‘I don’t,’ I muttered, but I made no move to stop the scenario from unfolding.
‘Me? What’s happening here?’ Leo’s voice was thick, syrupy. He was turned on.
‘I hardly think it could be much clearer,’ said Sands, dryly. ‘Your Katharina here is paying the price for some shrewish behaviour, in a manner Petruchio would approve. You do approve, don’t you?’
Leo said nothing for a while, but I surmised that he must have nodded, because Sands said, ‘Good.’
‘You’ll see a more detailed review of the performance in the Universal next week,’ he continued, ‘but I wanted to give you a small, and more focused, critique of your spanking style, if you’d care to hear it.’
‘Uh, carry on, by all means.’
‘It was rough and ready but with a certain crude effectiveness,’ said Sands. ‘However, you need to develop more finesse, particularly with your pacing. You also need to take care that you target the fleshier, lower portion of the buttocks rather than aiming too high. Don’t go in all guns blazing. You need to take a more considered approach. I’d give you three stars.’
‘Three. Thanks.’ Leo sounded as bemused as I felt.
‘You can improve. A little practice will take you to the required level of expertise. If you like, I can tutor you.’
‘Excuse me.’ This was enough now. I held myself upright and twisted my neck to glare at them both. ‘I am physically present, you know. I am here. And it sounds as if you’re making deals that might need my approval.’
‘Ms Reddish,’ said Sands, coldly. ‘You yourself have stated that you need to be spanked. I’m facilitating this for you. I don’t think the tone is quite called for.’
‘I don’t know what to say,’ said Leo.
‘Don’t you want this?’ Sands was waspish.
‘I do. If she does.’
The ball was in my court. And my court was hot, and so over singles games. I wanted doubles now. Well, of a sort. Obviously I’d be unpartnered.
‘What you’re saying,’ I said slowly, ‘is that I can count on either of you for a bit of hanky-spanky fun whenever I fancy it? Is that what you’re saying?’
‘Precisely. And young Petruchio here has said that he’s amenable if you are.’
‘M’name’s Leo,’ he mumbled uncomfortably.
‘A lion among men,’ said Peregrine. ‘Lions shouldn’t cower. Come over here and I’ll give you a lesson.’
I looked sharply around at Sands. Did he mean to spank me again? The glow was fading now and my bottom didn’t hurt much at all, but there was a residual tenderness that might not take kindly to more of the same.
‘She’s still a little pink from my attentions,’ said Sands. ‘Both disciplinary and otherwise. But I think she’s ready for more.’
‘Isn’t that for me to say?’
He ignored me.
‘She has a sturdy bottom, capable of absorbing a hard session, though you’ll need to build up her endurance. I recommend starting with your hand only and moving up to implements when you can’t achieve the desired level of discomfort in the same time. Come here and put your hand on her.’
Leo’s hand was bigger, brawnier and rougher than Sands’ but it felt electric on my cooling flesh. Whatever my mind thought, my body was happy to have him there.
‘You must remember to keep the strokes low. Don’t go above this imaginary line.’
Sands’ finger traced a delicate path across the broadest section of my bum.
‘I wish we could draw it on,’ said Leo, with a nervous laugh.
‘Well, perhaps in the early stages you could.’
‘Excuse me,’ I said. ‘I’m not walking around with magic marker all over my arse.’