Kate’s Desire

I grew up next to Kate, but I never entertained any romantic notions for her. She was seven years younger than I and I didn’t want to wait for her to grow up. If anyone had ever accused me of doing that, I’d have laughed in his or her face, but Kate always thought she wanted me until she met Elizabeth.

When I noticed Kate for the first time, I was twenty-five and she was eighteen. We were doing inventory at Johnson’s market and I’d been working late. When I turned off the main highway into my family’s driveway, the beam of the headlights from my Ford pickup flashed across the window of Kate’s bedroom and I couldn’t believe my eyes.

Kate was naked and tied to her bed post. One of her high school girlfriends was flailing her exposed backside mercilessly with a leather strap. She was begging and shaking her head, but her teenage tormentor spanked her crimson bottom relentlessly.

As soon as I stopped my pickup, I shook my head furiously trying to rid it of the shocking image, but it remained ingrained in my brain.

I had no alternative. I had to sneak back to Kate’s bedroom window and investigate.

If I didn’t get the matter resolved in my mind, I felt as if I’d go insane. I got down as low as I could and duck walked across the yard to Kate’s window. I might have simply run, but I didn’t want to cast any long shadows that would alert my folks or hers.

When my efforts finally delivered me to Kate’s window, I slowly raised my head and peeped through the window pane. I didn’t know the strawberry blonde wearing blue jeans and a tank top, but she wielded a leather strap expertly. Every blow left angry red blotches across Kate’s young turned up bottom.

Every instinct told me that I shouldn’t enjoy such cruelty and violence, but I felt as if I were hypnotized by the soft grunts Kate emitted each time the leather strap burned its way across her soft buttocks.

The strawberry blonde finally let the leather strap fall to her side. "I think you’ve had enough for now. I want you to use the next thirty minutes to think about how bad you’ve been and how much more punishment you deserve. When I return, I’ll ask you questions. If you don’t have the right answers for me when I get back, I’ll decide how much more punishment you deserve and I don’t think you want that!"

I wanted to stay and see what Kate decided, but I felt depraved for enjoying someone else’s pain. If I didn’t take that opportunity to leave, I felt I’d forever be lost. I willed myself to back away from Kate’s window and walk across the driveway to my house.

If I’d stayed and watched Kate’s entire punishment, I doubt I’d have felt more lost than I was in bed that night. I didn’t sleep a wink. I couldn’t stop thinking about how much more punishment Kate felt that she deserved for being a bad girl, but my real torment began the next morning.

When Kate came over to borrow a cup of sugar, my mother and I’d just finished our breakfast. While my mother went to get the sugar, Kate decided to have a chat with me.

"How did you like what you saw last night? Did you wish that you could’ve taken Susan’s place and spanked my bottom?"

I felt my face burning. "I don’t know what you’re talking about!"

She laughed. "Yes you do. When the beam of your headlights flashed across my bedroom, I figured you’d come back and take a peep at what was going on. I’ll admit that most of my attention was focused in other places, but when you came back and peeped through my window, I saw you. I even know when you left. Don’t you wish you’d stayed and watched the finish? It was hot. Really hot!"

I blustered "I don’t know what you’re talking about! Why don’t you go home?"

She put her finger to her lips. "Not so loud! Do you want your mother to hear our conversation? So you don’t know what I’m talking about. Do you want to know what I’m talking about? I’m sure that Susan will let us borrow her strap. When do you want us to go out, so you can try it out on me?"

I stared at her dumbfounded. "You can’t be serious! You’re just a baby. I might hurt you."

"I’ll be nineteen next Wednesday and I’ve taken on more than you can lash out. If you don’t believe me, you can ask anyone in my family. It’s a tradition in my family. We settle our family disputes with spanking contests. We see who can take the most. I can take more punishment than my big brother. Besides, I haven’t seen you out with anyone lately. You haven’t been out with anyone since you were out with Barbara three years ago."

I gulped. "You’ve got to be kidding me! Your big brother is six feet six inches tall and weighs more than two hundred pounds. How could a little thing like you endure more punishment than he could?"

She smiled coyly at me and twisted her backside toward me. "It’s amazing! Isn’t it? If you come over tonight, we’ll uncover the little miracle and you can see for yourself what it can endure!"

I put my hands on her shoulders and turned her toward the door. "Get out of here! I’m not going to do anything with you tonight and it’s none of your business if I see anybody because I’m not seeing you!"

After she left, I thought about everything she’d said. I had no intention of letting a smart mouthed kid dictate my personal life, but she was right about one thing. I hadn’t spent any time with a woman in a long time and Mr. Johnson had just hired a redheaded clerk that I definitely wanted to know.

When I went to work the next morning, I’d made up my mind to ask out Elizabeth, the new clerk. I needed a woman in my life and Kate needed a reason to stop pestering me for a date.

As soon as we got a coffee break at work, I approached the check out line in the front of the store. "You don’t know me, but I’m Paul Thomas. I work in the back of the store cutting meat. That’s why you haven’t noticed me, but I’ve really been admiring you. If you don’t have a boyfriend or husband, I’d really like to go out with you. What do you say?"

She flashed her gray eyes and her face broke into a grin. "I don’t have anyone. I’m a journalism major and I graduated from Dyson University a year ago. I just managed to screw up my courage and come to the big city to get a reporter job at a real newspaper, but I haven’t had any luck yet. I had to take this job as a check out girl until I can find something at a newspaper.

I’ve been wanting to get to know someone in this town, but I never expected to be asked out so abruptly. Where do you want to go anyway?"

"I thought we’d go on a picnic Saturday afternoon. I have a friend that has a log cabin down on the Silvy River. It’s a very romantic spot. Would you like to go there with me Saturday afternoon?"

She looked hesitant. "I’m really not a good cook. Would I be expected to prepare anything?"

I smiled. "I’m more interested in getting to know you than I am in your culinary ability. Can you throw together some sandwiches, bring some potato chips, and a couple of sodas?"

She appeared relieved. "I guess I can do that. What time do you want me to be ready?"

"Since you won’t have to do any cooking, I thought I’d pick you up around ten. Where do you live?"

She wrote down directions to the trailer park she lived in, handed them to me, and we both got back to work.

I met her Saturday morning in my pickup in front of her driveway on Green Street and let her in. "I hope you’ve been looking forward to today as much as I have. It’s a perfect Carolina day. Have you ever been on a picnic?"

"No. But I’ve always wanted to go on one. I just hope I brought enough food. Do three ham sandwiches for you and two for me sound right?"

"As I told you earlier, the purpose of a picnic isn’t to make a meal. It’s a chance for us to get to know each other. Relax and enjoy yourself or you’ll miss out on the best experience of your life."

She smiled nervously. "I’ll try. After we eat, what do we do?"

I pointed my thumb toward the back of my pickup. "I brought my rods and reels. I thought we’d get in a little fishing. Have you ever been fishing?"

"No. When you’re an only daughter, you don’t get any chances to go fishing, but you know us writers. We’re willing to try anything once. How much farther is it to your friend’s cabin?"

I looked at the dirt road in front of me. "It’s just around the next curve, but don’t expect too much. Ted just designed it as a place to eat and throw out a couple of sleeping bags."

The tiny log cabin came into view at that moment. Her eyes grew wide. "It’s charming! It’s tiny, but if I remember right, the origanal log cabins were no bigger than this. It looks as if it’s made of telephone poles instead of pine logs. That’s not an original idea."

I parked my Ford pickup next to the log cabin. "It also has a cement floor. If it wasn’t for the cement and telephone poles, the Silvy River would wash it out or rot it every winter, but I’ll tell Ted that you liked the idea of it.

There’s a cement porch on the other side of the cabin. You take the picnic basket and I’ll get my fishing equipment. We’ll meet at the cement porch and eat."

She slid out of my pickup and reached into its bed for the picnic basket. "I do like the log cabin and I do understand the need for the cement and telephone poles, but the wilderness is so pristine here that I wish the log cabin could also be pristine."

I got my fishing gear from the rear of my pickup. "If Ted could’ve made it pristine, he would have. It just wasn’t practical to use pristine material. You have to admit that it’s beautiful as it is."

"Yes. It is beautiful. It’s just hard not to wish it could be more beautiful."

We walked around the log cabin and met on the cement porch. She sat down the picnic basket and spread out a quilt. I put down my fishing gear and sat down on the quilt.

I looked around. "This is pretty. Did you make it?"

She passed me a soda and ham sandwich. "I’m afraid not, but before Granny Julie died, I helped her to make it. I was only six years old and I doubt I was much help, but I was there. Aren’t grandparents wonderful and encouraging?"

I took a bite from a sandwich. "They sure can be. I was just seven years old and Grandpa John gave me a tool kit. I didn’t even know what to do with it, but he let me help him build a garage at his house. I came away from that experience with a great self image."

She took a swallow from her soda and smiled. "Your grandfather sounds like he was a great person. Is he still alive?"

I finished stuffing the rest of my first sandwich into my mouth. "No. He was pulling up some weeds on a hot day about ten years ago and had a stroke. I miss him very much. We used to go on fishing trips together and everything. He probably contributed more to my childhood than anyone."

She finished her sandwich and sipped from her soda. "I’m sorry! It’s always hard to lose someone you love. I can’t say that my grandfather ever taught me to go fishing. I’ll have to let you do that. Are you about ready or are you going to chicken out?"

I dropped some potato chips into my mouth and chewed them up. "I still have another sandwich and you’re just starting on your second one. As soon as we finish eating, we’ll go fishing. Will that be all right?"

She bit into her second sandwich. "It’ll have to be all right, but I am looking forward to going fishing for the first time. I’m not exactly thrilled at the prospect of baiting my hook and getting worm guts on my hands, but I want to experience it all. I don’t want you to spare me anything. Agreed?"

I bit into my last sandwich and burst out laughing. "Agreed. You aren’t like any woman I’ve ever known. Most women are reluctant to try new things, but you glory in trying new things. Have you ever backed down from anything?"

She finished her sandwich and smiled coyly at me. "Nothing legal! Would you want me any other way?"

I finished my last sandwich. "No. You’re exactly like I want you. Are you ready to go fishing?"

She tossed back the last of her soda. "I’m ready when you are."

I finished my soda and stood up. "I’ve got to get my fishing gear and those worms that excite you so much. Do you want to come with me?"

She nodded her head, jumped up, and walked over to my side. I put my arm around her shoulders. "I thought you’d come with me. You don’t ever back down from anything."

After we got my two rod and reels, a can of worms, and my fishing box, we made our way down a path to a spit of sand at the edge of the Silvy River. I thought that she’d baulk when I showed her how to thread a worm onto a fish hook, but she only wrinkled her nose and acted as if she were sick.

It took her three attempts to cast her leaded line where I told her to put it, but she did it. She then looked back at me. "Why did you want me to cast it there?"

"The river is down today. That means the fish will be congregating in the deep holes in the bottom of the river. If we fish in those holes, we should have a better chance of catching fish."

She looked at me. "That makes sense. What do we do now?"

I sat down on the white sand. "We prop our fishing rods on the sticks somebody left here and wait for the fish to bite. Even if nothing bites, it’s relaxing to sit beside the river, but the fish will bite."

My prediction came true. By four o’clock, each of us had caught a half a dozen bream that weighed at least a pound each. As she was putting her latest catch onto our string, she looked back at me. "This is fun, but I’m getting hot and tired. I wish I could go swimming. The water looks so cool and clear."

I shrugged my shoulders. "Why don’t you? It’s a little dangerous because of the dam at Lake Dyson. They might release some water and raise the river level at any moment, but you’ll have a little warning. When Ted and I were growing up, we went swimming here all the time."

She smiled coyly at me. "I didn’t bring a swimsuit , but I said I’d try anything legal. Is it legal to go swimming in the nude here?"

"I really don’t know. I’ve never asked anyone, but if you don’t tell anyone, I won’t."

She laughed and started to undress. "I’m sure you won’t!"

I watched her disrobe and dive into the water. I could then see her magnificent body gliding through the water just beneath the surface. Only the back of her head and her buttocks broke the surface of the water.

When she reached the other side of the river, she stood up and looked back at me. "Aren’t you going to join me? The water’s fine."

"If you don’t mind, I’ll join you, but I’ve never gone skinny dipping with a woman. I don’t want to do anything to offend you."

"If nothing I have offends you, nothing you show me will offend me. Come on in!"

I looked at her breasts hanging from her chest as if they were ripe melons and the fiery patch of hair between her thighs. I saw nothing that offended me and began shucking off my jeans. "I’ll be right with you, but if you knew what I have in mind for you, you wouldn’t be looking so happy."

She tossed her red mane out of her eyes and flashed me an even broader grin. "Whatever do you mean Mr. Thomas? I told you that I didn’t do anything illeagal. Don’t tell me that you’re going to do something illeagal and take advantage of my vulnerable state!"

I laughed. "I wouldn’t do anything like that, but you have broken the rules. It’s not nice for a voluptuous woman like you to tempt a poor innocent like me. I’m going to to put you over my knee and spank your white bottom until it’s all nice and pink. "

She giggled and reached down to splash water in my direction. "No, not that! Take this, you villain."

I covered my face with my hands and started toward her. I managed to block most of the water from my eyes, but some got through and burned as if she’d tossed pepper in them. It just made me more determined to burn her bottom.

Before I reached her, she began screaming and splashing more furiously, but it did no good. I soon had her over my knee and I began slapping that perfect white bottom.

She instantly began kicking and tried to cover her bottom with her hands. I removed them and continued smacking her bottom until it had a nice pink glow. I then let her stand up.

We played and frolicked in the river for almost an hour, but she remained quiet. I then looked at her. "It’s been fun, but I’m supposed to be home by five o’clock. I’ll never make that, but I believe it’s time we were leaving."

She stood up and let the water drip off her tantalizing nipples.

"That’s all right with me. All this swimming has me tired and hungry anyway."

After we waded ashore and got dressed, we carried my fishing gear, a can of worms, and our fish back to my pickup. When we had everything placed in the rear of my pickup, we climbed into the front and left the Silvy River underneath a brilliant sunset.

As we rode back toward the main highway, she looked over at me. "I don’t know about you, but I enjoyed today more than any date I ever had. I doubt my mother would’ve approved, but that might be what’s wrong with my life. I’ve been trying too hard to win my mother’s approval."

I turned onto the main highway. "If your mother wouldn’t have approved of the last part of our date, I know you’ve been trying too hard to win your mother’s approval. I really liked that part!"

She punched me in the shoulder. "I figured you’d like that part! Is that all I am to you? A stripper!"

"No. I didn’t mean it that way. I enjoyed the rest of our date. We had better conversation than I’ve ever had with a woman, but I had to like the last part of our date the best. After all, I am an American male."

She pouted. "Prove it! Do something to show me that you liked the rest of our date."

"How about if I asked you out on another date? If you don’t mind, I thought we’d grill some steaks at my house. If you’re worried about spending time alone with me, you shouldn’t be. I still live at home with my mother. I didn’t plan to still be home and I can afford a place of my own. I just never went through that rebellious streak that causes most young people to leave home."

She looked up at me. "If I could’ve found a job in my small hometown, I doubt I’d have ever left home either. I guess that gets you off the hook. What time do you want to pick me up?"

"How does six o’clock sound? That’ll give you an hour to get home from work and change clothes."

She brushed a strand of red hair from her eyes. "Six o’clock will be just fine with me, but you still haven’t told me what day you’re going to pick me up."

I thought a moment. "If it’s all right with you, I’ll pick you up Wednesday."

"That’ll be fine with me also. I get off early on Wednesdays and I will have time to get myself ready for our big date."

"Don’t expect too much. I’m not the most romantic of men and I didn’t play quarterback on my high school football team."

She laughed. "That’s all right! I know that you’re refreshingly honest and that means more to me."

I then stopped my pickup in front of her trailer and let her out. "I had fun and would like to get out, but I’m already late. I’ll be counting the hours until Wednesday evening."

She stopped and turned around to flash me a smile. "I wouldn’t admit this to another man, but I had fun and will also count the hours until Wednesday evening.".

When Wednesday evening finally came, I got dressed in some comfortable blue jeans and a cotton shirt. I then got into my Ford pickup and drove across town to pick up Elizabeth.

As soon as I drove into the trailer park, I saw Elizabeth sitting on the patio in front of her trailer. She was dressed in a black silk see through blouse and red hot pants. The sight of her almost took my breath away.

I started waving my arms in an attempt to get her to notice me. She did and waved back. She then got up from her yard chair and started walking toward my pickup.

When she entered my pickup and scooted over next to me. I wrapped my arm around her shoulders. "I thought I told you to wear something casual."

She felt the pickup lurch forward. "You did, but I like pretty clothes. Ask anyone who knows me. Are you very disappointed?"

"I’m not disappointed. I like that blouse. I’ve never seen any material like it."

After a few minutes, we arrived at my house. We kissed each other, exited my pickup, and entered the house.

When Mama had left for her club meeting, she’d put two steaks out on the table to thaw just as she’d promised. I looked over at Elizabeth. "When I asked you out, I didn’t know it, but Mama won’t be here. She had a club meeting tonight. I hope you don’t mind being alone with me because it looks like it’s just going to be you and I."

She smiled at me coyly. "I actually prefer to have you alone. It’ll give us a better chance to talk like we did on the river. Did you like our talk as much as I did?"

"I enjoyed everything about that day, but I especially liked looking into your gray eyes and talking to you. You go and relax on the patio and I’ll prepare our steaks."

After she left, I put sauce on our steaks and prepared them for grilling. I then found some lighter fluid and charcoal. When I had everything, I started out the door to grill our steaks.

I couldn’t believe the sight that met my eyes. Kate and Elizabeth were sitting and talking in two lawn chairs as if they were old friends. The sight destroyed my good mood and nearly took my appetite.

After tossing some charcoal into the grill and pouring some lighter fluid over it, I lit it. I then replaced the stainless steel rack over the charcoal and spread the steaks out over it.

As I grilled the steaks, I tried to listen to the conversation between Kate and Elizabeth. I heard a few words, but their radio muffled most of the sounds.

The harder I tried to make sense of their conversation, the angrier I got. When Kate finally left to go home, I was fuming.

I turned to look at Elizabeth and boomed. "What the hell did she want?"

Elizabeth stared at me. "She said that she was your friend and lived next door. Is that right? What did I do wrong?"

I used a spatula to take the steaks off the grill and placed them in a pan. "You didn’t do anything wrong. I’m sorry I raised my voice at you. As far as it goes, everything she told you is true. I just don’t like to have her hanging around because she’s a pest. What did she tell you?"

"I don’t know why you don’t like her. I thought she was charming. After we eat our steaks, we’re invited to her house for a game of submission, whatever that is."

My heart dropped into my stomach. "That’s a spanking contest! That’s what that is! Her family used to hold spanking contests to see who could absorb the most punishment. That’s how they used to settle their arguments and she always won! Didn’t your folks ever spank you as a kid? I hope you didn’t accept her invitation!"

She blushed. "My folks didn’t spank me, but when my friends used to talk about how their folks spanked them, I got so excited. You’re the only one who has ever spanked me. That’s why I got so quiet on our picnic last Saturday. Getting spanked with a strap like my friend, Mary, used to get spanked with has always been a secret fantasy of mine and I just couldn’t stop thinking about it. I accepted her invitation and I’m glad I did. I’ll finally get to feel what it’s like!"

I sighed. "I don’t think you know what you’re asking for. She always absorbed more punishment than her big brother and he’s huge, but you’re a big girl and you have a right to make up your own mind about things. I just hope the stakes won’t be too high. I’ll just run into the house to get some potato chips and canned Coca-Colas."

"Thanks for understanding! I am a big girl, but that fact doesn’t keep me from being a bit nervous. I’ve never done this before and I don’t need to be teased about it."

I sat the two steaks on the picnic table in front of Elizabeth. "If you’d experienced ten thousand spankings, you’d still be nervous. I was always nervous. It’s all a part of getting a spanking. Enjoy the feeling. You asked for it! I’ll be back in a minute."

After I’d given my little speech, I went inside to search for a bag of potato chips, paper plates, and two canned Coca-Colas. I quickly found the bag of potato chips on the counter where Mama said they’d be, but I had some trouble finding the Coca-Colas. They were in the far back of the refrigerator.

When I returned outside and put the potato chips and Coca-Colas on the picnic table, I found Elizabeth deep in thought. "Still nervous? You know you won’t get any better until this spanking is over and it will begin again with your next spanking."

She slowly smiled. "I’m still nervous, but it’s a good nervous. This is something that I’ve fantasized about all my life. I shouldn’t tell you this, but I’ve even tried to spank myself a few times. Do you really believe I’ll do it again? I thought I’d do it once and get it out of my system."

I placed the steaks on paper plates and started cutting mine up. "I don’t know what Kate has planned, but you’ll like this much better than spanking yourself. I also believe you’ll want to get spanked again. When your bottom heals up, you’ll start remembering the sensation and long for it to happen again. You won’t think so at first, but you’ll eventually start fantasizing about it again."

She dropped a piece of steak into her mouth and started chewing. "You seem to know a lot about it. Were you ever spanked as a boy? Did you ever fantasize about it?"

I blushed and continued chewing up my potato chips. "When I was little, Daddy spanked me every day. Any judge would’ve convicted him of child abuse. That was why my folks split up.

I never longed for it back then, but when I worked late the other night, I came home and caught Kate letting one of her high school friends spank her. I haven’t gone five seconds without thinking of getting spanked from that night until now. Before you told me about your spanking fantasies, I thought I was going crazy. How could I want to go through that again?"

She almost choked on a mouthful of potato chips and Coca-Cola. When she’d recovered from her attempt at laughter, she eyed me. "So that’s what she meant! When she said you were overdue an attitude adjustment, I didn’t know what she meant. Are you going to let her spank you?"

I finished chewing up the last of my steak. "No way! If anyone spanks my bottom, it’s going to be someone I trust and respect. Spanking is all about trust. When I have my clothes on, I don’t trust Kate behind me. I’m certainly not going to remove my clothes and trust her behind me, but I might learn to trust you someday."

She began to get up from the picnic table. "Thank you! I hope to earn your trust someday. Right now, we have an appointment with Kate. Are you ready?"

I stood up. "As soon as we toss our empty Coca-Cola cans and paper plates into that barrel over yonder, I’ll be ready. Does your bottom tingle with anticipation about what’s coming next?"

She nodded her head. "Is it always like this?"

"It was every time for me. It might be what I miss. I’m not sure. Be quiet now. If we listen carefully, we might hear someone else spanking Kate."

We heard nothing. I stopped Elizabeth just before I knocked on Kate’s door. "I didn’t hear anything. It looks like we’re going to be the only ones invited to Kate’s little party."

Just as I got the words out of my mouth, Kate opened the door. "I’m glad you could make it. I was waiting on you. I have everything all prepared."

I gulped. "If it had been left up to me, we wouldn’t have come, but Elizabeth wants to experience this. I hope you don’t disappoint her!"

She backed up to a sofa and picked up a leather strap almost two inches wide and fourteen inches long. "I aim to please, lover. Do you think this looks disappointing, Elizabeth?"

Elizabeth felt shivers run up her spine and her mouth grew dry. She croaked. "No. My best friend, Mary, showed me one just like that that her daddy used to use on her. I always wondered how it felt."

Kate grinned wickedly and brought the leather strap down on the arm of the sofa with all her strength. When the leather strap struck the exposed wooden arm of the sofa, it made a loud crack. "I hope that helps your imagination. Now, get those shorts and panties off. It’s time that your backside gets a taste of the real thing. I’m sure that our friend, Paul, has told you why you’re here."

I spoke up. "She knows why she’s here, but I hope you don’t expect me to take part in your games. If you don’t mind, I’ll just stand over here and watch."

She held out the leather strap to me. "I do mind. You won’t have to remove your clothes. You’ll just be asked to strap us girls. You see this is a test of endurance and the girl that can take the most gets the prize."

I accepted the leather strap. "This should be fun. What’s the prize?"

She slipped down her blue jeans and panties. "You are! Didn’t your girlfriend tell you?"

I looked over at Elizabeth’s naked body. "Is this the truth, Elizabeth? What possessed you to make such a bet? This girl has been receiving spankings for years. She even tolerated more punishment than her big brother could. Your virgin bottom won’t have a chance against her experienced bottom. I thought you said you liked me and wanted to be with me."

She hung her head. "I do like you and I’m sorry I made such a foolish bet, but if you want me to win, I will win. I have great determination. If my bottom lacks the toughness of her more experienced bottom, I’ll more than compensate for my tender behind with my determination. Just make my spanking as hard as you make hers. I want to win you fair and square. If her big brother had loved someone as special as you, he’d have tolerated more than she did. You do want me to win you. Don’t you?"

I felt frustrated. "Of course I want you to win! I love you! You don’t have to worry about the contest being fair. I’m tempted to make your spanking harder than I make hers because you got us into this mess."

Kate stood behind the sofa bent over with her fists clenching its back. She laughed at my comment. "Assume the position next to me, Elizabeth. I’ll explain the rules of our contest to you."

Elizabeth ran around to the back of the sofa, bent over, and clenched the sofa’s back just like Kate. "What are the rules? You may not believe it yet, but I’m going to beat you and I’m going to do it fair and square."

Kate laughed. "Sure you are! The rules are that Paul alternates giving us five lashes each. The first girl to remove her hands from the back of the sofa loses. We can dance around and holler all we want. Understand?"

Elizabeth nodded. "My hands won’t move."

Kate looked across the room at me. "Fire when ready, Paul. Start with me because when your girlfriend sees and hears what she’s in store for, I expect she’ll give up."

I thought that she was probably right and walked around behind her. I swung the strap with all my might and it landed with a crack. I expected her to respond with a loud scream, but she answered with the soft grunt I’d heard nights earlier.

When I finished giving Kate five lashes with the strap, I stepped over behind Elizabeth and swung the strap with all my might. It once again landed with a loud crack, but she rewarded me with the howls of protests that I’d expected to hear from Kate.

Every blow from the leather strap produced angry red blotches across the buttocks of each girl. When I had delivered twenty lashes to the buttocks of each girl, their bottoms looked deeply sunburned.

I didn’t know how Elizabeth could take much more. Kate was using many of the pain control techniques I’d heard Aunt Paula discussing for her natural child birth classes, but Elizabeth was doing nothing to manage the pain.

She kept her hands glued to the sofa’s back, but her screams had become hideous. Her legs propelled her bottom into the air with each crack of the leather strap and tears ran down her face. I almost wanted her to give up, but she steadfastly refused.

When I’d delivered fifty lashes across each girl’s buttocks, their bottoms seemed as red as ripe tomatoes. If I held my hand six inches from either girl’s backside, I could feel the heat radiating from it. I wanted to ask Elizabeth to capitulate, but I also wanted her to force Kate to endure as much punishment as possible.

After each girl had endured eighty lashes across her buttocks, Elizabeth was screaming continuously and Kate’s pain control techniques were failing her. I could see tears streaming down her face.

I stepped back to flail Kate five more times with the leather strap and she stood up. "Enough is enough. No man is worth this. If she wants you this bad, she can have you."

A smile crossed my face and I dropped the leather strap. I ran over and pulled Elizabeth up from where she was bent over the sofa. "We won! We won! Kate capitulated!"

Elizabeth couldn’t stop crying. It took me thirty minutes to calm her down. When she finally quit crying, she smiled at me. "I told you that if you believed in me, I could do it."

"Yes, you did. To show you how much I believe in you, I need to ask you another question. Will you marry me?"

She instantly hugged me. "Yes! But promise me that there’ll be no more spanking for a while."

I laughed. "I promise! When another spanking is needed, I’ll endure it for you."