“I’m not sure how anyone can juggle something like that.Split loyalties.Being in love with a woman who isn’t your wife?”
It hadn’t been until after his dad’s funeral and dealing with his own grief that he’d thought to ask those questions.His grandfather hadn’t filled in much information.Since his stroke, Connor had stopped asking.
His mother was always friendly toward Cade, but there were times she spent more time in her room with a headache than with the family.“Though she never said, it had to be difficult for Mom to have Cade around, especially when Stormy brought him.Couldn’t have been any easier when Dad drove to Corpus Christi to get Cade.Sometimes they met halfway.”He took a breath.“Occasionally, I went with him and so did Nathan, even Erin.And he attended all of Cade’s important events.You probably know that Cade was driving the car when Dad was killed.”
“Yes.Erin mentioned that.”She drew her cup and saucer toward her.“I’m sure it never gets easier.”
He appreciated her quiet understanding.“The days pass.Grief doesn’t consume every waking hour, but the reality is always there.You cope.You go on.”
She was quiet for a while before saying, “After hearing all that, I’m surprised that you’d want to get married to anyone.”
“As you said, this is a smart business arrangement.If I hadn’t already seen the possibilities for BHI’s communications division, it might have been a tougher sell.And had it been anyone other than you…” With that necklace, the plunging dress, her natural beauty, the way he knew her buttocks and thighs bore his marks…
“It explains your reticence as well as your rules…your morals.”
“And their inflexibility.”
She took a drink of her coffee.“I understand.”
“Finish up,” he said.“I’m ready to go home.”He signaled for the check then settled the bill.
Since the valet service was quick, he had her back at his loft within twenty minutes.“I’ve been waiting all day for this,” he said when they were in his living room.“I want you to present yourself, in the bedroom.”He dug his fingers into her hair on either side of her face.“Will you do that for me?”
“Yes.I will.”
He moved his right hand lower so he could trace the outline of her necklace.“Go.”
Once he released her, she started walking away from him.
When she was a few feet away, he said, “Lara?”
She stopped and turned back to face him, her head tilted in question.
“Leave the dress on.”
With a brief smile, she said, “I might have guessed you’d say that.”
Before joining her, he gave her time to get settled.
A few minutes later, after he’d turned off the lights and secured the locks, he walked into the master suite.Seeing her there, near his bed, hands behind her neck, with her hair in glorious disarray, made his blood pound.
Without being told, she remained in place, her breaths gentle.She was the image of submissive perfection and he vowed to do everything he could to care for her, to cherish her.
He sat on the bench and told her, “Crawl over here.”
With a whispered, “Yes, Sir,” she did.
“Over my knees.”
With the same grace that had first appealed to him, she draped herself over him.
He pulled up her dress and caressed her soft skin.“You told me once that you had a spanking and you weren’t impressed by it.I’m going to try to change your opinion.”
“I’m liking it already.”
His handprints from this afternoon had faded, but a couple of single tail bites still marred her skin.“Do you feel this?”He pressed his thumb to one of them, and she jerked.Her movement was followed immediately by a sigh.“Fair warning, Lara.I’m going to want to see marks all the time.”
He began to rub her more vigorously, bringing color into her ass cheeks.“Do you have any idea how much this sight of you over my knees turns me on?”
