Julia's stomach fluttered as she laid the implements out on the bed. There was a method to Geoff's madness, making her lay out her own punishment implements. He knew it would focus all of her attention on the spanking to come. Wondering which he would use, if he would use them all. It wouldn't be the first time, and it certainly wouldn't be the last that all the implements would be used. He was unpredictable that way. He had his favorites, and more often than not she got entire punishment spankings with the hairbrush only, but there were times when he decided that the lesson would sink in better if the punishment was layered, cane over belt over hairbrush, each implement leaving its mark on her bare ass and its impression on her mind.
It hadn't always been this way of course. She vaguely remembered "before". Before he had come into her life, before he had decided that she needed rules, before he had become her Dom. She had railed against the need for rules at first, hating the constraint placed on her, testing his authority. She wanted him to be in charge, at least in some dark, rarely visited corner of her soul, but she always felt the need to test him. To make sure that he'd STAY in charge.
She was shaken out of her reverie by the tinny bleeting of the phone. She grabbed it, knowing who it was.
"Are you being a good girl and getting everything ready for when I return home," Geoff's deep voice asked in her ear.
"Yes Sir," she said, confidently. She WAS being a good girl, which wasn't always the case, and she felt a certain amount of pride in herself.
"Good. Now, you know where I expect to find you when I come home, right," he asked rhetorically,"and after you hang up the phone I want you to strip."
"Yes Sir, I will," she exhaled. His voice always had that effect on her when he was in command of a situation. It left her slightly breathless, and made her body tingle in anticipation. She dreaded punishment, but part of her thrilled at his power, his ability to lead her where he wanted her to go.
"Hang up now, and finish getting everything ready. I'll be home soon, and then I'll deal with your disobedience from this morning," he said ominously.
"I will," she said as a shiver shot through her at the word "disobedience. Almost too late she added, "Sir". She hoped it wouldn't be added to the punishment. Even though it had been her choice to call him that, it was still difficult to remember at times to show the respect she felt for him. She hadn't been his submissive for all that long, and this was her first foray into the Dominant/submissive world, so there were times when she forgot things like saying Sir. He was only "Sir" when she was being punished, not during fun spankings or during everyday things. There was something that changed in her when she was in trouble that made her call him Sir, as if she were a disobedient little girl. HIS disobedient little girl.
When all the implements were laid out, Julia undressed. Her feelings of vulnerability grew as each layer was removed. The room had been warmed by the afternoon sun, but her unclothed state chilled her slightly. She walked slowly to the corner to await his arrival.
************************** She was starting to feel as if she'd been in the corner all day when she finally heard the key in the front door. She longed to run to him and fall into his arms, but she knew that would only get her into more trouble. His footsteps on the stairs leading to their bedroom seemed to match her heartbeat, each growing louder as he came closer. She heard him make a sound of approval at seeing her standing naked in the corner as she was told, and then felt his warm breath on her bare back as he walked over and stood close behind her.
"You know you've earned yourself quite a spanking," he growled low in her ear,"and I'm going to enjoy every minute of it."
She shivered from lust mixed with a little fear as he spoke. She hated punishments but loved how his power over her made her wet. She stood silently, knowing that he didn't expect her to answer. Corner time was meant for quiet reflection of misbehavior, not for talking.
Geoff's hands on Julia's shoulders marked the end of her solitary vigil. She turned around, not looking at anything higher than his bottom shirt button. She couldn't bring herself to meet his gaze. She had disappointed him yet again, she just knew it, and didn't want to see that awful look in his eyes, sadness that she hadn't lived up the her part of their bargain.
"I want you to look at me, Julia," Geoff said, much gentler than she'd expected. His hand lifted her chin so that she had no choice but to look straight into his eyes. She didn't see the disappointment and sadness she had expected. Instead, she saw a mixture of compassion, love, and lust, and it surprised her.
"I thought you'd be disappointed in me," she said quietly, as if saying it would make it so.
"I don't like the fact that you disobeyed me, but I'm not disappointed in you. Nobody is perfect, not even me," he said with a quick grin," but that doesn't mean that you're going to be let off easily. You did disobey me, and you know that you need to be punished so that you will learn your lesson. If we're going to do this at all, we're going to do it right."
Julia studied his face for a moment before answering. "You're right. I screwed up and I need to pay for it. I've been feeling guilty all day, and I hate feeling like that. Not too hard though," she asked hopefully.
"What do you think," he answered, his voice deepening menacingly.
"Um, I think I'm in big trouble," she squeaked as he pulled her over to the bed.