Page 37 of Her Dark Viking
"Why...?"
"The spanking? Why?"
"Because I slept elsewhere. He came to seek me out in the night and brought me back here."
"I told you what his wishes were."
"I know, and you were right." Her voice trembled, just a little, but enough to alert the other woman.
"Are you afraid?"
"Yes, a little," Mairead acknowledged, though not so much so as she would have been had this been her first encounter with Gunnar’s discipline.
Aigneis laid a soothing hand on Mairead's shoulder. "You have no need to be. He will not harm you. But you are right about the boy. There will be noise and he may not understand."
"And Tyra? Would you take care of her, too? I have just fed her."
"Aye. Tyra too. Meanwhile, I shall bring you food. I believe you will need it."
Gunnar returned justas Mairead finished her breakfast of porridge and honey. Donald perched on the edge of the bed, complaining about being confined to the longhouse for six more entire days.
"Seven days," corrected Gunnar as he entered. "Yesterday did not count."
"Yes, Jarl," acknowledged the boy, his face sullen but resigned. "Seven days."
"And you may start by collecting firewood." Aigneis called to Donald from the outer hall. "Come, be quick about it before the rain starts. You may bring your sister too and she can keep me company here by the fire while I spin."
Mairead helped Donald to cradle Tyra in his arms, then sent the boy off to deposit his burden with Aigneis. Gunnar lowered the curtain behind the boy and Mairead appreciated the small degree of seclusion it offered. She lowered her eyes, seized by a sudden and unexpected clenching within her lower abdomen. She wore nothing beneath the sark, and already her inner thighs were damp.
Had this Viking been correct in his outrageous suggestion? Did she actually enjoy a spanking?
She never had before, though in truth an angry backhanded slap across her face, a blow hard enough to send her slamming against the wall of their cottage and leave her lip bleeding bore no resemblance to the erotic sting of Gunnar's palm on her buttocks. Or she thought not, probably.
Would a spanking hurt as much as his belt had? Did he perhaps intend to use his belt again? He had not said, she simply assumed he would--
"Lie across my lap and lift up your sark."
He interrupted her musings with his curt instruction. Gunnar had seated himself on the edge of the bed, where just a few moments ago Donald had sat. The Viking regarded her over his shoulder, his eyes as dark as she had ever seen them and his expression stern.
She had questions, her head brimmed with them, but she supposed all would be answered soon enough. He kept his belt on, which was a relief she supposed. Mairead slipped from the bed and came around to stand before him.
"Shall I take this off?" She plucked at the fabric at the front of her undershirt.
"No. I want you to get in position then raise the sark for me. You will get yourself ready, bare your bottom for me to spank."
Oh, sweet Jesu.Something coiled and tingled between her legs, and she sensed a fluttering within which she could not quite name but she knew her most private places were dampening at his words. It would have been difficult to remove her clothing for him, but she had done it once and could manage again. This different approach of his was more intense, more humiliating. She was to aid in her own punishment by arranging herself just so.
"Mairead, do not keep me waiting."
"No, Jarl." She almost flung herself across his thighs, her head dangling down by his boot and her hair sweeping the floor. She dreaded what she must do next but wanted to get it over with so she reached back to grab the hem of her linen shirt and hastily pulled it up to her waist, then tucked the bulk of the material under her stomach to ensure it remained in place. She was horribly embarrassed, prayed that no one would see fit to open the curtain and see her thus. Had Aigneis managed to get Donald out of the longhouse in time?
"What are you thinking?" His tone was soft, and she took courage from that.
"I am afraid someone will hear, or come in."
"They might, but there is nothing you can do about any of that now. None of what is to happen to you is under your control so you might as well let it go. Relax, if you can, and surrender."
"I do not mean to fight you, Jarl. Or to struggle."
