Riley grinned down at Joanna who had her hands interlaced together behind her head on the pillow and was grinning back up at her.
“Well, then maybe I’ll just tie you to the bed, spread eagle, like this,” Riley whispered, grasping Joanna’s wrists and forcing her arms apart over her head.
“Then what would you do?”
“This,” Riley replied, releasing Joanna’s arms and shimmying up Joanna’s silky camisole, exposing her breasts before bending down and taking a pert nipple into her mouth, sucking on it and flicking it with her tongue.
“Mmm,” Joanna moaned. “I like that, Riley.”
“You have way too many clothes on, Ms. Armstrong,” Riley announced, pushing the camisole up and over Joanna’s head and peeling it over her long arms, before stripping her own t-shirt off and throwing it to the floor.
Joanna instinctively reached up to fondle Riley’s now exposed breasts.
“Oh, no, you don’t, arms back in place above your head, this is my show, remember!”
Riley looked into Joanna’s green eyes, which were twinkling mischievously.
She turned around and straddled Joanna, facing the other way. She threw the covers back, bent down and began to place soft kisses on Joanna’s inner thighs. Riley’s nipples grazed her stomach as she hooked her thumbs in the waistband of Joanna’s satin thong, peeling it down slowly, kissing a trail behind it. Riley looked back at Joanna, whose eyes were affixed to her behind.
“Like what you see, Ms. Armstrong?” Riley asked, wiggling her bottom for effect, before turning back and stripping the thong completely down and off over Joanna’s long legs.
“Not entirely, darling, if you’re going to wave that delicious bottom of yours in my face then I’d much prefer it naked,” Joanna replied, yanking Riley’s skimpy underwear down, until they stretched tight across Riley’s spread thighs.
“That’s cheating, hands back in place, Ms. Armstrong.”
Riley didn’t right her underwear, she just left them down, knowing it would drive Joanna crazy. She bent back down and brushed her lips slowly back and forth over Joanna’s folds, blowing warm air over her center. Her tongue teased slightly and Joanna’s hips started to rise to meet it. Riley inhaled the heady scent of Joanna’s arousal and she couldn’t resist any longer as she immersed herself between Joanna’s legs, biting and licking wildly. She swirled her tongue over Joanna’s sensitive bud until she was writhing beneath her. Riley could feel the heat building between her own legs as she devoured her lover.
Joanna bucked her hips the more Riley engulfed her, dipping her head lower and impaling her center, in and out with her tongue.
“Oh, god, Riley that’s it,” Joanna panted. “Wait, I need to taste you, turn around, Riley.”
Riley felt Joanna’s fingers between her legs inflaming her arousal, but she ignored Joanna’s request and flicked her tongue over Joanna’s clit fervently until she arched her back and moaned, signaling her climax.
She pulled up from Joanna. “My show, did you forget?” Riley smiled, as her tongue found Joanna’s center again.
“You forget one small detail, darling, and that is you haven’t won yet,” Joanna said, punctuating the statement with a hard smack to Riley’s bottom. “Now turn around and let me taste you before your bottom regrets it. And get those panties off!”
“Ouch, okay, Ms. Armstrong,” Riley replied, relieving herself of her own panties.
She turned around and crawled up the bed, still straddling Joanna. She leaned forward and grasped the headboard in front of her, feeling Joanna’s hot breath beneath her. Joanna reached up and grabbed her ass, pulling her in close. Joanna’s mouth claimed her. Riley was already squirming with pleasure and it didn’t take long before she threw her head back as Joanna brought her over the edge.
* * *
“You ready, Riley? Big day, how you feeling?” Joanna asked.
“Confident!” Riley smiled, as she and Joanna got in the penthouse elevator.
“Well, David’s already there, he had an urgent meeting so he asked that our meeting be moved up. I’ve let everyone know.”
When Joanna and Riley arrived at the office, David, Helen, and the interns were already waiting for them in the conference room.
“I hope we’re not late?”
“Not at all, Joanna. I’m sorry I have to expedite this, but something rather urgent has come up. First of all, let me congratulate all three of you ladies, I asked for a nearly impossible task and you exceeded all my expectations. I guess I should know better with Riley at the helm.”
Riley gave a little smile at David’s compliment, as she glanced at the three presentations that were displayed at the front of the conference room. They were good, all of them.
“You ladies definitely made my job hard, and I don’t know if it was easier or more difficult not knowing which of these designs you each did, but by the narrowest of margins I have to go with this one. It’s the one I want to kick off the campaign with, and frankly, brilliant!” he said, motioning to the design on the left-hand side.
“Congratulations, AJ,” Helen commended.
“It’s AJ’s? Excellent, I knew this internship idea of Riley’s was a great idea. Now ladies, if you excuse me, I have to run, but I’d like to take you all to lunch this week.”
“Of course, David, we understand, I’ll be in touch and we’ll get this rolling,” Joanna said, escorting David out.
“Well done, AJ, David’s right, it’s a brilliant concept,” Riley praised, “And that was a seasoned decision to use Miguel. Andrea, you should be proud also, what you’ve done is really outstanding.”
AJ just sat dumbfounded.
“Thank you, Riley. Well done, AJ, it really is a stellar design,” Andrea chimed in.
“Andrea, I think Ms. Klein and Ms. Armstrong need a couple of minutes with AJ, we’ll be waiting in the bullpen.”
About twenty minutes later Joanna popped her head around the bullpen door and motioned for Riley.
“I’ll be right back, Andrea,” she said, getting up and following Joanna to her office.
Riley sat down at the table in the office and let out a sigh.
“Are you disappointed, darling?” Joanna asked sympathetically.
“Sure, a little, I guess, but tell me, how did AJ react when you told her?”
“She burst into tears, she was so happy. Riley, I know you’re disappointed but you did this, you know that, right? Neither AJ nor Andrea would have these excellent skills without your mentoring. This was your baby from the beginning, and frankly it was a huge success. Helen and I decided we are going to fund this program indefinitely, with you at the helm if you want it.”
Riley smiled.
“Come with me, I want to show you something.”
Riley gave Joanna a confused look but followed her out to the lobby. Joanna reached up on the back wall and grabbed the corner of a white sheet that was covering the firm’s name. Riley looked on, more confused until Joanna pulled the sheet away, unveiling the name of Armstrong, Klein, Dixon, Carrington and Associates in brass letters.
Riley’s eyes went wide, and she shook her head in disbelief.
“Really?” she stammered.
“Yes, really. I think, Ms. Carrington, your job here on is done. It’s time to head back to LA, don’t you think? We have a wedding to plan.”
Epilogue
Riley smiled to herself, as she stirred her coffee. She shook her head in disbelief, as she thought back on the events of the last few months. The ex-plastic surgeon turned serial killer, who was now serving time awaiting the death penalty. Her intern, AJ, who had narrowly escaped prison thanks to Detective Alex Denton, who AJ was now dating. And of course, the wedding.
It felt good to be back on the west coast, back in the house that she spent the best part of two months in, recuperating from her motorcycle accident last fall. The house where Joanna had taken care of her. Even back then, when she was only a junior associate with a penchant for tr
ouble, she had felt something different with Joanna. Riley’s time with her had started off rocky, with a suspension from work, but after she agreed to some well-deserved discipline, Joanna had let her work from her house, where Riley had done a stunning makeover of the kitchen and living areas.
Riley glanced up at the pendant lights that were hanging over the kitchen island, giving a little grin when she remembered Joanna swatting her behind, when she realized the circuit was still live while she was wiring them. She had already fallen in love with Joanna, long before that and long before the motorcycle accident, but she would have never believed that less than a year later, she would be her wife. Riley Carrington-Armstrong, it had a nice ring to it.
Riley felt like the luckiest woman alive, as she took her steaming mug into the office at the front of the house. She smiled, as she looked appreciatively at Joanna’s collection of classic books on the wall-to-ceiling bookshelf. She ran her hand across the smooth, cool surface of the cherry desk and she remembered that first time. The first time she felt tremendously cared for, the first time she felt as if someone gave a damn about her misdeeds and first time she felt that wretched paddle crack down on her backside.
Even though they were back in LA for the wedding a couple of months ago, it was a whirlwind visit before they had to return to New York. So, it felt good to be back in California, in their house. It had been a present from Joanna. She had surprised Riley the morning of the wedding with a grant deed, adding Riley to the house and telling her she could decorate it anyway she wanted to. Riley had beamed with delight when Joanna handed it to her, and she was chomping at the bit to do her design magic on the rest of the house.
Riley’s present to Joanna was no less surprising. She didn’t really know how receptive Joanna was going to be to her gift. All she knew was, it was a big part of her that had always been a source of conflict between the two of them and she wanted so much for Joanna’s acceptance. She had asked Joanna for an hour of her time, early, the morning of the wedding. Riley held her breath, as Joanna opened the box and pulled out the leather jacket and motorcycle helmet, but then was elated at Joanna’s reaction.
“Okay, let’s go!” she smiled, pulling on the jacket. Joanna obviously saw the look of astonishment on Riley’s face. “I told you, baby, I want all of you, I’m all in.”
She remembered Joanna hugging her tightly as they cruised up Pacific Coast Highway on her motorcycle, then stopping at the beach to watch the sunrise. It was beautiful.
And the wedding was perfect. It was Joanna who had suggested they get married on the beach, and Riley couldn’t think of a better spot. Riley thought back and another big grin spread on her face as she thought back to their special day again. She remembered Joanna’s mother bursting into tears of joy and telling Riley she had saved her daughter, who she never thought was going to settle down with anyone, and the morning of the wedding, when she was bustling around making sure all the last-minute details were taken care of.
She thought about Joanna’s father, Dr. Derek Armstrong, who Riley still thought was the most handsome man she had ever met. How proud he looked when he walked his daughter down the sandy aisle between their guests, to the simple gazebo arch that had been erected on the beachfront for their big day.
Riley thought about her mother and the poignant conversation they had the day before the ceremony, at the wedding rehearsal.
“Riley, I’m so sorry, all these years, I didn’t know what to do. After your father left when you were little, I didn’t understand. I didn’t know anything about being gay. At first, I just thought you were being defiant. I just wanted to have a beautiful daughter who I could love and be a friend to but I didn’t know how, with you. All these years you were right in front of me and I didn’t know how to talk to you or support you. We’ve had our ups and downs, Riley, but I always loved you, I just didn’t know how to show it. I love you and it would make me very proud to walk you down the aisle tomorrow, but it wouldn’t be right.”
Riley tried to blink away the tears. “But Mom, it’s okay, you’re here now.”
“I know, Riley, but it’s only right that Rae be your person tomorrow. I know how much she means to you and she has done a better job of supporting you than I ever could. She should walk you down the aisle and stand with you tomorrow.”
Riley thought for a moment and looked across Joanna’s great room at her best friend. “If you’re sure, Mom?”
“I am, Riley, now go ask her.”
Rae wouldn’t be able to live down her tearful response to Riley’s question. It would be fine fodder for her younger partner, Tracy, to tease her with for years to come: her strong dominant older partner sobbing like a little girl at Riley’s request to walk her down the aisle and give her away to Joanna.
Riley smiled again as she picked up the silver framed wedding photograph of her and Jo. They were both barefoot. Joanna, stunning, in a long, simple white flowing dress, and Riley in a white tux, legs rolled up three quarter length and a simple black bowtie draped, undone, around the collar of her wingtip shirt.
The ceremony on the beach was simple, yet elegant, even seemingly giving into tradition, when Riley cited her vows to Joanna. She remembered the little wink and smirk she got from her fiancée when she promised to love, honor, and obey her, until death parted them. Surprising to some guests, Riley was sure, but perfect to the four women who stood either side of them. Helen gave her own girlfriend a little grin, and Tracy didn’t miss the sideways glance Rae was giving her.
“What are you grinning at?” Joanna asked, bringing Riley out of her reminiscing trance.
“Just thinking about the wedding; it was perfect, wasn’t it?”
“That, my lovely wife, it was!” Joanna agreed, coming up behind Riley, wrapping her arms around her and kissing her cheek. “You look amazing in that photo.”
“Well, I was thinking the same thing about you. You know, I do feel like the luckiest person alive, Jo.”
“Well, you’d be wrong, you know? I’m the luckiest person. I have you, you complete me. My life is a great new adventure that I never want to end now that you’re in it.”
Riley tilted her head and felt the warmth of her wife’s arm against her cheek.
“Now, are you ready for me to whisk you off to the Hawaiian Islands for our honeymoon?”
“God, I’ve been ready, I’m so excited, Jo!”
“I know you are, I am too, honey. Let me get the paper and the mail, we have some time before the limo gets here. Only the best for my wife!” Joanna said triumphantly, kissing Riley on the cheek again and leaving the office.
Riley put the photo back down on the shelf and finished her last sip of coffee.
“Riley Anne Carrington-Armstrong!” She heard Joanna’s voice boom, coming back into the house. “Just when in the hell were you planning on telling me about this speeding ticket?”
Riley practically spat her coffee out as her mind raced. In all the wedding excitement she had completely forgotten about the latest speeding ticket she had gotten a few weeks back in New York.
“Shit!”
The End
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More Stormy Night Books by Claire Britain
Reining in Riley
When Joanna Armstrong hires Riley Carrington to work for her company—one of Los Angeles’ most prestigious advertising fir
ms—she knows she’s taking a risk. With her sharp tongue and defiant attitude, Riley seems bound for trouble, but there’s something special about her that Joanna can’t bring herself to pass up.
After Riley insults one of the company’s senior partners, however, Joanna decides that what the beautiful, free-spirited twenty-seven-year-old needs is structure and consequences. Riley faces a suspension without pay for her misconduct, and when Joanna offers her an alternate proposal she hesitantly agrees. She will work for Joanna at her home office, but first she’ll submit to a thorough, no-nonsense paddling, and any future misbehavior will earn her more of the same, this time on her bare bottom.
Joanna’s firm-handed discipline turns out to be just what Riley has been missing, and soon they have become much more than just boss and employee. Yet despite Joanna’s best efforts and Riley’s frequently sore bottom, her wild and careless behavior continues and before long a motorcycle accident almost claims her life. Joanna takes it upon herself to care for her girlfriend, though her treatment often leaves Riley blushing crimson, but once Riley recovers will Joanna be prepared to do whatever it takes to rein her in before it is too late?
Buy on Amazon
Claire Britain Links
You can keep up with Claire Britain via her Facebook page and her Goodreads profile, using the following links:
https://www.facebook.com/people/Claire-Britain/100010724161142
https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/14674230.Claire_Britain
Riley's Reckoning Page 23
