I use my own key to get in and find her eating a bowl of cereal on the couch in a bralette and tiny pajama shorts. She looks good enough to eat.
“Good morning!” She jumps up in surprise, gathering up her cereal bowl, coffee mug and another plate from the coffee table and rushing to the kitchen to wash up. I should tell her I don’t mind a few dishes–hell, Stacy trashed the place when she lived here–but the sight of her scurrying around to please me turns me on way too much.
“I’m sorry—I didn’t expect to see you until this afternoon.” She returns to the living room and runs her hands through her hair.
“Yeah. I wanted to see you.”
Her eyes round, as if startled. Or is it hopeful? Either way, she cares. I’m sure of it. Just like seeing her rush to clean up pleases me, so does seeing the need in her eyes. She doesn’t just want my money. She wants my approval. My attention.
There should be red flags flying everywhere–this is the opposite of what I wanted. What I thought I wanted. Except I like it too damn much to shut it down.
“Last night was intense.” I open my arms.
“Intense, yeah,” she breathes, stepping into me and resting her cheek against my chest.
I hear a sniff, and I go cold. Fuck. Did I take things too far? I ease her head away from my chest. “Are you crying?”
“No.” She wipes her eye with the back of her hand. “I don’t know what’s wrong with me.”
“Come here,bambi.” I lead her to an armchair and pull her into my lap.
“It meant a lot to me that you accepted my punishment last night.” I run my thumb along her cheek. “You took it so well. Was it too much? Are you okay?”
“I’m okay.” Her eyes fill with tears again. “I’m sorry.” She sniffs, swiping at her eyes with the back of her hand. “I’m not usually like this.”
“Cry all you want,” I tell her. “I gave the punishment, I can handle the tears.”
This is part of the turn-on of being a dominant. It’s backwards and wrong, but comforting her after I inflicted pain is as satisfying as delivering the pain. Aftercare is important and no less pleasurable. I cup the back of her neck and bring her head to my lips, brushing kisses along her hairline.
* * *
Lexi
I hide my face in Bobby’s neck. I feel so raw emotionally. My life has been one giant upheaval this week, and I seriously don’t know up from down. Head from tail.
I do know that it feels nice to be accepted like this, even when I’m a total mess. I like that he came over, anticipating that I might be mixed-up and feeling vulnerable after what went down between us.
“Were you really mad, Bobby? Or is it just…part of the game?”
He rubs slow circles over my back. “I was mad, yes.” He coaxes my head away from his shoulder and cups my face. Finding my gaze, he holds it, making me flush.
He strokes my cheek with his thumb. “But I also have a streak of sadism in me. So spanking you was a pleasure for me.”
It’s not a huge revelation. I mean, I totally knew dominance was his kink from day one. I just don’t know if he’s trying to tell me something else. Like, if there’s more, and this was just the tip of the iceberg.
He watches me closely. I get the feeling he’s bracing for my reaction to his admission.
I swallow. “So..it turned you on?”
“Yes, the second you put yourself in position for me, all my piss-off was gone, and it became foreplay.”
I examine my reaction to his words. I’m not offended. Not daunted. I appreciate his honesty. What’s more, I like knowing what turns him on. That I pleased him just by accepting the punishment. That he’s really not mad at all anymore. He’s the opposite of mad.
He touches my cheek, and his gaze is warm. “You took it so well, beautiful girl. I loved it when you begged and pleaded but still held the position.”
My face burns, but I don’t look away. I’m incapable of it, caught in his magnetic stare, the pull of his attention so addictive.
“It bonded me to you. Now I know you’re really my girl. You’re willing to do what it takes to make things right with me. I meant it last night when I said there is nothing in the world I wouldn’t do for you. I loved the way you submitted to me for punishment.”