The guy next door had moved his girlfriend in a few months ago, and ever since, I occasionally heard some... interesting sounds coming from their place. One particular evening, I heard some raised voices, whining, and then a few hard slaps, and my concern drew me toward their door. As I approached, I could just barely see their forms through the Wexford glass on the door. The sounds hesitated, so I did, too.
Both of them had their backs to me, and he appeared to be towering over her, though I knew she wasn't that much shorter than him. Her slim form seemed to be draped over something, maybe the arm of a couch. Was she unconscious? Concern reigniting within me, I knocked on the door and heard a feminine gasp, followed by a couple of low words from a masculine voice just before the door swung open.
I didn't realize I'd been looking below eye level until the living room light and the open air gave me a real sight to behold: a pale feminine ass pushed up by, yes, the arm of a couch, with the woman draped over it and lying face-first on the cushion. She was wearing a loose mini-skirt which covered almost nothing; I could see her black lace bikini-style panties and her pinkened cheeks. I knew I was blushing as I took in the sight, concern decreasing as I could tell she was breathing fine and willingly staying where she was.
My eyes flashed up to meet my neighbor's dark brown ones, and he was smirking knowingly at me.
"Yes?" He asked simply.
"I, er..." Feeling stupid, I shifted on my feet, my rapidly growing erection starting to press against the zipper of my jeans from the inside. "I heard some, uh... slapping sounds, and I wanted to make sure everything was, um.. that everyone was okay over here."
I averted my gaze from the taller man's eyes, looking at his chest where his tight black tee clung to well-worked pecs. Damn, I thought to myself, what a good-looking pair. She was thin but healthy with long strawberry blonde hair that rolled in waves over her shoulders, and he was slightly taller with dark features. Both were toned and clearly worked out. I myself had blue eyes, light brown hair and an average body, fit enough from working outside but not much next to this guy.
"We're fine, but maybe you'd feel better hearing it from the lady. It's good of you to check. Care to come in?" He said. I hesitated again, but he was right, I wanted to be sure, and I wouldn't take his word for it. I moved past him through the door he held open and approached the couch.
With a clearer view, I knew exactly what was happening here. On the couch was a wooden paddle, and from the way she was bent over the arm, it was clear she was being seen to for some sort of infraction. I approached and squatted down so I was at eye level with her scrunched, bright red face, her blue eyes wide with humiliation.
"Hey," I said, "I'm Aidan. Sorry to meet you in such a weird way."
It took her a moment to gather herself enough to respond, and I got the sense she'd been instructed not to lift herself from her embarrassing position. My neighbor Charlie, who I'd met only once before at the mailboxes, stood back to let me talk to her without interference.
"Um, hi," she finally said, her voice small. "I'm Heather."
"You doing okay, Heather?" she only nodded. "Is Charlie hurting you?"
She looked like she didn't know what to say, and I realized my mistake. "Er, is this, uh, consensual?"
She nodded again, then finally whispered, "we have a safe word."
I know my face reddened at that, but I pressed on. "What is it? I'd feel better knowing, just... in case."
I'd said it to imply that I'd be over in a flash if I ever heard the word and wasn't convinced he'd stopped his ministrations, but suddenly, different images were flashing through my mind, images involving my needing to listen for her safe word myself, images of me helping with her aftercare, images of my participating... I banished them from my mind, reminding myself that I was only here to ensure she was okay, and then I'd excuse myself.
"Red light" she said, "like a traffic light. Yellow means... almost."
She seemed to be having trouble explaining, her face becoming redder with embarrassment at having to say this to a stranger. I nodded in understanding, trying to ease her nerves and smiling gently.
"Okay. I just wanted to make sure you didn't feel unsafe."
She shook her head. "No, but thank you. I um... I deserve it."
For some reason, hearing her say this surprised me. I'd gotten the idea of domestic discipline from what I'd seen, but still, it struck me as odd.
"For what?" I asked before I'd thought better of it.
