by Stella Moore
For now, they’d go to brunch. He’d eventually get to the bottom of things, one way or another.
Eric drove them out to his favorite breakfast spot, a little hole-in-the-wall place that had Penny frowning up at the sign.
“The Bloody Mary? Is this some kind of weird club or something?” she asked.
Eric laughed and pulled her towards the door. “You’ll love it, I promise.” Penny followed him in the front door, all of her doubts vanishing as soon as she stepped inside. The interior was gorgeous, with acres of gleaming wood and soft, muted colors. Several paintings hung on the walls, and when she looked closer, she realized they were all from local artists and were for sale.
The scents that greeted them were as surprising and comforting as the décor. “I swear I’m gaining weight just smelling this food. This place is incredible! How did you find it?”
“A buddy of mine from high school owns it. We played football together, and he was always baking treats to bring to practice. Drove the coaches crazy.” Eric grinned at the memory.
“And nobody teased him for it? Impressive.”
“You’ll understand why when you meet him,” Eric said, and chuckled.
Before Penny could quiz him on that cryptic reply, a girl who looked like she was just out of high school herself came rushing up to them and threw her arms around Eric’s neck.
“Eric!” She squealed as he spun her around. “Uncle Johnny didn’t tell me you were coming!” She planted a noisy kiss on his lips, seemingly oblivious to Penny’s presence.
“Last minute plans.” He nodded in Penny’s direction.
The girl glanced over, her eyes going wide. “A girl? You never bring girls here! You didn’t even tell us you were seeing someone. I’m going to get Uncle Johnny and tell him!”
Before Penny could speak up, the girl dashed towards the kitchen, yelling for her uncle.
“Was that our hostess?” she asked.
“Yea,” Eric smiled sheepishly. “Johnny’s niece, Emma. He has a hoard of older siblings, and about five times as many nieces and nephews running around. I’ve known her since before she learned to walk. C’mon, I’ll see if my table is available.” Taking her hand, he led her towards the back of the restaurant, to a table by a window overlooking acres of forest, with the gentle rise of the Smoky Mountains far off on the horizon.
“Oh, this is gorgeous,” Penny sighed, sinking into the surprisingly comfortable dining chair.
“I love it here. It’s so peaceful. And the food’s incredible, which doesn’t hurt.”
“You’re an enigma, Eric,” Penny commented, turning to face him.
“I hope that’s a good thing.”
That remains to be seen, Penny thought, offering a small smile in response.
Just then, a huge man came striding up to the table and yanked Eric out of his seat, wrapping him in a bear hug. Eric was a large man, but this new man made him seem like a scrawny teenager by comparison. When the giant finally released him, Eric turned and gestured towards Penny.
“Johnny, Penny. Penny, this is Johnny. He owns the place.”
Penny held out a hand, which was swallowed up by the giant’s paw. She was once again surprised and touched when he lifted her hand to his lips and pressed a kiss to her knuckles. “Did you go the same charm school?” she teased.
Johnny grinned and elbowed Eric, nearly knocking him over in the process. “Our mamas were best friends growing up and they both drilled manners into us like there was no tomorrow. Some things stuck.”
Fleetingly, Penny wondered what their prim and proper mamas would think of Eric whipping her naked backside before fucking her into oblivion. But she wisely kept the thought to herself.
“Johnny, I’m dying of curiosity here. Why such a gruesome name for such a gorgeous place?” Penny gestured to their surroundings.
“It’s our signature drink. And the dichotomy of the two amused me, so it stuck. I’ll get you one.”
Penny started to protest, but Johnny was already making his way back towards the small bar, moving with a grace she wouldn’t have expected of a man his size. Eric patted her hand and settled back in his seat. “You’ll love it, trust me. He won’t share his secret with anyone, even me, but it’s the best thing I’ve ever tasted.”
Sure enough, when Johnny returned with the drink, Penny took a cautious sip and was delighted by the rich flavor. They placed their orders—Penny already drooling over the waffle she’d requested with the hazelnut chocolate spread—and settled into a comfortable silence enjoying the view from their window, and their drinks. When their food arrived, they picked up their conversation again.
“So exactly how do you know Elisa and Paul? When I asked Elisa, she just laughed and said to ask you,” Penny asked between bites of her waffle.
“I actually met Elisa first. I hit on her at a club and then Paul showed up.” His lips twisted up into a wry smile. “Lucky for me he has a sense of humor and the three of us ended up hanging out all night. Next thing I know, Elisa is inviting me to barbecues and game nights at their place.” He paused, and seemed to be weighing his words. “I’m actually surprised we haven’t met before, especially at their wedding. To hear Elisa tell it, you two have been inseparable since birth.”
Penny felt the heat flush her cheeks as she toyed with her last bite of waffle. “I couldn’t go,” she said at length.
“That’s a shame. But I’m glad we finally got to meet.” This time when he smiled, she could feel her heart breaking. If Eric had been any other vanilla man, she could see herself with him. Hell, she could practically taste the wedding cake already. But the fact remained that he was who he was and nothing she did or wished for would change that.
“Could you take me home now, please?” she asked quietly, looking deliberately at her plate so she wouldn’t be drawn in by those gorgeous brown eyes again.
Surprised, Eric reached for her hand, but she pulled away. “Penny, are you okay?”
“I’m fine. I just want to go home.” Now she finally looked at him. “Alone.”
Chapter 5
Three days after their disastrous brunch, Penny found herself sitting on the familiar couch in Dr. Melissa French’s office. Their standing appointments had slowly dwindled from weekly, to monthly, to their current “as needed” arrangement. Penny fidgeted on the seat, missing the welts that hadn’t even lasted a full day.
“You seem agitated, Penny. What’s going on?”
Penny nibbled on a thumbnail, a habit she thought she’d left behind her with The Asshole.
“I met someone,” she finally said, sighing as she played with the buttons on her skirt.
“That’s wonderful! Do you want to tell me about him?”
Penny smiled and looked up for the first time since the session had started. “Elisa set us up. He’s, well, like us,” she said, knowing the good doctor would understand. After her breakup with The Asshole, Elisa had decreed that she needed to talk to someone. She’d researched and asked around before settling on Dr. French, a psychiatrist who was designated as kink friendly, according to the internet.
Dr. French sat quietly, waiting for Penny to continue. “We had a double date with Elisa and Paul last weekend. He sent me flowers and asked me out again and we went out Saturday. And then, then we went back to my place. He whipped me with his belt and gave me the most satisfying orgasms of my life.” Penny forced her head up, daring her therapist to say something negative.
“Good for you,” Dr. French replied calmly. At Penny’s obvious surprise, her lips tilted up into a small smile. “He’s the first man you’ve connected with on that level since your relationship with Franklin ended. Despite your brief relationships between then and now, this is the first time you’ve opened yourself back up to that dynamic.”
Penny sighed. “It was so nice to give up that control, even if it could only be for one night.”
“Why one night?” Dr. French questioned.
“Well, because. You know why,�
�� Penny insisted.
“I know why your relationship with Franklin was unhealthy. I know that you should be cautious, just as any submissive should be cautious in who she gives her body and her trust to. I don’t know why you can’t pursue a relationship with this new man.”
Penny sat in silence, considering the doctor’s words. “I just don’t know if I’ll ever be able to go back to a relationship with discipline. I mean, a scene is one thing but what if he wants more than I can give?”
“Then you either find a compromise that fulfills you both or you go your separate ways. But don’t give up on this before it even has a chance to start.”
Penny stepped out into the cool September air and took a deep, cleansing breath before pulling out her phone. Scrolling through her contacts, she found the number Eric had punched in the other night and hit the call button.
“Hey. It’s Penny. Can we talk?”
Eric had been surprised but ecstatic to get Penny’s call. The woman had certainly gotten under his skin. On the elevator ride up to her apartment, he jangled the keys in his pocket and paced the small area. He’d never been so nervous in his life, he thought, as the doors finally opened onto the fifth floor.
The door to her apartment swung open before he could even knock, and there she was. Her hair was piled on top of her head in a way that, by some strange woman magic, managed to look effortless and polished at the same time. Her cheeks were flushed, probably from being in the kitchen with whatever wonderful smells greeted him as he stepped inside. He reached for her, unsure if he wanted to spank her raw for worrying him with her disappearing act or strip her naked and take her right there on the entryway floor.
Penny solved his dilemma by deftly stepping out of his reach. “Want some wine?” The nerves in her voice reassured him. At least he wasn’t alone.
“I’d love some, thanks.” He followed her into the kitchen, where she poured them each a glass and turned back to whatever was simmering on the stove.
“That smells amazing. What is it?”
“It’s a Cajun pasta dish I learned from my first roommate in college. She’d kill me if she knew I’d skimped on the spices a bit, but I want us to be able to talk while we eat,” she joked, smiling over her shoulder at him. Again, he was overcome with the desire to hold her, kiss her, just to be able to touch her. But it was obvious she needed a little space, so he restrained himself.
Watching her work in the kitchen helped to soothe his nerves. She had a grace that he admired, moving about the kitchen in an obviously familiar and well-choreographed dance. Before long, she’d plated the pasta and they carried their plates and drinks to her small dining nook.
Eric took a bite of his pasta, an explosion of taste and heat filling his mouth. “This is incredible,” he complimented, pleased by the blush and smile he received in return.
“Thanks. I’m no Johnny, but I do pretty well for myself.” For a while, they ate in a companionable silence.
“Eric.” Penny’s soft voice stopped him mid bite and he lowered the fork back to the plate and looked at her. The nerves he’d heard in her voice earlier were clearly evident in her eyes now. Silently, he reached for her hand, relieved when she didn’t pull away.
She took a deep breath and locked eyes with him before continuing. “I really like you. I’m sorry about Sunday, but I had some things I had to figure out. I know we just met and it’s too early to try and define any type of relationship, but for my own well-being, I need to.” Curious, Eric nodded for her to continue. “I’m not ready to discuss the details, but I was in a relationship a few years ago that wasn’t very healthy. It’s taken me a lot of time and a lot of very expensive therapy to get to this dinner with you. I want to be with you, but I need you to know that I’m not ready for any kind of discipline outside of what we do in the bedroom. I don’t know that I ever will be. I got the impression from Elisa that you were looking for that and it freaked me out, which is why Sunday ended the way it did.”
Eric took a moment to absorb the rush of information. “Right now, I’m happy with defining our relationship as you and me getting to know each other and enjoying each other’s company. Down the road, I’d like to have the discipline discussion again, but it’s not so important that I’m willing to lose any chance with you over it. How’s that sound?” He was rewarded with her brilliant and obviously relieved smile.
“Thank you for understanding. I know it’s not really fair to you to expect you to put up with all my baggage right out of the gate.”
Eric gave her hand a reassuring squeeze. “We all have some. If yours is a little heavier than mine, that’s okay. I’ve got strong shoulders.” When her eyes filled with tears, it felt like his heart was being squeezed by the world’s strongest man. Was there anything more humbling than having a strong woman make herself vulnerable to you?
“Okay, enough serious crap for now,” Penny declared, quickly blinking the tears away. “Wanna watch a movie?”
Happy to have the heavy discussions behind them for now, Eric agreed. “Whatcha got?”
Penny rose, picking up their dishes. He followed behind with their glasses and refilled them as she rinsed their plates and loaded the dishwasher. “Well, I don’t have much. I tend to binge watch Netflix when I’m in the mood, but we could rent one to stream. In the mood for anything specific?” she asked as they carried their wine to the living room and settled on her long, bright red couch.
“I’m a horror junkie, but I can go for just about anything as long as it doesn’t have subtitles,” he added with a laugh.
Penny turned to him with wide, serious eyes. “But French Indie films are my favorite,” she said, her lower lip pushing out in a perfect pout.
After a heartbeat of strained silence, she burst into delighted laughter. “I’m just teasing you. I hate that shit. But the look on your face was priceless.”
“You little brat,” he scolded teasingly, reaching for her. Just as he was about to pull her down over his lap, her limits came to mind. Switching tactics, he stood and pulled her up with him. “It’s not nice to make fun of people,” he continued his scolding as he tucked her under one arm and peppered her bottom with a flurry of spanks. Trapped under his arm, Penny squealed and squirmed, trying to escape his hand. After a few dozen swats, he let her up, enjoying the jiggle of her breasts as she danced in place, rubbing her backside. Pulling her close, he leaned in and pressed a kiss to her lips.
“You okay?” he asked when he released her, searching her eyes for any signs of fear or panic.
Penny nodded and rewarded him with a beaming smile. “That was perfect. Being able to joke around with you, and be on the receiving end of a playful punishment is a welcome change.”
It was on the tip of his tongue to press for details, but he decided it could wait. They’d had enough serious discussion for one night, and Penny seemed content with the amount that she’d divulged so far.
They settled back on the couch and eventually decided on an old horror film that Eric couldn’t believe Penny had never seen. It may have been clichéd, but he enjoyed the way she squealed and cuddled closer during the scarier scenes. The thought crossed his mind that he’d protect her from anything that wanted to hurt her, and that included her past.
At the end of the movie, he was more relieved than he wanted to be when she turned to him and simply asked, “Stay?”
Chapter 6
“So, you and Eric have been getting to know each other pretty well the last couple weeks, huh?”
Penny blushed and focused on her glass of wine, answering her friend’s question with a slight shrug.
Elisa rolled her eyes. “C’mon girl, dish! I set you two up, I deserve to know what’s going on! And you’re both being so cryptic in your texts, I had to ambush you at home.”
Ambush was a good word for it. Penny had arrived home from a full day of shooting family portraits to find Elisa sitting cross-legged in front of her apartment door.
“Does Paul know you’
ve been hounding us?” Penny teased, smirking at her friend. Elisa’s tendency to butt into everyone else’s business was the number one reason she ended up over her husband’s knees. When he’d found out about her setting up Eric and Penny, she’d gotten the paddling of her life with her own hairbrush, along with a promise of the same every night for a week if she interfered with the couple again.
Elisa scowled into her wine. “I haven’t been hounding you; I’ve just been concerned.”
Penny made a noncommittal noise and patted her bestie on the knee. “Relax girl, you know I’m not about to tell Paul anything. But you should probably lay off Eric. He was here the other night when you texted him and he was ready to call Paul himself until I talked him down. So, you’re welcome.”
“Okay, okay, I’ll lay off. If you tell me what you two have been up to.” And why you’ve been avoiding me, she added silently, not wanting to voice how worried she’d really been
Penny sighed, devotion to her friend overriding her desire for privacy. She spilled everything. How Eric had come back to her place after their second date. How Dr. French had encouraged her to give the relationship a shot and she’d told Eric that she would be with him if they kept discipline confined to their bedroom play.
“Oh, Penny,” Elisa interrupted her with a sigh. “I know you better than anyone, agreed?” Penny nodded. “Sweetie, you need that in your relationships. You’ve always said it was something you can’t live without.” When Penny opened her mouth to disagree, Elisa cut her off with a look. “I know what happened with Franklin was awful, but you know that all men aren’t like that. You know that the relationships we have can and do work. Please don’t rob yourself of that just because of one asshole.”
Penny brooded into her wine, considering her friend’s words. “I’m not completely ruling it out,” she said after a while, surprised to realize how true the words were. She thought she’d put that part of her life behind her forever, but maybe, with the right man… “It’s just going to take me a while to get there, if I ever do. But I promise, I’m happy with where things are with Eric right now.”