Sheltering Reagan

by Avery Gale

  “I don’t want another Master to…well, I don’t want them to have…”

  “Sex with you? Is that what you were trying to say? That you don’t want another Master to fuck you? Peach, the last thing I want to do is share you. Leaving you in their care these past few days has driven me to distraction.” And the thought of sharing her pleasure with another man made his gut tighten. He’d never been the jealous type, but everything was different with Reagan.

  “Nothing happens that you don’t want to happen, baby. You have safe words for a reason.” Her eyes filled with tears, but she fought to keep them from falling as she wrapped her arms around herself. As if he’d read her mind, his next words sent the tears spilling down her cheeks in a cascade of pain-filled loneliness. “I wish I was there to hold you, Peach. No one should ever underestimate the healing power of touch. A hug from someone who genuinely cares about your well-being is the best medicine in the world.” Short of bursting into a full-blown crying jag, nodding was her only option. “You’re breaking my heart, baby.”

  “I’m sorry…it’s just that I’m not used to having so much free time. I haven’t watched television in so long I don’t even know where to start. And it’s not fair for me to expect Kodi and Tally to be here all the time. And for some reason, Sheriff Morgan insisted I not contact Kelsey.”

  Rafe had hoped to have this conversation in person rather than during a video call, but it would be wrong to not explain now that she’d mentioned Kelsey. “How much do you know about Kelsey outside of work, Reagan?” He suspected it was the use of her real name that made her sit up a bit straighter before she answered.

  “Not much at all. We had drinks after work a couple of times, but it was always with a group so our conversations weren’t private. I ate lunch with her a few times, but all she did was talk about a Master at the club she wanted to hook up with.” She must have seen something in his expression that caught her attention, because she paused, leaning forward fractionally. “When I asked her about it several weeks later, she said she’d gone to the west coast to see him, but it didn’t go well.”

  He took a deep breath and shook his head. “No, Peach. It didn’t go well at all.”

  “It was you? You were the Master she was so convinced was her ticket out of what she called the drudgery of working? She must have been really amused when she figured out I…”

  “When you what, Reagan?” Rafe was fairly certain what she’d been going to say, but he wanted to hear her say the words.

  The crimson tinting her cheeks made him want to brush his fingers over them. It would be a joy to feel the heat of her embarrassment beneath his fingertips. “She always laughed at my interest in you. Her mocking attitude makes sense now. I feel pretty foolish for not putting it together.”

  “Don’t. If there is one thing I’ve learned from my encounters with Kelsey, it’s that she is very capable of masking her true self.”

  “Did you? No. Never mind, it’s none of my business.” She’d suddenly realized how personal her inquiry would have been, so she cut it off before she embarrassed herself.

  “Reagan, I’ve already told you I expect you to ask questions. There will be times I won’t answer, but I’ll always explain why. If you were going to ask if I fucked her, then the answer is no. I did a couple of scenes with her at the club, but I’m not as fond of public sex as some of the other Masters. Scenes can be very intimate, but for me, they are more about pushing the sub’s boundaries and helping them explore their sexuality. When I’m balls deep in your tight little pussy, I don’t want you thinking about an audience.”

  Her face flamed again, and he wondered if she would always be embarrassed by the blunt language that was considered normal among club members. “I don’t think I’d be comfortable having sex in front of a large group of people.” Rafe didn’t doubt her self-assessment was accurate. He’d read her club information, but he’d also asked Phoenix for a background check. Rafe’s family connections made him cautious. His father’s international tech company had made him a multi-millionaire before he was thirty. But it had been the elder Newell’s marriage that cemented him as a force to be reckoned with on Wall Street. Rafe’s mother was a member of one of Europe’s oldest banking families.

  Rafe had never been interested in either his dad’s tech business or his maternal family’s banking business. Remarkably, his parents had always encouraged both Rafe and his sister to pursue their own dreams. In many ways, he’d considered medicine a way to give back after having been given so much.

  Reagan, on the other hand, had been born into a lower-middle class working family. She’d studied hard in order to get the scholarships she needed to attend college. Her parents were killed on their way to her college graduation when a drunk driver crossed the centerline hitting them head-on. Drs. Kirk Evans and Brian Bennett told Phoenix they’d been blown away when she shown up to work a week later.

  The two gynecologists had recruited the newly minted Physician’s Assistant during her final semester, but when they’d heard about the accident, they’d offered her a later starting date. She’d politely refused, hit the ground running, and had never missed a day of work until the attack at a nearby prison. She’d worked hard for everything she’d had and then lost it all because she’d turned down a power-hungry ass hat who refused to take no for an answer.

  The scars from that attack, both physical and emotional, would likely make her reluctant to be completely vulnerable in front of an audience. Knowing the security staff at the prison watched the attack before interceding would make the most exhibitionistic submissive think twice before fucking in public.

  Deciding it was time to lighten the mood, Rafe gave her a sly smile. “We’ll discuss the details soon, Peach. But before we end this call, I have a surprise for you. Kodi and Tally will be arriving soon. Nate and Koi will be escorting the three of you to the spa at Mountain Mastery.” He frowned when she started shaking her head.

  “I’m sorry. I know you are trying to help me stay busy, but I don’t have the money to spend on spa treatments. I’m sure they are really expensive…not that I’d actually know. But it seems like a reasonable assumption. Tally makes good money as a surgeon, and Kodi’s books are selling like hot cakes. Unfortunately, waitresses don’t make enough to have disposable income. But I really do…”

  “Stop talking.” His barked command garnered him glares from a couple of women walking down the corridor. It’s a wonder Reagan hadn’t fallen off her chair if he’d shouted loud enough to be heard through the glass wall of his office. “Baby, I’ve already made all the arrangements. It’s a Master’s privilege and duty to provide for his submissive. I assure you, neither Tally nor Kodi are paying for their own spa treatments. Their Masters have already chosen what treatments they’ll have and paid for them. When I learn your preferences, I’ll take those into account, but this time, I’ve made the selections.”

  Leaning closer to the screen, he gave her a smile guaranteed to make even the most inexperienced submissive shudder. “Remember, you only have two obligations at this point in your training—keeping yourself safe and pleasing your Master. It will please me very much to know you are having fun this afternoon at the spa with the ladies. And I’ll enjoy the fruits of this afternoon’s visit when I return.” When her cheeks flushed, he couldn’t hold back his chuckle.

  “Thank you. You’re too kind.” Her sweet voice reminded him just how new she was to the lifestyle. Most subs would know their Master had something up his sleeve, and Reagan would learn that lesson soon enough.

  This time, he laughed out loud. “Oh, Peach, you might not think I’m so sweet later this afternoon. Since you’ll have a designated driver, I encourage you to enjoy the drinks they’ll be serving.”

  After they’d ended the call, Rafe didn’t waste any time getting back to work. With a little bit of luck, he’d be back in Montana in time for dinner tomorrow evening. He sent up a silent prayer that fate didn’t choose to ignore his grandmother’s t
hird time’s a charm rule.

  Chapter Eighteen

  Reagan was relieved when they stepped inside the Mountain Mastery Spa. She’d been sandwiched between Koi and Nate during the short walk from the parking lot. The two of them dwarfed her, and the whole thing had been intimidating as hell. As soon as she was safely inside, the men quickly said their goodbyes and disappeared.

  “Damn, girlfriend, you should feel like a rock star or royalty. That prick from Texas sure has the men all on alert.” Leave it to Tally to break the tension by getting straight to the point.

  “You have the finesse of a bull in a china closet, Tally. Didn’t you have to take some classes in people skills or bedside manner or, hell, tact?” Kodi’s laughter let them know she was teasing, and Tally was obviously unfazed because she’d given her friend the middle finger before returning her attention to Reagan.

  “Don’t mind her. You know how authors are? They’ll smother you in flowery words, and by the time they actually get to the point, your head’s rolling around on your shoulders and you’re two shakes from dead asleep.”

  Reagan shook her head at their antics, but she had to admit that she’d found Nate and Koi’s hovering unsettling. It made her wonder if they knew something she didn’t. Before she could fall into a funk, Kodi grabbed her hand and pulled her around the counter. “Come on! You have several appointments, so we can’t waste any time. And besides, the sooner you start, the quicker they bring out the goodies.”

  “No happy juice for you, Kodi,” Tally reminded.

  Reagan had forgotten Rafe’s casual remark on Kodi’s pregnancy. With all that had happened, she’d forgotten to see if he’d been right. “So, you are pregnant?” When Kodi nodded, Reagan jumped up and down in a ridiculous happy dance that made both the other women giggle like school girls.

  “Yes. Nate and Taz bought all the pregnancy tests at the drug store and made me do them all before we met their grandmother for dinner. They should have saved the money. She took one look at me and started grinning. Now that I think about it, she danced a jig just like the one you did.”

  “That’s so exciting. I loved working at Kirk and Brian’s gynecology clinic. It wasn’t all sunshine and roses, but most of the ladies were thrilled to be bringing a new life into the world. Watching their faces light up when they talked about the baby’s future was always the highlight of my day.”

  “See? There you go…a sounding board. You can ask Reagan all your questions. Your obstetrician will be thrilled, and I’m off the hook since that is NOT my specialty.” Grabbing Reagan’s hand, she pulled her through the curtain at the back of the small reception area where a woman dressed in yoga clothing stood smiling at the three of them. “Let’s go. You and I get to celebrate with our beverages of choice. Kodi gets juice for her little bambino.”

  “Oh brother, please tell me I don’t have to do yoga.”

  “Dr. Newell suggested we work on flexibility for a few minutes several times this afternoon, so you’ll be seeing me frequently.” The tiny woman looked like she was made of wire. There wasn’t any way Reagan was going to be able to keep up with her on a yoga mat.

  Kodi and Tally both burst out laughing when she felt her mouth drop open in shock. “Please tell me you are joking. Please? I’m the most uncoordinated person you know…unless I’m swimming. I’m actually pretty good at that.”

  Kodi nudged her and grinned. “Maybe you can talk Tabby the Torturer into water yoga. Then you can drown her and save the rest of us.”

  “Do not tell me that Master Koi signed me up for yoga.” When the smiling woman nodded, Tally groaned. “Good Lord, military men are the worst. They think everyone should be in the same physical shape they’re in. None of them seem to understand not all woman want to be able to wrap their ankles behind their heads and dance on their tippy-toes for their Master’s entertainment.”

  “But flexibility will help Kodi give birth naturally, and it will help all of you enjoy your sexual encounters more.” Tabby’s enthusiasm was beginning to wear thin, and Kodi had gone white as a sheet.

  “Crazy Lady Alert. Who said I wanted to do natural childbirth?” Looking frantically at Reagan, Kodi’s voice went up a full octave. “You have to tell my husbands that an epidural isn’t a sign of weakness. I don’t want to hate them while our angel is coming into the world. And I will…you know I will. And I can be mean. You think my brother is wicked bossy…oh, you haven’t seen anything yet. Just thinking about natural childbirth scares me to death.”

  Reagan giggled at the desperation in Kodi’s voice. “You have a lot of time to convince them, but I’d be happy to explain the benefits of a reduced stress birth to them.”

  “Damn, that’s great PC BS right there. I’m telling you it doesn’t get any more sugar-coated than that. Politically correct bull-shit is a skill…and Reagan is obviously a pro. Kudos.” Tally’s deep bow made everyone around her laugh. Standing up, she shuddered before nodding into the room Tabby had disappeared in to. “Come on. Let’s get this over with so we can get to the booze.”

  Twenty minutes later, Reagan lay sprawled on the mat panting. If she could just pull in a little more oxygen, maybe she’d be able to crawl out of the room. “Holy hell. Tabby the Torturer is the meanest woman I’ve ever met in my entire life.” Turning her head to the side, she drilled Kodi with a glare. “And your husbands pay her to do this to you?” Kodi’s nod was so slight it was almost imperceptible. “Mercy. And they seem like such nice men.”

  This time Kodi turned her head and glared. “Nice? Really? Wow. And here I thought you were bright.” Tally snorted a laugh from Reagan’s other side, but it would have taken too much effort to turn and give her a sweltering look.

  “Come on, ladies. You’re off to your respective estheticians.” The chipper voice of the yoga beast grated on Reagan’s nerves. There ought to be law against perky torturers.

  Rolling to her feet, Reagan helped Kodi then stood close until she was sure the other woman was steady on her feet. “Thanks. Sometimes I stand up too quickly, and everything swirls around me.”

  “Remember, you’re sharing your blood supply now, but that’s something you’ll need to mention to your doctor if it becomes a problem.” Kodi nodded her understanding as they left the room.

  “They wore us out before the waxing so we won’t have the energy to curse so much.” Tally’s words brought a smile to the lips of their escort, and Reagan suspected the smart-mouthed doctor was right.

  “Stop bitching. At least you get to drink the good stuff. I’m stuck with regular juice. Taz has found all my stash of ginger ale and locked it up. Thank God Koi taught me how to pick locks or I’d be homicidal by now.” Since they were all three in one large room separated only by curtains, they continued their conversation intermittently.

  Reagan listened as the technician explained the products she’d be using and what Rafe had ordered. She felt her cheeks heat when she realized the young woman was going to be seeing pink bits only her doctor had seen in the daylight. Remembering Rafe’s instruction to enjoy the refreshments, she didn’t hesitate to down a margarita in record time.

  “Hey, Reagan, what did you get to drink?” Tally’s question sounded from the cubicle to her right just before she let out a whoop followed by a string of curses that would make any sailor proud. “Son of a fucking bitch. That’s my ass you know…yanking hair out by the roots shouldn’t begin there.”

  “A very small margarita and I want another before YEOW. Ric-Rack. Mother of God, skip the margaritas and just bring me the tequila.” Reagan’s crotch was on fire, and the demon masquerading as her esthetician smiled like the damned Cheshire cat. Reagan blinked her eyes to clear the watery tears, certain the woman had sprouted horns for a few seconds. “Kodi, did you see the background checks on the woman smearing wax on my pink bits? Are you sure she’s a real person?”

  The sweet girl with the beverage cart handed her another drink. Reagan took a huge gulp before the next strip of hide was ripped fr
om her body. Thankfully, this drink was much stronger than the last. She might not be able to walk out of the spa, but at least the alcohol was starting to numb the pain.

  “Jesus, Joseph, and Mary, have a heart, will ya? I swear I’m starting laser treatments as soon as the baby is born. This is for the birds.” Reagan didn’t have the heart to tell Kodi that hair grew faster during pregnancy, so she’d be back here sooner than normal for the next several months.

  By the time she was bald from the waist down, Reagan had ingested more alcohol than she’d had in the previous five years combined. “I haven’t drinked this much since college days my. Wait. That didn’t sound right. Drank. That’s is. I drank a lot. There. Better, yes?”

  “Yes, indeed. That sounded better to me. I’m a bitter drinker…no, better…yes, that. I’m better at drinking than me.” Reagan heard a loud clatter from Tally’s side of the curtain followed by a string of curses that made her giggle. “Fuck a waddler, the floor was a lot farther down than it looked. Must have been an obstacle illusion.”

  “Oh boy, I’m starting to see why my Masters won’t leave me unattended after I leave here.” Kodi’s giggle was contagious, and Reagan found herself laughing even though she didn’t really understand what was so funny. “I think you mean an optical illusion, Tally.”

  “Yeah, that, too. What’s next on our agenda? And it better not be yoga, or I’m going to fall asleep on the mat.”

  “I’m not doing any more yoga today. Let them give me a demerit. Fuck it. I didn’t get to drink any of the good stuff, and I need a nap.”

  When they all banded together, refusing to return to the yoga studio, they were led to the massage tables. “Now this is what I’m talking about. I’m looking forward to being pampered after two rounds with demons.” The small sandwiches they’d eaten after their waxing had absorbed enough of the alcohol that the room finally stopped spinning and Tally was making more sense. Shit, I bet I wasn’t any better.