Emotion choked me. I couldn’t believe Uncle Jaime had done this for me. More than that, I couldn’t believe my mother was giving me her blessing. “What about Padre?”
She patted my shoulder. “I’ll handle your padre. You enroll.”
It was all so much. “I… I can’t wait to tell Jessica.”
Mom’s smile filled with warmth. “That’s how you know she’s the one, Tonio. You want to share all your time and news with her first.”
I was still reeling from Uncle Jaime’s letter. “Madre, I’m going back to school.”
“I know.” Her smile only widened. “And you’re going to marry that girl and give me grandbabies. You can do both. You are a Fernandez, and we work hard for the things we want. You want her, don’t you?”
“Yes. But I can’t even think about that right now.” Mom was fucking relentless. “We just buried Tio, and this is a lot to take in.”
“You’re right. Go. Take Jessica and get out of here, you have enough going on. We’ll finish up.”
Still in shock, I pulled Jessica aside and led her to the car, without even bothering to say goodbye to my family because I didn’t think I could handle one more thing today. I just needed to be alone with the woman I loved.
“What’s wrong?” she asked as soon as we were in the car.
“I…” I had no idea what to say. Emotions churned within me. Uncle Jaime had left me four-hundred grand to chase my dream. The money he’d left my dad, along with the help of mom, would finally break me out of my obligation to the family business. I was free to go back to school. I felt excited and scared, and then guilty because we’d just buried my uncle and I should be ‘sad and all that bullshit.’ Chuckling at Uncle Jaime’s note, I shook my head. “Please just give me a minute.”
“Of course.” She patted my arm.
When we arrived back at the apartment, I took her hand and led her straight into her bedroom. Everything in my life had been thrown into the air, and I needed to ground myself before I could figure out where it all went now. I needed control, so I could deal with my goddamn thoughts and emotions, and I knew the best way to get it.
“I need you, Jess.” My voice sounded raw and desperate in my own ears, but I didn’t give a single fuck.
Her chest rose and fell with a breath as she studied me. Eyes darkening with lust, I could tell she caught my drift. “Take what you need.”
I loved the way she handed over control to me so completely. Her trust was intoxicating. The fact she got off on this every bit as much as I did only made her sexier. Beyond grateful for the gift that was standing before me, I let my gaze drift over the curves of her body, devouring each delicious one. “Strip. I don’t want anything keeping me from what’s mine.”
She liked the command in my voice. I could tell by the way she shivered as she grabbed the hem of her dress. Holding my gaze, she slowly tugged the fabric over her head and tossed it aside before releasing the clasp on her bra and letting the straps tumble down her arms. Where she’d once felt shy and uncertain, she was now empowered and daring as she confidently stepped out of her little lace panties and kicked them aside.
“Shoes on or off?” she asked.
The black heels she wore were sexy as fuck. “On. Definitely on.”
She flashed me a knowing smile that went straight to my cock. Her creamy pale skin called to me, begging to be marked by my hand.
“Fuck. You’re so damn hot, Jess.”
She licked her lips. “What do you want me to do, soldier?”
I glanced down at my service uniform and decided to keep it on for now.
Over the past several weeks, our supply of BDSM implements had grown. I went to the box we stored in the closet and retrieved a spreader bar and a paddle. I briefly considered the blindfold, but if seeing me dressed like this turned Jessica on, I wasn’t about to take that from her.
“Get on the bed. Face down, ass up.”
She assumed the position, and I fastened cuffs on her wrists and ankles before connecting them to the spreader bar. Naked, restrained, slightly uncomfortable, she was helpless before me. I don’t know why it was so hot to see her like that, but I fucking loved it. Unzipping my pants, I freed my rock-hard cock from my boxer briefs and stroked myself in front of her.
Her eyes dilated as she watched me.
“You like that?”
She nodded. “You can put it in my mouth if you want.”
I chuckled. “Are you telling me what I can and can’t do, babe?”
