School Reunion Year 1 by Laurel Aspen Page A

was to be a lecture and a botty smacking, not the loss of her career.
    â€˜â€¦At Jones Brothers workers are considered partners… such sloppiness is an abuse of our trust and I might add… a personal affront… well, what have you to say for yourself?’
    Okay, this was the big one. Carly was on, so she’d better make this the performance of her young life. ‘Um, well sir, obviously you’re quite right…’ she started, and then offered her abject apologies. ‘There’s no way I can deny it, sir. I’m sincerely sorry. I’m mortified to have so upset you, of all people, someone I’ve looked up to for so long…’
    Young Mr James studied her coolly, and realised he hadn’t really looked closely at her before. She really was rather attractive; trim figure, pretty face, excellent legs.
    He hated sacking people; it was an unpleasant business. She’d such a good employment record, too. She was bright, worked hard, potentially a real asset to the firm. He wished there was some other way of dealing with such an unfortunate situation, like putting her over his knee and soundly spanking that well-rounded arse, for example.
    â€˜I know I richly deserve to be punished but there must be some other way,’ she went on meekly. ‘Some way to wipe the slate clean which would allow me to remain with the firm…’
    Crikey, did he really hear that? Did she really say what he thought she’d said? He shouldn’t dither, it was sounding hopeful. He’d found the error, he alone fixed it, and no one else knew what the meeting was about. It was now or never. Come on, he told himself, seize the moment. If she threw a wobbly there were no witnesses, he could always deny it, and who were people more likely to believe? It could get messy, though. ‘Ahem,’ he cleared his throat, running a finger around his shirt collar, it suddenly feeling somewhat tight, ‘such as what exactly, Ms Dowson?’
    That was it; put the ball back in her court.
    â€˜Well, Mr James…’ eyes downcast, Carly wrung her hands at her front.
    â€˜Come on, girl.’
    â€˜Well,’ she ventured, ‘my stepfather, right up until I left home, and a couple more times after that, used to put me across his knee and smack my bottom.’ She lied; the creep tried it once and she kicked him so hard his balls nearly hit his tonsils.
    â€˜You mean, he spanked you?’ Mr James was shocked, but more by the fact that she’d introduced the idea than by what she’d told him about her guardian. But he mustn’t seem too eager. ‘If you’re suggesting I do something similar,’ he said pompously, ‘it’s quite impossible, out of the question.’
    â€˜Please, sir, I’m on my own, I really need this job,’ she implored. ‘The store’s closed and there’s no one else here now, Mr James. No one to know but you and me.’
    She was right, of course, he pondered - almost as if she’d planned it. So okay, if that’s the way she wanted it. ‘All right,’ he decided, ‘I suppose in this exceptional circumstance, and since your work in all other respects has thus far been faultless?’
    â€˜Oh, thank you, sir, you won’t regret it,’ she gushed.
    â€˜Be so good as to fetch that chair over there,’ he directed, his hands sweaty with excitement, hoping he sounded commanding enough. ‘Place it in the middle of the room and stand next to it.’
    â€˜Like this, Mr James?’ she asked respectfully.
    â€˜Quite so,’ replied the boss, and mastering as much gravitas as possible he rose from behind his desk, strode the short distance to the chair and sat regally down. Better keep the momentum going before she had the chance of changing her mind. ‘Now, Ms Dowson, across my knees, if you please.’
    Obediently Carly draped herself submissively across his lap, her