AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Full disclosure here. I scared myself,” he admitted.
Her gaze flew up to meet his with that comment. “What do you mean?”
He took a few long seconds before he responded. “The only answer I can come up with is that I don’t think I’ve ever cared enough about anyone else to get so emotionally invested before. Part of me is still pissed that you’d defy me. You have to know—that never happens to me. Ever. It’s gonna take some time for me to get used to that happening. Tack on how scared I was when I saw Robinson with his hands on you, and I lost it, okay? I’m not proud, but there it is.”
She saw real regret in his eyes. She knew he was telling the truth, and it made her feel better—and worse. “I really am sorry I didn’t listen to you and come straight up to the loft. I didn’t think it would be such a big deal to take a peek. I was curious. You may not be used to having someone defy you, but honey, you have to know I’m not used to having someone telling me what to do all the time. It’s going to take some time for me to adjust, too.”
“Tiff, I’ve been too afraid to ask this question all week, but I can’t ignore it anymore.” He looked nervous, which put her more on edge. “You refuse to talk about a contract. You have nightmares of Jake hurting you every night. You’ve refused to pick out a safeword other than yellow/red. Now, seeing your reaction tonight to the possibility of a real punishment—it feels like you’re having second thoughts. Are you even interested in a D/s relationship?”
Tiff was floored. She’d thought she had been doing so great adjusting all week, yet his list of the things she’d been resisting was accurate. She could see he was nervously awaiting her answer. It felt like there was a lot riding on it. She had a sudden need for a hug, and launched herself forward to plop herself in his lap. Lukus instantly enveloped her in his arms, holding her tightly. After a minute of quiet cuddling, she leaned away from him so she could see his eyes.
“I can’t believe you’re asking me that after all we’ve talked about this week, Lukus. This week has been, well, amazing! I’ve never felt more alive than when I’m with you. But here’s the thing: sometimes it feels like we’re playing a game of tug of war. A week ago, we started out on opposite ends of the BDSM experience rope. This week, we’ve both been taking steps forward where I hope we can find a place to meet in the middle, but every once in a while, one of us tugs too hard and upsets the balance.”
“Wow. I like that analogy. You nailed it. That’s exactly what’s happening. I think we both tugged a little too hard tonight.”
“You think? Seriously, I really am sorry, but I’m going to make some mistakes while I try to figure this out. I need you to be patient with me. Please,” she said.
“Patient. I guess I can do that, as long as you can too.”
“So, do you forgive me?”
“I will.”
“But not yet?”
“Nope, not until you’ve been properly punished like the naughty girl you are.”
Tiff wasn’t sure she liked that twinkle in his eye. “But, well, you said we weren’t going to go downstairs,” she said.
“And I meant it. I have plenty of ways to punish you up here.”
“I’ll say. You have a freaking secret stash in your cabinets.”
She blushed at the humor in his eyes.
“So my house guest was rifling through my bathroom cabinets, eh? Find anything interesting?” he asked.
Tiff’s brain scrolled through the inventory of punishment paraphernalia she’d rummaged through the first time she’d been there. She was getting hung up on the heavy wooden paddle.
“Ah ha. I see there is something in there that caught your eye.”
“Just the ankle and wrist cuffs, but you used those last week,” she admitted. It sounded plausible. Her ass couldn’t deal with that heavy paddle… yet.
“Nothing else?”
She tried a change-o-subject deflection. “Nope. Let’s go eat. I’m hungry.”
Lukus chuckled. “Dinner is already burned, and now cold. A few more minutes won’t hurt. I want you sitting on your sore bottom while you eat dinner tonight. It’ll be a reminder of what happens to naughty girls who defy their Dom. Now, if you don’t tell me what caught your eye in the cabinet, I’ll be forced to pick my own form of punishment. Maybe I should pick the…”
“Not the enema. I swear to God, not the enema.”
His laughing was renewed while he hugged her close. “Not the enema. I have to be in the right mood for that one, anyway. You’re safe for now.”
“Oh, gee. Thanks.”
“I would recommend you watch that sass, at least when we’re discussing which punishment implement I’m going to use,” he added.
“Fair enough. What’s wrong with using your hand?”
