* * * *
Pictures had been taken, and the bridal party was now standing on the receiving line. Mikaela and Dillon were right behind an imposing couple, Jack’s cousin Barbara Brown from New York and her sub, Ross Blackstone. Mikaela knew they were also going on the posthoneymoon New Year’s Eve cruise to Cozumel and looked forward to watching their interaction. That should be interesting. Kaylin had told her she wanted everything to be perfect because Jack’s family was a bit intimidating. Ha! Kaylin could just arrest the lot of them and put them in jail for wedding dampering. Or was that tampering? She almost giggled.
Mikaela watched as Barbara leaned in and whispered something in Jack’s ear before kissing him on the cheek. She then moved on to Kaylin. “So nice to see you again, Kaylin. You look lovely. Much happiness.”
“Thank you, Barbara. Jack tells me you and Ross are coming on the New Year’s cruise. How nice.” Kaylin looked less than thrilled.
“Yes, we are. I hope to see you in the dungeon.” Barbara’s smile had a predatory twist. What the heck was going on here?
Mikaela saw Kaylin appear to shiver a bit before she shook it off and got her game face back on as Barbara and Ross moved off. She stepped up next in line to greet the bride and groom. “Kaylin, don’t let her spook you. I know Barbara Brown from Le Club Eastside, and she is not nearly as tough a she would have you believe. She’s the softest touch in New York, an open pocket for every worthwhile charity.”
“Thanks, Mikaela. She gives me the heebie-jeebies. I know she’s Jack’s closest cousin, but she’s had it in for me since Jack and I were first dating and had a little misunderstanding. I guess I should have a little talk with her on the cruise. I don’t want there to be hard feelings between us because I know she’s important to Jack.”
“Don’t worry about it. You’ll work it out. You’ll have Jack and your posse aboard, and Dillon and I will be there as well. She won’t want to mess with me because I’ve contributed to a few of her charities.”
“Thanks. I’ll take you up on that offer.”
Mikaela shook Jack’s hand. “Congratulations, Jack. You look like a handsome devil today, and Kaylin looks absolutely beautiful.
“She does, doesn’t she? Thanks for coming.”
Mikaela and Dillon found their seats in the dining room and ordered drinks. While they were waiting for their table mates to take their seats, Dillon pulled her into his arms for a quick but serious kiss. “Why were you crying, baby?”
“I wasn’t.”
“You were.” One dark eyebrow shot up.
“Everyone cries at weddings.”
“Mikki…”
“Oh, for heaven’s sake. I was just thinking that I would never be able to walk down the aisle with my dad. That’s all.”
“That’s a lot, baby. That’s a lot. But we’ll figure it out when the time comes. Okay?”
“Okay.” The band began playing and the band leader stepped up to the microphone to announce the wedding party. Soon the bride and groom’s first dance had been danced and the guests were invited onto the dance floor.
“I want to dance with the prettiest girl here—except for the bride of course, but only because it’s her wedding day.” Dillon pulled her up and headed toward the dance floor for a slow dance.
When she was held tightly in his arms, she leaned back and smiled at him. “You are the very best man I know, and I love you, Dillon.”
“Me, too, Mikki. I love you, and nothing can come between us—but us. So let’s not ever let that happen. Okay?”
“Okay.”
* * * *
Christmas morning was clear and pleasantly cool. The doors to the suite’s balcony on the ninth floor were open, and the sun, breeze, and sea birds’ song drifted in. He could hear the waves crashing on the shore. Jack and Jamie had done well with this little project. He wished he’d known about it in time to get in on the ground floor. He might still be able to buy in. He’d have to see about that. His dad would love to know he had a piece of a BDSM hotel on Fort Lauderdale beach. Of course, that would remain confidential, but he could daydream about the possibility. Lately Joe Cavanaugh was seriously getting on his nerves.
Dillon rolled over and pulled Mikaela tight against his chest. Her long, wavy dark-brown hair was spread over both their pillows. He loved the scent of the custom-made shampoo, body lotion, and perfume she had blended just for her. There was not another woman in the world that smelled like this, and it drove him crazy. She wasn’t extravagant, but there were some luxuries that she did not deny herself. Beautiful clothes, shoes, and that sexy perfume being some of them. It made finding just the right presents for her difficult. He had wanted this year to be special.
“Merry Christmas, baby. Are you awake?”
“Do I look like I’m awake?”
“Hmmm. I guess you don’t want any Christmas presents then, Ms. Smarty Pants, or should I say Ms. No Pants?” He lightly smacked her butt, and she opened her eyes.
“I wouldn’t go so far as to say that, Master.”
“I thought not. Just for that, you’ll have to wait until I’ve had my wicked way with you before you get to open your presents.”
“Oh, no, Master. Not that.” She giggled. The sound made him smile. She obviously hadn’t yet remembered the problem that hung over their heads at the moment. This was the sassy, smart-ass Mikaela he loved to torment. Of course, she gave as good as she got, or usually better, when she was on top of her game.
His cock began to rise slowly as he held her. She always had an uplifting effect on him. He grinned. He pushed her flat to the bed and rolled on top of her, pinning her arms and legs. She playfully struggled and tried to toss him off to no avail. “I’ve got you. You’re at my mercy, sub. Give in gracefully.”
“Never.” Now she was laughing and was having a hard time trying to close her legs. “Oh, well, I guess I have to give in, as distasteful as that thought is.”
“Did you say distasteful? Maybe you want to suck my cock before I take what is mine.”
“Oh, Master. May I?” The naughty sparkle in her eyes made him laugh.
“You had better do a good job, wench, or else you might be getting a lump of coal and a spanking for Christmas.” He inched his way up her body until his cock was within reach of her mouth. He let her move up on the pillows until she could encircled him with her soft lips. She took him into the hot cavern of her mouth. Her hands were still pinned to the bed, and he leaned back against her raised knees. She licked and sucked as he slowly began to stroke in and out of her mouth. He loved to look down on her and see his rock-hard dick disappearing between her lips. Mikaela gave the best head. She slowly took him deeper and deeper until he had an erection that could pound nails. He let her take him to the edge before he disengaged. She had a disappointed look on her face. “I want to come inside you, baby.”
He moved down until he was lined up with her hot, wet pussy and drove in to the hilt. She gasped and adjusted the angle of her hips until she had accommodated his length and breadth. Then he began to pump into her slick heat. He reached down between their bodies and played with her clit. She was hot and rose to meet his thrusts, which were getting harder and faster. He could hear his own harsh breaths and feel the tension coiling in his muscles as he approached the crest. He backed off. He could tell she needed a little more time to catch up with him. He prided himself on the timing that allowed them to blast over the edge together most of the time. Her cunt was throbbing and gripping him as he slowly withdrew only to plunge in again and again.
“Now, baby, let me have it now,” she cried. He increased his pace again and felt the electric current that pulsed straight to his cock as his semen blasted into her. She gripped his cock with her internal muscles and milked him for every drop as they both rode the wave of her climax.
“Baby, that was incredible. I always think it can’t get better, and it always does.” He rolled until she was resting on top of his chest. He cupped the globes of her ass in his
hands as his semierect cock nestled into the soft V of her thighs, looking for entry into heaven again.
“It’s always perfect for us. I don’t know how we got so good at this, or so lucky.”
He lightly slapped her bottom. “It’s skill, not luck.” She groaned and tried to take him in again. “Are you looking for round two already?”
“Always, Master.” He rolled over again and got busy.
* * * *
Mikaela gloried in the second orgasm that flickered through her like heat lightning. This was the way to start the day. This was the best present he could give her. But—speaking of presents—it was Christmas morning after all. And she did love to open presents. She lay in his arms as she slowly regained her breath. “Baby, do you want to call down for room service?”
“Excellent idea.” He reached to the bedside table for the telephone and ordered breakfast. “I suppose you want your presents now.”
“Absolutely. Let’s wait for the bellman and then eat on the balcony. I’ll get our robes so you can let him in.” She went to the closet for the robes and quickly slipped two small, wrapped boxes into her pocket.
When their breakfasts of huge ham-and-cheese omelets, mimosas, and a carafe of the hotel’s rich French-roast coffee had been delivered and set up on the balcony, Dillon went into the closet and came out with three gaily wrapped small packages. Hmmm. Small was good. Small was always jewelry, her favorite thing. She took a sip of her mimosa. Yum.
He deposited the boxes on the table just out of her reach. The devil was going to make her wait. She bounced on her chair like a kid a few times. “Please, Dilly. Don’t make me wait.”
“You are such a child sometimes. Okay. You can open one now, one after we eat, and one over our coffee. How’s that?”
“Can I pick which one to open first?”
It looked like he was trying to decide whether to torture her or not. “Open the smallest one first.” He was going to draw this out. Maybe. Maybe not. Who knew? Good things came in small packages after all.
She grabbed the smallest square box first and began to tear the Christmas wrapping paper and ribbon off. She had never been patient when it came to presents. Her parents had always laughed with delight when she tore through the mound of presents under the tree every year, tossing paper and ribbon about with abandon. She felt the cloud of loss and grief begin to close over her again, and she fought it back. Her Dad and Mom would not have wanted her to be sad. They would have wanted her to tear into her presents with laughter and joy. She would give that to their memories.
She slowly cracked the black velvet box open and squealed. “Dillon! I can’t believe it! Stud earrings!” She examined them in awe. “They’re gorgeous.” The one-carat stones sparkled against the black velvet. She turned the box from side to side, letting the exquisite diamonds catch the light. “Oh, Dilly, they are perfect.”
“Put them on, baby. I want to see how you look in diamonds for breakfast.” She popped the diamond studs into her piercings, and then she jumped up to kiss him hard before she ran back into the suite to look in the mirror.
When she came out again, she said, “They’re gorgeous, Dillon. Just gorgeous.” She knew her diamonds, and these looked to be D-flawless stones. Not that she should be appraising her Christmas presents or anything, but girls would be girls. And diamonds were a girl’s best friend. “Can I open the other boxes?”
“Greedy little thing, aren’t you? No. The deal was you would wait until after we’d eaten for the next box.”
“Are you really going to make me wait?”
“Absolutely. Now eat.”
“Oh, all right.”
Mikaela finished her omelet in record time. She was not known to be a fast eater, but presents were on the line here. She knew she was acting like a little kid, but she couldn’t help herself. Joy bubbled over.
Dillon laughed. “Okay. Take it easy. Who will I give these presents to if you choke yourself?” He picked up a long thin box and tossed it to her. She caught it with one hand. Her hand-to-eye coordination was excellent. She made quick work of the wrapping and held the black velvet box in her hands. She looked over at him for his approval to open it. He nodded.
She cracked the box open and almost dropped it when she saw the diamond tennis bracelet lying on the black velvet. She looked across at him with a question in her eyes. “Dillon, this is getting close to the line of too much, baby.”
“Nothing is too much for you. Don’t argue with your Master. Now pour us some coffee and relax for a few minutes. I wouldn’t want you to have a heart attack or anything.” She knew she had to comply or he would continue to draw this out. She sat back and sipped her coffee like an adult. She hoped. She was buzzing inside as she picked up the bracelet and fastened it around her wrist. It glistened and blue sparks flew as it caught the light. Wow. Dillon had gone all out this Christmas.
“Now do you think you can relax enough to enjoy a cup of coffee, or are you going to continue bouncing in your chair?”
“Sorry. Bouncing. There’s no other answer.”
“You are such a kid. I love you, baby. Now sit back like a grown-up and drink your coffee.” She did. There was one more box. The last wrapped box sat on the table taunting her. She was determined to wait until he told her to open it. Finally, he gave in. “Okay. You can open the last one.”
She picked up the last box and unwrapped it. Finally, the flat, square black velvet box sat naked on the table. She picked it up. She slowly opened the lid and peeked in. The sparkle of more diamonds greeted her eyes. She popped it open the rest of the way. Resting on a bed of black velvet was a tennis necklace of round-cut diamonds set in white gold. The biggest stones were front and center, and they graduated from a carat in the middle to smaller stones at the clasp in the back. Mikaela gasped. “Dillon, this is gorgeous. I can’t believe you did this.” She picked up the strand of diamonds, put it around her neck, and deftly fastened it. She got up and tried to walk with dignity back into the suite to look in the mirror again. It was hard, but she could do it. Dignified. Slow. Not going to run to the mirror.
“Dillon…” She came running back out to the balcony and jumped into his lap. “I love it, love it, love it.”
“Well, gee, I was hoping you would love it.”
“You silly man. I love them all, but that was really way, way over the top.”
“I wanted to get an engagement ring, but I know you’re not quite ready for that yet. You look beautiful, baby. What could be more perfect than Breakfast at The Black Dahlia, in diamonds?”
“I think that was Breakfast at Tiffany’s, Dillon.”
“The heck with that. This is much better.” She had to agree.
“Oh! In all the excitement I almost forgot your presents.” She took the two boxes out of her pocket. She handed him the first one and watched as he carefully opened the paper. She was a ripper. Dillon was a peeler. Finally, he had the package unwrapped. He held the hand-carved wooden box in his hand. He lifted the lid, and she watched his eyes get wide for a moment as he held up the solid-gold, engraved pocket watch with the heavy gold chain and the ten-ruble gold coin set in a bezel attached to the end as a fob. She smiled at him. “That belonged to my great grandfather on my mother’s side and came to this country with him from Russia. He immigrated to Canada first and then came across the border on a motorcycle as an illegal immigrant. He fled Stalin and the new communist regime with nothing but this watch. The engraving on the inside is a picture of the family dacha, or country home, and the little bird represents happiness. I don’t know how far back in the family this piece goes. But I want you to have it.”
“Mikaela, this is a wonderful present. I will treasure it, and someday, it will go to our son.”
“There’s one more box.” She waited impatiently while he carefully opened the long, narrow second box. When he held the box in his hand, she said, “Open it.” He did. He took out the thin, gold Omega wristwatch with the soft, black lizard band. “That
was my father’s watch. He didn’t take it on that last trip.” Her eyes started to tear up.
“Oh, baby. Come here. There aren’t any presents in the world that could mean more to me than these.” He strapped on the watch as she climbed into his lap and buried her face in his neck.
“Really?”
“Really. Now I’ll feel like Mike Sexton is standing at my side the next time I go at it with Joe.” He admired the thin, quarter-sized gold case nestled in the fine, dark hair on his wrist. She knew he had never cared for the current fashion of big, thick watches for men, much preferring the Swiss craftsmanship that went into building the wafer-thin works of art.
* * * *
Dillon cuddled Mikaela in his lap as they finished their coffee. The sun was sparkling off the stones at her ears, wrist, and neck. He was happy with the selections. He’d had the help of the family jeweler. He’d told Mr. Goldberg that he wanted the best, and he wasn’t disappointed.
“Why don’t we take a little nap and then go down to the beach? I’ve been dying to try the parasailing. What do you think?”
“Okay. Are you sure it’s safe?” He knew she wasn’t a fan of heights, but she wouldn’t want to disappoint him. If he was excited about something, she wouldn’t have the heart to say no.
“Yes, or they wouldn’t be doing it out there in front of the hotel. I don’t see piles of bodies lying around.”
“They could be lost at sea and end up fish food.”
“We don’t have to do it if you don’t want to.”
He watched her suck it up for him, and he felt a fist squeeze around his heart. “No, we’ll try it. If I hate it you will be sorry, Dillon Cavanaugh. That’s all I have to say—very sorry.” He laughed and hugged her tight. What a woman. And she was his.
Michaels, Skye - Mikaela's Debut [The Black Dahlia Hotel 1] (Siren Publishing Everlasting Classic) Page 4
