"Are you sure? I can be over there in a second..."
She knew that was no threat, it was a promise, but the last thing she needed was for him to see her apartment. He knew that she lived in the low rent district of town and had always campaigned for her to move somewhere—almost anywhere—else. But the finances weren't there right now—never had been—for her to be able to afford a move, and she absolutely refused to take any money from anyone.
So there she sat. "No! No, you don't need to come over. I'm fine."
He didn't sound as if he believed her, not one bit. "I think I'm going to arrive on your doorstep in a few minutes unless you convince me otherwise..."
"No! Do not come over here! I'm fine! Really."
The line was silent for a moment, then he asked in the gentlest voice she'd ever heard him use, "Is the idea of having dinner with me so terrifying? You have known me for years, Elodie. Am I such an ogre?"
"No, no. I don't think you're an ogre at all."
"Yeah, but I can make you hyperventilate with just the thought of having to have dinner with me."
"I'm-I'm just scattered, is all. I've been painting and my mind sort of gets lost. A bit spacey, I guess. That's all," she said.
"I know. I know how important art is to you, but that is the only thing you do, and being holed up in your apartment by yourself can't be healthy. But maybe I can help you change that. Maybe we can get you out and about some… have some fun. God knows, after the past couple of years we've had, you and I deserve some."
Elodie was just about to faint; what he was suggesting was just about as close to Heaven as she'd ever be able to imagine achieving in this lifetime. And it did sound like fun. Especially with him.
Before the rest of her had a chance to squelch the impulse, she answered, "Yes, that sounds like a good idea."
"Who are you and what have you done with my sister-in-law?" he asked with a chuckle. "I thought I was going to have to spank you to get you to agree to come out with me on occasion."
Elodie's throbbing heart stopped at the word "spank". He was kidding, obviously, but still the power that single word had almost knocked the wind out of her. It was something she didn't dwell on... except very late at night, when she was nearly asleep, when thoughts of being spanked by Clay would creep into her mind. Thoughts of being taken over his lap and swatted, her bottom becoming cherry red while she kicked and cried, then being turned over onto her back so that he could love the hurt away...
"I don't think so," she replied, in what she hoped was a righteously indignant tone.
"Well, you'd best mind your p's and q's around me, Elodie. Your sister got her seat warmed more than once while we were married." He chuckled after he said the words so casually, as if what he'd said was so ordinary and an everyday occurrence. Like it was normal he spanked his wife.
"I know," she blurted without thinking. Had she just admitted to that? What was coming over her? She needed to get off this phone, or she was going to end up spilling all the beans!
"You know? What do you mean, you know?"
"I know," she parroted back at him.
"April told you?"
Elodie nodded, saying, "Yeah, I found out that she got—about that when she nicked your truck."
"Ahhh. Yeah. Well, she deserved it." He paused for longer than Elodie liked. "And I never abused her—"
"I know you didn't. If I'd seen any traces of abuse, I would have called the cops in an instant. She told me it was an agreement you had. It was part of your marriage."
"It was a big part… an important part. Domestic Discipline was… is… very important to me."
Domestic Discipline? Was that what it was called?
"Well she told me all about it," Elodie said.
"And?"
"And what?" She couldn't quite figure out where he was going with this.
"What do you feel about it?"
"Well, I-I don't know that much about Domestic Discipline, but April was happy, so whatever you guys were doing, clearly worked. I don't think badly about it, if that is what you are worried about."
"Good. Is that why you're so shy of me?"
She was glad he couldn't see how she was shifting nervously in her chair. He was getting uncomfortably close to the truth. "No, I'm shy of everyone and everything. Haven't you noticed?"
"I have. I had hoped you'd come to feel safer around me, but that never happened." There was a long pause on the other end. "Is it because you were worried I would spank you?"
Okay. That was enough of that. "So," she said abruptly, "you're going to pick me up at seven, right?"
He growled, and Elodie thought it was one of the sexiest things she'd ever heard. "I'll let you go this time—but I intend to get back to this discussion, Elodie West. And next time I won't let you off the hook so easily."
Elodie shivered. The impulse to say "Yes, sir," was so strong in her, she had to bite her tongue. "Okay. Well, then, I'll see you tomorrow night."
"I'll be there. And if you're not, Elodie, I'll find you," he warned, with another growl.