Free Tell Me by Ashe Barker

watched him, puzzled.
    “May I ask what those are, Sir?” She would never usually question him during a scene, but this seemed odd. Thea liked the familiar, she preferred no surprises.
    “Of course you may. It’s your contract.”
    “My contract? But we already negotiated our limits. We talked, we’re always talking. Why do we need to write it down?”
    He turned to her, his smile deceptively soft. “Not a BDSM contract. As you say, we talk those issues through. This is your contract of employment, Mrs Richmond. At Dart Logistics. Or perhaps it’s better described as your consultancy brief since you won't technically be my employee.”
    Thea was nonplussed. “What? Now? I prefer to read it later. At home, or at the office.”
    He shook his head. “No. You’ll read it here and now. And you’ll make notes.” He tossed a pen from his jeans pocket on top of the pile of papers. “I expect to see comments, and questions. Would you get on with that, please?”
    “If we’re to have a business discussion, perhaps I ought to get dressed…” She peered at him, confused. And upset. Was this some sort of rejection? Why? What had she done wrong?
    “Did I not instruct you to strip, less than ten minutes ago?”
    “Well, yes. But…”
    “In that case you can be certain I have no wish to watch you get dressed again just yet. Please stand up. Mrs Richmond. Come to the table and read this contract. Now.”
    “I don’t want to. Can I look at it later?”
    His gaze hardened. She had seen that look before. Not often, but enough to recognise what was coming next.
    “Thea, on your feet. Now. Bend over the table.”
    Still reeling from the conflicting thoughts ricocheting around her head, punishment was at least familiar territory, though Tony was not usually so unpredictable. Thea got to her feet and made her way to the table. She leaned on it, looking back over her shoulder at Tony.
    He selected one of the spoons and slapped the palm of his left hand with it. “Bend over, arse in the air. You’ll be getting two slaps, one on each side. For questioning my perfectly clear instructions. Then I’ll tell you again what I want you to do, and I hope this time you won’t find it necessary to prevaricate. Are you ready?”
    “Sir, I…”
    “Are you ready, Mrs Richmond?”
    Thea gave a sharp nod and lowered her torso onto the table top. Her breasts flattened against the cool, smooth oak as she lifted her bottom up for a punishment she didn't come close to understanding. This was developing into a scene she was finding more challenging than anything Tony had subjected her to at the club, and it had come out of nowhere. She was confused, off balance, desperately uneasy. Scared even. But even so, two strokes wasn’t much. She could handle that.
    “Aagh!” The first slap sent her to her toes, the pain burning through her left buttock. The stripes from yesterday’s caning were still slightly sore, but pleasantly so. This paddling with Tony’s kitchen implements would rekindle that tenderness, and she knew there would be nothing pleasant about these sensations. He seemed really pissed off with her.
    She managed to restrain her cries to a sharp hiss when he landed the second stroke on the right side. She was sure he’d spanked her as hard as he could, and it bloody hurt. She couldn’t tolerate much more if he was set on continuing like this.
    “Stand up.” His tone was curt, dripping with authority. Thea pushed herself up on her hands and turned to face him. Tears blurred her vision.
    “Do you feel more inclined to do as I say now, or should I repeat the lesson?” His expression was cold, his words clipped.
    Thea’s confidence shrivelled. What was happening? She nodded and reached blindly beside her for the documents. “May I sit to read them?”
    “No. You’ll stand at the table. I want you to place your hands on it and lean over, your feet spread as wide as you can. You’ll read your contract whilst showing me your