Page 23 of Harmonizing with Little Heaven Leigh

“Uh-huh. You looked more than curious,mi corazón. Tell me, how did you feel about seeing me spank someone else?”

Heaven Leigh swallowed hard. She was tempted to lie, but this was her Daddy, and she really didn’t want a reward to turn into a punishment. “I’m not sure how I feel yet. I haven’t had enough time to think about it, but I-I kind oflikedseeing it.” She squirmed, embarrassed. “I mean, I liked watching all three spankings, but with you…”

“With me, what, Heaven?”

She didn’t have the words to explain it, not really, but she tried. “I think I was a little bit jealous at first. I mean you’remyDaddy, not hers, but then I decided I was glad it wasn’t me because those spatulas are the Devil.” Her distaste for the rubber scrapers couldn’t be hidden.

His mouth tilted up at one side. “They do make an impression.”

“Plus, I figure Sadie shares her Daddy all the time, so I can share you now and then.” Then she paused, frowned, and added, “Just for spankings though. I’m not sharing you for anything else.” Her tone was so fierce it made him laugh.

“Good. I don’t want to be shared for anything else.”

“And there’s something kind of fun about watching someone being punished.” Her eyes went back to the cropping without conscious thought. “Any kind of spanking really, but punishment especially is… exciting.”

“So, my naughty Little girl likes to watch, hmm?”

Her eyes snapped back to his. “It’s weird, right? I’m sorry. I know I shouldn’t have been enjoying—” She cut herself off and tried again. “I mean, it was punishment—it’s just that… ugh.” She gave up with a frustrated groan. “I don’t know how to say it without sounding like a weirdo.”

Angel laughed and shook his head. “Oh,mi amor. Sometimes I forget how innocent you are. Despite everything you’ve seen and done, there are still things you don’t understand.”

Heaven Leigh pouted, pulling away from his arm. Her embarrassment took a turn and now she felt guilty too. “What? I know it’s wrong, but I can’t exactly help how I feel.”

He reached out and took her hand, drew her over to the comfortable seating area, and pulled her down to sit next to him. “Heaven, did you happen to notice how the Dungeon is laid out?”

She tilted her head, squinting a little. “Uh, sure. I mean we’ve been here before.” Not as often as she would have liked, but more than a few times.

He pointed at the playspace below. “Can you see everything happening down there?”

Heaven’s glance flicked over to the people below and then back to him. “Yes, Daddy.” She was glad that he chose a couch with a good view of the cropping scene, but she wasn’t sure what his point was.

“Do you think it’s an accident that they arranged the seating like this?” He didn’t wait for her to reply this time but took her hand as he continued, “Chiquitaa lot of people enjoy watching. There’s nothing wrong or weird about it. And just as many people enjoy being watched.”

“But not when they are being punished. It’s not fun to know people can see you being punished,” she argued.

“It’s not fun foryou. You don’t like an audience when you’re being punished, and that really has nothing to do with the punishment, and everything to do with you not wanting people to know you did something wrong.”

“But…” She trailed off, realizing she couldn’t argue the point. She hated people knowing she was in trouble. Being in trouble meant she failed and that was always a struggle for her. Like so many things it probably went back to her childhood.

Her parents didn’t spank, but they were big on shaming and shunning. If she didn’t want to hear, “Don’t talk to your sister. She’s a bad girl,” then she had to be perfect. Always.

“So you’re saying everyone else is fine with people watching them get spanked?” She couldn’t believe that was true.

Angel laughed. “No, I’m sure lots of people hate it, just maybe not as much as you do. But there are reasons for public punishments, whether or not people want to be watched. Knowing there is an audience adds another level to the punishment for them. Embarrassment often makes it more effective.”

“Master Derek said that once, when I asked why spankings happened in public so much.” She paused, then added, “He also said ‘Do you have any idea how little work would get done if every misbehaving sub and Little had to be taken off and dealt with privately?’.”

“That’s fair,” Angel laughed again. “Poor Derek would never get anything done.”

She had to admit it was true, although Master Derek had given most of her punishments privately, for which she was truly grateful. The few public ones had been excruciating. She’d felt like every eye was on her.

“But, as I said, you don’t mind being watched. You just don’t like people knowing you’re being punished.” He waved an arm to indicate the Dungeon. “You’ve never minded scening in public here, have you?”

“No, Daddy. You’re right. It’s different. But todaywaspunishment, and I felt bad for…”

When she didn’t continue, he filled in the rest for her. “For enjoying the show?”

She shifted on the cushion and nodded. “They deserved it, of course, but I shouldn’t want to see my friends being punished, crying. It’s not nice.” Mostly she felt bad about Pippi, who she considered a friend. She felt a kinship with the redhead, who sometimes seemed to feel out of place too.

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