“Several, Sir.”
“Have I ever hurt the sub?”
“No, Sir.”
“And I won’t hurt you either. Never.” He turned to face her. Her lower lip was between her teeth and she nodded. “Kayla?”
“Yes, Sir?”
“You don’t have to do this. You look like you’d rather run from the room. If you aren’t ready…”
“No. I’m ready. I want this.” Her words fell out from between her lips fast. She twisted her head to look at him. “I’m good.”
“Okay.” He stepped back. “I’ll start at the top and work my way down. You’ll use your safe word if you need to.”
“Yes, Sir.”
Gage lifted the flogger and flicked his wrist, letting it land across her shoulder blades.
Kayla jerked, dipping one shoulder forward and setting her forehead against the wood of the cross.
Gage snapped his wrist again, crisscrossing the second line over the first. He immediately stepped into her space and smoothed two fingers down first one pink line and then the other. Perfect. Not as hard as he normally flogged a submissive, but hard enough for Kayla’s sensitive skin. Not only was she clearly out of practice, but her skin was thinner than some peoples. If he hit her too hard, the welts would last longer than he preferred.
Kayla’s shoulders lowered as he took the time to trace his lines.
He waited for her breathing to resume a normal pace, and then he took one step back and flicked the leather through the air again, this time just beneath the first two marks.
Kayla flinched, but only a small whimper escaped her lips.
He watched her reaction closely, deciding she could take more. He lowered the flogger to her smooth butt and swatted her two times across the center of her cheeks.
Kayla jerked forward. She released her hold on the rope with her right hand and whipped it behind her to cover her ass.
Gage took one quick step to reach her. “Baby, you can’t do that. It’s not safe. I need to know you will leave your hands above your head so I don’t accidentally hit them.” He grabbed her wrist and lifted it back onto the cross. “If you let go of the rope again, I’ll secure your hands. Understand?”
Kayla sucked in a sharp breath. She nodded. Gage was usually a good judge of where his submissive was in her mind, but he doubted himself for a moment. Was she turned on by his words? Or frightened?
Two more strikes across her ass and Gage paused again to set his palm flat on one of her butt cheeks, squeezing the pink welt and massaging the sting. “Good girl. Can you take more?”
“Yes, Sir. Please.” Her voice wavered. She didn’t look at him.
Gage released her ass and stepped back. The next line landed at the junction of her ass and her thighs.
Kayla squealed and let go of both ropes to reach for her thighs.
Gage dropped the flogger on the mat behind her, grasped both wrists with his hands and lifted her arms high above her head. He released one wrist and tugged the other toward the rope, slipping the loop over her hand and then grabbing a separate loose section of rope to wrap around her wrist. The moment he tightened the knot enough to secure her, she screamed.
“No. Stop. Stop stop stop.” She tugged at her hand. “I can’t. Stop… Red…” Her body bucked as she pulled harder on the hand now attached more firmly to the cross. She reached with her other hand and plucked at the rope, attempting to dislodge herself. Her entire frame stiffened as she rose on tiptoes and fought for freedom. She screamed again in frustration…no…fear.
Gage did the first thing he could think of. It came naturally. He flattened himself against her back, pressing her jerking frame into the cross. He pushed one leg between both of hers to get closer, his back completely enveloping hers, one hand wrapped around her under her breasts, the other reaching up to circle her flailing free wrist. “Shh. Baby… Kayla…”
She still squirmed, but her screams settled into moans of frustration. Her breathing came heavy and irregular.
He had no idea what had just happened, but for now, all he could do was reassure her.
Gradually her jerking motions switched to trembling.
Gage held her tighter, his lips landing on her ear. “I’ve got you. You’re okay. Shh… Relax.” He couldn’t undo her hand yet. He didn’t have a free limb to work with. “Deep breaths. Baby, you’re okay now. It’s over.” He loosened his grip on her wrist, gauging whether or not she could remain calm if he released her.
Her shoulders relaxed, her hand went limp, and she let out a long exhale. “I’m sorry.” Her words were barely audible.
“Shh,” he soothed again, his lips so close to her ear she shivered. His cock had been hard since she approached him. Now it was painfully erect against her naked ass, begging for attention it wouldn’t get tonight. He didn’t dare move for fear he would bring attention to his plight.
He felt like an ass for experiencing such a reaction to her while she was clearly freaking the fuck out. But her body… Shit. She was so fucking sexy. He’d been gritting his teeth watching her pale skin pinken under his attentions. His reaction wasn’t something he could immediately turn off when she lost it. “Talk to me, Kayla. I need to know what happened so I don’t do the same thing again. No reason to be sorry. I’m the one who should be sorry. I scared you. I just need to know what scared you.”
She still said nothing.
He lowered her hand to set her fingers on the wood section of the cross at the level of her head. And then he could finally stroke her cheek. He gently nudged her face toward his. He ducked his forehead to set against hers, wanting to hold her as close as possible. “Better?”
She nodded so subtly he almost missed it.
“Good.” He smiled. “I’m gonna untie your hand. Hold still.” He watched her face for signs of stress. Seeing no immediate distress, he released the grip he had on her chest and lifted both hands to untie her wrist.
The second he freed her, she exhaled and then inhaled deeply again.
He wasn’t ready to release her body, and besides, she wasn’t either. Instead he ran his palms down her arms and threaded his fingers with hers, pressing them into the smooth wood of the frame at both sides of her face. “Just concentrate on breathing.” He breathed with her, giving her time to calm down.
Finally, she took a breath and spoke again. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean…” She stopped.
“It’s okay. You’re entitled to wig out. It happens.” He attempted to chuckle, but it came out garbled. “Talk to me,” he repeated.
When she pushed against him, he had no choice but to step back and release her.
Instead of meeting his gaze and providing him with the answers to a dozen questions swimming around in his head, she turned away from him, grabbed her dress, and fled the scene.
Gage stood there staring after her, shocked. What the hell just happened?
What made her freak out? Why did she ask to be flogged in the first place? And why did she ask him to do it?
He watched her retreating back, knowing there would be no answers to his questions. At least not tonight.
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Stories that linger in your heart long after the book is closed.
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