by Avery Gale
Tucker pressed a kiss to her plump lips and smiled. “Thank you, sweet cheeks. You are a treasure—an overdressed treasure.”
He and Brock stepped back in a well-coordinated moved that might well have appeared choreographed to anyone watching.
“Strip, baby. We’re going to play a bit before we wrap this shopping trip up and head home.”
The slight tremor of Mia’s fingers as she slipped the thin straps of the sundress from her shoulders was the only indication Mia was nervous about the order Brock had given her. Tucker held out his hand and she didn’t hesitate to place the garment in his outstretched hand.
“You are temptation personified, sweetheart,” Tucker agreed, and now that he’d admitted how much she meant to him, he had no intention of letting her go.
Chapter Twenty-Four
Mia was drowning in sensation, and she still couldn’t still her mind. Brock’s hands were cupping her breasts, lifting them as if testing their weight, then rolling her nipples between his fingers, pinching the tight peaks, and sending flaming arrows of need to her pussy. She unconsciously arched into his touch, pressing her shoulders against Tucker’s chest. The feel of his soft cotton shirt brushing over her bare skin was amplified, knowing she was completely exposed and they were both still fully dressed. Not fair.
“What’s not fair, Kodak?” Tucker’s warm breath wafted over the sensitive shell of her ear, and she moaned as her desire ratcheted up several notches.
Brock’s sharp pinch to her nipples made her gasp and reminded her she hadn’t answered his question.
“You’re both still dressed and…” her voice faded when Brock lowered his mouth to the torrid peak and lashed her nipple with the tip of his tongue. The heat made her cry out as she teetered on the precipice of a cataclysmic release.
“Who is in charge, sweet cheeks?” Tucker’s question was followed by the scrape of his teeth over the tender slope between her shoulder and neck.
“You are. You and Brock, but—”
“No. There is no but—your only responsibility during a scene is to submit. You don’t need to worry about anything but following our commands. Your pleasure belongs to us—it feeds ours.” Tucker’s voice was raspy, and Mia had come to recognize the change as an indication of his arousal. It was gratifying to know he was as affected as she was.
Brock went to one knee in front of her, and Mia moaned in anticipation. Since meeting the Deitz brothers, she’d learned a lot about the lifestyle, but she wasn’t naïve enough to believe she was anything more than a beginner.
“Spread those pretty legs for him, sweet cheeks.” Tucker’s words might have bordered on seductive, but she recognized them as a command. Her legs parted before he’d gotten the words out, and she was rewarded with dual growls of approval.
The tip of Brock’s tongue slid through her drenched folds, Mia’s knees started to tremble, and she worried they would fold out from under her as heat seared over every inch of her skin. She felt her womb contract in response to his oral assault, sending a rush of her cream to greet him.
“Fuck, baby, you taste like a sweet, juicy, exotic fruit. All this smooth skin slick with your own lube is testing my control, but I think it’s time to change things up a bit.”
*
Brock helped his brother position Mia over the leather padded bench positioned discreetly at the side of the dressing room and made a mental note to thank Kent West for recommending this store. He was confident they would be doing a lot of business here in the future. Unzipping his pants and freeing his throbbing cock from its confines, he breathed a sigh of relief until he felt Mia’s warm breath brush over the sensitive flesh of the head.
“Jesus, Joseph, and sweet Mother Mary.” Brock hadn’t realized he was standing close enough he’d be able to feel her warm sigh, and the sensual feeling pulled the rest of his available blood south, making him sway closer.
“Look at this beautiful ass. Smooth skin over rounded globes that fit my hands perfectly and between them lies paradise.”
Brock appreciated Tucker’s attempt to distract Mia because it had been a monumental mistake on his part standing close enough for her to be able to trace her tongue along part of his corona. She was stealing his control, and the little minx hadn’t even taken him into her mouth yet.
“Suck me, baby, while your other Master slides so deep, you won’t know where he ends and you begin.”
Her moan vibrated all the way up his spine before sending spears of heat out in every direction—hell, his toes curled inside his boots, the pleasure was so intense.
“Get her there, brother, because I’m not going to last long. Her mouth is pure magic.” Mia’s body lurched forward as Tucker pushed deep, and Brock felt her gasp around him.
The wet sounds of Tucker pulling from her soaking pussy combined with the hot sounds of Mia humming around his cock edged Brock closer and closer to release. Reciting every math table he’d ever learned in school wasn’t doing anything to distract him from the mind-numbing pleasure swamping his senses. Watching Tucker reach under her to pinch her clit was a profound relief. Brock wanted them to all come at the same time, and he’d been much too close for things to last much longer.
Mia’s mouth clamped down on him and went from hot to flaming in a split second. He watched her entire body tense, and from the tortured look on Tucker’s face, Brock assumed her pussy had contracted like a vice around him, too.
“Come for us, baby.” He’d barely uttered the words when she shattered. Brock had to brace his hand against the wall to keep from falling, the pleasure so intense as he shot hot pulses of his seed to the back of her throat. Mia swallowed around him, and the added pressure made him shout out her name.
Brilliant colors burst behind his eyelids, and for the first time he could remember, Brock was afraid he might not be able to stay on his feet. He’d never been with a woman who affected him the way Mia did. Every time they played, the pleasure was more intense than the time before. At this rate, she’s going to kill me sometime Sunday.
Thirty brain-fogged minutes later, the three of them and a backseat full of packages were loaded in Tucker’s truck on the road back to Prairie Winds. Mia glanced over her shoulder and sighed.
“You spent too much money. When I get access to my accounts, I’ll pay you back, but grandfather has probably locked everything up. He’d see it as a security issue if he knows I’ve left the country.”
Neither Brock nor Tucker were going to say anything about her grandfather because that issue would be resolved sooner rather than later, but he wasn’t about to have her think she was going to pay them back.
“Paying us back isn’t going to happen, sweetheart. Money is never going to be an issue between us.”
“But you are soldiers, right? Does your military pay that well?” He could hear the sympathy in her tone and wanted to laugh.
“Sweet cheeks,” Tucker snorted and shook his head, “we are former SEALs and you are right, no honest soldier ever gets rich defending his country. We’re a part of the Prairie Winds team now, and even though they pay a lot better than Uncle Sam, we’re doing it because it’s what we love, not because we need the money.”
Mia’s confused expression was so adorable, Brock was tempted to leave the situation well enough alone, but she deserved an explanation.
“Baby, you aren’t the only one with a grandfather who made a lot of money in finance. Our mother’s family traces their history in banking back six generations.”
“And each of those generations considered it their family duty to set up trust funds for those who followed. Money isn’t an issue for us, either,” Tucker’s words were true, even if they were an understatement. Neither he nor his brother had ever touched their trust funds, but for the first time, Brock was considering it, he’d love to purchase a home for the three of them to share.
*
Koi led Tally out to the end of the dock at Prairie Winds and turned her, so they stood face to face. They were on
their way to visit Karl but had accepted the Wests invitation to stop over for a couple of days before flying on to Antigua. They planned to attend the picnic starting in a few minutes, but he’d wanted this to be a private moment between the two of them. Brushing back a strand of pale blonde hair from the side of her face, Koi wished he could erase the shadows he saw in her eyes.
The Tally he’d finally coaxed out from under a blanket of grief and guilt had been absent since the pictures arrived several weeks ago, and he prayed the next few days brought her the resolution she deserved.
“Ma poupée, I wanted a moment alone with you before we fall into Tobi’s crazy, chaotic world. There are some moments that deserve the peace that can only be found away from others and near the soothing energy of flowing water.”
Tally grinned at him and nodded. She’d installed numerous water features in her home during the past year, and they’d had several discussions about the power of water to cleanse the air around troubled souls. She’d lamented the fact they couldn’t do the same in hospitals, and they’d laughed at how mortified Ryan Morgan would be by the suggestion.
“The peace it brings is unlike anything else in the world, and this is a lovely place. Thank you for sharing it with me. I love Tobi, but it’s nice to have a moment before I’m confronted with all her energy.”
Tally’s sweet laughter bounced off the water, and Koi was grateful he’d decided against sharing this moment with their friends. His sister had surprised him by approving the quiet moment rather than a more public one she could have shared. Kodi had been a gift from God from the moment their parents brought her home from the hospital. Before meeting Tally, Kodi had been the only woman other than his mother who loved him unconditionally, and a piece of his heart would always belong to her.
“I want to ask you a question before we leave tomorrow. It’s important that you know whatever happens in Antigua, nothing will change how I feel about you. Nothing will change the depth of my love for you. I want to spend the rest of my life standing beside you. I want to wake up beside you every morning and fall asleep with you wrapped in my arms every night.” Tears were already racing down her pale cheeks, and Koi brushed them aside with his thumbs as he framed her face with his hands.
“I want to be your refuge, ma poupée, the place you’re always safe when the world is closing in on you. I’ll slay the dragons breathing fire at your heels when you’re too spent to outrun them.” He was deliberately leaving out references to their lifestyle because contrary to what he would have told you a year ago, he now understood that was only a small part of what he wanted in life.
For years, Koi had believed being a Dominant was who he was, erroneously seeing himself through blinders because it was all he felt he was capable of giving a woman. Contrary to what Tally believed, she’d given him far more than he’d given her; she’d taught him what it was like to love from the depths of his soul, and there wasn’t a greater gift on this side of heaven.
In the distance, Koi could barely hear the nearly silent whir of a camera and was thrilled Mia Mendez had agreed to capture their special moment. In many ways, it was fitting and brought them almost full circle since it had been her pictures that changed the course of Tally’s life and made this moment possible. Their trip to Antigua would give Tally a chance to ask questions he knew were always simmering below the surface, and as difficult as it was going to be, she deserved the opportunity to close that part of her life with a clear conscious.
Koi pulled a small velvet box from the inside pocket of his jacket and got down on one knee.
“I want to grow old with you. I want to sit on our porch watching our grandchildren play in the yard and smile when I remember all the twists and turns our lives took to get us there. I want our story to be an inspiration to our children and grandchildren, so they always know the power of star-crossed miracles. Will you marry me, Tally?”
“Yes. A thousand times yes.” She pulled him to his feet and wrapped her arms around him in the sweetest hug he’d ever received. In a flash of insight, Koi saw his future and knew he’d get another hug much like this one before walking their daughter down the aisle. Stepping back enough to slip the diamond ring he’d commissioned for her on her finger filled his heart with more joy than he’d believed he was capable of feeling.
He was content to simply hold her and absorb the soothing sounds of the river moving past them on its way to the Gulf. In many ways, it was fitting because life was an ever changing, ever moving force he’d spent too much time fighting. It was time to slow down and float with the current for a change.
As they made their way back to the gazebo where Tobi stood waiting, he couldn’t contain his smile when the little bundle of energy his friends called their wife began squealing and bouncing up and down. Kent shrugged his shoulders and chuckled as Kyle rolled his eyes.
“We kept her contained, but it wasn’t easy. You’re on your own now.”
Koi had spent so many years isolated by the career choices he’d made, it felt good to be able to share this moment with friends. Looking around as Tobi gushed over Tally’s ring, Koi sent up a prayer of thanks to his ancestors for their guiding hands and the gifts the Universe had given him. He might not believe he’d earned them—but he certainly wasn’t going to turn them down.
Chapter Twenty-Five
Mia couldn’t hear Koi’s words, but that didn’t keep her from understanding the depth of his devotion and love for Tally, it was written in every nuance of his body language. The hope and sincerity in his eyes were so stark, Mia had to blink back her own tears to continue capturing their special moment. She’d broken down and sobbed when he’d asked her to take pictures as he proposed. Knowing she’d get a chance to present Tally with another set of pictures felt like a second chance. This time, the photos would reflect a new beginning rather than tearing apart the other woman’s hard-fought efforts to rebuild her life.
She knew she’d gotten some amazing pictures, but the one of them walking hand in hand toward the brightly lit gazebo was already her favorite. Seeing them silhouetted against the lights was symbolic of the bright future that lay ahead of them, and for just a moment, she was filled with an overwhelming sense of longing. She might not know what the future held for her, but Mia vowed if fate handed her the chance to stay with Brock and Tucker, she wasn’t going to let it slip through her fingers.
Joining the party, Mia was happy to sit to the side, watching as Koi and Tally accepted the congratulations and best wishes of their friends. She’d never experienced the level of friendship playing out in front of her and part of her longed for those deep and enduring connections. Her family’s wealth had been isolating, but necessary in a country being torn apart by warring cartels. She felt a pang of sadness; watching the country she called home slowly change into something barely recognizable was heartbreaking. Warm fingers caressing the side of her face broke through her moment of melancholy.
“What put that sad, wistful look in your eyes, baby?” The concern in Brock’s chocolate brown eyes pulled her fully back to the moment, and she smiled though she doubted he was fooled.
“I’m sorry, I got lost for a minute. I don’t want to bring any sadness to Tally’s joyful moment.” He nodded, but she knew the topic would be revisited. She’d never met men more adamant about knowing what was going through a woman’s head that the Doms she’d met. When she was finally able to look away, she met Cameron Barnes’ intense gaze. Did the man ever simply look at someone? Or did he always peer into the depths of the other person’s soul?
Cameron’s knowing assessment wasn’t intrusive, but there was no mistaking it for anything other than what it was either. When she unconsciously leaned against Tucker’s shoulder and grasped Brock’s hand under the table, a smile ghosted over Cam’s lips, and he gave her an almost imperceptible nod of approval. The moment was broken when a commotion on the path leading to the gazebo drew everyone’s attention.
Turning to see what everyone around her was sm
iling about, Mia grinned when she saw Lilly West striding down the path, a bright smile lighting up her beautiful face as her husbands steadied her on the uneven surface. She navigated the cobblestones in three-inch heels as if it was little more than a minor inconvenience.
Mia met Lilly several days earlier and had immediately fallen in love with the vivacious woman who apparently adopted everyone remotely attached to Prairie Winds. As she watched the Wests approach the gazebo, her attention turned briefly to the couple following them, and she gasped in surprise. Mia stood so quickly, her chair teetered precariously before Tucker reached behind her to keep it from toppling over.
“Grandpapa?” Her feet were moving before the question had finished echoing in her mind. As she approached, Mia was stunned by the change in the only member of her family who hadn’t been taken from her too soon. The man facing her looked completely different from the one she’d known in Colombia.
Gone was the gruff exterior and the harsh look of a man whose life was mired in a cutthroat business he was continually trying to navigate with as much integrity as possible. As an adult, Mia had finally been able to see how difficult his life had become. In place of the hardened shell of a man stood one exuding warmth, his arms spread wide, waiting for her. Running into his warm embrace, she was overwhelmed with his open display of emotion. Mia could count on one hand the number of times he’d shown her even the smallest gesture of affection in public, but this time, he’d been ready and waiting for her.
“My sweet, Mia, I’m so happy to see you. Knowing you’d escaped safely was the biggest relief of my entire life.” When she pulled back, unshed tears glistened in dark eyes so much like her own, and it seemed the pain of the past and emotional distance between them melted away in the time it took him to whisper, “I love you so. I’d have never forgiven myself if Joseph hurt you.” Her grandfather sighed, his eyes moving to her side, and she was surprised to see Cameron Barnes standing next to her.
