Four of Hearts

• Four of Hearts
  
• Chapter One
  
• Chapter Two
  
• Chapter Three
  
• Chapter Four
  
• Chapter Five
  
• Chapter Six
  
• Chapter Seven
  
• Chapter Eight
  
• Chapter Nine
  
• Chapter Ten
  
• Chapter Eleven
  
• Chapter Twelve
  
• Chapter Thirteen
  
• Chapter Fourteen
  
• Chapter Fifteen
  
• Chapter Sixteen
  
• Chapter Seventeen
  
• Chapter Eighteen
  
• Chapter Nineteen
  
• About The Author
  
• Red Sage Publishing
  

Ryan froze with his lips against the pulse in Candace’s neck. His erection surged with new vigor against her stomach. Why couldn’t his wife ask for something easy for their anniversary? Something like diamonds, a villa in France, hell, even an expedition to the North Pole? The image in his brain coalesced, and he knew he would give her whatever she wanted.

“You want me to tie you up?” he asked as soon as he found his voice.

“Don’t even try to tell me it doesn’t excite you.” Candace wiggled her soft mound against his cock. “I felt that.”

He had no intention of denying his interest. Only a fool would, and Ryan Callahan was no fool. He continued his exploration of his wife’s creamy soft skin, all the while forming and reforming the new image in his head. His lips left her neck, slipped to her shoulder where he tasted every inch of skin, before angling lower toward the perfect swell of her breasts. His hands held hers pinned flat on either side of her head. He’d tied her hands once, when he’d spirited her away from the
Lothario
and onto the
Vixen
, but that had been role-playing more than anything else. He was pretty sure she had something more in mind. He hoped to God she did.

Her request shouldn’t have been a surprise. She’d spent a lot of time lately talking to his best friend’s wife. Rope bondage was Fallon’s new research topic, and a passion shared with her husband Richard. Ryan inched his way lower, and teased one nipple to a marble hard peak with his tongue, before taking it in his mouth. Candace drew in a sharp breath and arched her back, encouraging him to suck harder. He obliged his wife.

His wife
. The moniker still sent a thrill through his body every time he thought, or said the word. Candace Callahan. His wife. God, what a wondrous thing that was. For nearly a year, she’d been his constant companion, his lover, his…everything. Before he’d met Candace, he’d been lost and alone, searching for something he couldn’t name. Now it had a name. Love.

“Well?” Candace prodded on a gasp as Ryan switched breasts, sucking the poor, neglected one in his mouth without preamble.

Surely, she knew the answer. He couldn’t deny her anything. Still, he made her wait for his reply. It wasn’t as if he hadn’t given it any thought himself. There wasn’t much he hadn’t imagined doing with Candace.

He released her hands and slid lower until he lay pillowed between her thighs. He brushed his thumbs over the neatly trimmed auburn triangle that drew him like a compass needle to magnetic north. The scent of her arousal filled his nostrils and fueled a primal need. He swept his tongue through her juices. She ground her swollen flesh against his face, and he knew she’d forgotten everything but this. He dedicated himself to keeping the status quo for the foreseeable future.

* * * * *

The tender was empty as it made its way back to the
Lothario
for another load of passengers eager to sample the delights of a Caribbean island. Ryan sat alone on the upper deck and as the island grew smaller, he turned to face the ship. He missed it on occasion. Not that he ever wanted to live onboard full time again, but there was a freedom there he’d never felt anywhere else, except where ever Candace was. With Candace, he could be himself. There were no pretenses between them.

Richard would be waiting for him to go over the latest construction reports for the resort they were building on a nearby island. After that, he’d broach the subject that hadn’t been far from his mind since Candace had whispered her wish in his ear. After he’d given her pleasure, and taken his own, they’d talked about her anniversary gift.

Ryan tucked the rolled up blueprints under his arm and made his way across the gangway, past the line of waiting passengers. He was well aware of the curious stares and whispers and pointing fingers, but he chose to ignore them. Wearing jeans and a Dallas Cowboys T-shirt, he couldn’t look more out of place among the passengers wearing their
Lothario
issued white bathing suits. Bikinis for the women, Speedo style for the men. A few of them probably knew who he was, even though he’d been out of the tabloids since his marriage last year. Seems, once a celebrated playboy marries, he’s of little interest. Ryan couldn’t have been happier with the situation.

Richard was waiting for him in his Owner’s Suite, across the hall from Ryan’s empty one. Ryan shook hands with his friend and business partner. “How ‘ya doing? It’s good to see you.” They shared a one shouldered, slap on the back, man hug. “How’s Candace?”

Ryan smiled. Richard was a changed man since he’d convinced Fallon to marry him. This was the exuberant man Ryan knew from their college roommate days. Like Ryan, Richard had gone through some tough times following the multi-million dollar sale of the internet dating site they’d built as a class project. “It’s good to see you too. Candace sends her love. Is Fallon going to get to the island to see her today?”

“I don’t know. She’s in her office, writing up her notes from the last few sessions.”

Ryan produced a folder from his briefcase. “I have the financials on your new venture. Looks like the gamble paid off. I wasn’t sure how the public would go for monogamous couples coming aboard, but it seems to be working out well.” He handed the folder over. “How is Fallon’s research going?”

“She seems happy with it. Most of the couples she’s booked have had prior experience with bondage play, if not rope bondage specifically. That’s what she needs for her research.”

Ryan wanted to explore that further, but business was business. He rolled the blueprints out on Richard’s coffee table. “We’ve made a few changes I think you should see.” For a couple of hours they poured over blueprints, construction estimates and interior design layouts for the new island retreat.

“It all looks good to me. You’ve been busy. I don’t feel like I’m holding up my end of the business.”

“Don’t say that. You keep this ship afloat, you and Fallon. I haven’t forgotten how much work this is, and believe me, I’d rather build a dozen resorts as deal with the headaches you face every day.”

“It’s not so bad. By the way, Drew is doing a great job. He’s taken over a lot of the day to day things you used to do, and Bree Stanton is as diligent of a Chief of Security you could want.”

“Maybe I’ll have time to see them before I leave today. If not, I’ll make a point to see them next week when you drop anchor.”

Richard pulled a couple of sodas from the refrigerator in the suite’s kitchen and held one out to his friend. “So, tell me what really brings you here today. As much as I appreciate you wanting my opinion on the construction plans, you and I both know it wasn’t necessary.”

Ryan sat on the curved white leather sofa and propped his elbows on his knees, dangling the soda can between his legs. “I need your help.”

Richard sat across from him, mirroring Ryan’s posture. “Name it, and it’s yours.”

“Candace wants to take one of Fallon’s classes.”