Lucy’s spine straightened. Her heart raced. She heard the spanking land before she actually felt it, and for a moment she thought perhaps she’d get off easy—maybe she wouldn’t feel the burn at all.
No such luck. After a lost moment, a palm-shaped blaze flashed across her skin. Warmth, not pain. The next one brought pain. It came so out of the blue that she threw herself against his strong chest, like he could save her from himself.
But he couldn’t. He didn’t. He smacked her again, sending a shock of pain beyond her flesh. His spanking hurt so hard she felt it in her blood.
“Put on some panties.” He found her hips with both hands and pushed her toward the bedroom. “Cotton ones. The tiny cotton panties with the lace around the edges.”
Was she blushing? Spankings always did that to her.
Nodding, she stepped backward into the bedroom. She couldn’t take her eyes off his. God, that stare—when he looked at her that way, she felt owned. She felt special. She was the only one who truly believed in him, and he knew that. He knew how much she loved him, because he loved her every bit as much. They were made for each other.
She was just stepping into her panties when he opened the front door. “Get a move on, Lucy. Only a few more hours of daylight.”
Tripping over her feet, she grabbed her purse and a light pashmina. “Coming! Don’t leave home without me.”
“Like I could live without you.” He snuck his arm around her neck as she locked the door, creating a playful triangle, his elbow just below her chin. “I couldn’t, you know.”
“I know.” She ducked before he could tighten his grip, slipping away from him like a ghost, giggling as she raced toward the elevator. “Ha! I escaped.”
“Get back here, you.” He ran after her, grasping her waist and lifting her off her feet before she could press the button. “You can never escape. I’m always gonna be here.”
“Good.” A giddy tingle sparkled through her body as he turned her in his arms. “I want you forever.”
His lips found hers as the elevator door squealed open. As he carried her across the threshold, she didn’t stop kissing him even long enough to check if anyone was staring at them. There mustn’t have been, because Sean wouldn’t dip his strong hands under her skirt in front of witnesses…would he?
“God, I’m so turned on.” He broke their kiss to set her down as the empty elevator opened. “You don’t know what you do to me.”
“I think I do,” she countered. “Wanna fuck in the car? Wouldn’t that be dirty?”
“We’re not taking the car.” He swept her from the lobby. Instead of heading out front, they went the back way. “We’re going for a long walk.”
“Oh.” She did her best to conceal her disappointment.
Why did he ask her to put on a dress if they were just going for a walk? And he knew she’d passed up dinner at her mother’s house—couldn’t he anticipate that she might be hungry? Starving?
But one look at that chiseled jaw, that sparkling white smile, and she couldn’t stay mad. “Wh
atever you want, babe.”
He escorted her toward the ravine path where neighbors jogged and walked their dogs. Hand in hand, they walked until the dense forest opened into a clearing. She hadn’t worn her watch, so it was hard to say how long they’d been at it. His company was magic. She could listen to him for hours and never get bored.
“Where are we?” Lucy asked when the land took on a familiar tone, like a dreamscape or a childhood memory. “I think I’ve been here before, but…I don’t know.”
“There it is!” Pointing to a parking lot in the distance, Sean said, “Best chip truck in the country, I swear. Just wait till you taste their haddock. You’ll be hooked.”
Fish? From a truck? Lucy’s instinct was to run far, far away, but it was actually sort of sweet that Sean had brought her on this wild-goose chase for fish and chips. And, once they’d lined up and ordered and found a cozy picnic table where they could eat, she found that he was right. “Wow, these really are the best chips I’ve ever tasted.”
“Try the fish,” he said, breaking through the deep-fried batter with his plastic fork. “It’s better than sex.”
Lucy raised an eyebrow. “Like that could even be possible.”
Her first bite was so hot she had to suck in air to cool her palate. After a sip of water and another go, the sweet filet filled her mouth with such a succulent flavor that she didn’t even care that her calf muscles were twitching and blisters threatened her big toes.
“You’re right,” she said. “This fish is better than sex.”
They smiled at each other as they chewed, because sometimes just being together was the greatest joy in the entire world. But when Lucy teased a French fry in ketchup and Sean didn’t react, she followed his blank stare and asked, “What?”
“Those guys.” He offered a subtle nod. “They’re talking about me.”