I did as instructed, trying different ways of striking and getting feedback from her as I went, feeling completely out of my element.

“Okay, now try getting progressively heavier and seeing how it changes things. He’s really giving it to her in this scene, so you won’t actually be hitting Melody, but will need to know how to hit something convincingly.”

Melody. Right. My future onscreen girlfriend who I would be acting this out with next. I’d been apprehensive about how that would go on set, but no longer had any fears about it. If I could make it through this, that would be a cake walk.

I spanked Elena harder and harder, noticing she started to squirm and curl her toes as I got heavier. When I pointed this out to her, she said, “Look at you, Mr. Chase. Perfect observations without me having to tell you. What you’ve picked up on is that right about there would be my pain level sweet spot. I’m out of my comfort zone. It hurts, but it’s the kind of pain that’s exhilarating, that makes you feel a little wild. Not the kind of pain that makes you shut down. Some people want the kind that wipes everything else away, but I like to be right on that edge.”

I maintained that level, discovering that spanking her didn’t necessarily turn me on, but her reactions to being spanked did. I loved the idea that I was making her feel something so intensely she was having to curl her toes.

I felt more confident and powerful now, so I kicked it up a notch. She arched into it, but I could hear her controlling her breathing through her nose. It made me wonder what it had been like for her to do this professionally.

“So a pro sub…” I said, “does that mean guys paid to hit you?” I tried to keep the judgment out of my tone. I’d known she subbed, but was only now thinking through the implications of what that really meant.

“When you say it like that it sounds terrible, but in a manner of speaking, yes. A pro sub lets a client play out the other side of the fantasy, which is especially good for people with partners who aren’t willing to sub. It’s a good learning experience if you want to dom and it teaches you a lot about subtly controlling a scene, managing clients, and speaking up for yourself.”

I didn’t comment because I wasn’t sure how I felt about that. She sounded so matter-of-fact about it, but that’s how she sounded about everything.

I kept spanking, backing off the heavy stuff. I felt like I was doing way better.

She reached back and squeezed her ass cheek. “Don’t be afraid to sort of cup it, grab it, rub it. Remember, this is sexual. It’s not a drum.”

Christ, woman. As though I need to be reminded it’s sexual.

I bit my tongue. “Okay.”

I tentatively tried squeezing a little.