by Chelle Bliss
My head snapped up, forgetting all about the sex scene in front of me. I felt like a kid at Christmas. “Really?”
“Izzy and James got us a visitor’s pass. We’re only able to watch and can’t participate in any way.”
“That’s okay.” I leaped into his arms out of sheer excitement. “This is the best day I’ve had in a long, long time, baby.”
“I knew you were a freak, princess.”
“You did this to me.” I nuzzled my nose against his before peppering his face with kisses.
Izzy and James approached, and my mouth gaped open bigger than it had been before. Izzy had her collar on, which she never took off, but this time, there was a leash attached to it.
“What the what?” I whispered in Joe’s ear.
“Don’t ask. I’m going against everything I believe in to get you to see the club. Don’t remind me of what she looks like.”
“But she has a—”
“I know.” Joe turned with me still clinging to his body. My eyes fell back on the couple on the bed and the beast of a man still thrusting into her with Herculean effort.
“Sorry about this, Joe,” James said, unable to look him in the eye. “There are rules on that floor. Izzy’s my sub and has to either crawl at my side or be leashed.”
Joe’s jaw tightened. “Let’s not talk about it. We’re ready.”
I inched down Joe’s body and turned to face Izzy. She didn’t look like the scary, kick-ass girl I knew. She looked like a woman under the thumb of her Master and completely in love. I kind of envied her. She gave herself to James. I had given myself in a way to Joe, but he didn’t truly own me. Not in the same way James did Izzy.
* * *
I stared up and watched the fan as it rotated, casting shadows against the ceiling. My mind was still filled with the images from the club. It was everything I dreamed and more.
“Did you like tonight?” Joe asked from my side.
I turned and took in the beauty that was my husband. “I did. It was just so…” My voice trailed off because I couldn’t put into words exactly how I felt.
“I know.” He sighed and pulled my body closer. “Do you want to go there again?”
I bit my lip because the thought of it secretly gave me a thrill. But when I walked out of the doors at Hedonism, I said good-bye and knew I’d never step foot inside there again. “No. It was a fun night, but I don’t think it’s a place I could go again.”
He propped himself up on one arm and stared down at me, his eyebrows drawn downward. “Why? I could tell it turned you on.”
I swallowed down my momentary embarrassment because Joe knew I had a kinky side to me. “It’s just not my scene. I love reading about it, and seeing it once was amazing, but it’s not someplace I want to go on a regular basis. It’s not me, Joe.” My fingers found his face as I traced the line of his jaw. “It’s not us.”
“We can be anything we want. All I want is for you to be happy. I’ll do anything to make that happen.”
I smiled up at him, more in love than I think I ever had been. “I’d rather not go there. I can never be your sub. Although I like you being bossy in the bedroom and when we role-play, I’m not ready to have sex in front of strangers.”
“Thank fuck,” he groaned, smashing his lips into mine. “I don’t want to beat the fuck out of someone for staring at your body. I don’t know how James fucking does it.”
“Different strokes for different folks.” I giggled because I said stroke and instantly forgot my age. “Actually, I don’t want anyone to see your perfect body. I’m not into sharing you, love.”
He hovered above me, staring into my eyes with lust. “Although, I regret not following through on my plan now.”
“Tonight was perfect.” Though his plan—based on the items on the tray—would’ve been amazing, I realized sometimes things were better left imagined than realized.
“Are you sure? I can get James to get us back inside.”
I shook my head and looped my arms around his neck. “All I want is you. Nothing else. Nothing more.”
He smiled down at me with softened eyes. “How did your last appointment go? We haven’t had time to talk about it.”
“Really good. I know I was pissed when you wanted me to go talk with her, but she really helped.”
“I can tell she helped you with everything. It’s just nice to have my sugar back.”
“I was always here. Just a little lost for a while.”
He crawled between my legs, settling his body weight on top of me. “I’ll always be there to rescue you, my love. No matter what happens, I’ll be there to catch you when you fall.”
“I’d never expect anything less.” Wrapping my legs around his waist, I could feel his hardness against my middle. I kissed him, drowning in him for a little while.
Joe had tried to make my fantasies come true tonight. But the thing he hadn’t realized was I already lived them. The day I met him, everything in my life changed. Never did I imagine having a man like him and three beautiful children. Life was perfect. Months ago, I didn’t feel that way.
I’d felt like I was spiraling down a black abyss without an end and unable to have the happiness touch me. After many therapy sessions and lots of love from my husband, I felt like I was finally able to see the little joys in life.
My children were beautiful and healthy, my husband was as devoted and loving as ever, and I couldn’t ask for more.
Full House
Joe
“We’re here!” I yelled when we walked through the front door of my parents’ house on Sunday afternoon. Each hand held a baby carrier with sleeping bundles of joy, while Suzy walked hand in hand with Gigi.
“Gigi!” Lily screeched from the living room and came barreling into the foyer to usher her away.
Sundays had become harder the larger the family grew. Babies weren’t as portable as one would think. So instead of doing it every week, we’d changed to biweekly for the sake of our sanity.
“Let me take Ro,” Suzy said and grabbed her carrier from my hands just as Rose’s eyes opened.
“I’m going to put Lu down in the other room where it’s quiet so she can sleep a little longer.”
I headed to the den, which was now more like a nursery with the influx of babies in the family. If I didn’t know better, I’d think my mom put something in the sauce each week to have us reproducing at breakneck speed.
When I opened the door, James was sitting in the rocking chair, holding Trace—their newest addition—and feeding him a bottle. Izzy found out she was pregnant just after we announced the twins. I don’t know who she pissed off upstairs, but they gave her another boy. James was over the moon about it and Izzy was too, but she craved a girl so badly that I almost felt sorry for her. She deserved a girl—someone to drive her as crazy as she drove us—a cute little spitfire who matched her propensity for getting into trouble and stirring up a shitstorm
“Hey, buddy.” James smiled at me, giving me his familiar chin lift. “Was afraid I wouldn’t see you here today.”
“Why?” Placing Lu near the bed, I sat down and stared at her while I enjoyed the last moments of peace I’d probably have the entire day.
“Just thought you and Suzy would take the weekend to reconnect.”
I couldn’t hold in my laughter. “If we reconnected any more this weekend, my dick would probably snap clear off.”
“That good, huh? You guys going to come back?” He looked hopeful, but the thought of seeing my sister as his submissive again made me want to hurl.
“Suzy said she had a great time but it’s not her scene.”
“I get it. At least you gave it a shot.”
“I’d do anything for that woman.”
“Not to change the subject, but Thomas and I need to leave early today. We have some business to take care of before shit gets out of hand.”
My eyebrows shot up. “What’s up?”
James laid Trace on the bed behind me
, asleep and in a milk coma. “He asked me not to say, but I’ll tell you when we know more. Shit isn’t good, but hopefully we’re wrong.”
“Fuck,” I groaned and rubbed the back of my neck. “I thought things had been too damn quiet.”
“Don’t tell Suzy. They’ll all start talking and ask too many questions. It’s best to wait until they’re apart.”
“Gotcha.” Suddenly the smell of meatballs and sauce didn’t have my stomach churning out of hunger, but out of angst over what Thomas had to discuss.
I checked on Lu one last time before we closed the door behind us and headed into the living room. “Where are the ladies?” James asked as he took a seat on the couch next to Thomas.
“Kitchen.” Thomas pointed over his shoulder. “Did you tell him?” he whispered.
“Tell him what?” Izzy asked, walking back into the room so quietly that neither of them heard her.
“Nothing. Man shit, babe.” James tried to cover his tracks. “Some things are best as a surprise.”
Izzy wrapped her arms around his neck, standing with her chest to his back as she leaned over the couch. “Some of us don’t like surprises, Jimmy.” Her hands groped his chest through his shirt. “Especially me.”
James looked to me for the rescue, but I sat down across from him and kept my mouth shut. There was no way in hell I was getting involved and becoming the subject of Izzy’s questioning.
Thomas peered over his shoulder at Iz. “I need their help with something. Nothing major, sis. Just need a little muscle.”
“Uh-huh.” Izzy eyed him cautiously but let the subject drop. “Dinner will be ready in five.”
All the guys in the room stared at the television and waited for her to get out of earshot.
“You dumbass. You almost blew it.” Thomas elbowed James in the ribs.
James scrubbed his hand across his face. “Fuck, I didn’t hear her come up behind me.”
“No more talking about it. Just come when we call.” Thomas’s eyes scanned the room as he waited for silent acknowledgment of his statement from each of us. “I’ll give Morgan a heads-up since he couldn’t make it tonight.”
“How’s Morgan anyway?” I asked because I hadn’t seen him in weeks.
“Good, just busy with Race and the new business. Their weekends are sucked up with the track and getting everything working like a well-oiled machine.”
“Good for them,” Anthony finally joined the conversation after putting his phone down. “Max is going to have my balls when we meet for leaving her at night with the kids.”
“Want me to talk to her? You know she has a thing for me.” Mike laughed and flexed his muscles, kissing each bicep.
“Dinner!” Mia yelled from the kitchen and saved Mike from getting a punch in the face from Anthony.
“Lucky son of a bitch,” Anthony grumbled when he walked past Mike and headed toward the dining room.
Just as I was about to follow, I heard Lu start to wail from the den. Turning on my heels, I went to grab her before taking my seat.
“Hey, princess,” I said when I reached down into the carrier and scooped her into my arms. “Couldn’t wait ten more minutes for Daddy to have dinner?” She cooed and lifted her leg, her hands finding her feet and playing with her toes.
Suzy walked in, carrying a sleeping Ro in her arms. “We can swap them out. Let me just put her down and I’ll grab Lu from you.”
“Babe, I got her. You just relax at dinner and eat. I’ll hold her in my lap.”
Suzy gave me a lazy smile after she set the baby in the carrier. “Have I told you lately how much I love you?”
“Every day.” Moving to her side, I grabbed her hand and gave it a little squeeze before leading us into the dining room.
“Sal, we’re going to need a bigger house.” Mom gave Pop the eyes, which usually earned her anything she wanted, but typically, her requests were small.
“Someday, Mar. If these kids keep having babies like they’re trying to repopulate the world, we’ll have no choice but to get a bigger place.” Pop laughed before he scooped the biggest heap of pasta onto his plate.
Mom glanced around the table. “I think it needs to happen soon, because I think there’s going to be more Gallos.”
“Don’t look at me.” Izzy waved her hands wildly. “I’m getting fixed. Three boys are enough for me.”
“But you need a girl,” Ma replied.
“Nope.”
“We’re done too,” Max added and elbowed Anthony.
“Yep. No more.”
“Oh, there’s always room for more babies. More kids means more love.”
“You’ve been saying that forever, Ma. But more kids means more dirty diapers, sleepless nights, and sexless days.” Mike chuckled and gave Mia a side glance as she was cutting Lily’s meatball into tiny pieces.
“You’re a jerk.” Izzy smacked him in the arm. “Like you have ever changed a poopy diaper.”
I loved my brother, but the simple fact that changing a diaper made him weak in the knees made me question his manhood. You couldn’t legitimately call yourself a father unless you stepped up to the plate and took part in everything.
“Don’t listen to him. He’s so full of it. Literally,” Mia said and rolled her eyes. “The man has changed more than his share of diapers. He just likes to pretend like he’s too big of a man for that, but he’s been covered in crap.”
“We are trying to eat.” James gagged. “I have enough baby crap to wade through on a daily basis.”
“Ma seems to forget all the bad parts of being a mother since she wants us to have more babies.” Thomas pulled the bowl of meatballs in front of him, but he didn’t dare look at Ma. “She wants more, but she gets to pop in and out of their lives while we’re stuck with baby puke and volcanic poop.”
“You kids act like I didn’t go through this with all of you. I did, and it’s part of being a parent. I never complained when I would play with you and you’d puke on me. I didn’t whine when you crapped the bed.”
“That was Mike.” Thomas laughed and pointed at him.
“Eff you. I was sick.”
“Sure,” Anthony teased him, and Mike looked like he was about to jump over the table.
“It’s just what we do. If I didn’t go through all of the bad things, I wouldn’t be sitting here today with a table full of you and all the love I have in my life. I love your father, but if it were just him and me, I’d go crazy.”
“True,” Pop said and leaned over, kissing her cheek.
“When you’re older and your kids are grown, you’ll forget all the sleepless nights, dirty diapers, and other things that make most people cringe. You’ll be thankful to be surrounded by your kids and loved ones. So stop your complaining and eat.”
My head jerked back. Ma was a little tougher on us than she usually was, but I think it was only because she wanted more grandkids. If she had her way, we’d have double the amount than sat in this house.
I glanced over at Gigi and thought about Ma’s words. There wasn’t a day, no matter how rough it had been, that I ever regretted having her in my life. She meant the world to me. She was forever a tiny piece of Suzy and me walking this earth. We’d never be forgotten as long as she was around.
Change is in the Air
Suzy
Gigi took after her aunt Izzy more than me. Sometimes I looked at her and knew that the Gallo genes won out in my womb when she was created. She had their dark skin, warm brown hair, and attitude.
Ro and Lu, the twins, were an even mix of both of our families. They had sandy blond hair, light eyes, and ivory skin. I prayed every day they wouldn’t have the Gallo attitude, which often led to trouble.
“Mrs. Gallo, sorry I had to call you to the office today.” Sitting in the principal’s office, even as an adult, made me weak in the knees.
Even when I was a teacher, the very mention of a meeting in the principal’s office brought back memories of my childhood and being scolded for m
y behavior.
“I completely understand, Ms. Wisen. What did Gigi do to warrant this meeting?”
“Would you like to wait for your husband?” she asked.
The woman looked like she’d be a hard-nosed principal, but I didn’t think that could be the case for any elementary school administrator. You couldn’t surround yourself with the smallest, innocent creatures and not have a warm heart. Even though she was dressed in a dark suit, she had on colorful rubber bracelets for various school fundraisers from the school year.
“He couldn’t get away from work. It’s just me today.” I’d been here before. Gigi had been in trouble on other occasions, typically for using profanity she learned from the Gallos. They had loose tongues, and kids were quick to mimic the language of those around them.
“Ahh, he’s a tattoo artist, right?” Her nose wrinkled.
“He’s a business owner, yes.” I glared at her, feeling disgust at her presumption about him based on his artistic profession.
“Well, there was an incident this morning that has many teachers concerned here at Spring Elementary.”
I fidgeted with my hands and tried to remain calm. I’d been in this office for more nonsense than I ever imagined possible. “What kind of incident?”
Gigi was a good kid. She did have some of her aunt in her personality, but she was never malicious or cruel. It was starting to feel like a witch-hunt and Gigi was the target.
“She told a boy that he was only hers and then tried to kiss him.”
I smiled, unable to hide it, because she sounded like her father and me. The apple didn’t fall far from the tree. Actually, she sounded like every Gallo with those words. She’d heard them many times growing up.
“Is this funny, Mrs. Gallo?” Ms. Wisen sneered at me with disgust.
“She’s just a kid. It’s cute that she has a crush.”
Wisen needed to lighten up. She probably hadn’t been laid since Bill Clinton was in the White House. Kids did stuff like this all the time. I remember cornering my first crush and giving him a kiss, probably against his will since boys often thought girls were gross until puberty kicked in.
She clasped her hands on the desk in front of her. “It borders on sexual harassment.”
My mouth fell open at the ridiculousness of it all. “You can’t be serious. They’re children.”
“This is how it starts. It’s a slippery slope from here.”
I rolled my eyes. “Ms. Wisen, I’ll speak with Gigi about not touching others, especially kissing them. She won’t do it again, but in no way is it sexual harassment.”
“We have a very strict no-touching policy here at Spring.”
