Page 133 of Wicked Little Thief

“You just said you love him!”

“I know! I’m so confused!”

“Well, fortunately, you’ve got four months to figure it out.”

“How did you know Chad was the one?”

“I like how I feel when I’m with him. I know I’m safe to be myself.”

“Hmm. I like how Liam makes me feel, but he’s keeping track of how sassy I am and is going to punish me for all my ‘infractions’, so I don’t know if I necessarily feel safe to be my sassy self.”

“Oh, please.”

Utah could feel Amy’s eyeroll on the other end.

“That’s foreplay, and you know it.”

“What’s foreplay?”

“Your sassiness. His punishments. If you were truly upset about it or didn’t feel safe being yourself, you wouldn’t continue being sassy. You’d curtail it instead of dialing it up a notch, like, I’d bet money, you’re doing.”

Part of why Utah loved Amy so much was because her friend knew her better than anyone, and Utah could always count on her to tell it like it is. Even if Utah didn’t necessarily want to hear it.

The only reply she could come up with was, “You think you’re so smart.”

“Just keepin’ it real, babe.”

“Well, I’m pulling into the driveway now, so I better go. I’m supposed to be naked and waiting for my punishment when he gets home.”

“That’s hot. I’m going to have to talk to Chad about what I need to do to get punished.”

“We’ll see. I’m kind of nervous.”

“That probably only adds to the excitement.”

Utah shut the car off and tucked the phone between her shoulder and her ear while she gathered up her laptop and purse.

“Why did I think being spanked like a child is going to help me feel better about what I did?”

“Because it’s cathartic.”

“God I’m such a deviant,” she declared as she closed the car door.

“Oh, hell no! There will be no kink-shaming on my watch! You let that freak flag fly, girl!”

Utah giggled as she closed the garage door.

“I will wave it proudly, just for you.”

“Call me tomorrow. I love you!”

“Love you, too.”

Phoebe greeted her at the door, but seemed to look for Liam before realizing it was just Utah.

“Hi, pretty girl,” she said as she knelt to pet the cocker spaniel. “It’s too early to feed you, but how about a treat?”

Phoebe had learned to recognize the word “treat” and dashed to the pantry where they were kept. She sat patiently while Utah got one, then took it gently and trotted off to her bed in the laundry room to eat it.

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