“That you saw everything?” Jamie clasped his hand around William’s nape and squeezed enough to throw him off-balance. “Dani always knows exactly what she’s doing.”
Dinner was announced, saving him from having to deal with his morally shocked brother. What would William think if he knew the truth about Jamie’s more exotic sexual tastes? William would probably disown him.
Catching Rickie’s eye, Jamie made his way over to her and Chloe. “How’s my little princess?” he asked, fluffing her hair.
“I’m not a princess anymore, Daddy.”
“You’re not?” He handed his beer to Rickie, then lifted Chloe off the chair, careful to support her broken leg, and sat with her on his lap.
“No. I’m the president. I get to tell everyone what to do.”
Rickie’s eyes sparkled and she caught her bottom lip between her teeth. He’d get no help from her. Minx.
“Even me?” he asked, struggling to keep a straight face.
“Yes. You and Mommy are my subjects.”
Turning to his wife, he shook his head and lost himself in her dancing eyes. Tori was right. Rickie had never looked so happy, so at ease. When Chloe cupped his cheeks and brought his attention back to her, he arched a brow. “And what would you have me do, Miss President?”
“Kiss Mommy.”
“With pleasure.” With his daughter’s giggles in his ears, he leaned sideways and pressed his lips to Rickie’s in a light teasing touch that left him wanting more. As much as he was enjoying this reunion with his family, he couldn’t wait to get home.
Before his lips left Rickie’s, he felt Chloe being lifted off his lap. He ended the kiss and spotted his father carrying her to the food table. Tori came over and handed him and Rickie plates filled to overflowing with a hamburger and all the fixings, chips, and vegetables.
They ate quietly, watching their daughter interact with the others. Rickie laid her hand on his thigh, her lips curved gently. “She’s got everyone wrapped around her little finger.”
He chuckled and rested his hand on hers. “Miss President really isn’t too much of a stretch.” Seeing that Rickie was done eating, he took her plate and set it with his on an empty chair. He stood and pulled her to her feet. “Let’s shake out our legs a bit.” They walked to the back of the yard where his father grew some apple trees. Although it was still early in the season, it appeared they’d have quite a harvest.
Slipping his arm around Rickie’s waist, he nuzzled her neck. “How are you handling all of this?” The last thing he wanted was for her to be overwhelmed and fall back into old patterns. It mattered to him how she felt and he’d make sure she knew.
“I’ve never been happier,” she said, her voice filled with such truth and honesty he could do nothing other than believe her. “Your family is wonderful and they all love Chloe so much.”
“This is your family too.”
“Thank you for this, Jamie. For everything.” Tilting her head back, she kissed him, sliding the tip of her tongue over his lips. After a moment, she faced the patio and leaned back against his chest. He clasped his hands over her stomach and breathed in the scent of her shampoo. It reminded him of Hawaii. They stood that way, swaying with the music in the dark, content to be together.
Shifting, she looked at him over her shoulder, swallowing and licking her lips as though gearing up to say something important.
He tightened his hold on her. “What is it, Rickie?”
“Okay. Um… How can we continue this… exploration thing we started, at home?”
Every muscle, every tendon inside him tensed. His throat tasted like he’d swallowed ashes and his heart raced. Shit. Things had been going too well. “You don’t want to?”
Erica spun around and cupped Jamie’s face the way Chloe had earlier. “Yes! Yes, I do.” His breath left him in a long shuddery exhale. He pressed his forehead against hers seeming locked in a battle for control. Rubbing his back, she murmured, “I’m sorry. I never meant to alarm you.”
“It’s not your fault. I overreacted. It’s just that I like, no, I love having you as my submissive. The thought that you might not be as into it as I am… well, it damn near did me in.”
“I love having you as my Dom. The things we’ve done together this week have brought us closer. I’m anxious to go on more adventures with you. But how will we manage it?”
He blew out another long breath, then smiled. “A lot of people just use their bedroom. We can buy dual-purpose furniture. Or we can convert the spare bedroom into an adult playroom. With a locking door, of course.”
She stared at the apple trees. The spare bedroom. She’d always hoped they’d have another use for that room. But until today, she’d never felt confident enough in their relationship.
As though sensing her change in mood, he tugged on her chin. “Whatever it is, tell me. If there’s a problem, we’ll work it out. We’re strong enough to do that now.”
Pressing a hand to her lower belly, she swallowed, suddenly nervous. Was it too soon?
“Erica.” He’d used his Dom voice on her and without even thinking, she’d looked up. Oh, he was good.
“Is it strong enough for us to have a baby?”
His eyes grew round and his arms squeezed her. “Are you—?”
“No!” She lowered her eyes to the middle of his chest and toyed with his T-shirt. “I never went off the pill when you left… when I made you leave.” Guilt swamped her again. “When and if we have more children, it will be because we both want them.” Her fingers walked up his chest, her eyes followed. “Do you want more children, Jamie?”
He rubbed his jaw as he studied her face. What was he searching for? Leaning his head back, he stared up at the sky. She did the same. The sun had set and a few brave stars twinkled. “I always wanted Chloe to have brothers or sisters. I love being part of a big family, and I want that for her, for us.”
Gripping his hair, she tugged his head down. “Why didn’t you ever say anything?”
“I knew how frightened you were, and let’s face it, another child would have put a huge strain on our already shaky relationship.”
“And now?”
He shrugged. “You tell me.”
She smiled. “I can handle it now. I want it, a big family.”
“So you’re not afraid of me dying?”
“I’ll always be afraid of that. But this week, you showed me the respect you have for fire. And the love. I’m not going to spend the rest of my life worrying about what might be.”
Picking her up, he twirled them around. His mouth closed over hers and his delicious warmth flowed through her. He threaded his fingers through her hair, rubbing her scalp. She shivered and arched her neck. Guiding her head, he deepened the kiss. His tongue swirled over hers, stroking and enveloping. Remembering where they were, she pulled away. “Jamie.”
“Shit. Sorry,” he said, panting.
Lacing her fingers through his, she began tugging him toward the group. He teased her by yanking her bottom against his erection. Oh my. She tilted her hips and pushed back. When she added a swiveling motion, Jamie groaned. The low sound vibrated throughout her body. Her nipples tightened into twin peaks.
He’d given her so much in the last week, there had to be something she could do for him. Then she remembered his must-have. Could she do it? More importantly: was she ready? He ground against her and his hard length snuggled between her cheeks, spreading them. Millions of nerve endings exploded with sensation. “Jamie.” Her voice sounded rough and throaty even to her.
“Mmm-hmm?”
“I seem to remember something about a certain must-have. You were pretty adamant about it at the beginning of our vacation.”
With a light touch, he turned her face. “You mean—?” His wide eyes and a thrust of his pelvis finished the question.
She rocked her hips, smiling when the movement elicited another sexy groan. “Uh-huh.”
“Really?”
“Really.”<
br />
He glanced at his watch then grabbed her wrist and pulled her to the patio, talking as fast as an auctioneer. “Mom, Dad, everyone, thank you. Great party, but it’s getting late. We’re going home. To bed.”
For a moment, no one moved. Everyone stared at them as though dumbstruck. Then in a flurry of activity, all the adults checked their watches. Dani’s shriek split the night. “I called it,” she shouted, high-fiving Chad. “Everyone, pay up!”
Erica felt a burning heat rise to her face as bills were slapped into Dani’s outstretched hand. Her in-laws had bet on when she and Jamie would leave? “Jamie?”
Tugging her under his shoulder, he grinned like the day he’d received his new bunker suit. “They’re a very understanding family. You’ll get used to it.”
When William dropped his payment into Dani’s hand, she clamped her fist around his fingers, forcing him to slide his fingers through her hold or stay trapped. With a challenging glare, he freed his hand, while laughter twinkled in Dani’s eyes. “Your brother has no idea what he’s getting into, does he?”
“Not at all. But I do,” he said, smacking her bottom. “Now, get our daughter, Mrs. Caldwell, and let’s get the hell home.”
Yipping, she skipped into the house to collect Chloe’s things. She couldn’t wait to get home, to her Caldwell bed, and have another exhilarating scene with her kinky Caldwell hero.
THE END
AUTHOR’S NOTE
Fire play can be a sensuous and erotic experience for both Doms and subs, but only when done correctly. Fire is dangerous, and handling it must be learned. In Under His Command, Jamie Caldwell is an experienced Fire Master who learned the art of fire play from a knowledgeable mentor. Should you decide that this is something you’d like to try, please find a skilled mentor, take a class, or attend a series of workshops. No amount of books or videos can ever replace hands-on training when it comes to fire. Please, for your safety and that of others, let your play always be safe, sane, and consensual.
Kristine Cayne Proudly Presents
Deadly Obsession
Book One of the Deadly Vices romantic suspense series
Available Now
When an Oscar-winning movie star meets a department-store photographer…
Movie star Nic Lamoureux appears to have a playboy’s perfect life. But it’s a part he plays, an act designed to conceal a dark secret he carries on his shoulders. His empty days and nights are a meaningless blur until he meets the woman who fulfills all his dreams. She and her son are the family he’s always wanted—if she can forgive a horrible mistake from his past.
A Hollywood dream…
Lauren James, a widowed single mother, earns barely enough money to support herself and her son. When she wins a photography contest and meets Nic, the man who stars in all her fantasies, her dreams, both professional and personal, are on the verge of becoming real. The attraction between Lauren and Nic is instant—and mutual. Their chemistry burns out of control during a photo shoot that could put Lauren on the fast track to a lucrative career.
Becomes a Hollywood nightmare
But an ill-advised kiss makes front-page news, and the lurid headlines threaten everything Nic and Lauren have hoped for. Before they know what’s happening, their relationship is further rocked by an obsessed and cunning stalker who’ll stop at nothing—not even murder—to have Nic to herself. When Nic falls for Lauren, the stalker zeroes in on her as the competition.
And the competition must be eliminated.
Continue Reading for an Excerpt from Deadly Obsession
CHAPTER 1
Don’t forget Nic—you belong to me. If you stray, she’ll pay.
The darkened theater closed around Nic Lamoureux like a cave, filled with unknown, unseen dangers. How had the stalker gotten his private number? Clenching the cell phone in his fist, he glanced at his Bad Days co-star, Jane Carver, sitting on his right, then at his agent, Vivian Carmichael, on his left. Which woman was the message targeting? With a flick of his thumb, he brought up the text again. Sweat beaded on his back, making his silk shirt cling to his skin.
Jane leaned in close and smiled, oblivious. “You were great in this scene. Oscar-worthy.” He studied her face. Why would anyone want to hurt her? Jane was beautiful, intelligent, and absolutely unavailable. During one of their late nights working on the next day’s scenes, he’d discovered her secret engagement to the film’s director. If anything happened to Jane because of one of his crazy fans, her fiancé would have his balls.
As Jane settled back in her seat, a woman in the next row turned around to face him. Light from the screen reflected off something in her hand. On instinct, he twisted sideways to protect Jane. Blood pounded in his ears, drowning out the sound of gunfire blasting from speakers all around the theater. After snapping a photo with her camera phone, the woman gave him a thumbs-up and returned to watch the movie.
Vivian patted his arm as he sat back and shot him a questioning look. After flashing her what he hoped was an easy smile, he caught his bodyguard’s eye. Kaden leaned across Vivian’s seat. “Everything okay, sir?”
Tucking the phone in his hand, he reached over, resting his arm on Vivian’s shoulders, and slipped Kaden the phone. His bodyguard barely glanced at the message before standing up, his mouth a thin line. “Sir, we need to leave.” Nic started to tell him to sit down, that the movie was almost over, but the words died on his lips. Kaden’s hand hovered above his gun as his eyes raked the crowd. “You’re too exposed.” He signaled to Jane’s bodyguard. “Get her out of here.”
Kaden was right. The sender could be any one of the hundreds of people crowding the screening room. Nic grabbed Vivian’s hand. “Let’s go.”
“But—”
“Now.” Nic jerked his head in Kaden’s direction. She nodded, eyes wide. Kaden rushed them outside, calling out to the festival security guards to back him up as they ran to their limo. Nic glanced behind to make sure Jane was taken care of. Seeing her bodyguard secure her in a limo, he relaxed. A bit. He still had Vivian to worry about.
When they reached their limo, he opened the door and pushed Vivian inside as Kaden climbed into the driver’s seat and started the engine. They slammed the doors shut and took off, tires squealing.
“Darling,” Vivian said after fastening her seatbelt and straightening her skirt. “What the hell was that about? Taking off in the middle of your own premiere? How do you expect me to spin this with the press?”
He shot her a flirty grin. “Tell them I had a hot date.”
“A booty call? That’s your excuse?” Vivian sighed and brushed a loose strand of auburn hair from her cheek. “Tell me the truth. What’s going on?”
Trying not to scare her, he shrugged. “I was being watched.”
Vivian stared at him for a moment, then dropped her head against the seat and laughed. “Of course you were. Do you think people came to the premiere tonight to see your movie? No, they came to see Nic The Lover.”
“This felt different.”
You belong to me. Just thinking about it made his stomach roll. He stretched his shoulders to relieve the tension. When that didn’t work, he watched the streets of downtown D.C. zip by his window.
“Is this about the Internet postings by NicsBitch, darling?” When he didn’t respond, she continued. “Trust me. All celebrities have fans who follow them around and post about them online. Ninety-nine percent of the time, they’re harmless.”
“And what about the other one percent?” If the poster had followed him from L.A. to D.C., they weren’t dealing with a harmless fan. “Someone sent me a text tonight. I think it was NicsBitch.”
“A text? How did she get your number? It’s unlisted.”
He held up his hands. “Don’t look at me.”
“Anyways, she’s been keeping tabs on you for months. And nothing bad’s come of it.”
“Yet.” He handed Vivian the phone. “Read the message. I think you and Jane were in danger.” As soon as the wor
ds were out of his mouth, he regretted them. Vivian was such a mother hen, she’d ignore any danger to herself and focus on him.
She bit her lip and frowned. “Maybe Kaden should room with you tonight.”
Shit. Nic shook his head. “If anything, he should stay with you.”
“Don’t be silly,” she said, offering him a shaky smile. “I’ll be fine.”
Heavy silence accompanied them the rest of the way. Nic watched Vivian, his agent, mentor, and friend of ten years, fidget in her seat. Vivian never fidgeted. If anything were to happen to her because of him, he wouldn’t need an enraged fiancé to rip his balls off—he’d do the honors himself.
At the hotel, he and Kaden escorted Vivian to her door. As she was unlocking it, she turned back to Nic. “I’ll see you at ten?”
“Ten?”
“You have a photo shoot with Rafael, remember?”
“Damn. I completely forgot.” He rubbed his stiff neck. “I was looking forward to going back home.”
Vivian pursed her lips. “I can reschedule it.”
He shook his head. “I’ll be there.” The GI Film Festival, which celebrated the American Armed Forces, had chosen to premiere Bad Days because the organizers believed in the film’s message as much as he did. The photos from the shoot would garner additional sponsors and publicity. He couldn’t let them down.
Once Vivian was in her room, safe behind a locked door, Kaden crossed the hall and opened Nic’s door. After a quick inspection, he gave the all clear. Nic walked into the living area and dropped onto the couch, propping his feet up on the coffee table. “Do you think NicsBitch sent the message?”
Under His Command (Six-Alarm Sexy) Page 19
