Natalie Acres (21 page)

The cuddling that followed could’ve easily led to another round of fantastic loving if Trixie’s cell phone hadn’t buzzed with a lousy interruption. Stumbling from the bed, she caught a solid slap on the ass from Mitch before she retrieved her purse and dug for the annoying device.

“It’s Vicky McKay,” she announced, snatching Brock’s shirt from the floor. She left a roar of moans in her wake as she made her way to the bathroom.

“Hi, Vicky.” She clicked the speaker option and set the phone on the vanity. “What’s up?”

“Just checking on my other goddaughter,” Vicky replied. “I haven’t talked to you in a while. Joshua said you’re out of town. Where are you?”

“It’s classified,” Trixie teased, grabbing a washcloth and towel from the linen closet.

“Ooh, sounds exotic.” Vicky giggled. “Anything exciting happening?”

“Let’s just say if you’d called three minutes earlier, you would’ve gotten my voicemail.”

“My timing sucks,” she teased. “So things are good?”

“Yes, Vicky,” Trixie replied, turning on the water. “We’re perfect. How’s everything back in Fletcher? Is anything wrong?”

“Am I on speaker?”

“Yes, why?”

“Finish cleaning yourself up and call me back. I need to tell you something.”

“Hang on,” Trixie said, scrubbing the washcloth with soap.

“You know, you can call me back if this is a little uncomfortable talking to me while washing your dicktrapper.”

“You did not just say that to me.” Trixie reached between her legs and washed.

“It is what it is. You’re a grown woman and have two men in your bed. I don’t have to carefully tiptoe around juicy topics.”

Trixie tossed the washcloth in the basket. “Really, Vicky. You can be so crude sometimes. Would you be this blunt with Patience?”

“Always,” she replied. “Get me off speaker.”

Trixie hit the button and held the phone to her ear. “You’re all clear.”

Brock entered the bathroom. “Is something wrong?”

“Sure I am,” Vicky said. “Is that Brock in the background?”

“It is,” Trixie replied, shooting him a smile. “Everything is fine. I’ll be back to bed in a minute.”

“We have to take care of something on the hill,” Brock told her. “Will you be all right?”

“Hang on, Vicky,” Trixie said, turning her complete attention to Brock. “If I’m not here, I’ll be at the stables.”

“I’d rather you stay here,” Brock said. “We’re headed to the barn to talk to Cash.”

“I’ll wait here then,” she conceded, rolling her eyes.

“Don’t do that, sub.” Brock kissed her cheek. “I want to know you’re paying attention to me.”

“I hang on your every word, Sir,” she drawled, fluttering her eyelashes.

“Tell Vicky I said hi.” Brock gave her a heated appraisal. “Oh and uh, you were sensational.”

“Shh,” Trixie hissed.

He winked and closed the door behind him.

“Brock said hello.”

“I heard him,” Vicky snapped. “And I also heard the words ‘Sir’ and ‘sub.’ Is there something going on I don’t know about?”

Trixie fumbled with the phone and wiggled her way into Brock’s shirt. “You might say that. Then again, it’s one of those private topics that’s really none of your business.”

“Such a funny girl. Tell your Aunt Vicky what you’re up to.”

Vicky called herself out as a relative whenever she wanted to step into a parental-type role. She hadn’t tossed that card out in quite some time.

Trixie dampened her thumb and ran the pad under her eyes, swiping away the black mascara. “Actually, I’d like to talk to you about a few things. But first, you spill. Why’d you call?”

“Have you talked to Ansley?”

“No.”

“Mitch was here looking for you.”

“He already found me.”

“Well then, I guess it’s your turn already. Is that what you wanted to talk about?”

Trixie left the bathroom and entered the deserted apartment. She already missed the guys. It was too quiet without them around. Even with world’s fastest locomotive-mouth on the line, she found it eerily lonesome.

“Will you tell Mom about this discussion?”

“Probably,” Vicky replied. “If I promise not to tell and mean it, I’m telling you the truth at the time, but you know me. I don’t keep anything from Peyton and it could slip.”

“A slip is inevitable. Right?”

“I’ll try really hard to keep this under wraps. How’s that?”

“As good as a phone call to Mom as soon as we hang up,” Trixie said, traipsing to the kitchen. She opened the refrigerator and grabbed a diet soda and a pack of sliced honey ham.

“Mitch is back in my life.”

“I take that to mean he’s back in your bed, too.”

“That’s a given.”

“I know a few men who won’t be too thrilled with the news.”

“Me, too,” Trixie said. “Maybe you could smooth things over before we get home.”

“I’ll try,” Vicky promised.

“That’s not what I wanted to talk to you about.” Trixie grabbed a couple of slices of bread and made a quick sandwich.

“I’ll make this easy for you,” Vicky said. “As I said, I heard Brock call you his sub. You seem receptive. Is there something you want to ask me?”

“Well, you know I’m familiar with the lifestyle.”

“Of course.”

“What you don’t know is this—Brock and Mitch had somewhat introduced bondage and submission when we first got together all those years ago.”

“No, I don’t think you said anything to me.”

“I probably didn’t. Anyway, they did,” Trixie said, taking a bite of her sandwich and chewing quickly. “So this isn’t new to me.”

“That’s good,” Vicky said, sounding puzzled.

“Vicky, will you tell me something? Is it drastically different between you and Joshua and you and Patrick?”

Again the line went silent.

Trixie took another bite of her sandwich. Around a mouthful of food she said, “I mean you don’t need to provide intimate details of your relationship. It’s just—”

“You want to know the difference between being a sex slave and a submissive.”

“Yeah, I do,” Trixie replied. “I want to know if what I’m doing, what I’m experiencing is normal. Ya know?”

“I don’t exactly,” Vicky said. “And I’m not sure if I’m the one to advise you on this particular subject.”

Trixie giggled nervously. She couldn’t believe she was having this discussion with her mother’s best friend. Really, she should’ve called Kimberly. She could probably write a book on Domination and submission since she’d been with Jason Neely on again and off again since she was barely legal. Neely still had the reputation for being one of the most influential Doms in the South.

Trixie set her sandwich on a napkin. That thought almost made her lose her lunch.

“Honey, the only thing I can tell you is this—if you are asking me questions, then it’s possible what your guys have asked you to do is more than you’re willing to try at this time. If you’re uncomfortable, then maybe you shouldn’t comply. In other words, use your safe word. Use it firmly and then later discuss it. Tell them your feelings. Talk openly and honestly with your Dominants. Maybe they’ve rushed things.

“Then again, the uneasiness you feel may come from the fact that you’ve lived a pretty vanilla life with Brock and Rory before Mitch was back in the picture. It may be too much, too soon.”

“That’s just it. I want them to push for more. A lot more.”

The deafening silence filled the line once more.

“Are you still with me?” Trixie asked, finishing off her sandwich.

“Trixie, you’re a grown woman. You’re a wonderful mother and a fabulous wife to your husbands.”

“But?”

“But I think whatever you do, you shouldn’t make drastic changes. Think about your children.”

“I agree there,” Trixie said. “But I want the things I think you probably have with Aspen, Joshua, and Patrick.”

A heavy breath filled the line.

“Vicky, talk to me. Advise me.”

“Okay, you want my advice? I’ll give it to you. In doing so, I need you to understand. You should draw your own conclusions. Submission and how you address any perceived boundaries or limitations—or the lack thereof—must be a decision you reach on your own.

“I didn’t anticipate having Patience when I became involved with Aspen, Patrick, and Joshua. I didn’t consider how my life would have its share of ramifications on the little girl I adored, the young woman I admire more than anyone else in the world.

“I didn’t think about the ridicule she’d endure when her mother showed up for her school functions with a collar around her neck. I sure didn’t stop to consider how she might feel if her friends came over and happened to spot a leash on the counter or perhaps walked in unannounced and saw me down on my knees scrubbing floors for punishment while taking hard licks to my behind.

“We don’t role play here, Trixie. We’ve tried it and it doesn’t work for them and it doesn’t work for me. We live the life. Unfortunately, what I didn’t think about is how my choices might affect my daughter. You have a decision to make. You can make those choices now while you’re on your getaway and deal with them accordingly when you return home.

“Whatever you decide, I think you should discuss your feelings with your fellas because they’ll want to be part of this process.”

“You’re right.”

“I know. I usually am.”

“I love you, Vicky.”

“Love you, too, baby girl.” A beat later, she quickly said, “So tell me. Is Mitch staying this time?”

“I wouldn’t be with him if I didn’t think he was back for good.”

“Did Brock return from wherever he wandered off to?” Vicky asked.

“No, why?”

“He sounded worried about you. I’ll keep you on the phone until I hear his deep, guttural voice hollering for his submissive one.”

Trixie laughed. “Oh, Vicky, you know how Brock is. He’s overly protective to a fault.”

“Cherish him,” Vicky said. “It’s nice to know you’re loved and wanted. Besides, Brock isn’t happy unless your thong is crammed up his ass which means he probably isn’t propositioned on a regular basis.”

“Nice visual,” Trixie muttered. “You may be on to something, Vicky.”

“Oh, doll, I could tell you all sorts of nifty tricks. I don’t use dryer sheets anymore. I like static cling.” She laughed. “Ask Patrick. When he goes to conferences, he often finds a pair of panties stuck to the seat of his slacks. It’s just a nice gesture to remind him. Only one woman owns his ass.”

“And here I thought your relationship worked the other way around.”

“Shh,” Vicky whispered. “That’s the beauty in Domination and submission. Domestic slaves and subs have a lot more control than they ever willingly admit. It would ruin things for all of us if anyone let our secret out.”

“I love it when you speak with such a conspiratorial tone.”

“Okay now, back to Brock. Who or what is on his radar now? Let me guess. Another man in his bed made him paranoid?”

“More like another freak working at Cow Camp.”

“I’m not laughing, Trixie,” Vicky said. “When you were abducted, it was as if the world stopped. We were all terrified the outcome with Stephen Pratchert would end badly.”

“This guy working here isn’t another Pratchert. He’s just a pervert.”

“What’d he do?”

“It’s not important,” Trixie replied, unwilling to discuss the actions she’d witnessed earlier.

“Use your head, Trixie. If Brock tells you he doesn’t want you around someone you’ve already labeled as a pervert, it’s safe to assume this guy is probably someone you want to avoid.”

“Brock is overacting. He doesn’t want me near him because the guy was in prison with Mitch. You know how Brock is. He doesn’t like anyone who has a record.”

“Is Mitch in that same category?”

“He was pretty rough on Mitch but he’s coming around,” Trixie replied.

“Mitch doesn’t exactly have the best reputation for aligning himself with upstanding citizens.”

“I know, but this Cash fellow is harmless.”

“Trixie, wait. Did you say Cash?”

“I know, right?” Trixie took a sip of her soda. “Maybe that’s why Brock doesn’t like him. His name makes him sound like a gangster or—”

“Trixie! What is Cash’s last name?” Vicky sounded completely frantic.

“He isn’t from back home. I doubt you know him.”

“His name, Trixie. What is his name?” There was a lot of background noise then. It sounded as if Vicky were opening and shutting doors. “Joshua! Patrick! Aspen! Get in here! Hurry!” A second later, she was back on the line. “Trixie. What is his last name?”

Trixie flopped down on the sofa and curled her legs behind her. “I can’t remember. White something. I just don’t re—”

“Whitehead?”

“That’s it,” Trixie replied. “Cash Whitehead.”