Four Shades of Recovery: Boxed Set (27 page)

Now I know why she’s been so strange about sex lately. “And, what did your Master tell you to do?” I ask with sarcasm.

“To train you to be a Dom. You’re to use the belt and whip on me when we fuck,” she reveals with a glint in her eyes.

“Can you tell me who your Dom is then?” I ask in a sly way.

“Oh no, that would never happen. I can’t reveal my Dom,” she asserts with sudden clarity. A look of fear consumes her face.

“I can guess who your Dom might be,” I state and think of Jillian Kitner. She’s a hard-ass bitch if there ever was one.

“No, I can’t tell you that. I’m bound by a legal document,” Marissa assures me.

Just as I’m about to press my case further, Jim saunters into the kitchen wearing his leather vest and a towel around his waist. I scowl at him as he enters the room.

“Morning, Michael. I guess we had a very long night. But it sure was fun!” he announces and heads toward the coffee pot.

“I wouldn’t know, Jim, since I hardly have any memory of it,” I say with disgust.

“Just call me Pappa Bear. You can be the Bear Cub,” he says with a seductive smile while scratching the hair on his chest. Then he turns to Marissa, “What’s for breakfast, wench?”

She stares into his eyes with growing sexual desire. “Eggs and bacon, sir?”

“Good answer,” he asserts as he cracks the whip on the floor of my kitchen.

When I hear the whip, I feel myself harden with desire. What the hell is happening to me?

MEGAN'S POV

Matt's really enjoying my newly expanded repertoire in the Spanking Room. I've actually renamed the room and Matt is thrilled with its new status in our lives. His enthusiasm in that space knows few bounds these days. We're having the most incredible sex once my spankings are concluded.

Somehow the spankings help me feel cleansed from the baggage of the past. Perhaps they help Matt come to terms with the way I broke him when I went in search of myself. Whatever it is, he's like the energizer bunny and I love it.

My next challenge will come tonight when we announce our engagement to the Frazier Clan. Roger's been good about trusting me and welcoming me back into the group but that's because he'd do anything for Julia. His mother and I were once quite close but she's kept a low profile since I've returned to town. I'm sure she feels mixed about my reappearance in Matt's life.

Matt's parents are pleased but cautious about me. They want Matt to be happy and they know he's only satisfied when I'm in his arms. They think I'm too unpredictable but they don't know the new Megan Pine. I have to prove myself to them and tonight is ShowTime. I take a deep breath and remind myself of my most recent sessions with my therapist, Dr. Ginger.

"Megan, I can see profound changes in the way you think and handle your emotional states. You’re becoming much more flexible and capable of responding to Matt's moods and needs. You’ll make him a happy man for years to come," she assures me after I relay the story of my spankings in the Sex Room.

I hum happily in the closet as I dress for the confrontation. I decide on a rather prim but form fitting sheath dress in a hue of dark blue that emphasizes my porcelain skin and large blue eyes. I slip on a pair of flats and wear my hair down with a headband to keep it under control. When I emerge from the closet, Matt growls his approval.

"You look good enough to eat and kiss and swat and suck…," he begins as I join him in the hallway and then he pets my buttocks. He’s insatiable.

"Not now," I assert with a wink, "I've got my game face on and I need to focus on convincing your family that I'm back for good."

"The only person you had to convince was me, and I'm on board," he assures me and gives me a soft kiss on the head.

"Well, since we're engaged now I think we need to consider that I'm also marrying your family. One day they’ll be grandparents, aunts and uncles and a big source of support for us," I remind him. We’re not always going to be young lovers and things will change. But, Matt refuses to consider that we’re very likely going to reproduce one day.

Matt throws his hands in the air, "OK, OK, I know and agree. You've convinced me."

"That's an issue that I worked on with Dr. Ginger because of all the broken family connections that Abby created for me. I'm determined to avoid her approach to the extended family issues. I've too many quasi-grandparents out there to count and none of them really took hold for long," I explain in an emotional tone of voice. “Our children will always have the same two parents as far as I’m concerned.”  

“My poor broken angel. I’m not the type to ever want a divorce. Besides I’ll never get enough of you, Megan,” he reflects and holds his arms out to me. I fall into them with pleasure.

“I’m much less broken now that we’re together and happy,” I admit and kiss his gorgeous face.

“That makes two of us, baby. Are you nearly ready to schmooze with the family, baby?”

“It’s now or never, so yes,” I nod.

On the drive to Matt’s parents’ home he mentions that Jillian called. I always cringe when I hear her name but she’s a necessary evil for now.

“What did Jillian want to discuss?” I ask in an irritated tone of voice.

“Something that had rather unintended consequences but actually sounds promising for both of us,” he says with hope and gives me a kiss on my nose.

“What that Marissa and Michael are now engaged?” I ask with sarcasm dripping from every word.

He snorts and continues, “That Marissa has found herself a very virile and manly man.”

“You are kidding! She’s left Michael?” I ask with shock. My body begins to tremble at the thought that Michael might come back for me after all.

“Well, it’s more complicated than that Megan,” Matt admits and then smiles in a sexy but boyish manner.

“Tell me more, sir,” I prod while picking up on the cue.

“Apparently, Marissa and Michael met a bear at a BDSM and gay bar in Atlanta,” he begins. “He’s got Marissa wrapped around his tool and now he’s training Michael in the ways of the Dom.”

“That’s great to know about Marissa but I can’t see Michael in training to become a Dom!” I’m nearly incredulous at the idea.

“According to Jillian, Michael’s been using the whip to bring Marissa to heel and she’s loving it as well as having kinky sex with this bear fellow called Jim,” Matt explains with a smirk on his face.

“Are you giving yourself credit for this transformation in our former lovers?” I taunt him with a relieved look on my face.

“Not directly. No one could have foreseen a threesome forming nor that Jim would appeal to both Marissa and Michael in different ways.”

I burst out laughing. “I guess I can see Michael using a whip. Let’s just hope Marissa, Michael and Jim can form a lasting bond.”

Matt grabs my hand and kisses it. “All I can tell you is that we’re off the hook with both of our ghosts from the past for now.”

I squeal with delight. “That’s the best news I’ve heard today and it puts me in a great mood for confronting your parents about the fact that I truly love you.”

“I’m so glad that my news has cheered you. I was afraid that you’d be upset about Michael,” he admits with a smile.

“I’m glad we’ve been able to distract Michael from his evil schemes for me and mine,” I conclude as we reach the Frazier home.

Joanna, Matt’s mother, answers the door and greets us warmly. She even pulls me in for a tight hug. That gesture alone puts me in a much more comfortable place. “Come on in, kids,” she jokes and indicates that we’re to head toward the great room.

I’m surprised to see Matt’s entire extended family in the room. Both sets of grandparents as well as his father, Mark, his brother Roger as well as his girl Julia are gathered around the sectionals with wine glasses that are half-full. Have his parents arranged an informal engagement dinner for us? I’m shocked and of course wasn’t told of the plan by Matt. This is so much easier than I imagined.

Matt clears his voice as we enter the room. “Thanks for coming everyone,” he intones with gratitude. Joanna hands us each a glass of red wine.

“I’d like to start by announcing my engagement to the love of my life, Miss Megan Pine,” he states with pride and pleasure. He wraps his arm around me and looks into my face with the most smitten expression possible. I gaze and smile at him with nothing but love in my eyes. He kisses my cheek.

The family turns to us with upraised glasses and Mark follows Matt’s pronouncement with “Congratulations, Megan and Matt. We’re all very happy for you.”

We clink and drink our glasses of wine with joy. Then I decide to add my own toast.

“I’d like to say that I’m thrilled to join your family…I’m ready to give Matt a wonderful future with a happy home and a lovely family,” I promise as I smile broadly at the group.

“That’s all we need to know Megan,” Joanna responds with warmth. She’s such a generous person. I’m lucky that she’s my future mother in law.

“Welcome back, future sister in law. When do you hope to have the wedding?” Julia asks with excitement. I can already see the wheels turning in her creative little head. 

“Late spring or early summer,” I add before Matt can attempt to shorten the time frame.

“I’m looking forward to great grandchildren,” Matt’s grandmother on Joanna’s side pipes up. She’s certainly not shy about her aspirations for us.

“I hope you’re patient then,” Matt adds, “because I want this lovely young woman all to myself for a few years.” I smile with joy as he pulls me close again.

“You’re going to have the most beautiful children,” Joanna muses.

“Thanks. That’s so sweet of you to say,” I respond with gratitude. “But, I want to get a bit more established in my journalism career before we start listening to the patter of little feet in the Pine-Frazier household.”

“Well done with the names,” Julia asserts before Matt verbally reacts to the surnames that I’ve just announced. I can feel the tension in his arms and chest already.

Roger puts his wine glass down and gives me and Matt a hug. Then I decide to display the lovely ring that Matt gave me on the night of our engagement.

I tell the group about our yacht trip to Vancouver Island and the lovely room at the Empress where Matt proposed to me. Matt shares more about how he decided on this particular ring and its meaning for us.

“I chose the sapphires because it’s Megan’s birthstone. The five carats refer to the five weeks we knew one another before I decided that I loved her and only her,” he admits.

Then Julia speaks, “Congratulations you two. I knew that Megan would find her way back to you Matt.”

“Thanks for the vote of confidence,” I add before we start ruminating on my errant behavior of last year.

“Where were you thinking of holding the Pine-Frazier wedding?” she asks with a gleam in her eye.

Since Matt and I have already discussed the issue, he chimes in with enthusiasm. “We’re hoping we can hold the big event right here, mom and dad. If that’s alright with you,” he adds with hope and humility.

“Of course. We were hoping you’d ask for that,” Joanna adds with a joyous expression on her face. “Nothing would make us happier than to host the wedding of our wonderful son and his fiancé at our home. Late spring and early summer should be a lovely time of year for it.”

“I’d like to function as a wedding planner,” Julia asserts while bouncing up and down before us.

“We’re more than happy to use your services,” I assure her and give her a tight hug and my most grateful smile. She’s nearly delirious with excitement when we sign on for her services. I hope she doesn’t go too far overboard with the decorations, clothing and invitations.

Then we all file into the dining room for the official engagement dinner. It’s a lovely catered affair and everyone seems so relaxed and happy throughout. It’s almost as though the Frazier family awaited my return before moving on with other marriages and big events. Whatever the reason, we’ll be the first of the Frazier children to marry. 

It’s nearly 10:30pm when we finish the meal and make preliminary plans for our wedding announcements and other details. Matt signals that it’s time for us to head home at that point.

“We both have jobs to do in the morning,” he tells the group as we head toward the front door of his parents’ home. “Goodnight, everyone,” he bids the family. We hug and kiss each family member before taking our leave.