Page 42 of Balthazar's Fire

“Are you okay, Cherie?” His hand traced a line over her hip.

“Y-yes, sir.”

She forced out the reply, determined to give the act a chance. She had wanted this, and having had the courage to assent, she had to show the strength to see it through.

“Good.” Balthazar’s touch disappeared in an instant, leaving Cherie’s skin cold. “Nine more.”

She blew out a breath as he swatted her again, and this time the strike was harder. Not grueling enough to truly challenge her, but hard enough to remind her who of them was in charge, while the other was naked.

Balthazar, she reminded herself as he called out the number. Balthazar’s in charge.

A small smile formed at her lips, the thought more tantalizing than she’d realized. This was what she wanted, a man as glorious as Balthazar to push her. It was why she’d done his bidding last night—why she’d stripped and knelt on command—and why she was clutching the kitchen counter, now. Balthazar promised to take her to places she’d never known before, and that was before she tried to conceptualize his shapeshifting confession.

“Ow!” she called out as he spanked her again, jumping from one foot to the other. It wasn’t that the third swat had been too taxing. More like in the haze of her thoughts, she had been unprepared for the blow.

“Sorry?” His voice was firmer. “Do you want to use your safe word, Cherie?”

‘No, sir.”

She didn’t even need to contemplate the answer. Cherie hadn’t come this far to back down after three pitiful strikes.

“Okay.” The softer tone reemerged as his palm grazed over her punished ass. “That was three.”

Three. Cherie inhaled. I can do this.

“Arch that back for me.” He patted her cheeks disapprovingly until she complied, sticking her ass out the way he wanted. “Better,” he praised. “Now, keep it there unless you want me to add strikes.”

Her gaze lowered at his warning. She was unsure how she felt about the caution.Standing with her backside jutting out was abjectly more embarrassing than her prior position, although she was also aware it made a better target for his hand. More than that though, as she stood clasping the side, she acknowledged just how much the stance was affecting her. Being nude and vulnerable was exquisite. Balthazar could do anything to her while she was so prone and passive. Cherie’s nipples tightened at the tantalizing thought.

Balthazar can do anything.

She swallowed back the rising hurt as the fourth strike landed, taking stock of the way the impact spread from where his skin collided with hers and out around her ass cheek. Cherie had no way of knowing what level of force Balthazar was using with each spank or how much more she could take, but one thing was for sure—she definitely wanted to find out.

The heat burning at her ass furled with her shame to produce the most sublime and heightened sensations. She was mortified to find herself there, and yet frantic to see where the experience would take her, embarrassed to be the one yet again naked while he was attired, and yet secretly thrilled at her show of submission. Torn by the competing experiences, Cherie’s head spun.

“Change of tack.” His voice was low, the timbre drawing her focus from the floor. “Now you count for me, Cherie.”

Wait, what? He wanted her to count?

“How many was that?” The question hung over her like a heavy cloud, goading her into error even though she knew the answer.

“Four, sir?” she offered, unclear why she had phrased the response as a query.

“Very good.” His voice oozed with glee. “You were paying attention.”

Paying attention? Was he insane? She was naked and being spanked by the man who’d not only saved her from her vile ex-boss’ clutches, but also admitted to being a paranormal creature. Cherie had never been more focused on anything before.

“I’m impressed.” His hand slipped between her legs, stroking the folds of her pussy as he went on. “And I like to reward those who impress me.”

Desire knotted at her core, pulsing at her clit and sending an involuntary whimper to her mouth. Blushing at the sound, she closed her eyes, yearning to focus only on his deft fingertips and not her overarching embarrassment.

“But there’s no pleasure until after your spanking.”

His hand vanished as fast as it had arrived, and Cherie’s disappointment swelled in spite of herself. She knew it was illogical to expect another orgasm. After all, that wasn’t what she’d agreed to, but still, her swelling arousal begged to differ. For some reason deferring to Balthazar was insanely hot, and no doubt when he’d caressed her sex, he’d noticed her response for himself. She yearned for more of that kind of attention, her back arching even further in a silent display of urgency.

SMACK!

Cherie’s lips parted as the fifth strike landed, the brunt of the blow much tougher than she recalled, but she held back the plea that lodged in her throat. She wouldn’t call out again unless she meant for him to stop, and she sure as hell didn’t want that.

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