"You're not spanking me again! I'm not putting up with that crap so get that through your head now!" Ending her tirade, Spencer kicked her husband of two years and stalked out of the room.
She didn't get far.
It took a great deal of restraint not to spank her on the spot but his arm around her waist lifted her off the ground, her body snug against his chest. Keeping her tight in his arms, he ignored the protests, the curses from the squirming bundle of fury, and settled them on the wide leather chair next to the bed.
"Let me go!" Spencer was practically spitting.
"Not gonna happen, bambina." JC remained calm in the face of her rage.
"Pig! You're a pig! And a bully! Let go of me!" She pounded on his chest.
"Why should I let go of you? I love you." He grabbed her fists, lifting them to his mouth to kiss.
"And you're hell bent on spanking me, too!" Spencer shouted, pulling her hands away from his grasp. "That's not going to happen this time."
"Are you sure?" he asked, easily repositioning her so she remained snug in his lap, a tempest in a teacup.
"I'm sure you'll regret it with every breath you take if you spank me for… for being me!" It was an ultimatum.
"For being you?" her husband smiled. "For acting like you've always acted when you were single? For not taking into account that you're married now and have a husband who seriously worries about you when you're not thinking of the consequences of your actions?"
"I took good care of me before you showed up."
"Yes you did and got lucky, too. That luck can't last forever, bambina. Sono qui I'm here, he whispered, kissing her brow. "I'm in the picture now and that changes how you act. I need to know where you are, that you're safe…"
"I'm not in the middle of a war zone, for god's sake! Stop acting like I'm constantly in imminent danger! Get a grip! I'm not made of glass, either." She folded her arms making this declaration and nearly fell off his lap.
"Gonna spank you so hard," he murmured, catching her and pulling her closer to his chest. "So hard for giving me grey hair, for raising my blood pressure, for worrying me, for…"
"Getting off your lap now," Spencer said firmly, pushing away from him again. "You decide to spank me and your world with me comes to an end."
He let her go.
"Think about what you've done and what you haven't done, bambina. Think about how those things affect me and how I feel about you. Think about how it affects our marriage. Then let me know when I should spank you."
"When? You think I'm going to *ask* for a spanking?"
"Si."
"I think you've had too much wine. And think way too much of yourself. Your ego must be bigger than Minneapolis/St.Paul." she mumbled, swiftly leaving the room. Surprised he let her go, Spencer paused outside the bedroom door expecting to be grabbed again. When that didn't happen, she slipped on a hooded jacket and went out to the back porch. A light rain was falling.
The forest of trees surrounding their Virginia home beckoned her. Spencer didn't hesitate; she took off at a run.
JC watched from a 2nd floor window; she needed some space. He'd give her that space but follow her, keeping in the shadows to make sure she was alright. From experience he had learned to let her run when she was in distress. The spanking that didn't occur… the need for her to ask for that spanking… she needed space.
Spencer didn't know what to think. Ask for a spanking? For just being me? When pigs fly! If he thinks I'm going to… The hell I will! He can go… She stopping running to lean against a heavy tree trunk, her breath and her thoughts entwined weighing heavy on her heart. Despite the rain, she sank to the ground, her head in her hands. Her body trembled, sharp gasps of air escaped between her lips and tears began to form. Doubt filled her mind.
JC had surreptitiously followed her. Now, standing in the shadows, he watched her cry, her soft sobs reaching him in the silence of the late afternoon forest. He knew his words had caused those tears. His own heart ached. He was desperate to go to her, hold her, tell her he loved her, tell her...
Tell her what? Tell her love is not enough?
Just as he was about to lose his resolve and go to her, Spencer wiped her tears and stood. JC back tracked to the house ahead of her; the light rain continuing to fall as he walked. He would give her this space, let her return on her own. He sat on the back steps waiting for her to arrive.
Spencer said nothing when she reached the back porch. Ignoring JC, she went into the house, water trailing behind her. Stripping off her wet clothes, she stepped into the shower. By the time JC joined her, her head was under the hot spray.
Saying nothing, he gathered her into his arms, her back against his chest.
She twisted in his arms, her mouth seeking his throat, her harried breaths alerting him to her continued distress. He soothed her with his embrace, his lips on her brow.
Sometimes silence speaks louder than any spoken words.
When she calmed, he soaped her, his hands massaging and lathering her neck, shoulders and back. Kneeling in front of her, he cupped her breasts leaving a soapy residue. Palms slid down her stomach, her hips and thighs caressed, each leg soaped in turn. When he had lathered all of her, he pulled her down to kneel in front of him.
"Wash me," he murmured, handing her the soap. "Wash me as if you loved me."
"I *do* love you," she swore.
"Show me."
"JC…"
"Ora Now bambina."
Spencer washed her husband's chest, her hands moving slowly and steadily across his skin, his muscles rippling as she touched him. Her hand reached up to stroke his throat then dropped to his navel and further down to his groin. They were almost face-to-face on their knees, her head bent to the task, his angled to watch her every move. When she reached up to lather his shoulders, there were tears in her eyes.
"Bambina…"
"I *do* love you," Spencer murmured, tossing her wet hair behind her shoulder. "Sometimes I forget that you worry so much. I don't mean to worry you. I just have to do what I do, be who I am." Gaining confidence with every word and hearing no resistance from JC, she pushed on. "But you're nuts if you think I'm ever going to ask for a spanking!"
JC laughed, hugging her tight, one arm bent around her bottom. Keeping her in his arms, he rose to his feet and rinsed them both off. When he stepped out of the shower, he wrapped towels around both of them and gently pushed her toward their bedroom. A not-so-gentle swat landed on her bottom.
"JC!" an indignant Spencer gasped.
"Si? Che cosa, mi amore?" "Yes? What, my love?"
"I didn't ask you to spank me."
"No, you didn't. But that doesn't stop me from giving you a swat anyway."
"You!"
"Me!"
"You can't…"
"I can."
"Are you always going to be a bully? Spank me when you feel like it? 'Cause if you are…"
"I’m always going to watch over you, bambina," JC affirmed, giving her a quick hug. "Always going to let you know when you're pushing limits that could harm you."
"If I can't be me, I can't live with you," Spencer stated simply. "I won't be a doormat and let you ride roughshod over me. Isn't that why you fell in love with me? Married me because I am who I am?"
"Si, I fell in love with you because you are who you are," he agreed, his voice soft and filled with love. Pulling her into his arms he held her close, his mouth seeking hers, his heart aching a little that she was still in distress. "Why did you fall in love with me, bambina?"
"Because I… because you're… because…"
"Because I am who I am?" he asked, his breath warm, gentle on her throat as he tilted her head back so she'd look at him. "Did you fall in love with me because I showed my care, my concern for you? Do you think I love you less because I insist you take better care of yourself? Because if you do, I'll spank you for that. It's because I love you so much I spank you."
"What did I do that was so awful?" Spencer asked, ignoring his words.
"I come home from night duty and see you creeping into our bed. Did you think I wouldn't notice that you hadn't slept in it? Did you think I hadn't figured out that you were up working all night when you should have been resting? Bambina…"
"I slept all morning with you. And… and you were up all night, too."
"You slept all morning with me because you were exhausted from being up all night. You slept all morning with me because I wouldn't let you out of bed until you had adequate rest. And you're going to sleep on your belly tonight and many nights to come if you don't start…"
"JC! Stop! I wasn't tired or sleepy and I got involved with what I was doing and the time just flew by and…" Spencer stopped to take a breath then remembered the doubt that had flooded her mind when she was running. "You… you weren't home. The bed was empty… I… do you still…? I want… I need…"
"Sono qui, bambina. I'm here, baby. His words were whispered, his tone intended to calm the agitation he heard in her voice.
"I… I… I bought new leg warmers," Spencer blurted, changing the subject.
"New leg warmers?" JC grinned. "What color?" he asked, indulging her. He was well aware Spencer would do anything to change the subject, thwart a spanking, distract him from their discussion.
"Wine red. And… it's covered in purple polka dots. Wool leg warmers, very warm," she added.
"Very warm? As warm as your tush is gonna be if I catch you dancing in chilly weather? As warm as your tush is gonna be in the very near future?"
"JC!"
"Ti amo cosi tanto, bambina. I love you so much, baby."
"You're not spanking me! You promised I'd have to ask first. You said…" an indignant Spencer sputtered.
"I didn't promise, bambina. I said you'd have to ask for this spanking. I didn't say anything about spankings for other issues."
"You!"
"Me, bambina," JC smiled, hugging her tight, putting off any immediate spankings, whispering what he'd do to her bottom when he got them comfortable in their bed… "quando lo ottengo nudo… when I get you naked… quando ottengo nudo anche… when I get naked, too…baci, molti baci, amare, piu amoroso kisses, many kisses, lovin', more lovin'.
"I'm not asking for a spanking, JC. Don't hold your breath waiting for me to do that," Spencer exclaimed as she stared at her husband. "Will you be mad about that?" Her voice began to falter. "Will you still… I mean, I… will you still be here for me, anyway?"
"Sempre, mi amore. Always, my love. Sono qui per voi, bambina. I'm here for you, baby. Ora e per sempre sono qui. Now and forever, I am here.