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  "Do I remind you of her?" asked Laura.

  "No," Max said honestly. "No you don't. And no, I'm not going to spank you if you don't want to submit to it. And yes, I'd still like to have a relationship with you."

  Laura walked to him and let him take her in his arms. They stood like that for a while, and everything felt OK. But not entirely.

  Laura couldn't shake the fact that Max Greenway was a really good man, and that his wanting to punish her wasn't about some power trip but about establishing a level of trust while allowing her to purge herself of the guilt she still felt.

  Max's arms felt good around here. It was crazy, but she knew, standing there, that she wanted to wake up in those arms every day.

  "Max," she said. "I think you're right."

  "Right about what?" he asked.

  Laura took a ragged breath. She suddenly felt shaky and nervous. "About the... punishment. I think you should.. I think you should do it."

  Max didn't say anything at first, but just looked at her with a gentleness that calmed and comforted her.

  "Why?" he asked.

  Laura turned away. It was hard to say the words with him standing there. "Because I feel terrible for what I did, just terrible. Because I want to atone. Because I trust you when you say this is the best way to do it." She turned back to him. "Because my heart tells me that even if you hurt me, you won't ever really hurt me."

  "You're right," he said, and led her towards the couch. Laura tried not to look at the paddle, still in its box, the words "The Enforcer" still visible on its side.

  Max sat down and guided Laura over his lap, sitting back so her upper body and legs would have support. Later she would learn to submit to his spankings while bent over a table, a bed or over his lap while he sat on a straight-backed chair. But since this was her first time, he wanted to be able to hold her tightly.

  Laura suddenly felt very self-conscious. She didn't know what to do, where to put her hands, whether to cross her feet. She could feel Max's hands on either side of her hips, adjusting her. Then his hand was on her bottom, its weight filling her both with apprehension but also with a tingle that made her blush.

  "Laura, what are you afraid of?" he asked.

  "Now?" she asked.

  "No, in general," he said.

  She thought a minute. "Conflict," she said. "Turmoil."

  "And what does that fear make you do?" he asked. His hand every so lightly squeezed Laura's bottom and she startled a bit.

  "Run," she said. "Hide."

  "Laura, you can't hide from your problems," he said. "You can't run. I you do all it does is leave you exhausted and disoriented. And that leads to stupid mistakes."

  His hand roamed her bottom now and he tightened his grip. Laura whimpered.

  "Laura, can you name one mistake your fear caused?" he asked.

  "I spent your money without making sure I could cover it," she said.

  "Yes, you did," he replied and then the first spank fell. Laura thought she was prepared, but she wasn't. Even over her skirt and panties, it hurt and she cried out a little "ow" and bucked slightly. She felt suddenly embarrassed and blushed at her predicament. But she had little time to reflect before his hand fell again, catching her lower bottom. Laura let out a cry that ended in a whimper.

  "Why couldn't you cover it?" Max asked, his voice stern.

  Laura spoke rapidly now, hers the voice of one trying to assuage an angry authority figure. "Because-my-ex-maxed-out-our-card-and-I-didn't-have-any-money-because-Ms. Tighlman-didn't-pay-me!" she said in one breath.

  Max targeted her bottom three more times with his spanks, left cheek, right cheek and right across the middle. Laura began to cry. Not fake Prissy Able tears, but genuine tears. Max didn't know if it was because she was ashamed of what she'd done or if it was because the spanking hurt. Laura wasn't in any position to tell him the truth - that it was both.

  She was relieved when he began to lecture her rather than having her answer questions.

  "Laura, you have to stop letting people take advantage of you," he said. "You have to stop letting them walk all over you because you're afraid of how they'll react to your being assertive. And that is wrong."

  "So what are you going to do tomorrow?" he asked.

  "What do you mean?" she asked.

  "What are you going to do to correct the problem?" he asked, punctuating the word "problem" with a smack that led to renewed tears.

  "I don't know?" she wailed.

  Max picked up the paddle. Laura began to squirm and say the word "no" over and over. Max gripped her tightly and brought The Enforcer down hard on her bottom. Laura cried and put her hands back.

  "No, no," Max said. "Put your hands back in front of you, Laura."

  "I don't want to!" she cried. "It hurts."

  "Laura." the word was a warning. Max grabbed her hands and pulled them in front of her. At the same time, she felt her skirt being raised to her waist.

  "Oh don't, Max, please don't," Laura cried.

  "Are you going to keep your hands in front of you or do I have to take your panties down?"

  Laura gasped. "No!" she cried. Max released her hand and wrapped his arm around her waist.

  "Laura," he said. "I'm going to spank you with the paddle now. There will only be five, but I want you to be a good girl and hold still. You can kick and cry all you want but you aren't allowed to fight or cover your bottom."

  Laura buried her face in the upholstery of the couch and held her breath, anticipating the blow.

  "Relax, Laura," Max said sternly. "Tightening up like this is a form of defiance."

  "OK," Laura said through her tears, and Max began the last part of the spanking. He didn't spank her particularly hard; this portion of the punishment was more symbolic, than anything, a way to show Laura that he could - and would - use the paddle at his discretion whether she wanted him to or not.

  But it still hurt plenty to someone like Laura, and it took all the restraint she could muster not to shield herself with her hands as Max spanked her. He gave her a moment between spanks to collect herself, gauging whether he was pushing her too far. When he was satisfied that he hadn't, he delivered the last two in rapid succession, renewing Laura's tears.

  "It's over, baby," he said, turning her over and drawing her against him. Laura buried her face in his strong chest.

  She lay like that for awhile, her hiccoughing and the pain in her bottom diminishing. When she looked up at Max, they exchanged their second kiss.

  "So you're going to start asserting yourself more," he said.

  "With other people," she smiled.

  "No, you can assert yourself with me," he replied. "Just do it respectfully."

  Laura dipped her head back on his chest and was close to dozing when she heard her cell phone buzzing from her purse.

  "I'd better get that," she said, climbing from Max's lap. She walked over to her purse and retrieved her phone, seeing her home number on the screen. It was Tammy, who was caring for Evan again.

  She answered, and Max watched with concern as Laura's face grew white with fear.

  "No," she said. "Whatever you do, don't let him take Evan! I'll be there as fast as I can!"

  Laura snapped phone shut and ran to the bathroom to retrieve her clothes and shoes. "What's wrong?" Max called behind her.

  She hurriedly changed and ran back out. "Clay -my ex-husband - the other night, after the credit card thing, I told him I was going after child support. Now he wants to come get Evan!"

  "You can't let that happen," said Max.

  "I know," she said, and ran out the door.

  "Wait!" Max grabbed his coat and followed. When he got outside, Laura was in her Cherokee, finally trying to start it.

  "It's flooded," Max said to her as he opened her door.

  "It can't be!" she cried. "I have to get there!"

  "And you will," he said. "You have me now."

  ***

  The snow was falling even heavier as Max's
SUV sped away from Suburbia and towards the city lights. Beside him, Laura was a ball of nerves, but thankful he'd given her a ride. Some vehicles had already pulled over from the storm. She couldn't imagine how helpless she would have felt if she'd been stranded by the roadside all alone. But she wasn't alone. She had Max.

  The traffic gods were kind once they reached the city; each light the came too was green. And soon they were in front of Laura's brownstone. A strange car was out front and a blonde woman got out of the passenger side, flicking her cigarette into the snow. A man got out of the driver's side. Clay.

  Max guided his SUV into the space behind them and Laura jumped out. She'd already called Tammy to tell her to not let Clay in. She walked up fast behind the couple as they were mounting the steps.

  "Clay!"

  He turned at the sound of her voice, a look of anger and surprise on his face.

  "What are you doing here?" she asked. "Have you come to drop off Evan's tuition money?"

  "Hell no," the woman said. "He's come to get his son for a few days!"

  Laura looked at the blonde, or, more accurately, the fake blonde. She was a hard-looking girl, and gaunt, with the air of a hooker. Clay had left her for this?

  "So what? You can't speak for yourself anymore?" Laura asked.

  "Steph, let me handle this," Clay said to the girl, who affected a bored look and lit another cigarette.

  "I'm here to get Evan," he said.

  "Well, you're not taking him," she said. "A week or so ago, maybe I would have, but after the stunts you've pulled any time you have with Evan will be by court order. I'm filing papers for divorce tomorrow. And for full custody of our son."

  She said the words as convincingly as she could, knowing that lawyers were expensive. But she'd find a way. She felt confident she would. She glanced back at Max, who gave her a reassuring wink.

  "I'll get a better lawyer," Clay shot back. "I don't care how much it costs. I'll end up with Evan and you'll end up with child support."

  Laura looked at Clay and for the first time and realized how scruffy he looked. His clothes looked like they hadn't even been washed in a week and his blonde hair was sticking up all over. His girlfriend's Taurus, still running on the sidewalk, didn't look like it was good for many more miles. And despite his bluster, he looked genuinely worried. Clay wasn't doing well, not at all. She knew it, and he knew she knew it. He was nothing but a paper tiger. A paper tiger who couldn't even afford a lawyer.

  "Oh, fine," she said, calling his bluff. "I'll have my lawyer get us on the docket as early as possible," she said.

  Now his expression changed. "Let me tell you something, Laura," he said, getting inches from her face. Laura drew back in revulsion. He smelled of whiskey and cigarettes. "If you even think of making things hard on me I will so fuck you up!"

  A large hand descended on Clay's shoulder and pulled him back. "Communicating threats? That's not smart in front of witnesses."

  Clay turned, looking Max up and down.

  "Who the hell are you?" he asked incredulously, looking up at the large man who loomed over him.

  "I'm Laura's friend," Max said. "Laura's very special, overprotective friend."

  Clay just looked stupidly from Max to Laura and then back to Max. "Hey, wait a minute," he said. "You're that guy! That security guy from the TV!"

  "That's right," Max Greenway said and then nodded in Laura's direction. "And her security is my business. Now I suggest you just back off before I'm forced to defend her. Her lawyer will contact you tomorrow."

  Clay looked as if he were going to say something, but didn't. Instead, he stomped back over to his girlfriend's car. "Come on!" he said. "Let's get out of here."

  "Whatever," she said, tossing her cigarette away.

  Laura and Max watched as the car pulled away from the curve.

  "Thanks," she said.

  "No need to thank me," he replied. "You're the one who stood him down. I was just your back up man."

  "You're wonderful," she said. "You know that?"

  "Oh, I'm wonderful for the right woman," he replied, putting his arm around her. "Of course, it pays to shop around until you find her. Now what do you say you introduce me to the other man in your life."

  "Sure," Laura said, and - arm in arm - they walked into the brownstone together.

  The End

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  This book is intended for adults only. Spanking and other sexual activities represented in this book are fantasies only, intended for adults. Nothing in this book should be interpreted as advocating any non-consensual spanking activity or the spanking of minors.