Chapter 11

Chapter 11

Heaven had the most spankable bottom he’d ever had the pleasure of turning over his knee and the way her pigtails swung and bounced as she wiggled across his lap made him want to continue the spanking for much longer. The temptation was hard to resist, but it was his first time spanking her and he wanted to be sure he didn’t go past her limits.

Her reactions to the punishment had been interesting, exciting. Like many Littles, she let her emotions out during a spanking. Her quiet demeanor slowly melted away as she began to kick and yelp under his hand. He would have loved an excuse to try his belt across her beautiful ass, but there would be time for that another day.

For their first time it was enough, but not, he thought, commiserate with the crime. Derek had mentioned her frequent escape attempts. What had happened today, wasn’t only because Angel had accidentally upset her. It was a long established habit.

The dungeon visit, something everyone on the Ranch knew Littles were forbidden from, had just been an escalation. Likely that had been her emotions needing release. The spanking gave her that, but he didn’t yet feel comfortable being as harsh as she probably deserved for her actions.

Still, by the end of the punishment, Heaven was limp across his lap. The sniffling and hiccupping went on for a while, as his hand lay gently on the back of her panties. He enjoyed the feel of the heat soaking through, but he also wanted her to worry he wasn’t finished. It would keep her attentive.

“Heaven, you know better than to take off like you did. You’ve been punished repeatedly by several people for breaking this rule. Where are Littles supposed to be when they aren’t supervised?”

“T-the Littles’ Wing.” A sad whimper followed.

“And how many times have you been spanked for getting caught someplace else?”

She was silent. He gave her a minute before he lifted his hand and brought it down in a quick, sharp swat.

“I don’t know, Sir! A lot!” Her panicked response was probably truthful.

“Too many, right?”

She squirmed as his palm settled back down on her bottom. “Y-yes, Sir.”

He leaned in and dropped his voice to a low growl. “If you were my Little girl, and you’d broken a rule this many times… you’d be sitting on a hay mat, with a large plug in your bottom, writing one thousand times ‘Rules have consequences and I will learn to follow them,’ and after every hundred you’d be bent over for a good dose of the strap.”

Her breath caught in her throat, making an audible sound, as a shiver rolled down her back.

He noted the reaction. He didn’t think it was fear that caused it. “I imagine it would probably take all day. By the time we were done I doubt you’d want to break that rule again. I don’t think you’d be sitting comfortably any time soon either. What do you think?”

“M-maybe you should do it then. Next time.” There was a boldness to the statement.

Angel was startled. That wasn’t the response he’d expected, and it sent a thrill of excitement through him. His cock twitched and the half-erection he’d gained from her writhing during the spanking hardened and pressed against the front of his black trousers. “You wouldn’t like it, chiquita. I don’t believe in rewarding Littles or subs with punishment they enjoy. I might enjoy it though.”

That was something of a lie. He corrected himself. “If you were mine… I’d definitely enjoy it.”

She looked back over her shoulder and started to say something, but then stopped and her head dropped down again.

“Tell me what you wanted to say just now, Heaven.” He could have made it a command, but he didn’t. It was a request.

“I just… maybe it would be worth it,” she whispered.

He ran his hand lightly over the red skin of her thighs in a caress. “Worth it for what?”

“To-to be yours.”

Angel closed his eyes and held back a soundless groan. What was this girl doing to him. He barely knew her and already she’d raised feelings in him that he hadn’t felt since… since his world had been upended.

He’d thought he was ready for this, but was he? Was he really? Because if he stepped much further down this path, he wasn’t going to be able to stop. Already he’d started to think of her as his and this wasn’t something that he could decide so early.

They barely knew each other. He’d hinted he wanted her, but now she was hinting too and before he made a move, he needed to think things over.

He patted her bottom. “Okay, chica, you can get up now.”

For a moment she didn’t move. Her expression was all wide-eyed confusion at the suddenness of it, but finally she pushed herself up off his lap and tugged her jeans back into place, wincing as the denim rubbed across her sore thighs.

He’d given them a good going over on purpose, so she’d feel it every time she sat. He liked his spankings to be memorable. She wore his mark on her body, if only temporarily, and that pleased him probably more than it should have.

She shot him a look. “Are we… okay? I mean… you won’t tell Master Derek what I did?”

Angel laughed and shook his head. “No, I’m definitely going to tell him.” Her mouth opened in protest, and he cut her off. “But, I’ll also let him know it’s been taken care of. He won’t take away the kitchen time.” He could almost guarantee that much because Derek wanted the two of them together.

She drew in a deep breath and nodded. “I guess that’s fair. Although… I hate knowing he’s going to be disappointed again.” She tucked her hands behind her back looking a little dejected at the thought.

He stood up, hesitated, and then pulled her into a hug. Before he’d been uncertain if he should offer her physical comfort. She just seemed to keep a distance between herself and other people, but it was part of the punishment package. Even the most standoffish Littles usually accepted hugs after a spanking.

She relaxed in his arms, sighing as her body went limp. He rubbed her back with one hand. “You can’t change your actions, chica. You can only do better in the future. Once you broke the rules, the consequences were set, some of them at least. But Master Derek knows you’re struggling. He understands more than you think.”

Her head tilted back, so she could look up at him. Her face was flushed, and her eyes were still a little watery. “You think so? I don’t really mean to keep doing this. I just…” She trailed off and her mouth tilted down at the corners.

“I know you don’t. But I think sometimes your heart knows what you need. How do you feel now?”

“My butt hurts!”

He snorted. “It’s supposed to, and I meant emotionally.”

It took a minute for her to respond. She seemed to be considering the question carefully. “Better?” she asked, as if she wasn’t sure about that. “I think so anyway. All the upset from earlier is gone.”

“Good. Is that all you’re feeling?”

“I’m… not sure yet. I mean there’s a lot going on in my head and things are a little bit… twisted up.”

She fidgeted in his arms. He loosened his grip so she could step back if she needed to. She didn’t, but she did drop her head down so he couldn’t see her face anymore.

“Can you give me an example of what’s twisted up?” He asked the question as gently as he could. Littles and their emotions could be complicated.

“I um… do I have to?” She snuck a quick look at him and then her face was out of sight again.

“No. But I’d really like you to. I want to understand you, Heaven, and communication is important.” Especially if they were going to keep growing closer.

She gnawed on her bottom lip for a second, and then gave in. “Being spanked by you was… different. I don’t mean the way you spank—well that too, a little, but um… how I reacted to it was… different.” Her face, still flushed, seemed to get redder.

One eyebrow went up as he looked at her. “How so?” He didn’t need to ask. He was pretty sure he already knew the answer, but he wanted her to admit it.

“I, uh, sort of… liked it at first. I mean—” She cut herself off and shook her head.

He patted her back and let her go. “Come on, let’s sit down and talk about this,” he suggested as he led her back to the sofa.

“It’s embarrassing,” she whispered, taking a seat.

“That’s because this is still all relatively new to you. You were never spanked before coming here, right?” She nodded and he continued, “And since you’ve been here, most of your spankings have been for punishment, and probably in Little space for most of them?”

Heaven hesitated. “All of them were punishment. Well, except for the first one I got when I arrived. It was kind of um, a test to see how I reacted to it, I guess. Since then it’s all been punishment, and I guess most have been while I’m at least partly in Little mode, yeah.”

“I think being in a younger headspace tends to make it less likely that your body will find spanking exciting sexually. And I also think that for some people punishment carries too much guilt and regret for those sexy feelings to engage most of the time. Maybe it has something to do with that?” Or… maybe she had feelings for him and having his hands on her was just different.

He wasn’t going to say that to her, but he wanted to.

“I guess, but I was in trouble today. I wasn’t really feeling very Little, although sometimes it goes in and out when I get nervous. I’m weird like that.” She shrugged, looking away. “Mostly I wasn’t in that headspace though.”

Angel frowned and reached out to tug one of her pigtails gently. “You’re not weird, Heaven. Or, at least, if you are, it’s the best kind of weird. Absolutely nothing wrong with that. Understand?”

She bobbed her head, just once. “Anyway, it was still punishment, and I was mostly feeling adult.”

“Well, Heaven, sometimes spanking hits different when you’re a Big girl.” He fake coughed. “Pun intended.”

Her head snapped back, and she stared at him for a second before giggles rolled out of her. “That was terrible, Sir.”

His mouth tilted up at one side. “Terribly funny you mean—and you can go back to calling me Angel now, if you want. The trouble is done and you’re a good girl again.”

That seemed to be exactly what she needed to hear. Her mouth curved into a smile and her eyes lit up. “Thank you.”

“You’re welcome. Anyway, despite the bad joke, spankings do tend to affect subs differently in an adult headspace. Sometimes the situation, and who’s doing the spanking also makes a difference.” He left it at that, but she seemed thoughtful after.

He didn’t take her back to the dorm immediately. It was getting late in the day, but he was reluctant to return her. A sudden impulse had him inviting her to stay for dinner.

‘Don’t you eat over in the main building?” she asked.

“Sometimes, but not usually. I often have lunch there, while I’m working, but by the end of the day I’m looking for some peace and quiet.”

“Peace and quiet sounds really good actually. It’s always a bit”—she winced as she struggled to find the right word—“exciting in the dorms, and in the cafeteria too. I’d love to stay.”

It occurred to him that he wasn’t really stocked for guests, and he wasn’t entirely sure what he could manage to put on the table with no advance planning. Probably something he should have considered before the invite. He got up and went to poke around in the cabinets. “Um… how do you feel about grilled cheese and canned soup?” he called over his shoulder.

Heaven laughed. “I mean, who doesn’t love grilled cheese, right? Though I gotta say I was expecting something a little more um…”

Angel turned back with a sheepish grin. “Okay, secret time. I’m great with chocolate and a pretty wide variety of desserts, but when it comes to regular food… well, let’s just say I usually keep things simple.”

She slow-blinked and then snorted a laugh. “Maybe I should stay and cook for you then. I started cooking for my brothers and sister when I was about eight, so I’ve got a decent menu in my head. Nothing fancy, but plenty of homey meals.”

“If you want to cook, be my guest.” He waved a hand. “Not sure if we’ve got the ingredients for anything much, but you’re welcome to look.”

To his surprise, within half an hour she had the apartment filled with the aroma of delicious homecooked food and he was kind of in awe over what she’d managed to put together with his short-list of ingredients.

“Wow, this is amazing,” he said as he settled down. He’d set the table while she cooked and there was just enough room in the middle for several dishes, each one steaming.

On his own, he rarely bothered with side dishes or anything complicated. He saved all of that for work. When he actually felt like cooking, he would sometimes make Cuban dishes he remembered from his childhood. But most of the time he got by on sandwiches or frozen dinners.

His apartment hadn’t smelled so good the whole time he’d lived there. And she’d made it all look effortless as she’d moved around the kitchen stirring, dicing, seasoning. The baked macaroni and cheese was the star of the show, but the sides looked delicious too.

She shrugged, grinning. “I guess I do okay. Traveling preachers don’t make a lot of money so I learned to do a lot with a little. It’s more fun to cook for other people than yourself though. When I lived alone, I rarely bothered either.

“It just always seems like too much work by the time I’m done for the day. Sometimes I swing by the cafeteria and get a box to go, otherwise I stick with basics. I had no idea you could do this”—he waved his hand at the casserole dish—“with boxed mac and cheese though.”

The compliment made her flush. “You haven’t even tasted it yet,” she teased. “You better eat it before it gets cold.”

So they ate dinner together and everything tasted as good as it looked. Over the meal they chatted but stuck to lighter subjects. He was pleased to see that this time she actually did eat, instead of getting distracted by the conversation.

They took their time over the food. On his side, he was savoring both the food and her company. He hoped it was the same for her because it felt almost like a date.

“So, what do you think? Better than grilled cheese and canned soup?” she said as they were collecting the empty dishes and carrying them into the kitchen.

“A million percent better. Thank you for cooking, Heaven. This was… really nice.” Before he said something he shouldn’t, he quickly changed the conversation to one of teasing. “You think I can get you to cook every time I spank you?”

Her eyebrows went up and her lips twitched at the corners. “What makes you think you’ll have to spank me again?”

“I mean… for food like this I might be tempted to make up reasons.” He couldn’t believe he’d said that and was just on the verge of apologizing when her mouth spread into a wide grin.

“Maybe I’ll be tempted to give you reasons, so you don’t have to make them up,” she retorted. She turned to the sink, but not before he saw the high spots of red on her face. With her skin tone, every bit of embarrassment showed like a beacon.

He should have said something. He wanted to. Let’s make this an official thing, was right on his lips, but it was so soon to suggest something like that. And then the moment passed, and it was too late.

A change of topic was necessary to cover the awkwardness. “You know… I’ve seen how competent you are in the big kitchen, and now I’ve seen you’re a good cook for regular food, but I’ve never seen you do your real work—the cakes.”

She handed him the plate she’d just washed, so he could dry it and put it away. “Well, they generally keep Littles out of the kitchen and now, well, there’s not really room for me to bake. And my cakes do take a lot of time and effort. Between the meals they have to put together all day long, and your work, I’m not sure there’s a place for me.”

Angel frowned as he reached for the next plate. “You do have a point. To be honest, I’ve been struggling for space for a while. I’m hoping it won’t be long before we can sort out a different arrangement. I could do a lot more if I have space for other equipment.”

She nodded. “Maybe if you get a new place, I could do something.”

“Yeah, definitely, whenever that happens. It’s a shame though. I mean you’ve seen my work… I’d sure love to see yours.”

“Someday,” she promised.

At least the conversation had filled the gap and when they were done putting the dishes away, he took her home. The walk back to the Littles’ Wing was nice. The nights were getting cold, but not unbearably so and it wasn’t a long walk.

At the door to the main building, he stopped her, pulling her to face him. “How would you feel if I was to kiss you, Heaven?”

“I… uh. Is this a hypothetical question?”

He chuckled. “No.”

“Then I… I think I’d enjoy it if you—ah!” The rest of her sentence was lost in an exclamation of surprise as he pulled her up tight against his body.

“Good. Because I’ve been thinking about kissing you all night.” His arms slid around her waist, holding her tightly, as he leaned in and captured her mouth with his.

Her response was tentative at first, but then the tension went out of her body, and she seemed to melt into him. He explored her lips, her mouth, her tongue in short bursts of discovery, pausing every few seconds to make sure she was still on board.

His hands slid down to cup her ass, feeling the heat through her jeans as he squeezed with just a bit of roughness. She gasped into his mouth and pushed against him, moaning softly as she matched his energy.

Angel was willing to bet her panties were soaked through, and he was tempted to check and find out for himself. But fumbling in a doorway, groping each other wasn’t how he wanted their first time to be. It needed to be special.

There was a desperate neediness to the way she clung to him, and he knew she had been feeling the same excitement he had. There was definitely more than one kind of chemistry between them.

Finally, he pulled back. “If we don’t stop now, I’m going to end up taking you back to my place for the night.” There was something of an offer there, and a bit of a warning.

She nodded as she caught her breath. “You’re right. We… we should probably stop.”

The light above the door showed her flushed face, her dilated pupils under the halo of golden hair. Her lips looked swollen from the aggressive kissing. She was the most gorgeous thing he’d ever seen.

He couldn’t stop himself from reaching out and brushing his fingers across her cheek. “Does it scare you… how fast this is moving?”

“Yes. Oh yes.” Her voice trembled a little “This is all new to me.”

Angel wasn’t entirely sure what she meant. They’d covered so much new ground. “It scares me too, chiquita. It’s been a long time since I felt like this. I’m not sure I was prepared for how intense it would be.”

“I’ve never…” She trailed off.

“Never what, Heaven?” Was she a virgin? With her upbringing, he wouldn’t have been surprised.

“Never felt like this before.” She sounded a little dazed, but after a second, she shook it off and smiled. “It was a great night, despite the punishment.”

He raised an eyebrow at her. “Or maybe because of it?”

Heaven laughed. “Maybe. But it’s probably a good time for me to go in.” She paused. “I’m not—a casual girl, Angel. Do you know what I mean?”

He tilted his head. “I’m not sure. Can you explain?”

There was a long pause as she worked through her thoughts. Finally she shook her head. “Not really to be honest. I just know that I need to be sure of how you feel before we go further than we already have. If”—she hesitated and then pushed on—“if you decide this isn’t working out now, it will hurt, but I’ll be okay. Later? Not so much. I can’t handle another heartbreak right now.”

That made sense. With everything she’d been through, and everything he’d been through, all of this fast building to a relationship could destroy them both if it didn’t work out in the end. He wanted her, but there was also a part of him that wanted to build a wall between them.

When he didn’t reply, she must have thought he still didn’t understand. “Fast I can do, Angel, but not casual. If we go further, it will mean something to me, so I have to know that it will mean something to you too. Does that make sense?”

It made perfect sense. When she committed her body, her heart went with it. He could live with that. It wouldn’t be easy, but he could. “It does, and it’s worth waiting a little longer then, so we can both be sure.”

He took a deep breath, trying to calm his nerves, and then reached around her to open the door. “I’d better get you back.”

He made sure she was checked in before he left her. Not that he thought she’d be running off anywhere while her backside was still hot and sore, of course. She waved as she headed toward her room, and he waved back, but then he stood there watching until she disappeared.

Every instinct in him wanted to call her back and take her home. To his home. But for both their sakes, he needed to stop trying to rush things. Even at Rawhide Ranch relationships didn’t move that fast… most of the time.