She lay there, frozen.Was she going through with this, in the light of day?Her mother would think he’d brain-washed her.Her agent would be furious about the pay cut.Should she let them try to negotiate with the studio and forget about this crazy arrangement with Joel?But if she backed out, would the studio still take her?Would Antonio?Or did that all hinge on Joel’s support?
She stood up and snatched up her clothes, running back to his bedroom.She yanked them on, hopping on one foot, then the other, her vision blurred with tears.His drapes were open, showing another spectacular view of the ocean.She heard the sound of his footsteps coming down the hall.She ducked down, sitting on the carpeted floor between the bed and the sliding glass doors, pressing the heels of her hands to her leaking eyes.She didn’t even know why she was hiding—it was absolutely ridiculous—but her brain was too jumbled to make sense of anything.
“Marissa?”
She held her breath.
“It’s okay, baby.We just need to talk.”
Was it absurd that she wanted him to find her but didn’t want to answer?She sniffed, giving away her position.
He walked around the bed and gazed down at her.She didn’t know what to expect.Would he be stern?Business-like?She didn’t dare look at him.
“Baby-girl,” he said softly, “everything’s going to be all right.I promise.”He squatted beside her.In the next moment, he pulled her into his arms, cradled like a child.“You’re scared and you’re feeling pulled in too many directions.You’re a pleaser by nature and you’re not sure you can please everyone.”
She couldn’t believe he nailed it.She burst into tears, burying her face in her hands.
He cradled her head to his chest, rubbing her ear with his thumb.“Shh.It’s going to be all right.”
“How?”
“I know it’s tricky, baby, but we’ll work it out.I promise.”
She sniffed, embarrassed her tears were wetting his chest.
He held a tissue to her face.“Blow,” he said.
She tried to take it from him, but he refused to give it.
“I said, blow, little girl,” he said, but his voice was gentle.
Joel held Marissa,pouring his strength into her.He hated that he hadn’t been able to head off this breakdown—he’d been trying to help her through it with the stress-relief spanking, but now he feared he’d backed her into a corner.
He wanted to tell her she didn’t have to do this with him, that he’d still help her get back on the movie, regardless.Except he couldn’t make himself say it.He truly did believe she’d be better off here, with him.He wanted to help her get her life back together.If he let her walk away now, she’d walk right back into the mess she left.He had no confidence in her finding her way out, when she hadn’t even been able to show up on time, even under the threat of being fired.And if he was completely honest, he would admit he didn’t want to give up this extremely hot opportunity for fantasy-fulfillment with her.He hadn’t dated anyone since his divorce and it suddenly felt like his heart had started beating again.He cared again.He desired again.
He rocked her, stroking her hair until the tears stopped.
“I think I do need that spanking now,” she sniffed.
He stilled.Had he heard that right?Hell, yeah!Not one to ever let a spanking go un-delivered, he maneuvered her into the face-down position.Her butt looked so cute in her tiny cut-offs, but he’d have to be careful not to leave marks on any part of her thighs because they didn’t cover much.
He spanked her with the jean shorts on first, just because they were too sexy not to spank over.When she began to wriggle, he requested she pull them down.
She reached back and shuffled her shorts and panties down.He closed his eyes to keep the mental picture.It was one of the most submissive poses—the lowering of panties while already over the lap.His cock strained against her hip, but he had no intention of getting his own needs met this morning—this was for Marissa.He kept it light, planning to give her enough time to settle into it.
She relaxed over his lap, not offering much protest in the form of wiggling or dodging.Gradually, he picked up the intensity.She began to gasp and jerk under his hand.He kept it at that level until she whimpered.
“Just a little more, baby girl.I want to be sure we get all your endorphins flowing.”
“Mmmph.”
He picked up the intensity just a little more and her head jerked up, her back arching as she squeezed her cheeks together.“Stay in position,” he warned.
“Is it enough?”she asked.
He bit back a laugh.“It’s enough when your Daddy says it’s enough,” he said firmly, still spanking hard.
“It hurts,” she whined, rolling her bottom from side to side like she might swim away.
