Chapter Sixteen
Tobin
Charlotte surprised me for a second, but I hid it well and quickly recovered and moved forward with my plan.
The whole time she’d been showing me her purchases I’d been considering and discarding various options for punishment, each one less harsh than the one before. Now I was teetering on not punishing her at all, but I couldn’t waver on enforcing the rules, even when I thought what she did was mostly not her fault.
“Come with me.” I held out my hand, which she didn’t hesitate to take, and helped her stand.
“Where are we going?” she asked as I led her out of the living room.
“To the bedroom. I don’t want anyone showing up here unannounced and interrupting us.” I was thinking about what came after the punishment, but she must have thought I planned on being tough because her response was small and uncertain.
“Oh. Okay.”
We stopped next to the bed, and I pulled her to face me, dropping her hand and cupping her face in my palms.
“I’m going to lock the doors. While I’m gone, I want you to take off your clothes and bend over the side of the bed. Okay?”
“All of them?” she asked, far more nervous than she needed to be.
“Yes, but don’t be afraid. I’m going to join you when I get back.”
She let out a breath and nodded. I didn’t wait to see if she’d follow my instructions. She would.
I stopped at the front door and then the door from the garage to the mudroom, making sure both were locked up tight. Normally the front was always locked but the mudroom was not. Since my parents had my spare garage door opener, I wanted to make sure they couldn’t get in. I had a feeling my father would be looking for me soon, but hopefully he’d send me a text rather than coming over.
Once the doors were secure, I hurried back to the bedroom and was greeted by a sight I’d never forget.
Charlotte, bent over in the position I requested, her petite behind waving at me as I entered the room. She stilled when she heard me and turned her head to look behind her. I savored the view for a moment, then closed the door and started stripping off my clothes.
“What are you doing?” she asked as I stepped out of my sweatpants and boxer briefs, leaving them in a heap on the floor next to my discarded shirt.
I tsked and shook my head. “Are you in charge here, little fairy?”
“Uh, no.” She looked so confused it made me chuckle, but I knew I had to explain myself. I crouched next to the bed, and she laid her head down, facing me, so we were eye to eye. “I know how my mother can be—pushing and prodding until you do what she wants. And I know you miss your own mother, and I’m sure spending time with my mother meant a lot to you and you didn’t want to disappoint her.” Charlotte nodded as her eyes grew damp. “So, while you broke a rule, I understand how it happened, and I don’t think you went out intending to go over budget.”
“I didn’t.” Her vehement response was all I needed to hear.
“I’m going to spank your tight little bottom for a bit, just so you remember the rules and that I’m in charge. Then we’ll move on to more pleasant things.” I stepped around to her left side and placed a hand on her lower back. “How’s that sound to you, Charlotte?”
She took a deep breath in and let it out slowly before answering. “Okay. I’m ready.”
Her agreement was my cue to lift my right hand and bring it firmly down on her ass. Harder than a play spanking but nowhere near harsh.
Hard enough to make her squeak in a way that made my dick hard.
So, I did it again.
Another squeak.
I wanted to keep hearing those breathy squeaks, so I kept the intensity the same but picked up the pace, alternating from side to side, then one in the middle with slightly more oomph.
“Why are you getting a spanking, Charlotte?” Left. “Tell me again.” Right.
“I went over budget.”
Middle.
Squeak.
“That’s right.” Left. “What are you going to do next time someone pressures you to buy something you can’t afford?” Right.
“Be honest and say I can’t afford it.”
Middle.
Squeak.
“That’s a good plan.” Left. “And no one who cares about you will expect you to spend money you don’t have.” Right.
“It’s so embarrassing, though.”
Middle.
Squeak.
I paused and stroked her now pink behind.
“There is nothing embarrassing about being financially responsible. That’s how you have to look at it. You’re not broke. Your bills are paid and you’re saving money. That’s what’s important.” I gave her a firm smack on the crease between her ass and her thighs, making her yelp. “Repeat after me: There’s nothing embarrassing about being financially responsible.”
It took another hard spank that made her whimper and dance on her toes to get her to say it.
“There’s nothing embarrassing about being financially responsible.”
“That’s right.” I stepped back. “Now that we’ve taken care of that business, we can move on to other things. Get up on the bed on your back, knees bent.”
She did as instructed, but asked, “That’s it?”
“Didn’t I make my point?” I demanded, giving her a fake glare.
“You did. It just wasn’t what I was expecting.”