I tried to settle back into my comfortable torpor and enjoy my sleep, but I couldn’t. My senses prickled. I tossed and turned. In the end, I couldn’t bear it any longer, and sat up, looking around.
James was sitting in the armchair in the corner of the room, looking at me. My heart threw itself into my throat and started beating wildly. I was sure he could hear it. I couldn’t make head nor tail of his expression. It was cool and unsmiling. Was he angry with me? There was the tiniest of lift to the corners of his mouth; was he amused?
“Oh!” My voice sounded faint and breathless, even to me. “I didn’t know you were here. How — how long have you been there?”
One eyebrow went up. “How long do you think I’ve been here?”
I looked around wildly. Surely I’d have heard if he’d opened the connecting door from his bedroom? Then I realized he must’ve come in as Anne went out. I breathed a sigh of relief. He hadn’t been there when I’d begun to let my hand explore myself. As I thought of that, I felt my cheeks begin to burn with embarrassment.
“I should think you ought to be ashamed of yourself, young lady.” James’ voice was firm, and my mind immediately flew to the consequences of being told off.
I was shocked that I wanted to be spanked again, to be restrained while I was fucked. Surely that meant I was bad?
“Come here, Antonia.” Crap. He used my full name. That meant I was in trouble.
I climbed out of bed, tugging the shortie negligee down as far as possible to cover my thighs.
“Come right over here.” His face remained expressionless.
“That’s right.” He looked up from his seat at my face. “Now, tell me what you’ve done wrong this morning.”
My mind could only think of one thing. “I don’t think there’s anything wrong with wanting to sleep more.” I stuck my nose in the air.
“And what did you say to Anne?” His next words made me look at him in surprise.
“Well, I told her to tell you that I was staying in bed.”
“And?”
“Oh.” I thought for a moment. “And I told her not to disturb me again.”
“Yes.” He was quiet for a minute. “And had you checked with me last night as your host whether I had any plans this morning that would require that you were up and ready for the day?”
Had he got plans? Oh hell!
“I’m sorry. Have you got plans?”
“Well if I had, they’ve had to be shelved, haven’t they? Because you wouldn’t be ready in time.”
“I’m sorry. What were we going to do?”
He smiled thinly. “You’ll never know.”
Anger made me reckless. So did the need to be punished. I wanted to be over his knee again, feeling my rising arousal.
“Well, that’s not fair! You should have said last night. Then I would have been ready!” I knew I sounded petulant, but I didn’t care. “And maybe I don’t want to be disturbed every morning by staff! We pay them, so they should do what they’re told!”
James's voice was cold. “Antonia, I don't ever want to have to say this again. Staff are paid to do their job, and that includes reminding us perhaps, of what needs to be done next.”
I felt anxious, but I also felt excited. I wondered if he would punish me if I was rude again. “Well, maybe I don't want to do this any more.” That was the right thing to say, or maybe it wasn't.
His brows drew down, and his expression darkened even more. “I think you are treading dangerous ground, young lady.”
I stood there, my heart beating fast, and stared down at him with a challenging expression.
“I think you've had enough warnings, Antonia. Over my knee please.”
I stood there, making my expression appear mutinous, my heart pounding with knowing what came next.
“Over my knee, now.” He looked at me again, and sighed. “I think the next step of your training after this morning is to arrange some behavior and attitude modification. Now, over my knee.”
I was trembling now, but even I couldn't tell whether it was excitement or nerves. I stepped closer to him, and reluctantly bent forward and lay across his lap. His arm came across my back, and with his other hand he ripped my negligee up towards my shoulders. I wasn't wearing panties, so I was instantly exposed, feeling the cool air of the room.
“So,” he said, apparently conversationally. “This punishment is because of your attitude. You do not answer back. Ever. Especially to me.” Then he used his hands to pull me even closer and tip me further so my head was hanging down on one side of him and my ass even more humiliatingly in the air. Then nothing happened.