Safe Word: Oasis 5: Mina's Heart

by Michele Zurlo

  Domestic discipline appealed to him greatly. He’d always wanted to find a submissive who shared this value. Unlike many Doms, even his twin brother, Ever didn’t feel a need to use floggers, whips, crops, or canes. He liked bondage and submission, and he needed a strong woman to dominate. She would challenge him, which would probably lead to a spanking for her, but it would also make him a better man.

  Yes, easing her into his world was the correct course of action.

  He settled on the bed next to her and pressed the cooled cloth between her legs. It would relieve any swelling or pain she could experience. He hadn’t been very rough with her. Once she was in the throes of pleasure, she’d liked when he was more forceful. When she wasn’t, she responded to gentleness.

  She whimpered, wiggled her hands free, and tried to pluck at his wrist to get his hand away from her pussy. No doubt she would be shy now that they’d been intimate. He would have to make sure she didn’t retreat emotionally from him because she felt exposed and vulnerable.

  He halted her attempt and soothed her with a kiss to her brow. “Let me do this, honey. Let me take care of you.”

  She didn’t say anything, but she stopped her struggle. He saw to her comfort, and then he climbed into bed next to her, pulling the sheet from the foot of the bed to tuck it around her cooling body, and he held her in his arms.

  Normally he would remove her blindfold, but he left it, allowing her the moments she needed to pull herself together. There would come a time when he wouldn’t allow her to hide behind a blindfold. It would become a device used to deny her the knowledge of what was to come.

  After a few minutes, she turned toward him and snuggled her head against his shoulder. “That was amazing, Ever. Thank you.”

  He brushed his hand through her hair, a deft move that also dislodged her mask. She peered up at him with wide eyes and a shy smile that stole his breath. He kissed her, a tender show of affection that let her know exactly how much he cared about her.

  Chapter Four

  Mina woke up with a tingling between her thighs that was more insistent than anything she was used to. It was an itch demanding to be scratched. She checked the digital display on her cell phone and calculated three hours before she could head to Ever’s place.

  With a groan, she rolled from bed. After he’d rocked her world last night, he’d held her in his arms while they talked. Some of the questions he’d broached had been uncomfortable, and the way he’d sandwiched them between bouts of casual topics had been a little disconcerting.

  For example, when Jolo scratched at the door, he’d asked if she minded if he let the cat into the bedroom. She hadn’t. As he’d walked to the door to let her in, he’d asked whether she liked the fact he’d used two fingers, or would she prefer he use one or three?

  She hadn’t been lying in the dark estimating how many fingers he had inside her; she’d been too busy enjoying the orgasm.

  Then, in a discussion about favorite songs, he’d asked how she liked being restrained and whether she thought she would be up for having her legs bound as well. He definitely knew how to throw her off balance.

  She went for a short jog, and then she took a long shower. Her mother spent the morning in the garden. When Mina joined her, Jin Ae smiled from her position kneeling in front of a patch of freshly turned earth.

  “How was your date?”

  She hadn’t told her mother she was going on a date. “How did you know?”

  Jin Ae’s smile turned into a short laugh. “You were excited and nervous.” She glanced up at Mina. “You’re allowed to go out.”

  Until that moment, she hadn’t realized she’d been afraid her mother might prohibit her from seeing a man. “It was good. He’s nice.” Nice was the understatement of the century. “He insisted on opening doors and pulling out my chair. It was a little weird, but I had a nice time.”

  Jin Ae leaned back on her heels and regarded Mina with a frown. “You used ‘nice’ twice, and you hate that word. What’s wrong?”

  Mina hated the word because it meant nothing. She shook her head. “Nothing’s wrong. I’m seeing him again today.”

  “Does it bother you that he has manners? I know you think it’s a fault, but it’s really not. You deserve to be with somebody who treats you well.” Jin Ae stabbed her trowel into the dirt and turned it over. “The Burkes are a nice family. Macy Burke is one of the only people who remembers to invite me to town functions, and Russ Burke comes over after each snowstorm and does the driveway. Doesn’t even ask or stop by to say hello. It’s just clear when I wake up.”

  Mina stared at her mother with a little bit of wonder. She hadn’t known her mother was at all acquainted with Ever’s family. “Do you go?”

  “I helped with the Memorial Day parade, and I’m signed up to run the snow cone maker at the Fourth of July celebration.”

  Her mother dropped that bomb as if her participation in town life was inconsequential, when in fact it put a huge crimp in Mina’s plans. How could Mina convince her mother to move if she was finally making connections after all these years? And Mina knew she didn’t have the right to sabotage her mother’s happiness or urge her against forming friendships for which her mother had longed.

  “That’s wonderful.”

  “Perhaps not as wonderful as you dating Everett Burke. He’s a good boy. You can invite him over for dinner.”

  Mina didn’t know about that, or how her mom knew who she’d been with. Ever was a great guy, but he didn’t figure into her life plan. “Mom, you know I don’t plan to stay in Vermont.”

  Jin Ae nailed her with a shrewd look. “If you didn’t plan to stay in Vermont, you wouldn’t be going on your second date in two days with a man not known for playing the field.”

  Mina fidgeted. She hadn’t thought about what Ever might want from her at all. In fact, she’d mostly thought about how much she wanted him to be her first lover. In her head, she hadn’t considered him for the long term. During her entire jog and even in the shower—especially in the shower—she’d thought about what it would take to seduce him today.

  She’d decided not to begin with a statement declaring that she wouldn’t sleep with him. That seemed to have been the only thing holding him back last night.

  But now that she considered things from his point of view, she decided that seducing him would most likely backfire. Besides, what the hell did she know about the art of seduction?

  Her mother was studying her, probably looking for Mina to confirm that her suspicions were correct. Mina couldn’t do that. She got to her feet. “It’s just a date, Mom. It’s nothing serious, certainly not enough to bring him here.”

  * * * *

  With the plates and cups clean and drying in the rack, Everett turned his attention to the spinach and red peppers on his cutting board. On the other side of the island, Wilder had spread out several different gauges of rope.

  “Was it everything you thought it would be?”

  Ever studied his brother, looking for the intended joke. “Are you asking about my date?”

  Wilder chuckled. “Yeah. I know she enjoyed herself. Thin walls.”

  Once again, Ever was relieved that Wilder had the apartment next door. He’d rather nobody overheard his bedroom activities, but if he had to live in a place with barely adequate soundproofing, then he was glad Wilder was the person he was bothering. Now if only he could convince Wilder to put himself out there again.

  “She’s coming over at noon. I’m going to take her out to the property for a picnic. I think it went well.” Ever attacked the waiting ingredients with practiced skill. Cooking brought him a lot of pleasure.

  Frowning, Wilder untwisted a length of rope. “I seriously didn’t peg her for a submissive. My radar must be off.”

  Everett had no doubt about her submissiveness. “She’s submissive, but she doesn’t know it.”

  Wilder lifted his gaze. It was filled with alarm. “How can she have spent an evening with you and that topic no
t come up?”

  The fact that his brother had leaped to that conclusion didn’t surprise Ever. Nobody knew him better than Wilder. “She’s inexperienced. Very inexperienced. I’m treading lightly. I want her to be comfortable with it before we have that conversation.”

  Though she hadn’t minded the blindfold or the restraints, she’d nearly freaked out when he’d mentioned spanking her. He would have to test her to see what she was open to, and ease her into those things. If he had to, he could talk himself into living without seeing his handprints on her reddened ass. Though he preferred it, he didn’t need her on her knees.

  A bit of shock crept into Wild’s expression, mingling with the alarm that hadn’t diminished. “Ever, I think you’re making a mistake. You know that Dad always says to be up-front about who you are and what you want.”

  He was well aware of his responsibility as her Dom. “Wild, she needs to be eased into this. She’s fragile and delicate and incredibly naive. If I have a frank discussion with her before she’s ready, she’s going to flee. If I wait until she’s ready, then she’ll be mine forever.”

  Though they’d only had one date, he had already decided she was the one for him. His father had always told him he’d know his soul mate when he met her, and that assurance had definitely proved true.

  Wilder snorted. “If she thinks you’re playing vanilla games and finds out you’re lying to her, you’re going to lose her anyway.”

  “I’m not lying.” The accusation stung, especially coming from his best friend. “I’m waiting for the right time. There is a difference.”

  He wasn’t sure what the right time would look like, but he trusted that he’d know when the time had come.

  * * * *

  She arrived at Ever’s apartment almost an hour early. It was easier than facing her mother’s calculating, silently knowing looks. Wilder answered her knock. He and Everett truly resembled each other, but where Ever tended to be relaxed, Wilder radiated thoughtful intensity.

  He smiled as he opened the door wider to admit her. “Good morning, Mina. Come on in. I’m not sure Ever was expecting you quite yet.”

  Perhaps she had miscalculated. The need to escape her mother’s knowing gaze had made her forget what went on in the hour before a date. She spent a lot of time on her hair and makeup, though Ever had told her just to wear shorts and dress comfortably. The lack of pizzazz in her clothing had to be accounted for in the care she took with the rest of her appearance. And it had to look effortless. The makeup had to cover her flaws and also be invisible.

  She took a half step back from the door. “I should come back later.”

  Wilder caught her by the wrist. “Nope. If I let you escape, then he’ll get pissed at me, and his yelling might ruin his soufflé.”

  “I’m not making a soufflé, you idiot. It’s quiche.” Ever came down the hall to the foyer, the soft smile on his face completely at odds with the way he spoke to his brother. He took her arm from Wilder and pulled her inside, straight into his arms, where he planted a firm kiss on her lips. “You should stay.”

  The door closed behind them. Wilder headed back to the kitchen.

  She rested her hands on Ever’s chest, enjoying the way his heat permeated his shirt. “Are you sure? I didn’t mean to be so early.”

  “I know.” He grinned and winked. “You just couldn’t stay away from my animal magnetism.”

  Truthfully, no, she couldn’t. She’d definitely developed a weakness for him. She returned his grin. “Something like that.”

  “C’mon.” He turned and herded her toward the kitchen. “You can watch Wild practice tying knots while I finish making lunch.”

  A large wicker picnic basket rested on the counter near the refrigerator. Plates, cups, and forks waited in the drying rack next to the sink. Wilder sat on a stool at the island, an array of colored ropes on the granite countertop in front of him.

  Mina lifted her brow in amazement. “A picnic?”

  “Yep. It’s a nice day for it.” He guided her to the stool next to Wilder. “Sit. Wilder needs a hand.”

  Wilder looked a little surprised at that pronouncement. “If you’re okay with it.”

  She shrugged. “Sure. What are you doing?”

  “Practicing my knots. It works better if I have someone to work with.”

  There was a lot of rope on the counter. Mina wasn’t sure what she was getting herself into. It seemed a bit kinky. “You want to tie me up?”

  He seemed disturbed by her question. His blue eyes clouded over. “No. If you’ll hold out your arm, that’s really all I need.”

  Ever stirred something on the stove. “Don’t worry. I wouldn’t allow him to do anything more than that.”

  She offered her arm to Wilder. He pushed the short sleeve of her shirt up and centered a green rope just below her shoulder. Then he wound it underneath. She felt the tickle of his fingertips brush against her skin as he manipulated the rope. He worked with a quiet intensity that was both calming and alarming. It was almost as if she didn’t exist. The ropes were all that mattered to him. The thought saddened her a bit.

  Looking up, she saw Ever watching her. His attention was focused on her face, not on the knots his brother tied around her arm. She offered him a smile.

  Abruptly, he turned back to the stove. “How was your night? Did you sleep well?”

  “Yes.” And she woke up hornier than she’d ever been. She couldn’t imagine what it must have been like for Ever. He hadn’t come at all. “You?”

  He shook his head. “I would have slept better if I’d been able to drive you home. When do you think you’re going to get over this need to drive yourself around everywhere?”

  She didn’t know whether to laugh or take him seriously. Wilder glanced up from his macramé and noted her confusion. “If he drives you home and sees you inside, then he knows you’re safe for the night.”

  Ever transferred the picnic basket to the island counter and began packing plates and flatware, yet his attention was mostly on her.

  “I don’t need you to look out for me like that.”

  Ever scowled, his brows drawing together menacingly, but he didn’t stop loading items into the basket.

  Wilder bent her arm and worked on a fancy series of knots on the inside of her forearm. “It’s not about you. It’s about his peace of mind and his need to take care of you.”

  It was irritating that anyone felt the need to look out for her. She wasn’t an obligation. And why wasn’t Everett speaking for himself? She pursed her lips at Wilder. “Are you his paid spokesperson?”

  “Nope.” Wilder didn’t seem fazed by her hostility. “I’m the twin, which means I have years more experience reading the fine print.”

  She blinked. “The fine print?”

  Now Everett spoke up. “The fine print. All the rules and regulations that go along with dating somebody like me. Don’t worry, my hot smart chick. You’ll figure it all out eventually.”

  After that cryptic comment, she kind of wanted Wilder to translate. She looked to him, but he just sighed. “If he won’t speak plainly to you, feel free to give him hell. It’s the least of what he deserves.”

  She felt like they were having a different conversation from her. Ever grinned, and Wilder sighed as he unraveled the design he’d so painstakingly woven. “Are you coming on the picnic with us? Is it a double date?” she asked.

  The shades of sadness flickered across his face and clouded his eyes. “No.”

  She’d stumbled onto a sore spot. Not sure what to do or say, she looked to Ever. The smile had vanished from his face, and he regarded his brother with fierce sympathy. He shook his head, a signal that she needed to let the subject alone.

  As Wilder finished removing the rope, he coiled it up and gathered the rest of what he’d laid out on the counter. “Now that I’ve crashed your party, I’m off.”

  “Are you sure you don’t want to join us?” Mina felt bad for him. What if he’d come to Ever’s apartmen
t because he needed to talk?

  Wilder chuckled, sounding a lot like Everett. “Thanks. I’m sure. You two have fun.” With that, he disappeared through the front door.

  Mina looked around. A set of keys lay on the counter near where Wilder had been sitting. “Ever, I think Wilder left his keys here.”

  He nodded. “Looks like. Can you run them over?” He pointed to the wall behind him. “He lives there.”

  “You have apartments next to each other?” She found that a little unexpected.

  “Yep. He’s building his house next door to where I’m building mine. We shared a room for eighteen years, by choice. College was the only time we’ve spent apart.”

  As she took the keys next door, she reflected on the closeness between Everett and Wilder. They had an enviable connection. She’d always wanted a sister who could be a close friend and confidant, but her parents hadn’t wanted more children. Mina wasn’t certain her father had wanted children in the first place.

  When she returned, Ever handed her an oven mitt. “I need to jump in the shower. Can you watch the quiche? It should be done in four or five minutes.”

  It was on the tip of her tongue to tell him that she’d prefer to get into the shower with him, but she lacked the courage to say it out loud. She took the mitt from him instead. “Sure.”

  EVERETT TOOK A quick shower and tried not to think about the way Mina had looked the night before, bound and blindfolded, writhing and moaning as he licked and sucked her pussy. He wanted to see her like that again, only this time without the restrictions they’d both placed on the night.

  After he dried off and fixed his hair, he realized he’d left his clean clothes in the bedroom. Rather than put back on the sweats he’d slept in that were now a soggy, crumpled heap on the floor, he deposited his dirty clothes in the laundry, wrapped a towel around his hips, and headed into the hall. With any luck, Mina would be busy with the food, and she wouldn’t notice a towel-clad man hurrying from the bathroom to the bedroom.

  No such providence. He emerged to find her standing at the opening to the kitchen. Her dark gaze traveled from his face, down his neck, and over his bare chest. It lingered in the area his towel covered, and he felt his body respond to her unspoken appreciation. At last she shifted her gaze down his legs and to his feet before she raked it back up.