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  “She was.” He skimmed his hand over her bare ribs, cupping her breasts beneath the red lace fabric of her bra. “But that’s the only thing we had in common. Turns out it wasn’t enough to keep us together. I knew I needed more. I’d already settled for less when I married Cassidy’s mother. I didn’t want to make the same mistake again.”

  She turned into his arms and forced herself to look up into his eyes, to face her fears. “What if a month or year from now, you feel that way about me? I don’t know if I’m going to be any good at this, or if I’m even going to like it. I don’t want to disappoint you, but I can’t pretend to enjoy something I don’t just to make you happy.”

  He brushed the pad of his thumb over her lower lip, slowly, hypnotically. “I promise sex with me will never become boring or routine, but I don’t need toys or play to get off, if that’s what you’re worried about.” He reached for a long string of shiny steel balls and ran the cool steel over the swell of her breast. “These are instruments of pleasure, not torture, sweetheart. We’ll use them when and if you’re ready.”

  “What if I’m never ready? Will you be disappointed?”

  He relieved her anxiety when a wide grin split his face. “Honey, having you in my bed every night, sharing my life, helping me raise my daughter… hell, just the thought of watchin’ TV or sharin’ a meal with you gets me excited. I want it all. The mundane as well as the excitin’. That’s what makes a relationship last. I know that now.” He waved a hand, gesturing to the room. “All this is just stuff. It can be a part of our relationship, if we want it to be. If not, that’s okay, too.”

  Charlene glanced at the heavy brass lock on the door. “How do you keep Cassidy out of here? I mean, isn’t she curious?”

  “She thinks it’s a storage room. I told her I keep some things in here that can be dangerous if they fell into the wrong hands. She knows this room is off limits, and she’s fine with that.”

  “What about when she gets older? What happens if she sneaks in here one day, and…” Charlene blushed just thinking about it.

  “I keep the key on me at all times, and there’s no way anyone’s breachin’ that lock. It’s safe, trust me.” He dipped his head to kiss her bare shoulder. “You’ll always be safe with me, sweetheart. I can promise you that.”

  When curiosity and arousal finally subdued her doubt, she reached for the button on her pants. “I want you.”

  His eyes darkened as he reached for the door, closing and locking it. “I want to watch you take your clothes off.”

  She watched him watching her and seeing what she did to him gave her the confidence to put on an erotic show. She eased the fabric over her hips and pulled off the pants. Standing before him in a red lace bra, matching thong, and high-heeled black leather boots, she stared at him an endless minute before she whispered, “I’m waiting… sir.”

  His nostrils flared and he fisted his hands at his side. “We need a safe word. If there’s anything you’re uncomfortable with, you use it, and we stop right away. No questions asked.”

  “Stars.”

  His full mouth turned up at the corners. “Stars?”

  “That night, out in your driveway, I remember looking up and the sky was blanketed with stars. I remember thinking, my dream, my fantasy was coming true. For the first time in my life, that night, in your arms, I felt free to be myself. I didn’t think about what anyone else would say or think. You allowed me to take something I wanted, and it felt incredible.”

  “God, I love you so much,” he whispered, his eyes raking over her, conveying his love with one heated look. “I want to give you everything you’ve ever wanted… and so much more.”

  Chapter Ten

  For the first time, Cole began to question whether he could really go through this. Being a Dom required a certain amount of self-control he wasn’t sure he possessed with Charlene. She made him feel weak and wild at the same time, as though he could snap and take her like a savage beast or drop to his knees and beg her not to leave him.

  He had always enjoyed the sexual role-play before because he was a dominant man by nature. He liked to be in control, but he never took his fetish outside of the bedroom, not even during his marriage. His wife was her own person, and she had her own life, one that didn’t involve him. Perhaps that was the problem. They’d grown so far apart by the time she made the decision to get behind the wheel of that car. He realized now what she wanted. What she always wanted was the very thing he found with Charlene. He felt a twinge of guilt knowing he may have been the one thing standing between her and the happiness she craved.

  Cole closed his eyes, trying to shut out the past. It had no place in this room, not when everything he’d ever wanted was right here, right now, begging him to love her with everything he had, silently pleading with him to be the man she needed him to be. He only hoped he would never let her down.

  “Are you okay?” she whispered. “You’re not having second thoughts about this, are you?”

  His chest tightened, and he realized this is what love felt like. That uncontrollable urge to put someone else’s needs above your own because their happiness made your own pale in comparison. “Everything is right,” he whispered, staring at her. “So right.”

  She smiled at his reassurance. “I’m glad.” She looked over her shoulder, glancing at the bed. “Do you want me over there?”

  Cole smiled at her innocence. He loved that about her. He’d never asked her how many lovers she had before him; he didn’t need to know. The only thing that mattered to him was that he would be her last. “Lie down on the bed,” he said, moving in on her until she was forced to step back as he advanced. He watched her lie down and shimmy up the big bed to the center. “Take your bra off.”

  Without hesitation, she did as he asked, tossing the lingerie to the floor. He tore the thin strings binding her panties and her sharp intake of breath belied her surprise.

  He pressed his finger to her lips. “Shhh.” She was naked, except for the boots, which he intended to keep on. She looked hotter than hell, and he knew pleasuring her before surrendering to his body’s demands would take every ounce of self-control he possessed.

  She looked at the bar hanging above her head, but said nothing as she waited for his direction.

  “This relationship is about trust, baby,” he said, quietly, reaching for her hands. “In and out of this room. If you trust me with your body, you’ll ultimately trust me with your heart, and we both know that’s an even bigger risk.”

  “I already trust you with my heart,” she said quietly.

  He was stunned when his eyes started to burn. No woman had ever stripped down his defenses like this. He crawled over her, staring down at her, and he knew the ferocity of his love and fear must be obvious in his eyes. “You may think I’m in control, but you own me.” He had never given a woman the power to hurt him before, but he knew if he expected her to trust him completely, he had to be willing to do the same. “Whether you realize it or not, you could destroy me. You almost did. I need you, and I’m not gonna lie, that scares the hell out of me.”

  A tear slipped down her face and she reached up to stroke his stubbled cheek with trembling fingers. “When I thought you walked out of my life today… that I’d never see you or your little girl again… it almost killed me.” She smiled. “I love her too, you know. So much.”

  He stole her breath with a deep kiss. The fact that she’d included his daughter in the sentiment only made him love her more, because it proved to him how well she came to know him the past few months. She knew his daughter was his heart, and without her at the center of his world, nothing else made sense.

  Watching her, he slowly fastened cuffs at her wrists and ankles, standing back to revel in her beauty. He looked for any sign of wariness in her eyes, but saw only anticipation. “You need to know I would never do anything to hurt you.”

  “I know that.”

  “This is about pleasure for me, not pain. Any instructions I give
you are to intensify your pleasure. I would never shame or embarrass you.”

  “I know.”

  Her unwavering trust in him had him questioning whether he deserved it. No woman had ever given him so much and expected so little in return. He was wealthy, and for most women, that was reason enough for them to play along, both in and out of the bedroom. But Charlene was so different from anyone he ever knew. He knew that the first night when she pulled out of his driveway and he stood there staring into the darkness long after her tail lights disappeared. Something told him then he just made the biggest mistake of his life, yet the fates realigned to give him another chance and he never intended to let her go or make her question him again.

  After reaching into the drawer, he withdrew a black silk blindfold. He gently fixed it over her eyes. “This will enhance the other senses.”

  He hungered for a taste of her, but he knew he didn’t have time to waste. His body pleaded for mercy and he’d have no choice but to answer the call soon. Just the thought of slipping into her slick heat, a pleasure he never expected to experience again, made his cock throb, and he could feel the metal prongs of his zipper biting into his sensitive flesh.

  He wasted no time shedding the rest of his clothes before easing over her. Because of the heavy velvet drapes drawn across the windows, the small room was dark and cavernous, but his mouth was drawn to her pebbled nipple like a beacon. As soon as he started swirling his tongue over the taut peak, she responded by thrashing and whimpering.

  “Stay still,” he warned. His eyes drifted to the paddle on the bedside table and his cock jerked as he imagined her soft ass turning pink as she endured his reprimand. “Or I will punish you. Your body is mine now,” he whispered. “You understand what that means, don’t you?”

  “Yes, sir,” she whispered.

  “Good.”

  He lowered his head and continued to sweep his tongue over her nipple, circling the outer edge before drawing the tight bud into his mouth. He could tell how much obeying his command cost her, but the fact that she did proved to him this turned her on as much as he hoped it would.

  He licked a path down her body, slowly, careful not to bypass any sensitive areas as his journey ended at his target. Pressing her hips into the bed firmly, so she wouldn’t be tempted to disobey him, he orbited her clit over and over again until she panted so hard he was tempted to tease her about the risk of hyper-ventilating.

  Nothing had ever tasted so sweet as his mouth came down on her hard and fast, licking her relentlessly as she bit her lip to keep from crying out. He slid a finger in to the hilt, rotating it, finding her sweet spot, but never taking it out as his tongue twirled around her clit.

  Her legs trembled and a light sheen of perspiration coated her skin, but he wouldn’t back down until he’d forced her to ride out every last second of the most intense orgasm of her life. He knew he was hitting her G-spot, and he couldn’t wait for his reward. “Come for me, now.”

  She came instantly, and he felt her pulsing against his mouth as he continued to lick her mercilessly. He knew she would have retreated, had he let her, but from now on, he intended to make sure they didn’t hide from anything or anyone, least of all each other.

  When he was satisfied he’d pushed her further than she ever allowed herself to go before, he kissed her, slowly, thoroughly, before sliding into her with a deep thrust. She was more compliant than he ever could have imagined as she continued to press her lips together to avoid crying out.

  “So good,” he whispered in her ear, breathing deeply as the intoxicating scent of her arousal invaded his senses. “You make me so damn happy.” He licked the shell of her ear, teasing and tickling her with his tongue. He could feel her pussy gripping his cock as her breath came in shallow bursts. “Come now, but this time I want to hear you say my name.” He turned his head so her mouth was pressed against his ear.

  “Cole, oh…”

  “Only my name,” he said. “That’s the only word I want to hear on those sweet lips.”

  “Cole… Cole…”

  He cursed when his body claimed the last ounce of his control and he shot the first burst deep inside of her. He was so thankful she was protected, because he refused to use a condom with her. With this woman, there would be no barrier between them. Ever.

  He slipped the blindfold off and was relieved to see her smile. He hadn’t been too demanding this time, yet he still feared her reaction. She would settle into this and learn what was expected of her in time. He meant what he said earlier, her happiness came first, and if this didn’t make her happy, he’d lock this room for the last time and throw away the key without an ounce of regret because he had her.

  “Are you okay?” he asked, kissing the red marks on her wrist as he removed her restraints. “I didn’t hurt you, did I?”

  “No.” She watched him remove the ankle restraints before claiming the spot beside her on the bed.

  His heart thudded in his chest as he waited for her to say something, anything. Seconds stretched into minutes and fear began to feel like a noose around his neck, cutting off his air supply. If he lost her because he’d pushed her too far out of her comfort zone tonight, or shown her a side of him she didn’t like, much less love, he’d never forgive himself.

  When he couldn’t stand the silence another second, he said, “Goddammit, Char, will you say somethin’! You’re killin’ me here.”

  “Oh, am I allowed to speak now, sir?” She batted her long eyelashes and looked up at him, tongue in cheek. He smacked her ass soundly and she grinned, wriggling her bottom against his hand to invite the sharp contact again. “Ohhhh, I think I’m gonna like that. I may have to be a bad girl more often.”

  He couldn’t help but smile, partly because of her audacity, but mostly because she made him so damn happy he had to wonder if he’d ever wipe the stupid grin off his face. She was his. And she wasn’t going anywhere. He intended to see to that.

  She reached for his arm when he started to get up. “Hey, don’t go.”

  “Just give me a minute.” He pulled back a hinged oil painting and punched the code into his wall safe before walking back to the bed with a rectangular velvet box in his hands.

  “What’s that?” she asked, sitting up, the sheet covering her breasts.

  He glared at the sheet and she laughed as she let it fall to her waist.

  “I bought this a couple of years ago.” He paused, unsure of how to proceed. He didn’t want her to be offended, but he wanted her to understand the significance of his gift. “Some Doms give their Subs collars. The collar is a symbol. Some give a necklace. Some don’t believe in outward symbols at all… but it’s kind of like a wedding ring or an engagement ring. It’s a symbol of commitment.”

  She licked her lips, looking a little nervous and uncertain as he opened the box to reveal a white gold omega necklace with a large diamond circular ring positioned in the center.

  “Oh wow,” she whispered, pressing her fingertips against her lips.

  “I saw this one day and I just knew…” He smiled. “Sort of the same way I felt the first time I saw you.”

  She smiled as she brushed the back of her hand over his jaw.

  “I knew this would be perfect for the woman I chose to make mine. Will you… be mine?”

  “Yes.”

  He set the box down on the nightstand and removed the necklace. His hands, which were normally so steady, shook as he fixed the clasp at the back of her neck. “You’re all I’ll ever want, the only person I’ll ever need to make me happy.” He brought her left hand to his lips and kissed her knuckles. “One day, very soon, I’m gonna wanna put a ring on this finger. I hope you know that.”

  She smiled as she touched the necklace. “I was kind of hoping you’d say that.”

  “I want it all with you. I want you to be my partner in every way, in and out of the bedroom. I want you to be a mama to my little girl, and I want you to give me more babies to spoil. Think you can handle that?”
>
  Charlene laughed as she wrapped her arms around his neck and drew him close. “Is that an order, sir?”

  He smiled when she kissed his neck. “Yes.”

  “In that case, I guess I’ll have to comply, won’t I?” She got a wicked gleam in her eye when she spotted the paddle on the bedside table. “Unless of course I refuse. Then I suppose you’d have to punish me, wouldn’t you?”

  Cole tried to keep a straight face when he said, “I guess I would.”

  “In that case…”

  He laughed as he grabbed the paddle and flipped her over. He was sure of one thing. There would never be a dull moment with Charlene as his wife.

  About the Author

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  Brant County Series

  Book One - Backdraft

  Firefighter, Dave Briar, is devastated when he finds his high school sweetheart, Maya, in bed with his best friend, Craig. He's able to forgive his friend when he beats the drug addiction that led to their betrayal, but even after a decade, he can't forgive or forget the girl who broke his heart.

  Maya's lived with the guilt of betraying Dave for ten years, but when Craig contacts her to come clean about what happened that night, she learns that life may be giving her a second chance with her first love. Determined to seize the opportunity, Maya decides to 'bid' on Dave at a bachelor auction. In full costume, he has no idea it's her until he winds up in her bed, blindfolded. How will he react when she reveals the truth?

  Now Available

  Book Two - Wildfire