After Boot Camp

He chuckled and leaned up further managing to catch the side of her mouth with his. "Mmmm, yeah. My kind of 'briefing'."

They struggled up and adjusted their clothing, pawing at one another. They both had silly grins on their faces as he shut the lights off and gave her one last swat as they moved out the door. The door clicked shut, the happy couple moving off back to the party. The Briefing room was suddenly lonely, not realizing what it had been missing.

II.

There was something to be said for television. Emma and Tag both had fat bank accounts now, and the first class seats booked on their flight to San Diego were compliments of the Producer. Emma had never liked to fly. Being trapped in a plane for hours was not high on her "favorite things" list. It was a heck of a lot easier to take in a big spacious seat, cuddled up to the most virile man she had ever known. They had pushed up the armrest separating them after take-off and she was snug under a blanket, her upper body fully in his lap.

Tag idly stroked the chestnut hair of the woman on his lap and wondered if this was a good time to bring up the subject of spanking. It was a long flight from Florida to California and he figured now was as good as time as any to fill in some of the blanks.

His voice was a low, purring murmur, "Hey, Em?"

She turned onto her back and blinked slowly up at him, "Mmmmmm?"

He smiled, he loved her fuzzy. "So I was thinking, maybe now is a good time to talk about this whole spanking thing."

She groaned and covered her face, "Oh God. Any second the crippling humiliation is going to kick in."

He chuckled, "No, Sugar. No need for that. Let's just talk about it. Obviously you know a heck of a lot about it. You made that obvious the first time in the Briefing room. But two days ago, I didn't get lecture material. I got purring, wiggling, happiness over my knee and I need to know what the deal is."

She peeked at him through opened fingers, "Ummm..."

He laughed and grabbed her hand away from her face, holding it gently, "Ummm...what?"

She groaned, "Ummm, Ok. So the first thing you should know is that I've had a...favorable...reaction to spanking all my life. It's like I'm hardwired this way. Spanking in books, movies, anything. It has always gotten to me, even when I was small...It has to do with the men that I find desirable as well."

She struggled for an easy way to put it and chose movie examples, "There are Rhett girls and Ashley girls. Luke girls and Han girls. I'm a Rhett girl. A Han girl. I like dominant behavior and confidence in men." She chanced a glance up at him, "Needless to say it isn't a mystery why I find you so attractive."

He grinned teasing, "And here I thought it was my pretty face."

She laughed and reached up to stroke his cheek, "Yeah, there's that. But it's what's behind your eyes that attracts me...So part of the spanking thing is my attraction to the man doling it out. And part of it is just kind of a mystery. I've always been drawn to it."

"Hmmm, what about what happened in the Briefing room with Caff and Schell?"

She slapped her forehead, "Gad. Ok, *that* was embarrassing. I really don't like the whole audience and multiple participants thing. But, that said, it still pushed all my buttons. Including the ones that made me *want* to be punished once I found out I was wrong about the whole thing."

"You didn't seem like you wanted it." He couldn't hold back a chuckle, "You yelled your head off."

She covered her face again, "Ok, enough with the humiliating reminders, you cruel brute." She took her hands away gave him a good-natured but embarrassed smile, "I don't always want punishment that hard, Tag. And I can't say I completely enjoy it while it is happening. But there is something to be said for not being able to control what is happening. When I can't control the outcome my submissive side kicks in, and my submissive side is directly connected to my sexuality. The physical sensation is also connected to my sexuality so it all feeds on each other and drives my body into fits."

Tag looked at her a little puzzled, "You didn't seem aroused that night, you seemed totally worn out."

She looked up into his face and raised an eyebrow, "Tag, trust me. You could have put me on my back after you had finished with that godawful brush. I was more than ready for you. There was no way I was going to let Caff and Schell see me aroused, that's all. That night was hell to take and it was definitely punishment, but that doesn't change the fact that my body loved it. Heck, despite the humiliation of it all, you did me a favor. It removed all the tension and stress from my body. I went into those tests primed for the competition." She chuckled, "You guys probably gave me an edge."

He smiled at her last statement and then asked the question that was most on his mind, "So you like both? You like it when it is easy like the other night, and when it is so hard you yowl your head off?"

She murmured, "Yeah, I like both. I need both to be happy."

He slipped his arms under her and raised her to his face, "Ok, Sugar. Then you'll get both."

Her eyes turned smoky, "Rrrruh. I can't tell you what it does to me to hear you say that...but what about you, Tag? I don't want you to feel put out." She grinned, "Although I *will* try my best to corrupt you."

He dropped his mouth and murmured against her lips, "Oh trust me, Darlin'. I'm not put out. I admit it hadn't really occurred to me until you brought it up. But now I can't even think of you over my knee without getting hard. Consider me 'corrupted'." He slid his lips over hers, slipping his tongue between her teeth, touching all over the inside of her mouth gently with the tip of it. She moaned and pressed up to him engaging his tongue in a gentle war, her loins igniting.

"Oh! Goodness, I'm terribly sorry!"

Tag and Emma broke the kiss and looked up at the blushing flight attendant. Emma groaned and hid under her blanket.

"Ummm, Do you, I was, Oh dear. Can I get either of you a beverage?" the pretty woman stammered out.

Tag heard a muffled "Ginger Ale, please." from under the blanket and burst into laughter.

III.

Emma and Tag weren't two minutes inside of his ocean view apartment when their clothes started coming off. Two delirious hours later Tag got out of bed, "I'm going to take a shower, Sugar. Care to join me?

Emma's blue gaze swept over his powerful naked body slowly, "Mmmmmm, oh yeah. I'm all over that. Can I join you in a minute though? I didn't get a look at your place and I want to be a Nosey Parker. Is it ok if I'm a Nosey Parker?"

Tag grinned and headed into the bathroom, "Be my guest, Castille. Just don't judge me too harshly for my Douglas Adams collection."

Emma smiled delighted, "Douglas Adams! One of my favorite authors! Yet another reason you are a GodKing."

Tag laughed, "GodKing huh? That's a touch better than 'Velociraptor'."

She called back, "Oh you think so now, but just wait until those Titans start springing fully grown outta yer head. That's an Excedrin moment just waiting to happen."

She heard him laughing and slid out of bed. He had read her right. The first place she went to was his bookcase. Her eyes scanned the packed shelves with interest. He was as eclectic as she was. Sci-fi, humor, crime novels, history, best sellers, he had at least 20 books that she could see on ancient weaponry. She picked up a worn copy of "The Art of War" and flipped it open. There was a faded inscription on the back of the front cover.

1982, X-Mas To my Son, You have made me proud every day of your life. You were born a Warrior. This book may take you further than the videogames. Give it a try. All my love, Dad

She smiled and flicked her gaze up to another line up in the top corner. "This book is the property of Giovanni Taglieri" Her soft smile turned into a grin, Giovanni? She started chuckling, hmmm, she had never been told his first name. She carefully put the book back and scanned the room for his jeans. She moved to them, still chuckling, and pulled out his wallet. Her eyes flicked over his driver's license. Oh yes. Giovanni Taglieri. God *did* love her.

Tag heard the door open and smiled waiting her to join him in the shower. Instead she stuck a waving hand through the curtain. What did she have a hold...oh well, hell. It was his driver's license. He heard her laughing and groaned.

She stuck her head in, blue eyes dancing, "Giovanni, huh?"

He chuckled and shook his head...Oh it was going to be a while before she let this one go. "The only person that uses my first name is my grandmother from the old country. And even she calls me 'Gio'. My whole family has called me 'Tag' since I was ten years old."

She couldn't stop the devilish laughter and murmured in a sing-song voice, "Gio-vaaaannnni."

He grabbed her by the back of the neck and pulled her into the shower. She shrieked and kept laughing.

"You know," he growled smiling, "I have a nice solid bath brush in here."

She chirped, "Aak! Ok, ok! I give!"

He trapped her hands in one of his and backed her up against the wall purring, "Oh, I don't know. Ten or fifteen good whacks with that brush might make you a little more respectful..."

Her blue eyes glazed a bit as she wiggled trying to free her hands. His grip was gentle, but as strong as iron. She grew wet as she realized she wasn't going anywhere. She made her voice cajoling, "Tag. Tag, Please. I'll be good."

He nudged her legs apart and shoved a knee between her thighs. Her head rolled back as she rode his thigh. He had made her hot in about five seconds. Her voice turned into a moan, "God, I'm so lucky."

Tag's brow furrowed, "Hmmm?"

She straightened her head and looked full into his face murmuring, "I've never been with a man who could make me so crazy for him. Never Tag. You can do it with a look, a gesture, a word." Her voice lowered, completely sincere, "I'm so very lucky. I have no idea why you like me so much, but I'm so glad you do."

Tag looked at her. He had so much he could say. He could tell her the story of when he realized he was in love with her back in week ten of the game. He could recite sonnets or scold her for having no idea why he liked her.

He threw out everything he could have said and touched her forehead with his, murmuring one word, "Mine."

Her legs dropped out from under her and her weight rested fully on his bent leg. Apparently he had chosen well.

She murmured huskily, "Is it too early to say I love you?"

He growled back, "It's about time, Castille. I've been in love with you for weeks."

She wrapped her arms and legs around his body. The water falling on them was starting to get cold. They didn't notice.

IV.

Tag sat in the early morning hours looking out his window. Emma was sound asleep in his bed. He liked his apartment. He liked his town. But there was nothing here he couldn't leave. He had been paid enough by the TV people to live well for a year and do nothing else if he wanted to. Emma, however, had a farm she owned and a working barn. The little town she lived outside of was in the wine country of Northern California. It was only about 40 minutes to San Francisco. He looked at his view again. He was pretty sure he would enjoy wine country. Plus there was all the work he wanted in SF when he chose to work. He looked around his apartment. He didn't want to push Emma, but he was more than willing to have it packed up and shipped when they left for her farm at the end of the week. He sipped his coffee and mused about it. He didn't want anything more than to share the rest of his life with Emma. Then again, he was just that sort of person. He made decisions swiftly and stuck to them. No, he wouldn't talk about moving yet. She might not move that fast. It was best to give her time.

The week in San Diego went by in a flash. Tag had offered to take her to the large zoo and famous wild life park, but she had reached for him and murmured that he was the only large, dangerous beast she wanted to see. That had pretty much ended that conversation, and other than some time at the beach they spent most of their time naked making love all over his apartment.

He had spanked her for fun a time or two but nothing like what had happened the first time in the Briefing room. He caught himself thinking about giving her a hard spanking more and more. She didn't ask for it, so he didn't bring it up. At the end of the week they flew to San Francisco and drove to her farm outside of Sonoma.

Emma's ranch was simply called "Glory". It was a fairly large working barn with over 30 horses boarded and 15 lesson horses. Many of the horses she boarded were champions or placed high in their disciplines. Emma was experienced in a number of riding disciplines and had two large stables with attached arenas. She divided the two stable buildings according to Western and English disciplines and employed four trainers as well as doing a good bit of the training herself. She had six grooms that cleaned the stables, turned the horses out, and cared for the needs of the animals. Two massage therapists came by two or three times a week to work on the horses. Her other trainers had taken on her duties through the end of the month, and if she wanted to, she could take the 16 days she had left and just be with Tag. The stables could get extremely busy during the day, but her house was sacred ground. No one would bother them once inside.

Tag explored the large, airy farmhouse while Emma went to the stables to greet everyone that happened to be there that day. He went to her bookcases first. She had three giant ones in what looked like an office and reading room. He perused the shelves...mmm, she was as eclectic as he was. History, sci-fi, novels, sheesh...romance...all women had romance...humor, animal behavior, biology, about 50 horse books, and Hey! He stopped. She had a section on ancient weapons and warfare. He glanced at a couple of martial arts books then laughed and pulled a slim little book off the shelf and looked at the familiar cover. "The Art of War". He chuckled...Of course, of all women, Emma would have "The Art of War". He replaced the little volume and looked around the room.

The furniture was wood and fabric and was cozy. Three of the walls held black and white photography and interesting paintings. The last wall held weapons. She had a couple of quarterstaffs and some wooden katana in a large urn. There was a samurai sword mounted on the wall along with a broadsword, a short sword, a couple of daggers, and a pair of si. He lingered there, looking closely at the sheathed weapons and the training tools but didn't take anything down.

He went through her cds next, her taste in music was as eclectic as her reading choices. He checked out her entertainment system...needed some upgrades there...ambled through her kitchen...lots of gadgets and copper pans...then he loped upstairs and wandered to the end of the hall looking for the master bedroom. He found it, and whistled upon entering. Emma's bedroom was as opulent as the barracks had been Spartan.

She had colored tapestries on the walls and paintings with Indian and middle-eastern flavors. The colors of the room were a riot of jewel tones. Her large iron bed was covered in sheets, comforters and pillows that were colored rich and sensual dark reds, purples, blues, and gold. White cotton mosquito netting hung over the bed, stretching out over the four black iron bedposts. The whole room spoke of a sensual and tactile nature, someone who loved comfort and beauty. It should have been way too much, but somehow it was muted enough to be sumptuous but not over the top.

He wandered through the room looking at paintings and strange little colored lamps, running his hand over the Indian style wood furniture. He stopped at a large wardrobe that had a carved tiger on each door. It was obviously antique and the craftsmanship was beautiful. He wanted to see the lay out of the inside and tried to open it. It was locked. He backed off and looked at the door handles in confusion, there were no keyholes to be found...What the...? He ran his hands over the door and started trying to figure out how to get in, his curiosity aroused by the puzzle.

His hands found two small, iron elephants up at the top corners of the wardrobe. They turned...but no movement of the doors. He figured out that they turned in different directions independently and tried to find the combination. He finally got it when he turned both elephants at the same time a quarter turn so they were facing the two tigers on the doors. He heard a *click*. Cool. He opened both doors, now very interested to see how it was built on the inside. His eyes focused on the contents and he stepped back, his eyebrows flying up in surprise. Whoa! No wonder the door was locked!

The inside panels of both doors were covered in small hooks. On each hook hung some kind of spanking implement. His brown eyes widened. *Lots* of spanking implements.

Emma liked equal division, wood hung on one side, leather on the other. His eyes ran over the lushly colored and well cared for woods of the paddles. The other door had belts, straps, leather paddles of different shapes, and what looked like an antique razor strop. His eyes flicked to the closet area. There was a side with a small chest of drawers and a side for hanging clothes. He ran his hands through the clothing. Most of it was silk and they looked similar to belly dancing outfits. They were all different colors, some transparent. There were coin belts and smaller bracelet things on hangers. He let out his breath in a "Woof."

His inquisitive and slightly shocked gaze moved to the drawers and he started opening them. Velvet rope, colored leather cuffs, lined copper shackles. He moved down the line of drawers finding jewelry and more bondage equipment. The bottom drawer wouldn't open. He dropped into a squat. Ah. This drawer had a keyhole. His curiosity was killing him, but he didn't dare try to force the delicate little drawer. He took one last look at the doors, running his fingers over some of the pieces that caught his eye.

After a few minutes he shut the doors and turned the iron elephants. He was practically gleeful, he was going to give her *such* a hard time! This blew the whole "Giovanni" thing out of the water. Plus, well. Yum. The wardrobe had been as sensual of an experience as her whole bedroom was. He left the room smiling, murmuring to himself, "Oh, God loves me. Yes He does."

He wandered back through the kitchen and rifled through her fridge, grabbing a root beer, then ambled back into the library. He selected a book on Greek warfare and dropped onto the couch to wait for her. A black cat came out of nowhere and made herself comfortable on his lap. He idly stroked the purring cat and read.

Emma found him that way 20 minutes later. She smiled, charmed. He was engrossed in a book, barefoot and jean clad, stretched out on her couch with a sleeping cat in his lap. He was a hell of a picture. She silently approached trying to get close enough to tickle one of his bare feet.

He never looked up from the book but his voice was a rumbling purr, "Don't even think you can sneak up on me."

She laughed, "Dammit! Damn your military trained ears!"

He chuckled and put down the book. You have a beautiful house, Em. It's homey and bright and full of surprises. I feel very comfortable here."

She smiled, "I'm glad...but surprises?"

He gestured around with a hand, "Cozy and full of comfy furniture, yet airy with a sense of space. A library with a weapons wall. State of the art kitchen, yet every room in this place is painted a different color. Eclectic tastes in books and music, and Man. The bedroom." He grinned.

"Ah, you have been a Nosey Parker, eh? Well that's fair. Yeah...my bedroom is kinda 'girly' isn't it?