This time he really did growl. And curse. Now he understood why so many of his friends liked spanking their women. Or man, in Olivia’s case. Not in the fun, sexy way he’d done last night either. The urge to go hunt Sharon down and slap her ass for being so blasé about her safety was nearly overwhelming.

Not that he should be surprised. After all, this was the woman who was advertising for a roommate she didn’t need on the internet. Something else he didn’t understand, or think was particularly safe. She’d lucked out in California when she’d gotten Kate as a roommate. She might not be so lucky again.

Unfortunately, he didn’t really have the right to say anything about that. At the very least, he could do something about her leaving so abruptly and on her own.

Jake: Next time wake me up so I can walk you out to your car and text me when you get home so that I know you’re safe, please.

The wait for her return text was much longer than before and he grinned, sure that she was huffing to herself. He wasn’t asking for anything crazy. In fact, he wasn’t asking for anything that she and her friends didn’t already do for each other when they were out late. Still, he was sure she was fighting the urge to tell him to stick his request up his ass. Just because it was him.

Eventually his phone buzzed with her answer.

Sharon: k.

The single letter might as well have been accompanied by her sticking her tongue out at him. Little brat. That’s what the Doms at Stronghold called her, and Jake whole-heartedly agreed. Heck, even Sharon agreed. She reveled in it.

Yup, he was starting to see the appeal of actual spankings and not just little fun-time taps.

Shit, were his kinky friends starting to rub off on him? Or was that just the effect Sharon had on him?

Either way... He sent her another text.

When am I seeing you again?

Since he was fully awake, he made himself get up while he waited for her answer, which came before he’d finished making the bed.

I’ll be at Stronghold on Friday - after? 

A small smile curved his lips.

Works for me.

It worked for him. He could hit up Stronghold, enjoy some erotic people watching, and then take out his pent-up arousal on Sharon... which would simultaneously fulfill one of the fantasies he’d been having for months.

Feeling a lot more energized than he had a few minutes ago, he finished making his bed and went to get ready for the day.

There was a certain swing Sharon got to her walk when she was feeling good about how she looked.