“You bet your ass, I am. As soon as you’re healed, I guarantee that fine ass of yours will be as red as your shoulders when I’m through with it.”
Her lips curl up in a small smile, and she looks away. I know she’s just as excited about the prospect of her punishment as I am.
I strip off my pants and shirt, leaving my boxers, and spread a towel on her side of the bed. Gently I lift her from the bathtub, and she winces from the contact of my arms on her irritated skin. Laying her out on the towel, I roll her onto her stomach and pick up the bottle of aloe vera she was using, smoothing it into her back until it evaporates. Moving onto her front, I rub the gel into her chest and shoulders. At least she remembered a hat, so her beautiful face was saved from being scorched.
“Did you have lunch?” I ask.
She shakes her head. My hand itches to take her over my knee and tan her ass red.
“Breakfast, at least?”
She nods. “I’m sorry, sir. I feel so stupid. This wasn’t how our first official night was supposed to go.” Her chin trembles and she sniffs. She’s in pain and hasn’t eaten since breakfast; no wonder she’s emotional. Rising from the bed, I kiss her forehead, the only spot not red.
“You’re just racking up the punishments on day one, aren’t you? At this rate, you’ll need a cushion to sit down for the rest of the year.” I wink, earning a small laugh from her. I press my lips to her forehead again. “I’ll be back.”
In the kitchen I heat up the dinner Eloise prepared—chicken cordon bleu and sautéed vegetables. Carrying it on a tray, I return to the bedroom and lay it out on the bed. I cut up her chicken and offer her a bite. The aroma of buttery goodness wafts up, making her stomach rumble. Loudly.
“I can feed myself,” she sulks. “I may be burned to a crisp, but I can still use my arms.”
“I know. Open,” I command.
Her lips obediently part as I bring the fork to her mouth. She takes a bite, chewing slowly, and closes her eyes, savoring the flavor before swallowing. The sight of her throat moving and her little sighs of pleasure ignite something primal within me. Feeding her feels unexpectedly intimate, yet erotic at the same time. I never would have imagined it could be such a turn-on. My cock strains against my boxers, the glistening tip peeking out. Hailee’s gaze lingers on it, her tongue darting out to moisten her lips.
“There will be plenty of time for you to taste my cock later… when you’re not in pain,” I reassure her, though it takes every ounce of self-control to will my cock back down.
“Tell me, how did you end up in Sydney?” I shift the conversation to distract myself from the way her lips wrap around the fork.
“It’s a long story, but the short version is that my mother is a complete nightmare. She’s toxic, narcissistic… a horrible human being. I had to get Beth away from her. So, when I turned eighteen, I became her official guardian and we moved as far away as possible, to the other side of the world.”
I wince. “Unfortunately, I’ve come across a few women like your mother myself. It must have been tough for you growing up.”
“It was. But I’ve dealt with it. I go to therapy to work through it and make sure I don’t turn out like her. I’m convinced everyone should see a counselor at least once in their lifetime. There are already enough assholes in the world without adding another one.”
“True that,” I chuckle. “You hail from New York, right? How did you end up with tanned skin and green eyes? You look more European than Big Apple.”
“Yep, born and bred in NYC. I’m assuming my father; it’s a guessing game, really. My dad’s a total mystery; never knew him. Probably some random rich guy that my mom was chasing back then. Mom’s British, which explains my sister’s fair skin and brown eyes. Her dad was one of my mom’s failed marriages.” She shrugs, and silence falls between us. Hailee shifts, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear, avoiding my gaze.
“Hey, look at me.” I gently lift her chin with my thumb and forefinger to search her eyes. “You’re a good sister, Hailee. A good person. And you’re nothing like your mother.” Her eyes shine bright like fresh blades of grass.
“Thank you,” she murmurs softly.
As I finish feeding her most of her dinner, the color returns to her cheeks, and I sense the ibuprofen is taking effect. A comfortable silence envelops us as I tuck into my own meal. In her presence, I find myself relaxing, the tension of the day melting away. Normally, sipping a top-shelf whiskey while sinking into a warm pussy is my go-to stress reliever, but tonight is different. I don’t feel the urge, or any longing for it. My focus is entirely on Hailee, ensuring her wellbeing. Right here, right now, the chaos of my day fades into the background, replaced by the calmness of being fully absorbed in her presence.
Chapter fourteen
Hailee
I’mofficiallyboredoutof my brain. A whole week of swimming and Pilates and lunching with Beth has been wonderful. It’s the life of luxury, and I should be lapping it up, making the most of it. Living the dream, as they say. And I have. But I’m also losing my fucking mind. If I don’t find something to do with my time during the day while I wait for my master to return home, I will drive myself insane. Plus, staying out of Maddy’s way seems to be a good strategy… so far.
“You ready yet?” Dameon’s voice echoes from downstairs.
I pull my denim skirt over my bikini bottoms. “Yep, coming!”
This time I make sure to put a bottle of sunscreen in my bag. It’s Saturday, and it’s our first weekend together. The week has seemingly gone well, and we’ve settled into a routine. We wake up, I perform my morning “job,” he goes to work, and I avoid Maddy by going to the beach or a Pilates class, followed by lunch with Beth. Then in the afternoon, I lounge around by the pool before he comes home. I greet him on my knees and serve him dinner; we talk, laugh, and share stories late into the evening, and finally, end the night with phenomenal, mind-blowing sex. See, routine. And I’m loving it. Except, I’m starting to go stir crazy.
“Please tell me you learned your lesson and brought the sunscreen?”
“Of course, sir.” I bat my lashes playfully at him as I sashay down the stairs. He shakes his head, but I catch the corner of his lips twitching.
