Thing was, though, it wasn’t that hard to agree to this weekend. When my mom and Jace’s dad had gotten together, I’d been young. My dad had moved out not six months ago at that point. It had seemed so rushed. And the way my mom had told me, I guess it was typical for her, but, still, I’d been surprised. No, shocked. She’d introduced me to Jace and his father, and, within moments of that introduction, had shown me her brand new — and huge — engagement ring. Part of me wondered if she’d been cheating on my dad all along, but I couldn’t stomach that thought.
Jace had been good then. His dad, too, was fine, but I couldn’t like him without feeling like I was betraying my own father. With Jace, it was easier. I didn’t have any brothers or sisters, and he was nice to me from the start. Or at the start, at least. We’d connected pretty easily, actually, and I had to admit, from the first moment I saw him, there was a spark. It was weird, but, then again, it wasn’t like we were blood relatives. If I’d seen him on the street, I would have felt the same.
He’d found out a couple of months prior about my mom and his dad dating and told me later that he’d been shocked that my mom had told me the way she had.
I remembered those first months, hell, that first year. We’d lie in bed together and talk. On really nice nights, we’d carry our things out to the backyard when everyone was asleep and just lie there looking at the sky, counting stars until we fell asleep. We didn’t even need to talk some nights. It never failed that when I woke in the morning, I’d be tucked into my own bed, and I knew it was him who’d carried me in.
Neither of us mentioned these nights. They just happened. We’d started to hold hands, and it felt good. Felt right. But I guess I’d had the wrong idea all along.
If I thought of that night I’d tried to kiss him, I still wished the earth would open up and swallow me whole. I’d been so embarrassed — still was. Although what he did to me, making me stand in the corner like that with my ass on display, that took the cake on embarrassment. But the kiss, it had just happened. I’d leaned over and kissed him on the lips. He’d watched me do it, lying there, allowing it, kissing me back even, but then, as soon as it was over, he’d asked what I was doing. I’d been mortified. That had been the end to those nights and to our friendship because I’d been too ashamed to face him.
“Smells good, Lees.” Jace came into the kitchen, making me jump as he smacked my naked ass hard, again.
“Ow, that fucking hurts!” He must hate me to be able to do this to me, to humiliate me like this. But then, when he’d stood up, I’d seen how his pants bulged where his cock had thickened. That was different, though. That was a man looking at a naked woman. Any man would get hard.
He leaned toward the oven, reaching for the handle.
“Don’t open the oven door and keep your fingers out of the frosting.”
He straightened but dipped a finger into the bowl. He looked at me as he licked that finger clean, the expression on his face almost apologetic, but not really.
I put the last dish away and turned to face him, wiping my hands on the apron. “I’m done. Can I put on some clothes?”
“Cakes are still baking.”
“There’s nothing I can do until they’re finished and cooled.”
“How much baking time is left?”
I checked my watch. “Twenty minutes.”
“Perfect.” He pulled out a kitchen chair and sat down. “Time to get that first spanking over with.”
My belly flipped, and my heart fell to my feet. I stared at him, and, as I did, as I looked into those navy-blue eyes that seemed to dance with a dark heat, my core burned and my clit tightened.
“Are —” Clear throat, start again. “Are you serious?”
“You bet your pretty little ass I am. Now, come on over here. I’ll be using my hand this time, but you’ll take more than that before the weekend is up and I feel your penance is paid.”
“Jace, please, be reasonable.”
He shook his head, raising his finger as if telling a little kid no. “What do you call me this weekend?”
I rolled my eyes. “Sir.”
“Eye rolling will be addressed immediately following the spanking. Now, take off the apron and lie across my lap.”
I’d never been spanked before. Not as a child and certainly not as an adult. I’d read about it and seen pictures. I knew it was a kink. And, honestly, the idea of Jace spanking me turned me on as much as I knew it should repel me.
“Tick tock. Friends will be here soon. You don’t want to be standing in the corner with your red ass on display when they show up.”