Page 71 of Ravish

“Safe word?”

“Cookies.” It was something she wasn’t liable to scream out during sex, and she could remember it. Lara stepped up to the bench and knelt down.

The padding cradled her knees. Nice. Colby helped her lay down. The spanking bench was set at the perfect height for her to bend at the waist without putting pressure on her stomach.

She laid her arms alongside her body on the shelves, as she thought of them, and laid her head on the small pillow.

“Breathe, sweetheart.” Colby rubbed her back even though she still had a sports bra on.

Lara took a shaky breath as she watched Colby walk over to the table where he’d set up his floggers and pick up the rabbit flogger.

His fingers caressed her upper thighs and played with the elastic waist band on her boy shorts. “I’m going to pull these down around your knees.”

“Yes, Sir.” Her voice came out soft and shaky.

The cool air caressed her ass as he pulled her shorts down. Every muscle in her body tensed up.Breathe, relax,she told herself.Pretend we’re at home, and you’re bent over the sofa arm.

Colby trailed the tails of the flogger over her ass, up and down her ass crack, making her shiver at the sensation. So soft and sensual. Her limbs relaxed.

She tensed with the first swat and blinked at the pain. Not that there hadn’t been pain in the past when he flogged her, but he was using the rabbit flogger. That shouldn’t hurt.Relax.Easier said than done. She couldn’t get out of her own head and enjoy what Colby was doing to her.

After the fifth swat, Colby stopped and rubbed her ass. “Sweetheart, you’re way too tense.” He continued to massage her ass.

“Sorry, Sir.” She didn’t know what else to say.

Colby’s concerned face came into her line of vision. “Nothing to be sorry about. You’re not enjoying this, are you?”

“I...” Tears of frustration filled her eyes. Why couldn’t she do this? She was failing. She hated failing at anything, but she was also disappointing Colby. The pain in her chest felt like a dagger through her heart.

“Sweetheart.” Colby motioned to someone who took the flogger from him and handed him a blanket. He stood and the blanket covered her backside. “Can you rise up on your knees?”

“Yes, Sir.” She hated that tremor in her voice. Using her arm, she pushed up and got to her knees. Colby was right there, gathering the blanket around her before he lifted her into his arms.

He carried her off the stage and into the aftercare area. “I’m going to set you on the sofa, clean up our scene, and I’ll be back. Don’t move.”

She nodded and watched him walk away through her tears. She ruined this for him. She was a failure. Big time.

* * * *

“I’m sorry,” Lara said, blinking back her tears. Why couldn’t she stop the waterworks? This was so unlike her.

“Sweetheart.” Colby put his arm around her shoulders as he walked her into her duplex.

“I’m letting you down.” She hung her purse on the coat tree. “Don’t say I’m not. I saw the disappointment in your eyes.” Why couldn’t she drop her inhibitions in the club? It wasn’t like anyone cared. Heck, only her ass had been bare.

“You could never disappoint me, sweetheart. We’re still trying to figure us out. Whether or not you are comfortable playing in the club is secondary.”

“It doesn’t feel right to make you wait.”

Colby cupped her cheek. “I’ll wait however long you need.”

“I don’t deserve you.” Lara couldn’t believe how giving Colby was.

“I think you mean I don’t deserve you.” His lips turned up. “Now, let’s go to bed.” Colby guided her into her bedroom.

An hour later, Lara was still awake. She’d let Colby down tonight. Monday, she’d call Sierra and see if they could plan some time to talk privately. After the café closed. Lara needed to figure out why playing at the club was such a hard sell for her.

* * * *

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