He put the car in reverse and backed out.
“Just so we’re clear, if you ever give me that passive-aggressive line about your phone being dead when you really just didn’t want to call me, I will bend you over my lap and spank your bare bottom until you can’t sit down.”
She gaped in surprise.
“And when I’ve finished paddling you raw, I will put a plug in your naughty ass and you’ll stand in the corner with your panties down and your red cheeks on display until I’m sure you’ve learned never to play games with Daddy.”
Heat flushed down her neck, across her breasts and to her core.Her bottom prickled at the threat.“It was true,” she said in a small, babygirl voice.
He lifted an eyebrow and she shrank in her seat.“I will spank you for lying, too.”
She chewed on her lip, trying to figure out if he meant it as a warning or if she’d just earned a spanking.“Youwouldspank me, or youwill?”
One corner of his mouth tugged up.“Consider it a warning, little girl.”
She couldn’t decide if she was relieved or disappointed.
Joel followedMarissa’s directions to her house and pulled into the circular drive.The mansion was enormous, three stories of balconies and marble fountains spitting water out front.It didn’t really seem like Marissa, but he didn’t say so.Probably her mother had picked it out.
He followed Marissa inside to find last night’s party still going on.Music blared on the stereo and beautiful drunk and stoned people stumbled around in partial nudity.
“There you are,” her sister exclaimed, zipping over.Her pupils were tiny, her skin pale and the muscles around her mouth pulled taut.Definitely coked up.She directed her gaze at him, reaching out to touch his chest.“Joel,” she purred, “so nice to see you at our humble abode.”She swept an arm out, almost knocking over the girl who’d come up behind her.
“Hi Marissa, hi Joel,” the girl said.He recognized her as the supermodel Marissa’s boyfriend had left her for.
He put his hand on Marissa’s hip.
“What’s going on?”her sister Bev asked.
“I just came to get some stuff.I’m going to stay at Joel’s while we’re shooting the rest of the movie.”
Bev arched a plucked brow.“Oh?Well, where’s the car?I needed it this morning.”
“Where’smycar?”Marissa asked, the tendons in her neck straining.
He rubbed his hand up and down her side.“It’s at Joel’s,” she said.
Seeing her inability to be direct, he said, “Marissa’s going to need her car while she’s staying with me.”
Bev stiffened.“Is that so?”
“Well, I’d better get going,” Marissa said.
“Aw, you’re leaving?”the model said.“I was hoping we could hang out.”
Marissa’s brow wrinkled and she opened her mouth, then shut it again.
“Sorry,” he said, propelling Marissa forward, “but we have to rehearse for the movie we’re filming.”
Marissa took the steps two at a time, as if she wanted to leave it all behind.He caught up with her on the landing, trailing her into what must be her room, although it didn’t appear to be the master bedroom of the house.She slammed her purse down with a loud huff.
“Hey,” he said, “what has you so riled up?”
“Are you kidding me?”she snapped, whirling to face him.“Did you see the state of the house?Those same people have been in my house for like, three days now.”
“So why didn’t you ask them to leave?”
Her hands balled into fists, her jaw thrust forward.“Why don’t you just keep out of it?”
