Rule of Thumb Ch. 09

She turned to look at me, questioningly. "You're trying to get us out from under Anna, right Rick? You're introducing her to prospects so we can say we've met our side of the bargain."

I nodded and kissed her, realizing she only had half a clue.

I left and checked in with the catering staff, confirming they understood it would be a little kinky. The owner was a client, and while she raised her eyebrows at whatever she imagined I meant by 'kinky,' she shrugged. "As long as your check is good, and nobody gets hurt, I really don't care."

By 6PM Loren had come over, looking amazing. She had done something to her hair, her makeup accentuated her eyes, and the outfit was breathtaking. She seemed a little nervous, perhaps at meeting so many of the people in my life that had known Marnie, even if casually.

At 6:30, Anna and Mamiko arrived, Mamiko pulling a rolling cart behind her, wearing an outfit of diaphanous silk scarves. When she stood still you could see her naked body just barely behind the sheer material, but when she moved, the shifting fabric hid her nakedness. I stared as she walked through the door.

"I know we're unfashionably on time, Rick, but I thought it best for us to get situated." She proffered a kiss on each cheek and made her way into the living room. Loren greeted both of them courteously and cautiously, sipping from a drink.

By 7, most of the couples had arrived. I knew at least one of the partners in each pair, and in a couple of cases both. Charlie and Julienne greeted me warmly; she dressed in a knit tube dress that looked painted on. She clearly wore no bra, as her large breasts were suspended by the material.

By 7:30 the party was in full swing – the bartender kept everyone's glasses full, and I could see that at least two couples weren't coming. Still, it was a good showing, and the conversation was lively. I noticed that Anna remained in the background, sipping her drink and chatting only when someone sat near her. I discovered Mamiko sitting in the kitchen with the caterers. "Until later," she said politely.

By 8 o'clock it was time.

"Okay, everyone, hey. Hey. I wanted to thank you all for coming tonight." Conversations began to die down and people turned their attention to me near the front of the room. "You might want to take a seat, as I could be a few minutes." I smiled.

"First of all, there should never be an excuse for a party, right?" I waited for the cheers to die down. "But tonight I have a special reason to party. Loren? Can you come over here?" She picked up her drink and made her way next to me. "I hope you've all had a chance to meet this beautiful woman who I was living next door to for so many years but never really knew." I looked into her eyes, smiling. The alcohol was making it all too easy.

"A couple of weeks ago, we discovered something we had in common completely by accident, and, well, since then, we've not been able to think of anything else." I slipped my hand down to her ass cheek and grabbed it firmly. She jumped a little, looking at me surprised. "Do you want to tell them or should I?"

She shook her head, her smile fading to a look of confusion and anxiety.

"It's okay, Loren. Everyone in the room is together for the same reason." I waited a moment and shrugged. "She's still very self-conscious about it." I paused again, pulsing her ass. "You sure you don't want to explain why we're together?"

She shook her head, silently pleading for me to stop, her eyes growing wide with fear.

"So," I turned to the crowd, "Loren revealed to me, right in my backyard, that she needs to be punished when she is 'bad.' Who else has that same need?" As we looked out into the sea of faces, several hands were raised and heads nodded. "You see, sweetheart. They're all with you. There's nothing to be shy about. Why don't you tell them how you like to be punished." I didn't state it as a question, my hand pinched her ass cheek hard enough to make her squirm.

"I like...I like to be spanked." She said it so quietly, looking at the floor, that I practically couldn't hear her.

"Louder, my little cunt. Louder so that everyone can hear you." At the use of the term she looked up at me and begged me again with her eyes, her head shaking. "You know how to end this; otherwise, I'm not going to ask you again." I looked out and caught Anna's eye. She lifted her glass to me, smiling slightly.

"I like to be spanked, Master Rick!" She said it loud enough for the caterers to hear and I rubbed her ass to give her support.

"That's right, Loren. You like to be spanked, but again, how many people here know that to be punished in the way you actually like isn't truly punishment?" Again, several people responded. Several couples were beginning to fondle each other, kissing deeply and slipping their hands inside their partner's clothes. "You see the effect you're having on our guests, my little cunt?" I turned her face to look and stroked her ass.

"But Loren had been living with this unrequited need for so long it became problematic, hadn't it?" I waited until she nodded, her eyes cast down in front of her, her body vibrating slightly from anxiety, waiting to see where I was going. "Loren actually began to misbehave so that she could get punished. Anybody here experience that?" Again, several guests nodded, but it looked like the doms in almost all cases. The dynamic in the room was shifting subtly. The subs had grown quieter, waiting or beginning to pay attention to their partners.

"In a moment I want to give a special guest a chance to introduce herself formally. Hopefully, you've had a chance to meet her and chat. But before we go there, I want you to hear a little more about Loren and her tendency to misbehave. Loren? I want you to tell our friends what happened last Sunday, and why you ultimately had to be punished for it."

"Rick!" She hissed. "You can't be serious!"

I looked at her, my eyes firm, as if to remind her of the proper way to say 'no.' But I knew the turmoil was adding to the alcohol and turning her on.

"I..."

I turned her face to the group and had her start again.

"I...Master Rick had told me I couldn't climax, but I couldn't help myself and...so..." Her eyes were brimming from the struggle, her body shivering; her hands clutched her drink as if it were a liferope.

"That's right. And what was your punishment?"

She swallowed, looking around. "I was stripped and exposed to Jamison on Wednesday and cannot touch myself until you tell me I can."

I nodded and took the last swig of my drink. "Yep. Now, there's something else that Loren has done to disobey me. First of all – doesn't she look absolutely amazing?" I stepped back and presented her with my hands as if she were a celebrity; many of the guests hooted and clapped. "This is really a fantastic outfit, sweety. It really suits you.

"But the problem is, you didn't listen to me on Wednesday and chose to disobey me, didn't you?"

She looked back at me, confused, her mouth saying no and her head shaking. I stroked her head and neck, comforting her, but nodded my head.

"Can you remember what I said to you?"

"You said pick out an outfit I thought would be special..."

I shook my head interrupting her. "Here's what I said: 'I want you to pick out one single thing you absolutely want to wear to the cocktail party. I want you to be stunning.'" I let the words sink in and watched her reaction.

I grabbed her glass as she was about to drop it, her hands flying to her mouth. "But I didn't think..."

I interrupted her again and turned to the crowd. "And how many of your subs just don't think..." Smiles erupted along with nods and a few shouts of agreement.

"...you meant just one piece clothing..." She had made fists and I could see the frustration and feeling of betrayal on her face. "And you saw what I laid out this morning and didn't stop me!" She turned and beat her fists against me in frustration. I set down our glasses and grabbed her wrists.

"That's enough." I held her and made her look at me until she understood how much more difficult she was making it for herself. She shook her head in disbelief that I would put her in this position.

"Did you think your punishment for Sunday's infraction was over on Wednesday? And now, with this major act of disobedience, it's the same old thing all over again, right? You're just looking for excuses to be punished."

She shook her head but knew she had only one way out or continue. I could see the struggle, even as couples in the room were beginning to squirm at her discomfort. Charlie had begun to peel Julienne's top down across her breasts, exposing and pinching them. Others began to unzip, unbutton and unsnap clothing to get better access to their partner or expose them to the room.

Her breathing changed; she exhaled heavily and looked down at the floor. "I'm sorry Master Rick. I completely misunderstood your instructions."

"So, before we begin tonight's punishment..."

She looked up, her shivering like tremors, her hands coming to behind her neck, hoping for leniency.

"...we'll need to correct your wardrobe." I stood away and surveyed her. "One thing. A special thing." I let her think about it. "Obviously the shoes have to go."

She didn't hesitate, slipping the black pumps off.

"And the stockings of course."

She moved her hands from her neck up under dress and peeled the panty hose down.

"And if you're wearing panties, those might as well come off as well..."

She paused and returned her hands, pulling panties and hose down at the same time. She was breathing heavily now, and blushing, not looking up from the floor.

"Look at what you're doing to our guests, my little disobedient cunt." I pushed her chin up. We scanned the group. With one or two exceptions, at least one of each couple was naked, or nearly so, focusing their attention on their partner or making themselves available to their partner.

"Are you wearing a bra?" I knew she was. She nodded. "Off."

She reached under her dress and unsnapped her bra slipping it through an arm hole. She was beginning to think that she was home free, sighing in relief.

I turned and kissed her deeply, pushing my tongue against hers. She melted against me, feeling my erection through my pants, her hand pressing on it as if to apologize or beg for forgiveness. I whispered in her ear. "You will be severely punished tonight, you little cunt, for how badly you disobeyed me. Do you understand?" Her eyes filled with tears and she nodded her head not knowing specifically what was in store for her. In a heartbeat she realized Anna and Mamiko would be using her to demonstrate their skills, and she shook her head, frantically.

"I'm sorry, Master Rick. Please..." She cried in my ear as I stroked her neck, my hand traveling to the zipper of her dress. I pulled it down to her waist and stepped back.

"Please show our guests what you consider to be the single most special thing you wanted to wear tonight." I pointed to the coffee table next to us, indicating she should stand on it.

She moved quietly and slowly to stand a foot higher, now on display for everyone and shrugged the dress off her shoulders letting it drop in a pile. Moving her hands to the back of her neck, she spread her legs and let them see her stripped naked with the exception of the gorgeous string of pearls around her neck.