AloneatLast (2 page)

He’d be the handsome lord she’d cornered in the labyrinth of
rosebushes. One wrong move and he’d be impaled on millions of thorns. He had
two options—give up the deed to her family farm or suffer the consequences of
having a manor full of guests witness his mortification from their third-story
windows. He’d refuse, of course, and she’d have no choice but to bind his limbs
to the stoutest bushes, lay him out, expose his cock and have him.

“Ohhh!” she cried out. Oh, how she’d fuck him!

They fucked her harder. But there was no doubt that Royce
commanded every stroke, controlled every move.

“I’m—”

“Yes!” he replied. “Do it, sweetheart. Come.”

Jill bucked between them and let go. The next thing she felt
was a warm washcloth against her pussy. She’d dozed off. Well Hung was gone,
and she had a vague memory of him gently laying her to one side and kisses he’d
showered on her from neck to toe. Now he was nowhere in sight.

Royce kissed her pussy, then finished cleaning her sticky
juices from her thighs. Her arms were free, the cuffs nowhere to be found.

“I love you.”

“I love you too.” He pulled her to the edge of the seat. “I
bet you’d like a nice soak in the tub after a long day at work.”

“Is that a rhetorical question?”

He chuckled. “It’s waiting for you, along with your favorite
wine and some nibbles. But first…” He retrieved a white satin mask from the
floor, paused for a moment, then placed it over Jill’s eyes when she didn’t
utter any protest.

She pressed the padded satin covering her eyes. Odd how her
body tingled, how her nipples hardened once more, and everything she thought
was sated came to life.

“No questions?” he asked softly.

Jill shook her head. “I trust you. Surprise me.”

“That is my plan, love.”

Royce wrapped the satin sheet around her and lifted her into
his arms. Jill didn’t know how he did it, considering how tight a space it was.
Somehow Royce managed to get them both out of the van.

She snuggled into the comfort of his arms, trying to
remember the last time they’d indulged this way. Months? Years? Over a year,
she recalled. Life and children took priority. They still had their little
games from time to time in the privacy of their bedroom, but nothing this
elaborate.

She caught a whiff of chicken baking when he stepped into
the house. “You cooked too? You’re definitely a keeper.”

“Thanks for the reassurance, sweetheart.” There was a beat
of silence and then… “But I have to confess that I sort of hired people to help
produce tonight’s event.”

“Like I said…definitely a keeper.” She kissed his chin. The
sound of dishes rattling gave her pause, made her tense. “Are there people here
listening to us?”

Royce halted. “Do you really care?”

She couldn’t lie. He knew a little exhibitionism turned her
on. “No. I trust your discretion.”

“Thank you.” His stride continued. Neither of them said a
word until Jill’s toes touched the cool bathroom tile. Royce removed the mask a
second later.

“Our destination.” He swept his arm with a flourish, as if
she couldn’t see for herself how he’d transformed the place.

Hundreds of votive candles dotted the vanity, the toilet
tank, the corners and edges of the floor. They were the only lighting. Bubbles
billowed in the tub. Plump red towels—a new acquisition—were stacked on the
toilet within easy reach. The shower curtain draped away, held in place by a
shell lei their oldest made in preschool. A bucket of ice sat on a pedestal
beside the tub with two wineglasses and a bottle of Viognier chilling in its
cubes. A caddy stretched across the tub. A shiny dome in the center of it
covered what Jill presumed was their appetizer.

She rubbed against Royce. “It looks like you’re joining me.”

“I most certainly am.”

He pulled the red satin sheet away and let it flutter to the
floor, then rubbed his hand over her ass. The switching was all but a memory
now. No welts. No bruising. Only warmth lingered. Royce was a master at
discipline—giving Jill what she needed without hurting her, making her crave
it. Often just the thought of it was enough to make her come.

“After you. I’ll take the faucet side.”

She didn’t argue and carefully slipped into the hot water as
she pulled the bobby pins from her all-business French twist and rearranged it
to a pile of curls. She’d barely settled when Royce eased into the opposite
side.

Jill draped her legs over his. They hadn’t had this luxury
in at least six years. “How in the world did you manage… Ah yes, the mysterious
people you
sort of
hired.”

He poured the wine and handed her a glass. “You were
blindfolded. For all you know there could have been twelve people working
throughout the house to pull this off.”

“Then they’re very good at the art of deception. I didn’t
hear or smell them.”

Royce gently grabbed her arm, preventing that first sip
she’d longed for. “Smell?”

Jill read the alarm in his voice. “No, I’m not pregnant.
Only an expression. Besides, motherhood has heightened all my senses. Sometimes
it’s the only defense I have.”

“I hear you on that one.” Relief soothed the tension in his
muscles. His smile had returned. Glass in one hand, he reached for the dome
covering their treat. “Nothing fancy,” he warned, then lifted the cover to
reveal tortilla chips with spinach artichoke dip.

“Oh my god. And we don’t have to share them with our
always-hungry offspring.” Jill didn’t feel an ounce of guilt over the words.

“Not a crumb. Dig in.” Then he followed his own directive,
scooping the cheesy concoction onto a chip. “How’d the trial go?”

“I lost.” It wasn’t unexpected. Her client was an ass and
that was more than apparent in court despite Jill’s efforts to keep him in
check. The judge looked as if she were one gavel rap away from holding him in
contempt. Jill would have loved to see that happen. Maybe even a night in jail.

“I understand you argued one hell of a case though.” Before
she could ask how he knew that, Royce said, “Casey Sullivan was in the gallery
today. She’d gone to evaluate your opposing counsel for a possible position at
her law firm. You intrigued her. Her words, not mine.”

Her heartbeat quickened. Was Casey Sullivan considering
her
for her firm? The chip went down her throat hard. “She called you? Here? Or on
your cell? How would she get the numbers? Why didn’t she approach me after the
trial? Why call you?”

“Holy shit.” Royce laughed. “No wonder witnesses quake in
fear when faced with your cross-examination.”

Jill nudged her toe into his ribs. “Stop it. I need
details.”

“You know she and I have worked together before. She called
me because she didn’t have your number. She wanted a private meeting with you
and didn’t feel the halls of the courthouse were an appropriate venue. She also
wasn’t sure how your present employer would feel about her trying to lure you
away. She asked that you call her.”

Jill’s thoughts raced a mile a minute, ambition and
indecision leading neck-and-neck. She sat there frozen, listing the
possibilities, the pros and cons.

“I’d be happy to get the phone if you want to call her now.”

Jill glanced at Royce, at the resignation on his face. He’d
gone to a lot of effort to make the night special for both of them. Work could
wait. She and Royce came first. If she was going to work at Sullivan’s law
firm, Casey needed to understand Jill’s family and marriage were her highest
priorities. Jill wouldn’t make the same mistakes she’d seen so frequently in
the divorce cases she handled.

“No, it can wait until Monday.” She plucked a chip from the
pile and dredged it through the dip.

A tiny smile played across Royce’s lips. “Her firm’s looking
for a good family law attorney. She clearly wants you. She was very surprised
the judge ruled in favor of the petitioner.”

“I’m not.” She helped herself to another chip while she
spoke around the one in her mouth. “There were extenuating circumstances. My
client was,” she could speak freely with Royce, “an ass. I don’t know why his
wife stayed as long as she did. He doesn’t deserve the visitation he got. He demanded
more to get his wife’s attention, not because he wants to see those kids. Those
poor children are nothing more than pawns he uses against her. He’s resented
those children from the start.” Her client’s words had haunted Jill from the
minute she was assigned his case, made Jill question things in her own
marriage.

“Did you resent me being pregnant?” she asked.

Royce’s jaw dropped along with the chip in his fingers.
“What? Are you nuts?”

“The aftermath,” she went on. “The sleep-deprived drudgery
of the first two years.”

He picked up the caddy and set it on the floor, then slid
closer. “I consider us a team. I figured if we could survive the first two
years—”

“But then I got pregnant again and we were back at square
one.”

“And still a team, sweetheart. Always a team.” He glided
past her, switching their positions until he was behind her and Jill was
nestled between his legs, his arms wrapped around her.

“I love you.” He kissed her temple. “I’d do anything for
you. Give anything.”

Yes, he’d proven that time and time again. She’d let her
client do a number on her head.

“I love you too.” She laid her arms over Royce’s and hugged
them tighter to her.

They stayed like that until the water grew cold—quiet,
relaxed, sloughing the worries of jobs and child-rearing, re-bonding.

“Dinner should be ready soon.” Royce squeezed a hug around
her, patted her thigh, then gave a slight nudge as he reached for one of the
towels. He wrapped it around her as they stood together, then grabbed the
second one for himself. He dusted the water from his body, then picked up the
tray and set it over the sink.

“Don’t move.”

A quick kiss followed before he strode from the room. Jill
admired his fine ass the whole way. He returned within minutes, carrying a
white box wrapped with a fat red ribbon and bow.

He placed it at her feet. “Put this on. I’ll be waiting for
you in the other room.”

His pajama bottoms, now hooked in Royce’s fingers, slithered
across the tile behind him as he walked away. It could have been her skin for
the tingles that lifted the hairs on her body. She watched the satin slip from
the room, felt it beckoning her to follow.

Jill pulled the bow and felt the sigh of ribbon when it
drifted to the floor. Her senses were on high alert tonight, ready again,
craving experiences, making up for lost time. She eased the lid off Royce’s
gift. Inside she found white lace panties, bra, and wrapper. They were soft to
the touch, of little substance, and made for enticement.

Like his pajama bottoms.

What waited for her in their bedroom? Or the rest of the
house he’d forbidden her to see?

She dressed quickly. The undergarments stretched for ease in
dressing, and removal when that time came. They covered little, teasing at what
lay beneath. Her nipples and pussy shadowed the white lace. The wrapper tied at
the waist, revealing everything above and below that spot.

Pulling in a breath to calm her excitement, she stepped into
the bedroom and found a trail of white rose petals leading into the hallway.
She smiled. Royce was full of surprises tonight. Well, she had a surprise or
two of her own.

Jill dared a peek into the hall to make sure she wasn’t
seen. More rose petals and votives greeted her, but no Royce. She dashed to the
bed, loving how the lace wrapper fluttered behind her. Royce’s gift was under
the bed. She retrieved the present—wrapped in nothing more than silver-blue
paper with bow to match—and placed it dead center on the bed. Royce wasn’t the
only one who’d researched anniversary gifts. Thank god neither of them had gone
with pottery.

Although, dinner had to be served on something. It’d be like
Royce to cover all his bases.

Curious once more, she followed the trail of rose petals and
candles to a living room transformed into something out of
Arabian Nights
.
Gold and black satin draped the walls. Matching pillows and cushions had
replaced their furniture. Royce lay sprawled on one pile, legs crossed at the
ankles, a grin as big as the erection swelling his flimsy pajama bottoms.

“You’ve kept the Master waiting long enough.”

Jill jumped at the voice beside her. Adonis waited at the
entrance. She’d been hoping he’d show up at some point and fought against a
tiny squeal of joy.

“There will be penalties for your lapse,” Well Hung said
from the other side.

Jill snapped back to the scene and heard the scuff of
leather over satin. When she looked Royce’s way, she saw a small leather
flogger dangling from his hand. He ran his fingers through the falls, his gaze
locked on to her. His nod signaled the men beside her. Each took an arm and led
her to her “Master”.

They wore gold satin bottoms, their broad chests bare.
Without a word, they took her to a large cushion, then pushed her facedown and
spread out upon it. Well Hung secured her ankles in his big hands. Adonis
locked her wrists in a tight grip.

“You’ve brought me a nice captive tonight.” Royce paced
beside her, flogger slapping his hand, the cushion she lay upon, and stirring a
breeze over her suddenly hot skin.

“She put up quite a fight,” Adonis answered, “but we were
able to subdue her.”

“She becomes reasonably tame after a good fucking,” Well
Hung added.

“Interesting.” Royce danced the tips of the falls down her
spine.

Jill squirmed, fighting a moan. She was the wealthy
merchant’s daughter, captured by desert barbarians. They wouldn’t know how
their touch inflamed her. God, how she loved Royce for this!

“Rumors abound of how much she loves to ride astride,”
Adonis said. “Her horse, that is.”

“Although, we did find her well-used when we
calmed
her earlier,” Well Hung added. “Yet her pussy is as tight as they come.”

“A tease then.” Royce lightly slapped the strands over her
buttocks. “A woman who flirts and riles a man, only to leave him to his own
hand for comfort while she returns to a lush bed, exotic dildos and nimble
fingers to bring herself off. True, my lady?”

A whimpered groan was her reply. Inside, love swelled her
heart that Royce would go to these lengths for her, for them.

“No answer, I see.” Royce brushed the strands up her thighs,
then slapped them against her pussy.

Jill lifted her head on a moan.

“So that’s the way of it.” His breath was hot against her
ear. “A puss in sore need of attention. You’ll have it and more tonight, my
lady. How you receive it will determine your fate.”

“My…my fate?” Jill was so turned-on the words quavered,
making it appear she was frightened—as the heroine in her fantasy should be.

“Whether I keep you as a pleasure slave for myself or turn
you over to all my men to service.” He slapped the leather falls over her pussy
again. Cream soaked the white lace. “Considering your legendary appetites, I
might have to do just that.” He took a step away. “Strip her bare. Raise her
ass higher and spread her wide. I want a good look at my target.”

“Don’t you mean your goal?” Jill dropped her tone to a sultry
purr, then yelped at the two lubed fingers Royce thrust up her ass.
He moved
so fast!
Her panties were now wedged in the crease of her thighs.

“Watch your tongue, girl, or your puss won’t be the only
thing I work tonight.” He pulled free and smacked her cheek, then jerked the
panties farther down her thighs.