His Firm Hand (2 page)

“Well, you’re home right on time. Were the kids more compliant in school today?” Paul walked over and gave Michele a kiss on the cheek as she closed the door to the garage and entered the kitchen.

“There were no major catastrophes, and I didn’t pull every last shred of hair out of my head, so in my mind that’s a good day.” Michele tossed her tote bag down on the floor, hoisted herself up onto the barstool, and leaned on the smooth countertop. “Mmm, whatcha cookin’?”

“Dinner isn’t ready yet, so if you want, there’s time to run upstairs and shower. We have some things to talk about, and I thought we’d do that while we eat.”

Michele lazily straddled back off the stool and began to drag her feet toward the steps. “Please tell me we aren’t going to have one of
those
conversations where I end up over your knee. I’m really not in the mood tonight,” she whined a little too loudly.

“I hadn’t intended anything of the sort, but if you keep up that attitude, my agenda certainly can be altered.” Paul angled his head and waved a wooden spatula in her direction.

Michele’s pace quickened as she trotted up the stairs. Yesterday’s admonishment was still a clear memory, and she had intelligently decided that being a smart ass wouldn’t be in her best interest.

Making her way into the bedroom, she undressed in a hurry and threw her clothes onto the floor. But after reflecting on her actions, she turned around, picked up her things, and tossed them in the hamper.
Let’s not stoke the fire
.

Bending over to turn the water on, Michele waited patiently until it reached the right temperature before stepping into the shower stall.
Oh, my God, that feels so good
,
she thought as the hot, steamy water cascaded over the top of her head.
After pouring the thick orange and flowery scented shampoo into her hand, she reveled in the moment, massaging long fingers through her scalp. Taking a shower after a long day at work always seemed to put her mind back into a good place. She loved her career, but sometimes trying to motivate her students in a positive way was downright exhausting. English seemed to be one of those subjects that brought out the worst in the malcontents of the classroom. As a teacher, she knew how important it was to engage her freshmen students, whether they wanted to be there or not for the required course. But sometimes, the negative personalities just got under her skin.

On the bright side, her classes were over for the day and now there was a special dinner to look forward to. Slowly soaping her nether region, she had the passing thought that perhaps she should reward herself with one of her
special
showers. But as the image of Paul waiting for her downstairs with a wooden spatula in his hand returned to her brain, her fingers took the subtle hint and moved on.

After stepping out of the stall, Michele wiped a section of moisture away from the steamed mirror and toweled her petite, curvy body dry. Shaking out the excess droplets from her shoulder-length curly hair, she smiled remembering how Paul liked her natural look and even preferred that she not wear makeup or nail polish. He liked to boast that she was a natural beauty. Walking back into the bedroom, she savored the memory of her husband’s compliment and chose a pair of comfortable white silky pajama pants and a tight fitting low-cut T-shirt. After seductively checking her reflection from front to back in the bureau mirror, she headed downstairs.

“You never did say what was for dinner.” Michele eyed a cold glass of chardonnay on the counter as she entered the kitchen. “Is this for me?” she asked, quickly picking it up.

“We’re having blackened salmon with a side of mushroom risotto. I know it’s one of your favorites.”

“Oh, Paul, you’ve outdone yourself. Are you possibly feeling a little guilty for leaving my poor bottom so warm and red last night?” Instantly, she wished her last sentence could be shoved right back into her large mouth.

“We both know your delicate little backside deserved that spanking, and this spatula is looking quite versatile to me right now,” he answered in a stern manner, peering up from a recipe on the counter.

“Have a heart, Paul. Don’t you remember what those hard chairs at school are like to sit on?” Michele rubbed the back of her silky pajama bottoms for emphasis. “So what did you have in mind to discuss tonight?” she asked with mild trepidation and in an attempt to change the subject.

“Let’s get situated at the table and then we can talk.” Paul grinned as he plated a portion of blackened salmon and spooned a generous serving of risotto on the side. Graciously, he pulled a chair out for Michele to sit down and made sure she was comfortable before placing the steaming hot plate of food in front of her. Bringing his glass of wine to the table, he sat in the seat across from her. “Here’s to a new beginning,” he toasted.

“Why do I get the feeling that this will be my last glass of chardonnay in the middle of the week?” Her reddish-brown eyebrow arched in anticipation of his answer before clinking his glass.

“I did some thinking in between patients today.”

Michele shrugged her shoulders before taking a bite of salmon. “A psychiatrist who contemplates, how novel.”

“You’re already in character, I see.” His sparkling eyes narrowed playfully.

“Sorry,” she answered sheepishly.

“Now, as I was saying. We’ve been married for just a couple of years and it’s been wonderful. But—”

“But what?” she asked indignantly with an outstretched hand.

Paul let out a raucous laugh. “You’re the epitome of an impatient teenager who can’t wait for anyone to complete a thought.” He stopped and took a forkful of his risotto. “I was considering last night’s discussion on how to revive our lifestyle.” As Paul thoughtfully chewed, he watched Michele inhale a deep breath getting ready to speak and held up his hand. “Now before your beautiful lips start moving again, hear me out. What I’m suggesting is that on the weekdays we incorporate some age-play into our lives. Then on the weekends we can revert back to our regular adult relationship. We haven’t been adhering to the DD rules we agreed upon before we were married, but after thinking about it today, they all should still apply. Don’t you think so, sweetie?”

Michele pushed the food around on her plate before dramatically slouching into the seat.

“There, that’s it!” Paul pointed his finger at her.

“That’s what?”

“Your body language is the perfect example of a typical teenage response. See, you really are a natural at this.” Reclining back into the chair, he beamed with pleasure.

“I don’t know about that.” As Michele savored another sip from her wineglass, her eyes filled with concern that it might be her last drink on a Tuesday for a while. “So, let’s make sure I understand this. During the weekdays, we’re going to role
play that you’re the daddy and I’m your teenager.” She paused to think about how this was going to affect their relationship. “Does that mean we’ll only be able to have sex on the weekends?”

“Some things we’ll have to figure out as we go along. After all, it’s our story to write. I’m getting excited just thinking about all the fun we’ll have.”

Michele looked downward and noticed a small tent in his pants. “Yes, I can see that.”

He leaned forward and tipped his head to the side. “So, are we in agreement, my little Michelie?”

“Okay, I’ll admit that I also gave this concept some careful consideration today.” She paused, raising her wineglass in his direction. “Just be aware that I intend for my teenage years to be a lot more fun than they were the first time around.” She emptied the remaining amount of chardonnay in one gulp and winked.

Chapter Two

“You seem a little pensive this beautiful Saturday morning,” Dave observed before eagerly digging into his hash browns as they sat in the men’s grill room of their country club.

“Maybe it’s because you keep nailing me for twenty bucks every weekend on the golf course. You’d think I’d be smart enough to ask for more strokes,” Paul retorted, peering at his friend through narrowed eyes.

“Maybe a few lessons are in order. I can help with that.”

“Yeah, your help is what got me into this position. I think I’ll go see our pro after the round today.” Paul picked randomly at his scrambled eggs.

Dave leaned in closer. “Come on. I don’t think your golf game is the issue. What else is on your mind?”

“My patient load is heavy right now with the economy the way it is. There are a lot of worried people out there, and having someone to talk with outside the family eases their concerns. It’s gratifying when I can help folks through some of the tough times. And Michele just started back to school. We even—” The waiter interrupted by refilling their coffee cups.

“Thanks, Ray,” Dave said before returning his attention to Paul. “You know our wholesaler food business is down right now. People aren’t eating out as much, and my customers are cutting back on their orders. So the success in your practice is the inverse to my sales chart.”

“Dave, it’ll get better.”

“I’m not worried. Your twenty-dollar contribution every week continues to put bacon on the table,” Dave joked as he took a sip of his coffee. “Weren’t you about to tell me something about Michele before Ray came over to the table?”

“Just out of curiosity, have you and Marsha ever spiced up your marriage with a little role play?” Paul wiped his mouth as Dave choked on his coffee. “It’s pretty natural, my friend,” Paul said, patting him on the back. “I’ve recommended it in a few of my couples therapy sessions. It has the ability to relieve some sexual tension and can be a lot of fun.”

“Why in the hell are you bringing this up now? Geez—are you trying to throw off my game today?” Dave asked in between coughs.

“Relax, I’m more curious than devious.”

Dave looked around the grill room to see who else might be within earshot. “If you must know, we did enjoy that kind of thing before the kids were born. Sometimes, Marsha would dress for the part in costume. Is that what you’re talking about?” he asked in a hushed tone.

Paul nodded and smiled.

“Sure, we’ve indulged from time to time, but it’s been quite a while. Jesus, what’s up with you today? This isn’t exactly the kind of conversation we usually have before a round of golf.”

Paul waited for Ray to clear the table. “Dave, are you aware of the kind of relationship Michele and I agreed to before we were married?”

“Have you met my wife?” he asked facetiously. “Of course, Marsha has filled me in on all the details.” Dave leaned in close to speak quietly. “I don’t think that way of life could exist in my household. But to each their own, I always say.”

“Honestly, we’ve both been so busy—our lifestyle faded out. So to liven things up, we’ve decided to revive it and add a new dimension.”

Dave put up his hand. “Please don’t tell me you’re going to swing. I couldn’t handle the stories.”

Paul laughed. “No, we’re not into that. Have you ever heard of age-play?”

“Yes, I’m familiar. Why?”

“We’ve decided that Michele is going to play the part of a teenager during the week.”

“And I assume you’ll be the daddy?”

He nodded.

“Hey, if you think this is going to liven up your marriage, then who am I to argue?” He chuckled and elbowed his friend. “And if Michele needs any tips on how to be bratty, she can call any of the women in my family. We can set up a hotline,” he joked.

Paul knew before he started the conversation that Dave would be supportive—good friends always were. Quickly, he peered at the clock on the wall. “I guess it’s time for my weekly thrashing, Dave. Shall I pay in advance?”

* * *

“Michele!” Marsha Kurls exclaimed in a loud voice. “It isn’t like you to be on time, missy. Should I be worried?” she asked, hugging her young friend in the middle of their favorite diner.

Michele laughed as she squeezed her friend tightly. “No worries. I just wanted plenty of time to visit with my best buddy, that’s all.”

Marsha shook a finger at her as they were seated in a corner booth. “Come on, I know you better than that.” She accepted a menu from the hostess and smiled in appreciation.

Michele picked up her tightly wrapped bundle of utensils and carefully unrolled the contents. “Okay, there is something I wouldn’t mind sharing today, but first I need a cup of coffee.”

“Agreed.” Marsha nodded as their server approached with two steaming pots. “Thanks. We’ll both have the high octane, and you can keep it coming. We plan to be here for a while,” she said, throwing a friendly wink.

When Michele made sure the older waitress was out of earshot, she reached for the creamer and sighed. “I have so much to tell you.”

“I knew it,” Marsha answered with one eyebrow raised and instantly beckoned with a curved finger to their server, who was more than happy to rush over. After she walked away, Marsha leaned in close to her friend. “Spill, please.”

“God, I don’t know where to start.”

“The beginning is usually best, and lucky for you, I’m free all day.”

Michele cleared her throat and swallowed hard. “No, this time I’m going straight for the punchline.”

“That would be a different approach for you,” Marsha said facetiously with a smile.

Michele rolled her eyes before speaking. “You know Paul and I agreed to a domestic discipline lifestyle before we were married.”

“But you haven’t been participating lately, right?”

Michele nervously rearranged her silverware. “Well, now he wants to bring the rules back.” She hesitated before speaking again. “
In spades
.”

Marsha’s elbow touched the table as she moved in closer. “What in the hell does that mean?”

Michele took a deep breath. “He wants to pay more attention to me and liven things up with role play during the week.”

“Role play? Does he want you to play the part of a hooker? Dave and I did that once on a vacation in Bermuda. Oh, my God, we had so much fun at the bar that night. I didn’t have any panties on, and he got so excited in the elevator…”