He let out a breath as he stroked her chin. “I know your intentions were nice, but I gave you those instructions because things don’t work the same here. This is not the Dancing Pony, and you can’t charm your way out of sassing a sadist…unless of course you’ve been instructed to or invited to.” She frowned. “Never mind. I know I’m confusing you. What might work for you in the Pony won’t necessarily work for you here. Next time, keep your hands to yourself unless given permission.”
Unconsciously, she’d latched onto the plackets of his coat, looked down at her hands, and let go. Joseph covered her hands with his. The need to reassure her was unsettling because he saw the fear in her eyes. He would rather her first spanking weren’t so public.
“Listen, I know we have no formal arrangement between us, and I don’t want to jeopardize that possibility. Will you trust me not to take you beyond what you can handle?”
“I’m uncomfortable being so naked in front of strangers,” she murmured, covering her ass with her hands. The protective gesture, the natural progression of a naughty brat who has sassed her Dom was impossibly endearing.
“Do you remember that night at the fantasy weekend a few weeks ago?” At her nod, he continued. “Your friend Violet?”
Understanding dawned in her eyes. “Oh.”
“You are safe with me. All the members are carefully vetted by me and my staff, as well as the advisory board, which is made up of the senior members of the club. If you can agree to trust me enough to remove your outerwear this time, I won’t make you remove your panties and bra.” At least not completely, he thought with evil glee.
She didn’t look very encouraged.
“Bunny, you are a voluptuous woman, but you are also incredibly fit. You have nothing to be ashamed of, not any more than Violet did.”
She licked her lips. “Violet told me that weekend changed the way she looks at her body.”
“I’m glad to hear that. Now look around the play area. Do you see many subs in street clothing?”
“No, not many.”
“Do they have perfect bodies? To me, and to many of the Doms they do, but to themselves, they struggle with the same problem you do. Your derriere may have dimples on it, but I don’t mind a single one of them. You won’t leave my sight, fiammetta. Now, this discussion has gone on far too long. Can you trust me? If not, the safe word is red, and you go home.” He held out a hand to her. “Trust me?”
She nodded and kept unbuttoning her shirt as she drew closer to him.
“You can put your clothing on the stool,” he said as he selected a leather paddle from the wall. “We’ll start with five licks, plus two more for your cussing.”
He paused when the camisole came off and he saw the bra she was wearing. Made of transparent black mesh and lace, it was the ultimate tease, or so he thought until she revealed the skimpy matching bottoms when she turned to lay her neatly folded clothing on the stool. In black lace, she was temptation from head to toe.
“Very nice, fiammetta,” he whispered as he drew a chair forward and sat in it. “For your first time, I’m taking you across my lap. Can you be still? Otherwise, I’ll put you on the bench. The choice is yours.”
Appealingly uncertain, she looked from one choice to the other and then noticed several people had come over to watch. “Your lap,” she whispered as she edged nearer.
He bent her over his lap, observing how stiff she was, and slid his fingers down in a caress around her throat to test her pulse and look into her eyes. He leaned down so only she would hear. “Think of the book I gave you, the surprises and the hidden blessings?”
She looked down, as if recalling the details of the Dom-sub couple’s beginnings, and her lips quirked in a barely perceptible smile. Then she turned those vulnerable turquoise eyes on him. Nervous, very nervous, judging by the clammy death grip on his thigh, but her pulse was strong and regular, and her eyes were dilated. Aroused. And then she smiled broadly.
“Yes, Joseph. I mean, yes, Sir. Let me have it.”
He brushed a wavy tendril of hair from her temple behind her ear, and smiled back, unable to ignore the sensation that she was somehow the one in control.
“If you will try to relax, it won’t hurt as much.”
Her only acknowledgment was a soft snort, as she allowed him to position her, and a cute little squeal when he pushed her over so far she could no longer get leverage with her toes. A trail of gooseflesh broke out on her back as he trailed his fingertips down her spine, letting him know her tension was high.
Up to this point he’d only imagined what it would be like, gripping her adorable butt cheeks, readying her ass to take a spanking. Not a punishment spanking, although that was probably what she thought she was about to get. She’d learn the difference.