Page 74 of Dirty Discipline, Vol. 2

Sean stood as well, also reaching out for Traci's hand. He was touching her, but he addressed her brother. "If you don't mind, Troy, I'd like to handle this one." The men shared a knowing stare before Troy nodded slightly, releasing Traci’s other wrist. Sean liked how it felt— like a subtle passing of the torch.

"Sorry everyone, but Traci and I are going to have a little chat. We'll be back with our food in a bit."

Traci reluctantly stood and followed him as he led her by the hand, weaving through the crowd to find a private place to talk. He found an empty bench just far enough away to allow them some privacy.

They sat silently, watching the kids throwing water balloons in the distance. Finally, Sean spoke. "So, you didn't think it was important to tell me that everyone in town is a spanko? I mean sure, I probably should have figured it out sooner since your town has a street called Spanking Loop. I thought it was just a joke or something. Tell me I'm wrong here, Trace, but from where I'm sitting it looks like you live in one big fetish community."

She turned her body to face him. "Fetish is a strong word, Sean. Yes. Eagle’s Pass is a private co-op community based on the principles of domestic discipline where each family has an HoH and most wives are taken in hand. That doesn't mean we are all freaks."

Her defensiveness angered Sean. "Did I call you a freak?" When she didn't answer, he prompted her again. "Well, did I?"

He could see tears in her eyes. "Maybe not in so many words, but I can't tell you how many times people outside of the Pass have treated us all like freaks when they find out. Like those moronic idiots hassling me at the conference. I won't be able to stand it if you make fun of me too."

Sean witnessed the normally strong-minded Traci become a vulnerable submissive when talking about the dynamics of dominance and submission. He felt like an asshole for even thinking it, but as much as he was coming to love the professional, strong woman Traci could be, he loved this fragile side of her even more. Seeing her tremble, tears in her eyes made him want to pound on his chest and carry her off to his cave to protect her from ever letting anything upset her ever again.

Sean pulled her into his lap and tucked her head beneath his chin, stroking her back lightly to calm her. When she seemed soothed, he leaned back to peer into her eyes.

"I want you to listen to me, Traci. I wish I'd listened when you tried to tell me about Eagle’s Pass, but I didn't. But regardless, I don't think ill of you or anyone else in town. I mean what kind of a hypocrite would I be to judge anyone when I got on a plane to come here with the express goal of spanking this beautiful ass of yours? I did a lot of research after you left Chicago and I've seen how widespread the DD way of life has become with many couples. I came here hoping we'd be able to talk about it."

"Talk about what? You mean, you really meant it when you asked if you could be my

HoH?"

"Damn it, of course I meant it. The question is, did you mean it when you told me yes?"

"But Chicago—"

"Forget geography. Let me worry about that. For right now, I'd like to know I have a shot at being your HoH. Some of the sites called it a Dom which I like, too. I look around at the couples here and I see it working for them and want it to work for us too, and not only because you want it. I want it too."

"Oh God, I want it so much, but I'm afraid to get my hopes up. We haven't known each other for very long, Sean."

"That's true, but we've known each other long enough for me to fall in love with you, Trace. I thought of you twenty times a day when you were gone. You're part of my life now. I want so bad for you to trust me."

"I love you too, Sean, and I do trust you. I was just afraid of rushing things by telling you.”

He playfully pinched her bottom drawing a gasp from the captive in his arms. "No more fear. Let me take care of things. Now let's go grab up some of the food before they run out of ribs."

Chapter Nine

Traci closed the door behind Ellie, her last patient. There were times this week she hadn't been sure if Friday afternoon would ever arrive. When had she begun to look so forward to the weekend? She usually loved her work so much that she was anxious to start each day. She was happy she had the chance to help people through her counseling. She still enjoyed being a psychologist, but for the first time in her career, she had begun to look forward to the end of each long workweek just a bit more than the week before.

After their eventful holiday weekend, Sean had been anxious to reassure her that he was interested in having more than a mere fling. He'd taken an extra few days of vacation to stay in Eagle’s Pass and they had spent every minute of their time together hiking, talking, laughing and having mind-blowing sex. They had explored every nook and cranny the small town offered. Traci had watched with a trained eye, waiting for Sean to get tired of their summer romance and relieved when it never happened.

Unlike the weeks after she'd left Chicago, they had managed to get closer in the six weeks since his visit to the Pass. They'd spent hours talking and texting about nothing and everything. Sean had even surprised her with frequent late night phone sex dates proving he could talk dirty with the best of them. With a blush, Traci remembered their conversation the night before when he'd told her how he would christen the new leather belt he had recently purchased the first time she broke a rule.

Little did Sean know, but Traci planned on breaking a lot of rules soon if that was what it would take to get him back for another visit. They had made it three weeks before Traci had flown to Chicago for a four-day weekend at the start of August. Memories of the fun they'd had taking Ashley to a Cubs game and a stage play had her heart compressing with physical signs of homesickness.

How can I be homesick? I'm standing in my living room?

Traci knew the answer, of course. She'd had the unsettling feeling of being in the wrong place since she had returned from her visit with Sean and Ashley. She'd been trying to ignore it, but it was getting harder to deny. Each passing day, the urge to pack up and move to Chicago got stronger and she might even do it... if only Sean would ask.

They had talked about everything except geography over the last few weeks. It was fast becoming the eight-hundred-pound gorilla in the room. Each of them knew they wanted to be together, yet were afraid to ask the other to sacrifice being near family. She had decided the next time they were together, she was going to offer to move to Chicago. After all, there was only one of her. She couldn't take Ashley away from her grandparents and friends. More importantly, there wasn't a career in Eagle’s Pass for Sean. Traci could see patients and do research as easily in Chicago as she could in Colorado.

The sound of her business line ringing dragged Traci out of her daydreaming. She was tempted to let it roll to the machine since it was after hours, but knowing only a patient would be calling on that line, she picked it up, hoping it would be quick.

"Hello. This is Traci. How may I help you?"

"Hey, Traci. Brent here. I have a problem that I could really use your help with. Do you think you could swing by my office to talk it over in person after you're done seeing patients today?"

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