“Yeah,” I said, thinking of how glad I would’ve been to escape my home when I was fourteen.
“But you weren’t speaking to me.”
“I thought you were one of them.”
“One of who?”
“One of the people who think anyone who lives in a trailer park is trash.”
“I never thought that, Regina.”
“Your parents did.”
“That’s why I never told them the real reason I volunteered at the day camp.”
My eyes widened at the insight. In addition to his brief stint as a camp counselor, Cole had worked as a lifeguard at the lake where I spent summers in a state run outdoor activity program. He’d never gotten close, but I’d spent many a summer playing under his watchful eye.
It hit me then that Cole had always looked out for me, even when I gave him hell.
“I’m sorry,” I said. “I was rude to you a lot. You must have wanted to spank me for a long time.”
His eyes darkened. “You have no idea.”
I shivered again. It was becoming a habit around Cole. Like my body knew there was something more going on under the surface. We’d known each other so long, and always shared a connection. It was deeper, more visceral, somehow, now that we’d grown up. But our relationship was comfortable, familiar. Deep down, I’d always known that Cole was on my side.
“Well, then, what do you want me to do? Community service?”
“Something like that.”
“Just spit it out, Cole.” I crossed my arms in front of my chest, and his look grew even more stormy.
“Come here, Regina.”
“Why?”
“Do as I say.”
I stood, and took leaden steps until I stood between his legs.
“Good girl. Was that so hard?”
“Yes.”
“You’re going to have to get used to it. This is option two.”
“Option two is you ordering me to get between your legs? Because I could be good with that.”
“Regina.”
“Sorry. I guess I don’t get it.”
“I want you to submit to me.”
The tingles spread through my body again at the intense heat in Cole’s eyes. I kept my face neutral. “Oh, is that all?”
“Option number two is you submit to my discipline. All day, every day. I’ll tell you what to do, and you obey, no questions asked. Not only that, I’m going to control everything. Your schedule, what you wear. There are some orders I’ll give you that will be general, like instructing you to eat three healthy meals a day, and others will be more specific. But if you choose option two, you’ll follow them all.”
I opened my mouth. Closed it. I’d known Cole was a control freak, but this gave it a whole new meaning.
