Page 21 of Masters of Control

She didn’t know how long she lay there, panting and slowly coming back to herself. It could haven’t been more than a few minutes, but it felt like forever. The whole time, Q was rubbing her lower back in broad, soft strokes, petting her. It felt really nice.

“Okay, pretty girl, let’s get you up and over to aftercare.”

Q’s deep voice penetrated the haze around her brain and she sighed, pushing herself up. She was still warm and tingly all over, and her knees wobbled a little. Immediately, Q was at her side, wrapping his arm around her to steady her. She shrieked when she suddenly felt him lift her, one arm behind her back, the other coming up under her knees as if she was the heroine of a romance novel. Except she didn’t look like any of those women on the covers… she was a lot bigger.

“Don’t! I’m too heavy!”

He snorted, carefully stepping around the spanking bench while she clung to his neck.

“You’re not too heavy to go twenty feet to the couch,” he responded, his voice slightly strained by the effort of talking and carrying her. Sam pressed her lips together, her arm around his neck, doing her best to help distribute her weight more evenly.

She’d always wondered what it would be like to be carried like this. The truth was… not that comfortable. It wasn’t just Q carrying her. She had tightened her stomach muscles and was working to keep a firm hold on his shoulders so she didn’t end up being dead weight.

“Does that mean I don’t have to be impressed that you literally swept me off my feet?” she teased, enjoying the way he scowled at her before lowering them onto the couch.

“Well, when you put it that way…” he drawled, making her giggle again as she snuggled in next to him.

The same subbie who had been cleaning the spanking bench appeared before them, giving her a wink as she put Sam’s corset and skirt on the couch beside them before disappearing to clean the bench again. It was the kind of service people traded for discounted memberships. Sam had started doing it about a month ago to help with the cost of her membership.

But she wouldn’t think about that right now. She was going to enjoy being snuggled up on Q’s lap, her hot bottom pressed against his hard thighs, while his hand stroked up and down her bare back. It was an incredibly sweet, intimate moment, and she refused to let her money worries ruin it.

“It’ll be better next time,” Q said suddenly, making her blink with surprise. She did like the sound of that ‘next time’ again but wasn’t really sure what he was talking about.

“What do you mean ‘better?’” she asked, leaning back a little and lifting her head so she could see his expression. A wry smile twisted the corner of his lips.

“I mean, more planned out. Something more exciting than just a spanking and an orgasm.”

“Hey, now.” Sam poked him in the chest. “Don’t go knocking a good spanking and orgasm combo. Just because we’re in a kink club doesn’t mean we have to go crazy. I like being spanked, I like having orgasms, and I really like it when those things are paired.” Though she got what he was saying. It wasn’t as if they were competing with the others around them, but what they had just done was incredibly simple compared to some of the possibilities.

Q chuckled, shifting slightly to make himself more comfortable.

“I liked it, too, but would have liked it better if I’d planned things out more. Maybe gotten a private room instead of having to do everything on the fly. Spontaneity has its place but… I can do better.” He said it with a firm resolve that she recognized from high school.

She nearly laughed. It wasn’t as though they were being graded on how good a scene they could create, but she had a feeling he was grading himself in his head, based on who knows what criteria.

“Making big plans… do I get dinner first at least?” she teased. The words were out of her mouth before she could take them back, and she stilled. Scening didn’t mean he was interested in dating. “Just kidding.”

“I would love to take you out to dinner,” he said, right over top of her attempt to pretend she’d been joking. He smiled, but it didn’t quite reach his eyes. “As long as you actually show up.”

Feeling like shit, she sagged against him.

“Sorry, I just didn’t want you to feel like I was trying to push you into something you don’t want.”

Q laughed, and the reservation in his expression disappeared.

“Trust me, pretty girl, I rarely do anything I don’t want to do. And I definitely want to take you to dinner.”

“Then I would love to go have dinner with you. I promise to show up. We’re not in high school anymore.” She didn’t have to worry about getting distracted by him and not meeting the necessary GPA anymore. “If I can’t do something, I’ll let you know ahead of time, and I’ll tell you why.”

“That works for me.” Q grinned. “Now, what do you want to do for the rest of tonight?”

As much as she wanted to stay right where she was…

“I should probably get back upstairs,” she said reluctantly. “I came with Noelle, and I don’t want her to feel like I ditched her.”

“Mmm… alright then, let’s get you back upstairs.”

Q