“Yeah! How’d you know?”

  “Good guess.” Doug shook his head again. “Honey, there are so few jobs in the elementary schools, it’s no wonder you can’t get a job in your field. It has nothing to do with you and everything to do with school systems. But do you really want to leave Tony and Nikki?”

  Vivian frowned. “Not really, but after the other day . . .”

  Doug’s smile was gentle and reassuring. “I think everything is fine. You need to just forget about it. You said Nikki told you to stay away from Tony, but I think she’s probably just acting as a buffer. I’m sure it’s every bit as uncomfortable for him as it is for you.”

  “Yeah, probably. Couldn’t help but be.” Her eyes were downcast, but then, from nowhere, Doug heard her start to giggle.

  “What?”

  “Oh, Doug! You should’ve seen Tony’s face when I said that to him. Looking back on it, it was really hysterical! He was scared to death! If I hadn’t been so upset, I would’ve busted out laughing.”

  Doug started to laugh too. “I bet! Imagine what must’ve been running through his mind! I can hear him now: ‘Great. Now I’ll never be able to walk out of the bathroom in my own home again!’”

  “Yeah! Or, ‘Wow. I’m really going to have to be careful who I smack on the butt when I walk through the kitchen!’” Vivian was laughing so hard she was snorting.

  “Has he ever smacked you on the butt?” Doug asked, laughing and making a face.

  “No! But that would’ve been funny, huh?”

  “Yeah!” They both got their giggles out and then, out of the blue, Doug said, “You’re beautiful when you smile.”

  Vivian felt a little flutter in her chest. “Thanks. I’m not pretty like Brittany, but . . .”

  “You’re not Brittany. You’re you, and you’re beautiful.” Doug reached across the table and took one of Vivian’s hands, tenting them both upward and locking his fingers through hers. “I really, really enjoy being around you. You make me smile.” He stopped. “Vivian, would you go to dinner with me tomorrow night? Dress up and everything? I’d really like that.”

  “Wow. Yeah, I’d love to.” She gave him a sideways look. “Is this a real date?”

  He rolled his eyes before he answered. “Yes, Vivian Norton. This is a real date.”

  “Then I accept!” Without thinking, Doug drew her hand to his lips and kissed it. When he looked up into her face, a single tear dripped from the corner of her eye and onto the tablecloth. “Please, Doug? Please don’t hurt me? I don’t think I can take it again.”

  “Viv, if I hurt you, it won’t be on purpose. I’m just a man, and I make mistakes, but I’m going to try not to make any big ones where you’re concerned. Deal?”

  “Deal.” Vivian’s brain was reeling. I have a date with Doug Benton. Wonder where this will go?

  “Oh. My. God.” When Vivian opened the door, Doug was completely taken aback. Her hair was curled, and she was wearing a dress in the deep coral that had just become popular. It made her fair skin glow and her eyes twinkle. “You’re gorgeous.”

  Vivian blushed. “Thanks. You look pretty damn good yourself.”

  Doug’s brows popped up. “That’s something we’re going to have to discuss, missy.”

  Vivian’s brow furrowed. “What’s that?”

  Doug leaned against the door facing. “I don’t like for the ladies in my life to curse. I think it’s very, very unladylike, and I really want you to stop.”

  “Nikki cusses like a sailor!”

  Doug raised one eyebrow. “Yeah, and I’m not taking Nikki to dinner. She’s Tony’s responsibility. And you’re my . . . date.” Shit! I almost said “my responsibility.” It’s a little early for that, Benton, he mused as he helped her get her coat on.

  “Ummmm, okay. I’ll try. I just got used to doing it and it’s going to be hard to stop.”

  “Don’t worry. I’ll remind you. Ready to go?”

  Vivian was almost jumping up and down. “Yep! Can’t wait!” Doug stepped off the porch, then reached for her hand. “Thank you, kind sir.” It had been a long time since a man had shown her any courtesy; well, any man except the guys in the Walters family. They were always respectful and polite.

  “You’re quite welcome. You need to know that if you plan to see me, you’ll be well cared-for. I don’t disrespect women, and I don’t allow anyone else to either.” He held the car door for Vivian as she got in.

  “Odd words, coming from a Dominant.”

  Doug walked around the car, got in, and faced her. “Quite the opposite. Everything a Dominant does is for his submissive. Everything. He’s completely and totally responsible for her wellbeing. It’s quite a job. Not too many men are up to the challenge.”

  “And you?” Vivian shot him a questioning glare.

  “Let me tell you, baby, I have a policy.” He leaned toward her. “I never, never take on anything unless I’m sure I’m up to it.” He leaned in a little farther and dropped a gentle, sweet kiss on her lips. “And that’s why I don’t want any dirty words to come out of that beautiful mouth. I want it to taste as sweet as it looks.”

  Oh my god. Vivian’s heart was racing in triple time. Doug Benton had just kissed her again, a precious, romantic kiss that carried a promise of more. She was pretty sure her life was never going to be the same.

  “What’s this?” They’d finished their meal, which was excellent, and the server suddenly appeared with a tiny cheesecake, complete with sparklers blazing on top of it. The staff at Bernard’s Café had been very good to them, but Vivian was confused.

  “Joyeux anniversaire, mademoiselle,” the server whispered. Vivian crinkled up her face as she turned to Doug.

  “Happy birthday, Vivian.” She couldn’t help it; the tears started and they wouldn’t stop. “What’s wrong? Do you not like the cheesecake?” Doug was smiling at her.

  “How did you know?”

  “Nikki made it a point to tell me that it’s tomorrow. I wanted to do something special for you.” Doug reached into his jacket and pulled out a small rectangular box. “It’s not much, but I thought maybe you’d like it.”

  Vivian opened the box. Inside it was a beautiful barrette, an enameled hummingbird with crystal eyes. “Oh, god, it’s amazing!” She looked up and smiled at him through her tears. “Thanks, Doug. Thank you so much.” She took it out and held it. As she touched it gently and followed the lines in the enamel, Doug watched and was really glad he’d decided to buy it. He’d spent all afternoon at the mall, trying to find something. When he spotted it, he could just see it in her hair. It was perfect.

  “Want me to help you?”

  “Yes! Please!” She sniffed, then waited as he came around the table. She pulled a strand of hair back away from her face, and she felt him slip the back of the barrette under it.

  “There! I’m no hairdresser, but I think it’s pretty.” The server came back with more wine and to remove the burned-out sparklers from the cheesecake. “What do you think?”

  “Ah, belle, mademoiselle!” He grinned at Vivian and she blushed.

  “See? I’m not the only one who thinks you’re beautiful.”

  “He was talking about the barrette.”

  “And he was talking about you.” Doug took another drink of his cabernet. “Let’s eat the cheesecake and go.”

  He held the door for Vivian as they left and, as soon as they were out the door, he took her hand. It was almost like he’d held it before; they fit together like two puzzle pieces. Before she got into the car, Doug took her arm and turned her toward him. He surprised her by kissing her, and it was no small, soft kiss like the earlier one. This one made her arms wind around his neck as his slipped around her waist, and she moaned into his mouth. After what seemed like a blue forever, he let go of her lips but kept his arms firmly around her waist as he leaned back to admire the barrette in her hair. “Your hair is glittering. Vivian, you’re so lovely. Can I ask you something?”

  “Sure.”

  “Why don’t you wear contacts?”

  “Why? What’s wrong with my glasses? I know they’re weird, but . . .”

  He grinned. “It’s not that they’re weird. It’s that you’ve got the most beautiful eyes, and you’re hiding them behind those glasses. I think that’s a crime. And I have a degree in criminal justice, you know.”

  “Yes you do. Am I going to be arrested?” She giggled.

  He made a silly face as he mugged, “Maybe. You’re under suspicion of taking my breath away. How do you plead?”

  “Not guilty. I can’t. I’m fat and . . .” Without thinking, Doug drew back one of his hands and smacked it down on her backside. Vivian yelped. “What the hell?”

  “You just called yourself fat. I don’t want to hear you say another negative thing about yourself. And, oh yeah.” He smacked her again and she choked back a shriek. “That’s for the curse word.”

  “What curse wo . . . oh, yeah. That curse word. Sorry.” She blushed. “You just spanked me.”

  “Yes, I did.” Doug shot her an evil grin.

  “Do you spank every girl you date?”

  “Only the ones I care enough to correct. And by the way, please quit calling me a loser.”

  Vivian’s eyes went wide. “I didn’t call you a loser!”

  “Yes you did.” Doug glared at her. “Every time you shoot yourself down, you’re basically saying that I chose a fat, ugly, stupid person to spend my time with. And I’ll have you know I have great taste in friends and in women. I resent you questioning my choices.”

  Vivian looked confused. “Sorry. I didn’t mean it that way.”

  He gave her a little peck on the lips. “I know. You’re going to have to get used to the idea that Doug Benton only dates the cream of the crop. Understand?”

  She looked like she’d cry. “Yes. I understand.”

  “Now, get in the car and let’s go. We have one more stop to make.”

  They drove right past Vivian’s little house, then on past Tony and Nikki’s and down the road toward the farm. When they’d gotten about halfway to the farm, a little gravel road cut off to the right. Doug turned his car down it and drove until it ran out.

  It was a gravel circle. “What is this place?”

  Doug took off his seatbelt and opened the door, but before he stepped out, he said, “I think I know, but I’m not going to say because I could be wrong. But right now, it’s the world’s largest planetarium.” He got out, went around to Vivian’s door, and helped her out. She almost stumbled in the darkness, but Doug held her. “Look up.”

  It was dark, very, very dark. There was no way to see any lights from Tony and Nikki’s or the farm. And the sky looked like it was on fire with stars. They were everywhere. Vivian couldn’t remember ever seeing so many stars. Big ones, little ones, red-looking ones, blue, yellow, twinkling and steady. Some even looked like they were pulsing. She murmured, “Oh my god, look at that.” Doug had left her standing there, and she looked around, but it was too dark to see him. “Doug? Oh, god, Doug? I can’t see anything!”

  “It’s okay, babe. Just stand still. I’ll be right there.” She could see a tiny little light bobbing around, and he came back with something under his arms. There was a racket, and he said, “Okay, I’ll help you. Come over here.” With his help, she took about six steps and bumped into something. “Bend down and feel around it until you can sit.”

  It was a chaise lounge, the folding type for sunbathing. Once she got into the chaise, she realized Doug had another one right beside it. “Now let the back down so you’re lying flat. Go on – push it back.” The adjustors were on the armrests, so it was easy. When they were both lying back, Doug reached over and took Vivian’s glove-cloaked hand. “Okay, look.” A hand covering hers, he used her finger to point. “There’s Cassiopeia and Draco and Ursa Minor. And there’s Andromeda. Over there,” he said, pointing to their far right, “is a constellation that doesn’t have a name, but I’ve been watching it since I was seven. I named it Utopia back then.”

  “You were stargazing when you were seven?”

  “My grandpa bought me a telescope when I was five and I fell in love with it. But it wasn’t much use in town. Too much light pollution.”

  “So that’s why you can’t see these stars in town!” Vivian was fascinated.

  “Yeah. Too much light around you to compete with the smaller stars. But out here, it’s just you and the darkness and the amazing show in the sky.” Doug let their hands fall, but he kept his hold on hers.

  Vivian’s heart began to tremble. “Doug?”

  “Yeah, babe?”

  She swallowed hard. “Do you think . . .” She trailed off. It was too soon. He’d bolt and run.

  “What, baby?” He waited. “Vivian, what? Ask me. Ask me anything.”

  “Do you think . . . do you think you could ever care for me?” She was trying hard not to cry. He’d been so nice to her, and she was probably messing up, but she didn’t care. I’m thirty-six. My chances are all passing me by, and I never meet anybody. If this isn’t going anywhere, I don’t want to get my hopes up.

  “It’s too late, Vivian.”

  “To care for me?” She could feel hot tears leave the inside corners of her eyes and roll down the crease of her nose.

  “No, Viv.” She heard his chaise creak, and then his weight was sitting on the edge of hers. “It’s too late to ask me that. Because I already do.”

  Vivian began to sob. “Why? Why would you care anything about me?”

  “Why not? You’re going to make some man very, very happy. Might as well be me, huh?” Before she could answer, his arms were around her, pulling her up to sitting, holding her tight. “Vivian, you’re precious. I don’t know why the idiots before me couldn’t see that, but I can.” He pulled back and touched her face. “Are you crying? Your cheeks will chap! What’s wrong?”

  “Nothing.” Vivian sniffed. She wished he could see her smiling. “Not one damn thing.”

  “Uh-oh. Not again.”

  “Oh! God! Sorry!” She hesitated. “Do I get a spanking for that?”

  Doug made a clucking sound before he said, “Yep. You sure do. We’ll wait until we get to the house. I’m going to give you a real one for having to be told over and over. Maybe you’ll remember next time.”

  Vivian was scared and very, very excited. She didn’t really understand what was going on, but she was pretty sure she liked it.

  “Here’s your box.” Doug handed her the box her barrette had come in. “And here’s the leftover cheesecake.” He set that box on the counter. “Don’t forget to put it in the refrigerator.”

  “Okay.” Vivian stood and waited. What would he do? She didn’t have to wait long for an answer.

  Doug crossed the room back to her and took her in his arms. Before she could ask what he was going to do, he kissed her again, and this one was a scorcher. Everything in her body heated up, and she got lightheaded. When his tongue pressed her lips apart and found hers, Viv wasn’t able to draw a breath. All she could do was fall into the kiss.

  But Doug was in complete control. He could tell she was falling into him, and he wanted her to. For reasons he couldn’t explain, he wanted to protect her and take care of her. Something in her woke up something in him, something warm and cuddly that he’d been hiding for years. After a couple of minutes, he stopped and looked into her face.

  “What?”

  “Don’t think I’ve forgotten, young lady. I’m going to break you of the potty mouth.”

  Oh, god, Vivian thought, what’s he going to do? “I won’t do it anymore, I promise. I just slipped.”

  “Yeah, and you’ll keep slipping if I don’t give you something to remind you.” His arms left her waist, and a hand clasped hers. He led her toward the sofa, then sat down with her standing in front of him. “I think you know how this is going to go, don’t you?”

  She shook her head. “No. What? What do you mean?”

  “Vivian.” Doug gave her a stern scowl. “Across my lap.”

  Vivian grinned. “You’re joking, right?”

  Doug didn’t grin. “Nope.”

  Her eyes widened. “You’re serious!”

  “As a heart attack. Across my lap. Now. I can’t be with someone who talks like that. And I warned you what I’d do. If I promise something, I have to follow through.” He pointed to his lap.

  “You can break that promise. I swear, it won’t bother me one bit.” Vivian was biting her bottom lip, and Doug’s cock started to actually ache.

  “Nope. This is how it goes. I have rules and standards. I want them met. Meeting them does two things: It ensures that I’ll be proud to be seen with someone, and it ensures that they’ll be proud of themselves and more confident in their dealings with people. Do you understand that?”

  Vivian nodded. She felt more like a wayward child than a grown woman, because that’s how he was treating her. The wait was almost intolerable. Did he really intend to do this? “You’re really going to spank me?”

  “Yes. Now – across my lap. Twelve smacks. You’re responsible for counting, and I’m responsible for delivering.” He waited. “Well?” After a few more seconds, he pulled her hand until she almost fell, and then caught her around the waist with his hands. He lowered her gently until she was draped across his legs.

  When she felt him tug at the hem of her dress, she shrieked. “What are you doing?”

  Doug stopped and sighed. “I’m getting ready to spank you.”

  “What are you doing to my dress?”

  There was a snort from Doug. “Did you really think I’d spank you with that dress down and your panties up? Really? Nope. Bare ass.” Before she had a chance to protest, she felt the cool air in the room drift across her bare buttocks. She started to yell at him but stopped when gave her a firm, “Count ’em!”

  A hand came down hard on her right ass cheek, and she shrieked. The smack resounded all over the room. She drew her hands back to cover herself, and he growled, “If you do that, I’ll have to tie your hands together to keep them away from your backside. Understand me?”

  Vivian was panting. “Yes, but Doug . . .”

 

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