Huxley
After getting Shannon settled on the couch, he fetched a couple glasses of water, feeling as though he was walking in the clouds on his way back to her. It had maybe been Spanking 101 and more of a class than a scene, but it had still been exhilarating.
Maybe next time, Shannon would let him take her over his knee? Having the girls on the bench had been useful and also fun with the two lovelies kneeling side by side, but he wanted to feel more of her, be closer to her. If she was willing for there to be a next time.
She was precisely where he’d left her and gave him a sweet smile when he handed her the cup before sitting down next to her.
“Thank you for being my guinea pig. And for trusting me enough to practice on you.”
Shannon smirked.
“Yeah, being the body a person learns on can be rough, physically and emotionally. But Ian was there and besides, you seem pretty invested in making me comfortable. What with calling your poor brother and all.”
“Don’t feel bad for him. He used to pull some shit on me when we were kids, I assure you. It’s not a bad thing for him to learn a bit of patience, either. Maybe he’ll be nicer to people he bumps into in the grocery store from now on. Knowing Lowell, probably not, but a man can dream.”
He shouldn’t have dropped Lo’s name like that and would have to be better about this whole anonymity thing. But if Shannon looked him up—as she no doubt would—it was a matter of a single click to find Lowell as well. The rest of his siblings too. As well as the reason he’d retired. Well, then she would find out. It wasn’t as though it was a secret. He hadn’t been allowed to have secrets up until very recently.
“I’d be willing to be your practice partner again. If you’d like.”
“Oh yeah?”
Her kind offer and the way her cheeks pinked up as she looked into her half-full cup of water made his heart swell.
“Yeah.” Shannon shrugged and then blinked her gaze to meet his. “It was fun, and I definitely felt more like a demo bottom than a crash test dummy. I think you showed real promise. And I would maybe like to get in on the ground floor. I’m sure you’ll be very popular.”
Maybe it had been just that long since a woman had flirted with him or, more likely, he hadn’t been interested in their attentions, but he was very interested in Shannon’s. Her compliment felt genuine, and he wanted to earn more of them.
“Me? I think you’re the one who’s going to attract more attention.”
They’d certainly had an audience while he’d been getting his spanking lesson and he had no illusions that his performance had been so spectacular as to garner a crowd.
Shannon wrenched her mouth to the side. “Maybe. But what good is an audience if you’re not interested in anyone in it? Besides that whole exhibitionist rush anyway.”
She gave him a mischievous smile which he returned. Not that he was keen to invite the entire world into his business again, especially not this business, but he wouldn’t mind some club members watching whatever it was she thought they were going to get up to.
And was this her way of saying she was interested in him? He’d thought so, but it was nice to have the confirmation.
Winning an election was an ego boost all its own, but it was mostly followed by a whole lot of work and responsibilities, and in his case, knowing he had another two years tacked on to his service. Another two years of sacrificing himself for the greater good. It had been an honor that people had so much faith in him, and he’d done his best to be worthy of their votes and their trust but somehow it had still felt like a prison sentence.
Yeah, it didn’t really matter what you had if it wasn’t what you wanted, what would make you feel complete.
“Not much good at all.”
They sat in silence for a minute, and Hux drained his water.
“So if you’re going to let me spank you again, maybe I should know something about you besides what you look like bent over,” he offered.
“Why?”
Her deadpan delivery rocked him back. Why indeed? He supposed he didn’thaveto know anything else about her, but he’d like to and—
“Wow, kidding. Watched you bite down hard on that one though.”
Oh, he was going to have to be on his toes with her. Her sense of humor was more like Lo’s than his own and he’d had a hell of a time learning how to deal with his brother’s dry jokes when he was a kid. He was better now, but his own fundamental earnestness still made him trip on that acerbic wit.
“That you did. I’ve been told I can be too sincere for my own good.”
“By your brother?”