Summer Solace (13 page)

He spoke quietly but with authority, “You would normally be required to spend at least half an hour in the corner for your quiet time. I realize you have to get to work so it will only be ten minutes. You may bend yourself over the porch railing. Go there now,” he instructed and watched as she stood and walked to the railing. She shuddered as she carefully bent herself over it, her hands wiping the tears from her cheeks before reaching down to hold onto the lower rail. Bent in two, her torso folded over the rail and her long legs behind, her bottom was centered on top of the rail and displayed beautifully. She spread her feet apart as far as she could and then stilled herself. Quiet time was meant to be spent without movement or any noise. She was not allowed to speak unless asked a direct question. The memory of spending quite a few hours in quiet reflection crossed her mind and she found herself smiling.

Most naughty women were put into corners. Gabe never committed to just that one position. He could be very creative about where and how he wanted her to both display her spanked bottom as well as reflect on her behavior. She sniffed with the last of her tears from the spanking. This just felt right for some reason that she didn’t feel she needed to explore, especially when the position was intended to make her think about her behavior. Ten minutes was only a third of her normal time but seemed to drag. She did find herself thinking of how she had disappointed Gabe by swearing. Her bottom wasn’t the only part of her that hurt.

“You may stand,” Gabe said after her ten minutes had passed.

Joanna did so, her hands moving to wipe the tears from her cheeks. This spanking had hurt much more than last night’s. She knew part of that was the fact she had not been over his knee. She had been made to hold position by herself, and submit to the fact that she had earned a spanking and offer her bottom for punishment. She turned to face him when he called her to him. It wasn’t but a few steps to where he sat on the porch swing, but it felt like a mile with her panties and shorts lowered. She blushed seeing him watch her approaching. Gabe knew she was embarrassed for him to see her though she had been totally nude the night before on the boulder in the river. When she reached him, he put his hands at her waist.

“Are you going to curse again?” he asked gently.

She shook her head and he had to bite back a grin. She looked exactly like a naughty little girl who was embarrassed because she’d gotten her bottom spanked. Gabe nodded and reached down for her panties. Before he touched them, he slid his fingers through the copper curls at the apex of her thighs. Joanna gasped, her pussy flooding as her face burned. He tugged on the curls and lifted his eyes to hers.

“This is going to go, babe,” he informed her in such a way that she gulped and nodded, her legs beginning to tremble.

“Ye - yes, Sir,” she said, her face scarlet.

Gabe gave another short tug and then pulled her panties and shorts up. He fastened her clothing and then pulled her down to sit on his lap. He drew her into his arms and gave her a hug.

She sighed and laid her head on his chest. “I’m sorry, Gabriel. I’ll do better.” 

He lifted her chin and kissed her long and hard. “I know you will, sweetheart.” He allowed her a few moments to compose herself as well as to reassure her that she was very much loved. After about ten minutes, he helped her to stand and led her back to the table. “Now sit and finish your breakfast, it’s getting late.” 

Joanna looked at the wooden chair and really didn’t want to sit. She reached to pick up her toast as Gabe picked up her mug of coffee, which had grown cold.

He pointed to the chair as he spoke. “Nope, sitting on that bottom will help drive your lesson home.” 

She sighed, but nodded as she gingerly slid onto her chair. She winced just a bit; it was sore but doable. She took the mug of fresh coffee and smiled as she spooned her usual amount of sugar into it, followed by a good splash of cream. As she finished her toast and enjoyed her coffee, Gabe went inside and cleaned up the kitchen. He came back to the table and topped off her coffee.

“I’ve got to run,” he said. “Amber is probably going nuts by now. I’ll see you at the store later. Remember, my family is going to start coming in this afternoon. I’ll pick you up at six–thirty again for dinner if that works for you.” 

She ran his words through her mind as she thought of the schedule. “I’m not sure, Gabe. I might have to help close. Dan is on tonight, but he also opened this morning so he will be taking a break mid–afternoon. I don’t want to inconvenience your family.” 

Gabe put his hand on her cheek. “Babe, nothing you could do would inconvenience that group. How about you check with Kim?” he suggested. “I’ll see you later and we can coordinate our time then.” 

She nodded and Gabe bent to kiss her again. She moaned at the pleasure of it, wishing they had more time for the comfort he always gave her after a punishment. She actually craved the solace of being held tightly on his lap and wrapped in his arms.

He pulled away slightly. “I love you, Jo. I’m sorry we don’t have more time, but, honey, you’ve got to get a move on.” 

She blushed knowing it was her own fault the time that could have been spent kissing had been spent spanking. “I understand. I’ll see you later and we’ll work it out,” she said and then quickly added. “Tell Amber thanks for me.” 

He smiled. He’d definitely be thanking his little sister for her gift of the evening alone to rediscover their love for each other. “I will, see you in a bit,” he replied. She watched as he left her house. She carried her coffee through the house and to the front window and watched until his truck disappeared up the road. She turned and looked at the small room and realized it no longer felt like a house. His presence, his command of her and her submission to his authority had made the little log house her home.

Chapter 10

Dan was busy checking in another family when Joanna walked into the store. It had been a short ride to work, but her bottom had felt every single dip and bump of the road’s uneven surface. Despite the ache in her backside, Joanna was smiling and unaware of how totally different she appeared. Dan gave her a wave in greeting and she waved back.

“Good morning, Dan,” she called out cheerfully as she walked across the wood floor. She welcomed the family to the park and helped the woman find sunscreen and bug spray on the shelves. She watched as the father made reservations for some tubes for later that afternoon as his two children bounced all around him. One of the reasons this park was so popular with families was that there was a part of the river that opened up and was wide from bank to bank. This allowed the water flow to slow and provided a perfect spot for younger children to swim, splash about, and play with tubes. She knew the area would become very full as the day grew hotter.

When the family left, she turned to Dan and asked, “Where’s Kim?  I thought she’d be here by now.” 

Dan nodded. “She’s here. I think she went out to the shed to check out our count of last night. I need to make a run into town for tubes to replace those that popped last week. It doesn’t make families happy to hear we ran out.” 

Joanna nodded knowing that was the truth. She went into her very small office and pulled out their inventory sheets. She looked at her wooden chair and paused. It had been years since she had cause to think about sitting on a hard surface without wincing. She smiled and then just leaned against her desk as she picked up the phone and made a call to the local garage. She placed an order for an additional twenty tubes telling them not to bother inflating them as they could do that in the shed. She quickly filled out a check and was turning towards the door when she heard a soft knock against the frame. She saw Kim standing before her.

“Good morning, got a minute?” Kim asked.

Joanna nodded and motioned the girl in. Kim entered and turned and closed the door, something that was very rarely done. Joanna knew it was to be a private meeting and walked behind her desk. Kim watched as Joanna gingerly lowered herself onto her chair. Kim hid her thoughts as she took the only remaining chair. Once seated, she looked across the desk.

“Do you want the bad news or the nosey news first?” Kim asked with a quick smile.

Joanna looked confused and then said with a slight hesitation, “Ummm, nosey?”

Kim grinned, “I was hoping you’d say that. So, how did it go last night?  I’ve got to know!  I couldn’t stop worrying about you. I almost drove Ian insane.” 

Joanna flushed and then relaxed. “It could not have gone better…well, except maybe for that spanking part,” she answered and laughed at the look on Kim’s face. They had become fast friends over the past years. Kim and her husband, Ian, also lived a domestic discipline lifestyle that Kim had admitted to Joanna one evening when they had a girl’s night out. If anyone would understand the mixed feelings being in such a relationship entailed, it would be Kim. Besides, despite what her family had believed, Joanna was never going to apologize for her chosen lifestyle again. She and Gabe were not the only couple on the planet that enjoyed BDSM and practiced domestic discipline.

“Wow!” Kim exclaimed. “I’m guessing from the look on your face that the loving part outshone the spanking part?” 

Joanna flushed with the memories of what had occurred on the boulder in the middle of the river. “You’d be correct, Kim,” she confessed. “You were right. It was time to settle everything. It could not have been more perfect.” 

Kim clapped her hands and gave a small cheer. Joanna grinned and then said, “Okay, enough of that. What’s the bad news?”

Kim hated to give her friend any news that might affect her good mood. However, it wasn’t as if Joanna wouldn’t find out by herself. “I hate to have to tell you this, but Steven came in early to get his stuff. He quit.” 

Joanna sighed and sat back in her chair. Kim couldn’t help but notice her friend give a slight wince at the movement but didn’t say a word.

“Well, I know that makes us short–handed but I can’t honestly say I’ll miss him. He was not reliable and not a team member. I’ll try to find a replacement as quickly as possible. Until then, we’ll get by,” Joanna said knowing that between the three of them, things would be hectic but fine.

Kim stood and smiled, “We’ll pitch in, Joanna. It will be okay.” 

Joanna nodded and stood and walked around her desk. The two women hugged each other tightly. Kim giggled and said, “And, don’t think for a moment that you won’t spill all the juicy details to me later.” 

Joanna blushed but had to smile. Kim grinned and then followed her boss from the office.

The two left the office to find Dan awash in campers. Kim gave him a quick apology and then rushed to help people find what they needed. Joanna handed Dan the check and he said he’d run get the tubes when the store cleared out a bit. Joanna went behind the counter and was busy ringing up purchases for the next half–hour. When the store was almost free from shoppers, she knelt down and unlocked the glass doors of the case under the counter. They kept items that were not to be purchased by children behind the counter, including cough medicine, some other OTC medication and condoms.

Jo frowned as she didn’t immediately see the box. She began pulling out items and placing them on the countertop over her head. She was frantically pushing aside bottles and boxes and the stack on the counter was growing larger. She gave a small shriek when a head came across the counter and looked at her.

“What on earth are you doing?” Dan asked looking at the huge mess she had made.

Joanna blushed and stammered out the first thing that came into her mind. “I’m - I’m just organizing this stuff. I thought we might need you to run by the pharmacy as well.” 

Dan shook his head and said, “It looks like you are just making a bigger mess, boss. Besides, we have a truck coming in day after tomorrow. It will have anything we need to restock.” 

Joanna almost groaned. She had finally admitted to herself that the box of condoms was gone and that not even a single packet had slipped out to hide among the other items. She had felt her insides clenching in need since Gabe had awakened her that morning. She had definitely missed their time of comfort after he had spanked her. Her panties were not only rubbing against her spanked bottom with the lace irritating her swollen sit spot, she knew they were damp as well. She sighed and began organizing the shelves.

“I’m going to town now. I should be back before the big rush for tubes after lunch,” Dan called as he turned to leave. She nodded to indicate she had heard him and was still replacing the piles of items when Kim stepped around the counter.

“What are you looking for, Joanna?” she asked, hiding her smile.

Joanna waved a hand in her direction. “Nothing. Just - ” she stopped when Kim started giggling. Joanna sank back on her heels, definitely feeling the pull on her bottom. She narrowed her eyes. “Okay, give. How in the bloody hell could we have gone through an entire brand new box of condoms in less than a week!” 

Kim grinned and began helping her with the remaining items. “I guess you forgot we have a couple of sites full of horny college boys.” 

Joanna groaned, remembering the young men from the raft trip. As she stacked some boxes, she turned to face her friend. “I did forget, but geez, they needed the entire box?  They couldn’t leave one?” Joanna groused and then flushed when she heard Kim giggle.

While Kim enjoyed the look of embarrassment across her friend’s face, she knew it was time to put her out of her misery. “I wouldn’t be plotting to raid their campsite yet, Joanna. They weren’t the ones that came in for the condoms.”  She grinned at her friend’s face. “Nope, it was a huge man. He was so hot and did look like he could easily go through an entire box.” She paused for effect. “If I were a certain Chief Ranger, I’d be preparing myself for some pretty hot sex with a certain ex–Seal.” 

Joanna’s face colored but her eyes lit up and her smile was huge. Kim was so incredibly pleased to see exactly how happy her friend looked. Joanna impulsively hugged her, silently saying her thanks for all the support Kim had given her over the past few years.