Matched for Keeps

by Stevie MacFarlane

  Erica stumbled from the bed, barely able to make out the time on the clock. Staggering to the bathroom, she never noticed John sitting in the bedroom chair, one long leg crossed over the other, or heard him call for room service as she turned on the shower. Her head was throbbing, her expensive dress was on the bathroom floor, and there were wads of crumpled bills on the vanity. God, what happened last night? She wondered as the water cascaded over her. The last thing she remembered was joking around with some guys about lap dancing. Suddenly they were plying her with drinks and doubting her abilities.

  As the water woke her up, she remembered stuffing bills down her bodice and making her way around the table, laughing her ass off. Well, she still had her panties on when she got out of bed, and there was no stranger in it, so that was a plus.

  She gasped out loud as she remembered a stern-faced John, plucking her off some guy's lap, and oh my, she thought she took a swing at him! Covering her face with her hands she took several deep, cleansing breaths. Poor John. He was such a nice, sweet guy, and he had no idea what he was letting himself in for when he accepted her invitation to accompany her to Vegas. She'd wanted to go in the worst way but didn't want to be the only one without an escort. He seemed to be the perfect choice.

  John was amazing to look at with his tall, lanky body and brilliant smile. Older than her for sure, his confident persona and quiet manner appealed to her. She had done his interview personally and he was basically looking for companionship, nothing heavy duty or over the top as far as sexual requirements, and well, she could be a decent companion. He was wealthy, and although she didn't know how wealthy, she knew it was old money and he was a gentleman. Yes, a girl could do a lot worse for a wedding date, and now he probably wouldn't even speak to her, let alone escort her to the wedding. He might even decide to leave Sugar Babies' exclusive client list. Shit!

  Erica completed her shower as quickly as she could, given that she was still quite shaky. Stepping from the tub, she dried her body and wrung most of the water from her hair. She needed coffee, and soon. Leaning closer to the mirror she almost groaned. It would take a ton of make-up to hide this hangover, she realized. Slipping on the over-sized robe provided by the hotel, she fluffed her long, dark hair and entered the bedroom.

  Immediately she could smell the coffee and followed her nose to the sitting room. John rose when she entered the room and pulled out a chair for her to sit at the table.

  "John, you're a lifesaver," she sighed, sitting and waiting impatiently for the coffee he was pouring. Adding cream, she brought the cup to her nose and inhaled deeply before taking a sip and moaning in appreciation. "This is wonderful. Thank you," she said, curling her bare toes into the carpet.

  It didn't escape her notice that he never spoke, just began removing domed covers off silver dishes and fixing what she assumed was his plate. Instead, he placed the plate before her and began fixing his own.

  "Um, thanks, but I never eat breakfast," she said apologetically, shrugging her slim shoulders. "Just coffee is all I need."

  John opened her linen napkin with a snap and placed it on her lap as her mouth dropped open.

  "Nevertheless, today you will eat breakfast, and what's more, you will eat all of it," he calmly asserted, taking his seat.

  "John," she began, twisting her napkin before setting it on the table. "I'm sorry I…"

  John raised one eyebrow and stared at her and without a word being spoken; she picked up her napkin and returned it to her lap. Picking up her fork she pushed some food around on her plate as she glanced several times at the distance between the table and the door.

  "I wouldn't," he advised, clearly reading her intentions. "I may be a bit older than you, but I typically run six miles a day or more. That and the fact that my stride is probably three times longer than yours, you haven't a chance of making it."

  "John, if this is about last night..." she began until he cut her off again.

  "We will discuss last night in intimate detail when we have finished breakfast," he stated firmly without an ounce of flexibility.

  Erica had had enough. Standing, she threw her napkin on the table and faced him. "I said I don't eat breakfast," she informed him tartly, "and if you want to bitch at me about last night, just go ahead and get it over with."

  John never stopped cutting his meat as he replied quite gently. "Erica, if you are a smart little girl, which remains to be seen, you will sit down immediately and begin eating. Otherwise, I will pick you up, carry you to the bedroom and locate your hairbrush. I'm sure you have one?" he asked, meeting her eyes.

  Erica nodded, speechless.

  "Good. I will then proceed to spank the living daylights out of your behind after which I will bring you back here, sit you on my lap and feed you myself. Do I make myself clear?" he asked, smiling slightly.

  Erica sat with a thump and picked up her fork, her mind working furiously trying to figure out what she'd missed in their interview. Little girl? And 'Sit you on my lap and feed you myself'?

  Well, hell!

  "John?"

  "Yes."

  "May I ask you a question?" she inquired cautiously. There was no sense in escalating the situation.

  "You may."

  "Why didn't you tell me you were into age-play when we went over your application?"

  "I'm not playing."

  "Oh"

  They finished their meal in relative peace, and as long as Erica was eating most of what he placed on her plate, he didn't make an issue of it. As soon as he put his napkin on the table and rose, Erica sighed in relief.

  "Breakfast was lovely, John,' she said. "I guess I didn't realize how hungry I really was. Thank you very much," she continued as he rounded the table and pulled out her chair. "I understand if you no longer want to accompany me to the wedding this afternoon, after last night, I mean."

  John actually laughed at that as he took her hand in his and led her to the sofa. "Of course I'll take you to the wedding. I've come nearly two thousand miles to do just that and you will learn, in time, that I always follow through on my commitments."

  "Okay, I appreciate that," she said with a nervous smile. "Well now that that's settled, I need to start getting ready, so if you'll excuse me," she continued, rising from the sofa.

  John tugged her back down easily. "I believe I said we were going to discuss last night in intimate detail, didn't I?"

  "Yes," she sighed, folding her hands in her lap and staring at them.

  "Erica, I agreed to come on this trip for two reasons. One was the chance to spend time with a beautiful young woman whom I'm incredibly attracted to. The other was to see if she was really what she presented herself to be. I must tell you that I am both disappointed and delighted."

  "What?" she asked, raising her chin. "If that's your idea of a compliment, you need to work on your skills."

  "It's neither a compliment nor a condemnation. You are beautiful and smart, talented and organized. I've never met a woman who could get so much done with so little apparent effort. It's quite amazing, watching you in action. It would seem the word 'professional' was coined for you. On the other hand, you can be rude, extraordinarily ill behaved and at times vulgar. Your childish actions of last night were not only foolhardy but dangerous. Tell me," he began to ask, leaning back against the cushions and crossing his arms over his chest, "why did you ask me to come with you on this trip?"

  "Well," she hedged, wondering if she was going to get herself out of this one intact. "You're very attractive and wealthy of course, so I knew you would fit in with the other couples…"

  "And?"

  "And I thought you were easy," she finished with a guilty blush.

  "Easy, as in easily manipulated?"

  "Yes," she hissed.

  "Oh Darlin'," he laughed, "You've made a huge error in judgment." And with his laughter still ringing in her ears she was pulled over his lap. Her very first spanking began over her thick robe, but that was soon dispensed with as he lifted it
to her waist and saw that her bottom was hardly pink. "This will never do," he commented calmly as he arranged it so her bottom and thighs were completely uncovered.

  Erica screamed and struggled, but it made not a whit of difference. John was strong, fit and determined, and he proceeded as though she was, in fact, an unruly child. Spank after spank rained down on her unprotected backside and her initial embarrassment was quickly replaced with thoughts of self-preservation.

  "I'm sorry, John," she said breathlessly. "I'll never behave like that again."

  "Of course you will," he replied, not even out of breath. "Basically you've done just as you please your entire life, with no one to stop you or give you consequences. Your words to me last night were 'You're not the boss of me.' Granted, you were highly intoxicated at the time," he continued, smacking away at a brisk pace and turning her bottom bright pink. "And technically, you were correct. I was not the boss of you at that precise moment in time, but I am at this one. You are over my lap getting a damn good spanking, one that you richly deserve, I might add. How dare you think you can manipulate me? I eat little girls like you for breakfast, and I don't mean that in a sexual way, honey, although that also has its appeal."

  "Oh God," she cried as his words both shocked and thrilled her. His hand was equivalent to any paddle she'd seen at Sugar Babies and she never imagined a spanking could hurt so much. New respect for the women she'd partied with last night flooded her. How could they survive this on a regular basis? No wonder Elena and Jo were so nervous about going into that club. She'd practically had to drag them through the door.

  "I'm not hearing much out of you for a change," John remarked. "You don't have to be stoic. I won't think less of you if you howl and beg for mercy," he teased as he moved from one cheek to the other. "All little girls cry when they get what they deserve."

  "When pigs fly," she spat over her shoulder, "that's when I'll beg for mercy!"

  "Is that so?" he asked lifting her cheeks and giving her several crisp slaps to the underside of her bottom. "In all fairness I must tell you that I have no intention of stopping anytime soon and certainly not until I feel you are truly remorseful, so go ahead and tough it out sweetheart. My hand is pretty strong."

  Are you kidding me, she mentally screamed, it's like a board. But I'm made of tougher stuff, she told herself, just before he moved to the backs of her thighs. Then she was suddenly a marshmallow.

  "Please, please stop," she begged, her tears soaking the sofa. "I'll… I'll be good. I'll never try to manipulate you… anymore," she sobbed, finally accepting both the pain and his discipline.

  John didn't stop, at least not as quickly as she'd hoped. He continued spanking her thighs until he was sure she would feel it for quite a while and then returned to her bottom for another round before he wound down. When it was over he comforted her much like he would a child, with soothing words, and rocking until her sobs had turned to hiccups. Taking his hankie out of his pocket, he wiped her tears and made her blow her nose, which was almost as mortifying as the spanking.

  "Now, little one," he said kindly as he stood her on her feet. "Let this be a lesson to you. I won't put up with anymore foolishness from you, understand?"

  Erica nodded, tears still running down her face as she tried to hold them back.

  "Are you going to behave for the rest of our trip?"

  Her bottom lip was quivering in the most adorable way as she nodded again. Apparently words were beyond her at the moment and he softened and pulled her into his arms, gently rubbing her back. She immediately burst into another round of sobs as she clung to his tall frame.

  "There, there," he whispered in her ear, stroking her hair away from her face. "That's enough now. You survived your first spanking and I think you'll be the better for it, at least with me. You go and make yourself beautiful for the wedding and I'll be back to pick you up."

  "Okay," she whispered, using the sleeve of her robe to wipe her nose.

  "And Erica," he said as he reached the door and turned back to her.

  "Yes?" she sniffed.

  "You really are an amazing woman; you just have a little girl inside that needs to make an appearance every now and then. When that happens, you need someone around to make sure she stays safe and happy. Do you understand?"

  "No," she replied forlornly.

  "That's okay, baby. You will, in time."

  "Will you be around to help me?" she asked her eyes wide and frightened.

  "As a friend? Always, Darlin'," he replied with a wink. "As more than that, we'll see."

  Chapter Fifteen

  The ceremony was perfect, right down to the deep rose dress that Ty and Marcus's mother had brought along to wear. The elder McCarthy's were a charming couple and embraced their new daughter-in-law lovingly. All the ladies in attendance were sitting gingerly except Susan who ironically had been the only one to escape unscathed last night.

  They had a hell of a fight, with Marcus putting her in the shower fully dressed to wash the smell of whiskey and men's cologne off her. He was so angry he decided he couldn't spank her, and he went to bed alone. Today he'd been so busy with Ty and his parents he'd never gotten around to it, which suited her just fine.

  Susan wore a vintage tea-length black satin gown that hugged her waist and accented her pale skin and flaming hair. As she walked down the aisle ahead of Kelsey, she saw Marcus staring at her suspiciously as though she'd worn black to signal her disapproval of the wedding, but she pointedly ignored him. She'd already asked Kelsey's opinion on the dress and her friend thought it was perfect, so screw him. The brothers were very easy to tell apart, now that she knew them so well, and she often wondered how their differences could have escaped her when they'd first met.

  Marcus was clearly a much more complicated man, and it was totally obvious as he waited at the altar in his black, perfectly tailored Italian suit. He looked far more dangerous than Ty, or maybe that was because she was looking at a serious spanking in her near future.

  Standing as tall as possible in her designer stilettos, she ignored Marcus and flashed Ty a brilliant smile and wink as she took her place at the altar.

  All eyes turned to the bride as the music swelled, and if Sue didn't know better she'd think she'd been transported to some kind of fairyland. Kelsey was easily the most beautiful bride any of them had ever seen. She glowed, sending shafts of light with each step she took, and as she got closer to Ty, it was clear that her crystal blue eyes were shining with tears of happiness.

  Ty was speechless and absolutely awed by her loveliness. As delicate as a breeze she glided to him and took his hand.

  The ceremony itself was relatively short, and they spoke their vows, Kelsey in a voice that sounded almost musical and Ty in a deep, emotional baritone. As he slipped the wedding band on her finger, the minister pronounced them husband and wife, and Ty kissed her with a passion that affected everyone in the room. It took several not-very-discreet coughs before he released her. Susan helped her straighten her veil as the guests erupted in laughter.

  All too soon, the guests were off to a private dining room at the hotel for the bridal dinner, leaving Susan and Marcus with Kelsey and Ty to sign the official documents. As soon as Ty had the papers in his hand, he picked Kelsey up and swung her in a circle as she hugged him tight.

  "Well, Mrs. McCarthy, let's go celebrate," he crowed joyously. "Come on, you guys," he called to Marcus and Susan as he carried his bride to the waiting limo.

  Marcus took Susan's arm and quietly helped her into the car. He was silent for most of the ride, but neither of the newlyweds noticed. About three blocks from the hotel, he touched the intercom and told the driver to pull over.

  "What's wrong?" Ty asked, eying Susan suspiciously, thinking he'd missed something that had upset his brother.

  "Nothing. I feel the need of a little fresh air," Marcus replied smiling. "I'm sure spending a few minutes alone with your bride won't be a hardship."

  "No, as long as everything's
all right," Ty replied. "The ceremony was quicker than I expected so we have a half hour or so to kill. Maybe we'll take a little ride," he grinned, wiggling his eyebrows at Kelsey as she blushed.

  "That's a good idea," Marcus agreed smoothly. "Susan and I will walk the last few blocks to the hotel. We'll see you in a little bit," he added helping a surprised Susan from the vehicle.

  "What's going on, Marcus?" she asked, although she was pretty sure she already knew the answer to that. She could smell a dump a mile away. They had only made love once the entire time they'd been in Vegas and Marcus went to bed alone last night. Yup, here it comes, she thought as she stood beside him. She was surrounded by the glitz and glitter, yet it was all fake, as fake as her relationship with Marcus. It consisted of a piece of paper and it didn't have nearly the meaning of the one in Ty's pocket.

  Pulling her thin wrap around her shoulders in the cooling desert air, Marcus tucked her arm through his and matched his pace to hers in those ridiculous shoes.

  "Susan, are you happy?" he asked.

  "No," she answered. There, how do you like that?

  "Why do you suppose that is?"

  "I don't know. Who is happy, I mean really happy? It's fleeting at best, in my opinion."

  "Ty and Kelsey are happy," he replied, "And Sam and Jo seem happy. Elena was so excited at the wedding she could hardly sit still."

  "Yeah, most likely because she got her butt roasted last night," Sue replied dryly.

  Marcus smiled. "You're probably right. Jeff certainly would never let that kind of behavior go. You may be the only one who got out of it, although it's only a temporary reprieve of course."

  "Of course," she drawled sarcastically.

  "So what would make you happy, Red?" he asked as they reached the intersection, his arm around her waist as he hurried her across.

  "I don't know," she replied honestly. "I thought money would do it, but I guess not. I'm not unhappy either, Marcus," she said, stopping him and resting her hand on his chest. "You've done everything you said you would, and I mean everything," she continued with a grimace that had him laughing. Sue jabbed him with her elbow as they continued walking.