Master Dex rested a gentle hand on the top of her head, gently massaging her scalp for a moment. “Neither of these looks dangerous, so I don’t think an ER trip is necessary unless you want to go. If so, I’m happy to drive you. I want to make sure you’re taken care of.”
His mention of the ER surprised her. “Have you ever had to take someone to the ER after impact play?” She was purely curious. She couldn’t see Master Dex ever pushing a sub to a point that would leave marks that bad.
“A few times.” His voice had an underlying thread of long-ago emotion.
She smiled. Dex truly cared about people, and it showed in everything he did and said.
“Never one of my subs, but there are people who have certain places that are much more sensitive, and if a Dom doesn’t pay attention, they can get bad pretty quickly. I’m surprised I didn’t notice these were getting so painful for you.”
She could tell he was angry with himself, but it wasn’t his fault, and she wanted to make sure he knew it. “They weren’t this uncomfortable during our session, and it wasn’t too much, or I would’ve dropped the scarf. I loved it.” She raised her head to try to look up at him, but he was too tall for her to do it comfortably.
When he noticed what she was trying to do, he sat on the edge of the bed and looked down at her so she could meet his gaze out of her peripheral vision.
“It wasn’t until a few hours after I got home that they really started to bother me. I admit I’m pretty stubborn—especially about going to the doctor—but if it had gotten to a point that worried me, I would’ve gone to the ER myself.”
He made a small sound of frustration. “If you’re injured that badly from one of our sessions, you tell me immediately. If you get home and you notice something is wrong, call 911. If you’re trying to talk yourself out of getting it checked out, call me right away. Understood?”
“Yes, sir,” she answered, since it was definitely said in his Dom tone, and she knew a response was expected.
He ran one warm finger over her cheek. “I take the well-being of my subs very seriously. Your safety comes first, then your pleasure. Both are my responsibility.”
“Yes, sir.”
He leaned over and brushed a kiss across her cheek, his warm breath against her skin sending skitters of awareness through her entire body. “I’d like to put some of this liniment on you. It’s very soothing and healing for this kind of injury.”
“Injury?” She pushed up onto her forearms and turned to face him, bristling at his description. “You didn’t injure me.”
Dex held up his hands, palms out. “Whoa there. While flogging is enjoyable for some, it is still something impacting the skin, and causing damage—in the form of bruising—which the body needs to heal.”
She huffed out a breath, seeing his point, but not wanting to admit it. “You’re right, of course,” she said with a sigh. “I just don’t like the idea of this being an injury when it felt so amazing.”
He gave a single nod. “It’s not the best analogy, but it’s similar to people who are serious ballet dancers or gymnasts. They inflict injuries on their bodies each time they perform or practice, and yet they love it, so they don’t stop. After a while, they don’t even notice the pain. The endorphins and the enjoyment makes it all worth it.”
Dex brushed a kiss across her forehead, leaving a trail of heat that she felt down to her toes. “There’s nothing wrong with enjoying impact play, Kate, and you have no need to be ashamed of it. People love many things that are much more destructive to their bodies than this. But you do need to be very aware of the healing process, and take care of yourself.”
She heard him unscrew the top of the liniment jar and then he shifted closer. “Lie flat and relax. I’ll try to be careful around your painful spots, but let me know if you need me to stop or skip those. The witch hazel and lavender in this are both very helpful.”
She dropped down so her breasts were pressed against the sheet again, her right cheek against her pillow, her arms around it.
The first soft touch of Dex’s hand surprised her. The liniment glided on silky smooth, while the gentle scents of vanilla and lavender, mixed with others she didn’t recognize, filled the air. It wasn’t an unpleasant smell, but she nearly laughed at the fact that now she would associate it with this very hot and virile Dom.
“Am I tickling you?” he asked with amusement in his deep voice.
“No. I was just thinking that whenever I smell something similar to this it’s going to remind me of you. The sexy, badass Dom doesn’t seem to pair well with lavender and vanilla.” She laughed as he pinched her arm playfully.