That wouldn’t do at all. I was looking forward to him spanking me, but I wanted it to be with me over his lap. I wanted to be wearing one of the short skirts that I would definitely be buying more of now that I knew he liked them, so he could flip up the fabric in the back and tug down my underwear. Maybe slowwasthe way to go because that was one area where I was seriously falling short in the sexiness area. I had some cute (or at least I thought so) white panties that I wore with my skirts, but I wanted something a little more grown up the first time John and I were together.
“What are you thinking about so hard, sweetheart?” John teased.
“I think it’s time for us to get the hell out of here,” I suggested. “And maybe we should swing by Sam’s on the way, just in case you’re too tired to bring me home tonight.”
“Is that another crack on my age?” I was beginning to see the age difference between us was a real sticking point for him. Sure, he might be almost old enough to be my father, but that wasn’t at all how I saw him.
“Not at all.” I brushed my fingers over the flecks of silver at his temples. “If anything, it was wishful thinking because I’m hoping you plan to come through on some of those promises you’ve been throwing around. It’s been too damned long since I got off with anything other than my right hand, and I think it’s time for some assistance. Wouldn’t you agree?”
“Baby, you don’t know the meaning of dry spell,” John scoffed. “Let’s get out of here.”
Sam winked at me as John dragged me through The Lodge. I was supposed to see him to fill out paperwork at some point today, but that would have to wait until later. I couldn’t have cared less if that meant I didn’t get paid for today. The rest of the evening was payment enough.
John was a perfect gentleman as he followed the navigation system’s directions to Sam’s house. When we got there, he told me he’d wait in the car. That was probably for the best since we didn’t know when Theron would be home, and I didn’t want him hearing whatever might be going on behind closed doors.
When I tried sneaking my hand up his thigh on the drive to get dinner, he placed it back on my lap without a word. A couple of times, I noticed him glancing at me out of the corner of his eye, but he didn’t say anything. It was driving me crazy.
He’d apparently called ahead, placing an order for what he called the best authentic Italian food you could get in the state. That was high praise, and I promised myself I would hide my disappointment if it didn’t stand up to what I’d had back home.
It wasn’t until we were on the way to his house that I started getting nervous. Annandale wasn’t huge, but we drove at least twenty minutes out of the city on progressively smaller roads. He turned onto a tree-lined road, winding deeper into the woods, and my palms started sweating. If I hadn’t reminded myself about a million times that Sam and Jack wouldn’t allow anyone untrustworthy to work with them, I might have jumped out of the moving vehicle.
When the next turn took us off paved roads and onto what was little more than a pair of tire tracks worn down by repeated traffic, I couldn’t stay quiet any longer. “When you said you lived outside of town, this wasn’t quite what I was expecting.”
“This used to be my dad’s hunting property,” he explained as he dodged the worst of the deep ruts. “After they died, it sat empty for a long time, but then my brother put a building up on part of it. And when I needed a change, it seemed easier to move here than try to find a place to park.”
“I can’t believe you live in a camper,” I mused. I wasn’t judging him. In some ways, I envied his simple lifestyle. Unfortunately, it wasn’t something I could see myself doing for the long term. “Forgive me if this sounds stupid, but do you have things like electricity and running water?”
“Yes, princess, I have running water and electricity,” he sighed. “Although, as much as possible, I do go up to my brothers to shower.”
“So, who else lives out here?” He’d mentioned neighbors who weren’t terribly civilized, but if it was his family’s property…
“Just us.” He twisted his hands around the steering wheel so hard his knuckles turned white. He stopped in front of a locked gate and turned to face me. “Look, before we go any further, I should probably explain a bit more. This isn’t just where my brother and I live. He’s part of a motorcycle club—the president, actually—and their clubhouse is the first floor of my brother’s place. They’re not bad people most of the time, but they are narrow-minded on a good day. If you want me to take you back to your place, I completely understand.”
“Are they going to have an issue with me being here tonight?” Bikers didn’t scare me. I’d been around enough of them to realize they backed down faster than they liked to let on. That said, I’d never been on their turf when they gave me shit.
“Nah, they’re usually riding during the week, visiting other clubs and shit,” he told me. “But if anyone does show up, please wait for me if you want to go outside.”
“I will,” I promised him. John hopped out of the car and opened the gate.
I stuck my head out the passenger window. “Do you want me to get out and close it behind you?”
He paused, looking deeper onto the property and then into the car. I could see the deep lines in his forehead from here. Without waiting for an answer, I got out of the car. I wanted to kiss him and remind him that I wasn’t as fragile as I looked, but he needed to come out on his terms when he was ready. I wouldn’t risk anyone sneaking up on us and finding him in a compromising position. If he wanted to punish me for not waiting for permission, I’d take whatever was coming to me.
“Thanks.” John glanced over his shoulder, paused for a moment, and then stepped closer. He pressed his lips to mine and sighed as our bodies pressed against one another. “It’s not going to be easy for me having you here, but it feels right. If Stephen comes home, I might test the waters a bit with him before everyone gets here.”
“Whatever you think is right,” I reassured him. I stuffed my hands into his back pockets, reveling in how it felt to be somewhere completely foreign to me with him. I wasn’t sure I’d ever felt this zing of excitement racing through my body. “I’ll never push you. What we have right now is enough for me. You’ve already proved you’re not going to shy away from me when you feel uncomfortable. If it takes time to be okay with me being in your space, where someone from your real life might find out, I can deal with that.”
“But you shouldn’t have to.” He kissed my forehead. The chaste show of intimacy was both odd and comforting. Before today, I might have thought it was a way to not get too close, but something told me these little touches were going to be something I cherished for a long time to come. “I’m not ashamed of you, sweetheart. But they don’t know this version of me, and I have to get over my fear of how they’ll react.”
“Then, I guess, it’s a good thing you’ve got me at your side.” I hugged him tightly before stepping back. “But you’re stalling again and I’m not letting you get away with it. Get back in the car and I’ll hop in after I shut the gate.”
“You’re getting awfully damned bossy,” John quipped. He swatted my butt and I moaned. It didn’t hurt, but it served as a reminder that he’d warned me he would spank me if I disobeyed. I wondered if he’d spank me for being good, too. I felt like the luckiest guy in the world when John rested his strong forearms on the hood of the car. “In case I forget to say it later, thanks for being so damn sweet about everything.”
“Nothing to thank me for.” I shooed him into the car. It was cold as hell out today, and I hadn’t bought a winter coat yet. It was okay, he could warm me up once we got inside.
10
John
