Del woke up feeling fantastic. Spot was sucking his cock with doggie enthusiasm. He could hear birds chatter away outside. There was just a hint of light in the stall.

He finished in Spot's mouth, relaxed for a second before he had to get up. "Good girl," he whispered.

Spot licked his belly below his navel and nuzzled her head close.

He rolled over and sat up. It was tempting to dawdle but he needed to get Star back so he could work with her this morning. He rose to his feet and went to his bag. He slipped on a clean pair of jeans and left the stall to check on Penny.

Penny slept curled by the ladder. He could see she'd had an accident. He was tempted to reprimand her, push her face in it, but what the hell. He wasn't able to go all night either.

He cleaned up in the washroom — splashed some water on his pits and face and peed. He still felt fantastic. Breakfast in an hour or so, a gallon of hot coffee, eggs sunnyside up, toast, and grits if he could talk Cookie into making them. He couldn't wait.

He left Penny by the ladder. She'd be there all morning, out of his hair.

He finished dressing in the stall. Spot was a good girl in the straw pile, scratched straw over her job and then knelt, waiting patiently. He slipped on his boots, tossed a donut to Spot and ate a bite of the last one before combing his hair. He'd shave later if he felt like it.

He clipped the leash on Spot and they left the stall only to run into Jerry and Reager. Jerry opened his mouth to speak, Del said, "It's okay." He tossed Jerry a key. "When you're done take off her hood and leave it in the stall. She'd like a cup of water if you two can manage it."

"See, I told you," Jerry said. He and Reager made a beeline.

Spot frolicked ahead of him on and off the path, as far as the leash would allow. He loved early mornings like this. It felt like the whole day would go just perfectly. Of course it never did.

Del clipped the chain to Spot's collar, gave her a pat and went to the doghouse. A piece of paper with, "Come see me," was lying inside.

Shit, he thought. What a way to spoil the morning. He rapped the knocker hard on the door, bam bam bam, loud enough to wake the dead. He leaned against one of the posts holding up the porch roof.

The door opened and he followed the housekeeper upstairs. He'd never been upstairs before. In the kitchen, out by the pool, the study, and years ago in the living room for his interview.

The oriental runner up the stairway looked rich. The wrought railing with gold trim looked rich. The paintings on the walls, each with their own little lamp attached to the top of the gilt frames looked rich.

The carpet in the hall was thick. The housekeeper led him past several doors, stopped at one and knocked.

"Yes?"

She opened the door and backed away.

He went in and saw the Colonel sitting up in a huge bed, satin sheets, a blonde headed form next to him, not Star. Long wavy hair. Like an actress or a model.

The Colonel set his cup and saucer on the bedside table and smiled at him. "I trust Spot was sufficient amusement last night."

"Yes, sir." The less said the better though he had his reasons and they were good ones.

"Get Del a chair," the Colonel said flipping up the sheet.

The sleepy-eyed blonde sat up, swung her feet out of bed, and walked past him staring.

Del stared back. She had Misty beat by a mile.

The Colonel picked up his saucer and cup and sipped his coffee not saying a word.

The blonde returned to the room with a chair, set it beside Del and walked slowly back to the Colonel's bed. The Colonel smiled, set his cup and saucer down. Once the blonde was settled beside him the Colonel tossed the sheet over her. "I was surprised last night to find Spot replaced by one of your charges."

"Yes, sir."

"Pleasantly so. You may bring her here tonight."

"Yes, sir."

"Relax, Del. I'm not going to reprimand you."

"Thank you, sir." Del crossed his legs, sat back in the chair.

"I admire your creativity."

"Thank you, sir."

"Sometimes. Sometimes I don't. You already know that."

"Yes, sir."

"Sharon," the Colonel said. "Show Del to the room where Star is staying." He picked up his saucer and cup.

The sleepy blonde sat up, got out of bed and walked across the room to Del. She waited by the chair, resting a hand on the chair back.

Del could smell her and she was so close he could feel the heat of her. More than the heat of her. The hair on her arm was so pale it was almost invisible. "Thank you, sir," he said as he stood.

Sharon walked slowly down the hall. He followed her several paces behind enjoying how her butt moved. Not a mark on her. The Colonel was still able to surprise him.

He followed her down another hall whose walls were painted black. The floor was bare wood. Expensive parquet that was loud when stepped on. She stopped at a door, waited for him to catch up then threw it open.

Del saw Star bound and suspended from a metal rack mounted on the wall. He felt a touch on his leg, turned and Sharon wrinkled her nose at him before walking slowly away.

Damn, he thought. I should have gotten her number. Then he remembered how busy he was, damn paints. He shut the door behind him. "Fancy meeting you here."

Star glowered at him.

"Are you happy?"

"More please," she sneered. She tried to kick her foot.

There was a puddle under her. He bet she was happy as all get out.

It took a couple of minutes to figure out how the ratchet on the hoist worked. He didn't want her coming down too fast. Maybe he did. He shouldn't want her to come down too fast. She was, after all, expensive property.

He lowered her to the floor. Right on the puddle but that couldn't be helped.

The gloss on the black walls helped. The place had just the right amount of gloom. The bars on the window were a nice touch.

The Colonel wasn't a knot man. These were adequately done but nothing fancy. By the time he was done though, the rope, he and Star were thoroughly covered with piss. She was. Just his hands for him and that was more than enough.

"Kneel," he said. He set the final coil of rope by the others.

Her posture was lousy. "Stiff?" he asked.

"More please," she said staring at him.

He looked around him, didn't see anything he could use, spun and slapped her. "That's for saying 'but' last night."

"I'm not a fucking dog." She held her hand up to her cheek.

He smiled at her. "Oh, you aren't are you? You're a pampered pleasure slave are you?" She started to speak, he held her jaw and said, his face inches from hers, "You've said entirely too much, sweetheart." She began to speak and he shook her. "Not another word. Not yes, more or please. Not fuck you or I'm sorry. Not another word." He gave her a shake and released her. "Understand?"

She stared at him, then her eyes changed, her whole face changed. As if she were an ember. The slightest breath would get her burning bright.

"Sweet," he said. "Stand."

She stood, tottered, and steadied herself.

He picked up the last coil of rope. He tied her wrists together in front and tied them to her collar. He led her by the rope out of the room.

He stopped at the Colonel's room. He knocked on the door, heard yes and went in, Star following. "Thank you, sir. You wanted her again tonight?"

"If you wouldn't mind." The Colonel laid the newspaper on his lap.

"She'll be here, sir." Del couldn't see Sharon in the room.

"Knock this time, Del."

"Yes, sir. The room's a mess."

"It will be taken care of." The Colonel picked up his paper.

Del drew Star out of the room, shut the door. Nothing smelled like old piss. He made sure she followed well behind him.

He let them out the big heavy front door, stopped for a moment to pet Spot. Spot looked like she really enjoyed the outing.

Del made Star walk in front of him as he went on the path down to the stable. "Knees higher. Higher." He jerked the rope. "Higher." He was enjoying himself. He was going to have fun with this one.

When he had her in the stall he made her get on her knees. He'd decided he was going to let her stink until this afternoon.

He took the bridle off the peg and dropped it over her head setting the bit in her mouth. She stared at him, resisted him momentarily then let the bit fully enter her mouth. He buckled the bridle at the back, pushed her down so her tied hands and head were on the floor, her ass in the air.

He was tempted but he didn't want to miss breakfast. He found her tail, spit on the plug and pushed it in. "Stay there," he said.

He left the stall. Penny knelt by the ladder. He unlocked the cuff to her ankle and sent her into the stall. He decided on red paint in the tack room, took down a can. He opened it, brand new and shaken. He poured a small amount in the pail, took the brush and went back to the stall.

Penny knelt on the blanket, eyes down. Her posture was better, he couldn't figure out quite how, didn't wear himself out about it.

He knelt by Star, dipped the brush in the paint and painted a single large word across her back. "Dogmeat." She'd be dry when he got back from breakfast. He cleaned the brush and pail in the sink, left the stall and dropped them off at the tack room before going to the washroom.

He ate breakfast alone. Most of them ate Egg McMuffins or some sort of crap like that on the way to work and it showed. He preferred real food. Cookie did the eggs just right. He relaxed with his second cup of coffee, tried not to think about paints at all.

He needed to call Marge to see if she needed anything. He missed her voice. She wasn't like Sharon at all but he suspected you didn't live day in day out with someone like Sharon. Besides, when she was seventeen Marge could have shown Sharon a thing or two. And it only got better.

He got a thermos from Cookie, went back to the stable. The charges, all but his it looked like, were getting exercised this morning. Misty was looking great as usual. Randi and Sam were in their own little world in the ring. He saw a new one and asked John who told him she was Stormy. Carl looked like he had his hands full. Debbie and John both looked bored.

He shut the stall door behind him, set the thermos on the shelf. Maybe he'd get the place neatened up while they mucked out the spoiled straw. He dug through his kit for the branding iron then remembered he'd left it on the saucer. He took the branding iron and his lighter to Star and knelt. "Help me hold her down," he said to Penny.

Penny came over; he had her hold Star's shoulders. "She says she's not a fucking a dog." He heated the branding iron with the lighter.

When the branding iron was hot he held it against Star's left butt cheek for several seconds. He didn't really care if this one lasted or not.

He stood waving the iron to cool it. She hadn't let out a sound at all. He admired the iron. It was about eight inches long — tiny, just a toy. It worked which was the important part. He laid it on the saucer.

He made Penny kneel on the blanket while he pulled Star to her knees. She was drooling around the bit and she'd leaked a tear or two. He'd praise her but she'd said those words earlier. He lifted her chin with his fingers. "Do you want to know what I painted on your back?"

She blinked her eyes.

"Dogmeat."

She bit hard on the bit.

He smiled at her. "Penny's going back to the ladder where the hands will fuck her when they want a break. You'll either be with me working out or on the blanket here in the stall." He let go of her chin. "All four," he said to Penny.

Penny grinned as she dropped down. He had her come closer.

He dropped his jeans and knelt behind Penny. The fuck felt good. He pretended she was Sharon. She was if he kept his eyes shut. When he was done he led Penny back to the ladder and cuffed her ankle.

"Remember," he said. "More please."

She nodded, glanced at him, a sweet grin on her face.

The yellow paint was holding up better than the black. He'd have to remember that.

In the stall he removed the rope from Star.

"Hungry?" he asked as he coiled the rope.

Star nodded.

He left the coil on the floor, poured a cup of coffee from the thermos and got the lead. He clipped the lead to her bridle, gave a snap. "Out we go," he said.

Star walked in front, paused at the large stable doors. He gave the lead a snap; she hesitantly went out into the corral.

Del had her stop next to Benjamin. He saw Benjamin's raised eyebrow, said, "Accidents happen." Benjamin and he watched Misty for a couple of minutes.

"Could I borrow your crop for a minute? I left mine in the stall."

Benjamin held it out.

Del took it, swished it through the air a couple of times then hit Star hard across the ass. He tried the crop a couple of more times, handed it back. "That's nice. Where'd you get it?"

Horsetackco dot com."

"I'll see if I can't get one. Thanks."

Benjamin nodded.

Del watched Misty for a minute more, snapped the lead. "Just keep walking."

He took her out to the field, held the lead with one hand as she did circles. He checked his watch; they'd practice until eleven thirty, then he'd take her back and the girls could muck the stall.

"Back straight," he said. "Straight." He snapped the lead.

Lunch. Call Marge. Take Penny out. Wash them both. He was getting tired. He'd drunk his coffee too fast, had to pee, had too much on his mind. He wasn't right here now like he needed to be."

"Whoa," he said.

He went to her. Why did it have to be so hard? He took her shoulders and turned her. "Watch the blonde, that one in the ring. Hell, watch any of them." He shook Star. "See her?"

She nodded sharply.

He could hear her teeth on the bit. "That's what you want to look like, Dogmeat. Got that?" He shook her.

She nodded, tried to talk.

He shook her. "Take a minute to study them then you can show me what you've learned."

She nodded.

He stepped away. It was hard not to think about how much fun Spot was compared to this paint who was a pain in the ass. He snapped the lead.

As she stepped in the grass he thought about how much fun it would be to go fishing — have a day off, Spot tied off on the truck bed. God, he could really use a day off. A nice pond to fish, not too many people, Spot curled up at his side. Maybe a nibble, maybe not. He didn't care if he caught anything.

He snapped the lead. "Knees high."

She looked okay. Nothing spectacular. "Shoulders back." He watched her. "That's better."

He hadn't realized the Colonel's had so many rooms upstairs. He wondered what was behind each closed door.

"That's better. Knees high now."

He resided the temptation to glance at his watch. It had been five minutes tops. "Good."

She was halfway decent. She had a lot of pride. He would let Penny whip her before they went out this afternoon. He wanted to see if she'd react the same way.

He could smell Star from here which wasn't helping him any. There wasn't anything to tie her off on and he wasn't sure if it was safe taking her too close to the stable. Some of the hands had a mean streak.

He snapped the lead. "Faster. Faster still."

Another hour and a half of this and he was going to bust a gut.

"Whoa," he said. He dropped the lead onto the grass. "Kneel."

He walked up to her. "Dogmeat, if you didn't have that bridle on, I'd tell you to open wide." He unzipped his pants, took his cock out and aimed. Off with the old, on with the new.

When he was done she opened her eyes and looked up at him. She drew her shoulders further back, became even more erect. Her eyes glowed.

He smiled at her. "You're stepping pretty good. With practice you'll become almost as good as the blonde over there."

She didn't blink.

"Up," he said. He took the lead and gave it a snap.

She rose so her whole body was a sinuous curve. She stepped slowly, knees high.