by Maggie Ryan
“I-I didn’t mean I ever wear… oh… oh, God, I meant—”
“Breathe, little one,” Sawyer said, bending forward to place a kiss on her forehead. “I know what you mean, and now I’m pretty sure I know why some little girl got scared and shut down her computer.” Her look of guilt told him he was correct. “And knowing that you’ve most likely spent many hours worrying about things unnecessarily, I believe it is time for us to take that first step. Shall we?”
“What? Now?” she asked, followed quickly by, “I-I can’t. I have to work.”
Sawyer chuckled. “One of the perks of being good friends with your boss is that I’m quite positive he will understand. And, young lady, I’m not about to let you out of my sight until we finish that discussion we began, and I don’t think you want to have it in the middle of a busy restaurant.”
Her face turned a darker shade of pink and her teeth captured her bottom lip. He stood and extended his hand, smiling when she slipped hers into it. “Let’s go tell Sarah that I’ll be taking you home.”
“Okay,” she said softly.
He couldn’t wait until she added ‘Daddy’ to her responses, but for now, just having her hand in his was worth every moment he’d spent waiting. Once in the kitchen, he smiled as Arnold approached with a large bag.
“Thank you,” Sawyer said, accepting it.
“You’re welcome, and, Miss Knight, I don’t expect to see you for at least two weeks. Understand?”
“But I’m scheduled to work—”
“I’ve adjusted the schedule,” Arnold said with a smile. “You’re an exemplary employee but there are some things that are more important than work. Take the time to discover that for yourself.”
“Thank you,” she said.
Sarah stepped forward and Sawyer released Jane’s hand so the two women could hug. “I’m so glad you finally saw the light,” Sarah said with a smile. “Oh, and I’m going out after work, so don’t wait up for me.”
“And thanks,” Karen said with a huge grin. “Another half-hour and I would have lost, but thanks to you, I can finally get those Jimmy Choos I’ve been coveting.”
“What? You-you all bet on me?”
“No, we actually bet on Mr. Masterson,” Sarah clarified. “We all knew it was just a matter of time before you realized that any man willing to sit and wait was worth getting to know.”
Sawyer chuckled and Jane just shook her head in disbelief. After getting her purse from the break room, he took her hand again, leading her out of the restaurant. Her eyes grew wide again when a silver sedan pulled up, the driver exiting the vehicle to come around to the side.
“Jane, I’d like you to meet Richard. Richard, this is Miss Jane Knight.”
“It’s a pleasure to meet you, miss,” Richard said, giving a brief nod of his head as he opened the back door.
“Hello,” Jane said, looking from him to Sawyer. “You have a driver?”
“Sometimes I do,” Sawyer said. “Tonight I’d prefer spending my time focusing on you rather than on the roads.” He slipped his hand to the small of her back and guided her into the car, sliding in beside her.
Once he closed the door, Richard slid behind the wheel. Sawyer gave him an address after which the divider between the front and back raised.
“How did you know my address?” Jane asked. Before he could answer, she smiled. “Never mind, I forgot you’re some sort of computer nerd.”
“Nerd?”
She giggled and he found the sound delightful. “I didn’t mean it in an insulting way. I just meant you could access my computer…”
When she abruptly stopped speaking, he took her hand. “That was only with your permission. The moment you terminated the session, that permission was revoked. I will never invade your privacy, Jane.”
“Oh, okay.” After a moment, she said, “May I ask you a question?”
“I’m sure you’ll be asking many questions, and I will always answer if I am able to do so, or explain why I can’t.”
Her voice dropped to a mere whisper as her eyes darted toward the front seat. “Can Richard hear us?”
“Not unless I press the intercom button. But let me assure you that if he could, you’d need not worry. He is very discreet and would never divulge anything he might witness.”
She looked up at him. “You’re not just a dom, are you? I mean, you are more of a daddy dom?”
“I am many things, but, yes, I would consider it a great honor if you’d allow me to be your daddy as well.”
“What… what if I don’t like it? I mean, you sounded very determined about the… the spanking part?”
Sawyer smiled and had her seatbelt unbuckled and pulled her onto his lap before she could protest. Wrapping his arms around her, he bent to kiss her cheek. “You’re correct in that I’m a determined man in many aspects. And, baby girl, the truth is that if you like it, then I won’t be doing it right. A punishment spanking is just that—punishment. It is supposed to hurt. It is intended to teach you the consequences of misbehavior in hopes that you learn not to repeat the misdeed. If your little bottom isn’t burning by the time I let you off my lap or release you from a position you’ve taken to receive discipline, then what would be the point?”
“We could just discuss any… um—”
“Naughtiness?” he offered with a grin. “We could and we shall. I will make sure that you know exactly why you are going to be spanked, but it is my responsibility as your daddy to not only take care of you, but to help you become the best person you can be. If, as you say, you don’t like being spanked, then remember what I said about control. Control your behavior and you will control your need to be disciplined.”
She sighed, not speaking for several minutes and then looked up at him. “You said ‘punishment spanking’ like there is some other kind.”
“There is,” Sawyer said, giving her a little hug. “And those kinds of spankings are ones I promise you will enjoy.”
It was obvious she doubted him by the way her forehead furrowed, but then she smiled. “I think I’ve read about those kinds. Funishment—that’s the name, right?”
“Yes, that’s one term, but I like to think of them as ‘good girl spankings’.”
“Maybe we should start with one of those,” she suggested, causing him to chuckle and hold her tighter.
“Good try, but not tonight.”
“Why not? I thought I was in control. That I got to decide.”
Taking her chin in his fingers, he tilted her head so that their eyes locked. “You did decide the moment you took that first step. Tell me, do you honestly feel that you haven’t been the least bit naughty? That you don’t feel a little guilty about the way you’ve behaved not only toward me, but toward your coworkers and Mr. Arturo?”
“I-I guess.”
“You guess?”
Her shifting on his lap answered the question before she nodded. He bent forward and kissed her forehead. “I’ll let you in on a little secret. I know you’re a little scared, but, I promise, the moment the spanking is over, you’ll feel much better.”
She sighed, but when she laid her head against his chest, her body relaxing into him, he smiled and treasured the trust she was gifting him with.
Chapter Seven
Jane was very glad that she’d been so determined to keep her mind off of Sawyer that she’d cleaned the entire house. Passing him the key when he held out his hand, she waited until he opened the door, loving the feel of his hand against her back as he stepped aside to allow her to enter first. It wasn’t until the door closed that she wondered how that same hand would feel against a different part of her anatomy.
“Relax, little one.”
“What?”
“You’re trembling. You have nothing to worry about.”
She couldn’t help herself, rolling her eyes and shaking her head. “Easy for you to say. You’re going to be the one doing the smacking.”
/> When he chuckled, she couldn’t believe she heard herself asking, “So, where do you want me?”
“At the table,” Sawyer said.
Her eyes flicked to the table, imagining herself bent across its top, her hands gripping the edge as he pushed up her skirt and… She gave a little squeal as he touched her. Not to lift her clothing, but to slip an arm around her waist as he smiled and held up the bag that Arnold had given him.
“We’ll eat first.”
She could feel her face heat. “Oh… um, okay. I’ll set the table.”
“No, you just sit down,” Sawyer countered, placing the bag on the table and pulling a chair out for her.
“Why? You don’t know where anything is.”
He shook his head. “Because Daddy said he wants you to sit down. I can see that you’re still wincing a bit. I want you off your feet.” He guided her to take a seat and then squatted, lifting her foot and removing her shoe. “Your ankle is still a bit swollen from the other night.” He removed her other shoe and then gently massaged both ankles. “We’ll have that checked out during your doctor’s appointment.”
“I’m sure it’s fine,” she protested.
His eyebrow quirked as he looked up at her, his fingers still palpating the ankle she’d twisted the first night they’d met. “I see we are going to have to clear up a few things. The first being that when your daddy says you’ll be having your ankle checked, then, baby girl, you will be having it examined.”
She could only nod.
After a final, gentle rub, he stood and bent to kiss her cheek. “Now, direct me to the dishes and we’ll eat.”
Jane watched as he fixed her plate, cut her steak into bite-sized pieces, dabbed butter and sour cream on her baked potato, added a spoonful of broccoli and then set it in front of her. Only then did he serve himself.
Suddenly she remembered what he’d said. “You said at my doctor’s appointment but I don’t have an appointment.”
“You will,” Sawyer said. “The sooner we get the necessary details attended to, the sooner we can play.”
Though she wanted to ask what he meant about ‘playing’, she lost her nerve. Instead, she asked, “What necessary details?”
“You’ll need a physical and—”
“Why? I mean, I told the truth on the questions. I’m really a healthy person. I haven’t been sick in ages and—”
“And you were just naughty. Can you tell me what you just did?”
Naughty? Jane was taken aback. All she’d been doing was trying to explain that she didn’t want a physical. “Um… I disagreed with you?”
“No, sweetie, you interrupted me when I was speaking. That isn’t only impolite, it is disrespectful.”
“I was just… you’re right. I’m sorry.”
“Good girl. Admitting you made a mistake is a good thing and apologizing for that mistake is another. As I was saying, you will have a physical as I need to be certain that you are not only healthy, but physically able to tolerate certain things.”
“Tolerate what? Like can I tolerate a spanking?”
He chuckled and shook his head. “No, I’m positive that while you might not like a spanking, you’ll certainly be able to tolerate one. I’m talking about other things.”
Jane played with her food more than she ate it, but she couldn’t help it. Forget ‘other things’, all she could think about was the spanking he’d promised. Finally, she set her fork down. “I’m not trying to be difficult, but I really don’t think I can eat. Not when I’m so nervous.”
Reaching across the table, he covered her hand with his. “Being a bit nervous is normal, but I don’t want you to be so unsettled that it interferes with your ability to eat. Dinner can wait a bit.”
“Thank you.” His grin had her thinking she must sound foolish as she’d basically just thanked him in advance for the spanking he was about to deliver. “I didn’t mean for the…”
“Jane, relax. I know what you mean.” He stood and helped her from her chair. With her hand in his, he looked down. “Do you need to go to the bathroom first?”
“The bathroom. Why?”
“Because I don’t want you to be uncomfortable.”
Jane almost giggled thinking how could he expect her to be comfortable getting her butt smacked. Fortunately, she managed to keep a straight face. “Okay, I’ll be right back.” She hurried out of the room, suddenly grateful to have an excuse to be alone if only for a few minutes. Once inside the bathroom, she relieved herself and then stood in front of the mirror as she washed her hands. “You need to get a grip, Jane,” she said softly. “You wanted this, remember? It’s not like you’re going to your execution—it’s just a little spanking, right?” Nodding at her reflection, she dried her hands, ran a brush through her hair, and then took a deep breath and opened the door.
Despite giving herself a pep talk, the moment she entered the living room and saw the chair he’d brought in from the dining room, her tummy flipped. When he smiled and held out his hand, she went to him on shaky legs, allowing him to guide her between his legs. She was pretty sure that if he let her go, she’d fall straight to the floor, and she was grateful that his hands continued to hold both of hers, not letting her collapse at his feet.
“Tell me why Daddy is going to spank his little girl.”
Whoa, this was really happening! The question, the terms of address, the tone, everything about it seemed surreal and yet she found herself answering, “Because I-I was bad?”
“Not bad, Janie, naughty. How were you naughty?”
She didn’t really understand the difference, but what she did understand was that he—her daddy—had just given her a Little name. How a simple thing could have such a profound effect on her, she didn’t know, but it did. Instantly she felt years fall away and that allowed her to answer.
“I was rude to you, took advantage of my friends, and wasn’t a very good employee.”
“And you lied.”
“I didn’t!”
“Yes, sweetie, you did. You’ve been lying since the first night when you refused to acknowledge that this is exactly what you’ve been wanting, craving, for so very long. Now, how does that make you feel inside?”
How could he sound so sure of himself? Of her. She’d not even completed the section about having a daddy. It was as if he didn’t require her written answers, just needed to look at her and know this was what she had been searching for. “Not very good,” she admitted and recognized the truth of that statement. “A little icky actually.”
“That’s what guilt does, but Daddy is going to make that icky feeling go away.” Releasing her hands, he guided them to her sides. “How is Daddy going to do that, Janie?”
“You’re going to spank me.”
“That’s right. In the future, I might ask you to drop your panties, lift your skirt, and place yourself over my knee or position yourself elsewhere, but since this is your first spanking, I’m going to help, all right?”
“All… all right.” Her breath caught in her throat when his hands slipped beneath her skirt and her knees started shaking even more when he hooked his fingers in the waistband of her panties. She wasn’t sure exactly how she’d pictured this happening, but it hadn’t been this. It was as if his body temperature was transferring to her skin with every tug of her underwear as he began to lower them. Her face flamed and her tummy began doing somersaults. She couldn’t for the life of her hold back the small whimper when the thin fabric conquered the hillocks of her buttocks, leaving them bare. He didn’t release them until they were at her knees, just visible beneath the hem of her skirt. With a simple movement, he turned her slightly and she gave a short yip of surprise when he tipped her over his left leg.
“Brace your hands on the floor,” he instructed. “I’ve got you. You won’t fall.”
Planting her palms on the floor, she was grateful that her hair cascaded around her face, her gratitude for the coverage g
rowing exponentially when she felt her skirt being lifted and folded back to expose her bottom.
“Do not reach back, Janie. Keep your hands and feet down.”
“O-okay.”
“That’s my good girl.”
His words, the feel of his hand laying across her ass, and the feel of his free arm hugging her just a little closer to his body made Jane feel secure, but the moment she felt his right leg lifting to capture both of hers, she started to panic.
“Wait! Is-is this going to hurt?”
“Yes, it is.”
Why those three little words didn’t have her fighting like a wildcat to get free, she’d never understand. Perhaps it was that he didn’t sugarcoat it, didn’t lie, didn’t even assure her that it wouldn’t be that bad, but whatever the reason, they managed to settle her in the mindset of a little girl who’d chosen to misbehave and who had a daddy who wouldn’t allow her to be naughty without consequence. But when she felt his hand disappear, she knew that she’d earned this spanking and was finally ready to accept her just deserts.
The first strike shocked her enough that she remained absolutely silent, the second had her drawing in a huge gulp of air, the third had her head rearing back, and the fourth had her finding her voice as she shrieked. Hell, yes, it hurt! This was nothing like the time she’d been over Joe’s knees for that ridiculous facsimile of a spanking. Sawyer’s hand, the same hand that had made her feel so small, so secure as he’d held hers, was now falling like a paddle. It was hard and it was huge enough to cover a great deal of territory with each swat.
“Ow, ow, ow! Please!”
He ignored her cries, the sound of each crack of his hand bouncing about the room as she was sure her butt was bouncing beneath each stroke. No longer worried about the embarrassment of her position, no longer caring that he was staring at her bare bottom, all Jane was concerned about was surviving the spanking.
“Please! I’m sorry! I’ll never be naughty again, I swear!”
