by Maggie Ryan
“Hey, Pops, what’s up?” Maddox asked, wondering why he suddenly felt as guilty as he had when having to come home from school to face the music after getting into some brawl.
“Not much,” Drake said. “Just thought I’d check some emails. What have you two been up to?”
“Nothing. I’m um, just following Jennie’s orders and giving Adira a tour.” Good grief, he even sounded like that teenager. Moving the book back into position to close the panel, he continued. “Adira, the code is 08021776. It’s the date the Declaration of Independence was signed.”
“I thought that date was July 4th.”
“That’s what most people believe, but no. America’s actual day of independence was August the second. Remember, if you’re going to do anything more than a basic workout, ask one of us to spot for you.”
“I will, and thank you. I enjoy working out to relieve stress or, as you said, frustration.”
Maddox had nothing to say to that and led her out of the room. They toured the upstairs where the men’s bedrooms were, Maddox only giving her a brief glimpse into each one. “The alarms are set at night, so don’t go outside if the red light is on, and don’t open any windows.”
“Isn’t the code the same as the tunnel?”
He shook his head and almost grinned when her eyes shifted to the side. Sneaky, but he could deal with that. “No, it’s not and, Nancy Drew, the code to that room isn’t the same either.”
“Who’s Nancy Drew? That doesn’t sound like a good kinky secret agent name.” He noticed that she hadn’t denied her casual inquiry to see if all the keypads in the house operated off the same code.
“She’s a girl detective… more your speed I believe, no kink. It can be dangerous playing games you know nothing about. Now, we’ll go over the rules tomorrow when we’re both not so tired.”
“Rules?”
Nodding, he led her back towards the hall that would lead to her bedroom. “Yes, rules, and you’ll need to follow them all.”
“And if I break one?”
Shit, even the innocent question had his cock throbbing but then… was it really innocent? Stopping in the hallway, he waited until she stopped as well, her head tilted back in order to look at his face. “Break one on accident and we’ll discuss it and you’ll be reminded why the rule is in place. But break one on purpose, and you’ll be punished.”
“Pun… punished? Like… spanked?”
“Spanked at the very least and, if required, additional discipline will be doled out if I feel you aren’t understanding or accepting of the lesson.” He watched her eyes widen and her tongue lick her lips again. The hand that had cupped the back of her head only a short while earlier was now itching to caress and slap her bare ass. The finger he’d joined with hers for their childish pact wanted to delve between her thighs to discover if that spanking made her wet. Forcing himself to get a grip, he began walking again. “Get a good night’s sleep. I’ll show you more of the ranch in the morning.”
“All right… um, thank you, Maddox.”
“You’re welcome.” She entered her room, softly closing the door. After a moment, he turned and stomped towards the den and once there, straight to the bar. Pouring himself a generous shot of bourbon, he downed it in one swallow. He’d just poured another when Anson walked in.
“I like her,” Anson said.
“She’s a client,” Maddox growled, knocking back the second drink. “Remember that.”
“Whoa,” Anson said, lifting his hands in the air. “I just said I liked her… I didn’t say I wanted to—”
“Say it and I swear to God, you’ll find yourself flat on your ass.” Maddox slammed down the decanter, making the glass he’d used bounce.
“What the fuck’s gotten into you?” Anson asked, evidently not the least bit intimidated by the threat.
Maddox took a deep breath and then shrugged. “Hell, I don’t know. I’m just exhausted. Here, have a drink.” He poured his brother a shot and then capped the crystal decanter. “It was a long trip.”
Anson sipped his drink and nodded. “I imagine, but hey, you did good.”
Shrugging, Maddox said, “Not good enough. I’ll see you tomorrow. Sorry for getting on your case. Just ignore what I said, I didn’t mean it.”
A deep chuckle preceded Anson’s next words. “Bullshit. This one is different and we both know it.” Maddox pretended not to hear, but knew his brother had nailed it on the head… Adira was different, but that didn’t give him license to even think about her behind that door in the mountainside. Despite his exhaustion, he knew he would be unable to sleep. Going outside, he walked down the ridge and then through the woods to reach the stables.
“How are they settling in?” he asked, moving to the first stall and reaching in to stroke the stallion’s face.
“Good, boss,” Kurt said. “You brought some beautiful horses home.”
“I don’t think there was a single one at the auction who wasn’t a fine specimen,” Maddox said, moving to the next stall. “We’ll work out a schedule in a couple of days. Until then, give them time. They need to rest from the flight before you start working them.” Reaching Zephyr’s stall, he smiled. He’d seen thousands of horses and yet, he had to admit, none as magnificent as this animal.
Kurt, who’d been following him, taking notes, asked, “And this one? I can’t wait to see what he can do.”
“No, leave this one alone. This is Adira’s stallion. She’s the only one allowed to…” He paused, thinking of her riding… not Zephyr but his cock as he stared up into her beautiful dark eyes…
“You okay, boss?”
“What? Oh, yes, I’m fine. Just hands off this one, all right?”
“Sure thing. Why don’t you get some sleep? You look a bit ragged.”
Nodding, knowing he must look more than a bit ragged, Maddox took another moment to stroke Zephyr’s face and then returned to the house. He was about to climb the stairs to find his bed when Jennie called out to him. Turning, he waited for her to approach.
“Really, Maddox, how many times do I have to remind you to empty your pockets before tossing your clothes on the floor?” When he didn’t respond quickly enough, she continued. “I know you boys do a lot of things outside the lines, but I’m hoping that thievery is not yet one of those things,” she said but had a grin on her face.
“What do you mean?” Maddox asked, too tired to enjoy the teasing.
“Oh, just these,” she said, pulling something from her pocket. “I found these in your jeans pocket.”
“Shit, I forgot all about those,” Maddox said.
“Then you are even more exhausted than I thought,” Jennie said, holding the pendant up to the light. “If I didn’t know better, I’d say these are the real thing.”
“Believe me, they are,” Maddox said, reaching for the bracelet and necklace. “They belong to Adira. Thank you for being so diligent in searching my pockets.” In answer, she just patted his cheek and then lifted herself on her tip toes and kissed it.
“Get some sleep. Things will look better in the morning. Good night.” He watched as she walked towards the kitchen, pausing and turning back. “I like her, Maddox. What happened to that girl is horrific, but something tells me she’ll make it through. She’s a tiny thing but she’s strong. I can see it in her eyes.”
“Good night, Jennie.” Once she disappeared, he moved off the stairs, going towards Adira’s room. He’d just lifted his hand to knock when he realized he could hear her through the door… and he didn’t like the sounds that wrenched at him. Instead of knocking, he opened the door, slipping inside.
Moving across the room, he placed the jewelry down on the bedside table and bent to give her shoulder a gentle shake. “Wake up, honey, you’re having a nightmare,” he said softly. At his touch, she jerked up, her eyes opening even as she gave a shrill cry.
“Shhh, it’s just me, Adira, you’re safe. It’s all right. You just need to get some sleep…”
&n
bsp; She shook her head, tears beginning to spill down her cheeks. “I can’t… don’t leave me.” Her hand reached out to clench his shirt. “Please… just hold me… I know you don’t want me but… please, just for tonight.”
She had no idea how much he wanted her, but that didn’t matter. Taking her hand, he brought it to his lips and kissed her palm. “All right.” After kicking off his boots, he climbed onto the bed and within seconds, he had her cradled in his arms, her head tucked beneath his chin, his lips pressed to the top of her head as she shuddered and then began to sob against his chest.
“Shhh, honey, it’s all going to get better. I know it doesn’t feel like it, but I swear to you it will. Until then, just cry. I won’t let you go.” He held her for hours, grateful when he felt her body go limp and her whimpers stopped. He knew that the nightmares would not simply go away, that she would suffer through many more until hopefully, one day, she’d find a bit of peace and then a bit more. It was only when he heard the clock chiming three o’clock that he moved to lay her down, pulling the quilt up over her and brushing the hair off her cheek before bending to press a kiss to her forehead. “Sleep, little one. Tomorrow will be a better day.” Prepared to slip off the bed, the moment he had one foot on the floor, she whimpered. Fuck, he wasn’t going anywhere. Stretching out on top of the covers, he had to sigh. He couldn’t remember the last time he’d been in bed with a woman, fully dressed, not holding his naked bed partner, hell, not even lying between the sheets. Closing his eyes, he tried not to think about the fact that all Adira was wearing was a camisole and a pair of panties. He tried not to think about the hand that she’d moved to lay on his chest. It was another hour before his mind finally granted him mercy and allowed his body to slip into sleep.
Chapter 13
In the dim light of the room, cast by the near full moon beaming in through the window, Adira watched through slitted eyes as her palm rose up and down as it rested on his chest. She remained perfectly still, pretending to be asleep. Maybe she wasn’t exactly playing fair. She did have a nightmare, and Maddox had come into the room to hold and console her, but she wasn’t asleep now, and her hand wasn’t accidently on his chest simply because she didn’t know what she was doing.
Oh, Adira knew what she was doing for sure. And could you really blame a girl? This man was solid as a brick. Was she maybe taking advantage of his kindness and using the opportunity to lie against his warmth, to smell the spice of his pure manliness, and to touch her body so very close to his?
Yes.
But she couldn’t help it.
When he got off the bed to leave the room, she didn’t want her time with him to end. She wanted Maddox right where he was. So a little whimper to pull at his heart strings may have been a bit tricky, but she had no shame, clearly, when it came to this man.
His kiss in the operation center had all but knocked her off her feet. And he’d stopped! Why had he stopped? The searing touch of his lips to hers still tingled now with the memory. She craved it again, but Maddox seemed to want no part of her. She was his client and nothing more, and knowing that stung. As much as she hated to admit it, Maddox had awoken something inside of her. His dominance, his power, his strength, and yet also a very gentle touch, all combined as one to light her body and soul on fire. He infuriated her at times, and yet he fascinated her too.
Feeling his breath mingle with the hair on the top of her head as he slept, a mischievous thought came to mind, and she smiled at what her next plan would be. Something had changed in her since she arrived in Texas. Maybe it was finally feeling safe. Maybe it was a survival mechanism to enable her to make it through the darkness of her reality. Or maybe it was just as simple as all the people making her feel at ease. But whatever it was, it sparked a playfulness inside of her. She would have never done the stunt she and Jennie did earlier. She had always been a serious person with very little sense of humor. But right now, she wanted to keep her spirited streak alive.
Releasing another tiny whimper—as if she were having another nightmare—she tossed her body from side to side in a gentle rocking motion, lowering her hand from his chest to rest right above his crotch. She didn’t have the courage to lower it all the way down, but she did press her body even closer to his in her time of fake duress. Her breasts melded against his rib cage, and she snuggled in even closer. She was asleep after all and wouldn’t know what she was doing.
When his arm tightened around her in response, pulling her even closer, and he kissed the top of her head offering some silent comfort, Adira decided to go for it completely. Whimpering—once again still deep within her pretend nightmare—she lowered her hand all the way to his already hardening cock. The outline of his desire tenting the fabric of his pants throbbed beneath her palm. The tiny little motions of his growing erection filled her with a sense of satisfaction. She could awaken him with simply a touch, and it made all the rejection she had felt earlier disappear. Maddox may have pretended he wasn’t aroused by Adira, but she could clearly see that his body disagreed. She could acknowledge that perhaps he had some sort of strict moral code, but… well, that didn’t mean she had to accept it. She’d learned the hard way that life was extremely fragile and could be ripped away at any moment, and she had no intention of not making every moment matter. No, her newfound knowledge gave her even more courage to continue with her naughty game and to turn up the heat a notch.
Still feigning being in the throes of a dream, Adira jerked her body just enough that her palm moved up the length of his shaft and then back down. She did it again, but this time allowing a small moan to escape her lips, only adding to her secretive seduction. Flipping over onto her side, making sure that the movement raised her tank top so that it exposed her entire belly, and releasing another mixture of whimper and moan, she scooted her bottom to his side and pressed in until he repositioned his own body from his back to his side.
He spooned her frame and pulled her into his embrace, releasing a deep, husky breath as he did so. Wiggling her bottom back into him, she could feel his hardness pressed firmly against the seam of her ass. Heat burst from her core and coated every inch of skin between her legs, and her hunger for more grew in intensity. God, she wanted him. She wanted to give herself completely and have her first experience be with Maddox more than she ever wanted anything in her life.
Did he think she was still asleep? Should she open her eyes and tell him not to stop and to actually press himself inside her fully, no longer being blocked by the fabric of their clothes? Her inexperience in this matter confused her, and she wasn’t quite sure how to make the next step happen without facing more possible rejection. But she had to do something. The beating of her pussy all but demanded it.
Reaching for Maddox’s hand that rested lightly on her hip, she took hold and pulled it to the waistband of her panties and then, with her bottom lip between her teeth, she sucked in a deep breath, making her flat stomach concave and guided his hand beneath the satin, shuddering a bit with the heat of his palm against her bare flesh as she directed it even further down the juncture between her thighs. He didn’t resist, but he didn’t take any liberties either. He allowed her to be in full control. Neither of them said a word, but both of their breathing sped up as his fingertips made contact with her wetness.
Oh, he was awake, she had no doubt in her mind. And he was permitting this seductive dance to continue. Adira knew one thing, and that was if Maddox wanted this to stop at any time, he would, whether she liked it or not. But he wasn’t… He was waiting to see…
His hand rested on her mound, and she wanted to scream for him to take over from there but he remained in place, awaiting her next command, silently mastering her will. The sensation of having the weight of his hand encompassing her sex caused her to feel possessed and owned. She liked it. She liked it so much that she actually wanted to feel that way all the time. He had not said a single word, not given his typical look of authority, and yet Adira felt a wave of submission wash over her, eve
n though she was making all the moves. Holding back a moan and the urge to beg for Maddox to dominate her, she relished in the feeling of surrender. Women’s lib be damned. She wanted Maddox to claim her with more than just his hand, and make her his whether she liked it or not. She wanted him to make her beg for mercy, demand she scream out his name, call him sir and have him master her body. Oh, how she wanted that with this man who respectfully did not budge an inch without Adira giving the green light.
Deciding that she needed to make the next step happen, as a deliciously sinful part of her also enjoyed the freedom of leading, she pressed down on his index finger, causing it to slip between the wet folds of her pussy. She gasped as colossal shocks of pleasure danced around every ounce of flesh his hand touched. Wanting even more, she applied more pressure to his finger that rested right on the surface of her tiny hole until it breached the skin and entered her tight passage. Another gasp blended with a moan as she thrust her hips to meet his invasion, driving his finger even deeper inside. His hot breath against her ear sent a shiver down her spine as the rest of her body lit up in heated temperature. Maddox kept his finger firmly in place, and Adira knew that the only way she could quench the fever inside was to fuck his finger herself. With all embarrassment or insecurity washed away by lust, she gyrated on his hand, forcing his finger to thrust in and out of her—sometimes shallow, and sometimes deep.
She moaned softly with each ministration, relishing in how his hard cock seemed to grow even bigger as Maddox’s heartbeat marched a steady rhythm on the top of her back.
“Kiss my neck,” she whispered, hoping he would continue to do as she asked. There was no doubt in her mind that this man was in control, and he was allowing every single move she made. Was it curiosity on Maddox’s part? Did he want to test how far she would go? Or maybe he was only tricking her into believing she was leading this seduction. Nonetheless, she wanted desperately to feel the smooth warmness of his lips on her again, regardless of where they may land.
