Her Old-Fashioned Boss by Laylah Roberts

but I would never harm you, you know that right?”
    “You’re going to hurt me,” she said in a small voice. Roarke stiffened against her momentarily before relaxing once more.
    “I’m going to smack your bottom, yes. But that’s all. I wouldn’t hit you anywhere else. I’m doing this to show you how much I care. I don’t like the idea of you out drinking without me or Sam to look after you. I especially don’t like the idea of you alone and inebriated in a taxi.”
    He shuddered.
    “We’ll just sit here until you’re ready to ask me for your spanking.”
    “I have to ask you?”
    Did his lips just twitch? “Yes, baby.”
    Roarke rocked her as she pondered things over. Would it hurt? Would she cry? Could she stand it? Well, she supposed there was only one way to find out.
    “Roarke?”
    “Yes, sweetie?”
    “I’m ready for my spanking.” Again, her voice seemed to have grown somewhat childish, but she couldn’t seem to care.
    “Okay.”
    Suddenly she was turned, her stomach resting on his hard thighs, her legs stretched out over the sofa. The long shirt she was wearing, one of Roarke’s she guessed, was lifted to reveal her lack of underwear.
    She tensed. “My clothes are in the wash,” she explained.
    Roarke rubbed her bottom gently. “I know. It’s okay. I give my spankings on the bare bottom anyway.”
    Without any warning, he struck, landing a sharp, heavy smack on her buttocks. Ava screeched at the sting.
    Shit that hurt.
    Another smack landed in quick succession then another. Roarke didn’t say a word, just laid into her butt like a man having his first drink of water after a month in the desert.
    “Roarke, stop, it hurts!” she gasped, unable to hold her protests in any longer. She was done.
    “It’s supposed to hurt, baby, else it wouldn’t make much of an impression. We’re halfway there.”
    Halfway! No way!
    She started to squirm, wanting off his lap. Now! Roarke stilled and she sighed. Finally, he understood she was serious.
    “Baby, I expect you to lie still or else I’ll have to resort to the spanking bench like I do with Sam.”
    “I’ve had enough,” she cried. “My butt stings!”
    “And it’s going to sting a great deal more. I want you to understand how serious I am about your safety. If anything happened to you...” his voice trailed off, but she heard the worry, the stress.
    Taking a deep, sobbing breath, she nodded. “I understand.”
    Again, he started; smacking her hard, fast, a steady beat was whaled against her poor bottom as she began to cry. Small tears at first that soon became a torrent.
    “I never, ever want any harm to come to you, do you understand me, little girl?” he asked.
    “Yes, Sir,” she cried. “I understand.”
    He flipped her over and held her tight, and even in her distraught state, she noticed how careful he was to make sure her swollen, aching buttocks hung off to one side. She wept against his chest, holding onto him equally as tightly.
     “It’s okay, baby. Shh, now. Good girl. Calm down for me.”
    Although she heard the worry in his voice, Ava couldn’t seem to make herself calm; instead it became harder to catch a breath, her sobs coming thick and fast.
    What the hell was wrong with her?
    Snap out of it!
    “Breathe in deep, good girl.” Ava pushed herself to calm down.
    “And again. Match my breaths.”
    She took one deep breath. Then another.
    “Okay, baby?”
    Ava stared up at Roarke, aware of the concern on his face, mixed with some slight trepidation, as though he expected her to immediately reject him.
    Like hell.
    If anything, though it sounded weird, that spanking seemed to have cemented the bond she felt with him. Looking around, she found Sam still sitting across from them, his face a mask of worry.
    She held a hand out to him. No way, no how, would she ever let him sit on the sidelines when he was a part of them. At times, no doubt they’d want one-on-one time with each other, but right now she needed both