“That’s right, you belong to me, your Master. And who will you always obey?”
“You,” she managed to squeak out before he cinched his fingers tighter around her throat so that she couldn’t have managed a single sound, and even less to catch a breath.
“Do you trust me? Nod if yes.”
She nodded, even as he stole her air away. She didn’t begin to panic. She lay there as he slowly ground into her, slow and steady, slow and steady as he cinched his hold tighter and tighter.
Her hands scrabbled for the bedclothes. She was really feeling the lack of air now.
He bent down low as he thrust in again, looking deep into her eyes, demanding her trust.
“You can do anything you put your mind to, do you hear me? Anything,” he whispered. “Nothing can hold you back. Not me. Not doors. Not the open sky. Not land for as long as you can see and the big wide world out there. It’s all yours for the taking. You’re free because you always were. It’s been there inside you the whole time. All you have to do is take that first step, baby. Now cum.”
He let go of her throat and she gulped in air and shuddered as he reached between them, stroking her sweet little clit as he pulled back and then thrust inside her again.
When she came this time, it wasn’t a sweet little spasm.
No, her entire body began to rock and shake around him.
“Who do you obey?” he demanded as the waves of her pleasure crashed over her. When she didn’t answer he continued thrusting.
“Who do you obey?” he called again, fucking her even harder. “Who do you belong to?”
“You,” she screamed as she finally found her voice, writhing underneath him, grinding out every last inch of her pleasure. Her nails scored his back.
“That’s right.” He grabbed her chin and looked her in the eye, her pupils blown with pleasure. “You belong to me. There’s nothing to be afraid of, because wherever you are, I’m there with you.”
And then he kissed her hard, devouring her. He thrust once more to the root and finished inside his still spasming wife.
He collapsed beside her, both of them intertwined. She clung to him and he held just as tightly on to her, unwilling to let her go.
Long minutes later, he thought she’d fallen asleep. But she spoke, proving him wrong, her voice a soft whisper. “That was so beautiful. And you’re right, you’ll always be beside me from now on. There is nothing to be afraid of as long as I’ve got a six-foot Russian by my side. Anyone or anything bad will be scared away the second they see you,” she giggled, burrowing her head into his chest.
And all the fullness he’d been feeling only moments before fled. Nicholas felt like he’d just been kicked in the guts.
Of course he wanted to be there with her.
He wanted to be there with her, and he wanted to fill her belly with kids, one after the other. He wanted to watch her grow old and to grow old beside her. He wanted to walk their children down the aisle and bounce grandkids on their knees.
But after tomorrow…who could say?
He took a deep, long breath, and pulled her more closely against the hard lines of his body.
He’d have to settle for what he wanted in this moment: wanting to cling to her for just a little while longer.
She was the prize that never should have been his. The beautiful dream that he’d stolen away for himself.
If he could hold her for just a little while longer, please, a little while longer…
Chapter 24
SLOANE
Bright sunshine shone through the storefront wall of windows the next day and Sloane couldn’t help humming to herself as she arranged the fresh pastries on a tray and took them out to set in the front display case.
She was working alone today, which she rarely got to do, but it was a slow day. There’d been rain this morning and that usually meant fewer people wanting to make an extra stop for a breakfast treat. Babulya had been in earlier like always to see to the daily baking but had gone back upstairs when they’d realized how slow it was.
Which was good, because Sloane couldn’t handle any more teasing about her absentminded grinning. Well, what was she supposed to do when she was having the best orgasms of her entire life with the man that she lo—
She stopped in her tracks and looked out the big windows at the gray streets beyond. Holy shit. Was it true? Did she actually love…her husband?
She blinked several times rapidly, then lifted her hand to her flushed cheek. Then blinked some more. Oh God, she thought maybe she did.
She leaned a hip against the counter and looked down at the creamed horns in the display case, her cheeks flushing even hotter. Good Lord, she’d never be able to look at the sweet treats again without turning the shade of a tomato. And Babulya expected her to learn how to make the damn things soon.