Chapter 9

My eyes were closed and Annie's silky hair caressed my face. With my arms around her and her back to me, we were lying on my bed recovering from our fun with the remote-controlled egg. My fingertips trailed lightly up and down her side, and I enjoyed listening to her quiet cooing.

The minutes ticked by. We had a big night ahead, but neither of us wanted to break the spell. Finally I opened my eyes and lifted my head, looking for the time. It was near enough to 5.30 P.M. I smiled to myself when I noticed the egg and remote sitting on top of the clock radio. Easing my head back down to the pillow, I sighed contentedly and kissed the back of Annie's shoulder. Her breathing had evened out and it was clear she was now asleep.

Oh well, I thought. Time to start getting organised. I decided to let her nap for a few more minutes while I made us some coffee. Gently I slipped my arm from under her neck and stood by the side of the bed, looking down on her. I trailed my eyes down her body and back up again, admiring the curves camouflaged by the brand new white silk sheet wrapped around her. She looked so calm and serene.

I went to the kitchen to make a nice strong brew. For the life of me, I couldn't recall how Annie took hers at the coffee shop a mere few hours before. So I made her a standard 'white and one'.

Placing the two cups on the bedside table, I sat on the edge of the bed and gently shook Annie's shoulder. "Annie... It's time to wake up, pet."

"Hmmm? Huh? Mmmmmmm..." Rolling onto her back, she stretched overhead and her breasts strained against the sheet covering her. "Hello, Sir," she said sleepily, her eyes half open.

"Hello," I said, picking up my coffee and bringing it to my lips, smiling and sipping.

"May I have one of those?" she said, nodding and looking at the mug in my hand.

"It's right here but I couldn't remember how you took it," I said, passing her the cup as she yawned and sat up cross-legged on the bed, tucking the sheet around herself and under her arms.

"White, no sugar, Sir." She took a sip and immediately screwed up her nose. "Ewww... that's icky." She held out the cup and pouted. "I want a new one, honey."

I was so surprised by her behaviour I couldn't speak for a moment. Finding my voice, I raised an eyebrow and said, "We've only just started this, Annie."

The bratty smirk evaporated and she went white as a sheet. "I... I was just... kidding, Sir. T... Testing you. I didn't mean to-"

"I see." If she was testing me, she hadn't wasted any time doing it. I couldn't keep the concern from my face as the seconds passed. "I'd rather you didn't do that," I said finally.

"God," she breathed, biting her lip.

"What is it?"

"You're just a little bit scary when you get serious, Sir," she whispered, smiling hopefully.

"I'd appreciate it if you didn't assume, Annie."

"Yes, Sir. I... I promise. I really was just testing you, Sir. Subs are supposed to test their Doms so they know their limits, Sir. I... I was curious about how you would react if I was naughty, and um, I got my answer loud and clear, Sir."

"I'm glad you 'got your answer', Annie, but there is still something wrong with this picture. I think you should go and fix your coffee while I think about what I want to say."

"I'm sorry, Sir. I just..."

I held up my hand and she stopped talking. I would give her a chance to explain herself in a minute. In the meantime I wanted to make sure of something. "I don't want you calling me anything but Roger or Sir. Understood?"

"Yes, Sir."

"But I'd like to have a pet name for you. We'll talk about it later."

"You could call me 'kitten', Sir," she offered, seeming to like the idea.

"Hmmm... We'll see. Until I decide, I'll just call you pet. You don't mind me calling you 'pet', do you?"

"Not at all, Sir. I like it." She grinned.

"Okay," I said, smiling a little. Then I added, "When you are good enough."

"Y... Yes, Sir," she whispered.

"Grab a t-shirt from the second draw. Everything to fix your coffee is on the kitchen counter. When you've made it, come back here and we'll talk."

"Yes, Sir!" She fairly leapt out of bed, throwing on one of my shirts and racing through the door. While she was gone I arranged two pillows on the floor so she could kneel comfortably. She returned with eyes down, immediately recognising why the pillows were on the carpet. She put her cup on the bedside table and stopped in front of me.

"Kneel here," I said, pointing down at the pillows.

"Can I please s... say something? Please, Sir?" she begged as she glided to her knees, lacing her fingers together in her lap. I nodded. "Thank you, Sir." She took a deep breath. "Sir, sometimes I'm a little... impatient? I don't like it but sometimes I just say things without thinking. I'm sorry if I 'assumed' earlier, Sir. I promise I'll do better."

"Good. As long as you try, I'll be happy." Nodding, she bit her lip and remained quiet, so I proceeded. "Annie, I'm very new at this, and I'm going to be need you for guidance on occasions. But I have a good grasp of the fundamentals. And I know what I like and don't like, even if I can't rattle off accurate examples beforehand."

"I'll make mistakes sometimes, Sir," Annie whispered.

"Without a doubt. And that's okay as long as, like I said, you are trying."

"Y... Yes, Sir."

"I want to base our relationship on honesty, trust and respect. A two way street, Annie. If we are honest with each other, then we can build trust and respect." She nodded softly, her light blue eyes gazing into mine, listening intently. "If you don't know something, or are not sure of something, whether it's something about me that you would like to know, or something you want to do, or want me to do... if you are not sure, then you are to ask, and in a pleasing manner."

"Y... Yes, Sir," she breathed, blushing hotly.

"Don't try to manipulate me for your own ends. Ask me. No more 'kidding' or playing games." I sighed. Annie looked like she might cry. "Listen carefully, because I'm not going to say this again, okay?" She nodded. "I don't want any crap, Annie. As God knows, I've taken enough of it over the years. By that I mean no arguing or talking back, I won't stand for it. You and I will discuss things, not argue. And I would suggest you steer clear of sarcasm. To me, sarcasm is having a personal joke at someone else's expense. I will expect better from my submissive."

"Y... Your submissive..." she said softly. I nodded and she looked down at her hands, sighing softly.

"Just be straightforward with me. If you want something, whether it be reassurance or a desire or a need or a want of any kind, just ask."

She swallowed. "I'm really sorry I disappointed you, Sir."

"There will be times when you will, Annie. And they will require an intervention that is in proportion to what you have done, and releases you from the guilt you feel."

"A... A punishment, Sir."

I nodded slowly, watching her eyes. "Like now. You feel guilty right now, don't you?"

"Y... Yes, Sir. I feel really stupid and guilty about d... disappointing you." Again I thought she might cry.

"Okay, we'll take care of that in a minute, all right?"

"Yes please, Sir. I want to be able look forward, not back."

"That's my girl," I said, holding out my arms and smiling as she climbed into them. She sat on my lap and we cuddled and I said everything was all right. I told her I understood about punishments and how once received, the slate was clean. One had 'paid for their sin'. She nuzzled my neck and nodded, listening to me. I wanted her to know what I was thinking, so I whispered it while she rested her head on my shoulder and I gently rocked her. "Look, I know I'm harking back to some bad experiences I've had in the past, but this life, this way, fits me so well. I've tried being the sensitive, new age guy... When I was married, I tried to be everything my ex-wife wanted. I couldn't do it. It wasn't me, Annie. I ended up miserable and depressed, being taken advantage of and feeling like nothing I did was right. I need to live my life the way I want to live. To be the way I want to be. And I want you to come with me."

She nodded, cuddling me tighter.

"There's another thing I need to tell you, thinking about past experiences... something that really gets up my nose, it's, 'I don't know what you're talking about.' I really don't like that. My ex-wife used to say it all the time whenever I asked her something she didn't feel like answering." She giggled softly, then sniffed. She had been crying. I lifted her chin with my finger and watched as a sparkling tear fell from the corner of her eye, trickling down her cheek. I gently brushed it away with the back of my fingers.

"I... I want to learn what pleases you, Sir. More than anything." Another tear fell from her other eye and she quickly wiped it with the back of her wrist. "I can be so stupid sometimes. I'm here with you and I can hardly believe my luck. Sometimes I'm not very good with words, and because I'm afraid of screwing up, I can't find the right ones to say what I mean."

"I understand. And that's okay. Over the coming days and weeks, I will teach you what pleases me mentally, physically, and emotionally. You will need to listen and learn. Me too, by the way."

"I will, Sir. Earlier I was thinking too much and got way ahead of myself, just like you said, Sir. I'm so sorry. I don't usually 'top from the bottom'."

"'Top from the bottom'?"

"As in, deliberately do something so you do something, Sir. Um, I'm not sure if that makes sense."

"You mean like, manipulate?"

"Yes, Sir. But that sounds even worse." She sighed.

"It displeased me, Annie. And you don't want to displease me, do you?"

"No, Sir. I want to be so pleasing to you... I want you to always look at me like you did in the coffee shop, Sir."

I cuddled her tightly and whispered in her ear. "Good girl."

She snuggled into me and asked hopefully, "Um... Sir?"

I leaned back and looked into her eyes. I had a feeling I knew what she was going to say. "Yes, Annie?"

"Does this mean I'm not in trouble?" she asked, smiling sweetly. Her eyes sparkled with mischief. She knew she was pushing it.

I chuckled. "Oh, we are gonna have such fun. No, it means you are due your first punishment. We better discuss what form it will take."

She took a deep breath. "Y... Yes, Sir."

I watched as the blush grew in her cheeks and I spoke quietly. "You need to be punished now, don't you Annie?"

The words tumbled from her mouth. "Y... Yes, Sir. I should be. I want to have a good time at the party, and I can't if I keep reminding myself of how stupid I was."

I slid my fingers into her hair and tightened them, slowly pulling her head back, exposing her neck. "What are you sorry for?" I asked softly as her back began to arch.

"I... I'm sorry for pushing you, for provoking you. I'm sorry for being a brat and t... testing your dominance, Sir. Oohhh..."

I tightened my grip further. "You were naughty and should be punished, shouldn't you?"

"Yes, S... Sir," she said breathlessly. "I just want to start over, Sir. I... I was stupid and assumed and ohhh..."

"Go on."

"I... I want a clean slate... s... so I can move forward with my thoughts on you, not on what I've done. I... I want to receive what I'm due, to show you I am serious, that I want to earn your forgiveness so I can move forward, now, with you, t... together."

"I'm very pleased by what you are saying. But I also think, in the beginning, it's important I'm firm with you. That way, I will show you my resolve, and show you it's important to me that you strive. You need to learn your lesson, and you have to realise I do this because I care, and because I expect more from you."

"Y... Yes, Sir. I understand. I'll accept whatever you decide."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes. I trust you to punish me no more nor less than I deserve, Sir." I slid my fingers from her hair and her body relaxed, though she was breathing hard.

"All right, stand up." She climbed off my lap and took a step back, standing with her head bowed and her hands behind her back. I stood up in front of her and whispered, "Give me your hands." Taking them in mine, I spoke quietly and she lifted her eyes to mine. "It gives me no joy to punish you, Annie. Especially after the wonderful day we've had."

"Yes, Sir. I'm sorry I disappointed you."

"Okay." Releasing her hands and turning around, I dragged the quilt right off the bed and tossed it on the floor. I took a good look at the Velcro inserts sewn into the sheet covering the bed, ripping one open and closed, satisfying myself. I patted the bed where I wanted her and spoke. "Hands and knees, right here." Annie climbed lengthways onto the bed near the edge, and I strapped her wrists together with the Velcro. "Don't fall off."

"I won't, Sir."

I checked how tightly I'd secured her wrists. "I admit you could probably free yourself from these ties, but it is my wish that you do not attempt to do so."

"I won't, Sir. I'll be good. I just want it over with," she said, trying to smile.

"I am going to paddle you, Annie. And I'm going to need your help."

She looked up at me, a blush creeping up her cheeks. "Yes, Sir. Anything." I leaned down on my haunches and reached under the bed. The paddle had come in its own felt bag and I dragged it out. Annie watched me intently as I undid the clip that gathered the top part of the bag together and opened it, sliding the paddle out and tossing the bag on top of the quilt. "Wow," she said.

"Like it?"

"It's um... it's beautiful, Sir. Can we play with it another day, when I haven't been so stupid?"

"We'll see," I winked.

"Yes, Sir," she bit her lip, this time trying not to smile.

"C'mon. Let's be serious. You're not supposed to be enjoying this."

She composed herself. "Yes, Sir. I'll be good. I'm just nervous."

"All right then," I said, slapping the heavy paddle against my palm. "Let's do this."

She looked up at me as I stood beside the bed. "Can I put my head down, Sir?"

"Sure... um, why?" I thought maybe she didn't want to watch.

"I think it would probably look nicer, Sir," she said, her blush intensifying.

I couldn't help but smile. "All right then, head down and arch your back."

"Y... Yes, Sir."

For a moment I stood there, admiring her while I caressed the smooth leather of the paddle subconsciously.

Hmmm... Maybe I should paddle her with the studded side. No, that would hurt too much. But isn't it supposed to hurt? It won't hurt too much if I don't swing it too hard. I'll work up to it. How many? Should I tell her how many? She said she trusted me. Hmmm... The noise would be better on the smooth side, wouldn't it? It would be louder, but with less force. The noise should give her more of a fright and less pain. She should fear being punished, shouldn't she? How many was that again?

I spoke under my breath. "Fuck."

She turned her eyes up to me again. "What is it, Sir?"

I sighed. "I don't want to hurt you."

"It's not about hurting me, Sir. It's about correcting me. It's supposed to make me think before I do the same thing again."

"I don't know how many is the right amount. I mean, how many do you deserve? And how hard?"

"I deserve to be punished to your satisfaction, Sir."

I looked back down at the paddle. She was right. She had tried to screw with my head, tried to make things happen that didn't naturally happen. She'd 'topped' me and she was definitely not supposed to do that. I have to deal with it! I looked into her eyes, fresh determination in mine. "I'm going to tap it against you a few times, to get a feel for the weight and the force I want, Annie."

"Much like a cane, Sir."

"I've never used a cane, either."

"Then you probably should get one, Sir. 'Cause I have a feeling you're gonna need it." She giggled. "Um, sorry, Sir."

"All right."