Molly wasn’t entirely sure how she felt about Max’s proposal.

Hesitant?

A little.

Nervous?

Some.

Scared?

Not even a little.

Excited?

Definitely.

She’d take him up on his offer to use his computer and do some research, but her whole body urged her to agree. The threat of punishment didn’t scare her. If anything, it made her want to try a relationship with him more.

He came back into the room with the two pizza’s she’d ordered, and she realized he’d paid for them.

“Let me give you the money for those,” she said reaching down the front of her shirt, into her bra for the cash she’d stashed there.

“What are you doing?” Max barked from across the room.

“Getting my money to pay for the pizza,” she replied, confused at his gruff demeanor.

“That’s where you keep your money?”

“When I don’t have any pockets, yeah. Why are you being weird?” She suspected she’d done something to offend Max’s delicate sensibilities but that was just dumb. “I’m in my lay-around-the-house clothes, having pizza with a friend. It’s not like I’m in the middle of a store or something.”

He thought about that for a second, then relaxed and nodded. “You’re right. I’m being weird.”

Without another word, he turned and went into the kitchen, so Molly followed him in counting out her money but a second later her eyes started to fill as she realized she’d screwed up.

“Shit.”

“What?

“I had a buy one get one free coupon for the pizza. That’s why I got two.”

“Okay. Save it for next time then.” He didn’t seem to understand her distress, but why would he? He didn’t know anything about only having forty dollars to his name for the next two weeks.

“But if I pay full price for both then I won’t have any money left.”

“So, I paid this time then. No biggie.” Max was too busy putting slices on plates to see how upset she was getting. “Thanks for getting olives on one.”

She watched as he loaded a plate with four slices, and tried to fight the tears that were threatening.

It wasn’t until she lost the battle and sniffled that he realized anything was wrong. “Hey, hey,” he said, setting down his plate and grabbing her shoulders. “What’s the matter? It’s okay. I don’t mind paying for the pizza.”

“I know you don’t, but I’d planned on that being my lunch for the next couple of days and if you paid for it then it’s yours. But if I pay for it I won’t have enough money for bus fare to get to work.” She was sobbing now, and probably not making much sense. “I had it all planned out and you ruined it!”

The last part was almost a shriek that made both of them jump.

He tightened his grip on her shoulders, not to hurt her but just enough to make her look up at him. “Okay, you need to calm down. Go sit in the living room and I’ll bring you your pizza and another bottle of water.”

He watched her carefully, waiting for her reaction. Part of her wanted to argue, but it would only be for the sake of arguing. He was right, she was overreacting.

“Okay, good idea.” She hiccupped as she turned around and went back to the same spot on the couch.

It only took a minute for Max to follow her out and set everything down on the coffee table.

“Let’s eat and talk this out.”

“All right. I’m sorry.” She was mortified that she’d had a meltdown in front of Max, but maybe he should see what kind of mess she was before going any further with her.

“There’s nothing to be sorry about, Molly. Except maybe the yelling at the end. That’s not how we should communicate with each other.” She managed to calm down enough to look at him. She thought he’d be angry, but instead she found compassion and determination in his eyes.

“Are you going to spank me?” She wasn’t as bothered by that idea as perhaps she should be. Maybe it was because her grandmother spanked her well into her teenaged years, or maybe she liked the comfort and security of knowing there were repercussions for her behavior.

“No, not this time. But in the future, there will be consequences to you raising your voice to me. Like I said earlier, I promise I won’t do that to you, so I expect you to do the same.” His tone had just the right amount of sternness to make Molly’s belly flutter with nerves and anticipation. Getting a spanking had never been remotely sexual before, but imagining Max giving her one made her insides quiver.

“I promise I won’t raise my voice to you.” She had no trouble agreeing right then, though she had no idea how soon her words would come back to bite her in the behind.

* * *

After eating their dinner while watching a baseball game, Molly spent an hour on Max’s computer reading up on domestic discipline before he walked her back to her apartment and made sure she was safe behind a locked door. She enjoyed a quick shower in the sparkling clean and nicely updated bathroom, then sank into her new bed for the best night’s sleep she’d had in years. Without the constant worry of the dangers of her old neighborhood, plus the fear that Rodney might show up at her door, Molly slept like a baby, even after digesting everything she’d read online.

Nothing she found disturbed her. In fact, the more she read the more she agreed with Max that this was exactly what she needed. She wished she could say that she had enough self-control and discipline to always do the right thing, but it was a constant struggle to stay on the right path.

There was no way she wanted to go back to the life she lived before prison, but she knew it would be so very easy to slip back into her old habits, and she didn’t mean the drug use. The hardest part was abiding by the terms of her parole. During her teen years and into adulthood hardly anyone gave a shit what she did or where she went, and she rarely had to answer for her behavior. The only exception was her grandmother, but that wasn’t consistent. She didn’t like having a curfew and reporting in to her parole officer once a week. She felt like a child, and even though she knew she deserved it, sometimes the urge to rebel snuck in.

If Max were there to help her and guide her, and correct her when she fell off course, it would take a load of stress off her mind. Not that she planned to break the rules, but knowing that he was there as a safety net removed the worry of what would happen if she slipped.

The only thing that worried her was whether Max really wanted all that responsibility. Sure, he said he did now, but would he still feel the same way in a year? Or three years? Hopefully by then behaving would be easier, become second nature, and then he wouldn’t have to monitor her so closely. But what if he resented having to watch over her until then? And what if she ended up resenting him? She didn’t think that would happen, but it was definitely a concern they needed to address before she agreed.

The other question she needed an answer to was why he felt compelled to go down this road with her. Was it out of some misplaced feelings of guilt for what happened in the past? If so, she didn’t want any part of it. Molly needed to know that his feelings for her were genuine, and based on the person she was now, not on mistakes made years ago.

Despite wanting to have a discussion with Max, the days passed without any word from him. Each morning his car was gone before she left for work, and he didn’t come home until after she went to bed. At first, she brushed it off as him being busy at work. She suspected that as a detective he didn’t keep regular hours since the criminals he sought didn’t either. She knew that well enough. But as the week wore on without even a glimpse of him, anger replaced understanding. It wasn’t until Thursday evening that a knock came at her door, and since there was only one person who knew where she lived, she flung it open ready for battle.

“If you changed your mind, all you had to do was tell me,” she greeted him with a shriek, before he could say a word. Not waiting for him to make lame excuses about his disappearing act she turned and stomped back into the apartment leaving the door open for him to follow. “Be a man and tell me that you realized that I’m not good enough. I know you were only offering because you still feel bad about throwing me out years ago, so I’ll let you off the hook now.” She heard the door shut behind her but didn’t turn to face Max. She didn’t want to look him in the eye when he admitted she was right. “I forgive you. There, we’re over.”

Silence greeted her, broken only by her heaving breaths. After almost a week of radio silence she expected him to grab onto her offer of an easy out with both hands, but a full minute passed before he said anything.

“Turn around, Molly,” he commanded.

She didn’t want to, but something in his voice compelled her to obey. What she found wasn’t a man eager to run away from her and her problems. No, this man looked none too pleased with her and in no hurry to leave.

“I’ve been working sixteen-hour days since the last time we saw each other. There was a break in a case I’ve been working. I’ve been running around the city, following up on leads and making arrests. This is the first time I’ve been home while you were awake, otherwise I would have been over here sooner.” He moved from where he stood in front of the door to stand next to the arm of the couch. “Come over here, please.”

Molly had a feeling that she knew what was about to happen, and worse, she knew she deserved it. “I’m sorry for jumping to conclusions,” she said as she slowly approached Max.

“That’s not why you’re going to pull down your pants, bend over the arm of the couch and get your behind spanked.” She shivered at his words, trepidation mixing with arousal. “Try again.”

“I’m sorry for attacking you as soon as I opened the door and yelling at you.” She couldn’t meet his eyes as she tugged down the lounge pants she’d changed into after work and draped her body over the side of the couch. It didn’t even cross her mind to refuse.

“Didn’t we agree that we wouldn’t raise our voices at each other?” Max asked. She felt him step up next to her, his thigh touching her hip. That small contact grounded her and held her in place when she wanted to flee.

“Well, we hadn’t actually agreed yet,” she pointed out. “You never came back over to talk to me.”

A pause, then she heard him take a deep breath and step away. “You’re right. You don’t have to do this if you don’t want to.” When she didn’t move, he asked again. “Do you want to stop, Molly?”

Now she took a deep breath, steadying herself before she admitted the truth. “I don’t want you to stop. There are some questions I have for you. Some concerns we need to talk about. But I yelled at you and I deserve to be punished.”

Max returned to her side and laid a hand on her back. “Good.” That was the only warning before his other hand landed on her ass with a loud smack. He began slow, alternating sides with blows that hurt but weren’t anything like what her grandmother used to inflict with her trusty wooden spoon.

After a few minutes, he began to increase his pace and his force until she was dancing on her toes.

“Ow, Max. Ow. That hurts.” She dug her fingers into the cushion below her, twisting her bottom to try to avoid his hand. That became impossible when his arm tightened around her waist, holding her in place.

“Hold still and take your punishment.” He smacked her backside over and over, covering both cheeks thoroughly. “You admitted that you deserve this.”

A particularly hard spank landed dead center, prompting her to cry out. “I’m sorry, Max. I’m sorry I yelled at you.”

“Will you be raising your voice to me again, young lady?” He asked the question while keeping up his punishing pace—heating her behind until she was positive it was cherry red.

“No. No, Sir, I won’t raise my voice at you ever again,” she promised, needing the spanking to stop. He hadn’t made her cry, but she wasn’t sure how much longer she could hold out. Crying was the last thing she wanted to do in front of him.

“Good.” He ended the spanking like he’d started it, suddenly and with that one word. His hand rubbed her bottom for a brief second before he straightened and stepped away.

“You can stand and pull up your pants now, Molly.” She felt bereft at the lack of his presence, and confused by his retreat, but did as he asked. Once covered she walked around the arm and sat in the corner of the couch.

“Do you want to sit down and talk?” she asked, when he seemed frozen in place.

“Yeah, that would be good,” he replied, finally jumping into motion but moving awkwardly. It took her a minute to figure out that the reason for his hitched stride was the large bulge in the front of his pants.

“Do you want me to start?” she asked, after he took a spot on the other end of the couch, as far away from her as possible.

He took a deep breath and nodded, but remained sitting straight up, hands on his thighs while he waited for her to speak.

“Are you okay?” It felt awkward asking him that when she was the one who’d received the spanking, but he looked so uncomfortable she couldn’t help but be concerned.

“I’m okay, just trying to figure out how I feel about what just happened. How are you?” He tensed, bracing for her response, so she rushed to assure him she was fine.

“I feel good. Like I paid the price for my behavior and, hopefully, learned my lesson.” She smiled at him, trying to ease his worry, but then one of her own struck. “Did you not like it? Have you changed your mind?”

He chuckled under his breath at her question. “No. If anything I enjoyed it far more than I was expecting, which caught me off guard. I don’t enjoy hurting you, but knowing I’m in control of the relationship and the fact that you’re willing to submit to me… it blows my mind. It finally feels right.”

Molly took a deep breath and steeled herself for the discussion to come. Max wouldn’t like the questions she was about to ask but she needed to get them out there, otherwise she’d stew and worry and probably ruin things between them.

“That’s part of what I wanted to talk to you about. I’m worried that eventually you won’t want to be in charge anymore, or will resent me and wish you had a girlfriend you didn’t need to discipline.”

He didn’t rush to assuage her worries with pretty words, and Molly appreciated that he took the time to think for a minute before answering.

“I can’t tell the future, Molly, but I can say that I’ve been thinking about this for a while. Ever since I found out about domestic discipline and got to know people who actually lived the lifestyle, I’ve wondered if that was what was missing. And I’ve always had feelings for you. I was too young before, but now that we’re both older, I think that it’s our time. And I can’t foresee a future where I wouldn’t want to be in charge. It’s part of who I am. But, if that time came I would talk to you about it before doing anything rash.” He got up and moved down to her end of the couch, sitting down then pulling her onto his lap. “Now what else has you worried?”

She chewed her lip for a second before blurting out her other concern. “Are you only with me because you feel guilty about what happened between us in the past?”

Again, he surprised her by not becoming upset at her accusation, which made her even more nervous.

“For the past two years I’ve been trying to convince myself that the only reason I was worried about you was because of our past and my guilt at the way things ended. But it’s a lie. I want to make sure you’re okay because I care about you. I want to be a part of your life and help you become successful and happy.” He pressed a soft kiss to her lips, giving her tingles in her belly that she hadn’t felt since she was nineteen. She didn’t think it was even possible for her to feel this way again after the way she’d lived her life, but everything with Max was different. It always was. “I want to be together because I want you. All of you, Molly. The good and the bad. I want to be there for you, and I want you to be there for me.”

“I want that too.” Molly gulped, excitement and anticipation making her nervous. “I want you, Max.”

“You have no idea how happy that makes me, Molly.” He leaned in for another kiss, this one not so sweet and gentle. This time he stole her breath away, branding her with his lips and tongue, ensuring that she’d be his forever. He completely controlled the kiss, one arm wrapped tight around her body, holding her to him. His other hand cupped her face, moving her where he wanted, when he wanted. Molly could only surrender to Max’s control, allowing him to direct her and guide her, though it was definitely not a hardship. The kiss went on and on, until they broke apart, desperate for air.

“Come back to my room with me,” Molly suggested, struggling to get her breath. Her heart raced and her body vibrated with need. All she could think about was Max filling her up until he gave her a sweet release.

“Are you sure, sweetheart? We don’t need to rush into anything. I can wait.” His concern and willingness to sacrifice his own pleasure for her comfort touched her, but waiting was the last thing she wanted to do.

“Well, I can’t wait.” She stood and headed to the bedroom, Max tight on her heels, stopping when she reached the bed. Before she could climb on, he stopped her with an arm around her waist, pulling her back into his chest.

“I’m glad you said that because I feel like I’m going to explode if I don’t get inside you.” Max growled in her ear. “Do you have a condom?”

Molly nodded, grateful that she’d impulse purchased a package last time she went to the grocery store. “In the drawer next to the bed.”

Max’s hands slid up and under her shirt, cupping her unbound breasts, running a finger lightly over each hardened nipple. His touch made her squirm as arousal raced from his fingertips to her core, lighting her up along the way.

“Lift your arms up,” he commanded, leaving her no option but to obey. Max hadn’t been like this when they were together before. Back then he was a skilled lover but hadn’t had the hardened edge and need for control that he now displayed. Since Molly had developed quite a few of her own edges in the intervening years this new version of Max turned her on even more.

Her shirt flew over her head and sailed through the air the second her arms went up, but Max took his time after that, sliding his hands down her arms, exploring her shoulders and back, before landing at her hips. When she tried to lower them, he stopped her.

“Leave them up. I want to play.” His instructions sent a shiver of anticipation through her. Never had a man wanted to take his time with her, even for his own pleasure. It had always been a race to the end goal of an orgasm, with some not even caring if she had her own. “Turn around.”

It felt awkward to stand there, arms outstretched above her, naked from the waist up, but she didn’t hesitate to do as he asked.

The flare in Max’s eyes when he saw her naked breasts made any uncomfortable feelings vanish. He wanted her. It was plain to see in his hungry gaze, and it ratcheted her arousal even higher.

“I just want to eat you up.” His hands found her breasts again, lifting them while his thumbs flicked her nipples, harder than before, bringing them both to points before he dove in and began to suck. Alternating between each side, he licked and nipped, each pinch and pull reverberating through her body. When she went to grab onto his head, needing something to hold onto, he stopped.

“Hands stay up. If your arms are tired you can put them on your head.” She looked down at him and realized he wasn’t kidding. That he wouldn’t continue until she complied. So she did, and he returned to his task.

After a few more minutes, when she was panting with need, he asked, “Are you ready for me, Molly?”

What a stupid question! If she were anymore ready, she might collapse. “Yes, Max. Please fuck me.”

He stood and pulled off his t-shirt, revealing his toned chest and abs, which only made her need him more. His body had filled out during their years apart and there was no doubt he was all man now.

“First I want to check on your ass. Turn around and bend over the bed.” Again, he issued the orders with no apparent worry that she wouldn’t do exactly as he said. And she did. It was the fastest way to get him to give her what she needed, and Molly was curious to find out what he would do next.

As soon as she was in position, he pulled down her pants, taking her panties with them. Her bottom still felt warm but there was no pain, just a slight ache reminding her that she’d been disciplined. Just thinking about it made her rub her thighs together trying to ease the arousal Max had created. Even though it wasn’t fun while he was spanking her, remembering his stern dominance and heavy hand meeting her ass somehow turned her on.

“Does it still hurt?” he asked, running a hand over her cheeks.

“I can still feel the spanking, but it doesn’t really hurt,” she replied, lifting her head from the bed so her words wouldn’t be mumbled.

“Is it wrong that my dick’s hard thinking about punishing you?” She didn’t know if he was asking her, or the universe, but she decided to answer.

“Thinking about it gets me hot, too,” she admitted. “It wasn’t sexy at the time, but I think the whole experience is a turn on. That you’re you, and in charge, and willing to step up and make sure I don’t get into trouble—the combination does it for me.”

He paused his rubbing and gave her light slap on the behind. “I think you’re right. I don’t want to hurt you, but I do want to discipline you when needed. It’s the whole thing.”

“Now that we’ve figured that out, can we get down to business?” She wiggled her butt, trying to entice him into action. Of course, that was met with a firm smack to her backside.

“Who’s in charge here, young lady?” Another smack, not nearly as hard as when he punished her but not a love tap either.

“You are,” she replied, doing her best to sound contrite.

“That’s right.” She felt him disappear and heard the sound of her drawer opening. Then the crinkle of the condom wrapper had her fidgeting in place again. “I’m in charge and I decide when you get fucked.” His hands wrapped around her hips to steady her as his thighs nudged her legs further apart. She felt him line up, his cock rubbing her slick entrance before he started to slide in. “Lucky for you that’s now.”

He took his time entering her, letting her adjust, but as soon as she pressed back into him, letting him know she was good, all gentleness disappeared. He pulled almost all the way out before slamming in again, forcing her to take him all. Not that she was complaining. No, the sounds coming out of her mouth as he pounded into her were moans and squeals of delight. Normally she wasn’t a vocal person in bed, but Max’s passion drove her to new heights. He stretched her perfectly, the two of them fitting together as if they were made for each other. With each plunge he managed to hit that spot inside her that made her eyes roll back and her toes curl.

“Max, Max, I’m going to come!” She didn’t care if the neighbors three doors down heard her, and couldn’t help that the feelings coursing through made her voice high and loud. Neither did Max, as evidenced by his low chuckle.

“That’s the point, sweetheart. I want you to come so hard that everything before right now blurs into the past. That you never think about another man again.” He punctuated each sentence with rough thrusts that would have pushed her forward on the bed had she not reared back to meet him, thrust for thrust. The pounding he was giving her danced on the dividing line between pleasure and pain in a way Molly never experienced before. “I want you to come now.”

His harsh demand triggered a flood of wetness between her thighs as her body imploded in waves of ecstasy. She felt her channel contracting around his cock, throwing him into his own orgasm. His hands tightened on her hips, and rough curses fell from his mouth in between compliments and moans.

“Holy shit, Molly.” His breath heaved in and out, just like hers, as they both struggled to recover. “Are you okay?”

“Mmm, hmm.” She hadn’t fully regained function of her brain, or her limbs. Molly was content to lie there with Max still planted deep inside. Eventually they’d have to move, but not just yet.

“I need to pull out and get rid of this condom,” Max said, though it sounded like he was trying to talk himself into moving, rather than speaking to her.

“Mmm, hmm.” She didn’t want him to leave but she knew things were a mess down there. “Can you get me a washcloth while you’re in the bathroom?”

“Yeah.” He sighed and slowly pulled his softening dick out of her. “Is the squirting thing new?”

He sounded hesitant to ask, almost afraid of the answer, but Molly could honestly reassure him on this topic. “I’ve never had that happen before.”

She collapsed flat onto the bed and turned her head so she could see him. Could see the way relief and happiness took over his face.

“Really. I’m the first?” Something about the way he said it made her think that he needed this for himself. She supposed with a past like hers that there wasn’t much he thought would be his alone, but he was wrong.

“Yep. You’re one only who’s made me do that. You’re also the only one to spank me. I’d never let anyone else do that to me.” There was no one else in her life that she’d ever trusted the way she trusted Max. Except her cousin Sara, but that was different.

He didn’t respond for a long time, his eyes taking her in, studying her. Finally, he said. “I’m the last man to do anything to you. I know it’s fast and I know we have things to work out, but this is it, Molly. I’m not losing you again.”

His words made her heart skip a beat, but he didn’t know what he was saying. “Max, don’t say those things until we talk. There are things you don’t know. Decisions about my life that I’m not going to change but that may change how you think of me.”

“We’ll talk,” he promised. “But I’m not changing my mind.”

With that, he left the room, leaving Molly more hopeful, and more worried, than she’d ever been in her life.