The young woman at the desk looked up and smiled as I made my way to the bar to wait for Rayanne. I had been coming to the Rouge on Saturday mornings for six weeks and had a surprise in my shoulder bag along with my swim gear. But then she held up a hand. 'One moment, please, madame.' She crossed the reception area to meet me.
'Miss Rayanne asked me to show you to the private elevator, madame.' Surprised, I followed her to the last in a bank of three elevator doors, almost hidden in the semi-darkness. She pressed the button, and the doors opened to reveal a small, wood-paneled lift. Inside there were three buttons. The young woman pressed the top one, and withdrew, leaving me alone. The doors slid closed on her enigmatic smile, and the lift rose. A light ping and the doors opened on to a carpeted lobby. Three recessed lights illuminated a path to a partly open door. Intrigued, I pushed it open and stepped into a large square room, luxuriously furnished with long, low leather couches, a television screen so large it looked more like a cinema, and a selection of small tables. Inclining on one of the couches was Rayanne, a glass of something long and cool in her hand. Through a door to the left, I could see deep carpet and the corner of a bed; a door to the right showed a glimpse of a dining table. But I barely noticed any of this; one wall of the room was entirely glazed, and beyond it was London. The river, the eye, the houses of parliament. The Shard glittered in the spring sun. The view was to die for.
I managed to close my mouth. 'Impressive, isn't it?' Rayanne took my bag, placed it on the couch, led me to the window, and slid it open. We stepped out on to a balcony, and the noise of the city rose to greet us. I looked around. The view went on, and on. The city stretched before us in all its glory and chaos. The balcony was furnished with low chairs and a glass table. It was utterly, totally private.
I looked at Rayanne. 'I don't understand. This view, that flat. It must be worth a fortune. How are you allowed to use it? Is the owner away? I presume it belongs to the owner of the hotel?'
She took a breath, looked me in the eye. 'It does belong to the owner, And no, the owner isn't away. She's right here.'
It took me a minute, but I got there. 'You mean you own the hotel? I don't believe it! All this time and you didn't tell me? Why?' My voice cracked a little. I was hurt, and I was surprised at how angry I felt.
Rayanne took my hands in hers. 'I wanted to tell you that first time but didn't want to take a chance on it spoiling what we had. We've got to know each other over the weeks you've been coming here. Our relationship, our friendship,' she hesitated, 'our love is strong enough now. I know you want me for myself, not as a rich woman. Can you forgive me?' She looked suitably contrite, and not a little nervous. I looked away, towards the houses of parliament, and considered.
The news wouldn't change the way I felt. She had used the L word. She was rich. This wasn't so bad. Now to have some fun. I turned back to face her. 'I need something from my bag. Stay there.' My voice was curt; I sounded angry. Three paces took me back to the room. I picked up my bag, carried it out to the balcony. Rayanne hadn't moved. I didn't smile. I dumped the bag on the glass table, pulled back the zip, turned round to face her. She was wearing a sheer silk robe, with a single tie at the waist. 'Take that off.' She pulled the tie, slid the robe off her shoulders. She was wearing a new version of her signature look: sheer silk stockings, red silk knickers a black basque that made the most of her charms.
My right hand was rummaging through my bag. I pulled out my surprise. Rayanne's eyes widened at the sight of the size of the slipper. 'Is that..?'
'Old Faithful. It packs quite a sting. As you're just about to find out.'
I sat at one of the chairs, back straight, legs together. I waited. Rayanne swallowed but wasted no time in lowering herself across my lap. I moved her so that her silk-clad bottom was presented to its full advantage. 'You've lied to me. You didn't trust me. I take that seriously.' My voice was harsh, and I could feel her body tremble slightly. She knew what I was capable of when I was annoyed.
I waited, letting the tension mount. I let the smooth, heavy leather of the slipper rest on the taut, stretched silk. I tapped both globes of her bottom lightly. The sole covered the fullness of her rounded backside. The muscles in her legs, straining against the floor, jumped slightly.
'So this will be a full punishment. No half measures. Ready?'
Her head, which was about the level of my ankles, nodded.
I tapped these rounded globes again, then lifted the slipper high.
Whack! The leather cracked against her bottom with a sound like a rifle shot. Rayanne's head jerked up, her teeth clenched. I raised the slipper again.
Crack!
The thick, smooth leather rose and fell, left cheek, right cheek, full across both, in a regular pattern. Rayanne kicked her legs, writhed and squirmed on my lap, but apart from the occasional grunt didn't emit a sound.
Crack! Crack! The hardest yet. She was gasping, breathing hard, eyes open wide. The power of holding that beautiful body across my lap as I tanned her backside was intoxicating. She was helpless. Completely in my power. The smooth muscles of her hips, her thighs, her stomach tensed and moved as she bucked and squirmed on my lap. I concentrated on that triangle of taut silk. The heavy slipper rose again, the blows falling thick and fast, turning the visible parts of her bottom a similar shade to her red knickers. At the final full-blooded blow full across her backside she leapt to her feet, and, hands clasped to her burning rear, rushed inside the flat. I followed, and she slid the window shut.
The noise of the city disappeared. 'OW ow ow ooooh ahhh!' she was doing a little dance around the room, fanning her backside. 'Jesus Laura. Why did you do that out there?'
I stood, arms crossed, holding the slipper. 'Nobody could see us. I checked.'
She was holding both hands to her bottom, wonderfully gyrating her hips. 'But they could HEAR us you, idiot! The hotel windows are just underneath us. The whole place will know what's been going on. But at least they won't know who was on the end of that leathering. It was agony keeping quiet. That slipper is an absolute beast. But I - or my ass anyway - need a break. Am I forgiven? Please say yes, I don't want to go through that again. Not for a while anyway.'
I smiled. 'You were forgiven the moment you told me. I just couldn't let that opportunity go by. Can I have a drink?'
Rayanne was peeling back her silk panties, looking at her reddened bottom in a mirror. 'Help yourself.' She gestured towards a cabinet against the far wall. Inside, between a tangle of leather belts, floggers and paddles, and the occasional cane, nestled a few bottles. I chose something suitable, found a glass and sank into cream leather. I watched as Rayanne lowered herself, wincing as her punished backside made contact. She wriggled her hips, settled back. 'Let me see that slipper.'
I handed it to her, and she hefted it in her hand. 'A beast. An absolute beast.'
'It's Jeff's. It belonged to his dad. It's our absolute favourite toy. I'm glad I finally got to share it with you.' Rayanne shifted in her seat, possibly not sharing my enthusiasm just at the moment.