The Art of Discipline: Running Toward Trouble (The Mockingbird Chronicles) (7 page)

“Yes, Mr. Zitti, I’ll be able to meet you Friday at 3:00. Alright, I’ll see you at Carmina’s on West Taylor. Sure thing, Mr. Zitti, see you then.”

Putting her cell phone down on the table, Dani drew Emma into her arms. “Well, that meeting is now set up.” She shifted a bit in her seat. “You know it hurts my backside when you sit on my lap.”

“Well, why should I be denied my favorite seat, just because you can’t behave?” Emma smirked at Dani’s indignant expression and leaned up to kiss her gently. “Now, you and I still need to discuss your punishment.” Standing, she ignored the groan as she extended her hand and waited until Dani took it before leading her to the bedroom.

Emma motioned for Dani to sit on the bed before standing in front of her. “Okay, young lady, this is what is going to happen. Until further notice you are grounded.”

“Grounded?” Dani cut in “But how is that going to work in Chicago?”

“Danielle, let me finish.”

Dani stuck out her lower lip and huffed, “Fine.”

“We’re doing it a bit different this time; since you seem to want my attention, you are going to have it—at all times. You will not go anywhere or stay anywhere alone. If I’m not able to be with you, you will have a babysitter, most likely Stevie or Anna.”

“What am I, eight? I don’t need a babysitter.”

“You aren’t in charge of this, Danielle, and this is part of your grounding. I will decide when you are no longer grounded or in need of a babysitter.”

“This is totally unfair. What about Chicago? Nobody there knows about this and I’m not about to let them in on it.”

“I know, but I don’t think it’ll be a problem. I’ll just be going everywhere you do. After all, you are the boss, right?”

“Yes,” Dani huffed, crossing her arms. “Doesn’t mean I have to like it.”

Emma smiled briefly before sitting down next to her. “Okay, the next thing we need to talk about is me.” Sitting back against the headboard, Emma motioned to Dani and smiled again when she lay down, using Emma’s lap as a pillow. Stroking Dani’s hair, Emma began, “Remember when I told you that I switch sometimes? That I’m a top with my girlfriends, but might bottom with someone else?”

“Like Uncle Sean?”

“Yes, like with Uncle Sean.” Emma got quiet a moment. “After that confrontation in my office today, I realized that I haven’t been taking care of myself too well lately. And if I’m not taking care of me, then I can’t take care of you properly.”

Dani slowly sat up, caressing Emma’s cheek as she found green eyes. “Is there anything I can do to help?”

Taking Dani’s hand into her own, Emma kissed it before nodding. “Tell me how you would feel if I asked Stevie to take Uncle Sean’s place.”

Dani lay back down and waited until her hair was once again being stroked by Emma. “Just spanking?”

“Yes, Dani, just spanking. There is nothing sexual for me as a bottom.”

“Do you need it a lot?”

“Not a lot,” Emma reassured her. “It varies, though. Sometimes I can go months, and sometimes more often.”

Dani was quiet for a while, but eventually looked up into Emma’s eyes. “Do you trust Stevie?”

“Yes. We’ve been friends for a long time, and I know how she handles Anna.”

“I think I trust her too,” Dani answered, thoughtfully.

“You’re okay with it, then?”

Dani shifted a bit. “Where would I be?”

“You mean, when Stevie…”

“Yeah. I don’t know if I could handle hearing or seeing…”

“Ah,” Emma nodded. “You wouldn’t anyway. It’s not your place to be there. I love you, Dani, but you have to understand, for me to get into the right headspace, it would have to be just me and Stevie.”

Dani chewed her lip for a moment. “Okay.”

“Okay?”

“Okay. I want you to be happy, Emma. So, if wishing you had a pillow to sit on makes you happy, then I’m okay with that.”

Laughing, Emma lay down next to Dani, where they soon found themselves lost in a long passionate kiss. One kiss led to another and before either of them knew it, it was once again time to experiment with soap.

Chapter Four

It was midafternoon, the day after their fight, that Emma found herself taking a deep breath and answering the knock at her door. “Hi, Stevie, thanks for coming.”

Stevie smiled. “Anything for you, Emma. I’m just glad that I can help. I want to sit down and talk for a few minutes, before we commit to anything though.”

Nodding, Emma sat, tucking one leg under her, before addressing Stevie. “So, talk.”

Stevie laughed before taking on a serious tone. “Are you sure about this, Emma? Because once we start, I’m in charge, and we don’t stop unless I hear your safeword.”

Emma took another deep breath. “I’m sure. I need this, Stevie. It’s like I told you earlier, between Uncle Sean’s death, Dani, and this thing with Patrick Sampson, everything has just been building and I need a little me time right now.”

Stevie nodded and patted her friend’s hand. “I don’t quite understand how getting your ass tanned is considered ‘me time,’ but I understand you need this and I’m willing to do it for you. So is this going to be a onetime or a regular thing?”

Emma blushed slightly. “I was thinking maybe once a month, at least for a while. I think something regular will help with the balance. That is, if you were okay with that?”

“I’m fine with that. Although you need to talk to me; if you need it more or less often, we will adjust. For now, let’s say the third Wednesday of every month?”

“I think that can be arranged,” Emma agreed.

“Great.” Running her hands through her curls, Stevie looked around the apartment. “So the brats are busy for the next hour or so downstairs, right?”

Emma chuckled. “Yes, I put them both on shift with Jason and let them all know that we were not to be disturbed unless the place was on fire.”

“What’s your safeword, Emma?”

“Avalon.”

“Toys?”

“There is a box on the dresser, and a few other things I laid out on the bed. All at your discretion, of course.”

“Of course.” Stevie shook her head and smirked. “Alright, young lady, you need to go to your bedroom, get into your pajamas, and settle into the corner. When you’re ready to begin, you are to come and get me.”

Emma gulped. “Come on, Stevie…”

Stevie’s brown eyes cut Emma off quickly. “This is not up for debate, Emma Renee. Move it,” she commanded, punctuating the last two words with firm swats before watching Emma slowly drag herself down the hallway.

* * *

“For the last time, Dani, you can’t go upstairs and you know it,” Anna hissed in Dani’s ear, pulling her off the stairs. “Trust me, you don’t want to bother Emma right now.”

Dani ran a hand through her hair. “Yeah, my brain is telling me that, but my emotions are another matter altogether.”

Anna led Dani to an empty area of the store and waited until she sat in an overstuffed chair before sitting herself. “Look, it’s not like she’s being hurt, really.”

Dani smirked. “Well, no more than she wants to be, I guess.”

“Exactly,” Anna affirmed. “Say, I can use a coffee. What do you say we send Jason across the street for a couple of beverages and we can then have him do the checkout routine while we chat.”

Dani shook her head. “No, thanks. I’ve already hit my soda limit for the day, and I’ve been in enough trouble this week. Besides, I really don’t want to upset Emma after her chat with Stevie.”

“And I’ve already hit my coffee limit too. You are so no fun,” Anna winked. “But I guess I’ll let you get away with it, just this once.”

Laughing, Dani relaxed a bit more. “Glad to hear it, Anna.”

“Yeah, besides, I don’t need to make Stevie work that arm at home tonight; wouldn’t want her to get spanker’s elbow.”

Dani smirked and shook her head. “You are a total brat, you know that, Anna?”

“Oh, I strive to be, so it’s so nice of you to notice,” Anna responded with a smile.

Dani was just getting ready to respond when she felt her cell phone vibrating; answering it, her face clouded. “Logan, how hard is it to let the hotel know that you’re reserving the hall?”

She began to tap her foot as she listened. “Listen, Logan, you better be able to tell me that we have a venue for the Whitmans’ anniversary by the time I get there tomorrow, or I swear I will be kicking your ass up and down Michigan Avenue myself. Yeah, right. Good. Better be.”

Growling slightly as she hit the release button, she looked at Anna. “What?”

“I’ve never seen you like that,” Anna confessed. “You are totally different in Chicago, aren’t you?”

Dani thought for a moment. “I guess I am. I’m always in control in Chicago. At my work, I have to be. There, it’s my reputation on the line.”

“So which Dani is the real Dani?” Anna questioned.

Putting her phone back in her pocket, Dani looked out the window for a few moments. “I think they’re both me, I just need to figure out how to make them meld into one.”

“I thought that’s what you had Emma for.”

“Maybe it is,” Dani responded, standing to help a customer who looked lost.

* * *

Dani had just finished ringing up a customer when she noticed Stevie standing in front of her. “You can go on up, Dani.”

Dani paled, but practically flew to the stairs, taking them two at a time to get to the apartment.

Chuckling at Jason’s expression, Stevie turned to him. “So did your co-workers behave this afternoon?”

Looking at Stevie with confusion, the young man nodded. “I guess so.”

“Glad to hear it,” Stevie responded before moving behind the cash register to wait on the next person.

* * *

Entering the apartment, Dani ran to the bedroom and stopped. Noticing Emma lying on her tummy, she kicked off her shoes and climbed onto the bed. Sitting next to Emma, she bent down next to her and gently kissed her on the temple.

Emma opened her eyes, giving Dani a slight smile. “Hi, honey.”

“Are you okay?”

Emma nodded, her smile betrayed by a small wince. “I will be, in a day or two.”

Dani frowned. “Anything I can do for you?”

“Want to lie down with me?”

“Did Stevie tell you that you had to take a nap?” Dani returned in all seriousness.

Emma chuckled. “No, Dani. It doesn’t quite work like that between Stevie and me.”

Dani lay down, her head on the pillow next to Emma’s. “Will you tell me about it?”

“Not sure that’s a good idea…”

“Please, Emma? I don’t understand. Why is it different?”

“Stevie was just helping me, as a friend. She’s not my full-time top. She’ll never dictate any of my life choices, only occasionally help me focus on my path.”

“Oh,” Dani responded. She ran her finger across Emma’s cheek, tracing a stain left by a recent tear. “You were crying.”

“Crying usually accompanies spankings, Danielle,” Emma responded evenly.

Dani smiled. “I know that, but she didn’t hurt you, did she? I mean… well…”

“No, sweetie, she didn’t hurt me.”

“Can I see? I mean, I want to make sure…”

Emma raised an eyebrow. “You’re curious, aren’t you?”

Dani couldn’t hide the blush as she nodded her head.

“Go ahead; these bottoms are making me itch anyway,” she winked.

Dani smiled and, moving to Emma’s side, she helped her slowly ease of out her pajama bottoms and panties. She then let out a gasp as she saw the condition of her lover’s backside; bright red, with darker splotches that would certainly turn to bruises. Not being able to resist, she brushed her palm over each cheek, not surprised, yet still shocked to feel how warm they were.

“Stevie certainly is thorough,” Dani commented, rubbing her hand over Emma’s bottom again, as Emma let out a soft moan. “What made these marks?” Dani continued, tracing her finger along one of the darker splotches.

“Probably the sorority paddle,” Emma answered.

Dani’s eyes suddenly got large. “Like you see on the movies?”

Emma chuckled. “Yeah, pretty much.”

“Is it in the box?” Dani shifted nervously.

“No,” Emma looked over her shoulder, smiling as Dani’s panicked expression softened. “Too big for the box. It’s under the bed.”

“What?”

Emma laughed. “Don’t worry, Dani, that’s an advanced toy. You aren’t ready for that yet.”

“Not funny,” Dani huffed.

Emma smiled and patted the pillow next to her. “Come back up here, so I don’t get lonely.”

Dani grumbled, but couldn’t resist. Lying back down on the pillow, she suddenly yawned.

“Looks like someone could use a nap,” Emma teased.

“How come you’re the one that got spanked and I need the nap?” Dani whined.

“I’ll lie down here with you,” Emma bargained.

“I think you need a nap too,” Dani mumbled.

“Maybe I do,” Emma conceded, moving a little closer to Dani and kissing her neck.

Dani put her arms around Emma and pulled her a little closer. “Hmmm, I thought you were tired?”

“Maybe I have a little pent-up energy I need to get rid of first.”

Dani pulled back a little. “I thought you said there was nothing sexual about this for you?”

“It’s not like that…”

“Then I don’t understand.”

Emma let out a heavy sigh. “I don’t like being spanked. I don’t like being vulnerable, or letting go of control. That’s very difficult for me to do, but at the same time, afterwards… it feels good.”

Dani looked doubtful, and Emma realized she needed to say more. “It’s like a weight has been lifted off my shoulders. My stress level goes down and I’m able to relax. It’s not sexual, not like that, but I feel better. It wasn’t until I saw you, and then you lay down next to me… you’re beautiful, Dani,” Emma again paused, running a finger down Dani’s face, curving it around her strong jawline. “I feel good, and I want to feel good with you.”

“Oh,” Dani managed a small smile. “I want to feel good with you too.”

Emma returned the smile before kissing Dani on the lips. “Make love to me, Dani,” she whispered when she again pulled back.