Marital Bliss

Marital Bliss

Lacey Thorn

Book 3 in the Girls Night Out series.

Mischa and Clint are celebrating their first wedding anniversary by renting a secluded cabin for a week of relaxation and fun. Mischa packs a bag full of hot new toys and goodies, planning to act out a few of those naughty sex fantasies she and her husband always talk about.

Clint brings some toys of his own to surprise his wife—and surprise her he does, especially with one particular device. By the time the week is over, they may never want to leave.

Who better to get wild and explore the forbidden with than the person you promised to love forever? Ahhh…marital bliss!

A Romantica®
contemporary erotic romance
from Ellora’s Cave

Marital Bliss

Lacey Thorn

Chapter One

“Fuck you,” Jacey said with a snort.

“I’m just saying that you seriously owe me for the night I spent with Jonas,” Bronte replied. “I mean, it was all for your benefit and I was miserable.”

“Which is the only reason you are still alive and invited to GNO,” Mischa added with a wicked grin.

“Definitely,” Dee giggled.

“Seriously,” Bronte said. “I’m really happy that things have worked out so well for the two of you, Jacey. He’s all smiles at work now instead of mopey like he used to be.”

“He used to be mopey?” Jacey asked with a grin. “That’s so sweet.”

They all laughed.

“Speaking of sweet,” Dee changed topics. “When do you and Clint leave for your anniversary trip?”

Mischa grinned and gave a long sigh. “We leave tomorrow and will be gone for the entire week. I hope I’ve packed enough to keep us busy.”

They all laughed.

“’Yes, sir. Yes, sir. Three bags full,’” Dee quoted from an old nursery rhyme and they all laughed again.

“Another round, girls?” Augie, their favorite waitress at the bar, asked as she stopped at the table. She’d been waiting on them since they’d hit twenty-one and moved girls’ night out to the bar.

“Absolutely,” Bronte said. “This one’s on me.”

“Says the one who switched to water over an hour ago,” Jacey snickered.

“Some of us don’t have a man to pick our drunken ass up at the bar and take us home.” Bronte shook her head and grinned.

“We’ll have to work on that,” Dee said with a smile.

“I know that devious look,” Jacey sighed. “You’re up to something.”

“I might have a plan or two, or three,” Dee laughed.

“Oh this will be good,” Mischa grinned.

“I’m feeling very nervous all the sudden,” Bronte admitted, reaching for her water. She stopped and sighed. “And suddenly wishing I was back on the hard stuff.”

They all snickered as Augie stopped long enough to place fresh glasses in front of them before moving on to the next table.

“So three bags full, huh?” Bronte asked.

“Yeah,” Mischa grinned. “That sexy man of mine won’t know what hit him.”

“You know, I have to admit that I was surprised the first time I met you,” Bronte said. “After working with Clint and Jonas I guess I kind of had an image of what you would look like.”

Mischa snorted. “Let me guess. You saw me as a petite woman. Blonde maybe or light brunette with the expected golden tan. A beach-bunny honey through and through.” They all burst into loud laughter.

“Well you have to admit that with his surfer-boy looks it just seems to fit,” Jacey snorted.

“How was it that Mischa used to describe him?” Dee looked thoughtful then tried to mimic Mischa’s voice. “Clint is so sexy. I love all that shaggy blond hair and his green eyes. I could eat that man with a spoon.”

Jacey hooted. “Apparently, she didn’t need the spoon.”

“You’re all just jealous that my man is so damn fine,” Mischa said. “And after this week away with me, he’ll come back telling your men how he is the luckiest man in the world.”

“I didn’t mean it that way,” Bronte said when the snickers finally quieted down again. “I guess I just didn’t expect you to be the same height as him. Actually, in heels you must be taller.”

“I am.” Mischa smiled. “But my man is completely confident. Things like that don’t bother him.”

“I can see that,” Bronte said. “After meeting you, I couldn’t imagine him with anyone else.”

“They are a perfect match,” Dee agreed. “And trust me, we didn’t think we’d ever meet anyone who could put up with Mischa.”

“Hey,” Mischa said but she laughed with the rest of them.

“You really do look perfect together,” Bronte said. “You complement each other.”

“Yes, we do,” Mischa agreed and lifted her glass for a toast.

“Not like that,” Bronte snorted.

“Oh my god,” Dee squealed. “I think she just snorted.”

“That was definitely a snort,” Mischa said.

“You are officially welcomed as a true member of the girls’ night out club,” Jacey said.

Bronte shook her head. “You guys are so funny. I’m really happy I met you.”

Bronte snorted again and set them off into peals of laughter. “Oh my god, my sides hurt so badly. I don’t think I’ve laughed this hard in my entire life.”

“That’s awful,” Dee said. “Life should be filled with moments just like this.”

“So how did you picture me?” Mischa asked, tapping her fingers on the table.

Bronte tilted her head. “I pictured you petite when Clint said you were Filipino.”

“Well, I got my height from my dad.” Mischa shrugged. “He’s over six feet tall.”

“He was in the military, right?” Bronte asked.

“Yep.” Mischa nodded. “He hated Clint when I first brought him home to meet them. My mom loved him but my dad, not so much.”

“You are such a daddy’s girl,” Jacey said. “No one would have been good enough for you.”

“I know,” Mischa said. “Clint was a wreck every time we were around my dad. He loved my mom, but then she was always trying to feed him.”

“I’ve had your mom’s leftovers at work,” Bronte moaned. “I can understand the love for her. I’ve got a bit of that myself and I’ve never met her.”

“She can cook,” Mischa said. “I remember the night Clint talked to my dad. He’d come over for dinner. We’d been seeing each other for about four months at the time. Dad would bring up old boyfriends and what they were doing and just say all sorts of things to poke at Clint. Clint always just let it roll off his back but that night he’d had enough.”

“Your dad did that?” Bronte shook her head in disbelief. “I can’t even imagine.”

“That’s my dad,” Mischa answered with a shrug. “That night Clint stood up to him. He point-blank told my dad that no man would ever love or respect me the way he could. Then Clint said that he would never make me choose between him and my family because he knew how hard it would be on me if my father, the man I loved and respected most in the world didn’t like the man who planned on marrying me.” Mischa sighed in deep contentment. “He won my dad’s respect that day.”

“Had he proposed already?” Bronte asked.

“No.” Mischa shook her head. “He did that later when it was just the two of us. But he wanted my dad to know what his intentions were. I think he knew it would set my dad’s mind at ease.”

“And obviously made you love him,” Bronte said.

“I loved him before that day,” Mischa said. “I knew the moment I met him that I was going to marry him some day. No doubt in my mind. But no one had ever stood up to my dad before. Clint did. He did it for me. That was when I knew that he really loved me.”

“And they’ve been happily married for a year now,” Dee sighed.

“Oh, we’ve had our ups and downs,” Mischa laughed. “Trust me, marriage isn’t all happily-ever-after bliss. Like anything else, you have to work at it. We never go to bed angry. We don’t hide our feelings if the other does something to irritate us. We take time for each other every day. And we remember the importance of the little things.”

“The little things?” Jacey questioned.

“My mom always said that she and dad have lasted so long because they never forget the little things,” Mischa answered. “Compliments, saying
I love you
and not just assuming the other person knows it. Holding hands. And remembering to be forgiving and say you’re sorry. If we have stress or anger from our job, we get ten minutes to vent about it and then we move on. We still write each other love notes.”

“That is so sweet, Mischa,” Dee said with a sappy grin.

“Do you think you’ll still be doing all that stuff five years from now? Ten? Twenty?” Jacey asked.

Mischa laughed. “My parents still do. I grew up watching them and wishing I’d find a love just like that. I did with Clint. We’re not perfect. We’re us. And I love us.”

“So back to these three bags full,” Bronte prompted when the other three seemed lost in individual thoughts.

“On our last girls’ night out we went to the toy store and helped Mischa pick out a few things to entertain them during their celebration vacation.” Jacey snickered.

Dee hooted with laughter. “Celebration vacation! Too funny.”

“We’ll definitely be celebrating.” Mischa stated with a brow wiggle.

“So any hints at what you bought?” Bronte asked. “For those of us who weren’t there for the shopping spree.”

“Well, I decided that it was time for us to explore a bit,” Mischa said. “I mean who better to explore your wild side with than the man you love and trust most in the world? I couldn’t imagine doing what I have planned with anyone but my husband.”

“So what all do you plan to do with him?” Jacey wanted to know.

“Well, the cabin is pretty isolated so I’m hoping to persuade him to do some kinky stuff outside,” Mischa told them. “I bought a few bondage things, just some stuff to dabble with, like handcuffs, some restraints that attach to the bedposts, and a blindfold. Then I picked up some new toys for us to try out.”

“You use toys together?” Bronte asked.

“We need to educate you before we find you the perfect guy,” Jacey laughed.

“Ha, ha, ha,” Bronte retorted with a shake of her head.

“Yep, Clint and I use toys a lot. He will use it on me during foreplay then sometimes we’ll use it during sex,” Mischa said. “It’s incredible.”

“I guess I never thought of using them that way,” Bronte admitted.

“What about all the edible things you bought,” Dee reminded her with a laugh.

“I picked up some of these body paints and I bought a set of white sheets. I wanted to try our hand at some body art. It looked cool. Plus I picked up some lube that provides a tingle. Then there are the ones you put in the freezer and then insert. They melt while you make love. And, of course, I have the essentials like whipped cream, honey, strawberries, and Clint’s personal favorite, a really strong peppermint breath mint.”

“Breath mints?” Bronte asked with interest.

“Honey, you are so innocent,” Jacey laughed.

“Fuck you,” Bronte said, which made them all laugh harder.

“For blowjobs,” Mischa said. “They add a little extra to it.”

“You guys are so out of my league,” Bronte sighed.

“Don’t worry,” Mischa said. “As soon as Clint and I get back, Dee has plans for you.”

“If it involves all this kinky stuff, I think I’ll pass,” Bronte stated emphatically. They all grinned and laughed.

“So when will you get back?” Dee asked.

“We leave in the morning and head back on Saturday afternoon,” Mischa told them.

“When is your actual anniversary?” Bronte asked.

“Wednesday,” Mischa sighed.

“Umm, hump day,” Jacey added and they all snorted with laughter.

“To an amazing week.” Mischa held her glass up in a toast.

“An amazing week,” they all echoed.