Cowboy Casanova (Rough Riders #12)(137)

head and secured her wrists to the brass rail running along the inside and outside of

the bartop.


She didn’t utter a peep when he restrained her legs in the same manner, but her

breaths were coming much faster.


“Oh and for the record? This isn’t playtime. You are bein’ punished.” Her body

shuddered as his fingertips skimmed the curves of her ass. “Do you know why you’re

bein’ punished?”


“Umm…initially? No. Now I know my punishment will be because I disobeyed you. God

forbid I put safety first by turning off the stove and preventing a fire hazard.”


“Are you still arguing with me?”


“You have to admit—”


“Silence!”


Ainsley sighed. Wearily.


“You disrespected me at Rielle’s place. Then you flat-out insulted me. That alone was

enough to earn you a few licks. But your absolute disobedience after the fact, in your

Dom’s home, has earned hefty consequences, Ainsley.”


“I understand. And I am sorry.”


Like hell you’re sorry. “Since we agreed early on spanking wasn’t a punishment, I’m

improvising. By my count you earned forty marks.”


“F-forty?”


“I’ll split them—twenty with the paddle, twenty with the ridin’ crop.”


She exhaled. “Thank you for not…just thank you.”


Ben didn’t like it that she flinched when he touched her. And why was she shaking so

hard? “You wanna tell me what’s goin’ on?”


“I’m f-fine.”


“No, you’re not. Tell me.”


“Don’t use the whip on me. Ever. Please. I-I’d use my safe word before I’d let you.

”


He froze. Hadn’t they discussed her hard limits? Didn’t she know he’d never…

Christ. This was f*cked up. “Ainsley. Look at me, please.”


She lifted her head, but her hair obscured her face. He gently brushed the silky

strands aside. “I’d never use the single tail on you. I know it’s a hard limit.”


“Then why is it on the counter?”


He felt like a total dickhead for using it as a scare tactic. “It was just in the bag,

” he lied.


She relaxed slightly. “Okay.”


Part of him wanted to call this punishment off. But a stronger part knew Ainsley needed

this lesson.


Why? So the next Dom she hooks up with will reap the benefits?


The thought of another Dom touching her made him insane.


Ben did grant a soft kiss on her forehead as he ran his palm up her bound arm. “Count

loud enough so I can hear or I won’t count it. And I better hear respect in that tone,

understand?”


“Yes. Sir.”


Using the paddle, he smacked her left butt cheek. The thwack bounced off the bar mirror

in an erotic echo.


“One. Sir.”


By the time he reached twenty smacks, Ainsley was very squirmy and his cock was

painfully hard. What a gorgeous sight, her ass a bright pink border between the white

skin of her back and thighs. He traced her butt crack until his fingers connected with