Page 48 of Flog Me, Sir

The second her legs went lax, I unhooked her ankles, and she sagged against me while I freed her wrists.

“I’ve got you,” I whispered in her ear, pulling her into my arms.

Once she lay on the bed, I grabbed a bottle of water and held her on my lap, forcing her to drink when all she wanted to do was float away.

Knowing her backside would be stinging like a bitch, I sprawled onto the bed with her atop me, her cheek on my chest, giving her time to come down.

She made no move to get up or do more than breathe for a good half hour, and I closed my eyes, soaking in the feel of her skin against mine. Ignoring my aching cock, I focused on her steady breaths, the twitch of muscle as she fell asleep to my hands smoothing over every inch of unlashed skin I could reach.

My needs mattered to her... I’d never felt so goddamn satisfied in my life. Talk about standing atop Mt. Everest.

Once sure she’d passed out good and well, I slid from beneath her dead weight and crept into the bathroom. Blasting hot water soothed the growing soreness in my muscles from having worked out too hard, and I lingered in the steam and heat while numerous showerheads spewed water at me from all directions.

Not wanting Lissa to wake without me, I dragged myself from the shower, quickly dried off, grabbed Lily and Adam’s favorite herbal rub for sore backsides, and returned to find Lissa unmoved.

I uncapped the jar of salve and started on the marks along her upper back, ones I expected stung less than the red ones across her ass and upper thighs—the place she’d seemed to enjoy my flogger the most.

Lissa didn’t move or make a sound until I reached her lower back with my gentle touch. A heavy sigh escaped her, and she turned her face toward me with a groan.

“How are you?” I asked as her eyelids fluttered up.

“Unbelievably happy.”

I smiled enough for both of us and continued to rub the balm into her skin.

“That stings, but still feels so good,” she said with another sigh.

“It’ll help you heal faster.”

“Mmm.”

I took my time with her ass, squeezing every so often just to hear her small, rushed intake of air.

Her responses had let me know all I needed too—but I needed to hear her say it. Needed for her to vocalize having overcome her fear.

“Did you like the pain, Lissa?”

“God, yes,” she didn’t hesitate to answer.

“Are you bothered by that fact?” I set aside the jar and sprawled on the bed beside her before she answered.

“A part of me wants to believe it’s abuse, but it was done out of mutual desire rather than anger.”

“I would never hit you to intentionally hurt you for any reason other than pleasure, Lissa.”

She rolled to face me, her eyes sleepy, lips appearing soft and supple enough to kiss. “I believe you, Garret. You’ve been nothing but honest with me. I’ve never met someone like you.”

While her words warmed me, the thought I strove to please others for selfish reasons came along and stole my joy in the moment.

“Can I ask you something?”

I focused on her eyes once more, not having realized I’d looked away. “Of course.”

“Were you striving for perfection when you flogged me?”

My brow furrowed as I blinked a few times, wondering over her question. “In what way?”

“Were you focused on yourself or me?”

---