“Oh I’m pretty sure you’re right about that, dear.”
“Well, then you know what I’m worried about. It’s one thing to live in Corbin’s Bend and accept how everyone here chooses to live their personal relationships. It’s an entirely different thing to be in a relationship with a man who believes strongly in the founding principles of the town.”
Gina’s smiles indulgently. “You can’t even say it, can you? Everyone in town believes in spanking. More than that, many of us believe that relationships should have one dominant decision maker and one submissive partner.”
Hallie has to fight the surge of anger. “And, that’s okay with you? Really? I mean, I love Uncle Adam, but he can be a real bully some times. I don’t know why you put up with it, Aunt Gina? And more importantly, I’m not sure I ever could, even with a man like Troy.”
Gina’s laugh lines are lighting up her face. She looks more radiant than Hallie has ever seen her. “Oh Hallie, I’m sure that to many outsiders, yourself included, that it looks one sided or even abusive, but nothing could be farther from the truth. That’s the secret that every one of us here in Corbin’s Bend all share. There is an intimacy to a DD relationship that makes couples like your uncle and I close. The power dynamics in a relationship like ours requires a level of trust and communication most married couples never can achieve. I love doing things to make your uncle happy. That’s the easy part for me to talk about. The other part… well that is harder.”
“What other part?”
Gina finally looks uncomfortable, but she steels herself to forge ahead. “The discipline. The punishments. On one level, they are meant to keep order in our lives, but Hallie, I never feel closer to your uncle than after he has taken the time to discipline me and then hold me, hugging me tight, reassuring me of how much he loves me. Reassuring me that I’m forgiven.” Gina’s face has turned a bright red. “Oh, and the sex. Well, I won’t go into details, but let’s just say that your uncle and I may be getting older, but we still have a really hot sex life. This life style lends itself to a kind of intimacy few outside of a DD relationship can understand.”
Hallie is sure she has turned as red as the Christmas hand towel on the nearby kitchen counter, but as long as her aunt has opened this door, she doesn’t want to waste the chance. “But… doesn’t it really hurt when Uncle Adam spanks you? How is that sexy?”
“There are a lot of different kinds of spankings, honey. Before we came to Corbin’s Bend, we pretty much only did the not-so-fun kind when I had done something dangerous or broke one of our marriage rules. I won’t lie, those spankings hurt… a lot, but I still feel better after they are done than I did before. But since moving here, well… Surrounded by so many reminders of spanking, we have experimented a lot more and let’s just say that most of my spankings these days are the fun kind that I really like. I know it may not have sounded like it, but even that harsh paddling you heard Carrie Ann getting brought her and Danelle closer. I’ve talked to Carrie Ann about it at length. I would bet they had sex soon after the punishment.”
“Oh, they did. I stuck around long enough to get an earful of that too.”
Gina is smiling. “I’m not surprised. Troy was right about you being subjected to the lifestyle if you stay here. If you decide to stay in Corbin’s Bend, you’ll hear a lot of talk about the kinky things our HoH’s like to do to us Taken-In-Hands. Whether you decide to practice DD or not, you won’t be able to escape the implications.”
“What if Troy… I mean, I know for a fact that he believes in giving spankings. So what if I just can’t get over this fear I have?”
“Interesting that you know Troy believes in spankings.” Gina pauses, waiting for Hallie to expound. Hallie doesn’t take the bait. Gina moves on. “Let me ask you a question. The last time you visited your uncle and me while we still lived in New England, your uncle spanked you a good one if I remember. You carried on something terrible, but I’m pretty sure you don’t hold a grudge or hate Adam because of it, do you?”
Hallie has thought a lot about that spanking since coming to Corbin’s Bend. “Of course I don’t hate him. I don’t blame him at all. I totally deserved it. I was a brat and I shudder to think what could have happened if I’d gotten in an accident that night. It was not one of my finer moments.”
“How did you feel after? Not your butt, but your other body parts?”
“Well, besides being mortified and so sorry, I felt relieved. The thing I remember the most about that night is that I think you and Uncle Adam told me like ten times how much you loved me.”
“Oh Hallie, you already have your answer. That is exactly what a good DD relationship will feel like if your HoH is doing his job and taking care of you.”
“But what happens if you don’t agree with the spanking? What if you don’t feel like you deserve it?”
“I honestly never feel that way. Adam has done a very good job of laying out our family rules. I know what will and won’t get me a real punishment. Every family makes their own guidelines, but Troy is a levelheaded young man. I don’t see him making unreasonable rules just so he has an excuse to spank you, if that’s what you are worried about.”
Hallie still has so many questions she needs answers to, but the doorbell interrupts. Her heart lurches into her throat and she feels light headed.
Aunt Gina to the rescue. “Just breathe, Hallie. I don’t know how I know, but I do. He is a good man. You can trust him not to hurt you, honey. But…” Gina pauses. “If something happens that you want to come home, you just call me, okay? I’ll drive up to get you in a heartbeat if you need me. But try to give him a chance. Can you do that?”
The doorbell is ringing again and Uncle Adam has joined them. “For Christ’s sake, ladies. You’re right here. Don’t you hear that doorbell? I heard it all the way from the bathroom.” He opens the door and Troy steps in, towering over Uncle Adam by a few inches. He looks like an Olympic skier, athletic and intense. His sunglasses hide his chocolate eyes, but lend a movie star quality to his appearance. Those butterflies in her stomach just flew lower as Hallie feels her core pulsing. When he takes off the glasses to flash her a sexy grin, she swears she can feel cream escaping to wet her panties.
“Good morning, Hallie.” Only after devouring her for a few long seconds does he glance at Gina. “Hello, Aunt Gina. How are you today?”
Gina tries to cover for her flustered niece. “Oh we’re doing fine, Troy. We were just getting our first morning cup of coffee, but I haven’t had time to feed Hallie yet. You two want to stay for breakfast before heading out?”
“Thanks for the offer, but there is an awesome pancake house about halfway there that I always loved to stop at. If it’s okay with Hallie, I’d like to stop and grab some breakfast together.”
He is waiting for her reply. She hates that she feels like putty in his hands when he is around. She wants to be strong and sassy, independent. Maybe later. “That sounds great, Troy. I love pancakes.”
“Great. You packed yet?”
Uncle Adam had already gone to Hallie’s room and grabbed her bag and has returned. “She’s packed. I’m still not sure I’m in complete agreement with this plan, but I’m trusting you with my niece, young man. I expect her home in one piece, happy and healthy. Do you get my drift?”
The men are in another show down. “Yes, sir. I understand perfectly. You have my word.”
Adam finally sticks his hand out to pump a handshake with Troy. “That’s all I can ask for.”
Troy grabs her bag with one hand, and holds out his other to Hallie. “Ready?”
She takes a deep breath and places her hand in his. “I’m ready.”
The first leg of their trip has gone off without a hitch, although Troy can feel the tension rolling off Hallie. He’s tried to get her talking so she’d relax, but so far it hasn’t worked. He’s glad to be pulling into the parking lot of Pattie’s Pancake House, not only for the food, but to have a chance to sit across the table from H
allie. He does better when he can see her eyes.
She moves to open her door. “Stay put. I’ll come around to help you out.”
“That’s okay. I can manage.” Hallie opens the door, but Troy stops her with his hand on her left forearm.
“Hallie, I’d really like it if you’d please let me open your door.”
“Troy, this isn’t 1950. I can open my own damn door.” They are locked in a stare down. Troy briefly contemplates backing down, but in the end, he knows he doesn’t have a long time between now and the Housing Board’s meeting to accomplish all he hopes to accomplish.
“I know you can open your door. I’m asking if you will allow me to open your door for you.”
“Why? I don’t understand.”
“Honey, I’m not sure I do either. All I know is that it’ll make me happy. Please.” He can see her blush at his use of the endearment.
Pulling her door shut, she smiles. “If it means that much to you, then fine.”
Her bending to his will in this small request makes Troy happy. He leans across the center console to place a quick kiss on her cheek. “Thank you.”
Troy hustles out and around to open her door, helping her step down onto the snowy parking lot. “Hey, you do actually own some sensible shoes.”
Hallie swats his arm playfully. “Very funny. Even I don’t wear high heels skiing.”
“Too bad. I kind of like seeing you in them.”
“You do?”
“Hell yes. Not only are they hot, but I like how you’re always needing to lean on me so you don’t fall.”
“So you have some ‘help a girl in and out of a car fetish?’ Is that what you’re saying?”
Troy laughs. “Damn, you caught me.”
The restaurant hasn’t changed at all since the last time Troy stopped in probably over ten years or more. The service is fast and only once they have their coffee and have ordered do they feel an awkward silence fall over their table.
“I still can’t believe you talked me into trying skiing again. You have to know how much I absolutely hated it last time. I was terrified, Troy. I swear to you. I will kill you and then revive you so I can kill you again if you desert me today.”
“Wow, that would be a good trick. Listen, I promise you that we’re going to start nice and easy and we’ll only do harder things if you feel up to it.”
He’s glad he can see her eyes, because he knows she’s picked up on the double meaning of his promise. The question is will she comment on it. He is patient.
“So, is that how you do everything? I mean, start out slow and ease me into it nice and easy?” He can detect her breathing has picked up the pace as if she is getting excited. He’s not surprised. He’s had a semi-erection for the last three days.
“I’d like to think so, yes.” He can see her relaxing.
“So, Traci tells me you’re in the Air Force. I hardly know anything about what you do.”
“Well, I’m afraid I can’t share all that much. I work in the IT/security division.”
“How long have you been in the service?”
“Just over eleven years. I joined right after…” Troy hasn’t talked about his parents with anyone in a long time. Hallie is watching him closely. “My parents were killed on their way back from a mission trip the summer after I graduated from college. Traci had just graduated from high school and was preparing to go to college in the fall. It sort of knocked us both on our ass for a while there. Traci was the strongest. She threw herself into college and worked hard. I pretty much took almost a year off, sitting on my ass feeling sorry for myself.”
He can see the sympathy in her eyes. He doesn’t want her to feel sorry for him. “Oh, Troy. I wish I didn’t, but I know exactly how it feels to lose a parent you love too soon. It fucking sucks.”
Her choice of words brings a chuckle. “You really do like to talk like a truck driver, don’t you?”
“Sorry. Bad habit. Does it really bother you? I know it drives Uncle Adam crazy.”
“Oh, it doesn’t bother me as much as it does him, although I usually prefer to save that kind of language for specific times where it might be more appropriate.”
“When would…” her voice trails off as she blushes a very cute pink. “Oh…”
“Sorry. I didn’t mean to make you uncomfortable.”
“Yes, you did.”
Such sass. “Okay, maybe I did. Do you mind?”
“I guess not, as long as you don’t threaten to spank me for it.” Her eyes grow as big as saucers as soon as the words are out of her mouth.
Troy can’t help but laugh out loud. “If you could see your face. You’re adorable when you blush like that.”
“I don’t want to be adorable.”
“What do you want to be?”
“I don’t know. Sexy. Smart. Sassy.”
“Oh Hallie, believe me, honey. You are all of those things and so much more.”
The passion burning back at him from across the table has Troy about to leap over to take her in his arms. Only the arrival of the pancakes puts a kibosh on that plan.
When the server leaves, Hallie grins at him. “Saved by the pancakes.”
“You have no idea.”
“So I know you used to live in Washington DC. Where else have you lived?”
“Well, I was stationed in Florida, Texas and briefly in Germany before transferring to a big project three years ago that had me in DC. I’ve been trying to get back to Colorado for years so I could be closer to Traci. We are the only family each other has and I hated being away so much. I’m grateful for the close-knit community of Corbin’s Bend. I know it’s not the same as real family, but she has made some very close friends here. I just wish she’d find her own HoH and settle down. I know she’s always wanted to have a big family and she’s anxious to get started.”
“What about you? Why haven’t you settled down yet?” She’s trying to act nonchalant, but he can tell she’s fishing for information on his past relationships.
“No big reason. I guess I just haven’t found the right person… yet.”
“So no marriages? Engagements?”
“Nope.”
“Wow, what’s wrong with you?”
Troy laughs. “Gee, I don’t know for sure, but I guess I’ve never found the right kind of woman”
“What kind of woman is that? A 1950’s woman?”
He takes a bite of pancakes to give himself time to think. “Is that what you think the whole DD lifestyle is all about? Turning women into housewives, barefoot and pregnant, ready to service their husbands on a dime and turned over his knee for a hard, bare-bottomed spanking if she fails to please him?”
Her chest is heaving as she takes deep breaths.
“Which part of that rant has you out of breath, Hallie?”
Her answer is barely more than a whisper. “All of it. Oh God. Is that really what you expect?”
Troy could kick himself. She isn’t ready to see that for the ridiculous joke that it was. He quickly slides out of the booth, moving to slide in next to her. Hallie actually slides as far as she can, turning so her back is against the restaurant wall to face him. She’s panicking as he moves forward, trapping her.
Troy reaches out to cup her cheek with his right hand, trying to calm her. “Hallie, baby. I’m so sorry. That was a bad joke. That isn’t what I want out of a relationship at all. Take a deep breath.” Amazingly, she listens to him. “You want to know what the right kind of woman is for me? The woman I’ve been looking for?”
She answers with a whisper. “Yes.”
“Well for starters, she has to be smart… witty… able to keep me on my toes. Kind of like this conversation we’re having right now. It’s anything but boring, wouldn’t you agree?” He ends with a grin.
“I guess.”
“Good. Next, she has to want to be my partner in life. Someone who compliments me. Who accepts that I am going to be better at some things and she at other things, but
when we put our skills together, we make a whole. To me that is what DD is all about. Each person has an equal but different role to play, but when we come together it can be like magic.”
“I’ve never believed in magic.”
“Oh, Hallie. I may have never found it either, but I believe in it. I saw it with my own eyes in my parent’s marriage and my grandparent’s before them. I see it in so many of the wonderful relationships in Corbin’s Bend. You don’t think they’ve found a little bit of magic?”
She thinks about that for a minute. “Maybe.”
“There’s one other really important requirement left.”
“Yes?”
“She has to make me want to fuck her senseless the second she walks in a room”
“Oh God.” Troy is worried she is going to hyperventilate soon. He’s close enough to smell her arousal in the confined space.
Troy grabs her hand, holding it in his own while they size each other up. He slowly moves their joined hands to place her palm onto his now raging hard-on. Hallie’s eyes dilate, turning from green to almost black with veiled lust.
“This is what you do to me, Hallie. I’ve pretty much had this problem since I kissed you under that damn mistletoe on Christmas Eve. Three damn days I’ve been walking around, telling myself you’re too young for me. Telling myself you’re too innocent. Too afraid of a DD lifestyle. That you’ll freak out the first time I try to spank that beautiful ass of yours. I’ve come up with at least twenty reasons why falling for you is a bad idea, but in the end, it doesn’t matter. I want you, Hallie Boudreaux and I’m going to be patient and take my time proving to you that you should want me too.”
He’s done it. Laid all of his cards on the table. He hadn’t even made it two damn hours alone with her. He holds his breath, praying he didn’t just make the biggest mistake of his life.
She never does answer him. At least not with words. Hallie catapults forward into his arms with a groan. Troy captures her mouth in what is easily the most passionate kiss of his life. It’s full of emotion and promise. They lose themselves in the moment until their waitress clears her throat next to their table. They pull out of their kiss reluctantly.
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