She opened her mouth a couple of times without any words leaving her lips and eventually, in spite of her dry mouth managed to speak. “I don’t know what to say.”
Jim laughed. “That really would be a first, but it was your idea, Tasha.”
“I know. I just wasn’t expecting it.”
“But it excites you, doesn’t it?” He ran a finger down her spine until his hand rested on her behind.
“Yes,” she said, almost in a whimper making him grin at her.
“We need to address your earlier childish behaviour and your message, don’t we?” He waited for a reply.
“Yes,” she repeated and wished she could maintain the power of articulate and non- monosyllabic speech when he had her on the back foot like this.
He reached into the box and retrieved her gift. As he pulled it past her he dragged it across her hands then placed it in them, allowing her to grip it while he still held the end of it.
“How does it feel, Tasha?”
“Hard,” she answered honestly making him laugh.
“It will,” he threatened as he smiled at her. “Are you afraid?” He sounded a little more cautious, not wanting her to say anything to simply please him. He wanted to know what she was really thinking.
“I don’t know,” she admitted. “Maybe. A little.”
“It was your idea, baby.” His voice was gentle now, only holding warmth and love.
“I know, but I don’t want to be hurt properly.” She swallowed hard, her nerves threatening to get the better of her.
“Have I ever hurt you properly?” He sounded worried now, ready to throw his gift away, regardless of whose idea it had been.
“No, never, not even for a second.”
He smiled at the total conviction with which she spoke. “Good, and I never would, so if you’ve changed your mind about wanting to try a cane, that is absolutely fine by me, honey,” he said reassuringly, knowing he didn’t want to do anything that might cause her genuine fear.
Tasha stood admiring her reflection in the bedroom mirror and smiled; she hadn’t been entirely sure that the dress would look right, especially not for a 5* charity dinner, but she was happy with the image looking back at her now. She had tried on several dresses before settling for the black sleeveless dip back hem dress with a floral lace strapless bodice and an almost camouflaged monochrome skirt, complete with a zip fastening to the front. As she slipped her Christian Louboutin shoes onto her feet that were stockinged in black, lace topped, silk stockings she smiled again as she twirled to check out the overall appearance and was rather impressed by the sophisticatedup doshe’d managed with her hair. She rubbed her lips together to make her lips shimmer a little more then grabbed the glittery, black clutch containing her phone, credit card and the cash from her purse.
By the time she reached the bottom of the stairs Jim was pacing the hall wearing a dinner jacket or tuxedo or whatever they were called.
“Oh, you look very handsome,” Tasha told him as she straightened his bow tie.
“And you look even more gorgeous than usual,” he replied as he kissed her gently on the lips and toyed with the zip of her dress. “Is this just for show?” When the zip opened he answered his own question, “Obviously not.”
She gently smacked his hand, smiling as she pulled the zip back up.
“Ouch!” he cried dramatically. “That hurt.”
Tasha laughed at him. “Think yourself lucky I only used my hand and not a cane.” She gently placed her hand on her behind and winced slightly making him laugh.
“Yeah, well, I’m obviously not as kinky as you, baby, because, for the record, the idea of being hit with a cane does nothing for me.” He still laughed.
“I’m still not sure it does anything for me, not the hitting bit, although I liked some of the more interesting things you did with it earlier.” She grinned at him, remembering the things they’d done.
“Baby, we need to go before I drag you back upstairs and neither of us leave here for the next week regardless of your feelings on period sex or New York or London.” He sounded entirely serious as he smiled and opened the door for her to leave the house.
Jim locked the door and followed her to the car and as he got in the driver’s seat next to her he looked down at her feet. “I may not have liked it, but that singer had a point. Those shoes are seriously fuckable, well, you are in those shoes,” he added as he started the engine and then glanced across at her. “Unless you wanted to drive your new car tonight?”
“No, thank you,” she replied. “Not in these shoes, but I will drive it tomorrow to the studio and to see Kayla.”
“You do like it then?” he asked as they left the estate and began making their way through the winding roads taking them towards central L.A.
