Free PursuedbythePrisoner by Ann Mayburn

Chapter One
     
    Mary carefully placed the letter on the small
bronze-and-glass table in her foyer, along with the Chinese takeout she’d
stopped to get on the way home from work, almost spilling the food when she
placed it too close to the edge. She took a deep breath and tried to calm her
racing heart. In a slow, unhurried manner, she removed her light fall jacket
with shaking hands.
    Despite her nonchalant actions, her gaze kept darting back
to the piece of paper with the Institute for Women’s Sexual Satisfaction logo
at the top. She hung her jacket in the closet and then removed the sensible
black heels she wore to teach science at the local high school. When her
stocking-clad feet hit the cool tile, she did what she’d wanted to do since the
moment she’d opened the mail—jumped up and down while clapping with delight.
    A quick glance at the old grandfather clock in the living
room just off the foyer showed she had maybe ten minutes until her husband Sean
came home from work. The joy swiftly gave way to a gut-tightening apprehension.
If she was going to do this, she would need his help and she wasn’t at all sure
he’d be on board for what she had in mind. It was unconventional, risky and had
the potential to be explosively hot…but only if he fully got into his role.
    She thought about changing into some lingerie and grabbing a
beer to soften him up, but they’d no doubt fall into bed together. And if he
accepted her wicked proposal, they couldn’t have sex until Thanksgiving break
in two weeks. Well, they probably could, but she wanted him in the right frame
of mind for her naughty sexual fantasy. The IWSS director had emphasized how
important it was she indulge in her ultimate sexual fantasy in order to get the
best readings. This particular fantasy was one she’d had for about as long as
she could remember. While her husband fit the physical description of her
fantasy man to a T, she didn’t know if he could ever do the things she craved.
    Nerves had her peeking through the frosted glass of the
front door, waiting for a glimpse of his truck pulling into the driveway in the
late-evening dusk. If fate was on her side, the traffic would be light coming
from the university and he’d be home soon. The longer it took him, the more
worked up she would get. Already her stomach tightened and she couldn’t help
but clasp her hands together. What if he said no? What if his feelings got
hurt? What if he called her a pervert and then phoned her mom? Okay, that last
part was probably an exaggeration, but she’d never shared this fantasy with any
of her lovers, let alone her husband.
    A bright wash of headlights swept over their lawn as Sean’s
truck pulled into their drive. Her heart beat faster and a light sweat broke
out on her palms. She stepped away from the door and moved into the living
room, checking her makeup in the massive mirror over the fireplace and
smoothing strands of dark hair back with a shaking hand. Her reflection showed
a woman who looked as if she might be on the verge of coming down with the flu,
so she closed her eyes and blew out a deep breath.
    She had nothing to worry about. This was Sean. Her Sean. The
man who’d captured her heart back in college. The man she’d married on what had
to be the best day of her life. He did everything he could to make her life a
wonderful place. She needed to convince him that by indulging her fantasy, he
wouldn’t be hurting her…much.
    The front door opened with a small whoosh of air and Sean
entered the foyer. The battered leather jacket he loved hugged tight his broad
shoulders and powerful arms. He removed the black knit hat covering his shaved
head and tossed it onto the foyer table. It landed next to the Chinese on top
of her letter. A bag full of football gear from practice still hung over his
shoulder, but he looked for her before doing anything else. When he spotted her
in the living room, his rough, handsome face lit up with a smile.
    “Hey,