‘Yeah … why not …’ I panted. ‘Seems a shame … for Trix …’
‘OK,’ said Jasper. ‘Trix. Put down your tea and let’s have you over here, then.’
She couldn’t have been happier. She rushed inside the kitchen, didn’t even bother to put on boots but shimmied out across the snow in slippers, a robe and a brief nightgown.
Jasper made her take the robe off and I could only imagine how perishing cold she was in the little silky nightie that barely covered her bum. He was out of rope, so he made her stand facing the trunk of the tree, at right angles to me.
I saw her shivering and clenching her fists, but she made not one word of protest. When he ordered her to lift her nightdress and bare her bottom, she obeyed immediately.
I had a time of respite in which to become extremely aware of the melted snow in my bra and the slow return of life to my nipples, not to mention the burn of my backside. I watched Jasper apply his switch to Trix’s bottom a good dozen times. The red lines built up quickly and chaotically until her cheeks were cross-hatched with them. She didn’t cry out once.
He left her to it, and peeled my knickers down to mid-thigh. I made no attempt to stop him. Somehow, somewhere along the line, I had nose-dived into subspace. I was beyond the capacity to resist him.
‘This won’t last much longer,’ he said softly. ‘I want you to have the last of it, on your bare bottom, Sarah. I can’t thank you enough for this. I am very proud of you, and I love you very much.’
The last few strokes hurt so much on skin that was already boiling hot and sore. I sobbed through them and then saw, through the haze, Dimitri and Rosie watching transfixed from the fringe of the woods.
I was pleased they could see this. I wanted them to come closer. I wanted them to cheer Jasper on, tell him I should get more and harder strokes, offer to cut fresh switches for him.
But that was a subspace thing, a delirium – much more of this and he would break the skin.
The rods broke first, one by one, falling at my heels.
Trix stood, her skirts obediently high, her bottom rapidly cooling, sighing with jealousy at my harsher treatment.
‘Such a lucky girl,’ she breathed.
‘You’ll both be standing for breakfast,’ said Jasper, throwing down his curtailed bunch of rods.
Rosie and Dimitri ran over to us, but Jasper waved them into the kitchen.
‘There’s everything you need to make breakfast set out on the table,’ he said. ‘I’ll be in shortly. Trix – you’re in charge of the kettle. Chop chop.’
He clapped his hands and Trix dropped her nightie and ran after Rosie and Dimitri, still flushed with pleasure.
I felt my whole body collapse where I had held it taut. The rope alone held me up while the rest of me flopped. Jasper stood behind me and kept me from marking my wrists on the rope by wrapping his arms around me. I melted into him, just as the snow had melted in my bra, leaving it wet.
Somewhere in my consciousness there was cold, somewhere else there was hunger, but it all seemed very far away. More importantly, there was Jasper.
‘Is it good form,’ I said faintly, ‘leaving your guests to prepare their own breakfasts?’
He squeezed and I felt the pressure on my ribcage with joy and gratitude.
‘Never mind that,’ he said. ‘It’s extremely bad form to play a scene and then leave your submissive with no aftercare.’
‘Ah,’ I said, my eyes shutting. ‘Priorities.’
‘Yes. And my priority is you.’ He paused. ‘I can’t believe that just happened.’
‘Neither can I,’ I whispered.
‘What happened? What changed your mind?’
‘I don’t know. It just seemed right. Maybe it was seeing Rosie with Dimitri last night. He was so proud of her and she was glowing at playing that scene for him – really glowing. I suppose perhaps I wanted to know how that felt.’
‘Right. And how did it feel?’
I exhaled deeply, my thoughts too heavy to hold on to.