Summer Solace (8 page)

Joanna felt as if a heavy weight had been lifted from her soul. She was sobbing, but no longer in pain. She cupped his face this time.

“Gabe…Gabe, don’t…please don’t say that,” she begged. “You didn’t know and I was too scared to get away. I wanted to finish school. That was the only way I could ever get out and support myself. I never got your letters. I was never told you had called. I guess I thought they were right. I just stopped thinking about anything but school. As soon as I graduated, I left and never went back. They sold the house and moved…I haven’t talked to either of them in four years. I will never forgive them for what they did...they had no right to destroy what we had. I hate them both!” 

Gabe could hear the vehemence in her voice. He didn’t want her to carry that sort of anger any longer. He took her hands in his and kissed the palms. “They aren’t worth your anger, sweetheart. You’ve beaten them. You not only survived, you grew strong. You made a life. Joanna, you won,” he said, his voice full of wonder.

The first real smile gradually formed on her face. Her lips trembled, but the smile was there as she said,  “I did…didn’t I?” 

Nodding, Gabe bent down and brushed his lips against hers. The kiss was light as a feather and yet the jolt shot through them both. “The price was higher than you should ever have had to pay, but, Joanna, you are an incredible woman. I love you. I have always loved you. I swear never to let anyone or anything come between us ever again if you will only give me another chance,” he promised.

Joanna sobbed and laughed at the same time. The elephant had been dismissed and all that was left were the two of them. She threw her arms around his neck.

“I love you, Gabe, God, I’ve loved you forever.” 

The peace of the woods seemed to seep into their skin. They kissed until they were both breathless. When they finally came up for air, Gabe said, “What a fucking waste…five fucking years were stolen from us. How can I get over that?” 

Joanna stroked his cheek. “What’s five years when we now have forever?”

Gabe smiled. This was the woman he had fallen in love with, always optimistic, always searching and finding the silver lining in any cloud. He chuckled when he heard her stomach growl. She looked surprised.

  “Well, how romantic is that?” she said as she laughed, her eyes shining.

“Guess I’ve got a lot to remember about being a good Dom. I’ve practically ravished you and haven’t even fed you yet,” Gabe said with a grin. His words caused Joanna to shiver in a very good way. Her stomach might be rumbling, but her heart was thudding and her pulse racing. She felt a tingle between her legs and was not the least bit interested in food. Gabe laughed and shook his head. He grinned. “Nope, I can read you like a book, young lady. I promised you hot dogs and that is what I’m going to fix right now.”  She grinned as he stood and placed her onto her feet. He turned her around and pushed her down into the chair. “Sit right there and watch the master at work.” 

Again his words conjured up a delicious memory. She giggled and sat back in the chair. “Yes, Sir,” she said and then her voice lowered, “I’ve waited for a long time to see my Master at work.” 

Gabe felt a thrill run through him. He had waited for this for five long years. His cock was already hard and was pushing against the zipper of his jeans. He faked a growl at Joanna. “Don’t be naughty, little girl,” he warned. “Remember, I haven’t had a sub for years, but I did keep up my spanking skills.” 

Joanna shivered and found she hoped that he hadn’t exaggerated. She hadn’t missed the insinuation that she had been his last submissive either. “I promise to be good, Sir, if you promise to cook really, really fast!” she said and pointed towards the grill.

He laughed and soon had the hotdogs sizzling over the coals. When Joanna attempted to help, he told her to sit and that he would take care of everything. She rolled her eyes and he grinned.

“Careful, I already owe you one trip across my lap. You probably don’t want another,” he warned.

Her mouth dropped open as she asked, “You are seriously going to spank me?  For what?” 

He shook his head, flipped the hotdogs over and then looked at her before answering,  “For swearing. You know you aren’t allowed to cuss. You also aren’t allowed to roll your eyes. It is very disrespectful.”  She still looked shocked and he grinned. “Don’t worry, I am going to feed you first.” 

Joanna frowned but didn’t protest. She watched him work and thought about how she felt. She discovered she wasn’t the least bit afraid of the promised spanking. She felt nervous but not afraid. She smiled remembering she had always felt nervous when he told her she was going to get spanked, especially when it was intended for discipline or punishment. Gabe glanced over to see her absently stroking her braid. He knew she was nervous and couldn’t blame her. It had been five long years since she had to answer to him. He found it hard not to smile as he worked on their dinner. When he had it ready, he put it on the table and Joanna joined him.

They ate quietly, the darkness growing around them. After Gabe cleared the table and lit a lantern, he approached Joanna and held out his hand. The years seem to drop away as the roles to be played became crystal clear. Without a word, she placed her hand in his and allowed him to help her up from the table. He didn’t speak until he took a seat on the bench and opened his legs. He pulled her gently to stand between his open thighs. He looked up and saw that she was biting on her lower lip even as her hand touched her hair. He reached up and brought her hand down and then held both her hands in his.

Chapter 6

“Do you remember?” he asked quietly.

She blushed but nodded. It didn’t feel as if half a decade had passed. It felt exactly as it always had. She was facing her Dom, the only man she answered to. All the heartache and fear, all the sadness and insecurity of those years slipped away. They were no longer defining her life. This moment, this man, and her response to him would define her.

“Yes, Sir. I remember,” Joanna said as the memories consumed her.

“Good girl. Tell me why I’m going to spank you, Joanna,” Gabe ordered quietly.

The ritual washed over her as she remembered. She had always hated this part. Hated he made her participate in her own discipline. He knew that and made sure she always did so.

“Answer me, Jo,” Gabe said firmly.

She looked down at the ground. “I swore and…was disrespectful to you, S…Sir,” she answered.

Gabe was enormously proud. He nodded and said, “Correct.”  He allowed a few minutes to pass and then said, “Lower your shorts.” 

Joanna’s heart rate jumped. She felt him release her hands. Her hands were trembling as they went to her belt. Gabe said nothing as she unbuckled her belt and then unsnapped and unzipped her shorts. She moaned softly, her hands at the waistband of her shorts.

“Good girl,” Gabe’s voice was soft and loving as he gave her quiet encouragement.

She dared raise her eyes to look around the clearing as if remembering that they were out in public no matter that the camp site was isolated. She moved her eyes to his, her uncertainty shining from them.

Gabe didn’t smile but spoke quietly and firmly,  “You can do this, sweetheart.” 

His words gave her courage. Her face turned scarlet as she pushed her shorts down just until they cleared the curves of her bottom cheeks. Gabe was thrilled to see she had remembered exactly what position the order he had given her meant. He reached up to turn her face to his. “Thank you, Joanna,” he said sincerely.

She gave him a small smile and when he turned her gently, she immediately lowered herself over his left knee, the position instantly familiar. She sighed when she felt his right leg cross both of hers, effectively trapping her in position. She shuddered once as she felt her stomach flip. God, it had been forever, but at this moment, felt like only yesterday.

Gabe was trying to gather his courage. Her story had taken part of his soul away. He knew she was far more scarred than she would ever admit. He didn’t think he’d ever met anyone braver. She had been through hell. She thought he had simply abandoned her when the going got rough. Yet, she was trusting him, loving him and he doubted for a moment if he had the right to accept her submission, her love. He was proud of her but terrified that she would have some type of flashback and bolt.

“Joanna, if for any reason you start to panic and feel you can’t handle this spanking, use your safe word. Do you remember it?” he asked.

She closed her eyes and released the breath she had been holding. He had never offered her an out before – not for a spanking or punishment. She understood that he too was feeling some doubt.

“I remember, Sir. It’s ‘red.’”  She paused and then spoke slightly louder,  “Sir, I won’t use it. I trust you to spank me. I know you won’t truly hurt me.” 

Gabe closed his eyes and felt the weight of responsibility engulf him. She was telling him that she was secure enough to place herself in his hands. She was trusting him to take her where she so desperately needed to be again. He put the palm of his hand on the curve of one cheek. She was wearing dark pink panties that were silky under his skin. He smiled seeing the lace edging the leg openings and waistband. She might be wearing the standard khaki uniform of a park ranger, but she was definitely wearing very sexy underwear beneath it. He relaxed and began to rub his hand over her bottom.

Joanna bit her lip and moaned as his hand roamed her bottom. She felt her stomach churn and her sex clench. This was where she belonged, in the care of this man who owned her in a way she had never imagined possible. Several minutes passed while she waited for the first smack. When it came, she was surprised. It was nothing more than a gentle pat followed by another round of rubbing. This went on for a half dozen smacks. Joanna grinned realizing that this was definitely not the spanking she had expected. After another half dozen smacks and more rubbing, Joanna’s amusement was over. This might be where she belonged, but the man holding her was not the man she knew. She was very well acquainted with the differences between spanking for punishment and spanking for foreplay. This was neither. She pushed back and was not the least bit surprised when he allowed her up. She stood between his legs. He was not meeting her eyes. Joanna sighed and reached out to cup his face in her hands, forcing him to look up at her. She saw his eyes full of indecision.

“Gabriel, do you love me?” she asked.

He looked shocked. “Yes, of course I do…you…”

“Do you trust me?” 

“Yes, Jo…what…”

“Are you my Dom?”  Joanna asked.

His shocked look turned to surprise. He was slower to answer but Joanna refused to release him.

“Well, are you?”

“Yes, Joanna, I am,” Gabe answered.

Nodding and not letting him continue, she smiled. “Gabe, you are not my father. What he did was wrong. I never consented to him punishing me.”  She saw his mouth open and a flare of anger in his eyes. She smiled and added,   “However, I am your Submissive. I consent and submit to you, my Dom – in all things.”  He nodded, his eyes beginning to clear. Joanna stroked her finger down his cheek and he shuddered. “Gabe, how do you feel about swearing?” she asked softly.

He grinned and answered, “You know how I feel, you are not to lower yourself by swearing.” 

She nodded and made a great show of rolling her eyes as if she thought his answer ludicrous. “And, Gabriel, how do you feel about eye rolling?” 

His eyes were bright as he grinned. “That will get your bottom spanked every time, young lady,” he said with a smile.

Joanna laughed and bent down to press her lips to his. She pulled away. He watched as she took his hands and put them on the waistband of her panties. His eyes showed his complete understanding as they locked on hers.

“Prove it, Sir,” she challenged.

Grateful for what she had just done, Gabe nodded. She shuddered as he very, very slowly peeled her panties down. She shivered when she felt a rush of desire surge through her and a rush of moisture pool between her legs. Gabe was well aware of her reaction. He placed her panties at her shorts and then turned her over his knee. His hand did stroke gently over her bottom but only for a moment. He gave her a final gentle pat and then did what a good Dom would do. He spanked his submissivehard. Within minutes, Joanna was wondering what the hell she had done. Her bottom was being smacked again and again with a hand that was as hard as most paddles. She was soon squirming and wiggling but getting nowhere. Gabe easily kept her in place.

She was sure he was blistering her by the second round and began to plead, “Oh… please, ow! It hurts… please, no more…. I’m sorry!” 

Gabe couldn’t conceal a grin. He had heard something along these lines just the night before when his sister had been over his lap. It seemed to be the universal language of every woman he’d ever spanked or witnessed being spanked. Joanna moaned and struggled and promised to be a good girl. Gabe listened but continued to spank her. He knew she needed this to be a real, true spanking. He had been almost afraid to spank her and that had floored him. She had taken charge and reminded him of their roles and he would never again disappoint her.

“You are not to use vulgar words, Joanna. You are too smart for that,” he said. He followed this with another round of smacks against her reddening bottom.

“Yes, Sir…I won’t… ow!” she yelped and attempted to reach back to cover her now aching bottom. Gabe easily captured her hand and pinned it at the small of her back. If pleading and begging was the universal language, attempting to cover a bottom turning red by a spanking was the universal action. Gabe relaxed into the routine that he had missed, grateful again that Joanna had forced his hand.

“You are not to roll your eyes, young lady. It shows me that you think what I am saying is silly or stupid and shows great disrespect. It is a very immature thing to do. You have the right to disagree with me but you are never to disrespect me,” he reminded her.

“Yes…yes, Sir,” she screeched when the hand again spanked her. When he moved to roast the backs of her thighs, Joanna finally truly submitted. She went limp over his knee, her tears falling onto the ground under her head and her promises to behave interrupted by her hiccupping sobs. Gabe gave her another round and then stopped. His hand began gently rubbing her bottom. She had been well spanked but far less than her last several trips over his lap.