After she locked the door behind them, they got into his car and started off. She was silent, and he could see the slightly brooding expression on her face whenever he glanced over at her. Or maybe that was shame. What was she hiding? Ten kids somewhere? A criminal past?
"I hope you like Italian."
She nodded.
"There's this little place—a hole in the wall, really—that has the best mostaccioli Florentine."
Pilar fidgeted next to him, her hands together, then apart, then together again.
"I don't eat it often. All that cheese... I have to watch my girlish figure," he teased.
She glanced up at him, the dark sheet of her hair sliding down her shoulder and arm as she moved. Deuce remembered the luxury of all that thick hair in his hands, silken and scented like strawberries.
"Not feeling very talkative, are you?"
"I'm sorry," she replied.
"Do you want to tell me what's behind all of this?"
Her eyes swept the road in front of them, and then she looked at her hands again. "Yes, I do. I don't know how to start."
"Have you lied to me, Pilar?"
"Not exactly."
"You told me your name was Angie."
"That wasn't a lie. My middle name is Angelina. I've been called Angie at times."
"Makes you fit in better with the Anglos, eh?"
Out of the corner of his eye, he caught her nod.
"What about the rest?"
"I work for the cosmetics company, like I told you. Both my parents are still alive and I have a younger brother."
"Okay. So you didn't lie about those things." He navigated a turn and a red light, and after she didn't continue, he prompted her. "Tell me the rest, sugar."
"I was protecting my parents."
His frown was immediate. "From what? From me?"
"Kind of. I love them. They're established here. I don't want them to be deported."
Things began to fall in place. "Are you telling me that they're here illegally?"
"Yes."
"Damn, Ang…Pilar. That's not a huge deal. I'm not with the INS or anything."
A little girl voice, soft and scared, answered him. "My family is everything to me."
They pulled into the restaurant parking lot, but he didn't get out right away. Instead, he put his hand on hers, hating the chill he found there. It was a chill of fear, he knew, and it didn't have any place in the world of his feelings for her. That she could be so afraid of him, of what he stood for, was unconscionable. "Sugar… Pilar. Your mama and daddy have nothing to fear from me."
Her gaze was intense, those amber eyes imploring him to say something comforting. "You won't tell?"
"No, I won't."
"But the law…"
"This is Texas, honey. If every illegal alien got deported, half the state would be gone."
There was a tiny curl at the corners of her tender lips. "Mama and papa have been here since I was a baby. Mama was pregnant with me when they crossed over. She was only seventeen, and he was eighteen. They've been here ever since. They've made a life for themselves and my brothers and me."
"Brothers? I thought you only had one."
"I had two others, but they died."
Pilar was small and fragile. She didn't deserve so many troubles in her life. "I'm sorry," he told her, then tilted her chin up and bent to kiss her. "You've been very naughty, little girl." The skin around her mouth was so smooth. Her lips firm against his. He pressed her harder, trying to coax her to open her mouth to him, but she made a small sound and pushed him away.
"No. We'll have dinner but then it's over, okay?"
"We'll talk about it. I'm not happy that you didn't trust me. You could have told me about your parents."
"Deuce…"
He got out of the car and walked around to open her door. "Let's eat. Then I have something I need to do."
Pilar's shoulder's dropped as some of the tension left her. "I'm glad you understand," she said as he opened the restaurant door for her.
They chatted about inconsequential things: the weather, sports, how to win at three-card poker. But as the after dinner coffee was served, he made his intentions clear. There was no room for further prevarication between them. He wanted a fresh start.
"After we leave here," he told her, "we're going to my house."
"What do you mean? I thought you understood that it's over."
"Why should it be over?"
"My parents-"
"Nix that little falsehood right away, sugar. I told you that they're safe."
"That's not what I meant. You're Anglo."
"That doesn't wash either. You're not telling me that it's okay to sleep with an Anglo but not date him, are you?"
"No! I didn't say that."
"You ought to be punished for all this deceit, Pilar."
Her eyes got wide. "What? Punished?"
The chair was comfortable and he leaned back, sipping his coffee while she squirmed. He'd give her something to squirm about, alright. "A good spanking ought to do it."
A variety of emotions crossed her face. Surprise. Confusion. Her cheeks got a little pink, and her nipples started to harden under her light, summer dress. And then she did something that made his cock twitch. The tip of her tongue snuck out and tested her lip. It was an unconscious gesture, but the sensuality it projected had him by the balls in a heartbeat.
"I won't have sex with you again, Deuce."
"Did I mention sex?"
"N-no…but…"
"Sometimes, sugar, a spanking is about teaching a woman a lesson."
"Look, Deuce, I'm sorry. I should have trusted you. You gave me no reason to think you'd betray my trust. I'm just used to hiding…this. You ought to be glad to be rid of me. Just take me home and we'll say hasta la vista."
"That's not what you want."
Her gaze darted to his face and then down to the hands in her lap. Deuce knew that the next words out of her mouth would be evasion, maybe even a lie. "You don't know what I want."
"If you could see yourself, Pilar." He leaned in and whispered. "Your whole body is screaming fuck me."
She gasped and glared at him. "It is not!"
Grinning, he nodded. "Don't lie, sugar."
"You're impossible. This is impossible."
Deuce shrugged and sipped his coffee casually, though he was concentrating hard on saying the right things as she teetered. "Do you have any plans for tomorrow?"
She frowned. "What has that got to do with anything?"
"I'm re-thinking that sex thing."
There was that little tongue again. It was obvious that she was torn.
"But if you have to work, I don't want to keep you up all night."
"No, I don't but-" She caught herself and sighed.
Deuce felt a small surge of triumph. "But what?"
"Am I so transparent?"
"Yep, sugar. Like a crystal ball."
A little bit of the Angie he remembered came back with the slow, sensual smile that played on her lips. "Can I be on top?"
He laughed so hard that other diners turned to stare. "No, you cannot," he said, still chortling. "I intend to be lookin' at that red bottom as I have my evil way with you."
She frowned, but it was playful. "You're serious about that spanking."
"Not the fun kind, either."
"They're all fun."
They'd pretty much established that spanking turned her on while they were in Jamaica. He was only beginning to see the depth of that interest and he loved it. He stood and offered his hand. "You've been warned, sugar. Don't say I didn't tell you."
"Hmph."
She turned up her pert nose and flounced out like the queen of the world, utterly the opposite of the way she'd entered the place. Deuce watched her sashay away and he couldn't help a surge of pure, masculine pleasure at the mental image of her in his bed. He had been lonely there for way too long.
* * *
His house was big.
Too big for one guy. He didn't even have a pet to share it with. And yet, Pilar noticed small hints of a woman's touch in nooks and corners. There was an unexpected flower vase, unused, but clean and ready, on one of his many bookcases. An embroidered pillow sat on his big, overstuffed couch. And, perhaps the most interesting thing was the large array of framed photos on the walls. Photos of all kinds, but mostly of the Texas countryside. They were exquisitely taken, too. Some were bright, colorful and cheery. Some were somber. All the seasons were on display, and more than a few horses and people. They were emotional and personal, even the landscapes.
While Deuce fixed them margaritas, she looked over the faces she saw on the walls. Deuce's family was easy to spot. There was a strong resemblance among his four brothers and sisters and his parents. He had his mother's blue eyes, unlike the other Journeys, but the rest of him was modeled after his handsome father. So many smiles graced those photos.
Pilar could tell by the hairstyles that only two of the pictures of people were recent. One was of the woman who must be Deuce's sister, Queenie. The musician. She was seated on a piano bench, the piano behind her, holding a pair of tiny babies in her arms. Deuce had proudly told Pilar that his sister had recently given birth to twins, so figuring out the photo was easy. But the other current-day photo was of a woman and a little boy. The woman was blonde, with light eyes. She was pretty, but her pose was a little contrived, unlike the other photos which were more candid. With the blonde woman was a little boy. He looked to be about five years old, and had dark hair and light eyes. She could easily see the resemblance between the boy and the woman who must be his mother, but the boy's dark hair and light blue eyes had Pilar wondering who the little boy's father might be. She stepped away quickly as Deuce came up with the drinks.
"These are beautiful photos, Deuce. Did you take them?"
He shrugged and nodded slightly. "A number of them. I like to take pictures of my family's ranch over by Sonora. There's always something different to see there, and always something warm and familiar, too." He raised his glass. "To starting over, Pilar. We'll get past your punishment and have a new beginning."
Pilar was uncomfortably reminded of the other secrets she was keeping from him. That would be a lousy way to begin a relationship. More than that, her reasons for keeping him in the dark still existed. He wouldn't want her if he knew how she'd made her living as a student. And he'd be appalled if he knew the truth about her brothers.
She sipped at her margarita and wondered what the hell she was doing there, with him, getting him all involved when it was the last thing she should do. He didn't deserve the havoc she'd create in his life. It was selfish of her to continue, but she couldn't help it. Deuce countered all her arguments and left her arguing with herself.
There was no denying that she wanted him, wanted him badly. It was wrong to allow him to go along thinking that everything was going to work out. She knew she'd have to break it off…if not tonight, soon. Within a week. Friday at the latest. She'd tell him the truth on Friday and then instead of wanting her, he'd push her away. That would be that.
But tonight. Tonight was something else entirely. Her bottom fairly itched with eagerness. Their sex play had been peppered with lovely spankings while in Jamaica. The very idea that he could mete out a spanking that didn't have her panting for more was plainly ridiculous.
He pointed out some of his family in his photos as they sipped their cocktails, but Pilar noted that he didn't talk about the one of the woman and boy. She licked the last grains of salt off the rim of her glass and gave him a coy look. "Who are these two?"
Deuce looked at the picture she pointed to and a shutter dropped over his eyes. "That's Stacy and Eddie. Stacy is my ex-girlfriend."
"Oh. Not wife, huh?"
"I told you that I haven't been married, Pilar."
She nodded, trying to look casual. It killed her not to ask about the boy, but she held back. It really was none of her business.
Deuce took the glass out of her hand and put it down on the table nearby. "Time to deal with that behavior problem."
"I know," she said, teasing. "I've been very naughty."
"You have no idea."
A delicious thrill ran through her limbs and she leaned into him, offering her face for a kiss. He didn't bend to accept her offer, though. Instead, he took her by the hand and tugged her along to his bedroom. His demeanor was subtly different, but Pilar couldn't put her finger on it. He was more stern, somehow, more…hard.
It was a warmly-appointed room, all done in brown and teal, with burl wood furniture and a king-sized bed. The bed interested her the most. She imagined what it was going to feel like having him fill her with hard heat while he spanked her. It had been too long. It shouldn't even be happening again so she wasn't going to squander this time together.
"Clothes on, or off?" she asked.
"Off. Not a stitch."
Pilar started to undress and then paused, looking up at him where he stood, tall and strong, a few feet away. "You, too."
He shook his head. "Not this time."
"But…"
"Finish undressing, Pilar."
It was all she could do not to stick her lip out with a pout. "Not even your shirt?"
"Not even my boots."
"Then I won't either." She stood firm, feeling a little foolish with her dress around her ankles and her bra dangling from her fingers. Naked, he was glorious, and she wasn't going to be denied that pleasure. If he thought he could just unzip and get some, he had another think coming.
"Yes, you will, sugar, or I won't spank you."
Biting her lip, she considered her options. If she cooperated, he'd spank her. He might also get undressed and give her the rest of what she wanted. Or, if she didn't cooperate, she'd have to eventually get dressed and go home with nothing more.
Not much of a choice. She'd given herself 'till Friday, and having made up her mind, she was going to be very upset to be denied.
"Alright, but I want-"
He held up a hand. "Remember what I said, Pilar. I gave you a foundation to build your trust on, and you squandered it. This is about a naughty girl getting punished."
"Oh. So like a stern headmaster paddling his recalcitrant girl student." A giggle burbled up. "I get it. You're a kinky guy, Dr. Journey. I like that about you."
"Let's see if you like me so well after your spankin'."
Grinning, she quickly took off her clothes and started for the bed.
"No. Stop." He started unbuckling his belt, and Pilar's heart sped up. He was finally going to get undressed!
"Hurry, Deuce."
After wrapping his hand with the leather, the buckle was in his palm and only a seven or eight inch loop was left. She eyed it suspiciously. He'd always used his hands on her before. But maybe a belt wouldn't be much different. It was kind of sexy, in fact. Deuce tested it on his palm and the snapping sound made her smile. Oh yes, it was sexy.
"Put your hands on the bed, Pilar." He looked positively cross. Obviously, he was playing the headmaster role to the hilt.
"Yes, sir!"
She leaned over and did as she was told. He came up behind her and spread her feet a bit wider apart with the toe of his boot. That was new, too. It seemed very stern and commanding. That kind of take-charge attitude wreaked havoc with her libido. There was growing wetness in her pussy. Her nipples got hard as her breasts dangled down toward the bed.
"Bend a little more," he told her. "Put your face on the bed."
Although it was a little disappointing not to be able to turn her head and see him standing there, all tall and broad-shouldered, she cooperated. The waiting was making her squirm, though, so she wiggled her butt at him in invitation.
"You don't want to be askin' for this, sugar."
"Come on, Deuce. I know you want to."
"Alright. You remember now, niña, that you asked."
"Now, now, now," she coaxed.
His arm went up and it came down with
a vengeance. The pain was instantaneous and shocking in its intensity. Pilar gasped. "Ouch!"
Two more swats followed, each one snapping smartly on her behind harder than the one before it. She could feel the welts forming in little lines on her fanny. This was not fun. This was not what she'd expected. Instinct told her to curl away, but her emotions told her that she deserved everything he was dishing out, so she stayed put.
"Ouch! Deuce, you're hurting me!"
"It's punishment, Pilar. It's supposed to hurt." Half a dozen more hearty spanks hit her behind and she yelped with each one.
"Okay! I get it!" Another four swats and her butt was beginning to burn fiercely all over.
"I gave you no reason not to trust me, woman." More smacks followed. "Keeping secrets is no way to start a relationship."
Guilt warred with pain in her brain. "I was bad! I understand!"
He continued to spank, guiding the belt down her thighs and back up again.
"Please stop!"
"Do you want to go home now? Right now?"
Incredibly, she didn't. She had this spanking coming to her and she wanted to be free of the guilt for one miserable lie, even if the others plagued her. Shaking her head, she sobbed softly into the comforter.
"Then I'll decide when you've had enough, Pilar."
"Ow! Ow! Ow!" She started to stand up, but he pushed her back down.
"We're not done yet."
"I'm sorry!"
Tears wet the bed under her face. The pain was worse than anything she'd ever experienced before. She knew she'd be bruised, maybe for days. To think she'd asked for this! Encouraged it! She must have been loco.
Deuce rounded out the fire on her butt with some well-placed smacks where her thighs and behind met and she sobbed and whimpered in response.
"Please. I'm so sorry," she told him. He'd warned her and he'd followed through. Deuce's word was good. "I trust you!"
He paused and she took a deep breath, gasping as her nose ran and tears streamed out of her eyes. "Okay." She started to unbend again, but his voice stopped her. "Hold on. No one told you you could get up."
"But…"
"I have somethin' else in mind."
Chapter 3
Pilar could feel the warmth of his hand on her behind. The heat radiated through her aching flesh and curled into her belly. He rubbed her gently, gliding over her skin in gentle circles. It was so soothing. Tension ebbed away, and, although the pain didn't lessen much, it was less important. His hand on her rump, down her thighs, against the lips of her pussy, was all that mattered.
Deuce's Dancer Page 3