by Leah Brooke
Letting her go would be the equivalent of ripping his heart from his chest, which made succeeding in his plan even more important.
He admitted to himself that he spoiled her, and enjoyed doing it, but he wouldn’t allow her to use threats and ultimatums to get her way.
It was his job to protect her and keep her safe, and she needed to trust his judgement.
Out of the corner of his eye, he saw that she pouted adorably, and it took a great deal of self-control to keep from pulling over and kissing her senseless.
Feeling her gaze, he stopped at the stop sign and turned to her, raising a brow.
Despite the warm weather, Hope wrapped her arms around herself as if chilled. “I won’t threaten you again, and I sure as hell won’t be giving you any more ultimatums.”
“Good. If that’s true, we’ve made progress, but we’ll just have to see if it is true before we know for sure.” He turned toward a nearby town, where he knew his wife liked to shop for fresh fruits and vegetables on Saturdays.
“You know how much I like it when you dominate me.”
Hiding a smile, he kept his attention on the road. “I do, but it’s up to a point. You want to submit but only when you can convince yourself that it’s your idea. That no longer works for me.”
He would have missed the flare of lust in her eyes if he hadn’t glanced at her at that moment, looking for it. “You need to surrender as much as I need to dominate, but you continue to fight it. I’m not going to let you do that anymore. I’ve babied you—earning your submission in small slices—because I knew you were afraid, but I can’t do that anymore. I want the whole pie.”
Swallowing heavily, she rubbed her arms. “It scares me that you would let me leave.”
Not as much as it scares me that you would threaten to leave me.
Ace glanced at her and inclined his head. “Good. Maybe that’ll be enough to teach you that I won’t put up with your threats.”
“It has.” She reached out to touch his arm. “You haven’t kissed me.”
He’d wondered how long it would take her to say something.
Shooting her another look, he blinked. “And you think I don’t know that?”
“I miss it.”
So do I.
He waited until he stopped at the next stop sign before replying.
“Kissing is an intimacy that doesn’t apply to our situation right now.”
She gasped again, her dark eyes flashing. “But shoving a plug up my ass isn’t intimate?”
Ace hid a smile at her indignant tone. He’d known it wouldn’t take long for his wife’s temper to show itself again but wanted to make her suffer for the hell she’d put him through.
Turning to face her fully, he raised a brow, keeping his expression cold. “There’s that attitude again. Shoving that plug up your ass was a way to get your attention and part of your punishment. No affection or emotional intimacy needed at all.”
Knowing she would ponder that over and decide that getting that intimacy back would be of utmost importance to her, Ace made another turn and glanced at her.
He could almost hear her mind working.
Getting the intimacy back would be a challenge to her, but he knew from experience that she wouldn’t appreciate anything that came easily.
His plan to spend the week focusing on taking his wife into a deeper level of submission than they’d explored in the past, and do it while she focused on getting the intimacy back, sounded better and better.
The events of the previous night gave Ace an opportunity to intensify his dominance over his wife, something he planned to use to his advantage.
They stopped at a diner for breakfast, and after she slid into the booth, he slid in after her.
Ace ordered for her without consulting her and met her look of shock when the waitress left. “Problem?”
“You didn’t ask me what I wanted.”
“No. I didn’t. As I said, I’ve spoiled you. I’ll also pick out the clothes you’re permitted to wear for the week. Maybe that’ll remind you of exactly who you belong to.”
“This dress is one of my favorites.”
“I know that, and yet you haven’t thanked me for allowing you to wear it. It shows how much you take the things I do for you for granted.”
Frowning, she eyed him suspiciously. “I’m supposed to thank you for that?”
“You’re supposed to appreciate what your Dominant does for you and the luxuries he allows you. I could have dressed you in anything I wanted to, and you would have had no choice in the matter.”
He couldn’t remember when he’d enjoyed himself so much.
Sliding a hand under the hem of her skirt, he caressed her upper thigh. “How’s that clit doing?”
Her cheeks flushed, and she looked around as if to make sure no one could hear her. “It feels so swollen, like it’s going to explode. Ace, I don’t know how much longer I can stand it.”
He gave her a dark look when she pressed her thighs together, slapping lightly. “Spread ’em.” Lightly caressing her clit, Ace hid another smile at her soft moan. “You’ll stand it for as long as I want you to. This is mine, and I can do what I want with it—whenever I want. I can stroke it or ignore it, and you have absolutely no say in it anymore.”
He slid his finger through her slit, unsurprised to find her wet. Keeping his voice low, he watched her clench her hands into fists. “You’re not used to waiting. You need to understand that I control your orgasms. I say when, and if, you can come.”
Her hand clenched on his thigh. “What do I have to do to be able to come?”
“You have to earn it by behaving yourself and doing what you’re told.”
“For how long?”
“For as long as it suits me.”
“I’ll do anything!”
“Yes, I know you will, but this is a lesson in patience and in appreciating what I give you.” He sat back when the food arrived. “Eat your breakfast.”
About twenty minutes after they left the diner, Ace pulled into the parking lot for the market.
Beaming, Hope turned to him. “Thank you! I was hoping we were coming here. I love coming here with you.”
“You’re welcome.”
It had been a long time since he’d taken a Saturday morning off to come with her, but seeing the happiness lighting up her eyes, he vowed to do it more often.
* * * *
Delighted to be on her husband’s arm, Hope picked out fresh fruits and vegetables, noticing how often other women followed him with their eyes.
He stood head and shoulders above most men and walked with a powerful grace that drew attention. He was handsome in a raw, masculine way that drew the attention of everyone around him.
With wide shoulders, a body packed with hard muscle, and eyes that saw everything, Ace was an imposing figure, the aura of strength and authority surrounding him breathtaking.
Women stared, and men gave him a wide berth.
She walked slowly, very conscious of the air moving over her bottom and exposed clit, hanging on to her husband’s muscular forearm as they made their way over the uneven ground.
Ace held her against his side as he picked out some strawberries, pausing and keeping her close each time she stopped to look at something.
Seeing a large bin of ginger root out of the corner of her eye, Hope kept walking, hoping that Ace wouldn’t notice it.
She should have known better.
Pulling her to his side, he approached the bin and began to pick out several pieces, focusing on the largest ones, which he could whittle down to his exact specifications.
He picked out five or six, glancing at her several times as if expecting her to react.
“Hmm.” He picked up an abnormally large root with several fingers of ginger attached, smoothing his fingers over it and studying it like a connoisseur. “This one is especially promising.”
Hope kept her expression one of mild interest while her bottom clenched at t
he thought of what it would feel like to have her husband shove such a large piece of ginger up her ass.
After paying, Ace accepted the bag and gathered her close again. “It appears I’m going to have to keep some on hand and ready, especially if I’m going to have to keep dealing with attitude. Do you have everything you need?”
“In terms of fruits and vegetables, yes.”
“Good.”
Not wanting to be overheard, she gripped his forearm and lifted to her toes. “Please, Master.”
Ace led her back to the parking lot, stashing the bags in the back before opening her door. Picking her up by the waist, he set her in her seat. “Don’t fasten your seat belt yet.”
Another rush of moisture escaped as she watched him round the SUV again, his expression as unreadable as it had been all day.
He got in, slipping the key into the ignition, and turned to her without starting it. “Turn toward me. Lift the hem of your dress. Show me the clip.”
Hope looked around to make sure no one could see her, but she should have known that Ace would have already seen to that.
“Now.”
Hope turned toward him, bracing her left foot on the edge of his seat, and the right on the steering wheel. She lifted her skirt with hands that trembled, her eyes glued to his.
Staring into her eyes, Ace reached out to caress her clit.
Hope gasped, crying out at the pleasure but alarmed when he didn’t say anything to her or display any affection at all.
Her toes curled inside her sandals as the pleasure grew, her thighs shaking with the effort it cost her to hold back her orgasm, every slow slide of his finger increasing the heat in her clit.
“Come.”
The dam inside her broke, the orgasm she’d been craving for almost twenty-four hours hitting her with a force that left her breathless and shaking.
Crying out, she gripped her thighs, forcing herself to keep them still.
Ace slowed the strokes to her clit, easing her down with the expertise of a husband who knew his wife’s body well.
Only when she saw the glint of something in his large hand did she realize that he’d removed the clip.
It pleased her to see the satisfied gleam in his eyes, but other than that, his expression remained hard and cool. “Is something wrong?”
Ace helped her straighten in her seat, adjusting the hem of her dress before fastening her seat belt.
“Not at all.” Straightening, he fastened his own and started the ignition. “You’re being very good.”
Hating the distance between them, Hope reached out to touch his arm, shaking from the aftereffects of her orgasm and nerves. “Why are you being so cold?”
Ace shrugged and backed out of the parking space. “You wanted an orgasm. I gave you one.” He glanced at her as he started to pull out of the parking lot. “Not quite as satisfying, is it? Maybe it’s time for you to think about what you really want from me and what I expect from you.”
Chapter Six
Exfoliated, waxed, loose from her massage, and more than a little tipsy from all the champagne she’d had to drink, Hope concentrated on placing one foot in front of the other as she made her way to her waiting husband.
Flinging her arms out, she beamed at him, her smile falling when she swayed. “I’m done!”
Ace’s lips twitched as he reached out to catch her arm. “So I see. Had a little champagne again, did you?”
“Yep.” Frowning, Hope looked around in search of her sister, trying to remember when she’d seen her last. “I lost Charity. I’d better go find her.”
Remembering that they’d been getting massages the last time she saw her, Hope started toward the back again, yelping when the ground underneath her feet disappeared. “Help!”
Chuckling, Ace caught her against him. “You’re all right. I’ve got you, baby.”
Hope sighed, loving the feel of his arms around her. “You’ve got me.” Secure in his hold, she dropped her head to his shoulder. “I’m always okay when you’ve got me.”
Holding his wife close, Ace nodded to the smiling woman behind the desk, anxious to get his slightly drunk wife home. “Thank you.”
“We never let anyone drive if they’ve had anything to drink, Sheriff.”
“Good. See that you don’t.” He’d already made it clear to the owners that if one drunk woman got caught driving away from the spa, he’d close it down in a heartbeat.
Understanding how the town worked, the owners had readily complied.
He carried his wife outside, noting that the sun had begun to set. It had been hours since they’d last eaten, and his wife definitely needed to get some food in her system.
“You’re so pretty.”
Amused, Ace looked down to see his wife staring up at him. “Thank you. I think you’re pretty, too.”
“Not in a model way. Like fake. You’re like manly pretty.”
Crossing the parking lot, he glanced down at her, love for her grabbing him by the throat. “I’m glad you clarified that. I was starting to get worried.”
Lifting her head, she poked him in the chest. “See? That’s just it. You don’t worry about things like that. You’re so confident that you don’t care what other people think. You’re just you, and everyone falls in with your plans.”
Remembering how Lucas and the others had resisted his efforts, as well as his headstrong wife, Ace sighed. “Not everyone.”
He opened the passenger door and set his wife on the seat, smiling when she wrapped her arms around his neck. “You smell delicious.”
She giggled, pressing her breasts against his chest and lifting her face for his kiss. “I like smelling dishes for you.”
Chuckling, Ace brushed his lips over hers. “I like when you smell dishes for me, too.”
Unable to resist her invitation, Ace cupped the back of her head to hold her steady and took her mouth with his.
When she readily parted her lips with a moan, he swept her mouth with his tongue, tasting raspberries, champagne, and his adored wife’s sweetness.
Her hands tightened around his neck, pulling him closer.
Swallowing her whimper, he eased back, running a hand down her side. “Shh. Calm down, baby.”
“You kissed me!” Her eyes welled with tears.
“I did.”
“You haven’t kissed me all day!” She held on to him as if desperate to keep him close. “You didn’t kiss me goodnight or good morning.”
Gripping her chin, Ace smiled and kissed her again, lifting his head to study her beloved features. “You threatened to leave me.”
“I’m sorry. Please, Ace. You can do whatever you want to me, but I need you to kiss me and hold me.”
“Do you?”
“Yes!”
Gripping her wrists, he lowered her hands and straightened. “And I need things from you, too.”
Hope nodded, pouting beautifully and letting her head fall back against the headrest. “I know. I was bad, but I hurt you. I like being bad.”
“Oh, I know that.”
“Because I like how excited you get when you spank me. I like when you spank me. Makes me all hot and bothered.” Frowning, she shook her head again. “Don’t like hurting you. Makes my stomach hurt.”
“Does it?”
Nodding, she fisted her hands in his shirt, her eyes wide. “I need you too much. Scares me.”
Running a hand over her hair, he brushed her lips with his again. “And I need you.”
“No. You don’t.” Hope’s desperate sob ripped at him, the single tear making its way down her cheek knotting his stomach.
Easing back, Ace studied her features and wiped the tear away. “Why would you think that I don’t need you?”
“Because you’re so controlled and so strong that you don’t need anybody. You could have any woman that you wanted. I had to chase you!”
“Stay put.” Not wanting to be overheard, Ace rounded the SUV and slid into the driver’s seat and close
d the door behind him. After unfastening her seat belt, he pulled her onto his lap. “Come here, baby. Look at you. You’ve got yourself all worked up over nothing.”
Sniffing, she curled against him. “You only married me because I chased you.”
“Do you really think so little of me?”
Jerking upright, Hope blinked. “What?”
“Do you really think I’d marry you just because I didn’t want to hurt your feelings?”
Hope frowned and shrugged. “Well, no.”
“Or maybe you think I’m so weak that I couldn’t make that decision on my own?”
“No, I—”
Tilting her back over his arm, he smiled down at her. “Or that I was afraid no one else would ever marry me?”
Narrowing her eyes, she laid a hand on his chest. “Lots of women want you.”
Amused that his wife could still be jealous, Ace raised a brow and smiled again. “Really? Who?”
To his relief, Hope slapped at him, her eyes flashing with anger. “Damn it, Ace!” Scrambling to her knees, she straddled him. “You make me sound ridiculous.”
“Well, at least you’re started to sober up a little.”
With her hands on his shoulders, she leaned against him. “Yeah. I fell asleep and was groggy, too. Now I’m hungry.” Sitting up abruptly, she looked around. “I never did find out what happened to Charity.”
“Beau came to get her, and they left right before you came out.” Pulling her against him again, he bent to kiss her hair. “She wasn’t as tipsy, but apparently both of you fell asleep during your massages.”
Sliding her hands into his hair, she lifted her head and leaned forward. “You didn’t check my wax job.”
Sliding a hand under her dress, he caressed her mound, his cock twitching. “Very soft, but then you’re soft everywhere, aren’t you, baby?”
“You scared me.”
“And you scared me.”
“I know. I didn’t mean to. I was just hoping that you would quit.”
“You were hoping to get your way.”
“Yeah.” Lifting her head, she frowned up at him. “You said I was spoiled.”
“You are.” Ace patted her thigh and lifted her to her seat. “But you’re adorable.” He fastened her seat belt and straightened. “I thought we’d eat at the hotel.”
