Thirty minutes later, relief at hearing Cassie’s voice returning their calls threatened to weaken his knees. Moving faster, they burst into a small clearing to find her leaning against a tree, tired and worried but unharmed.
“At least you had the good sense to stay put when you found yourself lost,” Marc growled, his relief at finding her safe mixed with his anger for the grief she caused him.
Cassie stood, wishing she could fling herself into his arms, the relief sweeping through her at being found making her knees weak. But she didn’t have that right and the anger in his tone and swirling in his green eyes didn’t bode well for gaining any sympathy. Wary of facing two angry, dominant men, she had a sinking feeling she was in for another spanking, one that might not be as erotic as the others. Then she remembered his words to Jack and her own ire stirred.
“I’m not completely stupid,” she bit out, “except where you’re concerned.”
Marc saw Scott’s smile before he stepped away and pulled out his pager to let Jack and the others know they could call off the search and head back home. With slow precision, he advanced toward her, striving to keep his anger in check. She looked tired and strained, a reminder of how she must have been scared out of her wits out here alone for the past two hours.
“Before you explain that statement, tell me if you’re all right.” he asked in a softer tone when he reached her. “Here.” Handing her a bottle of water, he looked her over while she downed it, assuring himself she was unharmed.
“Thank you, and yes, I’m fine. I’m sorry I bothered everyone. I didn’t mean to get lost.”
“Nobody means to get lost, darli
n’, but if you ignore the basic rules of hiking in these mountains, it’s bound to happen. Rules I believe I told you about before our hike the other day.”
Cassie wondered how far she’d get playing the ‘poor me’ act, then looked at his face and knew she may as well not bother. He looked well and truly pissed. Maybe if she explained he’d understand, but the thought of telling him she thought she meant more to him than she apparently did had her cringing in humiliation. “Can we go back now? I have a lot of work to do, that is if I can use your kitchen,” she said, hoping he’d let the rule thing slide.
“No, we can’t go back now. First, I’m going to show you how I deal with rule-breaking from my sub. Then, on the long trek back, you can explain yourself.” Grabbing her hand as she took a hasty step back, he pulled her to him, turning to see where Scott went. Always thinking ahead, his friend had already removed his belt.
“I decided you were too upset to mete it out, so I’ll do it for you,” he stated when Marc raised an eyebrow at him.
“You’re right.”
“Right about what?” Cassie looked from Scott and the wide leather belt looped over in his hand to Marc, a shiver of apprehension rippling up her spine as she imagined the sting from that leather strap.
“That I’m too put out with you at the moment to discipline you myself, so Scott will do it.”
“No. You can spank me later, when you’re not upset.” She tried to pull away from him, but his grip remained tight. While a part of her mind panicked over the thought of Scott using his belt on her, another part, the part she labeled her secret, slutty Marc part, was excited about the prospect. The erotic pain from her previous spankings always led to powerful orgasms, as did being observed. But this time would be for punishment and not with Scott watching, but meting it out. Before she could assimilate how she felt about that, Marc had her jeans shoved down and a hard arm wrapped around her waist as he bent her over. “Wait, Marc! Please!” She tried to struggle, but a hard slap on her bare ass put a quick stop to it.
“No, I will not wait. You took off alone.” The belt snapped across her buttocks and she yelped at the fiery pain. “And you didn’t stay within sight of the lodge,” he continued, reaching under her with his free hand and cupping her unfettered breast beneath her shirt as Scott smacked her again. “And you have explaining to do as to why.”
The belt stroked across her vulnerable buttocks again and she bit her lip as he continued to torment her, the slapping flesh snap of leather against her bottom echoing in the mountain air. Marc’s confusion over her reason for taking off had her wondering if she heard him wrong.
The new hope blossoming in her chest helped her accept her punishment and the accompanying pain. Her buttocks throbbed with the scorching burn and she knew right away she wouldn’t find any pleasure with this spanking. His hand on her breast soothed rather than stimulated and went a long way toward helping her bear the consequences of her actions. As if the humiliation of being bent over bare assed and punished by Scott wasn’t enough, guilt over the trouble she caused everyone ate at her conscience. Sitting wouldn’t be an option by the time the sheriff finished belaboring her butt.
A pathetic, mewling cry escaped her compressed lips when he shifted his aim to the under curve of her cheeks and then the tops of her thighs. She tried to remain stoic and accept her punishment, but the sharp strokes on that ultra-sensitive skin had her kicking out, trying to shift her hips away from the descending belt.
“She reddens to a beautiful shade,” Scott said as he landed another blow right on top of a previous one and then ran his hand over her abused flesh. “You didn’t set a number, so, unless you want bruises, I’m done.”
Marc frowned, glancing at her ass. While it was red and puffy, he knew Scott wouldn’t leave bruises any more than he would. He left the softness of her breast to join in caressing her hot buttocks. “I think she’s had enough.” Her low moan and slight lift of her hips toward their hands changed their frowns of displeasure to smirks.
“She likes to be petted,” Scott drawled then stopped her shifting buttocks by kneading the plump warm flesh.
“Ow!” Cassie cried out with the tight squeeze of her right cheek. “I thought you’d finished!” She should have scrambled to lift herself from Marc’s hold, but in truth, she enjoyed both men’s attention, their soft caresses exciting her until one of them had been callous enough to add to her discomfort and stopped her budding arousal.
Chuckling, Scott slapped her cheek then put his belt back on. “I’ll let you finish this how you see fit and see you later.”
Marc lifted her up, wiped the tears from her cheeks then ordered in a soft, implacable voice that had her leaning into him, “Cassie, kiss Scott and thank him for punishing you for me.”
Her face flaming as hot as her butt, she turned to the other man, relaxing when she looked into his sparkling eyes. He made it easier by holding out his arms and hugging her before she lifted her head away from the steady beat of his heart under her ear. “Thank you, sir.” Reaching up, she laid her lips on his. When he deepened the kiss, opening her mouth and stroking her tongue with his, she leaned into his hard chest and clasped his shoulders in a tight grip. Damn, the man can kiss, she thought as he explored her mouth and lips with leisurely thoroughness, his hands caressing her buttocks now with soft strokes, stirring her arousal again. Disappointment surprised her when he ended the kiss, removed his hands, and turned her back to Marc.
“Later, sweetie.” He grinned down at her, tapping her nose before striding off.
When she turned questioning blue eyes up to Marc, he pulled up her jeans, asking, “You ready to run?”
Enlightenment dawned as she realized there had been a second reason he allowed Scott to administer her punishment. He needed to know if she’d accept the other man’s touch. “No, I’m not going to run.”