Behave Read online

  In the coffee shop, she scanned faces, half dreading what she’d find. Would his eyes be cold, distant? Void of feeling? Probably. Would he insist she move in with him? More than probably. It would be another argument, but she was ready.

  Would he even show up?

  And just as she was sure he wouldn’t come to meet her, there he was. Striding toward her on his long, muscular legs. He motioned to the two men flanking him, and they paused, looking around, then keeping an eye on him as he put distance between them and himself. “Lainie.” His face brightened. He smiled, deepening the creases that bracketed his mouth, square jaw set, eyes crinkled with worry.

  He probably thought she’d expect something from him after this morning.

  He stopped in front of her, touching the back of her hand with a fingertip. “I only have—”

  “I know,” she interrupted him. “You only have a minute. This won’t take long. You need to know that Mason is not on your side; he’s planning to make sure you lose the election. I don’t know how, but you have to be extra careful.”

  “Did he contact you? Has he hurt you?”

  “Yes, I’ve heard from him, and I’m all right.” Her head hurt like hell from the blow that had stunned her before she was thrown into the car trunk, but she’d never tell Hal.

  His brows pulled together. “I’m having someone take you to my house, now.”

  “No.”

  “I don’t have time to argue, Lainie.”

  One of the men behind him cleared his throat, and said, “Sir.”

  “I know,” Hal barked over his shoulder. He grabbed Lainie’s shoulders. “Listen to me.”

  She tried to jerk away. “Why should I listen?”

  His fingertips rose and fell, drumming on her shoulders. A reminder of what his hands could do. “You’re going to listen to me,” he said, “because, if you don’t, the next time these hands touch you, they will be landing on your buttocks. I will keep you from being exposed to Mason with no one there to protect you. If I find out you’re putting yourself in danger, the consequences to your behind will be so severe you’ll have to lie on your front to study, because you won’t be able to sit down for a long time.”

  “You don’t really care about me. You want control, but you couldn’t care, and run out on me the way you did this morning.”

  “You don’t think I care? I’m going to do something I’ve never done before.” He turned back to the security men behind him, raised a finger, and said, “Send Martha out there to tell the crowd I’ve been delayed. Just a few minutes. She’s been my personal assistant for long enough to know what to say.”

  He turned back to Lainie. “She’ll think of something, even though, as I say, I’ve never in my life been late making a speech before. I’m doing this to make time to talk some sense into you. So now don’t tell me I don’t care about you. I’m going to take the time to make sure someone is keeping watch over you.”

  His eyes burned into her, but she’d seen that look before. And, once he was through with her, she’d seen the quick change that followed, with no word about seeing her again. “You flew out of my place this morning without even pretending you were going to call, and you didn’t. If I hadn’t come here to warn you now, would you have called? I don’t think so. You’re too busy being important.” She stopped herself. She’d never admit how his lightening quick departure had stung. “Never mind, it doesn’t matter.”

  “Let’s get something straight. My rules,” he said. “No more catering jobs for you, Mason will always know where to find you, I’m sure he has the catering company on his payroll by now. And, I’ll put a bodyguard on you, starting now, until you move into my place. You show me some respect, that you understand how to behave when you’re with me, that you take my word for it that you mean a lot to me, and that you believe I’m only trying to keep you out of harm’s way.”

  All she’d heard so far was his rules. Before she could point out the imbalance, he said, “And your rules? I’ll keep in touch, I’ll call no matter what urgent matters need my attention. I’ll convince you I’m not the player you think I am. If you want me to earn your trust, I’ll do that.”

  From behind Hal, one of the men in his security team cleared his throat and said again, “Sir, your speech should have started fifteen minutes ago.”

  Hal gave her a quick kiss on the lips, then before she could catch her breath, another, longer kiss. “That should hold you,” he said, “until my next phone call.”

  While her knees turned to water from the pressure of his warm lips on hers, the stubborn voice in her head insisted that she hadn’t come here to ask him for anything.

  He whirled, his men fell in behind him, and he was at the coffee shop door and then gone.

  Sure, your next phone call. I’ll be expecting that when, oh let’s see, when hell freezes over. And what made him think a phone call from him was so goddamned important? Did he expect her to be moping around, waiting for the sound of his voice? No fucking way.

  Chapter Five

  At nine that evening Anna was waiting for Lainie in their favorite pub, a glass of red in her hand, and a Chablis for Lainie across the table from her. “If I didn’t know better, Lainie Sam, I’d think that was a love flush burning your cheeks.”

  “Hardly.” Lainie lifted her glass in a quick toast. “To friendship born of working together, to the best supervisor in the world.”

  “Ditto.” Anna clinked Lainie’s glass with hers. “To the best co-worker and greater friend. And,” she added, “I still think that color in your face is a crush flush. Someone you met on the job?”

  Visions of Hal wavered in front of Lainie’s eyes. She bit her lip. She was trying so hard to stop thinking about him. “No, not really.”

  “What about that guy who was bothering you? The big guy. You haven’t run into him again, have you?”

  “Nothing I can’t handle.”

  “Well, who is it? I know there’s someone, Lainie.”

  “Look, I’m not really all that interested, but I’ve seen Hal Barmak a couple of times,” Lainie murmured.

  “The governor?” Anna shrieked. “You and the governor are an item?”

  So much for discretion and denial. Lainie put her finger to her lips. “Please, keep it down. We’re not, I mean, I don’t think I’ll see him again. He’s a politician, you know, the only thing that matters to him is his position.” As soon as the words were out, Lainie’s face flushed bright red. When she said position she hadn’t meant the position that involved her draped over his legs being spanked soundly.

  “That does it,” Anna threw back a gulp of wine and signaled for the waitress. “We’re both having another, and you’re going to spill. That was some serious red in your face. Something is going on.”

  “Uncle, uncle,” Lainie drained her glass as well. “We’ve seen each other. He said he’d phone, but I doubt he will. He tends to get pulled away, he’s so important, to himself, anyway. And he’s controlling. Wants things his way. I think he respects my intelligence, knows I’m going to be a doctor, but I’m supposed to watch my language around him, and let him guard me.”

  “From what?”

  “Mason, the big guy who was hassling me.” She waited while the waitress deposited two fresh drinks in front of them. “Keep this quiet,” she said, “but he’s actually pretty dangerous. I can’t tell you any more right now, but if you see him again, just be careful. Keep your distance.”

  “Okay, thanks for the warning. Now back to the hot stuff. And it doesn’t get much hotter than Hal Barmak. What do you mean, ‘supposed to watch my language’? Supposed to or what?”

  Lainie’s face was so hot she wanted to pour a bucket of ice water over her head.

  “God, Lainie, what does he do if you don’t do what he says? Spank you?”

  Damn, Anna had always been sharp, but this was much worse than usual. How had she thought they could have a drink together without her friend figuring out a few things? “He…” She
couldn’t say it.

  “I think I know,” Anna said seriously. “You’ve found yourself a spanker. A gorgeous, big handed one.” Lainie squirmed. “It’s all right,” Anna said. “You’re not the first. The truth is, my boyfriend spanks me.”

  Lainie almost dropped her glass. “He does?”

  “Sometimes I think I ask for it. He’d never really hurt me, but I try his patience. Don’t be so embarrassed about it. So when are you seeing him again?”

  “He’s not really going to call, he just said that to keep me from thinking he’s too full of himself to care about anyone else.” Lainie’s phone rang. Anna raised an eyebrow and waited.

  “Where are you?” Hal asked. “You’re not at home, I mean, my place, and you’re not at your place.” Voices in the background told her he was still at the function where he’d spoken.

  “No, I’m not,” Lainie’s heart pounded in spite of her determination to feel nothing.

  “Look, I can’t force you to want to see me, but I made reservations at La Fromage Fondue tomorrow. Will you go with me?”

  “Yes.”

  “Good.”

  He barely sounded surprised. Just expected that she would go. Damn his ego.

  “Wherever you are, you be careful, keep your eyes open, make sure nobody’s following you home. And call me when you get there. I’m putting a man in front of your place. No point arguing, it’s done.” The phone went dead.

  Anna looked a question at Lainie. “Mr. Bossy Pants?”

  Lainie couldn’t hold back her smile. “I really didn’t think he’d call, and I was sure I wouldn’t go out with him if he did.”

  “You will,” Anna said. “And for as long as he wants you to.”

  “Thanks for telling me about your boyfriend.”

  Anna smiled. “Over his knee, standing up, however he says. If he wants to teach you something with a spanking, that doesn’t mean you’re a freak, and neither is he.”

  Lainie did watch behind her as she walked to her car. She looked before she got out at her place and thought she saw an official-looking sedan. Probably sent by Hal. He’d called her tonight as he’d said he would, he hadn’t tried to force her to do anything, and if he said he was putting a man there to watch out for her, he would do that.

  ***

  The next evening she shuffled through her closet. The basic black? Too predictable. Red sheath? Too desperate. She didn’t do frills. The flowered silk was her favorite, and when she remembered her indignity over Hal’s knee, and the way he always let something more important than her tear him away, she decided the silk was too good for him. She’d agreed to go out with him tonight, that was all. She’d wear what she was comfortable in, and he’d accept it. He was lucky she’d said yes to his invitation. Fromage was a very expensive place and very dressy. Not that she’d ever eaten there. But she had waited tables in their dining room, once, before she got her catering job, and the outfits she saw there stunned her with sparkles, shine, or just simple elegance.

  She opened the door to Hal at seven and he walked in. “Aren’t you dressed? I said, seven.”

  “Nice greeting.”

  He took hold of her arms and kissed her, fully, on the mouth. That was better. He stared at her jeans. “Now, please get ready.”

  “I am ready.”

  His brows lowered in the familiar, threatening scowl. “You are not ready to go to an expensive restaurant with me.”

  “I’m not impressed by your money. Or how fancy the restaurant is.”

  He pushed her backward, toward the bedroom, opened her closet, and began to work his way through her clothes. “The little black number?” She shook her head. “The suit?” She shook her head again. He pulled the flowered silk out and laid it carefully on the bed.

  “No,” she said.

  “Three strikes,” he responded. “And you’re out of choices. You’re going to wear this dress.”

  She opened her mouth to tell him she was wearing jeans, but he had one arm around her and was pulling down her zipper with the other. Still restraining her with one arm, he yanked down her jeans, spun her around, and threw her face down on the bed. She felt the weight of his knees on either side of her and a hand on her back, pinning her in place. Even wearing her silk panties, she felt exposed, and she knew her bottom was at his mercy.

  “Before I deliver this spanking,” he said, “I’m going to explain something. I don’t care if you’re interested in my money, or if you like fancy restaurants. I hope you like Fromage, because I went to some trouble to decide on something that would please you, despite your determination to make that a challenge for me. But you will show some respect for the fact that I’m doing my best here, to do as you asked me to.”

  “I didn’t ask you for anything, and I’ve never changed my clothes to please a man.” The words were out. Her panties were whipped down to her ankles, and the first slap came, bringing a jangling pain to her buttocks. “Stop it,” she said. “You have no right.”

  He spanked her harder, and again and again. The spanks stung, her bottom smarted, and she began to squirm from side to side. He kept striking her, holding her down with his free hand, slamming his palm into her backside. The pain was sharp, and then a sore ache travelled through her buttocks. Her skin burned. And the familiar yearning in her clit began. She bucked, raising and lowering her behind, each smack driving her against the bed. But the spanking hurt, and she began to cry, and then sob for him to stop, that it hurt too much.

  He stilled his hand, placed his palm on her burning bottom, and said, “I know, Lainie. I’m going to turn you over and let you get up. And you’ll put on this nice dress to go out with me.”

  Still crying, she let him roll her over and pulled up her panties, still whimpering and sniffing. He held the dress up and she lifted her arms and let the silk fall and swirl around her arms, down past her breasts until it hung perfectly, hugging her hips as it always did.

  “One more thing,” he said, and cradling her head, he pushed her to sit on the bed and lowered her onto her back. She gasped when her behind sank against the mattress. He pulled her dress up to her waist, tugged her panties down to her knees and said, “Don’t move.” She didn’t, she lay there listening to this man who seemed to care about the right things, rummage in her bedside drawer, and tear open a package. He dropped onto his hands as if doing a push up, and entered her, fast, thrusting hard until her cries mingled with his groans.

  ***

  The Fromage was every bit as lovely as she remembered, and the other patrons were lavishly dressed. She was actually glad she was wearing a dress, and that she’d carefully applied makeup that concealed her earlier flush of humiliation and arousal. She felt as if her bottom was so red it glowed through her dress, as if everyone could see how it had been punished.

  They shared a pot of melted cheese, kirsch, and three wine heaven, with baguette squares and fruit to dip, as well as a sharp white wine. She never had more than two glasses, but tonight they shared a bottle, and then another. She had long ago lost track of time, and after her third glass, nothing mattered. Not her earlier encounter with Mason, not the day of studying ahead of her tomorrow, she wanted to stay up all night, talking to Hal about his dreams of a better world, and his battle so far to win this election and stay in office. And what being governor of the state meant to him. He asked her about wanting to become a doctor, and listened as she told him she’d decided that when she was eight, the year she’d contracted a serious infection, and the doctors at the hospital had been so kind to her.

  The vague thought that she might be falling for this man, swirled in the back of her mind, and a clutch of fear battled in her emotions. If she hadn’t been so buzzed on the wine, the fear would have been sharper. She couldn’t let this happen. It was easy for him, with his charm and his knack for overpowering those around him. It didn’t mean he really cared about her. The fear kicked in, and she felt it whirling through the back of her mind.

  His phone rang. He pulle
d it from his jacket pocket and glanced at the screen. “Sorry,” he waved a hand at her, “I have to take this.” He put the phone to his ear and said, “When? I’ll be right there.”

  She shouldn’t have been surprised.

  “Something has come up. It can’t wait ‘til tomorrow. I’m sorry,” he said. “I’m going to take you to my place, now.” He motioned for the check.

  “That again,” she said, more loudly than she’d intended. “Your place.”

  He looked at her, hard. “You’re in no shape to go home,” he said. “I’m going to keep an eye on you.”

  “Fuck that.” She heard it before she’d known she was going to say it.

  “Stop it,” Hal paid quickly, looking around. “Don’t you dare make a scene.”

  “I’m not,” she said. “And don’t you fucking tell me what to do.”

  Across the restaurant, one of Hal’s bodyguards looked up. Lainie looked behind her, another of his men watched the door, and then looked around the room.

  “I just took you out for a wonderful evening,” Hal whispered loudly. “Are you trying to ruin it?”

  “I know you can afford it,” she said.

  A third bodyguard watched them from the bar. Hal’s lackeys were everywhere. Lainie was suffocating.

  Hal shot to his feet. He signaled to the bodyguard at the front door to stay put, came around behind Lainie, and pulled out her chair. He helped her to her feet, thanked the hostess who’d fetched her coat, and helped her into it. “Don’t say another word,” he said.

  “Why the hell not?” He dragged her toward the back of the restaurant. “I have to pee.”

  “Shhh. In you go.” He released his grip in front of the ladies’ room.