Logan pulled down her panties and skirt.
She bit the inside of her cheek, as the paddle swung through the air, and landed across her cheeks.
“When I ask you a question, you answer. Correct?” Logan tapped the paddle hard against her ass.
“Correct, Sir.”
She closed her eyes, as the smooth wood touched her ass. The last couple of weeks had been hard on her, too though she wouldn’t admit it.
As the paddle landed on her ass, she yelped. Logan brought it down, again and again, until the pain of it, spread throughout her body, the tension leaving her shoulders. The smooth wood landed on her ass, hard and soft, hard again, and again and her skin felt raised and warm, she could no longer feel the coolness of the wood.
“Good girl.” Logan brushed his fingers over her heated flesh and Harper shook her head, trying to stop the tears.
Logan threw the paddle down on the couch and brought her into his arms, sitting down, pulling her on his lap.
“What is it?” Logan’s expression of concern seared into her heart.
“Hana reminded me of my paper. The last paper I turned in, wasn’t as great as I thought it was. I got a C on it,” she said.
“Hey, that’s no big deal.” Logan took her hand in his. “You’re so busy with the show and full-time dance training. It’s amazing you can study at all.”
Harper shook her head, hot tears falling down her face. What she had with Logan was everything and she was selfish to ask for more. But this was the second time he’d comforted her over her poor grade, and she didn’t want comfort.
She missed Xander. Xander would push her to be better, to give more to maintain a higher standard. Xander would tell her to email the prof and ask about a retake or about what she could do for extra credit.
Xander, she knew, wouldn’t accept it as her best because she hadn’t made it a priority. He wouldn’t accept it because he would know that Harper didn’t.
And in the depths of her submissive heart, she hoped, wanted Xander to punish her for not maintaining that high expectation.
“Kitten, talk to me,” Logan said.
She wiped her face with the back of her hand. Logan sat forward, peering into her eyes. She sighed, knowing she owed him the truth.
“I love you, Logan. But I miss him. You can give me so much, youdogive me so much, but there are things that Xander can give me that I crave, that I want. I love him too.”
“Shush now, Kitten. I know your heart has been hurting in this last little while. I know you miss him every day. It’s the service part, isn’t it?” Logan held up a hand. “I know it’s not just that, I know you love the moody bastard for more than what he can give you in a D/s relationship but if you were to compare us, that’s what he can give you in the kink department that I can’t.”
“Yes,” Harper whispered. “I like the thrill you give me with D/s. I want to be shown off and I want you to test my limits. But I crave submission with service, and you’re not wired for that.”
“I like it when you cook and do things for me,” Logan said. “But it’s more than that, isn’t it?”
“Logan, no you don’t. You like what I make when I cook or bake something but even with you injured, you won’t let me do things for you. It’s a mindset. Yes, it’s a mindset, and Xander has always walked that line with me. Because we weren’t D/s, obviously, but I miss anticipating his needs and doing things for him because of the attention he gives, the intensity and his expectations.”
“His expectations are high,” Logan said.
“Impossibly so,” Harper agreed.
“We’re just going to have to show Xander that you need him and reassure him he will not break if he lets himself love you.”
“Ella said the same thing,” Harper said.
“I should have done something about it sooner. But these past weeks, I’ve been selfish, taking up all the time and attention you can give me.” His palm caressed her cheek, and Harper leaned into his touch.
“I’ll make one-on-one time for you. We’ll figure it out,” Harper said.
“Yes, we will. You’ve been a little mopey this past month. I was going to flog it out of you before I got stabbed. But I think this is a more long-term solution.”
“I wouldn’t mind the flogging,” Harper admitted.
