Authors: Kathryn R. Blake
CHAPTER ELEVEN
Though Jim checked on her periodically, Kelly slept for four hours, so it was nearly ten P.M. when she started to stir. He was seated in the living room reading a paper when he heard her give some sharply indrawn gasps. She was trying to get comfortable, but without much success. Seconds later, came a thump and a cry of pain mixed with frustration. Tossing down the paper, he ran into her bedroom. She was on her knees at the side of the bed, and he didn’t think she was praying.
“What the hell are you doin’?” he asked, moving forward to help her up.
She let out a cry of pain as she stood, but resisted when he tried to get her back into bed. She put a hand on his shoulder and faced him. “I need to step down the hall.”
He was about to ask her why, when he realized what she meant. With a nod, he said, “I’ll help you.”
He got her into the bathroom and lifted up the toilet seat for her. She gave him a puzzled look. “I sincerely doubt you wanna be sittin’ down for this. Just spread your legs a little and inch in until you’re straddlin’ the toilet, then pee standin’ up. I do assume that is the reason you want to be here.”
She nodded and let him help her get into position, then turned back to him. “Thanks. I think I can manage from here.”
He shook his head.
“Sir! I’m perfectly able to do this part on my own. Honest.”
Though Jim was secretly pleased she sounded so much better, he waved for her to proceed, crossed his arms and leaned against the wall.
“Argh! You’re not going to give me any privacy at all. Are you?”
“Nope. At least not today. Now hurry up, so I can get you back into bed.”
She snorted, then scrunched up her face as she started to pee. “Problem is, Sir, all you do is leave me once you get me in there, and I don’t think that’s what boys and girls are supposed to do in bed together.”
He struggled to hold back a laugh. “You know, Kellian Franklin, for a sub who’s recently been punished to the point she has trouble walking, let alone sittin’ down, you’re bein’ pretty disrespectful to your Dom, young lady.”
She reached down for toilet paper, but he handed it to her.
“Thanks,” she murmured. “I guess, I’m willing to take the chance
because
my Dom has recently punished me so thoroughly that I sincerely doubt he’d do anything more to me tonight.” She flushed the toilet.
He stepped right up behind her, careful not to let his jeans rub against her in any way. “You might want to rethink that plan. I got a bag filled with toys I can use to punish you, and there are ways I can make you regret your disrespectfulness toward me without adding further injury to your sore bottom.”
She gazed at him over her shoulder and winced. “Sorry, Sir.”
He gave a single nod. “Better. Now come with me, and we’ll get you back into bed. Are you hungry at all?”
Accepting his help, she canted a glance at him through lowered lashes. “What? Does that mean I’m not being rationed to bread and water while you chain me to the bed?”
Yup, she had sass all right.
Managing to keep his lips in a straight line of disapproval, he bent toward her and spoke very, very softly. “I don’t think you wanna be givin’ me any ideas right now, little girl. You may be feelin’ better, but I can assure you the condition is only temporary. Now, lie down.”
Her face paling a little, Kelly lay down on her stomach with only a slight grimace.
Jim regarded her for a long moment, but she made no attempt to meet his gaze. She did what he’d ordered, making the Dom in him gloat with satisfaction. And yet, her meek surrender disturbed him on a level he rarely examined. His pride demanded and needed her submission, but what he enjoyed was her sass. At the moment, however, his primary concern was making sure her needs were met.
“Those pills seemed to have helped a lot,” he commented, more to himself than her. “I think I’ll switch to the ones without the sleepin’ aid, since too much of that stuff can have the opposite effect. So, I’m gonna get you two regulars, then I’m gonna make you a small bowl of soup and I’ll expect you to eat every drop. Understand?”
“Yes, Sir,” she replied with a trace of sullenness that wasn’t lost on him.
The lady was definitely going to be a challenge. Unable to suppress his smile, he bent closer to whisper, “You know, I bet I could get a butt plug into you without too much difficulty. The cheek spreadin’ might be a bit painful, but once it’s in place, I’ve a feelin’ you’ll settle down real quick. I know just what size you need, too.”
He could see her entire body stiffen and knew the thought alone terrified her.
Yup, definitely something they’d need to work on, but not today.
When he straightened and started to leave, she called, “No! Jim. Oh Shit! Please, no. I’m sorry.”
Turning back, he arched an eyebrow at her and crossed his arms.
“Um…. I mean, I’m sorry, Sir. I’ll do as you say. Promise.”
“I think you and I are gonna need to sit down and have a long discussion about protocol very soon.”
She nodded. “Yes, Sir. I think next month would be a perfect time for me to have that discussion with you. The sitting down part I mean.”
He choked back a laugh. Yeah, he really did enjoy her sass. “I’ll get the pills.”
Jim noticed Kelly was pretty well-behaved after his butt plug threat. She ate the soup he spoon fed her, remembered to call him “Sir,” and kept her tone respectful with a minimum amount of sass.
Since he considered himself a man of few words, Jim couldn’t recall spending this much time with a woman in a social, non-sexual interaction before. Furthermore, he was surprised to find he enjoyed it. He even spent time giving Kelly an alcohol back rub and unbraiding her hair, then brushing it out for her, the sort of pampering he rarely offered. As he spread the golden strands over her shoulders, he discovered they were still a little damp, which reminded him how much she’d suffered earlier … because of what he did.
Still feeling guilty, and angry with himself for feeling that way, he gave her two more of the PM pills and gruffly suggested she try to get some sleep, then turned off her light and left her to go to his room.
He’d lost track of the time, so was surprised to discover he’d spent over three hours talking with her about the different things they liked to do while he fed her, massaged her back and brushed her hair. He enjoyed bringing her small pleasures just by touching her. Perhaps a little too much, since he found himself constantly needing to adjust his jeans to accommodate his increasing arousal. But even the growing ache in his groin didn’t keep him from appreciating her pixyish sense of humor and the occasional flash of sass she gave him. Although he did try to keep a stern expression on his face when she overstepped the established boundaries between Dom and sub, he wasn’t always successful in his attempts.
The entire time he sat with her, she’d appeared relaxed, calm and even accepting of his occasional admonition without any trace of tears or unhappiness. So he was surprised, and a little taken aback, when she started crying again after he’d left. He considered going back to check on her, but figured she’d needed some alone time to settle down on her own. She’d had a difficult day, to say the least. So he took off his clothes, got into bed, and waited for a bit.
He could tell she was trying to muffle her sobs, but he had no idea if it was pain or something else that had set her off. He had some other remedies he could use to ease her discomfort, except anything external he applied now would only end up causing her more pain. At least at first. He tried to lie still in the dark, but sleeping was impossible when he could hear her sobbing her eyes out in the next room. So, he spent the next hour tossing and turning, then getting up for a glass of water, going back to bed, getting up to piss, going back to bed, walking out to the kitchen to grab a cookie, going back to bed, getting another glass of water, going back to bed, getting up to piss again and that time didn’t even bother going back to bed. It was pointless. He couldn’t sleep any better than she could.
* * * *
When Kelly heard Jim moving about she tried to stifle her sobs because she didn’t want him to know how deeply she was hurting inside. Though he’d said he’d forgiven her, she had a feeling he was still really angry. He hadn’t kissed her or shown any true affection toward her since the paddling. So, she suspected, despite his congenial, teasing attitude, that he resented having to take care of her. She’d enjoyed the comfortable time she’d spent with him over the last few hours, and thought he had too. But if he’d liked being with her, he would have stayed with her, wouldn’t he? She tried to be quiet, except without his soothing voice and tender touch to distract her, the throbbing pain in her backside only grew worse.
She so badly needed to hear his gentle words of praise and feel his fingers stroking her that she considered going to him on her knees and begging him to forgive her. But even the thought of that hurt too much. Everything hurt her. Even her eyelashes hurt her.
Having no idea what time it was, but knowing it was late, she tried turning on her side which sent shards of fresh agony shooting through her that caused her to cry out. God, she was in miserable shape and the pain wasn’t getting any more tolerable. If anything it was getting worse, which brought on a whole new round of tears. Suspecting he’d gone to sleep, she wasn’t prepared to have him barge back into her room like a nude avenger and yell, “Kelly. That’s enough!”
Without meaning to, she immediately jerked in surprise, yelped in pain, then sobbed out an apology.
“Damn it, woman, you need to rest! So, quiet down. I know you hurt, but neither of us can get any sleep if you continue makin’ this racket,” he growled.
Then with his bare feet slapping against the wood floor, he stomped over to the bed, flipped on the light and barked out the order, “Roll over.”
Kelly wailed thinking he meant to swat her for disturbing him. She was so sore that the notion of accepting another spanking from him froze her insides, but she obediently rolled from her side to her front and covered her head with her pillow. However, Jim only gave her a little nudge and said, “I need you to scootch over more than that, woman. I can’t fit in that tiny space you left me.”
Realizing what he meant, Kelly painfully inched over to make room for him while keeping flat on her stomach. Her crying lessened, but she was afraid to look at him so she kept her head buried. After he got in beside her, she heard him turn on the light and sigh. “Let’s see what the damage report is.” Unable to suppress a whimper, she clenched her pillow even tighter when the hand that had been gently rubbing the small of her back applied increased pressure to hold her in place.
“Deep breath,” he ordered, his fingers pressing firmly on her left buttock. Pain sharp and agonizing tore through her and she screamed. He removed his hand almost as quickly. “Blood flow looks good,” he commented, “but your bruised backside is still swellin’ somethin’ fierce, darlin. Looks like I’ll need to treat that sore bottom after all,” he added with a reluctant note in his voice.
“What are you intending to do?” she asked, lifting her head up beneath the pillow to gape at him as a growing panic crept from her burning backside into her voice.
Except rather than answer her, he snapped out another order: “Stay there, don’t move. And that’s an order, sub,” he growled, walking toward the door.
Really? What does he think I’m going to do? Go hopscotching?
She turned her head to scowl at him, but couldn’t help admiring the taut line of his buttocks as he strode out of the room. Good lord, here she was practically drooling over and longing to be held by a man who’d nearly beaten her senseless.
When he returned with a bottle and what looked like an ice pack, she asked more than a little warily, “What are you planning to do with those?”
He scowled at her. “These are none of your business, unless I say they are.”
Uh oh.
She recognized that tone, the same way she knew whatever he had in mind for her was not going to be pleasant, since he only resorted to his “Dom voice” when he needed her to obey despite her natural instincts. Her insides quickened with dread even as she quietly replied, “Yes, Sir,” then continued to watch him with grave uncertainty roiling in her stomach as he uncapped the bottle and moved back on bed beside her.
He held the bottle a few inches from her back and gave her a sympathetic look. “This is gonna sting some I’m afraid, and you’re gonna wanna scream, but I don’t want you rousin’ the neighbors. They’re probably disturbed enough already by all that noise you’ve been makin’. I’m just glad they haven’t sicced the cops on me yet for suspicion of torture.”
Kelly was shaking her head through his entire speech. She wanted to grab his wrist to stop him, but his left hand was holding her down. Panicking, she turned to him, and abandoning all protocol, appealed to him with tears in her eyes. “No, Jim. Please. I hurt so much already I feel like all the skin has been stripped off my bottom.”
He frowned at her briefly, then relented by bending closer and giving her one of his toe curling, sexy smiles. “I can assure you, darlin’, that everythin’ you had, you’ve still got, and all in one piece.” Then looking stern again he added, “However, I can also see how bruised and swollen your bottom is. This
will
make it better, Kelly. I promise. But it’s gonna burn somethin’ mighty fierce before it eases your discomfort.”
“Nooo!” she wailed, frantically shaking her head.
“Kelly…,” he warned, dragging out her name. “Are you thinkin’ of causin’ me trouble right now?” he asked, his voice promising dire consequences if she did.
She hesitated as large tears rolled down her cheeks, then shook her head. “No, Sir. But … I’m scared, Sir,” she confessed in a small voice.
Nodding, he lightly rubbed her upper back. “There’s no reason for you to be scared, Kelly girl. I’m only here to help you right now, not scold or punish. Now, I want you to put your head back under that pillow and count backwards from ten.” When she shook her head again, he leaned toward her. “That was not a request, sub. That was an order I expect you to obey whether you want to or not. Now!”