anything and hugged and held him tight. “I know you are and you are forgiven.” He said softly into the boy’s ear. He brushed back the sweaty hair and kissed the forehead. “You’re a good boy Jalen Christopher Brooks just misguided at times and that causes poor decisions to be made.”

Jalen snuggled into the man’s chest despite himself. “Yes Sir, I know and I’ll try not to do much of that again.”

Dallas smiled and said, “Good.” He watched the young man as he sniffled and pulled out a clean handkerchief and wiped his eyes and said, “Blow your nose Kid.”

Jalen did as Dallas told him and then handed back the used handkerchief. “Thank you Sir.”

Dallas said, “You’re welcome kid.” tucking the used handkerchief into a pocket.

The young cowhand stayed in the older man’s arms, feeling somehow better inside although his outside was still sore and burning. He wondered at the strangeness of that. He felt a sort of peacefulness inside, an odd sort of contentment and wondered about that too. Why would he feel content…sort of happy inside when this man had just made his backside sore and hot and that it would ache for a while even when the burn was gone. Jalen wondered if something was wrong with him and looked up at the older man.

“Umm…Mr. Kincaid?”

Dallas looked down into the worried green eyes. “Yes Jalen?”

“Is somethin’ wrong with me?” He asked.

The older man gave the youngster a puzzled look. “Why do you ask?”

Jalen explained about feeling content and even sort of happy now inside.

Dallas smiled. “There’s nothin’ wrong with you Kid, it’s just because the bad feelings you had inside are gone now. You paid the price for your disobedience and rude behavior.”

Jalen thought about this for a while and then nodded. “That makes sense.”

Dallas smiled. “I’m glad it does.” He hugged the young cowhand tight.

The youngster relaxed in Dallas’s arms and then yawned.

“Looks like this has taken a bit out of you Kid. I’ll take you up to your room and you can stretch out on your bed.” The older man told the younger one.

The youngster nodded. “’Kay.”

The ranch owner gathered up the young man and carried him up to the room Jalen had been given and opening the door, went over to the bed and pulled the covers down and then laid the boy on the bed on his side. He removed his boots, socks, jeans and underpants, then gently covered him up. Dallas went over to the washstand and wet a cloth and then washed Jalen’s face and offered him a cup of cool water.

Jalen took the water gratefully and drank it down and submitted to the face washing. Then laid his sandy head on the pillow and closed his green eyes and drifted off to sleep.

The older man smiled as he noticed the youngster drifting off to sleep. He folded the young cowhand’s jeans and underpants placing them on the back of the chair and put the socks in the boots. Then he left and closed the door gently behind him.

*****

Later that day Dallas had placed a soft cushion on Jalen’s chair while they had supper. The older man knew that the cushion would give some comfort, but that the ache in his young cowhand’s bottom would still be there.

*****

When Jalen awoke he groaned as he moved, his backside aching. He crawled out of the bed and got dressed, wincing as he did so. He made his way downstairs and into the kitchen. He was glad to see a cushion on his chair and eased onto it with a wince.

Dallas looked up as Jalen entered the kitchen. “You look a lot better.”

Jalen said, “My bottom aches, but the burning has stopped.”

The older man nodded. “It will ache for a bit.”

The younger man sighed. “I hope not too long.”

Dallas said, “Long enough.”

They ate their dinner and spent a pleasant evening together Dallas reading to Jalen and then retiring for the night.

*****

The next morning Jalen felt much better. He wasn’t wincing and although his bottom ached a little it wasn’t bad.

Dallas smiled at the young cowhand. I’m goin’ to change things in our arrangement today and I’m goin’ to send you to the upper pasture this mornin’ to work with the men and move the rest of the cattle.”

Jalen looked up surprised. “No lessons?”

Dallas said, “I’ll have a short assignment for you later this evening you can do after supper.”

Jalen wrinkled his nose at that, but nodded and said, “’Kay.”

*****

By mid morning Jalen was shifting in his saddle. His bottom had begun to ache again, but as the day wore on it ached more and more it seemed. Riding the day after a spanking hadn’t been much fun. He shifted once more and then forced himself to sit still as his horse pranced at the unfamiliar movement.

One of the other hands looked at him. “You all right boy?”

Jalen nodded. “Yeah…sure. Just a bit restless.” He told the other man.

The other hand looked at him curiously, but nodded and said no more.

At lunch time Jalen was relieved to dismount. He went into the bushes and rubbed his aching bottom. He hadn’t wanted the other hands to see him doing it and ask questions. He was a bit annoyed at Dallas; he suspected that his boss had known this would happen. Jalen had been relieved to not have to sit and do lessons and to go out to the pasture, but he hadn’t expected this. He’d actually be glad to get back to the ranch by suppertime.

Jalen’s bottom ached all afternoon and had begun to hurt by the time he had reined in his horse at the barn and dismounted. Once he was in the stall with his mount he gave his bottom a quick rub and worked at untacking his horse. He was startled at a low, pleasant rough voice as it said, “Not exactly fun riding the day after a spankin’ is it?”

Jalen turned and wanted to glare at the older man and complain, accusing him that he knew what would happen, but when he saw the Smokey blue eyes filled with compassion the annoyance went out of him and he nodded. “No Sir, no fun at all…I suppose this was another lesson you wanted me to learn?”

Dallas came over and placed a hand on Jalen’s shoulder and squeezed reassuringly. “I said you were a smart boy.”

The young cowhand wrinkled his nose. “My backside’s sore again.” He complained.

The ranch owner nodded. “I’m sure it is…it’s somethin’ I learned from my own Papa and sittin’ later doin’ lessons won’t be very pleasant either, but hopefully it will remind you to make better choices next time.”

Jalen sighed. “Yes Sir…I don’t ever want to be in this position again.”

Dallas nodded. “Somethin’ I’ve said many times myself, but always ended up there sometime or other and you probably will too, but I’d guess not in the near future.”

The young cowhand wrinkled his nose at that thought.

Dallas pulled Jalen into a hug. “Let’s go back to the house.”

Jalen walked with Dallas back to the house, the older man’s arm around his shoulders and thinking how nice this was and even though his bottom was still tender he didn’t mind so much with this man around to be there for him.

The end.