@#$@#%^@ server! Last attempt posted before I imported the story! Sorry ...

I put a lot of my personal "spanking philosophy" into this one, so feel free to disagree with anything you read. Remember, this is how I do it (or would, if I ever got the chance); it doesn't necessarily have to be how everyone does it.

What follows is a work of fiction intended for adult audiences that enjoy stories about spanking. If you don't meet all these categories, please find another newsgroup.

Home at last! Dan thought as he unlocked his front door and stepped inside. "Katrina? You awake?" he shouted, tossing his keys on the side table. "In here, Uncle Dan!" came a response from the living room. He hung up his coat and headed for the voice, pausing on the threshold. As always, the first sight of her simply took his breath away.

When Dan's brother and sister-in-law informed him they were hosting a Swedish exchange student for the summer, he never imagined she'd turn out to be the vision of Nordic beauty that walked off the plane. Statuesque, with the golden hair, piercing blue eyes, and cream-colored skin typical of her people, she'd greeted them all effusively, speaking flawless English with a slight Scandinavian accent which he always found charming. Needless to say, Katrina captivated the entire family -- and Dan -- immediately. He loved the way she insisted on calling him "Uncle Dan."

The summer had gone smoothly, until a few days ago. The day before a planned family trip to Disneyworld, Katrina came down with a mysterious "bug" (probably a case of low-grade food poisoning) which rendered her completely unable to travel. Dan gallantly volunteered to let her stay with him until she recovered. He'd relished having her to himself. She even managed to look beautiful while throwing up!

This morning, she'd insisted that she felt much better, and he'd reluctantly gone back to work. He couldn't get his mind off her all day, though. A lunchtime phone call (during which she reassured him that yes, she was doing fine) didn't help. He'd rushed straight home, now greatly relieved to see her sitting comfortably on the sofa. Even wrapped in one of his old, worn robes, she was astonishingly beautiful -- although he was troubled by the vaguely perplexed expression on her face.

Seating himself next to her, he hugged her affectionately (noting that she didn't return the hug) before asking about her day. After she'd filled him in on the details (mainly resting, recovering her strength, and watching lots of lousy television), her perplexed look returned and she asked, solemnly, "Uncle Dan, can I ask you something?"

"Certainly, Katrina, you can ask anything you want," he responded, his sense of unease growing.

"Could you please explain this to me?" She picked up the remote and turned on the TV set, then started the VCR. On the screen, a man confronted his twenty-year-old niece, who was visiting him from England. She'd stayed out all night without his permission, bar-hopping (despite being underage), then hitchhiked home. Dan and Katrina watched in silence as the man sternly lectured the young woman, then turned her over his knee and gave her a sound spanking, first over her dress, then her panties, and finally on her bare bottom.

When the "niece's" backside glowed bright red, Katrina shut off the TV and VCR and turned back to Dan. "What kind of video is this, Uncle Dan?" she inquired.

Dan's insides churned as he fought to maintain his outward calm. Outed! And by her, of all people! "Where -- how did you find this?" he asked, buying time.

"I was cold, so I went looking for a spare blanket. I found the tape in your bedroom closet," she answered, gazing intently at him with those bright blue eyes.

He knew he should have locked those tapes up! Searching desperately for the right words, he took a deep breath and started to explain. "Well, you see, Katrina, some people get sexual satisfaction out of spanking. I happen to be one of those people."

"I see." She looked thoughtful, and she hadn't run away -- yet. "And the woman in the video? Does she like being spanked?" He could see she found this hard to believe.

"I really don't know. I've never met her. I presume she does, otherwise she wouldn't have made the video." Katrina looked away, still obviously perturbed. Dan went on. "There are people -- men and women -- who like to be spanked. In fact, 'like' may be too mild a word. There are people who need to be spanked, the same way someone else needs to eat and drink."

"But -- doesn't it hurt?"

"I would imagine it hurts a great deal. I don't see how a bottom could be spanked to that color without some pain involved."

Katrina sat quietly for a few moments, chewing her lower lip, then turned back to him. "Isn't spanking a punishment for children?"

Finally, an easy question! "There are two types of spankings, Katrina," he explained. "The first is for punishment, and that's the type given to children. The second is an erotic act between two consenting adults. It'd be wrong to give a nonconsenual, punishment spanking to an adult, just as it'd be wrong to give an erotic spanking to a child."

"But in the video, the uncle spanked the niece to punish her."

"Consensual spankings often take the form of role-play, Katrina. It's more exciting for the participants to pretend there's some punishment involved. That video is role-play."

She pondered for a while, then: "Does your brother know about this?"

"No," answered Dan, "it's none of his business, just as his sex life is none of mine. I imagine he's having sex with his wife; otherwise I wouldn't have two nieces. But what form that sex takes, I don't know and I don't want to know. For all I know, Tony could well be spanking Eve, or Eve could be spanking Tony, for that matter. It's their business, not mine."

"Have you ever spanked Tanya or Chelsea?" she asked, naming his two teenaged nieces.

"No, and I never will," he responded firmly.

"Why not? Don't you believe in spanking children?"

"Well, erotic spankings are definitely out."

"And punishment?" she inquired, her eyes curiously eager.

"Hmm ... I don't believe spanking constitutes child abuse. I do think it's a severe enough punishment that it should be a parent who decides when it's appropriate, and it should be a parent who administers it. In other words, if Tanya or Chelsea needed to be spanked, it's up to Tony or Eve, not me."

"And if, when they're adults, they come to you and ask you to spank them ... what would you do then?"

He'd never considered that! "I'd have to think very carefully ... no, I'd refuse. I consider spanking an adult to be an erotic act, and I wouldn't want to perform an erotic act with my own niece, adult or not."

Katrina paused again, then laid the tough one on him. "Uncle Dan ... why are you like this?"

He shook his head. "If you only knew how many times I've asked myself that same question. I don't know, Katrina, I just don't know."

"Were you spanked as a child?"

"Yes, Tony and I both were, but I don't think that's got anything to do with it. Most children got spanked regularly in our day. I didn't like it then, and I have absolutely no interest in being spanked now."

"When did you first get interested in spanking?"

He smiled at the memory. "When I was thirteen. Dad was a big John Wayne fan, and he took us to see a movie called 'McLintock.' There's two spanking scenes in that movie, one of which takes place in front of the whole town. It's supposed to be funny, but I couldn't get those scenes out of my mind. I replayed them endlessly. A few days later, I read a newspaper article about spanking in schools, and from my reaction to that -- well, that's when I knew."

"Have you ever tried to stop being interested?"

"Many times. The longest I've ever lasted is three whole days."

She shook her head. "I really can't believe this, Uncle Dan. You seem like such a gentle man."

"I consider myself a very gentle man, Katrina. I'd never hit a child, and I think any man who abuses a woman doesn't deserve to live."

"And yet, you're interested in hitting women."

Another deep breath. "All right. Spanking does involve hitting, I'll grant you that. But the women involved consent to their spankings, they know what's going to happen, and, as I said before, they need to be spanked. I'm just helping fulfill their needs."

"What needs are those?"

"I don't know for sure. I can tell you what I've heard." She nodded. "Often times, as I'm sure you know, adult life can be very stressful. Sometimes it's very relaxing for an adult to retreat temporarily into their childhood, when they had fewer responsibilities, and put themselves into the hands of a firm, but loving, parent."

"I can understand that," she replied, "but spanking as an act of love?"

His turn to ask a question. "Did your parents ever spank you?"

"A few times, when I was a very little girl."

"They used other forms of punishment, too, then." Another nod. "And do you think they love you?"

"I'm sure of it."

"Even when they were punishing you, by spanking or whatever means?" She nodded again. "So, you see, a spanking, when properly administered, can be as much an act of love as a hug, or a kiss, or any other more commonly accepted form of affection."

She chewed her lip a bit longer, then fixed her eyes on him again. "Uncle Dan ... do you love me?"

No hesitation. "Yes, Katrina, I do."

"Would you punish me if I was naughty?"

"Well ... I am in charge of you while Tony and Eve are away, so, yes, I guess I'd have to punish you."

She stared down at her lap for a few minutes, then nodded firmly and looked him in the eye again. "Uncle Dan, it was naughty of me to go into your room without permission. I want you to punish me -- like the uncle in the video punished his niece."

He was afraid she'd ask that! "Katrina, I told you, I don't believe in spanking someone else's children --"

"I'm not a child, Uncle Dan," she interrupted.

He smiled. "No, you're not, and I don't think of you as one. But you're seventeen, and legally that makes you --"

"I'm eighteen, Uncle Dan."

Dan paused, hoping his heart would start beating again by itself. "But -- your application said you were seventeen?" he sputtered.

"I was seventeen when I applied. My birthday's in May. I turned eighteen before I came to this country," she explained.

A period of only a few months; yet, legally, it made all the difference in the world. He considered matters while she gazed intently at him. Dan had fantasized several times about having this Scandinavian beauty over his knee, never imagining he'd ever actually get the chance. Now he had the opportunity of a lifetime -- but he still had to proceed carefully.

He cleared his throat. "So, you want me to punish you?" Another nod. "And you understand that means a bare bottom spanking?"

"Yes, just like the niece in the video got."

"Well ... not just like her. I have my own technique."

Her eyes opened a bit wider. Time to get down to business. He looked her up and down, deciding the robe wouldn't do. "Do you have a dress that is no more than knee-length, and the skirt isn't too tight?"

She nodded yet again. "Good. Go put it on, please." She got up from the couch, then turned back to face him. "What about underpants?" she inquired.

"Please," he clarified, "I prefer the word 'panties'. Ah, you should definitely wear them." Although not for long, he thought.

"Do you have a preference?"

"Oh. White. Cotton, if you have them."

She thought for a moment. "Is nylon okay?"

"Nylon's fine." She turned and left the room. "No thongs!" he called after her.

Dan sat quietly on the sofa, awaiting her return, still not quite believing his good fortune. He thought, well, I talked the talk about spanking being a loving act, now I better walk the walk. If I'm going to initiate Katrina into the world of erotic spanking, I better do it right.

A few minutes later, Katrina re-entered the living room, taking Dan's breath away again. She had on a short-sleeved, blue-and-white gingham dress that reached the tops of her knees, white cuffed anklets, and brown loafers. She'd put her hair up in pigtails. Frankly, she looked about twelve years old.

Dan scooted over to the center seat on the sofa and beckoned her to him. She came slowly and stood by his right side, her lips charmingly pouted. He took her hand in his. "Are you really sure this is what you want?" he asked. She nodded, still pouting. "All right, then," he said, and gently but firmly pulled her down across his lap, positioning her so she was stretched out full length on the couch, with her bottom atop his right thigh. She'd be uncomfortable enough later, he thought, might as well make her comfortable now.

He rested his hand on her thigh for a moment, contemplating her rump beneath her tightly-stretched skirt. Slowly he raised his hand -- then lowered it again. Good Lord, he'd nearly forgotten the most important part! "If, at any time, this gets to be too much for you, and you want to stop, just say the word 'mercy.' Whatever else you say or do, I'll keep going. Do you understand?"

"I understand, Uncle Dan," came the muffled reply.

All right; now to begin. He transferred his hand from her thigh to her left buttock. Leaving the heel of his hand down, he patted her bottom three times, softly, then slowly ran his palm up and down her cheek, feeling her soft flesh give beneath her dress and panties. A few more pats, then he switched his attention to her right side. After patting and massaging both globes, he knew the time had come to raise her skirt.

Instead of grasping the hem, as most spankers did, he took hold of a fold in her dress, just below her bottom, and drew it up slowly. Katrina's skirt brushed against her thighs as it made the trip upwards. Just like a curtain rising on a play, he thought, and found the metaphor quite apt; the prologue over, Act One could now begin.

Inch by tantalizing inch, her delectable thighs appeared. Then came the moment Dan anticipated so eagerly: the first glimpse of her panties. Dan paused the skirt for a moment, admiring the bit of fabric between her firm thighs, before continuing.

Dan raised the dress until about an inch of flesh showed between the hem of Katrina's skirt and the waistband of her panties, then laid it neatly across her back. He smoothed the wrinkles from her panties, gently tugging at the leg openings until an even expanse of nylon covered the woman's rump. Katrina lay absolutely still; he could feel her breathing, slow and even, through his left hand, resting squarely on her back.

With his forefinger, Dan traced a line beginning with the back of Katrina's left knee, up along her thigh, ending at the hem of her panties. Then he repeated the process on her right leg. She stiffened a bit and gave a sharp intake at his touch. Careful not to get any flesh, he took a pinch of panty between thumb and forefinger, rolling it slowly back and forth for a few seconds, then releasing it. He ran the tips of his three middle fingers along the intersection between thigh and panty, starting on her right side, darting quickly across her crack, and continuing along the left. Dan then placed his hand firmly in the center of Katrina's bottom, gave it three light pats, a gentle squeeze, then rubbed slowly in a counterclockwise direction. She moaned softly as he massaged her.

Now came the moment Dan always found most exciting. He placed a hand on each of her hips and inserted his thumbs under the waistband of her panties. Slowly, moving both hands together, he drew her panties downward, exposing more and more of her delicate cheeks. If she only knew how his palm had itched when he'd seen her bottom pressed tightly against the cutoff jeans she often wore! He lowered her panties to mid-thigh. The object of Dan's attention was now framed neatly by dress and panties, still in its pristine white condition, contrasting against her bronzed thighs (the result of several bikini sessions in Tony's back yard).

Dan never could quite understand those spankers who began the actual spanking over skirts or panties. Sure, he understood the need to warm the spankee up, but that could be done by giving light spanks to begin with, gradually building to full force. For Dan, part of the enjoyment was watching the bottom change colors. If the spanking began over one or more layers of clothing, the backside would at least be pink when finally bared, depriving the spanker of a crucial part of the experience.

With Katrina's bottom fully bared, Dan placed his left hand across her back again. Her breathing had increased somewhat, but she still lay silently. He put his right hand on the center of her fanny again, rubbed it up and down a few times, then started in.

He began with a half-dozen light swats, love-pats really, on her left cheek; then another half-dozen on her right. He paused and looked up at her head. No reaction. Another series of six to each side, slightly harder. Still nothing. He continuing applying a half-dozen swats to each side. By the fourth go-round, a bit of pink began to appear, and she squirmed slightly on his lap.

Time to give her a taste of what lay in store. He hauled back and gave her a firm swat, still not full strength, on each cheek. "Ouch! Ow!" Katrina squealed, her head and feet rising up from the couch. She settled down again immediately, though, so he continued the warmup.

Starting with the upper curve of her left cheek, he administered a series of spanks, medium hard, to the same spot. When that area had gone pink, he moved his hand down slightly and spanked the next area, moving slowly along her buttock and down her thigh to where her panties rested. Then he started back up her right side. The spanks weren't overly hard, but he delivered them rapidly, with almost no pause in between. By the time he was done, Katrina's entire rump was a uniform bright pink, and she was sniffling softly.

Dan gave them both a break, rubbing the woman's bottom softly for a few seconds as her sniffles turned to moans. She'd been warmed up enough, he decided; time to start spanking in earnest.

He rested his hand momentarily on the center of her rump, then raised it and smacked her firmly on the left cheek, harder than before, but still not full force. She bucked a bit and squealed. Dan left his hand in place for a few seconds, then administered another firm spank to her right cheek. He continued the swats, about five seconds apart each; Katrina yelped and squirmed with each one. Dan transferred his left hand from her back to her waist, but she wasn't struggling enough to cause any problems ... yet.

After four dozen solid smacks (two dozen to each cheek), he stopped spanking and gently rubbed her bottom again. Her breathing had gotten faster, and her sniffles louder; Dan sensed she was on the point of tears. He massaged for a bit longer, then centered his hand on her rump again, letting her know the next set was about to begin.

The second four dozen left her crying quietly. Dan stroked her hair with his left hand while his right massaged her backside. At his touch, she looked over her shoulder at him; she answered his inquiring gaze by smiling through her tears. When he centered his hand again, Katrina put her head back down and braced herself, ready for the next onslaught.

He only gave her two dozen swats, but as hard and as fast as he could. When he stopped, she was sobbing loudly and her feet were kicking against the sofa arm. He gave her a long break, softly rubbing and squeezing her hot red cheeks for several minutes, then began another series of slow, hard spanks.

This time, Dan stopped after three dozen, sensing she was near her breaking point. After another massage period, he began another set; even though he allowed more time between spanks, he had to quit after twenty. Katrina's breath had gotten very uneven and she was wriggling vigorously across his lap. He waited and rubbed again, until she settled down, then gave her a final flurry of two dozen rapid-fire hard spanks. Her squeals increased and her feet kicked again;, she reached a hand behind her, but he intercepted it and held her tight until he'd done. A last massage, then he gently patted her bottom and spoke for the first time since they'd started. "Okay, Katrina, it's all over. You can get up now."

She laid still for a few more seconds, then pushed herself to her feet. He assisted her until she stood above him, both hands rubbing her bottom, tears flowing freely from her eyes. More beautiful than ever, he thought, and swallowed hard, fighting the effects the spanking had on him. When he trusted his voice again, he said, "Now, young lady, I think you'd better go to your room and think about what just happened." He intended to do the same.

"You -- you don't want me to stay?" she asked, obviously aware of his arousal.

Oh, did he ever! He not only wanted her to stay, he wanted her, in every sense of the word. On the couch, on the coffee table, on the floor, wherever. Right then, he didn't much care.

But ... there were other, more important, considerations. Whether or not Katrina was legally an adult, he knew the Student Exchange program wouldn't approve of her having sex with a member of her host family. Tony and Eve wouldn't approve, either, and he couldn't betray their trust. Moreover, he didn't know her sexual history -- or even if she had one.

Most of all, though, he didn't have any protection. Some risks just weren't worth taking. Boinking Katrina could cause too many problems for too many people he cared about. Being an adult, he thought wryly, meant acting like one, too.

With a great effort, he controlled his breathing again and replied, "No. I think we both need some time alone for ... reflection. Go to your room, now. I'll tell you when you can come out." She pulled up her panties, then slowly walked out the room, looking over her shoulder at him once. He sat resolutely until he heard her bedroom door shut, then exhaled heavily. A few more minutes, until his emotions subsided further, then he headed for his bedroom, where his private bathroom and his favorite towel awaited. This shouldn't take too long, he thought.

Fifteen minutes later, Dan knocked on her bedroom door. "Katrina? You can come out now," he called. The door opened slowly, and he beheld her breathtaking beauty again. She'd put his old robe back on and brushed her hair out; her face was still flushed, and her eyes puffy from tears. He took her arm and led her back to the living room. Seating himself on the sofa again, he gathered her into his arms and onto his lap, positioning her so that her rump overhung his legs. She put her arms around his neck and laid her head on his shoulder, as he held her tight with both arms.

He sat quietly for a few moments, feeling the warmth of her and gently stroking her hair, then asked, "Now, aren't you sorry you were naughty today?" She didn't answer for a moment, then looked up at him, an impish grin on her face, and firmly shook her head, no. "Good. Me either," he replied, hugging her a bit tighter. A few more minutes silence, then Dan said, "I don't feel like cooking tonight. Do you feel up to going out for dinner?"

"Can't we just get some takeout or something?" she responded, gazing up at him again. "I really don't want to get dressed again, and ..." she rubbed her bottom with one hand, to emphasize her point.

"You sure? There's a steak house just down the street that does a really good rump roast --" "Uncle Dan!" she cried. He couldn't resist one more barb. "How about seafood? I could really go for some steamed lobster tails right now." "Uncle Dan, PLEASE!" "Okay, okay, I'm sorry," he chuckled, gently kissing the top of her head.

Eventually they settled on pizza, delivered. After snuggling a bit longer, he reluctantly broached the subject of her joining Tony, Eve, Chelsea, and Tanya for the rest of their vacation. She frowned. "I thought ... maybe I could just stay with you for a few more days?"

"Really? You'd rather be with me than visit Disneyworld?"

"Well ..." the impish grin reappeared. "I might be naughty again."

"Why don't we see how you feel tomorrow?" he answered, knowing he'd have to talk her into going. It'd disappoint Tony and his family too much. "By the way, I'm going to be a bit late getting home from work tomorrow." She frowned up at him. "I have to stop by a hardware store," Dan explained, "and get a lock for my bedroom closet. Chelsea and Tanya sometimes do stay over, and I'd hate to have to have this talk again." Especially since he knew the outcome would have to be very different.

Katrina nodded, then laid her head back down on his shoulder, still gently massaging her bottom. Neither saw the need to talk after that, and they sat together quietly, enjoying each other's presence in the afterglow, until the pizza deliveryman rang the doorbell.

No live organism can continue for long to exist sanely under conditions of absolute reality; even larks and katydids are supposed, by some, to dream. --Shirley Jackson, The Haunting of Hill House