Page 99 of Hidden

Carrie shrugged. “Until today I would have said no, but I think considering that I’ve got people trying to kill me there’s at least a thread of truth to it. I just can’t say exactly whatitis.”

Going back to the screen in front of her, Carrie grew quiet again. A few minutes later, she closed the laptop and rubbed a hand over her face. “I’m going to need a case of Red Bull and my three-monitor set up at work to decipher this. Wanna have sex?” Her question took him by surprise, and he barked out a laugh before he stood and crossed his arms. “I’ll never turn down sex with you, but I believe I owe you a spanking.”

A blush colored Carrie’s cheeks and ears. “I was hoping you would forget about that.”

Peter dropped to one knee in front of her and tilted her chin upward to meet his eyes. “Not a chance, little one. When it comes to your ass and an opportunity to turn it a delightful shade of red, you can always bet I’ll have an excellent memory. But are you sure you don’t want to go into the office right now and get started?” He really didn’t like the idea of her working all night, but he wanted to be clear that he respected her job and wouldn’t let their dynamic impact that in any way.

She shook her head. “I’m sure. I need to step away from all these numbers for a few hours and come back at it fresh. After you bang me senseless, I might change my mind, but right now I’m comfortable leaving this alone for a little while.”

He held out his hand. “Then to the bedroom with you.”

He kept his fingers laced with hers all the way to the bedroom where he sat on the edge of his bed and pulled her into his lap.

“Why am I doing this?”

She hid her face against his chest and shook her head.

“Uh-uh. Look at me. Now,” he added when she still didn’t lift her head. The steely tone of the last word got her attention, and she slowly looked up at him. “Why am I spanking you, Carrie?”

She shrugged. “Because you want to?”

His shoulders shook as he laughed. “That’s certainly true. I do enjoy it, but you’re just making things worse for yourself. Answer my question.”

After letting out a long sigh, she finally answered. “Because I stuck out my tongue at you, and apparently because I asked for coffee? I’m still confused about that one.”

“Ah, so you heard me then. That’s more to the point. This is a reminder that as my submissive you should be able to at least marginally keep your focus on me even when you’re working on other things. I’m not saying you have to be all submissive all the time or that I have to be the center of your universe, but if you’re being dismissive and rude because you’re so engrossed in your work that you can’t see that I’m trying to get your attention, then maybe you need a little reminder to be more aware of your surroundings. What if I’d been trying to get your attention because there was danger?”

She shrugged, still trying to pass herself off as nonchalant, but during his lecture, her breathing change and her gaze grew hot. This was arousing to her just as much as it was to him.Not a submissive my ass,he thought, fighting to keep a smirk off his face.

“You would have smacked the laptop out of my hand and forced me to pay attention if there was danger.”

“My point is I shouldn’t have to. And this isn’t just a Dom/sub thing. You have Gage following you around, and you need to be at least marginally aware of him as well.”

“OK. I guess I can see that. But do you really have to spank me? You were pretty damn dismissive of me when you got called back to work today.”

He grimaced. “I was, and I apologized for it. I’m going to spank you because I gave you my word, and I intend to keep it unless you’re saying no. A nice sore ass will keep you aware. Not to mention, it will turn us both on and make the sex hotter.”

She gave an almost imperceptible nod, so he nudged her to standing. “Let’s get this over with little one. I’m dying to bury myself in you.”

25

CARRIE’S legs shook as she stood in front of Peter, waiting for his instructions. It had been years since a Dom had given her a punishment spanking and it had never been this hot.

Peter’s hands settled onto her hips, and Carrie inhaled sharply.Here we go.Never breaking eye contact, he rolled her yoga pants and panties over her hips. The cool air from the ceiling fan above them caused her to shiver.

“Not to worry, we’ll have you warmed up soon,” he said in a low voice. “Over my lap.”

Trembling, she stretched across his lap and grabbed the bedspread on the other side of him. “Ready?” he asked. One hand rested on the small of her back, the other brushed her hair away from her face.

“As I’ll ever be.” It came out as a hoarse whisper.

He cupped her ass and gave a gentle squeeze. Then the first smack landed. Hard.Geeze, wasn’t he going to warm her up first?The answer came with a second smack in the same spot equally as hard. Before she could process it, two more swats landed on the other cheek. And then he was moving back and forth in a quick rhythm. Her skin warmed quickly beneath his hand. Taking a deep breath in through her nose, she exhaled on the next swat and let her eyes drift closed. The pain of the spanking caused a warm arousal to form deep in her belly. Then he was rubbing her ass softly and she let one leg fall off his lap, exposing her even more than she already was. Peter took it as an invitation, and she moaned when his fingers drifted over her folds.

“Enjoying yourself, are you?” One finger brushed over her clit and she choked on her response, so it just came out a gargled moan. “Hmmm. We’ll see how you’re feeling in a few minutes. I promised you a harder spanking. Reach under the bed, you’ll find a small box.”

Sliding forward on his lap, she felt around under the bed until she hit the box he was referring to. Pulling it out, her eyes went wide. Inside the box were several paddles, a ruler, and a hairbrush.

“Pick one,” he ordered. Carrie froze. This was coming perilously close to asking for punishment, something she’d told him she wouldn’t do, but she didn’t want to disappoint him.

---