The Open Road

I was fairly selective these days on the company I kept. Three years into veterinary school and I was determine to graduate the top of my class, or at least top ten. Freshman year held me up with a bit too much partying and less than favorable grades.

No more staying out late with distractions of friends I'd only met in college and would not get to hang out with much longer once I graduated and moved Illinois. Long term, I wanted to work in zoos and in wild animal shelters there.

Predatory animals intrigued me. Many of them were misunderstood and not studied thoroughly. I wanted to study them abroad in Africa and Asia. Animals kept in zoos set my soul on a path towards working hard. I want to learn how to improve their living conditions. I could learn about them in their natural habitats over seas, then bring new techniques and medicines back to zoos in the U.S.

My older brother by three years, Shawn, lived in my college town and let me stay with him. This saved us both money. He was single and had graduated from the same college I was going to, but was already an established veterinarian and doing quite well for himself. He drove a Mazda MX5 convertible and had a Dodge Ram truck he used for work.

Transportation is where my problem begins. I was within walking distance from my college and owned a bicycle.

It was the tail end of summer. I had taken summer classes in order to graduate early. Fall classes had not yet begun.

An old friend of mine from high school invited me to an all day rock concert in a city three hours away. I begged my brother to let me use his convertible, to which he stated there was no way, because a blind and deaf monkey could drive better than me. I was 22 and had been driving since I was 15. Only, I hadn't been driving much in the past three years.

I punched Shawn in the arm and told him my driving was up to snuff, that I would call him when I got there, and park his car at my friend's house. We would take her car to the concert.

Shawn seemed reassured by this but told me there was no way. He'd just bought the car six months ago and hadn't even worn the tires in yet. I again promised to be super safe with it, a promise I'd regret later. This tactic wasn't working so I tried another. I told him I'd come do cleanup duty and help him with his case load for a month at his veterinary office.

He hesitantly agreed, handed me the keys, whilst looking at the ceiling like he'd just made a bad decision. I thanked him and was so excited I grabbed my purse, overnight bag, and was out the door.

The seats were a dark grey and were a bit warm in my jean shorts. The 80 degree weather had warmed them with the top down. I put my purse beside me in the passenger seat and left for the highway. Once I got out of town the highway glided through fields and patches of forest. A very minimal amount of traffic.

I grabbed for my purse so I could grab my cell phone to check the time. I would call Shawn in the next city. Oh crap! I forgot my phone...Crash! Right into the back of a red car jacked up on a tow truck. I hadn't seen it slow down. They had been traveling in the same direction. I didn't notice them slow down and had run into the back of them in my lost-cell-phone haste.

The tow truck driver pulled off down a dirt road in the forest. I knew it was my fault and pulled off behind them. Damnit! I knew my brother had insurance but I also knew I'd have to do cleanup duty for a year now. He was going to be pissed.

Shawn's anger was not the same kind of angry I was about to deal with. The man stepping out of the tow truck looked livid. I didnt have my phone to call my brother, so whoever this guy was, I was hoping he'd show kindness.

This guy was saying every expletive I'd ever heard someone say. He appeared to be in his mid to late 20s, had a black workmans jacket on, a white but greasy shirt on with the same greasy mess on his ragged jeans. He wore some sort of work boots and had dark but tall slicked back hair. As I watched him assess the damage to the car he was towing I noticed how handsome and fit he actually was. Although angry, he looked smart and dependable.

All of the admiring melted away however when his piercing rageful eyes met mine. I was still seated in the driver's seat when he walked briskly up to the side of my now, very damaged, brother's car. I immediately re-thought about pulling down the side road without my phone.

Expecting shouting I grimaced as he said, "Just what the hell were you thinking!" But he didn't shout very loudly, almost the opposite. He spoke in an eerily reserved tone.

I couldn't speak just yet because I was still processing the whole series of events. I looked away, then looked back at him hoping he had gone back to looking at the damaged car.

Nope, he was still staring right at me. I blurted out, "I didnt see you slow down." Anger again swept across his face. After a few seconds he calmed. In a softer tone he asked if I was all right. I had my seat belt on and the force of the crash wasn't too bad since we had both been going in the same direction. I looked at him and nodded yes. He opened the door and said, "Stand up." I hesitated, he was intimidating. He said, "I'm going to make sure you are ok. Can you stand?" I again nodded yes. He grabbed my hand and helped me out of the car.

He looked me over quickly and asked, "What is your name?" I told him, "Lucy, I know it's old fashioned but my parents liked the..." my voice trailed off in useless blabber.

He said, "I'm going to need all your information for the police report and for my insurance."

'How the heck are you going to get yourself out of this one?' I told myself. First my brother is going to kill me, second a police report?! I had never been in a crash before and did not want a record, in case I had to drive large vehicles to haul injured animals around in the future.

"Look," I said, "Isn't there some other way we could handle this? I can get the money to pay for any damages."

He looked annoyed then he slightly smiled a hint of a grin, looked at me sideways and asked, "What do you suggest exactly? I tell my boss at the auto shop that you knocked off one of the bumpers of his client's car? But it's ok because the lady said she was sorry. By the way you haven't even said you're sorry!"

"Sorry," I said quickly. "I didnt mean to.." But the moment and timing were off.

"That's not good enough. You could've killed someone and hurt yourself. You're what, 19? You have your whole life ahead of you. What were you doing?"

"I was reaching for my phone. And I'm 22." I snapped back at him.

"That attitude will get you no where with me Lucy." His voice was stiff and cold, but the way he said my name had a sort of fondness to it. "I'm calling my boss and the police."

"Please don't! Please don't call them. I'm sure we can work this out." I begged. "I don't have the money now, but I'll borrow the money I need to pay the damage to your bosses car."

He turned away from me and walked towards the car slanted on the back of his tow truck. In what felt like forever he finally turned back around and said, "I've been apprenticing as an auto body technician for two years now. We have a car yard near us with parts. I'll fix up this client's car and your car in a couple of days if..." He hesitated to speak.

"If what?" I ask willing to pay off his debts for parts and labor with money I'm sure I'd have to borrow from my already about to be angry brother.

He steps closer to me. "If you let me spank you."

Was he out of his mind? Spank me? I had never been spanked in my life. My parents didn't believe in it. This guy was a total stranger. What does he mean by spank? I couldn't look at him. This was too much to think about in a short span of time.

As if he was reading all my thoughts, he gently grabbed my arm and asked me to look at him.

He said, "Those are the terms. Where I'm from people have to pay for their mistakes. You need to learn a lesson in better driving and a smacked butt will do just the trick. I'll get justice for you scaring the hell out of me, and you'll never drive distracted again. Which is safer for everyone." Then he sort of chuckled.

I couldn't believe I was actually considering this. "How do I know you'll fix both cars?"

"You'll have to trust me. Make your decision," He said sternly.

Before I could fully consider my choice I said, "Yes."

"Yes what?"

"Yes, you can spank me.." I trail off.

He grabs my arm and leads me away from the cars to the treeline. What the hell did I just agree to? I didnt say he could drag me off to who knows where. I hesitate with my feet. We stop. He loosens his grip and says, "Lucy, I'll stop when you ask me to. But if you ask me to stop before I think you've learned your lesson then the deal is off." He keeps walking and I begrudgingly follow. His arms are very strong.

We make it past the tree line and he says, "Pick a tree. You'll be standing there for awhile so pick a good one."

I don't really know what's to be done with the tree so I pick the one I'm standing closest to, some sort of pinecone tree.

In a commanding voice he says, "Turn around and put your hands on the tree." I stare at him unable to move. He sees that I'm not disobeying him directly, but that I'm scared. He gently guides my hands up to the tree. He's behind me and I can no longer see him. I hear him wrestling with what sounds like his belt and I chicken out. My knees get weak, but I still can't move. "You never said anything about your belt," I stutter.

"This is how I was raised and what taught me right from wrong. Tell me to stop if you can't handle this."

But i could handle anything, including wild animals. This wouldnt be so bad and maybe my brother would be less mad coming back with a fixed car rather than a broken one.

I nod my head. He finishes taking his belt off, folds it up, and touches it to the sit spot on the back of my jeans. I jump.

"Hold still Lucy. You don't want me to miss. Do you understand? Say you understand."

"I understand."

WHACK. He wastes no time. The belt stings my backside and I immediately think this is a horrible idea.

"Shall I continue?" He asks.

I must be an idiot but I nod. WHACK. I yell out in pain.

A few seconds pass as he assuredly assesses his work and to check if i can continue.

WHACK I yell again and tears start to form. WHACK. I begin to bend my knees to escape this awful stinging. Now I see why my parents never used this form of punishment. It totally, WHACK, ...sucks. I'm crying now and he tells me to stand up straight.

A glimpse of respect and remorse and even anger towards him wells up in my throat.

WHACK. And I say in between sobs, "Wait, wait, wait! I'm so sorry I crashed into you, it will never happen again."

He says, "My name is Brian." I didnt even realize I hadn't gotten his name before. "Stand back up. You have one more coming, this one with your pants and underwear off."

"There is no way I'm doing that!" I cry. "I said I was sorry."

"Are you asking me to stop? Because that would mean the deal is off."

Some of the stinging has subsided and I think I can handle one more, but I'm not taking my clothes off for anyone.

"What's your answer?"

"One more but my pants stay on."

"No deal." He says matter of fact and begins to walk towards me. I turn around and we're face to face. Through my teary eyes I can see he feels a bit sorry for me and I realize he is really willful. Which strengthens me.

He grabs my shoulders and says, "One more, pants and underwear down. I wont look until you're ready." He turns away.

Holy crap, I feel angry, embarrassed, and turned on all at the same time. Get a hold of yourself. I slowly turn around and lower my jean shorts and panties just to the crease at the top of my legs, face the tree, reach my arms up and tell him I'm ready. I hear him turn around and approach me. My heart is racing.

He comes close and says, "These need to go down just a little bit more." His forearm brushes the side of my thigh as he pushes my pants down to above my knees. This immediately turns me on and I'm no longer thinking of the pain. My adrenaline is full throttle.

He backs away and measures the distance and aim again by touching his folded belt to my red hot backside. "Ready?" He says softly but firmly. The pain and fear return.

I don't speak but nod.

WHACK! This time he must have increased the strength of his strike or maybe it's because I have no clothes protecting me. But I cry out and collapse to the ground not caring about anything that might be exposed.

He takes his jacket off and covers my lower half. As I cry he pulls my panties and jeans back up very slowly over my red hot butt. He gently reaches around my shoulders and holds me. Feelings of guilt and remorse wash over me. I could have killed him, someone else, or myself. Looking in his eyes I apologize. He nods approvingly. I lean forward following instinct and kiss him softly on the lips.

He reacts with greater strength and passionately kisses me back. He lays his jacket down behind me and lays me down while our lips stay locked in the moment. His shirt comes up to his mid back from our motion and I feel the smoothness of him with my fingertips.

His left hand traces my right side from my hip up to my my hand, which he grabs and interlaces his fingers. He kisses my neck before helping me to stand. This sends electricity down to my toes.

Both of our faces flushed, he walks me slowly back over to our vehicles. Opens the passenger side to the tow truck and says, "Get in."

To be continued..