Miss Baxter lifted the end of the crop, and I followed it with my eyes as she rested it on her shoulder again. “Are you ready to come for Anise, Julie?”

“Yes, Miss Baxter,” I heaved. I didn’t even hesitate. The embarrassment of doing this in front of an audience -- the thoughts that I had found so debilitating earlier -- didn’t even factor in now. It was all very simple. I needed to come. For Anise.

“You’d better ask Anise if it’s permitted.”

What? Ask her if I can come? My God, she’d better say yes. I’m really in a state here. What if she says no? Then what?

I raised my eyes to Anise. “Anise, may I come, please?”

I silently pleaded while I chewed my lip and waited for her to answer, but I kept rubbing at the same pace. Anise seemed to be taking her sweet time about it, like she was amused by my predicament. Or maybe it seemed worse because my need was so great, I don’t really know.

“Julie, my dear, will you be needing any help from me?”

“Yes, Miss Baxter. Harder, please.”

There, I’d done it. Just like Anise had told me I would, I was asking Miss Baxter to slap me with the crop.

“Have you been a bad girl, Julie? Having naughty thoughts about Anise?”

“Yes, Miss Baxter.”

Crack!

And just like Anise said, it wasn’t a bad hurt, it was a good hurt. I relished the crop and the stinging warmth it brought to my skin. Because each bite of the leather pushed me that much closer to release.

Crack!

I concentrated on Anise’s eyes. I was done with counting freckles, as if that got me anywhere anyway. I rubbed harder, faster. “Oh, Anise, I think I’m going to ...”

“Do it, Julie,” Anise whispered. “Come for me.”

Crack!

“Oh, gawd ...” My knees were shaking, my head was swimming, and if I hadn’t been lying down, I would have probably passed out.

Anise pressed her lips to mine just seconds before Miss Baxter laid that crop across the inside of my thigh one final time. I think I must have screamed into Anise’s mouth, because I didn’t hear much sound at all as I felt a warm gushing between my legs and my entire body spasmed with pleasure.

When she released me, I looked into her eyes and smiled. “Did you like it?” I said.

Anise leaned down to give me a little peck on the nose that told me everything I needed to know.

“How do you feel?” Miss Baxter asked.

“Mmm, so good.” I paused. “Sorry. I mean, so good, Miss Baxter.”

That was the second time I saw an unbridled smile cross Miss Baxter’s face. Not just upturned corners, but a full glowing smile, twinkling eyes and everything.

“I’m glad you enjoyed it. Do you have any questions? Anything you’d like to change for next time?”

I replayed the events of the past hour? Two hours? How long it had been that I was lying on this table I really didn’t know. I felt a little bit disoriented, like my head wasn’t quite attached to my body, but calm and happy.

I shook my head slowly.

Miss Baxter laid a finger on my cheek, and I turned to rub against her. “You might feel a little woozy for a while,” she said, “and that’s okay. I’ll leave you in Anise’s capable hands to take all the time you need.”

“Thank you, Miss Baxter.”

“You’re very welcome, Julie. And please consider your piano practicing for this afternoon as optional.” She strode out of the room, closing the door behind her.