Now it was his turn to be taken aback, but as usual, he recovered quickly and the shock on his features faded, leaving his expression inscrutable. I felt like an idiot for going off on him, but not enough to apologize. I'd apologized more than enough for my father, had spent my whole life doing it.
"Are you ready to go?"
"I…you still want to?"
"Of course I do, Michelle. It looks like you could use an evening to de-stress."
I tensed at the remark and was about to snap back a reply when I realized that he was right. I could use a break. Maybe some fun was just what the doctor ordered.
Josh walked around the car to open the door for me, waiting until I'd climbed in and put my seatbelt on before going over to the driver's side. He turned the key in the ignition and his old truck puttered to life. He didn't say anything to me—in fact, he seemed to be deliberately ignoring what had happened, but the silence felt tense to me.
"He doesn't deserve your sympathy, or mine for that matter!"
"I see."
"No, you don't. How could you? You weren't there when he stood up me and my sister again and again rather take us for the weekend, like he promised. You have no idea how many father-daughter dances I missed out on because of him. My mom always offered to take me, but…it wouldn't have been the same. You couldn't possibly understand."
"That's where you're wrong." There was nothing but gentle compassion in his voice as he reached for my hand. "I do understand, Michelle. Do you think I was blind to how you felt about him all these years? Do you think I didn't see how he let you down?"
I considered his words in shock. "I didn't think you paid any attention to me at all."
He glanced at me out of the corner of his eye before turning back to the road. "Why would you think that?"
"Because!" I couldn't help but laugh. "You didn't even seem to know that I existed!"
"A blind man would see you, Shelly."
I was surprised and infinitely pleased by the compliment. It even temporarily robbed me of speech, a rare feat indeed.
"You were—"
"Please don't say 'a kid,'" I muttered.
Josh gave me a reproving look. "Fifteen."
"Right, because Mr. Most Likely to Succeed couldn't be seen with a freshman," I quipped, only half-kidding.
"No, because you were young and impressionable."
"And the girls you dated weren't?"
His brow furrowed as he frowned at me. "You know, if I didn't know any better I'd swear some little girl is just begging me to spank her."
I flushed at the threat, although I didn't protest.
"Now, if you're quite finished, you asked a question and I'd like to answer it." He paused, watching me as I nodded meekly. "Good, I'm going to hold you to that. Now, as I was saying, of course I knew who you were and yes, I also knew you had a bit of a crush on me." He was too much of a gentleman to call what I had a full-blown-stalker-like-obsession, for which I was appreciative. "But what you need to understand is that the reason I didn't pursue you had nothing to do with your age. I'm actually a little hurt that you think so little of me."
"I just assumed—"
"It's my turn, remember?" He waited until I fell silent before he continued. "I've known for a long time that I was different, Shelly."
I snorted, but was instantly contrite when he looked my way. "Sorry," I mouthed.
"I know what you're thinking: every teenager thinks he's special, but I'm talking about something completely different here."
"The spanking thing?" I guessed.
He gave me a hard look. "Are you always this quick to forget your promises? But yes, the spanking thing, as you called it. I've always known that I was attracted to the idea of corporal punishment."
I bit down on my lip, hard, to keep from peppering him with questions.
"Go on, I know you want to say something."
I smiled at him gratefully. "So, you've done this before?"
"This?"
"You know…spanked women?"
"Oh, yes. I've spanked many women, as a matter of fact."
The statement—not to mention the casual way he said it—made me feel intensely jealous. I wanted to get the names of these women and hunt them down one by one until it went away.
"I've always liked you, Shelly, but I didn't think it would be fair to get into a relationship with you, knowing what I know about my own desires."
"But you've been in relationships with other women," I pointed out. "So they were all into spanking?"
He chuckled softly. "If you're asking if I spanked all of them, the answer is almost. The only one I didn't broke things off before I got the chance."
"Oh." I looked down at my hands that I'd folded in my lap. So that was it then.
"Why do I get the feeling there was a lot more behind that 'oh' than you're saying?"
I smiled but didn't answer. How could I explain the myriad of emotions coursing through me right now?
"Come on, first I can't get you to shut up, then when I want to hear what you think, you go all quiet on me?" he teased.
"Is that why you asked me out? Because I let you…"
"Ah, I see. You're worried that since you asked me not to spank you anymore I won't want to see you anymore?"
I nodded mutely.
"Well, just between you and me, I'm not quite sure you're being honest with yourself on that one," he said, leaning forward conspiratorially and making me giggle. "But if that were the case, why would have I asked you out after the fact?"
If he thought I couldn't argue with his logic, he was dead wrong. "Because you thought you could talk me out of it."
He arched his eyebrows, shaking his head. "I think you have more faith in my powers of persuasion than I do."
Of course I did, because if he really wanted to, he could convince me of anything.
"But besides that, I would never try to convince you to do something you didn't want to do. I wouldn't feel right about that."
I was immensely reassured by his words and buoyed to hear that I'd hadn't been as invisible to him as I'd always thought. "So you're still willing to date me, even if you can't punish me?"
"Who said I couldn't punish you?"
"But I thought…you just said…"
"I said I wouldn't spank you if you didn't want me to. But make no mistake, sweetheart, if I need to get a point across I have other ways." He parked the car and killed the engine.
I looked around in surprise. We certainly weren't in front of a restaurant. In fact, I didn't know where we were. All I could see was that we were surrounded by trees.
"You up for a walk?"
"Um…sure."
"Great. Give me a second, I'll be around to open your door."
Rolling my eyes, I unfastened my seatbelt and opened the door, sliding out, my feet landing on soft, grassy soil. Josh walked around the car just in time to see me emerge and slam the door behind me.
"You really do have a problem with listening, don't you?"
I shrugged a shoulder, grinning wickedly. "You just said you weren't going to spank me."
He considered me silently for a moment before he nodded. "I did. I also said that if I want to prove a point, I don't have to lay a hand on you." As he spoke, he stepped toward me, closing the distance between us.
My eyes darted around, searching for an escape route, but it looked like I was stuck. I flattened myself against his truck, laughing nervously as he approached.
"For example," he reached over and lightly caressed the curve of my face, "I intend to make it clear that I won't be interrupted, and I won't be disobeyed."
"Oh, yeah?" I taunted, wondering at my boldness.
"Yes," he murmured before leaning in and kissing me on the lips.
I was so shocked by this new turn of events that for a moment, I stood stock still in a daze. When I regained power over my body, I threw my arms around him, kissing him back with all the pent up passion I'd held inside for decades. Kissing him
was just as good as I'd always imagined—in fact, it was better, because I could feel his skin under my hands and run my fingers through his hair as his tongue battled with mine for dominance.
He won in the end, as I'd always known he would. Weak-kneed and overpowered by desire, I surrendered myself over to him. On and on it went, growing deeper and more fevered by the moment. When we broke apart, everything felt fuzzy and shapeless. The only thing I could see clearly was Josh; his dark eyes sparkling at me, the hint of a smile at the curve of his mouth. He was the only person, the only thing that mattered.
He brushed his fingers, feather-light, down my bare shoulder, his hand coming to rest on my left breast. My nipples had stiffened into hard peaks during our kiss and when Josh used his thumb to arouse it further, I thought my legs would give way beneath me.
"This is what you call punishment?" I gasped.
"Oh, yes." He grinned wickedly as he tweaked my nipple. "This is exactly what I call punishment. You see, I intend to awaken every nerve in your body, kiss every inch of your skin and pleasure you in ways that you've never imagined." Just hearing the words made me moan, and Josh chuckled. "Did you enjoy that kiss, Shelly? That's just the beginning, just a hint of the pleasure I want to give you."
"I see," I replied, my voice hoarse.
"I'm going to bring you to the brink of pleasure, honey."
"And then?" I asked, all too eagerly.
"That's when the punishment comes in. Because I'm going to drive you wild, baby, I'm going to make you scream my name until you can't speak. But I'm not going to let you come."
Chapter 6
True to his word, by the time he was finished with me, I was an aroused, frustrated bundle of nerves. He'd done everything that he'd promised; brought me to the doors of ecstasy, but refused me entrance. "I think I'd prefer you just spanked me," I said with a pout.
We were laying on the grass and Josh turned to me. "I'm sure you would, but it's a little late for that, honey. Are you going to behave now?"
"Yes, Sir," I replied with an aggravated sigh.
"Be sure that you do and next time we'll both go home happy." Gentleman that he was, Josh hadn't taken his pleasure, either, though there was no denying the rock hard cock tenting his pants. "Are you hungry?"
"A little, maybe."
"Stop pouting, Shelly," he admonished lightly, "or I'll do it all over again."
"Ugh, you're a sadist!"
"Hmm…of a sort, I suppose."
"Okay, okay," I sighed, won over despite myself. "What are we doing for food?"
"I'll be right back." Josh stood and walked the few feet to his truck, returning with a wicker picnic basket.
"You cooked?"
"Super Foods cooked, but I pack a mean picnic basket."
"A man of many talents," I praised with a smile as he began to unpack the containers. There was fried chicken, macaroni, green beans and chocolate chip cookies for dessert. I was impressed, even more so when he added paper plates, silverware and a bottle of red wine.
"You don't mind, do you?" he asked, holding up plastic red Solo cups.
"Mind? Why would I?"
He shrugged as he opened the bottle with the corkscrew on his keychain. "You never know. Some people like things a certain way."
"Certain girls, you mean," I guessed.
He nodded and handed me a cup. We fell silent after that; I was busy drinking wine while Josh dished out our plates. Not that I needed any more of a buzz, but I did enjoy a good glass of wine. He passed me a plate and filled his own cup before holding it up for a toast. "To horrible interviews."
"What?" I laughed.
"It made you memorable. If not for that, there might be someone else teaching your kindergarten class."
"Gee, thanks!"
"Hey, while we're on the subject, why don't you like kids? You're certainly good with them."
"Am I?" I asked in surprise. "Well, to be perfectly honest it's not that I don't like kids."
"Well, that's a relief," he teased. "So what is it?"
"I don't know, I just remember after my dad left…" I dropped my eyes to stare at the blades of grass in front of me. "I felt so helpless. And everyone talked around me like I was stupid, like I couldn't hear them. I remember thinking that being a kid sucked and it's something I remember when I'm around them."
"Painful memories," he observed.
I shrugged a shoulder. "We all have our crosses to bear, I suppose."
"Thank you for sharing yours with me." When I didn't answer, he reached over and crooked a finger under my chin, tilting my head up so that I was looking him in the eye. "I mean it. I'm honored you feel comfortable enough to share that with me."
I returned his smile, although I wanted to turn the conversation away from my dad. I had talked about him enough for one night to last a lifetime. "What's yours?"
"My cross? Ah, I guess it would be being a spanko in this vanilla town," he said, with a twinkle in his eye.
I relaxed. Talking about that I could do. "I'm sure that has to be hard."
"You have no idea. It's like having this need pulsing inside you…it's with you when you wake up, with you when you go to bed, there's nothing you can do to get rid of it. But finding a woman comfortable with that who doesn't live a thousand miles away…"
"So you've never dated anyone around here?" I tried to sound casual, but I heard the hitch in my voice, even if he didn't.
"A few, yes."
"Anyone I know?"
"I don't think you know them well."
"Oh. Anyone we, say…work with?"
His brow furrowed as he frowned. "Don't beat around the bush, Michelle. If you have something to ask, just ask."
I flushed, embarrassed at having been caught out. "Well, I was just wondering if you…you and Julia…"
"Julia Cobb?"
The incredulousness in his voice made me feel silly, but I nodded.
"Why would you think that?"
"I don't know…just…you two seemed close and I thought…well, I thought she's kind of perfect for you."
"Perfect for me how?" he asked drily.
"I don't know. She's pretty and sweet and I thought maybe…"
"Look at me, Michelle."
I raised my eyes to his face, biting my lip. He didn't look mad, but he looked so serious it made my heart beat faster.
"I like Julia. Hell, I don't know a man or woman in this whole town who doesn't like her. She is sweet, and yes, she is pretty, but that doesn't mean she's the one for me."
I didn't know what to say to that but I couldn't stop the smile that spread across my face. I'd had no idea how relieved I would feel, how much I needed to hear him say that. "Who, then?"
"You're not going to give up on this, are you, woman?" he growled playfully, reaching for me and pulling me onto his lap. "All right. There have been three from Pike County. Erica, Amanda and Rachel."
"Rachel?" I squealed, wrinkling my nose. "You can't mean—"
"She's a lovely person."
I rolled my eyes. "Sure. So lovely you're no longer together."
"Watch it," he murmured in my ear. "I'm not afraid to find another way to remind you to mind your manners."
A shiver ran through me at the heat of his mouth so close to my earlobe. "Yes, Sir."
"There, that's a good girl."
I leaned into his embrace, enjoying the feeling of his arms wrapped around me. I tried to just be in the moment, to listen to the wind and enjoy the view, but there was one thing I couldn't quite shake. "I thought you said you'd spanked lots of women."
"I have," he agreed with nothing else forthcoming.
"But if you've only dated three in Pike County…and you've never left…"
"I'm not a serial spanker, if that's what you're thinking," he teased, tightening his hold on me.
"I'm being serious!"
"Who says I'm not?"
"Josh…"
"You know, Michelle…" He moved a lock of blond hair behind my ear.
"Most couples give it some time—you know, days, weeks, a month even—before dishing out everything about their love lives."
"Why wait?"
"You can't, I see. Well, I'll do what I can to satisfy your curiosity, little minx. What is it you want to know?"
"Have you…do people around here…"
"Know that I spank?" he finished for me. "I suppose it's possible word's gotten around, but I doubt it. None of the women I dated here were thrilled with punishment spankings and I doubt they'd want anyone to know they'd gotten them. And of course, Amanda and Erica have both moved. Amanda's been married for the past year, I think. And no, before you ask, I haven't spanked anyone else who lives here. Well, except you." He dropped a kiss on my forehead and my smile widened.
"So…"
"Are we playing twenty questions?" he sighed dramatically. "All right, there's a town about forty miles over: Green Valley. Have you ever heard of it?" I shook my head. "Well, there's a group of us who meet there every month to play scenes."
"Play?"
"Yes. Men and women who like to spank—or be spanked—meet together in a private house and are able to, shall we say, get their fix."
My mouth dropped open at the picture he was painting. "So you're saying that women come to get spanked?"
"Yes, that's right."
"It sounds so…" I shuddered.
"Careful," he warned softly. "They're good people. Many of them have become my friends."
I swallowed back any other response I might have made. "How did you find them?"
"Well, how do you think?" He chuckled. "Do you think I went door-to-door asking who enjoyed pain?"
"I don't know," I said defensively.
"The wonders of the Internet, baby. It's one of the reasons I love the century I live in."
"You're saying there are women who actually ask you to spank them?" The idea was almost laughable, except isn't that what I had done?
"Yes. I don't lack for bottoms."
I tilted my head back to stare at him dubiously and he chuckled again.
"It's jargon, sweetheart."
"And you don't…I mean, I know they don't live here, but…"
"Spit it out, Shel."
School's in Session Page 18