And Derek was right.
“Sweetheart, are you trying to tell me you don’t understand what pleasure is?” He knew damn well she wasn’t a virgin.
Her skin flushed the nicest shade of pink. “I don’t want you to be disappointed. I’m not that kind of girl.”
That kind of girl? The kind who came? “When was the last time you had an orgasm?”
She hesitated. “I don’t think I ever had one. It’s okay. I know it’s not real.”
Not real? She was talking about orgasms being a myth? Who the fuck had she slept with? Whoever it was, he should thank the fucker because it opened up so very many doors for him. If she didn’t think she could find pleasure in the sexual act, he could damn well make her his slave.
He could show her things she didn’t even know were real.
“Lay across my lap now, Ashley. It’s a count of twenty, but everything stops the minute you say your safe word. You’re always in control. Don’t ever forget it.” He would give her every out possible. Or maybe he was giving it to himself because he still wasn’t sure.
She situated herself, settling awkwardly over his lap. She had to be able to feel the hard length of his cock because he could barely think for all the blood in his dick. She wriggled a little, and he finally got a really good look at her ass.
Round. So pretty he couldn’t quite catch his breath. Her ass split neatly into two gorgeous moons that would grip his dick in a way he’d never been held before.
She was shaking. Her spine was straight, but the flesh around it quivered with fear. She was scared and he was a perverted freak because that did something for him. Not because he loved her fear, but because he loved the fact that he could cure her of it. She was frightened now, but soon she would crave the thing she feared. Him. He could make her want what he had to give, make her need it.
He ran his hand along her flesh, pushing the skirt up farther, revealing the twin dimples in the small of her back. So pretty.
“Master Derek, do you see anything wrong with this submissive’s ass?” It was time to start training her properly. His methods had to do with far more than his hand on her ass. He would teach her to see herself differently.
Derek gave him the first genuine smile he’d seen out of the cop. “Not a damn thing, Master Keith. She’s got a lovely ass.”
“But I have cellulite,” Ashley protested.
Yes, she would need some modifications to her thought process. He brought his hand down on her gorgeous ass in a hard smack.
Her whole body shook and the sweetest squeal came out of her mouth. “That hurt!”
Indignation. He chuckled. “Yes, that’s why they call it punishment. And you added ten extra strokes with the cellulite comment.” He gave her several more in rapid succession, not allowing her to breathe in between.
Her fingers had a death grip on his ankle. “I was just saying what the problem with my backside is.”
“You are digging yourself a bigger hole, sub.” The lieutenant whistled as he shook his head.
“I’m trying to make you understand that there isn’t a problem at all.” Three more. She’d taken eight hard whacks, every muscle clenching with tension. She wasn’t relaxing the way a longtime sub would.
He heard her sniffle. “I don’t think I like this part.”
She was crying openly, her nails now digging into his leg. Fuck. Maybe she had really delicate skin.
“Please, I don’t think I can take another one.”
She was going to safe word on him. He had to let her do it. “Use your safe word then and we’ll be done.”
“Give it a minute,” another voice said. Karina was wrapped in a short black robe, having finished her scene. She looked at him. “Can I help, Sir? She’s very new and sometimes getting through the first discipline session is hard.”
“Karina, you know better than to get between a Dom and his sub,” Derek said.
“She won’t be his sub for long if she walks away now.” Karina sent the cop a look that could have frozen the balls off a man in the dead of summer.
Apparently, he was far more open to help than Derek Brighton. “Please, Karina. If you can help, I would appreciate it.”
She winked and got to her knees on the floor. “First of all, give me your hands, sweetie. You can hold on to me. What did you do?”
Ashley laughed a little. “I said I was fat.”
“Oh, now you’re in for it. I told you that would happen. How many?” Karina asked.
“She’s up to thirty,” Keith explained. “She’s taken eight.”
“Okay, well, you do what you do, Master Keith.” Karina nodded his way.
Whack.
Ashley tensed.
Karina’s voice was soothing and deep as she spoke to Ashley. “Relax, honey. I want you to really think about what’s happening to you. Your brain is in charge, but it’s your body’s turn. What does it feel like?”
“It hurts,” Ashley shot back.
Karina nodded again and Keith gave her another smack. He could see what she was doing and the sub was one smart lady. He held his hand against Ashley’s skin this time, allowing her to process the sensation.
“Stop thinking and feel,” Karina encouraged. “Yes, there’s pain, but what’s underneath it?”
He closed his eyes because he fucking knew he’d screwed up. He’d pushed her too hard.
“Heat.” The word came out on a breathy moan. “My skin feels hot.”
He gave her another, this time right where her ass cheeks flowed into her thighs.
Ashley whimpered, but she didn’t tense the way she had before. “It’s like my nerves are firing off.”
“But you don’t know what they’re trying to tell you,” Karina added. “Yes, you’re getting there, sweetie.”
Again. He smacked her sweet flesh and Karina talked her through it. He could tell Ashley was crying, but that was all right because her spine had softened, her body relaxing. She stiffened with the next few smacks and then she simply gave over.
“Can you handle another ten?” Keith asked.
“She’s nodding,” Karina said. “She’s good, hon.”
His cock was back to stiff because she was finally responding properly. The discipline was meant to correct a behavior, but there was an underlying sensuality that should speak to her. She should get wet from what was being done.
He breathed deeply and sure enough, there was the musk of her arousal.
They had a damn crowd now, though he doubted Ashley knew she was actually performing her first scene. She wasn’t paying attention to anything but the stroke of his hand and Karina’s words. He felt a deep gratitude to the sub. She’d possibly saved his whole contract with Ashley.
He spaced out the final ten smacks like a connoisseur attempting to enjoy a fine wine. He would only get to spank her so many times before he turned her over to a more permanent Master. This was their first, and he would hoard the memory.
He finally gave her the thirtieth. He held his hand hard against her cheek, memorizing how soft her skin was and the delicate sheen it had. Pink and hot.
She was boneless underneath him. He gave her a second.
Karina leaned over and lightly kissed the top of Ashley’s head. “That’ll do, little sub. That’ll do.”
Ashley’s head came up, and he felt a laugh go through her. All her former tension was gone. “Don’t make me think of Babe right now.”
He helped her to her feet. She was wobbly, but the drunken grin on her face did weird things to his insides.
She finally noticed that half of Sanctum had formed a circle to watch the sub take her first dose of discipline. Alex and Eve McKay were holding hands while they watched. The Taggarts were whispering to each other. Jacob Dean was acting as a dungeon monitor, but he’d come wandering over about halfway through.
Ashley leaned toward him, her voice going low. “Keith, why are they all staring?”
He stood up, lending her a hand since she seemed off-bal
ance. “They know a hot scene when they see one.”
It hadn’t been the sexiest scene he’d ever been in, but watching her figure out what she was capable of might have been the most intimacy he’d had in forever. He felt closer to Ashley than he had been with another human being in the longest time. An inner voice was telling him to pull away, that it was getting too deep, but he couldn’t. Not tonight.
He had one more thing he wanted to show her, but he wasn’t going to share it with the crowd.
He lifted her into his arms and hoped he remembered his way to the aftercare rooms.
Chapter Four
Her skin was still humming as he placed her on the massage table, and she heard the door close. She let her head rest back, still processing exactly what had happened.
He’d spanked her and she’d liked it. It had really hurt at first, but she’d been fighting it. Good girls didn’t want to get their asses smacked.
Good girls. Bad girls. She was starting to question why there had to be classifications. It had seemed so clear at one point, but the truth was her sister lived this lifestyle and there was nothing bad about her. Their mother would have been horrified at the thought that her daughters even knew about the lifestyle. She’d been preoccupied with her place in the community, lowly as it had been. She would have railed at them for bringing shame on her name, but Ashley didn’t see it that way.
Was it wrong to like something most people thought was perverted? Most people didn’t have to live her life.
“Am I losing you?” Keith looked down at her and she was struck by the fact that they were alone. Just the two of them. No more crowds. No one to hold her hand and talk her through it.
She would never be able to properly thank Karina Mills for helping her. She’d been ready to say her safe word, and now she wasn’t even thinking it.
No. Now she was thinking about the fact that her pussy was wet and soft. What the hell was up with that?
“I’m still here.” She smiled up at him. “So every time I say something bad about myself, you’ll slap my backside?”
He touched her hair, smoothing it back. “If you say it where I can hear it, yes. I think you’re beautiful. I don’t like being told I’m wrong.”
She suspected very few people would contradict the strong, smart man in front of her. “So I’ll fare better if I agree with you?”
“Turn over. And yes. It’s a good game plan.”
She rolled over and winced as he pushed up her skirt. “I’m going to feel that tomorrow, aren’t I?”
His palm covered her cheek. “Yes, but it should be a nice ache. There aren’t any welts. I didn’t break the skin.”
“That’s a good thing, right?” She sighed as she settled down. The massage table had been covered with a silky sheet. It was cool against her skin. She couldn’t remember the last time she’d been so relaxed.
His hands started to rub her flesh, long strokes that made her feel like every muscle was turning to jelly. “It is for you. There are some people who like more of a bite. I think you’re going to be a light-pain junkie.”
She was so curious about him. “Do you like to leave marks?”
“I would rather know that you remember the pleasure I can give you, whether it’s from some erotic pain or pure sexual pleasure.”
Just like that she felt herself stiffen up.
“Hey, calm down. Are you afraid?” His hands changed to soothing strokes down her legs.
Afraid? Yes and no. “I’m worried you won’t like me when you realize I’m not one of those girls who can…”
“Come?”
It seemed so easy for him to say it. “Yes. I read somewhere that not every woman can.”
His hands were dangerously close to the junction of her thighs. “Turn over again. I need to see something.”
Why did they have to talk about this? She’d been so happy. He was insistent, his hands moving her. She finally rolled over. He’d been kind to her. Maybe it was for the best they get this out of the way. She’d been looking forward to the next couple of weeks of their contract, but if he was thinking she was going to be some kind of sex kitten, then he should find out the truth about her sooner rather than later.
Her skirt was around her waist. A moment ago she hadn’t minded. Hell, she hadn’t even thought about it when he was spanking her. When she’d realized that twenty or so people had watched the whole thing, she’d merely wondered if a curtsy would get her spanked again.
Now the tone changed, and she could feel all of her insecurities creeping back.
He was looking at her pussy. He was just staring at it. God, she’d never really looked at it. She wasn’t the kind of girl who looked at herself in the mirror for long periods of time, much less one who inspected her own pussy. And he could see her C-section scar, though he seemed to be avoiding that.
“You look like you have all the right parts.”
Sure she did. They didn’t work properly though. “Keith, it’s all right. You don’t have to try to prove anything to me.”
His face suddenly loomed over hers. “If you don’t stop talking, I’m going to put a ball gag in your mouth.”
She almost protested and then thought better of it. He’d made good on all of his promises up until now. She was pretty sure if there was ever a place to randomly find a ball gag sitting around, it was Sanctum.
He nodded, obviously satisfied that she intended to comply. “Very good. Now, when I ask a direct question, you can answer me, but other than that, I want silence. Oh, unless you feel the need to moan. Moaning, screaming in pleasure, and calling out my name are perfectly acceptable. Look at that. That was your first lesson in protocol. We’re moving along quite nicely.”
Wow. Not being able to reply really sucked. She was forced to stay where she was.
“Now, like I was saying before I was rudely interrupted, you have all the right parts for an orgasm. Do you masturbate often?”
She felt her skin flush.
“That was a direct question, sweetheart. You can answer.”
Where was the ball gag when she needed it? “What if I don’t want to answer?”
He shrugged one of those broad shoulders. “If you don’t answer, I’ll decide you don’t like to talk and would prefer to spend the time I would devote to conversations learning which type of nipple clamps you like.”
“I don’t masturbate,” she said as quickly as she could because she would really prefer to embarrass herself over testing out nipple clamps.
He frowned down at her, his hand over her belly. “Never?”
He seemed really intent on making her blush as often as possible. “I’ve tried a couple of times but it doesn’t work.”
“Vibrator?”
“Where would I find a vibrator? I was raised in a tiny town in Texas. Those old biddies came down hard on us for yawning in church. Do you honestly think they would let an adult store in?”
His hand was moving down her body, tickling her skin where it touched and making her wish she wasn’t wearing the small amount of clothing she was wearing because she really liked having his hands on her. Heat seemed to follow everywhere those fingers skimmed.
“There’s this new thing called the Internet. I might be an old man, but I think you youngsters are pretty good with it.”
She opened her mouth to refute that statement and then realized it had been a land mine.
Keith chuckled. “Very good. Not a direct question. You’re getting the hang of it. Why didn’t you use the Internet?”
“Because my mom watched me like a hawk. After Dad left, she was really hard on us about everything. And then she died and after Jill made sure I got through high school, she left and everyone was watching me. I worked in a local church, saving money for college. There aren’t a lot of choices where I was raised. If you want to get a job there, you better have a good reputation. There isn’t even a fast food place to work in.”
A single finger slid across her clitoris.
; Holy hell.
“I’m sorry to hear that, sweetheart. I was raised in the godless city so I masturbate a lot. Give me your hand. I want to teach you.”
It wouldn’t work, of course, but she’d already felt more from him than she had in all the tries before.
“The key is to relax.” His hand covered hers, fingers sliding over to guide her.
Her pussy was slick, wet with the arousal she’d gotten from the spanking.
“I love how you blush,” he said. “You shouldn’t though. This is natural. I think part of your problem is that your parents instilled a sense of guilt and shame where none should be. This is normal. Take a breath.”
She hadn’t realized she’d been holding it in. She forced herself to breathe. That was what she would focus on. Maybe she should fake one. She’d heard Jillian screaming enough. Hell, sometimes she could hear her sister from the guesthouse.
The pad of her finger slid over and over her clitoris, with Keith forcing her to apply real pressure. She could feel how slick she was getting, how slippery her flesh became.
It was nice, but nothing to scream about.
She tried to relax. She let Keith move her hand, rubbing her clitoris until it was slick with arousal, but beyond feeling warm and pleasant, there wasn’t that mad crazy rush of passion and pleasure she’d read about.
Because it wasn’t real. Or maybe she couldn’t do it.
He sighed and released her hand. “It’s okay, sweetheart. I can see this isn’t going to work on you.”
Tears threatened, but she blinked them back.
“Maybe some shock and awe will help.”
She nearly came off the table when he leaned over and put his mouth over her clitoris, sucking her hard.
She couldn’t breathe, barely could move. No one had ever…She hadn’t even wanted anyone to do what Keith was doing to her. His tongue was all over her private parts. He growled, the sensation rumbling across her skin.
“Don’t move.” His hands were on her hips, holding her down. “If you move again, I’ll spank you. Give me this. Five minutes tops.”
Modern Fairy Tale: Twelve Books of Breathtaking Romance Page 103