He saw it. Of course he did. “All you gotta do is ask, princess.”
My stomach clenched. Everything in me wanted to hide but I couldn’t. I didn’t know how to ask. But he didn’t make me say it, not really.
“You want Daddy to take care of it?” Soft, but iron underneath.
I nodded, face burning, and his eyes gentled even more.
“After, it’s over. You start fresh. That’s the rule.”
“…Okay.” I wanted that so badly.
He didn’t waste time. He just slid the tray aside, careful of the coffee, and pulled me into his lap. The blanket fell somewhere. Didn’t matter. He guided me, gentle but firm, across his thighs, one big hand bracing my hips.
I buried my face in the sheet. Couldn’t look. I hated that I wanted it, but I did.
“You know you’re not in trouble for being hurt, right?” His voice was right by my ear. “You’re never in trouble for that. Thisis just for not listening when you promised to stay inside. That’s all.”
I nodded. Felt the air shift as he pulled the tee up and out of the way, baring the soft shorts and my legs underneath.
“Color?”
I blinked. “What?”
He smoothed his hand down my back. “Your safe words. You remember?”
“Green is go. Yellow means pause. Red is stop. I'm green.”
He made a pleased sound. “You’re already doing perfect. You ready?”
My whole body went weak. But I nodded. “Yes, Daddy.”
He didn’t draw it out. Just eased my shorts and panties down to my knees, leaving the fuzzy socks. The cool air hit my skin and I flinched, but then his palm was there, warm and big and steady. Holding me in place.
It was a real spanking. Not the kind people joked about. Walker’s palm cracked down once, and it stung. I gasped, fingers curling, but before I could breathe he did it again, and again. It built quickly. Heat and humiliation, but not in a bad way. It was awful and beautiful all at once.
I whimpered. My face was wet, and I didn’t even realize I was still crying till it dripped onto my hands. He didn’t slow down. Not rough, not mean, but relentless. Like he knew I needed to feel it, needed to know he was in control, and I could just let go.
I lost count. My legs kicked once or twice, but he just held me tighter, one big hand bracing my hips so I couldn’t squirm away. I sobbed his name, didn’t care how pathetic it sounded. He was never going to let me go. Not ever.
Then suddenly it stopped.
Walker cupped my burning skin, his thumb rubbing gentle circles. “It’s over, princess. All done. You’re forgiven.” The reliefwas instant. I shook, wrecked, clinging to him, but the shame was gone. Just gone. Like he’d wiped it out of me with his hands.
When I could finally move, he helped me up, bundled me into his lap, and wrapped a blanket around both of us. I hid my face in his neck, still hiccupping, but it was okay now. Really okay. My body was all floaty, warm, soft everywhere, and the bad feeling was just…gone. Like magic.
He wiped my cheeks with his fingers, so careful. “That’s my good girl. You did perfect.”
The ache in my chest melted. I couldn’t believe it. I wasn’t in trouble. Not anymore. I was just…me. Just Lottie. And he still wanted me, even like this.
I sniffled and tried to look at him. His eyes were so dark, but not angry. Not even a little. Just proud.
“You want to eat your breakfast or cuddle a while?”
I didn’t even have to think. “Cuddle. Please.”
He smiled, slow and real, and pulled me tighter against him, rocking a little like I was the only thing in the world that mattered. I let him. I let myself be held. The sting on my skin faded into this soft, glowy warmth. I never wanted to move again.
Walker kept saying quiet things, told me I was forgiven, told me how proud he was. I didn’t know why it made me cry again, but this time it was the good kind. I grinned through the tears, and he kissed my hair, my temple, the tip of my nose. Then he got up and came back from the bathroom with some cream he rubbed all over my bottom until I gasped because of a completely different feeling.
