by Ava May
She found she loved to be blindfolded, but hated any other sort of sensory deprivation. He’d found that her hands bound by cloth were much more of a turn on than when she was cuffed. He liked her trimmed close and not shaved, and she liked him manscaped. She loved giving him blowjobs when in a scene and he didn’t like rimming.
It was an exploration that when above and beyond who they were to each other, or even their bond in or out of the office. Some days, it was just them, the kink fading deep into the background, and some days, she came into his house itchy and ready to be taken hard, in any way her Dom saw fit.
Melissa pressed the inside of her wrist, where a bruise was just healing up. The little throb when she pressed inward reminded her of how much her Dom cherished her, and that was something to be celebrated.
“What’s new, Chicken?” Cathy asked one afternoon when Glenn was off and it was just the two of them. They’d lost an office manager to an interstate move and the billing person, a nerdy college guy named Frank, wouldn’t be in until the weekend.
“Not much,” Melissa replied. “What about with you?”
“I’m seeing this guy. Ray, he plays rugby on the weekends. He’s English. You know how that is.”
Did she? How could she? Melissa had never dated anyone English.
“How is it?” she asked.
“Oh, he’s a little aggressive, a little too caveman for me. Every guy seems to think he needs to prove something because of the book and movie thing. You know the one I mean?”
Melissa nodded. So, this wasn’t a British thing, was it? Then how could Melissa know? She yanked her sleeve down, covering her wrist, and Cathy’s eyes knowingly tracked her movements. Shit. This wasn’t good at all.
“Who is he?” Cathy asked, looking concerned, motherly almost.
“Who?”
“The man who hurts you.”
“I’m not hurt. We just like it a little rough sometimes.” What else could she say? “It is totally consensual.”
“Are you sure?”
“Positive.” Melissa bit her lip. “It’s a guy I’ve been seeing. My friends and I ran into him at a club. He works downtown.”
“And yet he never picks you up or visits you here.”
“He’s busy,” Melissa replied, knowing how lame that sounded. “I promise, he’s okay. And hey, if it all works out, I’ll bring him to the Christmas party.”
“I’d like that,” Cathy replied.
“So what is it about Ray,” Melissa pressed. “Do you not like what he does, or is he going too far, or what exactly.”
“He’s just a little too rough. He thinks I like it harder than I do.” She gave Melissa a thin smile, and Melissa realized she’d have to proceed with caution. “I’m not being hurt, I’m just uncomfortable after sex because he goes so hard and fast.”
“You should tell him.”
“Maybe I will.” Cathy pulled in a deep breath and Melissa sensed that the conversation was done for now. “You know, I think Doctor Glenn is seeing someone pretty seriously.”
“You do?” Melissa asked, watching her friend’s face for any confirmation that she knew who he was seeing. “Why do you say that?”
“He looks happy,” Cathy explained, motioning toward the back of the building, where Glenn’s office was. “And he’s humming. I think he’s seeing someone and that person, whoever she is, is a pretty lucky lady. A doctor and a gorgeous one to boot. You know, in the movies and on TV there are always guys like McDreamy from Grey’s Anatomy, and not Doctor Neil with his thinning hair and very unfortunate nose.”
“Doctor Neil is a dentist.”
“Close cousin to a doctor,” Cathy said with a shrug and a laugh. “Look at this, we’re all seeing people. It’s like an office first, isn’t it?”
“Frank’s seeing someone?” Melissa asked.
“A little nerdy girl, just like him. See, there’s someone for everybody. What do you think Doc’s lady is like. And where did he meet her. Think maybe she’s one of our patients?” Cathy drummed her fingernails on the desk, and Melissa had the sense that if she could, she’d start running down the list of potential patient booty calls for Glenn. Which was not good. At all.
“That would be unethical, and Doctor Glenn is anything but.” God, did Melissa have to sound so uppity. She would have rolled her eyes at herself, but Cathy was doing the same.
“Some day, Doc is going to come off the pedestal you have him on,” Cathy said gently. “I hope it isn’t a hard or a painful fall from grace.”
“Me too.”
Glenn looked at the text message, and couldn’t stop the uncomfortable feeling in his stomach. It was from Melissa and had come in two hours after he’d arrived home after a visit to his family. He’d wanted to bring her along, but they couldn’t let the office be understaffed.
He’d have to make some arrangements soon, because he and Melissa were here to stay, and he had no intention of changing that. She was a hell of a woman, tolerant of his moods, gentle with him when she needed to be and firm when she needed to be. They’d found a happy balance of leaving their lifestyle at the club, while being equals on their other off work hours. It was the best way for them to have a healthy relationship. Glenn wanted to take it to the next level, to bring her into the family scene, to see if she could manage to get along with his three kid brothers and their wives, to see how she treated his parents.
He’d met her mother several times, but Melissa didn’t like exposing him to that part of her life. And that was just the word she’d used. Exposed. As if he hadn’t been round heavy drinkers before. Her mother drank more than she did anything, including cleaning or being involved in her daughter’s life, and Glenn wanted more for Melissa. He wanted her to move in with him. He wanted them to take it to the next level.
Glenn read the text message again. Message when you get in. We have to talk.
“We have to talk” was never a good phrase, in his experience, but he thought that he and Melissa were rock solid. There had been a little bit of a whirlwind to begin with, but they’d settled in to what he thought was a great routine of dinner at his place a couple of times a week, followed by TV or reading, and a couple nights at the club every week. They’d explored each other in and out of bed, and Glenn couldn’t be happier with Melissa.
I’m home, he texted back. You coming over?
Give me ten.
She wasn’t at home then. Her place to his was twenty in no traffic. She’d known when he’d been returning home and though she didn’t have a key yet, she could have sat in the lobby of his building until he arrived home. He needed to work on getting her a key, as long as this wasn’t a goodbye moment.
A goodbye moment? What the hell was he thinking?
Glenn paced around his apartment, trying to settle his emotions, trying to make sense of what might be going on. He knew he hadn’t misread the situation; she cared about him as much as he did about her. He’d banished Melissa’s self image situation weeks ago, and she seemed not only more confident, but more comfortable in her skin. They had to figure out the work situation, but that would work itself out in time; he was sure of it.
By the time Melissa knocked on his door, Glenn had worked himself into a panic and when he saw the expression on his face, he had to work to keep himself calm. What was it? Her mother? The office? Cathy? Frank? What had happened?
“Hi,” he said to her, pushing his panic aside. Shoving his feelings down was part of his dominance and it served him well here. When she hesitated, he led her into his condo, pulling her into a hug.
She wrapped her arms around him and sank into his embrace, her head settling on his shoulder. Okay, they were okay. He could breathe, even if it was in short, shallow breaths.
“Are you okay?” he asked, feeling foolish. It was pretty damn clear that she wasn’t.
“No,” she said, pulling back and cupping his cheek. “Glenn, honey we have to talk.”
“Okay…” He followed her into the kitchen.
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She sat down, reaching into her purse and bringing something out, a tissue wrapped package that looked vaguely tongue depressor shaped. She took a paper towel from the rack in the center of the kitchen table and put the bundle on it.
“I haven’t been feeling well for the last couple of weeks. It was nothing I could put my finger on...Can you please sit down? You’re intimidating me.”
“Sorry.” He started to sit beside her and then thought the better of it, taking a seat in the chair across from hers.
“Thanks.” She gave him a smile and it was a glimpse of his beautiful Melissa again, though he had the distinct idea that whatever she had to say was going to be a game changer for them both.
“I took my temperature, and I was fine, and there have been no outbreaks of any strange diseases that we need to worry about. Turns out that the easiest solution is what it is.”
“What?” he asked, resisting every urge to grab the package and open it.
“Glenn, I’m—we’re—pregnant. It must have happened that first night when we didn’t use anything.” She unwrapped the bundle and he looked at the pink lines, strong and decisive. She was pregnant. They were expecting.
“Wow,” he finally managed, tears pricking his eyes.
“What does that mean?” she asked, her voice trembling, eyes glistening with tears that threatened to fall.
“Knees,” he said hoarsely and her eyes widened. They didn’t do scenes at home, and this would be the exception, but he had to be sure.
He had to be positive this was real.
“Hands behind your back,” he instructed his own tears flowing. “Eyes on me.”
“Yes, Sir.” The uncertainty in her voice underscored her confusion, but she did as he said. And that was the beauty between them, the bond he knew would take them far, in and out of the scene.
“The safe word is no, Melissa. Do you understand?”
“Yes, Sir.”
“Melissa, will you marry me?”
“Yes, Sir!” She jumped up and into his arms and made Glenn the happiest man in creation.
THE END
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Dr. Stepbrother
Ava May
In Love with Dr. Stepbrother
Chapter 1
As far as emergency room visits went, this one hadn't been too bad. Chris knew; she spent a fair amount of time here. Between her job and sports activities, injuries happened often. Today, no irate family members shouted at each other, no patients argued loudly with the staff, no crying children tugged her heart strings. A relatively peaceful place to spend a Thursday afternoon. If only her ankle wasn't screaming in pain.
Think of something fun. Like how good it felt running with that football, right before she got tackled.
The curtain to the cubicle where she sat was suddenly whisked back and… holy moly! A cuter-than-shit man in scrubs stood in front of her. He looked at her briefly, then looked down at a file.
"What seems to be the problem today?"
Cute, but kind of dumb. If he'd look up for a second, he'd see the ice bag on her leg propped on the table.
"I hurt my ankle. I think it's just sprained, but my boss wanted me to get an x-ray before I go back to work."
"What kind of work do you do?" Still looking down at the paper.
Crabby too. "I'm a mechanic." That got him to look at her.
"You did this at work?"
"No, I was on break, playing football…"
Now she had his full attention.
"You play football?" His eyes widened and maybe she imagined it, but she could swear she heard a note of disdain in his voice.
Chris bit her tongue, wanting to give this arrogant man a piece of her mind. She hurt, she was missing work, and the smell of hospital disinfectant had started a colossal headache. But she always tried to be polite to everyone, no matter how much they annoyed her.
"Yeah, me and some of the guys at the auto dealer where I work have a team. We practice sometimes, on break."
"You play football with men?"
"Yes, little old me plays football with men. I don't think I'm going to get crushed, do you?"
Now he took a moment to actually look at her. So far, he hadn't made any mention of her being a plus-size woman. Points to him for that. Too busy being amazed that a girl played a boy's sport, probably. A hint of a smile crossed his lips, then disappeared. And was that a trace of heat in his eyes?
"No, I suppose not. But you should be more careful." He flipped through the chart. "The x-rays don't show a break, so you've just sprained it. Get an ankle brace, keep it iced tonight. I'll prescribe an anti-inflammatory and pain pills. I can give you one right now. Do you have someone to drive you home? A husband? Wife?"
Oh, no he did not. "A wife? You assume I'm gay because I'm big, have short hair and don't wear makeup?"
"And play football."
WTF? Where did this guy learn his bedside manner?
"Yeah, and play football. I like to fuck men, okay? That's right, I cuss too. And no, I'll be driving myself home, so just give the scripts and let me out of here."
She swung her leg off the table and tried to stand. He grabbed her shoulders and stopped her. She pushed him away, the tears she'd fought since her injury threatening to spill.
"I'll get an aide and a wheelchair. Hospital policy. Don't hurt yourself further on the way out."
With a final disapproving frown, he let her go. Even through the haze of pain and anger, she admired the way his ass filled out his scrubs as he walked away.
****
"A sprained ankle? You sprained your ankle the day before our big weekend? Christina, how many times have I asked you to be careful?"
"Calm down, Mom. I can still walk. It's not even a sprain really, more like a strain. It's braced, doesn't hurt, and I have pain pills. No biggie."
"But you won't be able to wear the shoes that go with the dress I bought you."
Oh darn. Chris threw her purse on a chair, turning her head to hide a smile. Her mom was freaking out enough about her upcoming wedding. No need to irritate her further. Amanda had planned this weekend event for months and wanted everything to be perfect. Which, for Chris, would mean not having to put on the frilly, fuchsia monstrosity that now lay on her bed. Or the matching stilts her mom called shoes.
"I've got that navy pant suit, and flats to go with it. I'll just wear that."
"That outfit is terribly out of style. Anyway, I wanted all of us women to match. Robert sent me a picture of Lila trying on her dress. She looks adorable."
A quick pain nudged Chris's heart, but she let it go. She'd long ago come to accept, she wasn't the cute, petite little girl her mother always wanted. Maybe Lila, her nine year old soon-to-be stepsister, would fill that role, and let Amanda dress her like a doll.
Chris put her hand on Amanda's shoulder. "The important thing is, we'll all finally get to meet each other and spend time together. Robert's son is still set to be there too, right?"
The frown shifted to a smile. "Yes. He's all moved in with Robert. Such a nice boy, to leave his medical practice and move here to Maplewood, to be with his dad. I sure wish you would reconsider moving in with us too."
Chris rolled her eyes. Staying with her mother was temporary, until she figured out her next step in life. She'd have to leave the family house once it sold, but she'd figure out another place to stay. No way would she move in with the happy honeymooners and son. Lila seemed like fun, but she spent most of her time living with her mother. Quick, change the subject.
"You might not want to call him a boy, to his face anyway.
Isn't he in his mid-thirties?"
"Yes, he is, but he's still a boy to me."
"Mom," Chris sat on the bed. She'd lied slightly. Her ankle still hurt like hell but she wouldn't take the pain pills till later that night. "Are you sure this is smart? You're marrying a man whose physical condition could get worse, and he's got two kids, from two marriages. Doesn't that seem like kind of a, well, a loser?"
"Certainly not. Robert is a wonderful man. Two marriages, that means nothing these days. Third time's the charm, anyway."
Amanda sat next to Chris and ran her hand over the lace on the ridiculous dress. "He's got enough money to hire full-time care, if we need it. Multiple Sclerosis affects everyone differently. I have health problems too. Arthritis in my knees, my eyes are getting worse every year; everyone has some issues. We'll have plenty of time to enjoy our life together."
"So why is, what's his son's name, Ben, why is Ben coming here to live?"
"I told you, he's concerned about his father and wants to make sure he's getting the best care. He has connections in the medical community. I'm not able to do a lot of heavy lifting, so Ben can take care of that, if needed."
"But Mom…"
"Honey, we love each other and that's all that matters." She patted Chris's hand. "Go find that pant suit. Let me see if I can at least dress it up with some of my jewelry. We need to get finished packing and head out to The Regency Hotel in two hours."
Chapter 2
Holy crap! Chris's jaw dropped when she stepped out of the car and took in the enormity of The Regency. A long-ago trip to Disney World and Cinderella Castle came to mind as she gazed at the building. Rather, a complex of buildings. She handed the keys to the valet, barely able to look away. She'd seen pictures of the hotel on the Internet but here in person, it was so much bigger. So much more…over the top totally ridiculous.
