Peter loved Kate with all his being, but that didn't mean he'd tolerate an ultimatum from her.
For Sunday's Six of the Best, we share six paragraphs from a published work or a WIP (work in progress).My submission for this week is from my 5th book, Acting Lessons, loosely based on the story of Kiss Me Kate.
He was a strict and demanding college professor turned professional director who excelled at giving acting lessons. She was his shy and uncertain former student who became a professional actress under his tutelage. They fell in love, married, and won two Tony Awards before tragedy struck and a simple kiss ripped them apart.
After a six month separation, Peter Thorton decides to take matters into his own hands by making his famous wife, Kate, an offer she wouldn't refuse. Plainly put, he wants her back and he intends to do whatever is necessary to achieve his goal, even if it means giving his stubborn, willful leading lady a daily reminder over his knee that she promised to obey him.
In this scene, which occurs early in the first chapter, Peter Thorton, seated comfortably in an agent's office, is attempting to convince his wife, Kate, to give their marriage a second chance by signing her to appear with him in a College Summer Stock production of "Kiss Me Kate." Kate isn't sure she can trust Peter with her heart again, since she believes he's been unfaithful to her, but she's never stopped loving him. And though Domestic Discipline originally played a part in their marriage, their last two years together had them living like polite strangers sharing the same house.
Peter realizes he made a mistake in letting Kate do as she pleased, so he's determined to rectify matters immediately by informing his famous wife that if she keeps acting like a brat, he will turn her over his knee. Since Kate doesn't believe him, she dares him to try it. He doesn't hesitate, And before she gets another word out, Kate finds herself stomach down across her husband's knees. Furious and humiliated by both her position and Peter's warning swat, she demands her agent call the police while Peter suggests the agent give them some time alone. Furious, Kate makes the mistake of challenging her husband, and he lets her know right away what he will and will not tolerate by proving to her his threats are no longer idle. The spanking provides an emotional release for Kate, and she ends up crying in Peter's arms. Once she gets herself under control, Kate attempts to apologize, but Peter cuts her off with a kiss then informs her he wants them to have dinner together. Feeling cornered. Kate informs him she has a previous engagement she is not willing to cancel, but Peter presses until finally Kate grows petulant. When she complains that he can't just turn her over his knee whenever she disagrees with him, he warns her he won't hesitate to do whatever is necessary to improve her attitude if she continues to be snippy with him. Realizing this was an argument she couldn't win, Kate backs down.
Kate paused,
then shook her head. Even she wasn't
so foolish to challenge him today.
After kissing
away a tear with a brush of his lips, Peter drew her close with a hug. "I made a serious mistake by allowing
you to go your own way during the last two years of our marriage. Despite your insistence to the contrary, you
want and need my guidance, Katie. You
are still my wife, and I will not let you continue along the dangerously rutted
path you're headed any longer. If you do
not believe I mean what I say, I am more than willing and able to prove my
words to you on a daily basis."
She sighed,
realizing it was pointless to argue.
Peter always did what he thought was best whether she agreed or
not. Her feminist side might rankle at
his dominant posturing, but her inner woman wanted to curl up like a kitten in
his lap and purr with satisfaction.
However, her broken heart warned her to be cautious. "You honestly think we should work
together again?"
"Yes. I do.
If I didn't, I wouldn't have approached you." When she nodded, he asked, "Is that a
yes? Will you agree to do the show with me?"
She grimaced at
him. "Are you going to give me a choice?"
"No, but
you can still refuse."
Kate pushed, so Peter pulled. Temporarily reconciled, Kate has to decide whether to give into his wishes or stand firm so he doesn't think she's lost her backbone.
If you're 18 or older, you can read the first three chapters at Acting Lessons
Buy the book directly from Blushing Books
Thanks for visiting. I hope you enjoyed this brief excerpt and want more. Please click the link below to continue your hop Sunday's Six of the Best. Wishing you a wonderful journey.
Love this scene Kathryn. Love the inner battle within Kate. Hmm, no choice but she can refuse.
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Roz
She wanted to curl up in his lap like a kitten, such a lovely piece of imagery! I love that.
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