He helped her out of the car, and they walked up the steps to his apartment together. He lived near the hospital, which made it convenient for him. His complex was modern, more expensive than the one she and Cassie shared on campus.
She walked into the living room and sat down on the couch, unbuckling her sandals and putting her feet under her skirt. Chad brought her a glass of wine from the kitchen and sat down next to her. He handed the glass to her.
"You aren't drinking, are you? You have to drive me home and then get up early in the morning."
"No, Mother, I am not drinking. I have soda in my glass," he teased.
Hannah giggled. "Just making sure," she retorted. "Next week, you can drink all the wine and beer you want."
"Come over here, you little vixen," he said as he sat down next to her on the couch. She scooted closer to him and allowed him to put his arm around her shoulders.
"Mmm, this is nice, isn't it?" she asked as they relaxed together.
"Yes, it is. I am ready for the day we can do this on a daily basis. One more year," he said.
She looked up at him. "You are serious about that, aren't you?" she asked.
"As a heart attack," he replied. "I don't plan to wait to make it legal, that is, if you're on board with that."
"Nothing would make me happier," she said as she snuggled closer.
"I guess, one of these days, we should sit down and discuss our plans," he added.
"Yes, but I think we have some time to do that. Let's just enjoy the rest of our evening for now," she said as she started to unbutton his shirt.
"Whoa, hold on a minute. I have other plans for you first, little lady," he said as he grabbed her hand.
"What are you talking about?" she asked as she looked up at him.
"Oh, can't you guess?" he asked with a low chuckle. "I want to give you a reminder before you leave for the mountains. Just a little bit of insurance that you won't do anything crazy before I get there, something to ease my mind."
"Chad…" she began, but he interrupted her by lifting her bodily into his arms and carrying her down the hall to his bedroom.
He placed her on the bed and then he sat down. Pulling her over his lap, he asked, "Now, don't you agree this is warranted, considering the trouble you nearly got yourself into on the last trip?"
"But I've told you already, I'll be careful," she protested, not too loudly, because she really was not all that shocked or upset by his actions.
"I know you have, this is just a little reminder," he said, almost soothingly as he lifted the skirt of her blue flowered sundress and caressed her cheeks. She was wearing white lace panties that were next to nothing, purely for his benefit. He admired them, telling her how much he liked them just before he slipped his fingers into the elastic and slid them down. He maneuvered them down her legs effortlessly and raised each foot to slip them off completely.
Now, she lay there, bare-bottomed and exposed, waiting.
Waiting, for what seemed an eternity before his hand finally cracked down on one cheek and then the other with two powerful thuds. Hannah jumped and gasped, the sharpness of the contact against her tender skin shocking to her senses.
Chad chuckled. "Smart a little, did it?" he asked.
"Damn it, Chad, you know it did," she replied through clenched teeth.
"Mmm, but you love it, don't you?" he teased.
"I never said that," she retorted as she reached around with her hand, trying to rub out the sting.
"Ah, ah, ah, we'll have none of that. Do I have to tie your hands together?" he asked, obviously enjoying this just a little too much.
Another sharp smack came down, making her jump again. Still, he continued, with first one cheek, then the other, then the sit spots and finally, as he always did, a few smacks to the tops of her thighs.
Hannah was fighting the tears. So he wanted to remind her what would happen if she was careless again, she got it. But what were the chances of anything happening again? The incident in Iowa was a one-time thing. In that town, she was nothing short of a hero. He really was making too much of this.
But when the same hand that had punished her a few minutes before started caressing her fiery bottom, she quickly noticed that he was using sensual movements. And she also realized that she wasn't really mad at him. Quite the opposite, which Chad found out a few minutes later when his finger dipped between her legs and emerged, coated with her arousal.
"Yeah, you want to tell me again how you hate this?" he asked with a chuckle as he pulled her up and laid her on the bed.
She was putty in his hands after that. One kiss was all it took. Hannah melted into him, eager for more. She didn't know exactly what was different about his sexual prowess now, but as Cassie had pointed out earlier, things were certainly a lot hotter these days.
"Chad?" she asked in a near whisper.
"Yes, love?" He continued to caress her silken skin as he eased her dress off and threw it on the floor.
"This…this change in you…what brought it on?" she asked.
"The spanking, you mean?" he asked.
"Well, that and…your increased libido."
He threw his head back and laughed heartily. "Oh my love, it was always there, I just held back. And then, in LeClaire, when I saw you taking risks right and left, I knew it was time to bring out that side of me. I knew I had to show you who I really was, especially if we plan to spend our lives together."
"And Alan, he was always this way, too?"
"Alan? God, no. I see Cassie has told you about their experiences. I had a heart-to-heart with Al in Iowa, when all this ghost stuff was going down. I told him what I intended to do and suggested he do the same with Cassie. He wasn't sure at first, but when it became apparent the two of you were not going to listen to reason, he agreed it was necessary."
"Wow," was all she could say.
"And this increased libido, as you put it, is the result of the other. It is arousing for both of us."
"But how can that be?" she asked, confused.
"Trust me, I don't know all the specifics, only that, for some, discipline and punishment is arousing. Apparently, we are one of those couples."
"I-I like this new side of you. There were times, in the past, when I felt as if I was not important in your life. I know your work and studies have to come first right now, and I understood. I just felt, sometimes, we never really had a good…well, you know."
"I know. Many nights, I am so exhausted that all I want to do is crawl between the sheets and sleep, nothing else. I'm sure I've been a boring date on more than one occasion, but, honey, hold on for the ride, because our life is going to be anything but dull. I will still get tired and distracted, but when we are together, I am going to make damned sure you know you've been loved."
"Well, you can start right now, because you're going to have to take me home soon," she murmured as she fumbled with his belt and zipper.
"Oh, believe me, I am up for that challenge," he replied with a chuckle.
When she slid his khakis down, she discovered that he was, indeed, up.
He freed himself the rest of the way from his pants, his shorts following and soon his shirt and socks. He was lying skin-to-skin with her on the bed, and he was busily using his tongue and hands to bring her to a fevered state.
Hannah moaned softly as he made his way down her body, anticipating the pleasures to come. He didn't disappoint her, as his tongue soon made contact with the sensitive spot between her legs. Continuing to tease her, his hands did magical things to her breasts while his tongue worked down below. In no time at all, Hannah was writhing beneath him, begging for release. As spasms of delight engulfed her, racking her body with shudders, he stopped and entered her before she had a chance to recover. Soon, he was thrusting with determination, brushing a wayward curl of her blonde hair from her face as his eyes met hers.
"I love you," he mouthed as he continued to move inside her, soon bringing them both to a new degree of desire. His th
ick cock filled her completely, and she moved her hips in unison with his, until, once again, shudders ran through her body and his, at the exact same moment in time. And for that moment, they were the only two people in the universe, complete in their love, reveling in the aftermath of the violent waves of emotion that overcame them. Never had it been so intense between them as it was that night. They lay quietly, for a long time afterward, her legs still wrapped around him, holding him to her, as if she couldn't bear to let him go. But they both knew that he had to go. He got up, finally, and dressed while she watched him, a glazed look in her eyes.
"Baby, come on, you have to get up now. I have the early shift in the morning," he said in a low voice. "I don't want this night to end any more than you do."
Reluctantly, she did as he said. He drove her back to the apartment she shared with Cassie and walked her to the door. He pulled her close before she went inside, leaving her with one last, lingering kiss before he said goodnight. "Drive safely on Sunday. I'll call you tomorrow after my shift."
"Okay, I'm sure we'll have an early night, but it will be perfect to hear your voice before I go to sleep."
He waited until she was safely inside before leaving.
Hannah watched out the window as he drove away. The apartment was quiet, which meant Cassie had gone to bed. She walked to her bedroom and slowly undressed for bed, touching her body as she did so, in the same places Chad had touched earlier. Tonight had been magical for her. Never had she felt so completely loved and cherished as she had with Chad in his bed that night. They'd been sexually active for several months now, but never like this. Yes, she definitely liked this new, dominant side of him.
It took a while for her to fall asleep, as she kept reliving the night repeatedly in her head, from dinner, to the trip across his knees, to what followed that. She thought about the conversation they'd had while in bed, before they made love. He admitted to her that he had been hiding that side of his personality from her until he felt it necessary to reveal it. Not only that, but he had convinced Alan that he should start punishing Cassie, as well. In her estimation of the situation, they had all come out winners. She couldn't wait to talk to Cassie about it over coffee in the morning.
But, for now, she needed sleep. There was much to do the next day in preparation for their trip. Iowa in June, Tennessee in July and the beach in August, what a busy summer they had planned.
Then, when they returned from South Carolina, it would be time to begin their senior year of college. She would graduate, find a suitable position, using her new degree, and plan a wedding. Cassie would, more than likely, do the same.
She could see the four of them remaining close, as Alan and Chad both worked at the hospital.
She looked at the clock on her bedside table. "Damn it, Hannah, turn off your brain and go to sleep," she said aloud as she plumped up her pillow and turned over.
Chapter Ten
It was hot. Hannah wiped the sweat from her brow as she carried the last basket of clean laundry up from the laundry room in the basement of the apartment building.
"All done, here's the last load," she said when she entered the apartment.
Cassie was busy packing. She looked up and said, "Oh, good, I'm almost done. Now, with that last load, I can finish."
"Most of my stuff is packed, too. I think we deserve a break after this."
"I agree, how about pizza and beer down the street?" her friend said as her red ponytail bobbed with her movements.
"Are you seeing Alan before he goes to work tonight?" Hannah asked.
"Yes, but not until later," she explained. "He goes in at eleven. I will meet up with him before he goes in for a while, then I'll come back here and hit the hay. If we want to get an early start in the morning, I don't want to be out late."
"Okay, do you want me to wait up for you?"
"If you want, but if not, that's okay, too. Really, I won't be out late. We agreed to meet for dessert and decaf, that's all. Well, decaf for me, I'm sure he'll have the full strength stuff to get him through the night," she said with a giggle.
Hannah shook her head. "Poor guys, I don't know how they do it, changing shifts all the time. At least, when we're working, we have decent hours, considering we also have classes."
"I agree that it's got to be tough. At least, they'll get some rest in the mountains."
"Chad did agree to spend one day at Dollywood, the rest of the time, he wants to chill."
"Alan pretty much said the same thing," Cassie said as she finally closed her suitcase and sat down on the bed.
Hannah finished folding her part of the laundry and headed to her room to finish packing. "I'll be ready in a few."
"No rush," Cassie said as she set her suitcase on the floor and went into the bathroom to freshen up.
A shared pizza and a beer apiece later, Hannah and Cassie went back to their apartment to finish getting ready for their next adventure. Cassie went out for dessert with her love, which left Hannah alone. She soaked in a warm, relaxing bubble bath and got ready for bed, talked to Chad on the phone, again promising him that she would behave, and sat down to wait for Cassie's return.
The two girls talked for a few minutes, deciding on six o'clock as the time to get up and moving and both headed to bed.
It didn't take Hannah as long to fall asleep that night as it had the night before, probably because she was excited and fatigued from the previous night and all the preparations that day.
The next morning at seven, they pulled out of the parking lot in Hannah's car and started the drive to Tennessee. It was a five-hour drive for them, and they decided to stop for breakfast at a local twenty-four-hour restaurant on the way out of town. Seven o'clock on a Sunday morning wasn't a busy time, so they were in and out pretty quickly, each carrying a cup of coffee for the road in their hands as they got back into the car.
Several miles down the road, they finally woke up enough to chat. Hannah broached the subject of domestic discipline again.
"Cassie, tell me your real thoughts on the whole discipline scene. I mean, our guys got all macho in Iowa because they thought we took some unnecessary risks. Are you really okay with that?" she asked as she picked up her coffee cup and swallowed the last few drops.
Cassie hesitated for a moment before answering. Finally, she said, "I thought you were fine with it."
"That's not an answer to my question. I want to know how you feel about it."
"I was appalled at first, really shocked at Alan. I was angry, I was hurt, I was…I don't know…scared, I guess. But, later, after it was over and we talked, it made sense in a weird sort of way. I felt as if he really did worry about me. And as I've said before, the sex has been incredible since then."
Hannah nodded.
"Now, it's your turn. I want to know your true feelings. No cover-ups, no falsehoods, just the simple truth. Are you okay with it?"
"I agree with everything you said. The other night, on our dinner date, Chad mentioned marriage. He does not want to wait any length of time after I graduate, either. And, of course, the subject of discipline got brought up. It seems he has always been interested in this sort of relationship, but he never felt the time was right to bring it up, until Iowa. And I would be lying if I said I didn't like this new side of him. He also admitted that he doesn't always make time for me. He has assured me that, even though there will be times the hospital has to come first, which I totally get, the time we do spend together, he will make sure I feel completely loved and cherished. There will be no room for doubts, he says."
"Isn't that what it's all about?" Cassie asked.
"I think so, yes…I know so."
"Funny how it took solving an old murder mystery to bring this all about," the red-haired girl remarked.
Hannah laughed. "I told him we were heroes in that town. He agreed that we did a good thing, just not with the way we went about it."
"How many more hours of driving do we have until we get there?" Cassie asked.
>
"I think about three. Do you want to get out and stretch your legs? I could go for some more coffee."
"Sure, I don't think I want any lunch yet. That breakfast will hold me over for a while."
"I figure we can get checked in to the cabin and unpack, then go to town and roam around, have a nice meal tonight. Tomorrow, we need to find a grocery store and stock up before the guys arrive."
"We have tonight and two whole days before they get here."
"Yes, but we can go shopping and do the things they don't care to do, don't you think?"
"Oh, yes, hitting an outlet mall for bargains is not their idea of a good time."
Hannah pulled over at the next exit, and they found a Starbucks easily. After taking a break, it was time to hit the road again. Cassie offered to drive the rest of the way, and Hannah gladly took her up on that.
It was mid-afternoon when they finally arrived at the cabin and unpacked. The place was gorgeous, with a fireplace in the great room, two large bedrooms, two private baths, a nicely equipped kitchen and, of course, a hot tub on the deck. It was private, in a wooded area, although several other cabins were nearby.
Hannah was sitting on the deck when Cassie joined her. "I just finished unpacking and checking out the place."
"Very relaxing, don't you agree?" Hannah asked.
"Oh, my, yes. The boys will love it here."
After enjoying the sounds of nature all around them, Hannah finally stood up and said, "If we want to drive down the mountain and grab a bite to eat, we should go. I'm not sure I want to drive back up the mountain after dark."
"Good idea. We should have time to roam around Gatlinburg for a bit," Cassie agreed.
The rest of the afternoon flew by as they took in some of the local sights and decided on a place for dinner. The food was good, the atmosphere pleasant, and they made it back to the cabin just in time to watch the sunset from their deck.
Hannah's Horror: A Romantic Mystery Page 8
