Authors: Kathryn R. Blake
“Good girl. You’re in your punishment phase now. Sixty more seconds to go.” His voice growing softer, he asked, “Is it any better at all?”
The burning had eased enough so she could talk. “A little, Sir. But it still stings.”
He gave her another nod of acknowledgement, then went back to counting out the time for her. “Thirty, Twenty, Ten, Five. You’re done. How are you doin’ now? You need me to remove it?”
Surprised by the lack of pain, she shook her head. “It’s much better now, Sir. I think the ice might have numbed the area completely.”
“Yeah, it can do that. I’m gonna leave it in place, then. The ice will gradually melt, which will mean your nerves should awaken more slowly. I’ll check in to see how you’re doin’ tomorrow. I don’t think you’re hurt bad enough to need a doctor, but the swellin’ and colorin’ has still got me more than a little worried.”
When she nodded, he said, “You need your rest, so I’ll go back to my own room now. You’ll be less disturbed that way.”
He started to rise, when Kelly gripped his arm and said, “Sir?” Then realizing what she’d done she yanked her hand back as though it had reached out to touch him on its own. However, he merely smiled and gave her a nod. “If it wouldn’t inconvenience you too much, Would you stay with me tonight, Sir?”
One eyebrow arched. “I hope you aren’t thinkin’ you and I can get frisky together tonight, darlin’, because that’s not gonna be on my agenda for a couple of days. I expect you to rest, sub. Throughout this entire weekend. And I
will
make that an order if I have to.”
She smiled. “I realize we are just getting to know each other, Sir. And I know I’ve made some serious mistakes, but Thursday, at the club….”
He nodded for her to continue, so she charged ahead. “Even though you were strict, you also made me feel special … cared for. So, Sir….” She gave a nervous swallow, afraid her insecurity would only make him turn away and leave her, but he surprised her by placing a finger under her chin.
“Kelly, I don’t ever want you to be afraid to tell me your feelin’s. In fact, I encourage it, and will even insist upon it if I think you’re holdin’ back on me.”
“Thank you, Sir,” she said softly. She didn’t want to cry. She’d already cried so much tonight her raw throat felt like she’d swallowed razor blades, and her aching eyes had swollen to twice their normal size. They didn’t bother her nearly as much as another part of her anatomy, perhaps, but they hurt. She brushed back a tear with an angry swipe, but he shook his head, and held her hand in his, entwining their fingers.
“I am listenin’,” he said, and he sounded like he could do that all night.
“I guess what I’m trying to say is I’d like you to stay because I feel safer and more secure when you are near me.”
He nodded, then gave a reluctant sigh. “Well, I guess that settles it.” She rose up a few inches in alarm, and he bent toward her to whisper, “Looks like I’m sleepin’ with you tonight.” Then he winked, and she felt like giggling. Sitting on the space he’d recently vacated, he said, “If I start snorin’ you got permission to give me a poke. I usually turn over then.”
Kelly smiled with relief. He could be so cute when he wanted to be, though he probably would take offense at hearing her say that. “Thank you, Sir.” With her eyes fixed on his face, she lowered her head to the pillow.
He turned a little to stroke her hair. “I want you to relax and sleep. I’ll stay here all night by your side, and make sure nothin’ else bothers you.”
“Thank you, Sir,” she mouthed back and contented herself by watching him while he guarded over her like her own personal avenging angel. She slowly closed her eyes, and in less than a minute she was out.
* * * *
Jim waited until Kelly fell asleep before he lifted his hand from her head. Using a pillow to prop his shoulders against the headboard, he laid back and watched her take slow, even breaths. She was peaceful now, but the day had taken its toll on both of them. Yesterday, at the club and at the precinct, she’d been a screamer, a curser and a struggler, yet tonight she’d handled the worst punishment he’d ever handed out with more grace and courage than anyone else he’d ever met. And even though the little vixen deserved every swat he gave her, he still didn’t feel right about hurting her so badly.
Unfortunately, dispensing harsh punishments was one of the distasteful duties that came with being a Dom. Point was she’d needed it, she’d asked for it and he’d provided it. Now it was time to put it in the past. But he was deadly serious when he said, he never wanted to do anything like that again, and he hoped she took her lesson to heart.
* * * *
The next morning, Jim awoke lying on his side, and for a moment he couldn’t fathom why he’d fallen asleep in the guest room. Then a slim calf brushed against his thigh and he remembered.
Moving slowly and carefully, so as not to disturb her, he drew back then turned over to gaze at Kelly. She gave a small moan of protest and frowned as she inched closer, seeking his warmth. He smiled when she threw her leg over his and scooted right up next to his bent arm, then settled again. She appeared a little flushed, so he felt her forehead and cheeks. They were warm, but not feverish. She’d slept on top of the bottom sheet with only the subbie blanket on her shoulders and back, and nothing on her lower half. Though she did manage to turn from her stomach to her side at some time during the night without difficulty. At least she didn’t awaken him with any yelps of distress, and he was a light sleeper.
Keeping his hand pressed against her cheek, he watched her forehead wrinkling occasionally as though in pain. The ice pack had long been abandoned, so he figured she probably was hurting somewhat.
While trying to decide if he should do another application of the lotion or ice, Kelly slowly opened her eyes and blinked drowsily at him. Smiling, he continued to rub the back of his fingers along the side of her downy cheek. Very soft.
“Mornin’ darlin’,” he greeted with a smile.
She started to smile back when her expression suddenly changed to one of bewilderment and fear. And he knew exactly what that meant.
“Easy, sugar,” he crooned as she started to pant with pain. Giving her cheek one last comforting stroke, he began to roll out of bed. “I’m gonna get somethin’ to lessen your discomfort,” he said, more than a little surprised when she gripped his left arm.
“Don’t. Leave. Me,” she got out between clenched teeth and pants of breath.
“Darlin’, I’ve got to if I’m gonna help you.”
“No!” Her fingers tightened their grasp as her nails started digging into his arm. He knew she had no idea she gripped him so hard, and this wasn’t the time for protocol corrections. He didn’t want to go back to full Dom mode, but her panic was almost making it impossible for him to do anything else.
“Kelly…,” he warned, letting his voice drift off. Shit, the only thing that did was bring tears to her eyes. She was on edge and in pain, and didn’t want to let him go. Laying back he used his free arm, the one she didn’t have in a death grip, and grabbed the bottle of lotion he’d placed on the bedside table.
“All right,” he conceded, trying to remain firm but gentle. “We’ll try this again. Turn on to your stomach.”
Vehemently shaking her head, she dug her nails in deeper. He closed his eyes certain the pain in his arm was nothing compared to what she was currently feeling in her backside. He did have some other stuff in his medicine chest he could try. A Lidocaine cream for bad sunburns, as well as a spray and miscellaneous remedies for household injuries, including a soothing oatmeal bath, which he doubted would help her, since she had such difficulty sitting. Hell, she was having trouble simply waking up.
Regarding her carefully, he said, “I need you to roll onto your stomach so I can view the source of your problem, darlin’. I don’t want to become stern with you, but I will if you don’t obey me in this. Now, roll onto your stomach. Please.”
The tears came a bit more frequently, then, but she closed her eyes, moaned and did as he asked, keeping her grip on his arm. No doubt he’d have some bruises later.
“Good girl,” he praised, stroking her hair and upper back as he looked at her bottom. Much better than yesterday, but still a deep and swollen red, and she hadn’t stopped panting in her effort to bring the pain back under control. He opened the flip cap on the bottle with his teeth, and poured some into the hollow at the small of her back.
She immediately jerked. “No!”
He ignored her and started rubbing the lotion in. “Unfortunately, darlin’,” he said, observing the way she tensed and whined, relieved her reaction was nowhere near as strong today as the screaming protests she made yesterday. “That word is no longer in your vocabulary. At least not with me.”
She whimpered. He didn’t make her count, since her head was already going back onto the pillow. Instead, he continued to talk to her in a low, soothing voice as he gently spread the lotion over her reddened hindquarters. “And even if you were to use it, you forgot to add Sir.” When she groaned, he added, “Yes, another punishable offense. However, I’m holdin’ the rest of your punishments in reserve today. I may decide to dispense them later, so I will be keeping count of every one of your infractions, but for the moment you can breathe easy.”
The way she sighed and relaxed at his pronouncement made him smile.
“Thank you, Sir,” she mumbled into her pillow and he wanted to laugh at the disgruntled sound of it, but knew that would only encourage her to be insolent. So, he maintained an even expression and continued to rub.
When she released a soft sigh and eased her grip on his arm, he determined the lotion wasn’t as painful the second time around, but it did produce the same anesthetic effect, which was good to know. He had a feeling even the threat of a swat would have her scurrying to obey him for at least a week. Maybe a month, if he played it right.
“Okay, darlin’, I wanna check your wrists. After that, we should probably get you up so you can use the bathroom, then it’s back into bed for you. I’ll even serve you breakfast here, which I must tell you is a treat I do not offer often.”
Kelly merely patted his arm. “Better. Wanna go back to sleep.”
“Yeah, I know, except that’s not on your agenda until later.” Pulling safety scissors from the nightstand drawer, he drew her left wrist closer and snipped through the gauze. The pink band of flesh encircling her wrist didn’t appear nearly as red as it did yesterday, so he nudged her. “Move to your side and give me your other hand.”
She groaned, but obeyed with obvious reluctance.
Since that wrist bore the same shade of pink, he decided to leave the bandages off for a while, although he’d probably want to do another application of the cream later. He patted her hand. “Okay, up you get now. Sleepy time is over.”
“Jim!” she complained as he pulled her to her feet.
“Unh uh.” Bending forward, he whispered in her ear, “That’s two for you now, and before breakfast, too. I’ve a feelin’ you’re gonna be rackin’ ‘em up today.” He kept a firm grip on her arms as he slowly lead her to the bathroom.
Casting a sour glance at her Dom over her shoulder, Kelly grumbled, “You’re enjoying this, aren’t you?”
Jim met her sour look with a displeased frown and shook his head. “Not at all. I’ll have you know that I do not consider this to be a laughin’ matter in the least, darlin’. You should be the one waitin’ on me, so this is really puttin’ me out somethin’ terrible.”
She snorted then wrinkled her nose at him as they stepped into the bathroom.
“Up to three now. Makin’ faces isn’t permitted, either.”
“Well, I think you’re far too strict. So, first chance I get, I’m going to search for a much nicer and easy going, Dom.”
He didn’t answer. Instead, he released her arms and asked, “You gonna need help in here?”
Realizing he may have thought she was serious, Kelly jerked around to gaze at him in concern. He was not smiling. “I was kidding,” she said worriedly.
He nodded and stepped back. “I’ll let you have your privacy today.” Then he quietly shut the door.
Shit, shit, shit.
Kelly leaned against the cool tile wall at her right and groaned. Now she’d upset him. He didn’t appear angry, exactly, but she expected there was a little anger behind his chilly words. She was going to have to watch her mouth, or this would never work between them.
Giving herself a critical glance in the mirror, she stuck her tongue out at her reflection. God, she looked a mess and she didn’t even have a comb or brush with her, let alone a toothbrush. At the polite knock, she drew in a breath. He was actually knocking? “Yes?” she asked. When he opened the door, he was holding her purse, her case and a fresh washcloth and towels, which he laid on the edge of the sink.
“Thought you might need these,” he said politely. Still no smile.
She turned to face him. “Jim, I’m sorry.”
Regarding her steadily, he said, “Four,” then added, “You need anythin’ else?”
She shook her head. “I’m fine now. Thanks for bringing me my stuff.”
“No problem. I have one more request to make. I don’t want you takin’ a shower without me at least in the room. I’m afraid you’ll get dizzy and fall.”
She nodded, then bending her head, whispered, “Yes, Sir.”
“Well, glory be. I thought the lady had totally forgotten her titles of respect.”
Smiling, she asked, “Should I get on my knees and beg forgiveness now, or wait until after breakfast?”
When he grinned back, Kelly breathed a sigh of relief. Then she saw his eyebrows draw together as he ran a finger down her cheek. “We’ll work it out, Kelly girl, don’t you worry so much, all right?”
“But….”
“Hey, girl, I’m human. I may not like some of the things you say, but that doesn’t mean I’m gonna walk out on you. That’s what’s scarin’ you, ain’t it?”
She nodded, a little dumbfounded by the realization he could read her better than she read herself. “Yes, Sir.”
“Well, when you’re better that’s somethin’ else you and me are gonna start workin’ on. It’s nice that you’re concerned about my feelin’s, but I don’t want you in a panic every time I frown. I have no intention of abandonin’ you, Kelly. We may not stay together, but I won’t leave you high and dry unless you ask me to. I promise. Okay?”