The Research Assistant

The Research Assistant Melinda Barron ©2010 by Blushing Books® and Melinda Barron

Copyright © 2010 by Blushing Books® and Melinda Barron All rights reserved. No part of the book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publisher. Published by Blushing Books®, a subsidiary of ABCD Graphics and Design 977 Seminole Trail #233 Charlottesville, VA 22901 The trademark Blushing Books® is registered in the US Patent and Trademark Office. Barron, Melinda The Research Assistant eBook ISBN: 978-1-60968-090-9

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Blushing Publications thanks you whole-heartedly for your purchase with us! There are plenty more stories such as the one you‟ve purchased from Blushing Books! Visit our online store to view our might selection! http://www.blushingbooks.com This book is intended for adults only. Spanking and other sexual activities represented in this book are fantasies only, intended for adults. Nothing in this book should be interpreted as advocating any non-consensual spanking activity or the spanking of minors.

Chapter One “I don‟t know what you‟re laughing about. This isn‟t funny.” Tiffany Jackson frowned at her cousin and best friend, Sydney, who sat across from her, tears of laughter streaming down her face. “Oh, you‟re kidding me, right? This is hilarious.” Tiffany shook her head. “I‟m glad you think so, but it‟s not funny. I have a huge problem here. I can‟t write about something I‟ve never experienced.” “Bull.” Sydney wiped at her tears. “You‟ve probably never done half the things in those erotic novels you turn out. Just because your editor wants you to add in some spankings, you think you have to try it out. Why?” “Well first off, my novels are not erotic, they‟re sweet romance novels. That‟s part of the problem, according to my agent. Erotic novels are selling better, and the sales of my sweet ones, while still good, are suffering a little. She wants me to spice it up, and she wants me to do a spanking scene or two.” Sydney burst into a new bout of laughter, wiping tears from her cheeks. “This is too much. I just love it.” “Don‟t do this to me, please. I mean really, don‟t make fun of me right now. I‟m having a hard time with this.” “Why? You‟re a writer. Just make her a little brat, and then have the hero take her over his knee. A few whacks on the butt and she‟s behaving like she should again.” Tiffany took a sip of her tea and looked out over the yard. The Fourth of July party was bursting with friends and relatives, several grills going, the smells of cooking hot dogs and hamburgers filling the air. But all she could think about was that her agent had given her a month to come up with something spicy for her to sell to her publisher, something that involved erotic spankings. She‟d never been spanked, ever. And her novels were not erotic. She wasn‟t sure exactly how she would make the switch. The first thing she needed to do, she supposed, was go to the bookstore first thing in the morning and buy the latest erotic releases, look them over to see what was what with them. Then, after that, she‟d sit down and come up with a plot to fit what her agent wanted to sell. They needed to talk about that, though. What would her fans think, the ones that were used to her sweet, soft love scenes? When they saw her name on a book cover they expected to see soft euphemisms for body parts, not the word cock screaming out at them. They needed to have a talk about that, too. Tiffany understood the changes in the market, and how things were different now. She had no problem with that. But still, she needed to think about this before she dove in headfirst. But, what if her agent was serious about her doing something different. If Tiffany refused to follow the erotic trend would she dump her as a client? Wasn‟t she making enough money off of Tiffany‟s sales to make it worth her while to keep the author on board? The thought made Tiffany‟s stomach roll just a little, and she took another sip of her tea. “Are you listening to me?” “What? I‟m sorry, Sydney, I‟m just a little off guard today. What did you say?” “If you‟re so worried about writing about something you‟ve never experienced, then you need to find someone to spank you.”

Tiffany‟s mouth about hit the floor. “Excuse me?” “You heard me. Since you‟re not dating anyone right now hire someone, a male escort maybe. Tell him you don‟t want to have sex, you just want him to spank you so you know what it feels like.” “I think you have lost your mind.” She sat her glass down with a thud, glad that it was plastic and not glass. “Are you serious?” “Sure, totally serious. Think about it. Your agent asks for spankings, but you don‟t know what to write, so you do what any good author does, you do research. And lots of it. What better way to learn about spankings than to be spanked, and by a very hunky man.” “Right, what am I supposed to tell this agency? „Hi, I‟m a thirty-one-year-old romance writer who‟s been ordered to kick it up a notch and I need a research assistant.‟ That‟s going to play out well.” “Why not? You get books from the library, and take trips when you‟re researching a city you‟ve never been to. I don‟t see why this has to be any different.” Tiffany waved at her sister, Megan, who waved back. Megan had just arrived with her two children. Tiffany‟s brother, Chase, was already here with his pregnant wife, Mia, and their two point three children. Tagging along with Chase, as usual, was his best friend, Aaron, who had been divorced for about a year now. His family lived far away, and Tiffany‟s mother had sort of adopted him after the divorce, inviting him to family outings and parties. That was fine with Tiffany. Aaron was gorgeous, the epitome of tall, dark and handsome, a Boulder fireman well over six foot tall, with burly muscles and close cropped dark hair. Tiffany had used his body many times while envisioning her heroes. But since her books were historical, Aaron‟s hair was always long, and his chest was always bare. She looked around wondering where he was in the teaming crowd of sisters, brothers, cousins, in-laws and various other relatives who filled her mother‟s backyard. Seeing him would inspire an erotic thought or two, but not of spanking. She‟d never thought about being spanked. Ever. “Do you think this is a normal fantasy?” She turned to Sydney, who blushed. “I guess that answers my question.” “Yes, I think it does.” “You‟re kidding me, right? Jeremy spanks you?” “Yup. And I‟m not going to tell you what it‟s like. You have to experience it for yourself, cousin.” “Tell me! I mean, does he do it while y‟all are having sex? And what would he tell the kids if they walked in to find you across his knee?” “We wait until the kids are in bed. Sometimes it‟s a fun spanking, and sometimes not. Depends on the situation. And that‟s as far as I‟m going, because I don‟t want my sex life included in one of your books. That would not make Jeremy a very happy camper.” Tiffany let out a breath of frustrated air mixed with a bite of disgust. “Thanks for the help. I thought you were my friend.” “I am, but I want to keep my husband happy, too. So can it, cousin. And I‟m serious about calling the agency. Tell them you don‟t expect to have sex, just get spanked. Maybe they‟ll give you a discount.” “You are so full it.” Tiffany‟s sigh of frustration increased. “Can‟t you give me just a little hint of what it‟s like?” “You know, if you didn‟t run off every boyfriend you‟ve ever had, you might have some

idea what it‟s like. What about the last guy, what was his name, Joey?” “He turned out to be a real dud. He thought I made tons of money with my writing, and when he found out that my income just made me middle class, he dumped me.” “What a loser.” “Yeah, but it was better to find it out now rather than later, when I would have possibly been more attached to him. Best to get the crappy stuff out of the way now.” “True. Still, we need to find you a man.” “I agree, but since it‟s not happening, my sweet cousin needs to explain to me why she likes to be spanked.” Sydney got up and turned toward her cousin, who sat looking at the table. There was a moment‟s silence before she spoke again. “No. But I will go and find you a phone book. And if you don‟t take my idea, then you‟re just a bad girl, aren‟t you?” Tiffany watched her, shaking her head in disgust. Bad girl indeed. She wondered what else she didn‟t know about her cousin, who was only a few months older than she was. She‟d never given any indication that she and Jeremy were into kinky things like spankings. Of course was it even consider kinky? Maybe Tiffany was just behind the times, and this was normal stuff that lots of couples did, and that‟s why the stories sold so well, and why her editor was pushing for one. Her career wasn‟t doing bad, sales had been pretty good on her historical novels She wasn‟t making a ton of money, but enough to make ends meet, with a little leeway. The sex was hot, but not erotic, as seemed to be the trend. She needed to do more reading. Maybe some of the erotic novels she‟d find tomorrow would include spanking. She made a mental note to visit a few of her favorite bookstores tomorrow, then sit home on the holiday weekend and devour a few novels to try and crank up her engines a little bit. It looked like it would be a long weekend. ***** Aaron Fitzgerald put his beer bottle up to his mouth and took a swig. When Sydney had stood and turned toward her cousin, she‟d seen him leaning against the house, listening to their conversation. She‟d winked at him quickly, and then lifted her brows before muttering something about a phonebook before leaving. So, Tiffany wanted to know what it was like to be spanked? Well, he was just the fireman to show it to her. He‟d long desired his best friend‟s sister, but couldn‟t figure out a way to approach her. This situation was heaven-sent. He watched her as she sat at the table, sipping from a glass of tea. She was a few years younger than his thirty-four. Her brown eyes always seemed to take in everything around her, and her brown hair always shone in the sunlight. She was pleasantly plump, and his loins stirred as he thought about her across his lap, her behind bared for a spanking. Of course afterwards he‟d have to have her, there was no doubt about it. Maybe he should ask her out on a date, then tell her after they were in the restaurant that he‟d overheard her conversation, and was ready to offer his services as a research assistant, free of charge. He nixed that idea almost immediately. Too wimpy. What he needed to do was get her alone tonight, pull down her panties and slap her bottom a few times, give her just a little taste of what she wanted to know about, and then tell her that if she really wanted a research assistant he would be happy to help, but it would be under his rules, not hers. Aaron shifted positions to allow his swollen penis more room inside his tight jeans. Just the idea of spanking her was making him harder than he‟d been in a long time. He smiled to

himself as he thought about what she did for a living. He‟d read all of her books after Chase had told him. They were arousing, yes, but he could see how they could be spruced up just a bit; a touch of heat to her writing that he would be more than happy to provide. If she needed a research assistant he would be glad to help. His mind whirled with ways to approach her about the situation, and then the perfect idea came to mind. He just needed a little help from his best friend, who had long been pushing Aaron to ask his little sister out on a date. Of course he wasn‟t sure exactly how Chase would feel if Aaron let him know he planned on spanking her. Best to keep that part to himself. He finished the rest of his beer, then went in search of Chase. He found his friend playing with his young daughter, swinging her around as she squealed in delight. “Chaser, I need your help with something.” “What? Had too much to drink and need a ride home?” “No, I want some time alone with your baby sister.” “What for?” “You‟re the one who always told me we‟d be perfect together. I want to give your idea a shot, that‟s all.” “Well hot damn, it‟s about time. Count me in. What do you want me to do?” ***** “I just don‟t understand why you can‟t do this yourself. It‟s not like I‟m your maid, you know.” Tiffany glared at Chase, who held his daughter tighter. “Do I have room in my arms to bring down the boom box? I‟ve got a child here, see?” He bounced her niece on his hips as if to prove his point. Chasity laughed, then grabbed at her father‟s shirt. “Yeah, that‟s good. Use your daughter as an excuse for your laziness. It doesn‟t bother me.” Tiffany turned and stormed toward the house. The fireworks were set to start in less than half an hour, and Chase had just now decided it would be good to have some music to accompany the light show. She thought about complaining to her mother about his bossiness, but then decided it would make her sound too much like a child, so she stomped toward the house, and the bedroom she‟d used while she lived here. From her mother‟s backyard, they would be able to see much of the display from the UC field and avoid the crowds and traffic. That‟s why they‟d scheduled the picnic here, so people could just stay here and enjoy themselves with the cookout and the fireworks. Tiffany made her way through the people sitting with their children, getting ready for the show. Once inside she took the backstairs to the second floor, then crossed to her bedroom. She flipped on the light, finding the boom box sitting on a shelf that used to house her writing awards from high school and college at the University of Colorado. She‟d made it partway across the room when the door behind her closed. She turned to find Aaron standing there, leaning against the door, his arms crossed over his massive chest. Her heart rate went into overdrive and she cleared her throat. “Hi.” Well this was a surprise. A gorgeous man in her bedroom, well her former bedroom. Still, being in such close proximity to Aaron, and a bed, was disconcerting. “Hi yourself. I hear you‟re looking for a research assistant.” “What?” Her already rapid heartbeat went into triple time. She laughed nervously, trying to keep the situation light, although it didn‟t feel light. It felt very, very heavy as a matter of fact.

“What are you talking about?” “You. I hear that Sydney gave you an idea today to hire a research assistant to help spice up your books.” Oh crap. How did he know about that? Sydney! Damn her, what had she said to other people? She thought that conversation was a private one. “Um, I have no idea what you‟re talking about, Aaron. I‟m here to pick up a boom box for Chase. That‟s it.” “Chase already has a boom box in the yard. You‟re here so we can talk, specifically about spankings.” Adding a curse against her brother to the one she repeated about her cousin, she clasped her hands together in front of her waist. This was obviously some sort of conspiracy they were all in on. Her mouth had gone dry. She swallowed hard, then whispered, “Really, I have no idea what you‟re talking about.” The words came out very softly, and there was no conviction behind them. “You don‟t sound very sure of that. You know, Tiff, I‟d be happy to help you in that department. You wouldn‟t want to hire someone to spank you. You want to be spanked by someone you know, someone you trust. Like me.” Her heart felt as if it would leap out of her chest. She needed to stay calm, or else all would be lost, since her body was practically screaming at her to take him up on his offer. She needed to stay calm. Stay cool. Stay in control. Tiffany put her hands on her hips and cocked her head at him. “Tell me, Aaron, how do you know about the conversation I had with Sydney? Did she tell you, or did you eavesdrop?” When he just grinned, she silently took back the curse she‟d muttered against her cousin, but not the one against her brother, who obviously knew Aaron would be up here waiting for her. Knowing Chase knew Aaron was here made her wonder what Aaron had told him. Did her brother know about her order from her editor to spice up her books? Did he know Aaron was going to come up here and offer his services as a “research assistant?” The idea was way too embarrassing to contemplate. She didn‟t want her brother knowing things like that. They were none of his business. They stared at each other for a few minutes, and then Tiffany ran her fingers through her hair. “Since we don‟t need the music, I‟m going downstairs to find a good spot to watch the fireworks from. If you‟ll excuse me.” She moved toward the doorway, stopping in front of him. He didn‟t move, instead just stood, staring at her. “We‟re not done here.” His voice was deep, and it sent shivers up her spine. It had done that before, but they‟d always been in a group of people when that happened, and she was able to ignore it, to push it to the back of her mind and rationalize that it was “just Aaron, her brother‟s friend.” Not this time, though. That voice sent electrical currents through her whole body. “I want to apply for the job. I think the least you can do is give me an interview.” “Aaron, I…” He‟d moved away from the door now, and was standing right in front of her. The heat from his body seemed to wrap itself around her, making her hotter than she already was. “I‟m not hiring at the moment.” She tried to laugh it off, but he just continued to stare at her, and her body continued to boil under his gaze. “Sure you are. You know you want to do this. I‟m safe, and you can trust me. Have you been a bad girl, Tiffany? Do you need a spanking?” She thought fire would come out of her ears. “Aaron…” “This is my interview, I‟m showing off my skills. Answer me.”

“If I‟m the one doing the hiring, then I should be asking the questions and you should be answering, not the other way around.” “Not this time. This interview is to show my potential employer that I can help her experience things she‟s curious about, things she can write about.” He stopped and cleared his throat. This time when he spoke his voice was deep and commanding, sending shivers down her spine. “You will answer me. Have you been bad? Bad girls get spanked, so answer the question carefully.” She swallowed hard. This was the most fascinating thing she‟d ever had happen to her. This was something she would write about, not something she would experience. But that’s the point, isn’t it Tiffany? You need to experience this. You need to know what it feels like. If for no other reason then to just satisfy your curiosity. She whispered the word “yes,” watching as a satisfied gleam came into his eyes. Saying those words let her know exactly what her editor meant about spicing things up. She knew she was pretty spiced right now, and he hadn‟t even touched her. “Yes what?” “Yes, I need a spanking.” She couldn‟t believe those words just came out of her mouth. She turned her gaze to the wall, and then groaned when he took another step toward her, so that their bodies were almost touching. “Listen to me very carefully, bad girl. I want you to cross to the window, then put your hands on either side of it, then bend over just a little bit so your behind is in the proper position for a spanking.” Excitement raced through Tiffany‟s body. He sounded so demanding, so in control, that it thrilled her, a reaction that both excited and puzzled her. She‟d never gone for the macho sorts before. Sure she‟d lusted after Aaron. What red-blooded woman wouldn‟t? The man was gorgeous. But he‟d never been this bold before. But hearing him tell her to get into position for a spanking was something she hadn‟t expected to hear tonight, or any night for that matter. Of course hadn‟t she just said that afternoon that she wanted to know what it was like to be spanked? And he‟d listened to the conversation, obviously. Real life research, done at the hands of the most gorgeous man she knew was fascinating. She just needed to work up the courage to go through with it. “I‟m waiting, and I‟m not very patient,” he said softly. “Do as I told you, bad girl, or get a harder spanking than I already planned.” She jerked her gaze up at him, her eyes wide. “Aaron.” This time there was a little bit of fear in her voice. He cupped her cheek and stroked his thumb over her soft flesh, making goose bumps travel up her body. “Don‟t cut my interview short, Tiffany. You know I‟m not going to hurt you. You wanted to know what it was like to be spanked, and I‟m going to show you. If you like what I have to offer, then we can talk about a full time position.” Full time position? Was he offering what she thought he was offering? “You‟re a bad boy yourself, eavesdropping on me. Does that mean I get to spank you?” “No. Bad boys attract bad little girls, but they don‟t get spanked. They do the spanking, and you know it. I make a bet most of your heroes are bad little boys. Now, do as I told you.” “My heroes aren‟t bad boys. They save the heroine from whatever danger she‟s in. They are the good guys.”

“They might be the good buys, but there‟s a little bit of bad boy in them, admit it. Women like the bad boys. They like the men who will spank them, and tell them they‟re naughty girls, don‟t they?” “Yes.” She whispered the word as she watched him. The way he held his body let her know he was very excited about what was about to happen, probably as excited as she was. And he was right. Women liked the bad boys, and that‟s exactly what he was being right now. “I‟m not going to tell you again. Do as I asked. Now.” His eyes narrowed at her, increasing the tension she felt. He looked wickedly dangerous, just like the men she wrote about. Quickly, before she could change her mind and tell him no, Tiffany crossed to the window, putting herself in the position as Aaron had instructed. He‟d turned off the light when she‟d started to walk, so the only illumination was the moon outside. The lights on the deck had been turned off in anticipation of the fireworks show which was probably about to begin. When he came up behind her and slowly began to inch her skirt up over her behind she thought she would die of excitement. When her hips were uncovered he lightly ran his hand over her panty-clad behind and she thanked whatever starts had possessed her to wear satin instead of cotton granny panties that evening. It would be just too horribly embarrassing to be standing here wearing huge cotton underwear while Aaron spanked her. “What a bad, bad girl you are.” His voice was near her ear, husky and full of authority. And then he swatted her behind.

Chapter Two Her sharp intake of breath made her shiver. “Aaron.” The swat had stung, but not hurt, not too badly anyway. Why did that seem to be the only word she could manage to say right now? She felt very exposed, and wonderfully aroused. Being aroused was a bad thing. This wasn‟t about sex, this was just a research spanking. That‟s all. She needed to remember that. Just research. He rubbed his hand over her buttocks again and she thought she would faint right then and there. If his hand had actually come into contact with her bare skin, she probably would have. It was obvious to her now why Sydney would enjoy this. This was one of the hottest things she‟d ever had happen to her, and there was no mention of sex, just the spanking. He slapped her behind again, this one harder than the last one. The sound echoed through the room and Tiffany moaned softly. The third slap was harder, and hit on her other cheek. It, too, made a loud noise, and she groaned. The fourth and fifth swat came in rapid succession, his hand coming down hard once on each cheek. She was panting now, her breath coming in short, shallow gasps. He rubbed her behind again, and then swatted each cheek twice, his large hand hitting the middle, the slap tingling through her body. “Aaron.” There it was again. Her one word vocabulary. “Hush. Just enough to give you an idea of what it‟s like. That‟s what you said you wanted, right, to know what it was like to be spanked, so you can write about it?” “I can‟t believe you listened in on our conversation.” Slap. Tiffany groaned louder, but she didn‟t move from her spot. Outside, the night sky filled with the colors of the fireworks now going off at the nearby football field. The slaps came harder, and without pause now, six, seven, no wait, eight. She lost count. Was that nine, or ten? They weren‟t hard, but they did sting, the throb increasing with each stroke. Her body tightened against the assault. She bit her lip to keep from crying out, whether in pain or pleasure she didn‟t know. Tiffany focused her gaze on the fireworks as Aaron delivered five mores swats to each cheek. She wondered if anyone would see them if they looked back toward the house. Of course why would they look that way, since the show was in front of them? Still, it would be a little bit embarrassing. Several more swats were delivered, and when she groaned, he leaned over, his lips now touching her ear. “I hope you learn how to behave, and I hope that I‟ve given you an idea of what I can do. Call me if you want to hire me. I can spank you all you like.” Ten more hard swats came down, and then she heard the sound of his footsteps as he strode across the carpet, opening the door and closing it softly behind him. Tiffany stood, her dress falling down over her bottom. She turned toward the doorway, willing it to open and for Aaron to come back inside. If he could help her with spanking research, maybe he could help her spice up other areas of her books as well. She shook her head to clear that thought, knowing it would never happen. She laughed softly as she rubbed her behind, turning to look out the window as another volley of fireworks filled the sky, their bright lights shimmering in the darkness.

At least now she had an idea of what her editor wanted. The tingle, the naughtiness of a spanking. It wouldn‟t be hard to recreate in her current work in progress. She thought about the heroine, Alissa bending over while Hector spanked her before they made love. Or would he spank her if she‟d been bad? Would that spanking be different from the wonderful erotic feelings that were even now fading just a little bit? Of course it would. What would it feel like? Maybe, just maybe, she should take Aaron up on his offer of being a research assistant. Then he could spank her again and she could compare the two. She shook her head, the idea just too fantastic to consider. Aaron was out of her league. He probably thought of what just happened as a big joke. She prayed he wasn‟t downstairs right now, laughing with her brother about how easily she gave in to him. She watched the fireworks for another minute, then headed downstairs to enjoy them outside with everyone else. As she stepped into the cool night air, her gaze darted around the crowd. She found Aaron easily enough, sitting at the table on the deck with her father and uncles. He was sipping from a beer. He hadn‟t been watching the fireworks. Instead, he‟d been watching the backdoor, obviously waiting for her to come out. He lifted his beer in greeting, and even in the dark she could see the twinkle in his eye. He hadn‟t been laughing with her brother, or with anyone for that matter. And the look on his face let her know he was very, very serious about his “job application.” ***** It took her almost a week to work up enough courage to approach him again. The tingle from his spanking had faded before the fireworks had ended, but the memory of it was burned in her brain. Lissa, her editor, had liked the short scene she‟d written about a spanking, but had told her to “kick it up several notches, let your readers feel it, let them know what‟s happening. You‟re too timid about it.” Tiffany had wrangled with a few ideas before finally deciding that she needed to talk to Aaron, to actually tell him she wanted to use him as a research assistant. She wanted him to spank her. Several times. And she wanted him to spank her harder than he had on Friday evening. She‟d called his home phone, where the machine informed her he was at work, and could be reached at the firehouse. He‟d given a number, but she hadn‟t called it. How embarrassing would that be, she wondered, to call him and talk to him about this while he was at work? Still, she didn‟t want to wait too long, and lose her nerve. She decided a bike ride was in order. It was a few miles to the firehouse from her small bungalow. She would take a long, leisurely ride, stopping to get a drink somewhere, maybe do some shopping. And then she would ride past the firehouse, see if he was outside. Would she be able to talk to him about this in person, though? Maybe she should just call the firehouse. She went back and forth between the two ideas before deciding on the “in person,” route, going into her bedroom and changing into shorts and a T-shirt. She tied her shoes, then brought her bike out of the garage, checking the tires before fastening a few bottles of water to the frame, then putting a book an her wallet in a zippered basket before taking off. She stayed on the back streets mostly, stopping at a local coffee shop to drink an iced concoction and read part of the book she‟d brought along. She couldn‟t really concentrate, though, since her mind kept wandering back to Aaron.

When she‟d finished her drink she packed her book back into her bag, unlocked her bike, and headed toward the firehouse. With any luck he‟d be outside, alone, and she could talk to him there. But what would she say? “I’d like to talk to you about that job, the one as my research assistant? Um, it doesn’t pay much, but the fringe benefits are good, well, they could be.” That wouldn‟t work, she knew. That was a stupid thing to say. She peddled faster as she thought of something else. “Say, Aaron, will you spank me again, more than once? My editor likes what I wrote after the first spanking, but she thinks I need to kick it up a notch or two. Can you help me with that? Do you want to help me with that? Maybe I could make more money that way.” Idiot. You can‟t say that. What would he think, that you‟re only using him to advance your career? “So, do you really want a second job? Now listen, Aaron, you may be the one spanking me, but I’m the boss, remember? It has to go by my rules.” Oh yeah, he‟d really go for that. A man who wanted to spank her wasn‟t going to let her set the parameters of the relationship. He would want to be the one in charge, the one doing all the planning, the one deciding what happened, and when. “Listen, Aaron, I know you want to be in charge, but do you think we should set spanking times like we would set working times? Nine to five? Ten to six? Late at night?” She was so involved in her thoughts that it took her a few minutes to realize she‟d ridden past the firehouse. “Tiffany!” She turned her head to find Aaron standing on the sidewalk, shaking his head with a grin on his face. She applied the brakes, did a u-turn and rode back to him. “Hi.” She planted her feet on the ground and swallowed hard. “How are you?” “Fine. I was afraid you were going to ride right by without saying hi. I thought maybe that was your way of telling me you were upset about what happened on the Fourth.” He had a hose in his hand, like he‟d been watering the flowerboxes in front of the firehouse. She nodded to two firemen who watched them with amusement on their faces. “Sorry, I was just deep in thought.” “About what?” Aaron took a step closer. “I hope it was me.” “As a matter of fact, it was.” “Excellent. That‟s the best news I‟ve had all day. Does that mean I get the job?” “Um…” She laughed nervously. “I‟d like to talk to you about it, yeah.” “Well, I‟m glad to see I made a little bit of an impression. It wasn‟t a real spanking you know, just a few swats.” Tiffany darted her gaze toward the men who still watched them. She hoped they couldn‟t hear what she and Aaron were saying. They still seemed to be amused by her appearance, though, and were watching them with interest. “When do you get off?” He snorted at her words and she blushed furiously. “I mean off of work.” “Yeah, I know what you meant. I just had to give you a hard time. I‟m coming off a fiveday stretch tonight at eight. Then I have five days off. We‟re on duty twenty-four hours, you know. One of the perks of the long hours is lots of time off at one time.” “Oh, great. That‟s way cool. Um, why don‟t you come by when you get off work?” “I will, after I go home and shower. Say around nine-thirty, ten?” He grasped the hose tighter and she stared at his hand, thinking of it coming down on her bottom over and over.

Arousal spread through her. Get a grip, Tiffany. Don‟t let yourself get excited about something that may never happen. He‟s offering to spank you, not make love to you. “Sure. Will you be hungry? I can fix something to eat.” “I‟ll bring pizza,” he said. “And we‟ll talk about my new duties.” “I just said we‟d talk about it. I didn‟t say…” “Keep telling yourself that, Tiff. You know I‟ve got the job.” “This seems so strange.” Before she could say anything else, one of the firemen called out for Aaron. He turned to them and nodded. “I‟ve got a few things to finish up. I‟ll see you tonight. Medium crust, pepperoni and mushroom, easy on the sauce, right?” “Yeah, you‟ve got a great memory.” “You could say that,” he said with a laugh. “I‟ll see you tonight.” He stroked his fingers over the back of her hand, which still rested on the bike‟s handlebars. She shivered, and then nodded before he walked toward the men. When he arrived they clapped him on the back. She imagined they were teasing him about his female visitor, asking questions about who she was, and if they were dating. Images of what he would tell them raced through her mind. Would he say he was just helping her for research with spicing up her books? Somehow she doubted it, Aaron was too discreet for that. Still, the idea hit her a little strangely, and she wondered again about whether or not she was doing something stupid, or whether this would help her. As she peddled back to her house, other thoughts crowed into her brain. What would this do to her relationship to Aaron? Right now they were friends, talking to each other as male and female friends did, casually. They saw each other at gatherings, like on the Fourth. He‟d never flirted with her. True he‟d been married for a while, but there had never been a spark of interest between them, at least on his part. She‟d always thought he was gorgeous. But it never seemed as if he‟d thought twice about her as anything more than Chase‟s baby sister. Until Friday night. Once again she wondered how she was supposed to take all this. Should she come on strong, demand that things go her way, or should she let him take control? “Stop over thinking it, Tiffany,” she said as she wheeled into her driveway and hit the buttons to unlock the garage. “Just see what happens. That‟s the best thing to do.” She put the bike up, and then went straight to her computer to work on some research for her next book. When she was done, she decided taking a nap would be the best way to keep from worrying about tonight. But as she lay on the couch her mind still worked furiously, her agitation still high. Finally, after an hour, she got up and showered, then sat down to wait, flipping through the channels and not really seeing anything but a blur. She laid her head on the back of the couch, and closed her eyes to sleep, finally drifting off to sleep with images of Aaron dancing through her mind. ***** Aaron stepped out of the shower and wrapped a towel around his waist. He looked down to where his erection poked through the opening of the towel. “Down boy. Too soon for that. Hopefully within the next few days, but we don‟t want to scare her off. So you let me control the situation, okay?” He could swear he heard his unruly organ scream, “hell no!” To try and take his mind off things, he went to the phone and ordered a pizza from his favorite place in the Pearl Street Mall.

The medium crust with Tiffany‟s favorite toppings. He ordered an extra large one, since he was hungry. Then, just for good measure, he ordered a huge basket of wings to go with it. He‟d had to skip lunch that day and his stomach was very empty. Thinking about the day made him remember Tiffany on her bike, riding past the firehouse. He‟d been shocked when she‟d ignored his hello, and then his whistle. He‟d finally had to scream out her name to catch her attention. Unfortunately that had also caught the attention of his fellow firemen, who teased him the rest of the day about the pretty lady who‟d dropped by to see him. He dressed quickly, stuffing his unruly cock into his pants despite protests from the still partially aroused part of his body he couldn‟t control. He wondered what she would be wearing tonight. Would she wear a dress again? Should he give her a few slaps on the ass to seal their deal? And he knew there would be a deal. She was nervous about it, but she wanted it, and not just for research, either. Her reaction to him on Friday had proved that. He‟d had to leave quickly before he‟d done something that would have put the whole thing in jeopardy. He didn‟t think she would have taken it too kindly if he‟d jumped her bones right then and there. Sure they knew each other, but he still wanted to take it slow, to not screw it up. A relationship with Tiffany was something he‟d thought about for the past six months. He hoped working as her “research assistant,” would help him, and not hurt him in his persuits. ***** When the doorbell rang, Tiffany sat bolt upright and stared at the clock. It was almost nine-thirty. She‟d fallen asleep, and now he was here. He was here! She swallowed hard and tried not to run across the room. She pulled the door open and found him standing there, a large pizza box in one hand and a six-pack of beer in the other. “Special delivery.” He held them up and gave her the grin that had always warmed her insides. “Come in.” She stepped aside and motioned him in. “That‟s a big pizza. Wow, and wings, too.” “I‟m starved,” he said. “They kept us busy today with a few calls, and doing regular chores at the house. So I didn‟t get a chance to eat lunch. I plan on making up for it tonight.” He sat the box on the dining room table and lifted the lid. The smell of hot pizza filled the air and Tiffany sniffed in appreciation. “Delicious. I‟ll get some plates, forks and napkins.” When she came back out it was to find he‟d already devoured half a slice and a few wings. He took the plate she offered and loaded it up, handing it to her before loading up a second plate and digging in. She sat down and opened a beer, taking a sip and almost snorting it when he said, “So, you liked being spanked?” “It was interesting, yes.” “And arousing, I could tell. Arousing for both of us, I can tell you that. I had to leave before I did something I was going to regret.” Her face fell at his words. “You‟re misunderstanding me,” he said softly. “I wanted to make love to you, and I knew it wasn‟t a good thing to do. Too soon. I didn‟t want to scare you off, or make you think I was only after one thing.” “Too soon? Aaron, I … I‟m confused.” “Well, I used the conversation I overheard to worm my way into your life. Not exactly an

adult thing to do, but it‟s worked so I‟m not going to question it. Do you understand now?” Oh yeah, she understood. “You wanted to ask me out?” “Yeah, I haven‟t gone out since my divorce, and I‟ve always been interested in you. I just didn‟t want to screw it up. This way we can get to know each other better, personally, I mean. Intimately. And, you can get some research done.” “Research dating?” She grinned at him, her body still quivering with excitement. “I like that term.” He took another huge bite. She toyed with the slice of pizza on her plate as she watched him chew and swallow. “It‟s not like we don‟t know each other. But, I‟d like to take our relationship to a new level, push it up a notch or two, or three.” “Why didn‟t you say anything before now?” “I didn‟t know how you felt about me,” he said, finishing off his slice and picking up another one. “I mean think about it, for years I know you just thought of me as your big brother‟s friend. And now I‟m slobbering all over you. I didn‟t want to freak you out.” “Too late.” She laughed, and then took a small bite. “You had to know I had a crush on your since I was about fifteen years old.” “Really? You hid it well.” He shook his head in confusion. “I wish I‟d known that, I would have asked you out six months ago.” Warmth spread through her body. She licked her lips, and then glanced away. “So, what happens now?” “Well, now I think the two of us go up to my cabin in Vail tomorrow. There we can get to know each other, and I can spank you all you want. Well, and all I want, too.” Her mouth dropped open. “Excuse me?” “Yeah, I‟ve got five days off, remember? We leave tomorrow and stay for four days, then come back and I have a day to recuperate and be ready for work. You have a laptop, right? You can take it with you and work. The cabin doesn‟t have Internet access, but I‟m sure there are cafes in town were you can get wi-fi and keep in touch with your editor as needed.” When she didn‟t answer, he leaned toward her and trailed his fingers over her knee. “It‟s not like we don‟t know each other; and I‟m not asking you to fall into bed with me. It would be nice, but it‟s not a requirement. Consider it four days of intense research.” “Four days of you spanking me?” “Yup. When we get up there I‟m in charge. I decide when you get spanked, how you get spanked, and how hard, and with what. You‟ll get spanked at least once a day, and you‟ll have a very sore bottom by the time we leave. Consider it very intense research.” Her insides were like jelly. Four days of spankings that left her feeling like she did on Friday night? Bring it on. Still, doubts raged inside her. Four days of spanking would leave her very sore indeed. And what did he mean by how hard she‟d be spanked, and with what? If she did this, what was she leaving herself open for? And really, did it matter? The idea of it was fascinating, and frightening. To give herself time to think, she changed the subject just a little. “I didn‟t know you had a cabin in Vail.” “Well, it‟s not one of the fancy ones,” he said with a laugh. “It‟s just a little two bedroom one that sits outside of town. I like to go up there and fish during the summer, and ski during the winter. I‟m still paying for it, so technically I guess it belongs to the bank.” She smiled and toyed with her pizza. She‟d only taken a few bites of one slice, compared to the several slices he‟d eaten. “Don‟t be nervous,” he said. “I‟m not going to do anything to hurt you, I promise. You

want to know more about spanking, and I just want to help.” “How is it you know so much about spanking?” He shrugged his shoulders. “I like it. A lot.” “Why? Do you like to hurt people?” “No, spanking is not about hurting. There are two types, yes, erotic and punishment. The punishment ones will hurt, but the erotic ones heighten the experience. You can‟t tell me you weren‟t turned on Friday night.” She blushed furiously, taking a huge bite of her pizza so she wouldn‟t have to answer. “Well, that answers my question. You don‟t have to be ashamed of it. I like it that you were turned on. Bodes well for me. Actually, it bodes well for us, or at least I hope you feel that way.” Her blush increased and she whispered, “Yes, I do.” “Good.” He increased the pressure on her knee. “Shall we leave around nine? Take us a few hours to get up there. After I show you the cabin, we can go into town, stock up on food and necessities, then come back and I‟ll spank that luscious fanny of yours. What do you say?”

Chapter Three The two-hour trip to Vail flew by, and as Aaron piloted the car off I-70 then up into town, Tiffany wondered if she was doing the right thing. He‟d been genial this morning, not once mentioning the fact that he wanted to “paddle her fanny.” Of course that was the plan, right? For her to be paddled for four days straight? Not just paddled, spanked. Given the full treatment so she would know what it felt like. “Are you awake?” He kept his gaze fastened on the road, and she turned to watch him. “Yes, just nervous. I‟m not ashamed to admit it. This is so – surreal.” His laughter was deep. “Maybe, but it‟s going to be interesting, that‟s for sure. I decided we should stop in town first, and then go up to the cabin. We can get our food and scope out wifi spots for you to use. I don‟t want to waste any spanking time by driving back and forth today.” Tiffany put her hand on her stomach and pushed to try and control her nerves. “Sounds good.” They found a lot to park in, then quickly found a grocery store. Before they bought their food, though, they scoped out wi-fi spots, finding several that could be used. In the grocery store, they filled the cart, holding up items for each other to see, questioning whether the other person would like it or not. When they‟d filled their cart most of the way up, they came to the pharmacy aisle. Aaron stepped in front of her and took a box of condoms off the rack, putting it in the buggie. He turned and grinned at her, and then put a second box in there. “Awfully confident, aren‟t you?” “I‟ve been working my way up to this for months now. So yeah, I‟m confident. Should I put them back?” He looked unsure of himself, and she realized it was the first time she‟d ever seen him look that way. It just made him more attractive to her. “No. I think we‟ll need them. “I was hoping you‟d say that, but I didn‟t want to buy them on my own and make it seem like that was the only thing I wanted out of this trip.” She nodded, not sure what to say. They paid for their purchases, then loaded the car and headed up into the mountains. His cabin was about ten miles outside of town, and about six miles off the main road. It was secluded and, as he‟d said, nothing too big. Made of logs, it had a large main room, a kitchen and eating area, a bathroom and two bedrooms, one downstairs with a double bed, and one upstairs in the loft, with two sets of bunk beds. Without asking, he took both their suitcases into the downstairs bedroom while she put groceries up in the kitchen. Her pulse raced as she thought about what was about to happen. He‟d called the spanking he‟d given her on the Fourth a teaser, just enough to get her excited. It had definitely done that, and she was very thrilled about But what would this one be like? She could hear him whistling, the noise drifting over the small cabin. When all the food was put up, she leaned against the counter, wondering what she should do next. Going into the bedroom and saying, “I‟m ready,” seemed a little bold for her. Likewise, though, just standing here and waiting for him seemed too wimpy. Maybe she should go out into the living room and wait for him there. Or maybe she should try and find some busy work in here. Or maybe she should go and change from her traveling jeans into… “Hey, where are you?” “Excuse me?” She turned toward his voice and found him standing in the open area

between the kitchen and the dining room. “You‟re a million miles away again. Are you feeling okay with this?” “I‟m nervous. Very nervous.” “Well then, let‟s get it started so I can put your nerves to rest. Remember, I‟m your research assistant, but I‟m in charge. And I think you need a spanking. Right now. Come into the living room with me.” He turned and left without waiting for an answer. Tiffany‟s legs trembled as she walked after him. Her hands were shaking and when she got into the living room she found him sitting in the center of the couch. “Tell me, Tiffany, if you‟re heroine is being spanked, has she been bad, or is it for fun?” “Well, it‟ll be a little of both, I guess.” He nodded. “Then we‟ll start with a small spanking, to get my bad little girl over her fear. Come over here.” She moved in front of him, biting her lip to keep from screaming that she‟d changed her mind. “Undo you jeans, and take those, and your panties, down to your knees.” “Aaron, I…” “Now.” There would be no broking refusal. Her hands trembled as she undid her jeans, excitement creeping through her body. She looked at his hand. He‟d spanked her before and she‟d taken it, and he‟d said this one would be small. Just to warm her up, she was sure. Her hands stilled when her jeans were undone. Then she chastised herself for being such a baby. She wrote romance novels for heaven‟s sake, writing about sex all the time. Plus, it wasn‟t as if she were a virgin. She lowered them and her panties to her knees, keeping her gaze trained on his. She saw the look of desire pass through him, then he looked away and she could see him fight for control. “Over my lap. Now.” His voice was even deeper now, and she knew that if she let her gaze wander lower she would see his penis straining against his jeans. She lowered herself over his lap, feeling vulnerable and very nervous. She lay there for a few minutes, the pressure building inside her before he caressed her bottom, making her groan. His hand moved in lazy circles over her buttocks, the roughness of him making her moan softly. It felt as if she‟d just gotten used to her position, to him touching her, when he struck, his hand slapping down against her left cheek. The sting was harsh, much harsher than the first time he‟d spanked her. Before she could react, or protest, his hand came down again, and again. The sound filled the cabin and she started to squirm, intent on standing and moving away. He caught her with his free hand, though, pulling her close as he continued to spank her. “That‟s enough, I get the idea.” She squirmed more but he held her firm. “Who‟s in charge here, you or me?” He continued to swat her bottom as he spoke. “Remember what I said. I may be your assistant, but I‟m the boss. This is my trip, and you‟ll follow my rules.” Her behind burned under his assault, his hand smacking her in different areas, the smoldering pain spreading through her. She inhaled sharply, shaking her head. “No! Please stop! Get your hands off me!” “No!” His hand came down harder, two well placed smacks on each cheek. “This is what you wanted, right? Your editor wants you to write about spankings, and you wanted to experience them.”

The spanking continued and she tried to relax. She knew it hadn‟t been more than five, six minutes, surely. He kept spanking her, the strikes varying in intensity and placement. Finally, when she let out a soft whimper he stopped, rubbing her behind, which felt like it was on fire. “Shush, bad girl. That‟s it. Are you a naughty girl?” His words were soft and made her tremble even more. Her ass throbbed as he rubbed, and when he smacked her and said, “Answer me!” she whispered, “Yes, I‟m a naughty girl.” His hand came down hard several times again before he caressed her. “What a nice red behind, just like a naughty girl like you needs.” The words, spoken softly with his desire mixed in, excited her more than anything ever had in her life. Her insides quaked and her centered tightened in need. “Aaron, oh Aaron.” “Yeah, you like that.” He smacked her again. “You like it a lot, my bad little girl.” Three more smacks on each cheek. She closed her eyes as the burn worked through her. To hell with research; this was the most erotic thing she‟d ever had happen to her. Why wasn‟t he trying to make love to her now? She needed him, she knew that, needed the feel of him inside her now. He was rubbing her behind now, his hand gentle against her skin. “You feeling all right? Hum, talk to me.” “Yes, I‟m all right.” “You sure?” She could hear the concern in her voice, and it only served to excite her more. “Yes, I‟m sure. Can I get up now?” “Not yet.” He continued to stroke her. “I just want you to relax, let the spanking soak into you body.” She laughed nervously, then tried to relax. It took a few minutes before she did, letting the weight of her body sink into his. “That‟s what I wanted. Good girl. Just relax and think about the way it made you feel, both physically and mentally.” She had the physical feelings down pat. It stung, something fierce. Mentally, she wasn‟t too sure about. She‟d been nervous, and she didn‟t exactly enjoy it, but she didn‟t hate it, either. She wasn‟t too sure what that said, or meant. They remained silent for a few minutes before he helped her to her feet. “Pull up those pants before I‟m tempted to do something we should wait on.” She grinned at him as she fastened her jeans around her throbbing bottom. “I thought that‟s why we bought the condoms.” “Yeah, but not yet. I want the moment to be just right. I want us both to be ready for it. I want it to be perfect.” “Those words make it perfect.” “Not yet. Besides, you need a few more spankings under your belt, including a punishment spanking. You may not like me after that one.” ***** Tiffany sat on the deck of the cabin, her laptop open on the small portable table in front of her. She was trying to write down her feelings and observations from the spanking she‟d received today but it was hard to do. She couldn‟t really decide how she felt about it. It didn‟t hurt as badly as she thought it would. The sting did last for a little while, but it wasn‟t unbearable. It had been a little humiliating to be over his lap, but at the same time, it had

been fascinating. She wasn‟t sure exactly what she would write about it, or how she would put it into words. She mulled her thoughts as she alternately gazed at the computer and at Aaron, who stood in the yard, practicing casting with a fishing rod. He would flick his wrist and the lure would fly out. Then he‟d pull it back in and flick it out again. It was hard for her to imagine that just two short hours ago that hand had been coming down on her behind, repeatedly. She smiled at the thought. The spanking itself hadn‟t aroused him, but the sight of her afterwards, half undressed in front of him had. The fact that he was waiting made him more attractive to her eyes. “Say you.” She glanced up from the computer screen to see him standing next to her, looking down. “There‟s a small lake near here, about a thirty-minute hike. Wanna go? I can fish, you can write. Or, if you don‟t want to carry along your laptop you can take a book. Or you can fish. How does that sound to you?” “Sounds like fun.” She smiled at him shyly. “How‟s you bottom?” “Fine. It wasn‟t that bad.” She bit her lip and felt heat creeping up her neck and face. “I was very easy on you. Just wait, tonight‟s won‟t be that easy.” “Thanks for the warning, I‟ll remember to lock you out of the bedroom tonight.” The mention of that particular part of the house made her blush even more. She cleared her throat and looked up at him. “Should I pack a lunch?” “It‟s mid-afternoon, so it‟s a little late for lunch. But we did pick up that fried chicken at the market. That would make a great picnic, cold fried chicken, a bag of chips and some fruit.” She powered down her laptop and closed the lid. “I‟ll pack the lunch.” He nodded his agreement. “Then I‟m going to pack up some fishing stuff and a blanket for us to use. I have a cart on wheels so we can load it up and tow it behind us as we walk.” “Sounds very lazy.” “Sounds very practical,” he said, leaning over and kissing her gently. His lips barely touched hers, and yet it set off a firestorm in her body. She licked her lips and when she did, he moaned in appreciation and leaned over to kiss her again, his lips lingering this time, pressing against hers just hard enough that she moaned, or at least she thought she did. Maybe the both of them did and it just mixed together. “Wow,” she said softly. “That was nice.” “Very nice,” he said. “I wanted to do that earlier, but I don‟t want you to equate spanking and sex, not all the time. Just some of the time.” She laughed softly, and then stood. I‟ll go and pack the lunch.” She picked up her laptop and headed for the door, stopping when he called her name. When she turned back to him, the devilish smile on his face made her inside quake for about the thousandth time that day. “Don‟t wear any panties. You never know when you might get another spanking.” ***** “I haven‟t been to the mountains in ages,” Tiffany said, watching Aaron as he pulled the cart behind him. They‟d been walking for about thirty minutes now, and her stomach was starting to let her know its displeasure at being denied food. She hoped talking would take her mind off it. “Well, we‟ll come up more often, then.” They came through the woods to a clearing that

housed a small lake. They set out the blanket then placed the food down, both of them starting to eat as if they were starved. When they‟d both eaten a few pieces of chicken, Tiffany cleared her throat. “I have a question for you that I should have asked during your, um interview.” He grinned at her and took a sip of soda. “Then ask now.” “How did you get into spanking?” “I like it,” he said. “I‟m not really sure what it is that I like about it, but it appeals to me. A girlfriend asked me to spank her once, and it just grew from there.” “Okay,” she took a bite of her chicken. “Tell me what you like about it the most.” He considered the question for a few minutes, cocking his head. She wondered what was going through his mind. Then she wondered if he was editing his answer, trying to say something that wouldn‟t scare her off, or sounded good. Finally, after a few minutes, he cleared his throat. Two things. The women I spank enjoy it, and I like that. Plus, I have to admit, I like seeing a bare bottom across my lap. Sue me.” She laughed then, glad that he‟d told her the truth. “They enjoy it unless it‟s a punishment spanking. You said that already.” “Right. I have to admit that I didn‟t start punishment spankings until I married the ex. She‟s the only one who can claim that distinction. Well, until I spank you that way.” “You make it sound like you‟ve spanked a lot of women.” “A few.” He looked at her over the top of his soda can. “Does that bother you?” “No, I don‟t think so. It just seems a little strange, that‟s all.” Plus, it lets me know that this is all just for fun. What will my brother think when he finds out you banged his little sister? Does he know right I’m up here with you? Of course he set up the little thing on July 4 th, didn’t he, so he probably doesn’t care. Tiffany wasn‟t sure if that idea should bother her or not. She‟d had a few casual encounters in her lifetime, two as a matter of fact, with men she was attracted to, but didn‟t think would fit with her in the long run. She shouldn‟t think badly of Aaron just because he‟d had a few of them on his own. “Earth to Tiffany, earth to Tiffany, come in Tiffany.” Aaron was watching her, his expression a mixture of amusement and concern. “Something wrong?” “No. You know I‟ve known you since I was twelve years old, and I just realized that I don‟t really know that much about you. I mean besides the obvious things.” The amusement disappeared from his face. “You‟re concerned that I‟m a womanizer, that I‟m going to add you as a notch on my belt, so to speak?” “No…” She thought about it a few minutes. “Well, I guess a little. But I shouldn‟t, because it‟s not like this is anything other than a research trip, right?” Now the expression on his face was one of disbelief. “Um, well, I‟m hoping it‟s something more. You know, I used that excuse to get into your life, and to invite you up here. But if things click, and I think the will, I want us to try and build something together. I guess I didn‟t make that clear. If you don‟t want that, tell me now.” “What would it change?” She studied him carefully. “Well, it would mean spankings, but no sex. I‟m not the type to sleep around, and I didn‟t think you were either. It would make things too weird with us at future events.” “I guess this just all happened so fast that it‟s weird.” “Weird, but fun. Or at least I‟m having fun.” He studied her harder. “Are you upset about

the spanking I gave you?” “No, surprisingly I‟m not. I thought I might be, I admit. But it doesn‟t bother me. Which sort of freaks me out.” To break the silence that now filled the air, she started picking up trash, filling a plastic bag and putting it back in the cooler. When they blanket was clean of trash and food, they looked at each other again. “That‟s good.” He stood and put his hands on his hips. “What‟s good? The fact that I just cleaned up?” “No, the fact that you weren‟t upset. It makes this a lot easier.” He tackled her, sending her backwards into the ground. Laughter filled the air as the tumbled together, and when his hands went to her pants she tried to push him away. “Stop that!” “Nope, I told you that you never know when a spanking might occur. This is one of those situations.” She tried to fight him, but his fingers were faster than hers, plus he was ten times stronger. They laughed as they wrestled, and when he had her jeans undone, he got behind her and tugged them down. She was laughing too hard to try to do her struggles much good, and it didn‟t take him long to bare her bottom. He turned her onto her stomach, sitting on her thighs. The first swat was hard, and it made her cry out. “Brute!” Several more swats landed. “Get your hands off me!” “Oh please, you can do better than that. You said that last time.” “Aaron!” The slaps were harder than the ones he‟d given her in the cabin, the sting harder. Or was it hurting more because it came right on top of the first one he‟d given her? “Stop it! Someone might come along and see us!” “You‟ll have time to pull up your pants. Plus, they‟re just think we‟re making love, taking advantage of a warm summer day to play with each other‟s bodies.” Several more slaps landed. “Goodness, you‟re getting red awfully fast this time. I wonder what that means?” “That means it hurts!” She laughed, trying to push back off him. “I imagine so.” He delivered lights taps to her bottom. “I guess we‟ll have to postpone most of the rest of the spanking until later tonight, or tomorrow. I did warn you this would be a spanking intensive trip, that you‟d have a very sore bottom when it was over.” “You‟re right, you did.” He was caressing her bottom now, lighting tracing his fingertips over her flesh, which burned more than it did the first time, even though he hadn‟t spanked her as hard this time. He leaned over and kissed her neck. “I‟m going fishing now. Be a good girl and pull up your pants.” He jumped off her and walked to his cart, taking out a pole and a tackle box. “Meanie.” She stuck her tongue out at him when he turned to wink at her. “Oh yeah, that hurts.” His laughter filled the air. “Save it for when I really spank you.” She wiggled around and pulled up her pants, fastening them and then sitting up. She watched as he walked to the lake edge and set up his space, fixing his pole just the way he want it. Then he cast out a line, and slowly reeled it in until it was tight. He held that position for a few minutes, then reeled it all the way back up and repeated the movement. Watching his perfect form move was heaven above. She wanted him so badly. She really thought that he‟d make love to her out here, but she wondered if he‟d changed his mind after the conversation about how many women he‟d spanked,

and whether or not this was more than just a casual thing. If she‟d had any doubts about his intentions, he‟d set her straight there. He wanted more from her than just this weekend, and that was just fine with her. What would her parents think, she wondered, when they found out that she and Aaron were “keeping time together,” as her oldfashioned mother would say. Her parents liked Aaron, so that was a good thing. He‟d practically grown up at her house. Why had it taken so long for them to recognize the attraction? Was it because she was four years younger than he was? Or was it something else? Even as the questions ran through her mind she decided that it really didn‟t matter. They were together now, or working on being together, and that was good enough for her. Plus, he‟d given her a wonderful idea for her current work in progress, which was about a woman hiding out in the mountains after witnessing a murder. She fell in love with the lawman, and he protected her and saved her life. There would be a new scene added in the book now, where the couple would take a picnic to a lake, and the sheriff would spank the heroine, setting her bottom, and her passions on fire. Now all she needed to do was let Aaron know that he‟d done exactly that to her. Her bottom was on fire, and so was her desire for him. She watched as he cast out another line, and then drew it back empty. She got up from her blanket and picked up a small pebble, walking up behind him as quietly as possible before tossing the pebble so that it hit him lightly in the behind. He turned his head and looked down at his rump, and then he turned a smile on her. “Oh, you are in so much trouble young lady. You have no idea what you‟ve just started.”

Chapter Four Tiffany took off at a fast clip, her feet slipping slightly on the grass. She headed back toward the blanket, intent on picking up a bottle of water and turning it on him as he neared. But he had other ideas. “Get back here!” “Never surrender!” She laughed out the words as she ran, and then let out a loud oomph as Aaron tackled her, rolling them over until he was on top of her. “Now you really are a bad girl.” “Oh please, it was just a little pebble, and it couldn‟t have hurt near as much as the spanking you gave me.” She fought against him as he tried to get her arms above her head. They‟d wrestled before, as teens and young adults, laughing and joking about whatever was happening at the time. But this time was different. This time she knew where it would lead. And so did Aaron, she could tell by the look in his eyes. Instead of seeing amusement, or even just a little bit of anger, she saw nothing more than desire. When her arms were tight above her head he leaned down, putting his lips on hers gently. “I‟ve got you now,” he whispered, his breath tickling her lips. “What do you plan on doing to me?” “Taking you – making you mine.” He gathered both her hands in one of his, then took his free hand and slid it down her body, stopping at her stomach and inching under her shirt, tickling her skin. “I like that idea,” she said softly, moaning softly as he caressed her stomach, moving his way up toward her breasts. He released her hands and lifted her T-shirt. She lifted up enough for him to push it over her head and off. He gently caressed her breasts through the satiny material of her bra, then leaned over and captured a nipple, material and all, sucking it into his mouth as she arched up into him. “Aaron – so good.” “Sweet Tiffany,” he said, releasing her nipple long enough to push her bra down, trapping her arms by the straps and releasing her breasts. “You taste delicious.” He bent back down, nibbling on her nipple until she thought she would die of pleasure. She wiggled under him as he suckled her, teasing the nipple until it was hard as the pebble she‟d thrown at his butt. Then he abandoned it for the other one, giving it the same treatment. Tiffany groaned under him, knowing in her heart this was the most wonderful sexual experience she‟d ever had, and he wasn‟t even inside her yet. His hands and lips felt perfect on her, as if they were made for each other. She ran her fingers through his hair, loving the silky feel of it. When he lifted his mouth away from her and sat up she mewled in displeasure. “Shush, I‟ll be back. Let‟s get the rest of your clothes off.” His hands went to her waistband and she worried briefly about them being in the open, where anyone could walk up on them. It was late afternoon, she knew. Some fisherman might take advantage of the waning light to come down to the lake and fish. But as Aaron‟s hands undid her jeans, then worked them from her hips, all thoughts of being found out fled from her mind. All that mattered to her right now was being with him, taking him inside her, holding him close and hopefully never letting him go. When he‟d pulled her jeans off he stood and looked down at her, the look of pure

pleasure on his face making her squirm just a little. She caressed her stomach and licked her lips. “Get back down here.” “With pleasure.” He took off his own clothes quickly, throwing off his shirt and pulling off his jeans. Her eyes widened a little when she discovered he wasn‟t wearing any underwear. “I like going commando,” he said with a grin, reaching into his pocket and pulling out a condom. “You came prepared.” “I came with great anticipation that this little excursion would end with me buried deep inside you.” He stroked his erection and she moaned again, holding out her hand. “Don‟t put it on yet. I want to touch you.” “Oh, I like that idea.” He dropped to his knees next to her and she grasped him firmly, stroking his hardness as he moaned out his pleasure at her touch. “Yeah, baby. Oh yeah. I‟ve wanted this for so long.” “I wish I‟d known that, cause I felt the same way.” He lay down on his side, propping himself up on his elbow as his fingers moved to the center of her thighs, parting her wetness and stroking her folds. Their gazes locked as they caressed each other. He leaned over and kissed her, their tongues dancing around each other as their hands continued to move. When he broke off and muttered, “Can‟t wait,” she let go of him, watching as he rolled the condom over his cock and lifting himself above her. She parted her legs in invitation and he took it, centering himself at her opening and pushing gently. “Yeah, more.” The words were whispers and Tiffany fought to say them again louder. He pushed in gently and she clasped him, trying to make him go faster. “Slowly,” he said. “I want to savor this, I want it to last forever.” “Oh, Aaron, please. You‟re driving me crazy.” “A sweet crazy.” He pushed in a little more and her body trembled around him. She tried to lift her hips but he moved his hands down there, holding her in place as he gently inched in more. “Do you feel how much I want you? Do you feel me pulsing inside you?” She nodded, and then gasped when he gave a final hard push, filling her completely. He captured her lips in a demanding kiss as he started to move, rocking in and out of her as she clasped her legs around his hips, wrapping her arms around his shoulders and digging her fingers into his skin. “Yeah,” he said, throwing his head back and increasing his pace. “Better than – oh lord, better than I – thought it would be. Oh Tiffany!” His thrusts increased, his hardness sliding over her G-spot and sending her flying over the edge. She clasped him tightly as she came, loving the feeling of him doing the same above her, his cock seeming to expand inside her as he exploded. Their deep breathing mixed as they held each other tightly. “So good,” he whispered. “Really, though, that word doesn‟t begin to capture what I‟m feeling right now. Fantastic. Stupendous. Orgasmic.” He grinned down at her as she reached up and kissed him, capturing his lower lip between her teeth. Their lips mingled for a few minutes as he continued to pulse inside her. “We need to get dressed,” she said softly. “Just in case someone comes along.” “Who cares? I don‟t ever want to leave your body. I want to live my life right here, forever.”

Her heart felt as if it would burst, and when he laid his head on her shoulder she snuggled into him, accepting his weight with no complaint, and loving ever minute that they were joined together. When he rolled them onto their sides, keeping her close, she transferred her head to his chest. “I hope it wasn‟t too fast,” he said softly, turning his head so that he could lay it on top of hers, putting just enough pressure for her to nuzzle him more. “I wanted the first time to be perfect, so you would never want to leave my arms.” “Aaron, it was perfect.” She felt his breathing deepen, and she knew he was probably close to sleep. Once again she worried about being caught, and then she decided that she didn‟t care. As long as she was with Aaron, nothing bad could ever happen. ***** The next morning she woke up in his arms, snuggled under the covers of the big bed in the cabin. He‟d made love to her once more at the lake, right before the sun set. The cooling air mixed with the sweat from their bodies created a sensation unlike anything she‟d ever felt before. She trembled under his touch, and when he‟d kissed her over and over after as they lay there together she felt as he did. She didn‟t want anything to change, and she never wanted them to leave each other‟s arms. “Good morning, naughty girl.” He pulled her further back into his body. She could feel his hard cock pressing against her backside. She moaned at the contact, then giggled at his words. “Good morning. Are you cooking breakfast?” “Am I? I thought maybe you would cook, since I cooked yesterday.” Her laughter filled the room. “Cooked? The only meal we ate was the chicken, and we bought that, not cooked it.” “You wound me.” He put his hand on his chest. “True, we bought it, but it was my idea. I believe that makes me responsible for the meal, meaning you‟re responsible for this one. Will you cook naked for me?” “As a fireman I would think you would know that is a dangerous practice. What if bacon grease splatters on my delicate flesh?” “I‟ll stay naked with you, and you can wear an apron.” He jumped up and held out his hand. Her mouth watered at the sight of him standing there, his erection greeting her. “Wouldn‟t you like to take care of that first?” She inclined her head toward his crotch. “No. I want to keep it for a while, for both our pleasures.” He wiggled his hand. “Come on, I‟m hungry.” She stared up at him, wondering how many meals they‟d shared in the years they‟d known each other. Never once would she have guessed one of those meals would be with both of them naked, and Aaron highly aroused. When he‟d helped her up, they went into the kitchen together. She resisted the urge to reach out and grasp him, wrap her hands around his hardness and say, “forget breakfast, I want to do other things.” In the kitchen she glanced at the clock and gasped. “It‟s almost two. Do you realize we slept all morning?” “You wore me out last night,” he said, going to a drawer and pulling out a full-body apron. “Plus, that bed was so comfortable with you in it, I didn‟t want to leave. I don‟t know about you.”

She held out her arms as he put the apron over her head, and then reached around her to tie the strings. His hardness poked her again and she moaned. “You‟re killing me, you know. Making me feel that wonderful hard-on but not letting me play with it.” “Hush. I‟m in charge here. You do as I say, or you get spanked.” Her eyes widened at his words. “Excuse me?” “Spanking intensive weekend, remember? Now, I want sausage and pancakes for breakfast. Fix it.” If there hadn‟t been a huge smile on his face, and if she hadn‟t been wrapped in his arms, she might take offense at his order. “Fine,” she said with a snarl. “But you said spanking intensive weekend, not slave intensive weekend. Since you seem unable to cook, just sit down, your highness, and I‟ll fix your breakfast.” “Sounds great to me. I like to see you naked and cooking. Makes me hard.” “You‟ve been hard since we woke up,” she said with a grin. “Then it just makes me harder.” He stroked his thigh and Tiffany allowed her gaze to fasten on his crotch. She cleared her throat and then turned to the stove. She cooked the sausage first, taking her time and moving the links around with a fork, determined to make it last for a while and not have the sausage and pancakes done at the same time. “You‟re not very good at cooking are you?” His words made the hairs on the back of her neck stand up. “Excuse me?” “Well, all the food should be ready at the same time. You should have started the pancakes already.” He chuckled, and then blew her a kiss. “You do have a very nice ass though. And seeing it wiggling in between the apron halves is turning me on more than I already was. He wiggled his brows and she shook her head. “Too bad. You passed.” “You want it as bad as I do. Come here.” She stuck her tongue out at him, and then turned back to the sausages, finishing them up and putting them on a paper towel to get any last traces of grease off them. She took out a bowl, the mix, some eggs and milk, and then tossed together the batter for the pancakes. When it was ready, she started to open drawers, looking for a spatula. “I can‟t cook without the proper utensils,” she said, turning to him. She lifted her brows as she watched him lift a large plastic spatula from the table and wiggle it at her. “This what you‟re looking for?” “Yes.” She held out her hand. “Give it to me.” “With pleasure.” He stood and advanced quickly, turning her so that she faced the sink. “Just remember, you asked for it.” And then he started to spank her with the spatula. “Ow! Ow! Ow!” She pranced on her toes and then put her hands on the counter and lifted up, kicking her feet back. “You‟re research assistant‟s been falling down on the job.” The spatula fell over and over, the sting much worse than his hand had been. “I promised you several different spankings, and all I did last night was make love to you. Not that I‟m complaining about that.” He paused in speaking to deliver several hard swats. “Ouch! That hurts.” He put his arm against her lower back and clasped her hip with his hand as he spanked her more. “I never said it wouldn‟t. But you‟re turning a beautiful shade of red, you know that?

Absolutely beautiful.” Several more hard slaps came, and she actually heard herself groan, like she was feeling passion. “That‟s what I wanted to hear,” he said in her ear. “You were already turned on, and this is making you even more so.” Tiffany shook her head, wishing she could deny it but knowing it was the truth. Why was the pain turning her on? Was that normal? She‟d never felt anything like this before. Was it because Aaron was spanking her, was that why she was so excited? He rubbed the spatula against her ass, moving it in slow circles. “You like it, admit it.” “Take me.” She pushed back, hoping to feel his body again. Instead, all she felt was the spatula, the pressure of it increased. “No, first you have to say it. Tell me you like it when I spank you.” “Aaron.” “Say it.” “I like it, Aaron.” She shivered as he delivered two more swats. “I like it a lot.” “Yeah you do. It‟s delicious, and it‟s naughty, and it‟s great fun.” He moved behind her. She spread her legs as he grabbed her hips, one hand still holding the spatula. He entered her slowly, and she briefly wondered about a condom. When he slapped her ass with the spatula as he started to move in and out of her, all thoughts of the condom fled. He timed the swats with his thrusts, slapping one side of her ass as he entered her, and the other as he pulled back. “Aaron!” “That‟s it baby, come for me.” She trailed her fingers down to her throbbing nub, groaning when he slapped her ass harder. “That‟s it, do it. Come on.” It took very little time for her orgasm to hit. The combination of the spanking and her fingers drove her crazy. She groaned loudly and he pulled out and spanked her harder, the plastic slapping her ass repeatedly. “Spank me, spank me. Harder. Oh, Aaron!” He increased the intensity of his spanking, slapping her ass harder and harder as she screamed out for more. She‟d never felt anything this intense, and she wasn‟t sure if it was what they were doing, or the fact that Aaron was doing it. Small aftershocks of her orgasm rocked her, and she slumped against the counter as he stroked her back, the spatula still lightly slapping her behind. “Your ass is going to be very sore now,” he said, kissing her ear. “I‟m going to go and get a condom so we can finish. You stay in the exact same position, you understand?” “Yes, Aaron.” She could hear the dreaminess in her voice, feel her body quake as he stroked her sides. “My good girl.” He kissed her shoulder and then he left the room. She clasped the counter as she waited, wondering why she‟d never tried this before, knowing it was the most erotic thing she‟d ever done. He was back within minutes, grasping her hips and slipping inside. “Do you want more spanking?” Her ass screamed out no, but the word, “yes,” slipped out of her mouth. This time it was harder, both his thrusts and the spanking. He would stay gone from her for several minutes, spanking her hard before slipping back inside. She kicked out at the incredible feelings it aroused

in her. He did the same as last time, alternating swats but with more intensity. When she felt herself building up to orgasm again she thought she would faint from the feelings. “More! More! Oh!” The spatula came down hard, hitting different areas of her behind. She felt Aaron stiffen inside her and she knew that he, too, had just spilled over the edge. When he was done, he delivered five hard slaps to each of her cheeks, then rubbed her behind again. “Thank you, baby.” He licked her neck up to her ear. “That was incredible.” “Thank me? Thank you. You‟re right, it was very incredible.” Her behind throbbed and she wondered how many more spankings he planned for this weekend. If they were all like this, she would gladly take them, and thousands more just like them. ***** The stars twinkled above them as they lay on the blanket. Tiffany lay on her back, but her bottom hurt so much that she whined, and then turned. “Don‟t be a baby,” he said with a laugh. She pushed at his shoulder. “Me? You know let‟s pound your ass with a spatula, after you got spanked twice the day before, and see how you take it.” “I haven‟t spanked you near enough to do my job. I should probably give you another one right now.” He pulled her close and acted like he was going to slap her behind, then pulled back “But, I might wait until later.” “You‟re very magnanimous.” They laughed together and then he kissed her forehead. “I know.” He kissed her forehead again, trailing his lips down her cheek, then over to her nose. “Does your butt hurt really bad?” “It‟s pretty sore, yes. I have a feeling that getting another spanking on top of the throbbing I‟m feeling will hurt.” “Yes, it will. I warned you of that.” She sniffed, and then smiled. “You did, but I want this. Scary that I do, but I do. But can we wait and do another spanking tomorrow?” “I suppose so.” He flicked his fingers over her collarbone. “But you know, technically you shouldn‟t know when a spanking is coming.” “You mean like this morning, when you just sprung it on me. You‟d planned that.” Even in the darkness she could see the look of mock surprise on his face. And then he laughed. “Yeah, I did.” “What else do you have planned?” “Can‟t tell you. Sorry.” “Aaron, there‟s obviously something you want to tell me. Come on.” “Nope. I promised you a spanking intensive weekend, and so far you‟ve only had three.” “Three in two days That‟s a lot. How many more are you planning?” “Two, maybe three.” When she frowned he winked at her “If I was being really intense, I‟d give you one in the morning and evening of every night we were here. That would mean you‟d be getting one right now.” “I‟m grateful to you, then, for giving me a break.” “That‟s cause I have a biggie planned for tomorrow.” She frowned just a little. “Does that mean you‟re planning on doing a punishment spanking, truly? You said it, but I really didn‟t believe you.” “I am. Don‟t know if it will be tomorrow, or the next day, or maybe when we get back to Boulder, but you‟re going to have to take at least one. For research purposes.” She sat up, her behind yelling out in protest as she sat on it. It really wasn‟t that bad, she

knew, but after a few more it would be. It made her question her resolve to go on this “spanking intensive” trip. She decided to try and worm her way out of the next few spankings. “You know, I have an idea what a spanking is about now, and how you can be creative, and work it into lovemaking. Thanks for that.” “I‟d say you‟re welcome and let it go, but I sense a huge but coming on now.” “Maybe I know enough now. I mean, I really think I‟ll be able to work a spanking or two into my next book and it will come out great. Maybe we don‟t need to do any more spankings.” “You want me to shirk my responsibilities?” “No, I just want to save my butt.” His laughter sent chills up her spine. “I‟ll tell you what, we‟ll do one tomorrow, and one the next day. That won‟t be so bad, will it?” “Depends.” She lay back down and cuddled into his arms. “What happens when we get back to Boulder?” “Well, I won‟t spank you every day. But I do think we agreed that we were going to try and make something permanent out of this, right?” “Yes.” Her palms sweat as she said the word. “I‟d like that very much. Do you think it will work?” His silence made her nervous. When he finally spoke she felt dread spread through her body. “Why don‟t you think it‟ll work?” “Well, it‟s just so quick.” “What are you talking about? We‟ve known each other forever.” “Not as boyfriend and girlfriend, though.” “Well, see, that‟s where your problem lies. I was thinking more along the lines of husband and wife.” She stiffened and pulled away from him “What? When were you going to tell me this? Did you think I would just figure out that‟s what you meant, or were you going to mention it at some point?” “Why are you mad about this?” “I‟m not mad, but I think you‟re taking a lot for granted. We haven‟t even said we love each other and you‟re talking about us being husband and wife. It makes me more than a little nervous.” The silence grew, and then he cleared his throat. “So, when we said it would be something we were trying to work toward, permanently, you didn‟t think I meant husband and wife. You thought I mean boyfriend and girlfriend, like in high school.” She could hear the anger in his voice, and it surprised her. “No. But … marriage?” “I‟m not saying marriage right away, but yeah, I‟d like to work toward that. Don‟t you?” Tiffany sat back up, and then turned toward him. “I never thought I‟d get married. Seriously. I can write about relationships, but I‟m not very good at being in one. You must have noticed that through the years.” “Yeah, well I guess my divorce puts me in that category, too. Still, I‟d like to think we can work on it together. What do you say?” The silence returned. Finally, she cleared her throat. “How mad are you going to be if I say I want to think about it?” “As long as you‟re not saying no, I‟m thrilled.”

Chapter Five Tiffany thought she should hit herself over the head. Here she‟d been worried that Aaron wanted nothing more from her than a casual screw, and the first time he mentioned something permanent she freaked out. What did that say about her? That she was more than a little bit nuts, that‟s what it said. He‟d mentioned that he wanted to be a permanent part of her life, but he‟d never mentioned marriage, until now. She lay on her side, watching him as he slept. Memories of yesterday morning‟s spanking and lovemaking made her body shiver with pleasure. She wasn‟t sure she wanted another spanking with the spatula. Not today, anyway. Her bottom was very sore this morning. Part of her hoped he didn‟t wake up and say she needed the “hair of the dog,” and part of her wanted him to say just that. Soreness be damned, she loved it when Aaron spanked her. Ideas for her latest book were already spinning through her mind. She should let him sleep while she got up and put some of her thoughts down on paper, or on the laptop anyway. She leaned over and kissed him gently. When he didn‟t stir, she got out of bed slowly, threw on the shirt he‟d been wearing the night before and crept out of the room. She grabbed her laptop and headed out to the deck. Once she‟d powered it up she went into the kitchen to put on a pot of coffee. When it was done, she went outside and started to type, laughing to herself as she wrote the scene from yesterday, making her main character, Alissa, cook while Hector spanked her bottom with the spatula. By the time they were making love, Tiffany was so excited she thought she would come right on the spot. “Hum, very sexy read.” She gave a soft cry of surprise, and then turned to Aaron, who was reading over her shoulder. “I was so into what I was doing, I didn‟t realize you‟d come outside. You should have said something.” “And miss watching you write? I liked it, you‟re totally centered in the world you‟re writing about, and you don‟t even recognize what‟s going on around you. That can be a bad thing, but it‟s sexy, too.” He leaned closer to the screen. “Alissa moaned under him, loving the feel of his hardness inside her, loving the pleasure of their coupling mixed with the sweet pain of the spatula coming down on her bottom. She‟d never felt anything so perfect in her entire life. She wanted this moment to last. Forever.” She shivered when he kissed her neck. “You really did like it, didn‟t you?” “Yes, I loved it.” She turned to him. “But I‟m too sore to do it today.” His laughter made her smile. “Okay, no spatulas this morning, I promise.” “Thank you.” “You‟re welcome. Now, do you need to go into town, do some wi-fi stuff?” “Yes.” He helped her to stand, then pulled her close for a deep kiss. “Then let‟s get cracking. We‟ve got things to do today.” He kissed her again, and she melted into his arms. “Let‟s shower together, shall we?” “Oh yes, I think that‟s a great idea.” He made love to her in the shower, stroking her gently and setting a slow pace that almost drove her crazy. They didn‟t talk as they caressed each other, touching and licking and kissing until they were both groaning in pleasure.

After they‟d both come, he turned off the water, dried her off then carried her to the bedroom. “Can we just stay here forever?” “Would you like that?” “Oh yes, no outside world, no bills to pay, no places to go. Just you and me together, making love.” “And spanking.” “That too.” He gently stroked her neck. “I‟m glad you feel that way, cause I keep thinking I‟m falling down on the job.” Then he pushed her back on the bed and growled, “turn over.” “No!” She tried to crawl away but he was too fast for her, grabbing her legs and flipping her quickly. He slapped her ass without warning and she grabbed the bed sheet, trying to pull herself away from him. “Just a small one, to remind you of why we‟re here.” He slapped her ass a few times, then leaned over and kissed each cheek, running his tongue over her flesh. “How does that feel?” “You‟re kidding me, right? Like heaven on earth.” “Good.” He gave her a few more licks, then sat back up and spanked her again, hard slaps that made her groan. “Not so hard.” “What?” He slapped her ass again, harder this time than he had the last. “Too hard. My bottom still hurts from yesterday.” “No, I told you that I felt as if I‟d fallen down on the job.” “You also said one per day from now on.” The slaps were harder still, the sting harsh against her bottom, which was still partially wet from the shower and his kisses. “I changed my mind.” He was sitting on her legs now, alternating the slaps between her cheeks. They stung something fierce. She clasped the sheet and took the spanking, knowing this was why they were here. To take her mind off it she counted the strokes, which were slow and deliberate. Two, five, ten, fifteen. At twenty she stiffened, hoping he would stop, but he didn‟t. He gave her twenty more, then leaned over and kissed her neck. “There, that‟ll get you warmed up for the day.” “It more than warms me up,” she said. “My ass is burning.” “Good. I like that idea. I like it that while you‟re sitting in the car on our way into town you‟re thinking about me spanking you, about how my hand feels coming down on your ass.” What was wrong with her? Why did those words turn her on so much? “Do you need more?” “No.” He nibbled on her shoulder. “Are you sure?” “Yes.” “Then let‟s get dressed and get our stuff done in town.” His voice sounded different today, and she wondered exactly what he had planned for her. Would he give her a punishment spanking today? She hoped not. Maybe she could figure out some way to talk him out of that type of spanking. Part of her knew, though, that was exactly where he was heading. She was pretty sure she could envision that one, after being spanked a few times now, and she didn‟t like what she saw in those visions.

***** At the café, she set her laptop up at a station and after connecting, found her editor on IM. She shot her the file she‟d written that morning, anxiously awaiting her yeah or nay as she sipped a cup of coffee. They were in a bookshop, and Aaron was browsing through the titles, coffee in one hand. She cut her gaze to him as she waited, thinking about that morning‟s spanking. It hadn‟t been erotic, like the ones he‟d given her in the past, but she knew it wasn‟t a true “punishment” spanking because she‟d done nothing wrong. Or at least she didn‟t think she had. This trip had been entertaining, and educational, and she didn‟t want to think about them going back to Boulder in the morning. Or would he wait until the afternoon? Would he want to spend as much time as possible with her here, or was he ready to go home? He‟d been quiet today, quiet in the car as they drove, and then he‟d carried her laptop into the store and left her to it. Maybe he just didn‟t want to interrupt her work. The ding of her IM program caught her attention. There was a huge smiley face on the talk spot with the words, “OH MY…” printed behind it. “You like?” “Oh yes, Tiffany, I don‟t just like it, I love it. Talk about hot. This is going to be a huge hit. Keep it coming, missy.” “Glad you liked it.” Tiffany typed in a smiley face and hit send. “Tell me his name.” “What?” “His name, the man who‟s fueling your fantasies. You need to keep him around, sweetie. This story is perfect.” Tiffany listed her gaze from the screen to look around. She couldn‟t see Aaron anywhere in the store, which didn‟t mean much. He‟d said he might go to a few shops nearby and come back within the hour. She‟d told him not to worry, that she would be fine. Now, though, she was nervous that she couldn‟t see him anywhere. That made her nervous. Why did she suddenly have this urge to see him everywhere she turned, to be with him all the time, to want to see him when she looked up? What did that mean? She was pretty sure she knew what it meant, and it frightened her. The program dinged again and she looked down. “Well?” She could almost hear the impatience in Stacy‟s voice, even though she wasn‟t speaking, only typing. “His name‟s Aaron, and I think I‟m in love with him.” ***** Aaron stood off to the side of the mystery section and focused his gaze on Tiffany. She had been busy typing and now she was looking around, as if she were trying to find him. Just the idea of her looking for him made him hard. There was a huge part of him that wanted to take her to the courthouse, get a license and marry her. Today. Why had he waited so long to make a move? Six months ago, when he‟d seen her at Chase‟s birthday party, he realized that his feelings for her had grown, had changed. She‟d stirred his insides then just like she was doing now. He‟d ignored his feelings for too long, and they were too intense now. She almost freaked when he‟d mentioned the words husband and wife to her. But that‟s what he wanted. He wanted her for his wife. He wanted to live with her, to see her face first thing in the morning, and to fall asleep next to her every night. Well, every night he wasn‟t on duty. That might be tough for her, him having to spend nights at the station when he was on

duty. His ex had hated it, and it had been part of the reason they‟d split. He‟d refused to leave his job, saying it was part of him and she‟d known about it before they‟d married. Now he wondered how Tiffany would feel about it. She was a very independent woman, who had lived on her own for most of her adult life. Surely it wouldn‟t bother her to spend nights alone while he was at work. Would it? She‟d turned back to her screen now, typing away, laughing at something that had appeared on it. Just that little movement made him hard. He wanted to go to her now and kiss her, slip his tongue inside her to claim her mouth, keep her next to him and never let her go. He wasn‟t finished with his job, of course. He‟d promised her at least one punishment spanking, but so far she hadn‟t done anything to deserve one. You couldn‟t just deliver a punishment spanking for no reason. That would set a very bad example, whether it was just for research or not. Punishment spankings had to have reasons behind them, otherwise they just seemed like abuse. She was closing her laptop now, packing it back in the case. How long had he been standing here staring at her, wondering about things? She drank the last of her coffee, and then tossed the cup in the trash before throwing the strap for her bag over her shoulder and heading out into the store. He watched her walk, the loose sundress swishing around her legs. The bodice of it didn‟t hug her curves as tightly as he would have liked, but he knew what was hidden under that dress. A soft body that he would love to lose himself inside. Forever. When she was close to him, he said softly, “Hey you.” She jumped just a little bit, and then turned to him. “I was wondering if you were still inside here, or if you‟d gone off somewhere else.” “No, I was here, watching you.” “Watching me, huh?” She took a step closer. “What were you thinking?” “That we need to get back to the cabin now.” Her grin made him laugh. “Sounds like a great idea to me.” “But we have one place to stop, first.” The idea had just come to him, and he was pretty sure that her reaction would give him the reason for the punishment spanking. “Where?” “The drug store.” “Oh, are we out of condoms?” “No, we‟re going shopping for a hair brush, and a ping-pong set.” He loved the confused look she gave him; loved watching her mind roll over what he‟d said. When she finally figured it out she shook her head. “Oh no.” “Oh, yes. We should have bought them the other day. The ping-pong set will be easy to buy, no biggie there. But you‟ll have to decide what type of brush you want to be spanked with. There will be several choices, wooden or plastic. Of course you know what the plastic feels like, from being spanked with the spatula. But you don‟t know about the wood. Maybe we should go for that.” “And maybe we should go for neither. I‟m thinking using your hand will be just fine for the rest of this trip. I won‟t pick out something for you to spank me with.” Her voice was hushed, so only he would hear her. “Oh yes, you will.” That’s it, sweetie, react just the way I want you to. Get mad so I can remind you that’s why we’re here, for research. Getting mad for me doing my job is a great

reason for a punishment spanking. “No.” She shook her head. “Don‟t argue with me. You knew that‟s why we are here. Now, let‟s go and get the job done so we can get back to the cabin.” Come on, baby, don’t let me down. Throw a small fit. Give me a reason. “No. I refuse. My bottom hurts already, and I think it‟s cruel to make me pick out something you‟re going to spank me with.” He narrowed his eyes at her, trying to seem angry. Surely she knew by now what was happening, that he wanted her to be a brat. She knew what he‟d promised. He leaned over so his lips were right next to her ear. “You will do it, and you will behave. Do you understand me?” He moved away just enough to gaze down at her. He saw the look of understanding in her eyes. She didn‟t like it but she understood. She also knew enough to play her part. “What if I say no all together? What if I throw a fit and say you can‟t spank me, not that way. I won‟t allow it.” “You knew this was coming.” He tried to keep his voice soft, yet firm. “Besides, I‟m in charge, remember? We discussed that already. You will be spanked for being a bad girl.” “I don‟t want to do it. Please, Aaron. Can‟t we skip that?” The sound of her voice almost made him say yes. He knew she had to be very sore, but he wanted to make sure she got the full benefit of this weekend. Plus, punishment spankings would carry over into their permanent relationship. There was just no way around that. He wanted her to know that, and to experience it. “No. Now, let‟s go to the store so we can go back to the cabin. Don‟t argue with me, Tiff. This is the way it has to be.” For a minute he thought she would tell him to go to hell. Instead, she nodded, then sighed heavily. “Fine. Let‟s get it over with.” They found a small store not far from where they were. The streets were crowded, even in the summertime, with people coming up to enjoy all the resort town had to offer. When they were inside he quickly found a ping-pong set, holding her hand tightly as they stared at it. “What do you think?” “No.” “Yes, I think we‟ll buy it anyway. We can set it up and play ping-pong on the kitchen table. “Hardly regulation size.” “Then I‟ll buy a table, too. There‟s some flat area outside we can set it up in.” He tried to keep his voice light, but knew from her expression that she wasn‟t having any of it. She didn‟t want a punishment spanking, and she certainly didn‟t want one with a ping-pong paddle. He leaned over to whisper in her ear. “If you don‟t want that, I‟m sure we can find another type of paddle here, a boat oar, or even paddles like fraternities use for their pledges. Would you rather have that?” “I‟d rather have none.” “We‟ll stick with the original plan.” He went to the front of the store and got a cart, loading the table and paddles in it. “And now to the hair care products.” They found the aisle easily enough, and he watched her as she examined the brushes. She‟d picked up a small wooden one, and then seemed to change her mind and put it back. Finally she turned to him and motioned him closer.

“Which one will hurt the most, wooden or plastic?” “I think they both have equal sting. You‟ve tasted plastic already, remember? And you‟ll taste a bit of both with the paddle, the wood with its plastic covering. Maybe you should go for just wood with this.” She nodded, and then picked out one with a medium-sized wooden back. When she handed it to him, she stuck out her tongue. “Oh please, don‟t be mad at me for it.” “Why not? I‟d hoped we‟d moved past that.” “Oh no, there‟s a vast difference between a punishment spanking and the erotic ones we‟ve done so far. I gave you a little warm up this morning, just so you‟d have an idea of what it felt like. Now it‟s time to go back to the cabin and finish what I started this morning.” ***** Tiffany‟s palms sweat as Aaron drove the car toward the cabin. She knew this was going to be part of this weekend, but she wasn‟t at all happy about it. Aaron had warned her it would be intensive, that her bottom would be very sore. Still, she‟d hoped that this part of it could be forgotten. Now that she knew what a spanking felt like, she could imagine the punishment spanking. Or could she? Maybe he was right. Maybe she needed this to be able to write about it. He pulled up in front of the cabin and put the car in park. “Let‟s go inside.” “I want to talk about this first.” “There‟s nothing to talk about. We agreed before this weekend, remember?” “Yes, but my ass is already sore. I don‟t want to be spanked with the brush, or with the paddle.” “You took your spanking yesterday just fine.” “Yeah, but that was for fun, wasn‟t it? This one isn‟t going to be, and you know it.” “I‟m not going to argue about this, Tiffany. Go inside. Now.” She opened the car door with a push, slamming it behind her and heading toward the cabin at a fast clip. She thought that maybe, just maybe, if she got there before him she could lock herself in the bedroom and that would be the end of it, right? Of course there was no telling if the bedroom even had a lock on it. At least she would get a head start on him. He had to get the ping-pong table and the other sacks with the paddles and hairbrush out of the car. She picked up her pace, hoping to make it faster. Remembering that he hadn‟t locked the cabin door she pushed it open, then headed to the bedroom. She shut the door, and then cursed when she found it didn‟t have a lock. She was almost in panic mode now, knowing this spanking was going to hurt, and not wanting it. She pulled the door open, intent on going to the front door and locking it. Before she could reach it, though, the door opened and he stepped inside. He‟d left the table in the car, but he had the brush and paddle in his hand. He shut the door and locked it, then turned to her. “Which one?” “Neither.” “Tiffany, choose one, or I‟ll use them both.” “Aaron.” Her voice shook. “Please, neither one.” “Fine, you‟ll get a taste of them both. This will be easier for you if you just submit to it. It‟s not like this is a surprise.” “That doesn‟t mean I have to like it.” But she knew he was right. This was part of the

deal, and fighting it wouldn‟t make it go any easier. Maybe just going with the flow would make it easier, make it end faster. “Can I just choose the brush, then?” “Yes, you can.” She sighed in relief at his words. “Thank you.” “Let‟s sit on the couch, shall we?” He cupped her cheek. “So civil,” she said with a laugh. “It just makes it seem that much stranger.” He gave her a smile, and she knew it was to try and reassure her. “I‟m not going to bloody your behind, if that‟s what you‟re worried about. Punishment spankings are supposed to hurt, so that in the future, if you think of doing something bad again you think about it, and hopefully change your mind about what you were going to do.” “Hum, somehow I don‟t think my parents ever indulged in spankings.” “You never know. Mine did, and still do.” Tiffany‟s mouth dropped open. “Excuse me? Your father spanked your mother?” “Yup. One time when I was a teen-ager, I came in the house while it was happening, or rather it had just ended. I heard the tail end of it, and hurried toward their bedroom. And then I heard my parents talking. They were discussing the spanking, and the reasons for it. I don‟t remember what had happened. I think it was that my mother had some thing that made my father very angry, something to do with money, I don‟t exactly remember now.” “So, your eavesdropping career started early.” He gave her a smile. “I guess you can say that. That night, I got my father alone and confronted him about it. I wanted to know exactly what had happened, and why.” “And what did he say?” Aaron looked past her shoulder, and then swallowed. “What he said was in a relationship there needed to be someone in charge. He and my mother had decided long ago that person would be him, and that they would use spankings to follow that rule.” “I didn‟t figure out spankings could be fun until I was much older.” His grin spread across his face. “My father never said anything about erotic spankings, so I don‟t know if they practiced that or not. Actually, I‟m not sure I want to know. After all, it is my parents we‟re talking about. Some things are just better left unsaid.” She laughed, her nerves calming just a little. Aaron had a habit of doing that to her, making her feel at ease. He always had, and she was very happy for that quality right now. “So, you spanked your ex, both types of spankings?” The idea bothered her just a little bit. She knew it was jealousy, an she fought it down, knowing the feeling was stupid, and would do nothing but upset her for no reason. “Yup. But that wasn‟t what broke us apart, if you‟re worried about that. I don‟t think we loved each other as much as we thought.” “I see.” “Are you ready for that punishment spanking now?” “No, but I don‟t think I‟ll ever be more ready than I am, so I guess we might as well get it started.”

Chapter Six Tiffany stepped next to Aaron, who sat on the couch without speaking. He seemed to have an infinite amount of patience right now, and she was happy about that. She didn‟t want to rush into this. Or did she? If she rushed into it, it would be over sooner rather than later, and she wouldn‟t have to worry about it anymore. “You know what to do.” She nodded, then reached under her dress and took off her panties, leaving them on the floor. She lifted her skirt above her hips, and then gently lowered herself onto his lap, glad when he helped her. “You need to relax,” he said softly. “This will hurt much worse if you don‟t relax. You need to remember that when you‟re getting punishment spankings.” “I don‟t plan on getting that many,” she said just as softly. “This won‟t happen too many times, I guarantee it.” He answered her with a short laugh. “I hope you‟re right, for your bottom‟s sake.” She inhaled sharply when he caressed her ass with the wood, slowly moving it back and forth. She tried to take his advice and relax, but she just couldn‟t do it. She started to push up, to say she didn‟t think this was needed. And then he struck, the brush coming down hard one, two, three, four times. “Ouch!” Her already sore behind burned as she cried out. He delivered four more swats, hard ones that made her kick her feet. “That hurts!” Three more landed. “This isn‟t for fun like the other ones were. You were a bad girl today and you argued with me, even though we‟d already discussed it. The reasons for this trip were clear when we started. You had no reason to balk when you knew this was coming.” “Ouch! No, Aaron, stop!” The swats landed harder, five more on each cheek. Tears formed in her eyes as he rubbed the brush against her cheeks, which were now burning. “Please, that‟s enough.” She bit her lip has he continued to spank her, the brush landing in different areas. “I don‟t like this.” Her voice trembled as he spanked her. “You‟re not supposed to like it,” he said, once again rubbing her ass with wood. “This is punishment, not fun.” She sniffled, and then cried out when he delivered a rapid volley of swats, landing on different spots, but all with the same hard feel to them. A few tears leaked, and then he rubbed her bottom. “That‟s enough, I think. I told you there would be one punishment spanking and that was it. You really haven‟t done anything wrong, just argued a little. And I egged it on.” He turned her over and pulled her into a sitting position, gathering her in his arms. “I‟m sorry, baby.” She snuggled into his arms. “If that‟s the worst of it, that‟s okay.” He kissed her forehead. “I hate to tell you this, but that wasn‟t the worst of it. That was an easy one. Very easy. I don‟t plan on giving you lots of punishment spankings during our marriage, but they can happen. You‟ve got to be prepared for them.” She stiffened, and then pushed away. “I‟m not sure I like that idea. As a matter of fact, I know I don‟t like it.” She looked down at him, her hands on her hips. “I don‟t want that to happen again.”

“Baby, I told you. It‟ll be part of our relationship. You have to learn to deal with it.” “I don‟t think you‟d say that if you were the one having to deal with it.” She walked away from the couch, going over to the fireplace and then crossing to the window to look out at the expanse of trees outside. “Baby, you said you wanted to know all about spankings, and that includes punishment spankings. It‟s can be a healthy part of a relationship.” “Really? Is that why you‟re divorced?” She regretted the words the minute they were out of her mouth. “I‟m sorry. I didn‟t mean it that way, really.” He was silent for a minute, and then he stood. “I know you didn‟t like it, but like I said, you‟re not supposed to. That‟s the point of a punishment spanking.” “Yeah, and you expect them to be a part of our relationship, and I‟m the one who has to deal with it. Like I said, I don‟t like it.” “You can‟t pick and choose what parts of spanking you like and don‟t like, Tiffany. You either take it all, or you take none of it. I didn‟t hear you complaining yesterday when the spatula was coming down your butt.” “That‟s so unfair.” She threw her hands up in disgust. “You enjoyed it as much as I did, and like you said, this is a totally different spanking. It sucks that you would compare the two. Very unfair. “Unfair, huh? Sort of like your statement about my divorce?” His voice was soft, but she could hear the underlying tone of anger. Her comment had hurt him. Very much, and she hated that. The heat on her cheeks felt as if it would match the heat on her behind. “I said I was sorry. It‟s not the same thing at all.” “You‟re right, it‟s not. Maybe I went overboard for this trip. I think we should have taken it slower. I was so excited about getting you alone, having you all to myself. I should have stopped to think about it before I gave you the punishment spanking. I should have waited until we got home, maybe.” She continued to stare out the window. “I‟m overreacting. I guess what I‟m foreseeing is me spilling milk and you busting my ass.” His snort was soft. “Not hardly. A punishment spanking is something used for big things that are wrong, not little things. They don‟t happen all the time. They happen when something big happens.” “Fine, I understand that. But you know how that makes me feel, like I do something wrong and get punished, and if you do something wrong then you don‟t get punished. It just seems unfair.” “Well, I suppose I can see your point, but you have to realize there has to be a dominant in a relationship. Punishments happen. You have to understand that.” “Well, not for me.” She turned to him. “I say no to punishments, and no to being the only one who gets it.” “So, you want to be the one in charge.” “No! It‟s supposed to be a partnership. Marriage is not about one person punishing another one.” “You‟re right, it‟s not totally about that. It‟s about partnership, true, but there has to be a dominant partner. If there isn‟t, how are problems solved?” “You know what that says to me? That says that my opinion won‟t ever matter, and the only thing that will is yours. That says to me it‟s your way, or the highway, and my opinion doesn‟t mean squat.”

“That‟s not what it says, and if I‟ve given you that impression, I‟m sorry.” She could tell he was genuinely sorry for it, but it didn‟t change the way she felt, or the way things were. He stood and walked toward her, but she wrapped her arms around her chest and turned her face back toward the window. “Maybe we‟re not meant to be together, you know. I think we‟re physically attracted to each other, but not in any other way, obviously.” “I think you‟re overreacting here. I‟m not saying your opinion doesn‟t count. Punishment means correcting bad behavior.” “Just like a parent does to a child, not a husband to a wife.” “Domestic discipline works wonders in a relationship.” “Yeah, wonders at giving the man all the power and the woman nothing.” For a minute she thought he would yell at her. Instead, he just shook his head. “Well, I‟ve given you an idea of erotic spankings, and punishment spankings. I must not have done such a great job at on the last part. I‟m sorry.” They stared at each other for a few minutes, and then he sighed. “I think I‟ve done this all wrong. I‟m sorry.” “Well, we can just keep the fun ones, and get rid of the others ones. That works for me.” “But it doesn‟t work for me.” Her stomach felt as if it dropped to the ground. “Why? You want to be able to give me a hard spanking like you just gave me anytime you want?” She took a step back. “Maybe you and I aren‟t cut out for each other. At least we found out now.” They stared at each other and then he sighed and shook his head. “Fine. I‟ll take you home then. Let‟s just pack everything up and go.” He turned from her and moved into the bedroom. She wasn‟t sure exactly what she wanted to happen next, but it wasn‟t heading back to Boulder. They were supposed to stay here one more day. Not that she wanted to be spanked anymore. Her behind was way too sore for that. But she didn‟t want the chance of losing him, either. She‟d enjoyed the last few days more than she‟d enjoyed anything in a long time. And if she allowed one little part of it to end that, then what would happen? She‟d be without Aaron in her life, that‟s what would happen. Now that she‟d had him inside her, woken up next to him, been cradled in his arms, she didn‟t want that to happen. She needed him, body and soul. She stared out the window for a few minutes more, and then went into the bedroom where she found Aaron putting socks into the duffle bag he‟d brought his clothes in. “I want to talk about this. You said that maybe you didn‟t do a good job at the last part. Let‟s work on it.” His smile was bright. “What is it that you want to know?” “You said your father spanked your mother, and that she allowed it. You said your father talked to you about it. Tell me again how he explained it to you.” “Okay. What he said was that there was always a top person in every relationship, whether it was a family, or a working relationship, or any type. He said he was the head of the family unit, and there were certain things that he and mother talked about that that might warrant discipline. He told me he never spanked her unless they‟d talked about it first, but that it was good for the both of them to know it was there.” He cleared his throat. “They would discuss things, but ultimately he had the final say, and if the situation warranted, he dispensed discipline.” “Um, what would warrant discipline? I know the spanking you just gave me was just a

demonstration, but if this were a true domestic discipline relationship, what would warrant a spanking?” “Discipline doesn‟t have to be just spanking, it can be other things. Grounding, or standing in the corner. But, to answer your question, it could be overspending, not doing something we‟d agreed upon, throwing a hissy fit, or just plain misbehaving.” “Will there be rules set, you know, written down, or discussed before hand.” “Yes, we‟ll do that. We set it all down on paper, and I can promise you I‟ll never spank you without discussing it first. You‟ll know the reasons, and we‟ll talk about it.” “Yeah, well, as much as that makes it sounds better, I‟m not sure I want someone to have that sort of control over me.” “I can understand that. You‟re a thirty-one-year-old woman who‟s never been married. I can see that you would try and resist it. But I hope that you want to give it a shot. I don‟t want to lose you, Tiffany.” Heat filled her body. “Thank you. You don‟t know how much I love hearing that because I don‟t want to lose you, either. It may take me a while to wrap my brain about it, but I‟m willing to give it a shot, as long as you promise me you won‟t give me a punishment spanking before we talk about it.” “That‟s a promise.” “Great.” He crossed the room quickly and kissed her gently. “You know what else I‟d like, Aaron, despite what we talked about?” “What?” “I don‟t want to be spanked anymore this weekend, either erotically, or for punishment. My ass is throbbing right now.” She smiled, and when he laughed, she joined with him “Fine. Let‟s go out to the lake again tonight and relax. I‟ll fish and you can read or write. And, if I‟m lucky, you‟ll let me make love to you again.” “Then I hope you‟re feeling lucky, cause I‟m thinking that‟s a fantastic plan.” ***** The next morning, Tiffany snuggled back into Aaron‟s arms, turning her head so that it lay on his shoulder. “This is our last morning together.” “It doesn‟t have to be.” He kissed her gently. “We can stay together, you know. We‟re experiencing technical difficulties because of the punishment spanking thing but I think we ca work through that, don‟t you?” She thought about the way he‟d made love to her last night at the lake, and again when they got back to the cabin. In between those times, they‟d talked a little more about the punishment issue. She had to admit that the idea had some merit, except for the fact that the punishment spanking had hurt so badly. That could have something to do, she thought, with the fact that the “spanking intensive trip,” had been just that: intensive. “So, if this is not our last morning together, does that mean you want to live with me?” “Yes, but not in the way you‟re talking about. I think we need to get married. Today.” For the first time in her life, Tiffany cursed Colorado laws. That made it so there was no waiting period before getting married. A couple could get a license and wed that same day, within five minutes or less if they wanted. Because of that, she didn‟t have the excuse. She couldn‟t say, “We can apply for a license

and wait the three, or five days or whatever it was.” But did she want an excuse? She wasn‟t sure if she did or not. Being married to Aaron would seem like a dream come true. Until the first time he wanted to spank her for spending too much money at the grocery store. “Marriage scares me.” “Why? Your parents have a great marriage, and so do your brother and his wife, and your sister and her husband. You‟ve never seen a bad one, except for mine. If anyone should be nervous about getting married it should be me, who‟s done it before, and failed.” “You know what scares me the most?” “Besides our difference of opinion about the punishment spankings.” “Yes, besides that. I‟m worried about what happens if we do fail. I‟ve had a crush on you for so long, and yes, I do love you, but if we end up hating each other…” “Never going to go happen. I love you, too. I have for a long time. It‟s just changed recently, and I don‟t think anything could hurt it enough to make us hate each other.” “You‟re right, I‟m sure. What happens if we go back married? My parents would kill both of us, and I think yours would do the same thing. We‟d have to have six-month engagement, at least, and then a large wedding in my parents‟ backyard.” “I like that idea. It‟s a great place to have a wedding, but we‟d have to do it in the next few months, before winter sets in. I don‟t think I could stand waiting until next summer.” “Even though we‟ve known each other for half our lives, don‟t you think this is a bit quick?” “Not at all.” He kissed her softly. “I know this is right, and I think you do, too. If you don‟t I‟m willing to spank it into you.” “That won‟t be necessary.” She snuggled down into his chest. “I don‟t want a huge wedding, just something fairly small with family and friends. That‟s all. Can we agree on that?” “Yes, we can. The problem is going to be talking our mothers into that.” He turned her onto her back, coming over her and kissing her, his tongue probing inside her mouth until the both of them moaned. She could feel his hardness at her core, probing for entry. She lifted her hips to take him inside her, lifting up into his thrust and then wrapping her legs around him. “Does that mean yes?” He buried himself deep inside her, and then stopped all movement. “Yes, that means, um, yes.” They laughed together, and then he kissed her gently before they started to rock together. Tiffany knew they would never have problems with this part of their marriage. In bed, they fit together like hands and gloves. ***** Tiffany leaned over and put her hand on Aaron‟s knee. “You remember that day in the cabin, when I said yes, I‟d marry you?” “Yes.” He winked at her. “You should have drug me to the judge‟s office in Vail that day. I think I‟m losing my mind right now.” He pulled her close and planted a kiss on her forehead. “Just a little while longer. Just a few more parties and family gatherings and dinners and the wedding part will all be over. Then it will be time for the wedding.” “Time for the honeymoon.” She wiggled her eyebrows at him and he responded in kind. “You don‟t mind that we‟re going back to the cabin, that we‟re not going someplace fancy?” “I don‟t mind at all. As a matter of fact, it would thrill me greatly if we put the wedding off for a few months. Then there would be a great chance of us getting snowed in up there.”

Tiffany put her head on his shoulder and looked out of the expanse of her mother‟s back lawn. Row after row of white chairs were set up, with flowers and ribbons decorating the whole area. She‟d said yes to Aaron in early July, and it was now the end of August. The wedding was set for the next afternoon, and the small guest list they‟d both requested, which had around fifty people on it, had grown to more than a hundred and fifty, with a huge reception taking place later at a quaint hotel in the mountains. They would spend their first night as man and wife there, and then travel to the cabin to spend the next week. Tiffany wanted nothing more than to spend all that time at what she now thought of as “their lake,” with him fishing, her reading, and then the both of them taking breaks to make love. Aaron had offered to take them on a huge trip, either to Hawaii, or the Caribbean, or even Paris. She‟d refused, saying she loved the idea of it, but she wanted to be at the one place where she‟d realized she loved him. And that was the cabin. Their families had been ecstatic when they‟d announced they were in love, and wanting to get married. Not one of them mentioned that it was happening too quickly, or that they needed to wait. Instead, her mother had instantly called Aaron‟s mother, and they went into wedding planner mode. Aaron‟s parents had come in the next week, to give the parents time to plan everything just right. Tiffany had sat back and finished her novel, sending it to her editor who let out a huge scream of elation when she called her client and said she‟d receive more money for it than what Tiffany made on her last two novels put together. She‟d told Aaron they could use the money to add on to the cabin, or they could put it up and save it for a rainy day in the future. They‟d decided to do a little bit of both. For three straight series of his days off, Aaron had corralled Chase to go up and help him make the bedroom bigger, adding a fireplace in there so they could use it for activities that Chase had said he “didn‟t need to know about.” Sydney, her loving cousin, had surprised her by giving her a gift after the wedding shower last weekend. “This is something you need to open with Aaron,” she said with a smile. “Don‟t open it with anyone else around. It just needs to be the two of you. Understand?” Tiffany had nodded, and then handed the box directly to Aaron when she‟d arrived at her house just hours later. They‟d moved into her house, since it was larger than his. He‟d lifted the lid, then put it down and dissolved in laughter. When she‟d lifted the lid she‟d cussed her cousin almost as much as she had the night of the July 4th party where Aaron had overheard their conversation about spanking. “I don‟t believe her,” Tiffany had said before pushing away the lid and lifting out a huge heart-shaped paddle, engraved with their names in the middle of a heart. “I think we should use this on her, not on me.” “No, I think we‟ll save it for a special occasion,” Aaron had said. Then he‟d put it in the drawer in his bedside table, and they hadn‟t pulled it out again. That gift had prompted another conversation about spanking, though, and they‟d set down ground rules that Tiffany had been proud of. They made her feel much better about the discipline part of their marriage. Not that Aaron didn‟t make her feel that way. She trusted him, completely. Still, talking about things always made her feel better. “We should go home,” she said softly. “Our last night together before the wedding.” “We can‟t spend the night together,” he‟d said. “Your brother‟s planned a stag party for

me, and I know Sydney and Megan are planning something for you, too.” “Nobody said anything to me,” she said. “Surprise.” He kissed her again. It was dark now, and the parents were still working, trying to figure out if everything was in just the right spot. “I gotta go, baby. I‟ll see you tomorrow around two.” He kissed her, and then left. Minutes later Sydney sat down next to her. “We‟re having a party in the dining room. Ladies only. Let‟s go.” Sydney pulled her toward the dining room. Once they were there, Tiffany was surprised to find lots of her friends from high school. They ate cake and drank punch together, telling bawdy stories about the men they‟d known in their lives. They‟d just started playing games, which Tiffany was pretty sure would lead to a male stripper, when she slipped away, creeping up the back stairs to her bedroom. She wanted one last look out her bedroom window as a single woman. She went inside, crossing to the window quickly and looking out over the whole area that was set up for her wedding. Her wedding. It was amazing to think that just a month ago she‟d looked out this very window when Aaron had swatted her ass for the first time. She stiffened when the door closed. When Aaron cleared his throat, she turned to him with a smile. He was twirling the paddle that Sydney had given them, wiggling his eyebrows at her and walking slowly across the room. “I thought you might like one last spanking as a single woman. I thought about bringing a spatula, but I decided this was a special enough occasion to break in our new paddle. What do you think? Have you been a bad girl?” “I don‟t know what you‟re talking about, Aaron. Now, I think you should leave.” “Not quite yet. We have until midnight before the “you can‟t see the bride before the wedding thing, and that‟s almost two hours. Plenty of time for me to redden your bottom. So, lift that skirt, take down those panties and bend over, naughty girl.” “Is that an order?” “Oh yes, it is. Do you have a problem with that?” “Not at all. Just don‟t make my bottom so red that you can see it through the white of my dress tomorrow.” She got into the position he ordered, then put her hands on the window sill as he rubbed the paddle against her bottom, then swatted her once softly. “Wimp,” she said softly, and then she moaned as he spanked her soundly, her bottom throbbing with the intense sensations it brought. “I love you,” he said softly. “Yeah, well, I guess I love you too.” She turned, her panties still around her knees. “Just promise me you won‟t spank me tomorrow when all those people will be around.” His chuckle sent chills up her spine. “I just might do that. Not a bad idea at all.” He kissed her passionately, pulling her close, and then letting her go quickly and striding from the room. Tiffany watched him walk away; knowing that life with Aaron would never be boring. And she was thrilled with that idea.

The End

Blushing Publications thanks you whole-heartedly for your purchase with us! There are plenty more stories such as the one you‟ve purchased from Blushing Books! Visit our online store to view our might selection! http://www.blushingbooks.com This book is intended for adults only. Spanking and other sexual activities represented in this book are fantasies only, intended for adults. Nothing in this book should be interpreted as advocating any non-consensual spanking activity or the spanking of minors.