The silence wasn't empty. It was full, the kind of quiet that came after something important had been said and both people were still holding it.
For a long time, neither of them moved. His breathing steadied against her hair. Her tears dried on his shirt.
Then Dex let out a long, slow breath that she felt move through his whole chest.
"Now that we've handled the emotional crisis." His tone shifted to something darker. "We need to talk about something else."
Before she could ask, he sat up, flipping her across his lap in one fluid motion.
Dex's large palm pressed down on her back, pinning her in place.
"Let's start with Orosia." His fingers hooked into the hem of her dress, pulling it up roughly over her hips and bunching the fabric at her waist. The first spank landed hard, his hand cracking against her right cheek with a smack that made her yelp. The sting bloomed instantly, heat spreading across her skin.
