Traditional Change (5 page)

What exactly had happened, she didn't know. What her feelings were, she had no idea. All she knew was she had just been spanked for the first time in her life, and as much as it had stung like a son-of-a-bitch, she'd liked it—a lot.

Squatting in the flowerbed in Neely's backyard, Rebecca had just finished spilling her guts about her last tattoo session with Sawyer. Even though she'd left out the spanking part, she admitted to having a connection of some sort, and confessed that things had got 'heated'. But actually admitting to the fact that she'd been spanked yesterday just seemed bizarre. She couldn't believe it had happened herself. When Sawyer was done spanking her, she'd gathered her stuff, thanked him for the tattoo, apologized for fainting, and left. He had just spanked her bottom, and she'd hastily left! It seemed like he was going to try and stop her, but she didn't give him the chance as she bolted out the door.

She needed to talk to someone, and try to process the crazy bundle of emotions going through her. If anyone would understand, it would be Neely. And in turn, Neely benefited from some free manual labor, helping with weeding her garden.

"So, you're not going to see him again? Just like that?" Neely always did get straight to the point when she asked questions. As much as it was a pain in the ass sometimes, Rebecca had to admit she appreciated her friend being so forthcoming.

"Not until I get more work done on the tattoo. I have at least two more weeks of healing." She shrugged her shoulders and continued to pull at the weeds, grateful that she didn't have to make eye contact.

"And that's all it was? Just a momentary connection of some sort while getting a tattoo?"

"What are you getting at?"

Neely sighed, sat back on her haunches and dusted the dirt off of her hands. "You aren't fooling anyone, especially me. I know there is more, and you are just too damn stubborn to admit it."

Rebecca stopped weeding and turned to look at her friend. "Does it matter if there was? Sure, the fantasy of Sawyer is exciting, but the reality is just… well, it would just never work."

"Why? Because he's a tattoo artist? Because he's covered in head to toe tattoos? So what if he isn't your usual type."

"That's not it at all." Rebecca sighed. "He's friends with Caine, remember?"

Neely raised an eyebrow and shook her head. "So? I'm not understanding what Caine has to do with this."

"Sawyer believes in the same crazy things your husband does," she spat. Rebecca could feel the heat washing over her face just having to think about his beliefs, and the fact that he'd given her a firsthand taste of it.

It was clear on Neely's face that the realization of what Rebecca had meant set in. She smiled and said, "Ah, I see. You are actually considering the fact that Sawyer spanks. I think you're picturing what it would be like." She laughed and stood up and dusted her knees off before reaching out her hand to help Rebecca up off the ground. "Come on, let's get something to drink and sit in the shade."

Rebecca followed her to the table on the porch and sat down while Neely went inside to get refreshments. She hated the fact that she had to have this conversation. It embarrassed her to even have to discuss the 's' word, but at the same time, she needed to get this off her chest. And Neely was one of the few people who could understand.

"It's too early for wine," Neely said, as she walked back outside with full hands. "So I found fixings for mimosas." She smiled and brandished the bottle of champagne in one hand. She began pouring the drinks, still laughing at her own thoughts.

"So I have more of a confession," Rebecca blurted. "He actually spanked me after I fainted!"

Neely froze on the spot, stunned into silence.

"I don't know how it happened. Everything just went by in a blur. And then, when he was done, I just got my stuff and left. It was like nothing had happened!"

Neely started to laugh as she sat down.

Rebecca crossed her arms and pouted. "This isn't funny, Neely. I blame you. You're the one who told me I should use him to get my tattoo."

"Oh, wait a minute. I didn't think you should have gotten the tattoo to begin with. But with that said, what's the big deal? So he believes in DD. Almost all of your friends do."

"But
I
don't! There is no way in hell I would be in a relationship with someone who spanks me. No way."

"Why?"

Rebecca almost choked on the first sip of her drink. "Why? Are you really asking me that? You all act like getting your ass beat is normal. Just because you, Coley and even Kendall are into this… kink, doesn't mean it's not crazy. How am I the odd one in this situation?"

"You have the right to your opinion and your choice. I just think you are so adamant that DD is insane, that you're being completely closed minded. Have you even tried to think of the positive sides to it? Have you even stopped for one second to wonder why it works for your friends? Why would your best friends choose to live this lifestyle if it was so awful?"

"Because you have all lost your minds," Rebecca replied simply.

"We are all in love," Neely countered. "Can you say the same?" She topped off the drinks with more champagne. "Listen, I'm not saying you
have
to believe in DD. I'm also not saying you have to consent to being spanked… again," she added with a giggle. "But I don't think you should be so fiercely opposed to it. And I also don't think you should let it get in the way of exploring things with Sawyer if you are really interested in him."

"So, let's say I do consider trying things out with Sawyer. Would he accept the fact that I'm not into Domestic Discipline?" Rebecca asked.

Neely paused for a moment and then frowned. "Most likely not. Especially if he already spanked you. I know it wasn't an option for Caine when we got together. He wasn't going to give up something he believed so strongly in." She paused again and studied Rebecca before continuing. "But that doesn't mean Sawyer wouldn't be up for discussing it with you. This lifestyle isn't a dictatorship. It's a loving agreement between a couple who wants a strong relationship. No two DD relationships are the same. If, and only if, you are open to the idea, you can set up rules and limits that you are comfortable with."

"I thought the man makes the rules."

Neely rolled her eyes. "Really? Do you think that I let Caine make all the rules? Come on."

"Well isn't he the head of household? Isn't he the boss? Isn't he the king?"

Neely giggled as she took another drink. "Yes, but that doesn't mean I'm not the queen."

As if on cue, Caine walked outside and bent down to kiss his wife. "What are you two ladies up to? Getting into trouble?"

Neely smiled and looked up at her husband. The look of love in her eyes was apparent as she said, "Join us."

Caine chuckled and shook his head. "No way. I make it a point to stay away from girl talk."

"Rebecca got spanked yesterday!" Neely told him.

"Neely!" Rebecca squealed, covering her face with her hands.

Caine chuckled and turned to walk away, only to have his wife grab his hand. "Please," Neely said. "I was trying to explain DD to Rebecca—again—and I would love your input. She's willing to walk away from a guy she is interested in
only
because he believes in DD."

The rush of embarrassment heated Rebecca's face again. It was one thing having the talk about the 's' word with Neely, but with Caine? Any hope of getting out of this was crushed when Caine pulled up a chair next to Neely and wrapped his arm around her. She snuggled up closer to him and offered her glass for him to share.

"So who's the guy?" Caine asked.

"Her tattoo artist," Neely quickly answered.

A single eyebrow rose on Caine's face along with a smirk of his lips. "Sawyer? You're interested in Sawyer?"

Rebecca wanted to crawl in a hole. "Jesus, can we please change the subject?" She finished off her mimosa, hoping the drink would help soothe her nerves.

"She is," Neely offered.

Rebecca shot her friend a dirty look. "Fine. But even if I was interested, I was just telling your pain-in-the-ass-wife that we would never work." She looked at Caine, hoping that what she was about to say wouldn't insult him. "Nothing against you, Caine, but I don't want to be with a man who wants to spank me."

"And I was just telling my stubborn-in-need-of-a-spanking-friend that she is being awfully judgmental for someone who knows very little about it and has never tried it. Well, unless you count last night."

Caine nodded his agreement. "Sawyer's a good man."

"We're getting ahead of ourselves. I don't even know if Sawyer is interested. He didn't say or give me any idea that he is," Rebecca pointed out.

"He spanked you, right?" asked Caine.

She nodded. "Yes."

"Then he cares and is interested. I know Sawyer well enough to know that he wouldn't just spank anyone. There was more to it than you know."

"He was just mad because I fainted. I didn't eat anything, and he was angry that I didn't listen to him. That was all there was to it."

"Yes, because tattoo artists just spank their clients for fainting, right?" Neely said with a roll of her eyes.

"Sounds like he had a good reason, then," Caine added.

"Did he spank your bare behind?" Neely asked.

"Neely!" Rebecca looked at her and then shot her eyes quickly to Caine. "Really?"

"Well did he?" Neely continued to press.

"He pulled down my pants but left my panties on," Rebecca confessed, trying not to look at Caine.

"Then he definitely has feelings for you," Neely added. "That is a very intimate act."

"Agreed," Caine said. "Sawyer doesn't go to spank parties or anything like that. It isn't a game or for fun for him."

Rebecca nodded. "He said as much right before he did it."

"Well then, I think you know your answer as to whether Sawyer cares or not," Caine concluded. He stood up on his final word. "And with that, ladies, I have hit my max on girl talk. You two have fun." He leaned down and kissed Neely on the forehead before turning and going inside.

Rebecca glared at Neely. "I could kill you. Really? In front of Caine?"

Neely shrugged, with a huge smile on her face. "What?" she asked innocently. "We needed a male perspective."

Rebecca rolled her eyes and picked up her empty glass, signaling that she wanted more to drink. Neely was happy to oblige. "Can we change the subject please? I've had enough spanking talk to last me a lifetime."

Neely smiled warmly. "Fine. What else are you up to?"

"I'm going to quit my job. I hate it," Rebecca announced.

Her friend didn't seem shocked. "Sounds like a good idea. I never thought it was a right fit for you."

"Yeah. I'm not sure what I'm going to do, but Coley told me about this spiritual retreat I thought I would check out. She said it does wonders for her when she needs some time to figure things out. At this point in my life, what do I have to lose?"

Neely nodded in agreement. "Just be careful. Coley goes to some crazy places."

"I know she does, but I feel so lost. My life feels like it's spiraling, and heading in a direction I don't want it to go. I need to find the person I once was. I need to figure it all out. So if some hippy dippy retreat helps me, then I'm all for it."

Neely just smiled as she took a sip of her drink.

"So, I saw this article about how as the years progress, men are growing more facial hair and shaving less. You know, the whole 'lumberjack' trend. Anyway, the article then goes on to say that as the years progress, women are doing the opposite and keeping less and less hair on their vaginas, even going so far as to shave theirs bald." Rebecca smiled as she took a drink of her mimosa to control the impending giggle. "Isn't that the craziest thing you've ever heard? The article even had a break down by decade. Apparently, my bush is stuck in the 90s."

Neely laughed. Not just laughed, actually, guffawed was more like it. "What?" She laughed so hard that tears started to wet her eyes.

"It's true. It says that starting back from the year 2000, we should all have bare bushes."

Neely continued to laugh. "What do you have?"

"Well… I have the landing strip, I guess you could say. What about you? Are you stuck in the 90s with me? Come on, you can tell me. There's no shame."

"No!" Tears started streaming down Neely's face as she laughed even harder. "I'm bare, and have been forever!"

Rebecca had never seen Neely laugh so hard. "What? You're completely bare?"

"Yes!"

"Come on! Are you telling me this article is right? Am I behind the times? Oh my God! I have a 90s bush!" The realization that she wasn't up on the current grooming habits set in.

"Ha! You have a goatee bush! Well, at least it isn't permed." Neely continued her fit of giggles, loud enough that her neighbors could hear. "I'm laughing so hard, I think I may pee myself."

"Seriously! Why did I not know about this? Are you telling me that it's normal to not have
any
hair down there?"

Neely nodded, her face red from lack of oxygen. "Yes, well, unless you are a granola."

"Granola? What the hell is that?" Where had she been all these years?