by Maren Smith
“One, Sir,” Erika yelled, and as much as they needed their privacy, I could not make myself walk away from the door. It was Derek’s fault for not bothering to soundproof the room better.
I listened to the pure, unfiltered agony as Erika continued to count strokes. Never in my life had a spanking been so difficult to listen to without interfering. Subbies need discipline, they thrive and grow under a firm hand, but I wanted to protect Erika. I wanted to make excuses for her behavior, but mostly I wanted to deck Derek for hurting her. Get it together, Stark, he isn’t hurting her. He is disciplining her naughty, sexy little ass, and she will be fine.
The count stopped after ten which seemed like the perfect amount if the screeches I heard were sincere, and I listened closely to see if it was safe to knock.
Derek’s voice came over the intercom, and I jumped, “You can come in, now, Jer.”
Looking around, I noticed the security camera above the door and flipped him the bird as I let myself in. I discreetly scanned the room, locating the sniffling little squirrel in the corner of the room. She knelt in place, back straight and hands behind her head with her fingers laced together. Her position was flawless, if only her freshly-spanked bottom were on display.
Derek cleared his throat, and I shook the idea out of my head. The smug man sat behind his desk, arms crossed and lips turned up on one side in a sideways smile.
I joined him at his desk sitting in a chair that would allow me to keep Erika in my line of sight.
“How’s the Ranch treating you, old man?”
Her body tightened, and she sucked in her breath.
“Sir?” she asked in a tone of desperation.
“You stay put, little lady,” Derek reprimanded.
Her chin dropped to her chest and shoulders sagged. I gripped the arms of my chair, digging my fingers into the supple leather. I wanted to scoop her into my arms and ease her stress. What the hell is wrong with me?
Derek’s email chimed. “Moses needs me to meet with one of the contractors on the new build. Erika, come here please.”
She rocked back on her haunches and stood up before letting her hands fall to her side. Her poise and grace astounded me. She folded her hands in front of her and approached Derek, keeping her eyes downcast.
“Good girl, thank you. How are you feeling?” He took her hands in his, and I watched in rapt interest.
“I’m okay, Sir.”
“And if anything in your head changes?” He rose a brow in question.
“I will tell you immediately.” She snuck a look in my direction out of the corner of her eye, and I winked.
“Thank you, time for work, then.”
She nodded.
He stood and turned his attention to me. “I’ll be back, and we can grab some lunch.”
“Don’t rush. I’m fine here.”
“I’m sure you are.” He laughed and walked out, leaving Erika and I alone.
She stood, shifting from foot to foot with a lost look in her eyes. Sitting back in the seat I cocked my head and smiled. “Don’t you have work to do, little squirrel?”
“Yeah... I... can I get you anything while you wait?”
“There are a couple of things I can think of you doing for me, but I’m sure that’s not what you meant.”
A pretty blush crept up her neck and into her cheeks.
“Unless I’m wrong and you are offering?” Her mouth dropped open, and I chuckled. “Get to work, little squirrel. I’m sure your sore little bottom does not need any more attention.”
Without a word she turned on her heel and scurried into her office.
CHAPTER FIVE
ERIKA
If there was ever a time I was ready for the workday to be over, now was that time. Sitting on a punishment mat for ninety percent of my day after the spanking I was given that morning was horrendous. There was no comfortable position, and every time I moved it would irritate a new spot, and I would have to acclimate all over again. I looked for reasons to leave my desk, but my to-do list did nothing to lend itself to that plan. So, I worked in agony. All. Damn. Day.
“Erika, come in here, please.”
I looked at the clock and sighed in relief; five o’clock. I made it through day one. Standing up I rubbed my sore aching bottom briskly before lowering my skirt. All I wanted was to float on my tummy in my huge tub with water as hot as I could stand it.
“Yes, Sir?” I asked, entering the main office.
“Thank you for finishing your list today, little lady. Everything looks perfect.”
“Thank you, Sir.” My heart fluttered at the praise. He was not one to withhold praise, but he also did not blow smoke. It made the whole day of suffering worth it.
“One more thing, then you are free for the day. Do you mind running an errand?”
“Not a problem.” Errands meant longer until I could get in the bath, but they also meant I would be less likely to run into Jared at the main house.
“Master Jared has a migraine, and I want you to pick up his dinner from Miguel’s and take it to his room.”
Somebody kill me, please. I thought as I went back into my office to shut everything down for the day. I didn't want to, but I wouldn’t tell Derek ‘no’ after telling him ‘yes’ simply because I was trying to avoid Jared. Especially if the man was sick, but if he had a migraine, he needed peppermint tea, not Mexican food.
I sighed to myself. “How do men even survive without women’s help?”
“It’s not easy,” Derek answered.
“Oops, sorry, Sir. I didn’t think I said that out loud.”
He laughed, “No worries, little lady, but don’t make a habit of that, it could land you in the hot seat.”
I blushed and scurried out the door to pick up Master Jared’s dinner.
“E, IS THAT YOU?” SADIE called out as the elevator doors opened.
“Yep!”
“Don’t bother knocking on Jared’s door, he’s asleep. Just set the food on the coffee table, and he will eat when he feels up to it.”
Great, now I can sneak in and out and ‘operation avoidance’ will still be in effect. “Will do!” I called back. She must have been busy in the kitchen because I didn’t see her on the way up to the guest suite.
In and out, quick and easy, the man was asleep, I could handle this. Only what I found when I opened his door was the opposite of asleep. He was very much awake and very much clad only in a towel, hair and body damp from the shower. I froze before I let the bag go, sending his dinner crashing to the ground and covering my mouth.
“Oh my, God, I am so sorry. I was just... umm here’s your dinner.” I hastily gathered the food off the floor, thankful that it was all wrapped and still edible from the looks of it, rushed to the table to put it all down and left without looking at him again.
Holy shit. What have you done now you idiot? I ran to my room berating myself the whole way. Great, now he thinks you’re forgetful, clumsy, and rude. I needed to do everything in my power to stay away from him, for real.
JARED
“Uncle Jared!” Sadie’s voice boomed loud through the tunnel, and I turned to see her barreling toward me in one of the golf carts. I crossed my arms and waited for her to stop.
“Don’t you think you were driving a little fast, young lady?”
“It’s just a golf cart, plus I’m late, and Daddy had to go somewhere and asked me to ask you to go tell Erika she can be off early today.”
She spoke a mile a minute, making it difficult to keep up. “Why didn’t he tell her?”
Shrugging, she picked at the nail polish on her thumb. “I dunno. I'm just doing what I was told. But I gotta go. Don’t forget and maybe you should walk her home!”
I didn't get a chance to respond before she made a quick U-turn and went barreling back toward the house. Every time I visited the underground tunnel system it had a new hall. Derek had invested millions of dollars to make sure his employees did not have to travel back and forth to d
ifferent buildings in inclement weather, or at night. The newest tunnels went out to the guard shack and the site of the new submissive training center. There were miles of the cement structure.
It was only half a mile from the main Ranch elevator to the house. Of course, there was always a golf cart somewhere close. Derek had a whole fleet of them. Hitting the button to summon the elevator, I thought about Erika. The little squirrel avoided me at every turn for the last two days. She left the house early, took her meals in the cafeteria, and went straight to her room in the evening. But she wouldn’t be able to avoid me today. I grinned to myself as I headed toward the office. I loved spending time with Sadie, but with the holidays being difficult on her, she regressed more often than not. Some alone time with Erika would be a breath of fresh air. The doors were open, but I knocked so as not to startle her.
“Master Derek isn’t in right now!” Her voice carried through the room and the sadness I heard there hit me right in the gut. I hurried through the main office and into hers. She sat behind the computer with red rimmed eyes, sniffling intermittently.
“Are you okay?” My plan not to startle her failed. At the sound of my voice she jumped to her feet, swiping her eyes and nose.
“Master Jared, I’m so sorry. Did I forget something? Oh God, what did I screw up now?” She crumbled back into her seat and covered her face with her hands before the sobs ensued.
It had been a long time since I had dealt with a crying woman, not counting the ones I made cry at the club, but instinct kicked in, and I rushed to her side to comfort her.
“What’s going on, little squirrel?” I asked.
Her body shook under my hand as I rubbed circles on her back. She mumbled into her hands making it impossible to hear what she was saying. My heart wrenched in my chest. By the slump of her body and the mumbled words that escaped through her fingers, I could tell she was utterly defeated. I wanted to scoop her into my arms and comfort her, but—Oh hell—I pulled the desk chair away from the desk and lifted her shuddering lithe form into my protective embrace. She didn’t fight me. Quite the contrary, actually. Throwing her arms around my neck, she turned her face into my shirt and held on tight. I took her into the main office, where I made us both comfortable on one of the couches.
“Everything’s going to be okay,” I cooed with no response from her. I loosened my grasp to give her space if she needed it, but the more I let go, the harder she pulled closer. Holding her felt heavenly, like her body was formed to fit against mine.
Her sobs slowed, and she lifted her face out of my shirt, leaving behind the proof of her misery.
“I’m so sorry. If you take the shirt off I can take it to dry cleaning right away.” She pulled to get up, but I wasn’t ready to let go.
“The shirt will survive, little squirrel. I’m more concerned about you. What happened?” I needed to know what transpired to make her so utterly miserable because I wanted to do everything in my power to prevent it from ever happening again.
“I got an email from my brother. He wasn’t nice. It’s not a big deal. I know what my family thinks of me. It's not new. It's just really bad timing, and I’ve completely ruined my own image, and I don’t even know how!”
I could tell she needed to talk, so I made mental notes of my questions and let her have her say.
“I somehow managed to say things I don’t remember saying, not do things I swore that I did, followed directions that were never given, and make a total idiot of myself in front of you!”
After the last statement, she slapped her hands over her mouth. I grinned. Knowing she worried about how she appeared to me was immensely satisfying.
“I’m sorry, you don’t need to hear all this. You’re supposed to be on a relaxing vacation, not babysitting a fake submissive.”
“Whoa, whoa. Slow down there, little squirrel. Fake?”
She shrugged.
“Listen to me. I have been in the game a long time. I have met fake submissives, more than I care to remember. You, dear, are the furthest thing from fake.” She turned her face away, but I was not going to let her get away with the avoidance tactic. I pinched her thigh. “It’s rude to ignore me, little girl.”
Rubbing the sore spot she turned her face back to mine and blushed prettily. “I’m sorry, Sir. I wasn’t trying to be rude.”
“See that?” I asked. “That was pure submission.”
The corner of her mouth turned up, and the blush deepened. “I suck at rules and protocols and stuff. I can’t even fulfill orders from my boss. And I want to! I want to so badly.”
“Why do you want to? What drives you?” I trailed my hand up and down the back of her bare calf.
Her face brightened, and she sat up a little straighter in my lap. “It’s my job. He gives me a task, and I complete it to the best of my ability. When I do my job right, it makes his day easier and he is happier and more relaxed. I like seeing him smile and feeling like I helped make him happy.”
I nodded my head. “Textbook submissive, dear. You do things for the pure fact of serving other people. It’s not about the paycheck or the things you want. It’s all about what you can do for him. I’m guessing he’s not the only one you enjoy doing it for.”
She looked at me with her eyes wide, like my words held the keys to the universe. “Well, no. I kinda like helping everyone.”
Pushing her hair behind her ear, I cupped the back of her neck. “You have an innate need to serve, and it’s beautiful and makes you one of the most appealing woman I have ever met.”
“But I suck at it,” she admitted, lowering her eyes.
Reflexively my hand tightened on her neck. “Suck at what exactly?” I growled.
She gulped and licked her lips. “I just can’t get anything right. You’ve seen it,” she accused. “I haven’t successfully served you since you’ve gotten here.”
“That’s because I make you nervous, little squirrel.”
She nodded.
“It’s natural. Do you mess up on purpose to get attention?”
“No!” she yelled, aghast at the idea.
“Then you do not suck. You are perfect.”
Rolling her eyes, she scoffed and attempted to climb down. I gave a warning squeeze. “You aren’t getting down unless I allow it, so stop trying. And if you roll your eyes like that again, I cannot promise my reaction will be appropriate.”
Erika worried her lip and the blush was renewed. “Appropriate?”
“At this juncture I can’t decide if I want to kiss you or smack your ass, but I have not received the permission to do either one, therefore it would be inappropriate.”
“Oh.” She looked around the room. “I... need to get back to work.”
“No, you don’t. Derek sent me to tell you to take the rest of the day off.”
“But there’s so much to do,” she whined.
“I don’t believe it was a suggestion, little squirrel. Let’s get you home.” I placed her feet on the floor and stood behind her. “Is there anything you need to do to shut down the office for the day?”
“Uh yeah, a couple things.”
“I’ll wait.” Leaning against the door jamb I watched as she flitted through the rooms closing down computers, straightening papers, and turning off lights. She worked efficiently and methodically, making sure each task was complete before moving to the next. “I would kill for a secretary such as you,” I told her as she approached.
She giggled. “Derek says I’m never allowed to leave him.”
“Isn’t that a shame?” I winked and took her hand. I needed to touch her again. She had not protested thus far. As a matter of fact, she seemed to become more relaxed with each physical connection. Very interesting, indeed.
CHAPTER SIX
ERIKA
I berated myself for not being strong enough to take my hand back, but it felt so good, so right. Everything Jared did or said, it was all perfect, and I wanted nothing more than to kneel at his feet. But this was stupid.
He could never want me. He was a distinguished and successful man with his own law practice. I was a secretary with no real skills. He lived thousands of miles away, and my home was here. I needed to let go, physically and emotionally. Getting attached to this man was a big, big mistake.
He was quiet, and I wondered if he was thinking the same things as me. Of course, he would be too kind to ever say them. As hard as he was on the outside, he had a huge heart. I saw it every time he interacted with the Littles. The man was here to play Santa Claus for God’s sake. He protested, but whenever the party was discussed he would beam with pride.
Once in the elevator I pulled my hand, but his grasp tightened and he turned his head in my direction.
“You can let go now.”
“Who said I wanted to, little squirrel?” He raised an eyebrow, and my insides melted.
“I appreciate you comforting me and saying nice stuff, but you can stop now. I’m okay.” I couldn’t keep eye contact as I spoke.
“I’m glad you’re okay, but I meant everything I said, Erika.”
Hearing my name spoken in his sexy deep voice made my breath catch in my throat, but it didn’t change the fact that he was just being nice. “Look, I know you’re just being nice because you feel sorry...” My words were cut off when he slammed his lips against mine, pinning me against the wall of the elevator with his entire body.
“Jared!” I exclaimed against his mouth. I attempted to protest, but each time I started to get a word out, he deepened the kiss and pressed his body harder against mine. My eyes widened when I felt the proof of his arousal bulging against the front of his pants. My brain sounded an alarm, screaming at me to stop this madness, but I was powerless to it. Instinctively I thrust my body against his, pressing my nipples tightly against his chest and greeting his erection with my own arousal.
I never wanted him to stop, but all good things come to an end. When he took his mouth from mine, he took a step back and smiled.
