Fox Afield (Madison Wolves) (35 page)

"I was thinking the tub."

"Oh, that would be lovely, too," I admitted. "Why did you let me off the hook?"

She turned around and looked out the window before answering. "You know I wanted the favor."

"You would have some stored if you hadn't foolishly used them up on backrubs and foot massages."

She chuckled. "Those were well-spent favors." She turned around. "Did Brooke tell you what she wanted?"

"Yes. But she wants to present it to you herself. I will fully support your decision. I think you should consider granting her request, but there may be politics involved I don't understand."

Lara nodded understanding. "I had multiple reasons. If I had made you pay a favor, would you have paid?"

"Yes, but there would have been paybacks."

"What sort of paybacks?"

"I'm not sure, but I think I can erase my tattoo."

She crossed the room and clasped me with her hands. I stood my ground. "Please don't do that," she said. "What do I have to do to get you to agree to never threaten that again?"

"It's that important to you?"

"Yes."

"I won't promise it won't happen," I said. "But if so, it won't be over something petty."

"Is that the best promise I am going to get?"

"You know my temper, Lara."

She sighed. "All right. First reason. You were being a little sullen, but you weren't publicly protesting even though we ganged up on you and cheated. I wanted to reward you for that."

"I see." I wasn't happy with the answer so far.

"Second, while Brooke and I were being playful about cheating you, you were upset about it, but you weren't out of line about it."

That was a somewhat better answer, but I wasn't mollified yet.

"Third, I want something, and I want you to give it cheerfully, not sullenly. I couldn't have used the favor I'd stolen from you or you would have found a way to turn it around on me, anyway."

"You know me well," I admitted.

"Fourth. I don't want anyone to think you cheated." She pulled me into her arms, and I let her. "Last. While I am very competitive, triply so when you are involved, and I don't like to lose, I am so amazingly proud that you are one of the few members of the pack who can routinely beat me at something, even something simple like a game."

"All right. You may kiss me, briefly, then there is something I need to take care of. If you have nothing else you need to do, you may prepare the tub for us. I'll be ten or fifteen minutes."

We kissed, a long thorough kiss, and I began to tingle in all the right places. Then I slipped from her arms and out the door, closing it quietly behind me. I walked to Sophia's room down the hall and knocked.

There was no answer.

I tried Ava's and was bade to enter. Both girls were there, hurriedly hiding something as I stepped in.

"Please tell me honestly that isn't something I need to know about," I said.

"It's not."

"All right.
" I sat down on the bed next to them. "Sophia, I could use your services with something."

"Sure, Michaela," she said. "What."

"You may not have heard. Lara and I had a tiff a couple of days ago."

"I hadn't, but I'm not surprised," she said. "You two seem to have tiffs often. You were plenty angry with her at the end of the game tonight, until she admitted that she and Brooke had tried to cheat you."

"I was obvious, huh?"

"Oh yeah," said Ava. "And we all guessed why, too. Not the details, but in general."

I smiled. "Well, she took care of it. So, my tiff with Lara was much bigger than that, and I exacted a little revenge. But now I'm not sure which of us is about to pay the price."

"I don't understand," Sophia said.

"Do you have your waxing kit?"

She looked into my face then the two of them began laughing. "Yes," she said. "Now?"

"If you please."

* * * *

It took longer than fifteen minutes. Lara was waiting for me and looked mildly miffed.

"I'm sorry," I said. "I under-estimated how long it would take. If it's any consolation, I was preparing a surprise for you."

She smiled. "All right. I'll forgive you. The water is hot."

I moved into her arms and looked up into her eyes. "Everything has been so unsettled. I could use a few days o
f reduced anxiety. I feel bad for you; I bet you have to go back to work tomorrow."

"For a few hours. Come on, we can talk in the tub."

I let her lead me into the bathroom. She removed my blouse for me, but I slipped the rest off, making sure she couldn't see the fruits of Sophia's latest work. Lara held my hand as I slipped into the water, and it felt divine. I watched as she undressed herself and slipped into the tub.

She wanted to wash me right away, but I told her I wanted to soak first. "Talk," I said, closing my eyes.

"I am going to hire professional management for my businesses," she said. "The day-to-day operations are already managed for me, but I am going to add one or two people to consult at a higher level."

I opened my eyes. "Why are you doing that?"

"I want to be free to spend more time with you," she replied. "And I want things in place when we have children."

"Are you expecting me to be a stay-at-home mother?"

"No. I assumed you would continue to teach and we would hire professional help. But when I am home, I want to be home. In the past I have buried myself in my work, but now I have reasons to enjoy other things. I want my children to know who I am. I want them to see me as Mom first, Wife second, Alpha third, and businesswoman a distant last."

"We haven't really talked about my role, Lara."

"As Alpha?"

I nodded. "Are there enough hours in the day? Teaching is not an eight-to-five job."

"We'll make it work," she said.

I opened my eyes. "Lara, why do you target me in the games we play?"

"Because you're the only one I can't beat most of the time."

"You and Elisabeth together can't beat me."

"Not when the games play to your strengths, no." She took my foot in her hands and began to massage it. I closed my eyes and enjoyed it. "I also don't want you to win all the games. The entire pack loves the nights you are competitive; it is good for pack spirit. But it seems either the game totally doesn't suit you-"

I interrupted.
"Because it's too rough or is entirely based on speed or strength."

"Right. Or else you totally dominate."

"Do you want me to back off?"

"No. You and I may start privately agreeing on extra restrictions, but not yet. But people check the game we're playing and have been betting on second place."

I laughed. "Today's game is good. Lots of winners."

"Yes. I bet we see a lot of impromptu instances happen."

"I think you're right." I slipped further into the water. "Are you going to ask me?"

"Ask you what?"

"For your favor. Whatever you hoped to win."

"But I didn't win," she said.

"All right," I replied. "So I take it the favor you want is so big I wouldn't give it for the sole purpose of making you happy?" I cracked my eyes to watch her.

She reached behind her to the edge of the sink, picked something up, something small, then held her hand out and opened it. My nipple piercings were in her palm. "Will you let me put these back in?"

"Honey, I healed the holes."

Her disappointment was evident.

"Is this important to you, Lara?"

"Yes."

"Well then, you did help rescue my friend."

"Yes," she said. "I did."

"And once you got over your jealousy, you trusted me."

"Yes, I did that, but I think that should be a given, just like I expect you to trust me."

"Okay, then I guess we'll strike that from the list. You took me to my second-favorite restaurant."

"Second-favorite?"

I nodded. "Sushi is my favorite."

She laughed. "Yes, then I took you to your second-favorite restaurant."

"But you lose that one, too, because Elisabeth spun me and I was obligated to, well."

"Yes, I can see how that would have put a damper in your enjoyment of the meal. But I also didn't cheat you today."

"No, you didn't, but I've already arranged a surprised in compensation for your honesty. I was not obligated to do that, either, as I should be able to expect your honesty."

She had the grace to look chagrined.

"So that seems to leave only rescuing my friend, although I admit that was a pretty big deal."

"Yes, I believe that too," she agreed.

"Are you sure you want to spend all your good will on two little piercings?"

She grinned. "Yes."

I laughed. "Are you going to pierce them yourself or do you want me to get it attended to?"

"I want you to get it attended to."

I smiled. "All right."

"Really?" she asked. "Just like that?"

"Yes, Lara. Just like that."

"I thought you would make me grovel."

"Would you make me grovel before granting something I asked for?"

"Well, no, but-"

"But I'm that difficult, so I've taught you to expect me to be unreasonable?"

"Well, no, but-"

I raised an eyebrow.

"You were really quite angry."

I smiled. "Yes, I was. I am falling asleep. I don't know if I have the energy to bathe you properly."

"That's all right," she said. "I have enough energy for both of us tonight."

I rotated around and let her wash me. She was sweet and gentle and very, very thorough.

"Oh Michaela," she said. "Thank you." Her hand had discovered my little surprise.

I lay back against her, my head nestled between her breasts, her chin resting on the top of her head, and her hand began to move, sliding up and down my slit, teasing my clitoris. I closed my eyes.

"Oh Lara," I said. "Go slow."

"I will," she said. "But you'll be begging me to go fast."

"I know," I said.

She chuckled before slipping two fingers into me.

"Ohhh," I said.

She knew where I liked to be touched inside, and her sneaky little fingers weren't doing it. I began shifting around, trying to encourage her hand where I wanted it. In response, she wrapped her free arm around me and held me tightly against her, partially immobilizing me.

I slipped both my hands down, intending to push her hand where I wanted it.

"Put your hands on the edge of the tub, Little Fox," she ordered. "Or I stop."

"You wouldn't, Lara," I said. "You want to take me."

She started to slide out.

"No, Lara!" and I put my hands where she had ordered.

"Good girl," she said. "Leave them there, but you may squirm as much as you like."

Lara slid her fingers deeper inside me, and I squirmed, splashing water. She pulled me even more tightly against her chest, and I felt pinned in place, even my head trapped between her breasts.

"You are such an amazing woman, Little Fox," Lara said, and her fingers stroked my length. My ardor increased with each movement. "You are so small and fierce, so deeply loving, so passionate. You are kind to those who deserve kindness, perhaps more kind than anyone else living here."

Her fingers moved inside me, and I arched my back, trying to press myself into her. She chuckled.

"You are so independent, Michaela," she said. "And yet, here you are, desperate for my touch."

"Yes, Lara." I couldn't move to get exactly what I wanted, and she knew it. She kept teasing me.

She was very, very good at teasing me.

"I love claiming you," Lara said. "I love taking you. I love feeling you surrender."

Her fingers began to withdraw.

"No. No. Lara." I squirmed and squirmed, splashing water out of the tub.

"Surrender to me, Michaela," she said. "Surrender your body. Surrender your heart." To punctuate her words, she thrust her fingers deeply, her thumb brushing against my clit, and I thought I was going to explode.

"Yes. Oh yes. Yes," I said.

"Surrender."

"I- Lara. I-"

"Surrender, Michaela."

I went limp in her arms, giving my passion to her. "I surrender," I told her quietly. And her fingers adjusted their touch, bega
n touching me just the way I liked, her thumb on my clitoris, two long, strong fingers caressing my inner walls.

It took her only moments until I was at the cusp, teetering, ready to fall entirely.