by Avery Gale
“No, Kip, we don’t. You’ve made your position perfectly clear.” The steel in her voice wasn’t new, but seeing it as a part of her new-found emotional detachment straight up pissed him off. “Listen, I’m sure you know Brandt called me about Pops, so you know why I was on my way back to Pine Creek…the only reason I’m going back.” When he didn’t respond, he could see small tells of her nervousness showing.
Damn, it was convenient knowing a woman so well he could assess her level of uncertainty simply by watching her fingers caress the satin edging on a blanket. Even as a small child, Caila had been very tactile, touching everything in sight. One of his favorite memories of her was watching his mom fussing over her in their kitchen. It was the first holiday season after her mom passed, and her dad hadn’t been able to get back to Pine Creek in time to help his young daughter get ready for her Christmas program. As the mother of five sons, Patsy Morgan had jumped at the opportunity to help a little girl get dressed up in all her pretty bows and frills.
He’d sat at the table watching as the little girl who was usually so full of mischief caressed the silky fabric of her dress. She’d held the hem between her thumb and first two fingers, slowly stroking the slick fine-thread silk. He hadn’t understood her expression then, but looking back, he could see the wonder in her eyes. Calamity Cooper was the ultimate tomboy. Before that day, Kip had never seen her in anything but dirty jeans and tattered t-shirts. “I love this dress. Pops never bought me a dress before.” Kip learned later her dad hadn’t purchased the dress. His mom had gotten it when she heard he planned to be traveling the week of the local school’s Christmas pageant. He’d often wondered if Caila ever learned the truth.
Chapter Four
When Caila had first emerged from the depths of slumber, she’d been suspended somewhere between asleep and awake, with the ability to move in either direction. Sensing someone in the room, she struggled to recall where she was and who might be nearby. The last thing she remembered was being so exhausted she’d almost driven off the road…after that, she only had flashes of pictures in her mind, and none of them made any sense. Concentrating on taking in her surroundings, bits and pieces of her memory made their way to the surface of her sleep-fogged brain. Whoever was in the room was either staying perfectly still or she’d imagined the whole thing. Definitely praying I’ve conjured up an imaginary friend.
The soft exhale as she rolled over confirmed she wasn’t alone, and it was taking all of her self-control to not panic. Opening her eyes, she’d had to fight the aftereffects of sleep to take stock of the room. The setting wasn’t familiar, but the silhouette of the man sitting in the shadows certainly was. Before she could call it back, she’d whispered his name. Why is he sitting in the dark watching me sleep when he doesn’t even like me?
The confusion from surfacing from sleep was finally beginning to lift, and she remembered falling asleep in her car outside Mountain Mastery. Obviously, someone had noticed her and brought her inside. Something niggled in the back of her mind about Master Nate, but she couldn’t bring it into focus. The snippets of information floating through her mind made her think someone had given her a puzzle with a few pieces missing and asked her to put it together while they stood over her and watched.
Kip ignored her question about why he was there, and when he said they needed to talk, she wanted to pick up the lamp on the bedside table and hurl it at him. Where on Earth did he get his audacity? He’s obviously buying that shit in bulk. “Actually, we don’t need to talk, Kip. I’ve gotten the message loud and clear. Hell, I’ve gotten it so many times I’ve been voted village idiot for taking so long to walk away.”
A wave of emotion began to build, and she took a deep breath, trying to push it back. It wouldn’t do any good to let him see how fragile she was or how much it hurt knowing she’d been so foolish. Why couldn’t he just let her walk away with what little dignity she still possessed? “Listen, I’d like to get dressed and get on the road, so if you’ll excuse me…”
“Stop talking and listen.” His interruption grated on her last nerve, and she cast a longing look at the lamp. Hell, just thinking about heaving it in his direction was therapeutic…how much better would it be to actually watch it shatter his gargantuan ego? “You can’t leave now anyway. The roads are closed until the wind dies down and the road crews have a chance to clear them.” His tone was annoyingly calm, and even though she couldn’t see his face, she’d seen his smug expression often enough to realize what lurked in the shadows. Damn, he was a pain in the ass when he knew something she didn’t.
“What? It wasn’t supposed to snow. They said it was going to get cold, but that’s it.” She had no idea why she was arguing about the fucking weather forecast. Why-oh-why hadn’t she become a meteorologist? What other profession could you be wrong so often and still have a job?
“You really are racking up the punishment points, my sweet sub. Don’t think for a minute I’m not keeping track.” His voice was suddenly deeper and edged with a rough darkness she’d only heard when he was buried balls deep inside her. Damn, she hated the way her body responded to his tone. Traitor.
Wait! Did he say ‘my sub’? “First of all, I’m not your sub. Did you get hit on the head while I was gone? Suffer some kind of traumatic brain injury? Does Ryan know you’re out running around while having these delusions?” His cousin Ryan was a former Navy SEAL medic who’d resigned his commission and returned to finish medical school. He’d moved to Montana and taken over Pine Creek’s small medical center when the small mountain community’s only physician retired. “I’ll bet Joelle could whip something up for you in her lab. Want me to give her a call for you?” Caila knew both Ryan and Brandt Morgan well, but she’d only met their wife a few times. It was obvious she kept both her husbands on their toes. Joelle Morgan was also a pharmaceutical researcher extraordinaire. Caila saw Kip’s eyes narrow at her flip comments.
“Come here.” It wasn’t a request or suggestion. There wasn’t a doubt in Caila’s mind she’d pushed Kip too far. Too bad. If he could ignore her after fucking her blind, she could damn well ignore him pretending to be her Dom.
“Thanks, but no thanks…believe I’ll pass.” She could have sworn she heard him growl, but she wasn’t going to dignify his caveman response by asking. Shifting to the edge of the bed, she wrapped the sheet around her. Covering up seemed a bit like closing the barn door after the horse was already out, but if it afforded her a bit of emotional distance, she’d take it. Draping the excess material over her arm, Caila had only taken two steps toward the bathroom before Kip’s large hand encircled her wrist. He’d always had lightning fast reflexes; she’d barely registered the movement before he’d pulled her onto his lap.
“I said we need to talk. And we are going to talk, whether you like it or not.” When she started to stand, his arm banded around her ribcage, and it just as well could have been a steel band for all the movement it allowed. “Stop struggling or you’re going to hurt yourself.” She shifted again and froze when she felt his erection pressing into her hip.
“Christ, Cal, you keep rubbing against my cock, and we won’t be having this conversation for several hours.” She remained still, because if there was thing she knew about Kip, it was he didn’t make idle threats. And he has the stamina to back up that particular promise.
He brushed her hair over her shoulder and leaned close enough his warm breath skimmed along the top of her shoulder. “You are going to be the death of me, baby.” When his teeth grazed over the sensitive spot where her neck and shoulder curved together, goose bumps raced over the surface of her skin. “That’s it. Stop thinking so much and listen to your body.”
“Just because my body reacts to you doesn’t mean I’m going to listen to it…or to you.” Damn, even she could hear how lame the protest sounded. If she didn’t make him stop soon, she was going to end up getting her heart broken…again. “Don’t do this to me, Kip. Please, I’m begging you…my heart can’t take another o
ne of your rejections.” The first tear slid down her cheek, and when it slid over his hand, she felt him pull back. His sigh was one of regret rather than frustration, but the result was the same…he stopped. It was what she’d needed, even if it wasn’t what she wanted.
For the first time in Kip’s life, a woman wasn’t falling under his spell. The irony was having had so many opportunities with Caila and being painfully aware of each and every wasted opportunity. He’d carelessly tossed away every chance she’d given him, always assuming there’d be another. His dad warned him often about wasting blessings, but he hadn’t fully understood until he’d heard Caila had left Pine Creek. He’d never been fully committed to the D/s lifestyle, preferring to take the term play literally. But knowing how cavalier she’d been with her safety had flipped some internal switch in him. Hell, he’d practically turned into a fucking caveman.
He reluctantly let her go when a hot tear slipped over the back of his hand. Accepting how deeply he’d hurt her, how royally he’d fucked up hit him in the chest with a sledgehammer—and the kicker was, he’d done it to himself. He certainly deserved her anger, but he wasn’t going to give up until he’d earned her respect. Being angry didn’t give her carte blanche. Caila’s submissive streak was bone deep, and right now, it was the only leverage he had, so he was going to use it.
During their phone call earlier this evening, Sage had reluctantly agreed the plan Kip laid out would probably work, but he’d also made his reservations crystal clear. “You’re playing a dangerous game, little brother. This is an all or nothing set up. If you lose, you’ll lose her forever—we all will.” Sage was right, but Kip had no intention losing. Coral’s words had opened his eyes, and he’d be forever grateful for her insight—even if she had compared him to a toddler.
Standing up, Kip used his fingers to tilt Caila’s face up to his. Smoothing the pad of his thumb over her cheek, he brushed another tear into the sleep tousled hair at the edge of her face. “Take a shower and put on the clothes I left for you on the counter. Then we’ll talk.” When she opened her mouth to object, he shook his head. “You need to hear what I have to say, baby. Now go on. I’ll be right here waiting.” He thought he saw a flash of sadness in her eyes before she pushed it aside and turned to walk away.
Kip wondered if she understood how plainly her emotions reflected in her eyes—doubtful, or she’d have stopped looking at him years ago. Caila Cooper had always had eyes as clear and blue as a Montana summer afternoon sky. Everyone who knew her said there were never any secrets hidden there. She was an open book for anyone staring into those bright blue eyes.
Today, for the first time, Kip has seen something else as well, a cloud of sadness and loss, and it was something he never wanted to see again. For years, all he’d seen when she looked at him was hope and admiration, but he’d snuffed those out. Neither emotion was there now—or at least they were buried beneath the smoldering timbers of what had once been her love and respect. He hoped like hell he could rekindle them. If he could find the embers, he would fan them ever so slowly, seducing her until she knew she was safe with him.
When he heard the shower start, Kip sent a message to Taz asking for a tray of snacks and beverages. He doubted she’d eaten much in the past twenty-four hours, and she was going to need her strength for the coming conversation. She wasn’t going to be happy with him, but by the time they’d finished talking, Caila was damned well going to understand who she belonged to—at least for a while.
Nate stood at the end of the bar gazing around the club’s main room. He was surprised at the number of members who’d braved the cold and snow. Hell, the roads were little more than sheets of ice. The irony was that most of those currently milling around had their own private playrooms. Why the hell had they risked driving when they could be playing safely at home? He loved kink as much as anyone—hell, more than most—but he couldn’t imagine risking life and limb for a few hours of public sexual release. As a Navy SEAL, he’d taken more than his share of risks, but this baffled him. He must be getting old if he wasn’t willing to brave a few miles of slick roads in order to get laid.
Shaking his head in frustration, Nate made his way back upstairs. Closing himself in the office, Nate leaned against his desk and stared out the window. The wind had calmed down, and the scene outside the window reminded him of a nostalgic painting. The mountains in the background illuminated by a full moon were being teased by the falling snow. The snowplows and salt trucks would hit the roads soon, breaking up the blanket of white, but for now, everything remained pristine.
His phone vibrated on his desk, and Nate smiled when he saw who was calling. “Hello, Tobi, to what do I owe this unexpected pleasure?” Since she and Gracie, her partner in crime, had recently completed the project he’d contracted with them, he wondered what was important enough to have her calling this late. The specialty shops the two women set up on the club’s mezzanine level were so popular he’d already started plans for a future expansion.
“Hi, Master Nate, I’m calling because…well, because Kyle overheard Gracie and I talking about a book we read, and he thought you’d be interested in it.” Kyle wanted you to call and give me a fucking book report? Must be some book.
“Not sure I’m following, sweetness.” He’d learned it was wise to get as much information as possible when dealing with Tobi West. God knows she’ll sashay through any loophole you leave open for her.
“Darn Gracie for mentioning your name. I swear she was trying to get us in trouble.” Nate fought back his snort of laughter. He’d discovered it was best to listen closely because Tobi often revealed more than she intended when she talked to herself.
When she was quiet for several seconds, he inquired, “Tobi? The book?”
“Oh, yeah…sorry. It’s actually a series. I just emailed the links to you.” His laptop dinged behind him, signaling an incoming message. Opening the email, Nate clicked on the first link. He was stunned when he saw the book was an erotic romance novel. What the hell are those two up to now?
“Tobi, can you cut to the chase here? What makes you think I’d be interested in this?” Scanning the cover of the book, Nate started to wonder if Kyle hadn’t misunderstood the conversation he’d overheard.
“Maybe you should read the first book…well, when you get a chance. That might explain things. There were just a few things in the books that made us think the author might be someone you know.”
“Or someone who knows you.” Kyle’s chuckle from the background didn’t do anything for Nate’s growing sense of unease.
“I’ll let you go now. Sorry for the confusion. Just remember it wasn’t my idea to call. Kyle is just being a fuss budget.” If Tobi was trying to downplay this, it was definitely something he needed to check into.
Nate didn’t even try to hold back his laughter this time. “I’ve heard your husband called a lot of things, sweetness, but fuss budget was never one of them. Tell him I’ll check it out and get back with you.” After hanging up, Nate scrolled through the book’s description. The hair on the back of his neck started to tingle, but when the radio clipped to his leathers chirped, he closed his browser and made his way back downstairs.
Something about the author’s name kept dancing around in the back of his thoughts, but he couldn’t piece together why it sounded familiar. He heard one of the Dungeon Monitors call his name and headed his direction. He’d check the book later. If Kyle thinks it’s important, I’d better check it out.
Chapter Five
Caila leaned her forehead against the wall of the shower and closed her eyes. Maybe God will show me a little mercy, and when I open my eyes, I’ll be back home in Pine Creek. It baffled her how she always seemed to end up in these situations without even trying. She’d gotten the call from Brandt and left Texas. Then, when she’d needed to rest, she’d pulled over for a quick nap in a place she’d known was safe. But do you think all those carefully calculated steps bought her any favor with the Universe? Hell, no.
And the real irony? It was the safe place that had been her undoing. Taking a deep breath, Caila opened her eyes and groaned. So much for mercy.
There wasn’t a chance in hell she was staying at the club until the roads were cleared, not if she had to be locked in a room with Kip Morgan. The man affected her in ways she didn’t think the English language had words for. Damn, she hated how her body responded even when her heart was screaming no. It had taken her almost a month to stop crying herself to sleep every night, and it would take him less than an hour to unravel every inch of progress she’d made unless she was careful.
Kip Morgan was her kryptonite…he always had been, but he only wanted her when she was weak and vulnerable. She wasn’t a fool. Caila knew what she needed, and Kip couldn’t provide it…at least not long term. Oh, he could seduce her…he’d proven that the night of her eighteenth birthday party. She’d lost all sense of herself when he’d decided she belonged to him, even if their view of the time frame of his ownership had turned out to be vastly different.
She wasn’t blind. She’d seen the way women reacted to Kip. He was a pussy magnet, and she doubted there was an unmarried woman in a hundred-mile radius he hadn’t fucked blind. Kip Morgan was probably never going to be a one-woman man, and sharing wasn’t something she was interested in. Any fantasy she’d ever had involving a ménage had not included another woman, that’s for sure.
The bathroom was so filled with steam she couldn’t see the door, but she didn’t have to see him to know Kip was standing in the doorway watching her. Rinsing the shampoo from her hair, she smoothed the conditioner through the wet strands, hoping it would tame the curls, at least for a few hours. Leaning her head back to let the water sluice down her back, Caila felt the air shift around her. “You look like a water goddess, baby.”
