pleasure.
“I don’t ever want to let you go.” He said it as if the thought surprised him. Taking her face in his hands, he kissed her slowly, his lips soft like a lover’s. “I feel more free and accepted right at this moment than I think I’ve ever felt in my life. And god you made it so good…”
A wave of love for him had her mentally groping for her safe-word, but she couldn’t even think it. This time—just this time—she’d let herself bask in this feeling of love from him. She’d earned it.
She snuggled into his embrace and he stroked her hair, pulling it off her face where it had slipped over her mouth. The look in his eyes seemed to reflect how she felt, but she was too wiped out to ponder over whether it was real.
“Evie,” he whispered, and pressed his forehead to hers, not needing to say anything more.
“I know,” she answered. “I know.” They were both fighting and they were both failing. Her stomach twisted as she wondered if he’d make her leave. He didn’t want this. He fiercely didn’t want to fall in love with her.
“Are you alright?” His voice was quiet, and sounded suddenly tight, strained. She looked up at him, because she didn’t understand the sudden shift in emotion in his voice.
“Yes,” she said simply. “I’m alright.”
“Are you going to leave?”
Leave?
“No, of course not. Why would I leave?”
“Why wouldn’t you leave? How can you stay, knowing that’s what I want to do to you? Why would anyone want that?” His voice was anguished and he wouldn’t look at her.
She took his face in her hands, forcing him to look at her. “I don’t understand everything in this world, but I do know that you have pleasured me over and over, including during that punishment. And I can give you want you need. I can.” She kissed him. “Charley and I are strong enough to make you happy. You just need to believe. No shame in this house, remember? Someone in charge told me that was the rule.”
He lowered his face and kissed her, his lips barely touching hers. She parted her mouth in anticipation of more and he kissed her again, a little more completely this time, his tongue stroking softly against her bottom lip. Melting into his strong arms, she was too exhausted to fight against the feelings she knew she shouldn’t be having.
“I have to go,” he said, his voice sounding of regret. “I have to take care of a problem—a buzzing fly that needs swatted.” She detected a note of irritation and thought about the heated phone call she’d overheard him having. Were the two situations related? Could Ford be in some kind of trouble? “Listen,” he said, “if you go out, make sure you have your ID on you—Boone will not let anyone into the estate without identification.”
“But he knows me now, right?”
Ford smiled. “Evie, I only hire people who do their jobs very well. If I say check all ID’s, Boone will check all IDs.”
She smiled too. “Well, I’m not going anywhere.”
Ford hugged her close and then patted her arm. “Up you go, then, tough girl.”
She climbed out of his lap and found her clothes, pulling them on gingerly. Ford straightened his own clothes and grabbed a thick envelope out of another desk drawer. Her stomach flip-flopped when he’d reached for the drawer, but she’d relaxed when he drew out the envelope rather than the paddle.
“Charley went home to grab more of his things but he should be back soon. I will see you later, Evie,” he said, and kissed her cheek. He slid his hand down her hip to brush her bottom with his fingertips. She flinched away and Ford made an appreciative noise. “You were excellent today, love. You were strong and brave, but accommodating. You were absolutely perfect. Absolutely what I want.” He smiled and kissed her cheek again. “You are so beautiful,” he whispered, and then he left. Her heart sang as she watched him go. She didn’t move until she heard the front door slam, and then the
Legs McNeil, Jennifer Osborne, Peter Pavia