Holding My Breath. AM Hartnett

your arse.’

      She watched him finger the cuffs he’d made at his elbows and itched to straddle him, to unzip him and ease down on that deliciously thick cock. She didn’t want to hear about some other woman. She wanted his mind on her, Molly Archer, and she wanted his thoughts to go no further than stretching her wide as he went balls deep.

      ‘The first time she contacted me was by email. She was very businesslike in the way she explained what she expected from me. It seemed so deranged that I almost turned her down, but I wanted the money so I upped my price. I was impressed by how thorough she was with her kink, and how in control of it she was.’

      ‘What did she do? Tie you up and peg you?’

      He gave his head a shake, then leaned back, hands flat on the bed behind him. ‘I met her at her condo. She was wearing something like what you’re wearing, all white frills and satin. She was nervous at first. Not afraid, but anxious that I might disappoint her. Finally, she talked herself into trusting me, and then she took me to the bedroom. Shall I go on?’

      Her impatience was bubbling over, but there was something hypnotic about his storyteller’s voice. She nodded and was met with a smile. He beckoned her again and, once she was before him, he gestured at the floor.

      ‘You want me on my knees?’

      ‘Don’t get too excited. I’ll tell you why once you’re down there.’

      Down she went and sat back on her calves, when what she really wanted was to pull out his cock and disturb his unflappability.

      He leaned forward and went on. ‘First, she wanted me to give her a stern talking-to. She wanted me to grill her about her business dealings, her personal life, how often she cancels her appointments with her personal trainer, how much of a credit-card balance she keeps, and so on. Once her failings were laid out before her, it was time to get physical.’ He leaned forward and cocked his head. ‘Have you ever had a good hard spanking, Molly Archer?’

      She shook her head. She would have answered, but her tongue had gone useless on her while her body was struck with a charge.

      A good hard spanking? Not only had she never had one, but she’d never really wanted one. She’d always found the fantasy off-putting, but as soon as the question had left Quinn’s mouth she ached to reach down and give herself a bit of a rub.

      He looked down at her pretty white stockings. ‘I think we’ll skip the boring parts. If you want to moan about your perceived faults, you can get yourself a therapist. Right now, I’m more interested in seeing how wet a few smacks will make your pussy. Up.’

      He held out his hand. It was such a gentlemanly gesture and she got to her feet as daintily as she could. He held on even after she draped herself over his lap, and something told her that he wouldn’t let go even while he was bringing a stinging palm down on her cheeks.

      ‘If we’re going to do this, then we’ll do it right,’ he said, and with his other hand he dragged her panties down just below her buttocks.

      ‘Did you use your hand with her?’ she asked, her voice shaking past her tonsils.

      ‘No, she had a leather paddle. Even if I had known this would be what we’d be getting up to tonight, I wouldn’t have brought anything with me. I like the idea of feeling the same sting in my hand that I’m giving to you on your arse.’

      ‘Hurts me more than it hurts you sort of thing?’

      ‘No, this won’t hurt me a bit.’

      He gave her three hard smacks and Molly thought she took them pretty well. Then again, it could have been the shock of being a thirty-year-old woman and getting her ass spanked for the first time since she was five. She gripped his hand and held her breath, and when the prickly heat began to spread she let the air out in a whistle, then snuffled a laugh as the absurdity of it returned to her.

      ‘Go on,’ he said. ‘Get out the giggles now. Once you really start to feel it, you won’t feel like laughing.’

      ‘Should I have a word?’ she asked quickly as she felt his movement, raising his hand over the other cheek.

      ‘What?’

      ‘A safe-word, isn’t it?’

      He laughed so heartily that she was jostled on his lap, and reached down to grab his leg to keep her balance.

      ‘Stop being such a drama queen. It’s not like I’m caning you. When I think you’ve had enough, I’ll stop.’ Molly started to protest, but Quinn gave her a bit of a shake. ‘For God’s sake, forget whatever garbage you’ve picked up online. Ready? No? Still talking? Too bad, then.’

      He brought his hand down on the other cheek, three times, and let his hand rest on the hot flesh. She was overcome with the need to move, but that hand seemed to demand stillness, and so she compensated by curling her toes until her shoes dropped off.

      ‘This is usually the part where she’d beg me to stop and tell me she won’t be a bad girl ever again, and I’d tell her I don’t believe her and keep going. I don’t think that would work with you, though. You came here dressed like that so you want to be the bad girl, and even if I did think I could get an apology out of you, I wouldn’t be able to accept it without laughing myself sick.’

      ‘If you keep it up, I’m going to turn you over and give you a crack on the arse.’

      ‘That’s adorable,’ he said, and shoved her panties to her knees. ‘Go on, shake them off.’

      She discarded them, then squeaked as he grabbed her and dragged her with him while he scooted further back on the bed.

      Arms and legs now supported by the mattress, she pushed up onto her hands in a yoga-like pose and twisted her head around. ‘Are you done?’

      ‘Not even close, and stop trying to push my buttons. You can’t. I’m better at this than you are.’

      He added an exclamation point to his statement with his palm on the fleshiest part of her ass. This one packed a wallop that zinged in both directions, rattling her brains and giving her an itch on the bottom of her feet at the same time.

      She had to take a moment to catch her breath. Her heart beat so fast her head floated. She sank down, pressed her head against the mattress and sought his hand once more. She didn’t try to speak again until her palm was pressed against his.

      ‘You’ve got a big mouth.’

      ‘And you’ve got a red arse. Bend your knees and lift up a little.’

      She obliged with a happy little wiggle as he skimmed his other hand across the backs of her thighs.

      ‘Keep talking. I like your big mouth.’

      ‘Funny you should say that. I don’t talk half as much with anyone else as I do with you. I find silence is much more effective, save for the occasional dirty phrase thrown out here and there.’

      His touch became light and ticklish as he moved down between her thighs. She opened up for him, and the cool air let her know just how wet she had become. The plump insides of her thighs were slick.

      ‘It’s because I like you,’ he went on. ‘When I like someone, I talk them to death.’

      ‘So this isn’t just so I’ll let you slink around the hotel?’

      He said nothing. He simply drummed his fingers just above her pussy. Whether he was choosing his words or merely teasing her, she didn’t know. Either way, he answered her with a series of hard smacks.

      She clenched his hand and lifted her ass as each blow shook through her. The heat was glorious and she moaned, but the sting eventually became too much. She gave a kick and called out, and for a moment she worried he wasn’t going to stop. Three more measured smacks, though, and he relented.

      ‘The answer to your question is no, by the way,’ he said in a melodious tone. ‘This isn’t