Page 139 of Masters of Pleasure
“I freaked out and didn’t know what to do.I felt like everyone was judging me or would because of what Chad said, and I couldn’t make myself come back to face that.I was ashamed about not being able to come back, but not as ashamed as I felt about what he revealed.”Avery’s words came out in a rush, with an odd cadence, as if she’d practiced saying it.
Taking a long moment, Nick caressed her assed as he turned her words over in his head.They were an echo of what Alice and Olivia had said, all in different ways.
“And the longer I stayed away, the more ashamed I felt, and the more I was sure everyone would judge me for running, which made it worse, then I couldn’t make myself come back at all.”
“But today, you showed up here, ready for your shift?”It wasn’t an idle question.He’d wondered when she walked in, clearly dressed for work.
“If I’m not fired.”
“You’re not fired.”He gave her ass a little swat, enough that she wiggled, though she didn’t shriek or even gasp.It should have been hard enough to sting with warning.“It’s not even going on your official employee record.Olivia insisted, and I agreed.”
From his vantage point, it was easy to see the relief that slumped her shoulders, the tension draining out of her body, relaxing her muscles.Satisfaction slid through him.
“Okay, so now that’s out of the way?—”
“You’re not going to punish me?Sir?”she interrupted him.
Nick smacked her ass a little harder, enough to make her gasp and her fingers tighten on the grips.
“For interrupting me?Yes.For work-related issues?No.Not here.That would be incredibly inappropriate of me as your boss.However, I felt compelled to ask because it leads to my next question—why didn’t you answer your phone when I called?Or text me back?Or any kind of communication?”
The muscles that had relaxed tightened again, but Nick’s satisfaction didn’t diminish.
That’s right, sweetheart.I might not spank the hell out of you as your boss, but I sure can as the boyfriend you ghosted last night.
ChapterTwenty-Six
Avery
Despite all thetalking she and her friends had done last night, why she hadn’t answered Nick’s calls or texts hadn’t really come up.And the ‘why’ to that was a lot harder to answer.
“I wasn’t ready to talk?”It came out as a question rather than an answer, and the moment she said it, she knew it would not be enough.
She was right.
Smack!Smack!Smack!Smack!
The hard, sharp swats landed with intention, two on each cheek, rocking her forward as she gasped.The spots throbbed—he’d down his hand laid in the center of each cheek both times, a lot harder than he’d spanked her at home, much less in class.
“Ow!”
“Why didn’t you text me back to tell me you weren’t ready to talk?”
Smack!Smack!
“You left me hanging, wondering if something awful had happened to you.”
Smack!Smack!
“All I knew was that you were upset, and you drove off.I was worried you’d gotten into an accident or something.”
Smack!Smack!
“No!I mean, I’m sorry!”The sharp bites of pain were well-deserved.She’d known he’d been worried and upset, but she hadn’t thought about that aspect of it.“I drove to a parking lot a few blocks away until I could get myself back together.”
Smack!Smack!
“As nice as it is to know that now, it would have been a lot nicer if you had texted me yesterday to tell me.”
