“Tuck me into bed a second time without even a kiss to show for it? Seems like you’re getting the short end of the stick,” I sassed.
He bounced his palm off my ass twice and the sharp swats were hard enough to sting. So help me, my inner brat roared asif she was warming up to let him have a piece of my mind, but quickly settled. A warm, gooey feeling spread through my body.
What the hell? No one had ever soothed my brat with a few swats. My inner turmoil must have shown on my face because Kingston waited until I rested my head on his shoulder before speaking.
“Do you want to tell me what just went through your head, sweetheart?”
“Will you call me princess instead? Then I’ll tell you.”
Kingston set me on the huge rug at the foot of my bed, his hands spanning my waist.
“You seemed to be working through some things in your head, princess. Want to share?”
“If I don't, will you spank me for real?”
“We don’t have rules established, Eli. I am happy to spank you whenever you want, but it’s not going to solve the problem.”
“Uh, I don’t know how to describe it, but I’ll try. When you smacked my butt, it was like I went from superbrat to angel in under two-point-five seconds. That’s impressive.”
“Wait until you see what I can do with more time,” he teased. “I told you in the car why I enjoy being dominant in my relationships. You don’t ever have to worry about what I’m seeking or if I feel fulfilled and satisfied. I have ways of ensuring my needs are met. If we move forward with a three-person relationship… Well, I have a strong feeling that we are going to balance in ways I never imagined. Maybe that makes me a hopeless romantic, but it’s true.”
“I judged you.”
“I’m used to it.”
“No, it wasn’t right. It’s terrible to judge a book by its cover. When I came home and found out you, Reed, and August had moved into town…” I knew their families because they had been in the same circles as mine.
“Tell me.”
“I said some not nice things.”
“Do you think I care what anyone thinks of me?”
“Yes, King. As much you might say that you don’t… your eyes lost a little bit of shine just now.”
“Well, it’s different because I care whatyouthink of me. I remember seeing you and wondering why you looked so unhappy all the time. Back in your twenties. You could be surrounded by a huge group of girls, all doting on you and gushing over your outfits, but you were alone.”
“You remember me?”
“Of course. We had to dance for some charity event once. But there were other parties also.”
“You and I danced together?”
“Some annual gala… I don’t remember which one. Anyway, I was nineteen and you were drunk.”
“I never drank at those functions.”
“Then you had something else in your system. I was already an EMT and I remember gazing into your eyes. Vinnie Nicholi talked shit about you after the song ended. I punched him and was never invited back.”
“You knocked out Vinnie for me?”
“He was a prick and it was a long time coming.”
“He had fifty pounds of muscle on you!”
“I didn’t give a shit. I knocked his ass out and then took care of him. It would have sucked if he had gotten really hurt.”
“You added insult to injury, literally.”
