By the time they’d parked in the carport and transferred their luggage to their guest room, the others were outside by the pool, enjoying cocktails.
A bikini-clad Emma was in the water, doing laps with Tack, while Celia and Peregrine lounged on recliners, chatting about the movie.
Lucy, still plugged and feeling messy, sweaty and sex-stained in her little skater skirt and poplin top, was almost too embarrassed to join them.
Richard and Rob bore her on, though, bringing her to stand in front of Peregrine while they took the two spare recliners.
‘Cocktail, gentlemen? What’s your poison?’
Lucy, ignored for the moment while Peregrine pottered over to his mobile cabinet, could do nothing more than stand there, feeling the languid gaze of Celia upon her.
‘Long time no see, Richard,’ she said.
‘Too long,’ he replied. ‘You’re looking great, as ever.’
Lucy pressed her lips together, trying to bite back a stab of jealousy. It was in the past. Richard was with her now. He’d said so dozens of times. And Celia had Tack, the Hot Property magazine’s Stud of the Year.
It was all good, she said to herself, all good.
‘Aren’t you coming in?’ Tack shouted.
‘Can’t risk sunburn, darling.’
‘Jeez, Ceel, you’re smothered in factor three thousand there. C’mon. Give that butt a workout.’
Celia sighed, shrugged off her kaftan and walked to the pool.
Lucy was fascinated to observe a few tiny pinprick bruises at the exposed edge of her buttocks – Celia Britt had been recently spanked. Paddled, most likely. She recognised the effects. There was no make-up required for her onscreen spanking.
She made a move for the vacated sunlounger, but Richard held up his hand.
‘No,’ he said, and it was all he had to say.
She sighed with exasperation and tossed her hair, but
she obeyed all the same.
Only when Peregrine had returned, with bespoke cocktails for her two lovers, was she permitted the luxury of notice.
‘Well, young lady,’ said Peregrine, reclining once more and putting out his cigarette. ‘You’re looking rather sheepish. Do I gather that there has been some misbehaviour?’
‘She was driving us mad on the plane,’ said Rob. ‘Wouldn’t give us a moment’s peace.’
‘Hm, not ideal on a twelve-hour flight,’ said Peregrine. ‘But I think there’s been some recent punishment, unless I’m very much mistaken and no longer recognise the walk of the plugged.’
‘You’re quite right,’ said Richard, enjoying Lucy’s florid embarrassment. ‘In fact, I think it’s time that was removed.’
He sat up and patted his thigh.
Lucy knew this might happen. They had discussed the idea of her first public scene taking place in the US, where she would benefit from the safety of her relative anonymity. The moment seemed to have come awfully soon, though.
She glanced over at the pool. The three swimmers were happily oblivious.
Peregrine’s broad smile, on the other hand, made her terribly nervous. But Richard was still patting his thigh and wouldn’t stand for hesitation.
She draped herself over his lap, directing her eyes to the ground. At least she didn’t have to watch him watching her …
Richard made a meal of raising her skirt and lowering her knickers, drawing Peregrine’s interested attention to the semen stain on the gusset.