Part 10 (2/2)
”Thank you, dear.”
The evening crawled by. I made up the bed, did another load of laundry. Mom watched a movie. When that was done, she finally declared she was going to sleep.
I waited until she had been asleep an hour and I could hear the raspy sounds of her snoring before I texted James to say all was clear.
He replied with where the car was parked, at the cross street a few houses down.
No other instructions. Despite that, I couldn't help but think about the time he'd had me report for punishment. The mysterious doctor's office. The delicious torture that followed.
But that time the ”correction” had been for a manufactured flaw, hadn't it? It had been a game we played.
This wasn't a game. This time our whole relations.h.i.+p was precarious and I didn't want to make the misstep that would send us over the edge. We'd each made mistakes now. The question was, could we fix it? If only it could be as simple as submitting to a spanking. If only that could make all our problems go away.
I used my new keys to lock the door behind me and then walked up the street. The neighborhood was quiet, as usual on a weeknight by eleven, most of the houses dark. I caught sight of the car just beyond the tall privacy hedge the neighbors on the corner had grown to enclose their property.
Stefan gave me a small wave with the binoculars in his hand. I heard the doors unlock.
I opened the back door and slipped in before I lost my nerve.
James was sitting inside looking grave and inscrutable. Thank goodness I was sitting down. I felt weak in the knees. He was in full suit and tie, but it was his dark expression that affected me most.
”James...” I said, and it came out a whisper because my throat was so tight.
”Karina,” he said, coolly, but in that way that I knew meant he was very tightly wound. ”I'm listening.”
”I'm sorry. I lost my head. I jumped to the conclusion the only reason you bought my sister's restaurant was to control everything in my life.” I pressed my hands together. ”And then I didn't listen when you tried to explain. I was wrong. I'm sorry.”
He gave a short nod. ”I'm sorry, too. If I had not given you reason to doubt me, I am sure you would not have. But, Karina, have I ever lied to you?”
I made sure to take a calming breath before answering. ”No. You haven't. You left out some things, but you've never lied.”
”Will it rea.s.sure you if I make a promise never to lie to you?”
”It'll at least reinforce it in my mind,” I said. ”Because I know this whole deal we have going, trading s.e.x for information? It isn't going to work if I don't believe what you say. I really am trying to give us a chance, James.”
”And I am trying to be both truthful and complete.”
An idea struck me then. ”Let's make it a mutual promise. I... I'll renew my promise to you, too. How's that?”
I saw the relief on his face, a sudden easing of the lines around his eyes. ”I'd like that.” His tongue darted out as he considered. ”How would you like to go about making this vow?”
The electricity in the air between us ramped up. I couldn't quite explain it. It was as if once the tension of the apology had dissipated, it was replaced with s.e.xual tension. We were doing this together. The relations.h.i.+p might still fall apart, but we were going to at least try to fix it. Together. And for all the trouble and angst we'd had, the one thing we never lost completely was that physical, chemical connection. It might have been tamped down temporarily, but as soon as we got on the same wavelength again, boom.
”We should hold hands,” I said, ”to make the promise. And I'll go first, since mine's a renewal, and then you can go.”
”All right.”
I got onto my knees on the seat so I faced him directly, and I saw his eyebrow twitch at that. I was still wearing that Gypsy-dancer skirt. I held out my hands, palms down, and he gently brought his under mine until they were clasped. Mine were trembling until his steadied them.
”I promised you once, a long time ago, in this car, that I would not lie. I kept up that promise all the time we were separated in the summer. I'm now renewing that promise to you, James. No lie shall pa.s.s my lips... Or if I have to, I'll tell you, so you can... correct me.”
It was as if electricity crackled on the word correct. Or maybe that was because I bowed my head without even realizing it.
His voice was low and smooth. ”And how shall I correct you?”
”Any way you see fit,” I whispered.
”Very good. Shall I now make my promise to you?”
”Yes.” I swallowed.
”Look me in the eye, then,” he said. ”Karina Casper, I, James Byron LeStrange, shall let no lie travel from my mouth to your ear. Under penalty of losing you.”
His eyes were moist with tears. So were mine. Are we going to make this work, James? Are we?
”All right. We should... seal the promises now,” I said.
”How should we do that?”
”Traditionally.” I swallowed. ”With a kiss.”
”Very well.” He pulled me gently toward him by my hands then and brushed my lips with his.
My breath caught, but he wasn't finished. His breath was like ozone, charged, as he pressed his mouth more firmly against mine, his tongue swiping the seam of my lips until they parted.
And then I was crushed against him, lips and body and all, as he pulled me into his arms, lying back against the door and pulling me on top of him. Every fiber of my being thrilled at being so close, his firm muscle under me, his arms around me. I was filled with a sense of belonging and rightness I had never felt with another person before.
When he let my mouth free at last, I asked, ”So do you forgive me?”
”I thought the kiss was to seal the promise of honesty.”
”It was. But, you know, I'd like to be sure you really forgive me.”
”Aha.” He looked into my eyes. ”Does that mean I should be sure you were really sorry?”
I suppressed the urge to grin like a fool, because that would wreck the mood. ”Yes, James. Please.”
”Hmm. And how do you propose I do that?”
”Isn't spanking the traditional way?”
”Well, it is, but we're not always so traditional.”
”Please, James? Please spank me?” Lying on top of him the way I was, I felt the thrum of desire shoot through his c.o.c.k when I begged. He was already hard, but my words set him aquiver.
”Straddle me.” His voice was rough with desire. ”Then I'll spank you.”
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