He and Ella didn’t work every night at Club Bandit, though he liked to pop in at least once an evening.
They had a trusted staff who were capable of running the place, but these theme nights were his favourites.
Maybe I’ll tell her tomorrow.
But putting it off wasn’t his way.
He’d rather get it on the table, and deal with the fallout right away instead of going all night, especially to the club and then dropping it on Ella the next day.
He parked in the driveway, and he took a moment to take in the view of their acreage.
Ella’s garden still bloomed, the warm weather holding on this year.
They had so much, and he was so lucky.
He opened their front door, the light notes of a modern piano sonata ringing in the air, the smell of something delicious cooking in the oven, the warmth of their home taking him in.
“Hello Master!”Ella ran over to him, sinking in greeting like she had for so many years, her hands cupping his ankles, her head bowed.
“Ella.”His voice caught on the word but with an effort he concentrated on this ritual, one of their daily ones that fed their dynamic.
“Thank you, love,” Zee said as she took off his boots.He reached down and gently pulled her up, then wrapped her in his arms, pressing her against his chest.
The smell of her favourite conditioner wafted through his nostrils.
He plucked a stray pink thread off of her blouse.
“What were you working on?”
“Helena dropped off a hat, asking me if I could sew a feather that had come loose.I asked her and Oliver for dinner before going to the club, but she got called out on an emergency.”
“Next time then,” Zee said.He hung up his laptop bag, Ella took his coffee tumbler and he followed her into the kitchen.
“Dinner smells good.”
“Your favourite, Master.I thought it was the perfect way to finish the week.How did practice go today?”
“Practice was fine.I enjoy being poolside.How was your day?”
“Busy.I had a special order from the new adult store in Langley.I had just finished the corset before Helena popped by.”
Ella’s eyes glowed.She loved being busy with projects and lost herself in sewing her gorgeous pieces that she sold, with all the proceeds going to the Scott Riddell Foundation.
“Annie let me hear a part of the piece she’s going to play on Friday.Zee, we should tell the girls on Sunday.I got them to narrow down a time we could call them.”
“Looking forward to it.Come here, dear heart,” Zee offered his hand, and her slender fingers caught it.
He led her into what he termed their great room when they bought this house because calling the space “a living room” didn’t do it justice.
It had floor to ceiling doors all around that folded open.With the nights being warm, he loved letting the breeze flow in.
When they hosted parties on the expansive lawn during the summer, guests could wander in and out from here and from the pool doors on the other side.
The hearth was to the ceiling; the fireplace banked now.Ella’s Bose sound system on the mantle, along with photos of their daughters.
The comfortable couches they picked out, her special kneeling cushion he had custom made and ordered from a friend.
He tugged on her hand as she kneeled and pulled her onto his lap as he settled on the couch.He spent a quiet moment tracing her jawline, nuzzling her, enjoying her closeness, and she made little sounds of contentment.
