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  Cole’s left eyebrow rose slowly. “Must be some plans in your head right about now.”

  “We need a place where the world falls away.” There was the boat. The boat Rori loved to sail. The boat that had a lovely bedroom chock full of toys. A boat Zach had built and turned into their getaway.

  Jude paused. And there was Zach again. Impossibly far away, and yet always so close. “I feel like a total asshole, but I want to move into a place of our own.” He’d blurted it, needing to just say it so fast he couldn’t change his mind.

  Again, Cole took his measure. “Can’t say as I blame you. It’d be hard…to live where they lived. To try to make memories where hers and his were first. Will always be first.”

  “I can’t expect her to pretend he never existed. I think of him all the time too.”

  “I don’t think I’d agree that wanting a house of your own with her is you asking her to pretend he never existed. Have you talked to her about it?”

  “When we first got together earlier this year, we decided to stay in the house but move bedrooms. I thought I could deal with it and the economy sucks and all so it would be better to wait.”

  “How’s that working out for you?” Cole snorted and sipped his coffee.

  Smartass.

  “She’s had a lot to deal with in the last nearly two years. Can I ask her to marry me and move out of her own home because I can’t deal with her dead husband’s memories? What kind of dick does that?”

  Cole waved lazily, leaning back into the booth’s squeaky upholstery. “You’re not even giving her a chance. You haven’t brought it up. It’s a reasonable thing to want your own home. A reasonable thing to bring up these concerns to the woman you plan to marry. Rori is a smart, together woman and she loves you.”

  “I just… He was my friend too. I miss him. Which sounds so fucked up given that I’m with his wife now and I loved her before. But it’s true. He was like a brother to me. They were good together. I admired that. Admired how he was with her. Envied it too, I suppose.” Jude had learned a lot about dominating a woman, about how to bring it into a relationship and keep an eye on the balance of power, from Zach.

  He took a bite, chewed as he thought. “But she’s mine now and I’m not going backward.”

  “This is going to sound harsh, but take it in the sprit I deliver it. She’s not his wife anymore. He is dead. She is yours. You said it yourself.” Cole looked around as he leaned in. “He’d be the first guy to tell you to own her fully. To thank your ass and little green apples that you’ve got a woman like her giving herself to you.”

  Jude smiled. “Yeah.”

  Chapter Four

  The drive was nice. Long, but not too long. Just the two of them in the truck, Rori humming and commenting on the scenery, feeding him snacks here and there. Each mile they passed between Oakley and Highlands, NC relaxed Jude more and more.

  The roads were in good shape, though as they rose in elevation, they hit a few scattered snow flurries. He loved the light in her eyes, the wonder she didn’t hide as they traveled.

  “I’m glad it’s cold. This way you’ll be in sweaters the whole time.”

  “I brought the tight, thin ones so you can see my nipple rings.” Her murmured response sent a shiver up his spine.

  Oh yes, that too.

  That she put thought into ways to please him the way she did never ceased to amaze him. Fill him with a dizzying lust even as his love for her grew. She was that to him. Softness with an edge. Refuge and incitement. Everything he never knew he needed but would be lost without now that he had it.

  The resort loomed ahead, at the top of the mountain, looking very much like a scene from a postcard. Even better, she leaned forward in her seat, eyes widened, hands clasped at her heart, smile as wide as Texas on her face.

  “It’s perfect. Oh, Jude, thank you.” She turned to him as he keyed off the ignition once they’d parked. Because there was simply nothing else he could do, he leaned in and took her mouth, his palm sliding around the back of her neck to hold her to him.

  Her sweetness burst through his system. “I love you.” He pressed one last kiss to her brow and headed to get her door and get them checked in.

  ***

  Their cabin was indeed isolated, though they all were. The windows faced the valley below. Nothing but sky and trees. The last bit of any stress he’d had fell away as he dropped their bags and turned to take the place in.

  Naked beams. He smiled and slid his gaze to her, finding her looking at them too, a flush on her cheeks.

  In two steps he was pressing himself to her body, leaning to speak in a hoarse whisper, his mouth against the sensitive shell of her ear. “Does that make you wet?” He circled her, noting her shiver and the hitch of her breath. “I’m going to have you right there. Arms above your head, bound up for my pleasure.”

  She swallowed hard and met his gaze. “Yes.”

  He hummed, the electricity between them licking his skin, igniting the need never far from the surface.

  “Please.”

  It was a whisper but every cell in his body stood at attention, ready to serve her, to bring her anything she wanted.

  “Baby, I promise I’ve got lots in store for you. First things first. Out of your traveling clothes. You know what I like. I’m going to build a fire to get the room warmed up.”

  She tiptoed up to brush her lips along his before she moved away to change.

  Rori’s hands trembled just a bit, as she pulled her boots off, followed by her jeans and the hoodie she’d worn to keep warm on the drive up. He liked her breasts free. So that’s how she kept them at home and that’s definitely how she’d be high up in the mountains, far away from intrusions and interruptions.

  Anticipation raised gooseflesh as she changed into the thin, pale sweater that hugged her boobs just right. The deep vee exposed the curves of each breast and when she leaned just right, he’d get a glimpse of her nipple and the ring.

  Knowing she’d be on display just for him always made her hot. She changed into a loose, thigh length skirt, another thing he liked because it gave him access to her pussy at all times. She left on the panties, his favorite kind. Barely there, sheer with side ties.

  She tied her hair up and back and headed into the main room to watch and objectify him while he built the fire.

  There he was, on his knees in a pair of faded blue jeans, T-shirt riding up a bit in the back, enough to see a slice of golden-brown skin she knew would be warm and taut, muscled.

  His shoulders rippled as he moved the logs and she leaned back against the chair, just taking him in. So masculine. Handsome to the point of nearly being pretty. His wheat-blond hair always just a bit too long. But long enough to drag her fingers through. Thick and soft. Enough to grab to haul him closer when they kissed, or to urge him higher as he kissed the back of her knees.

  He moved with a predator’s grace. Strong and sure. Watching him build that fire was the very definition of masculine. She exhaled slowly, letting the desire to take a big bite out of him wash through her system.

  He turned and locked his gaze on her. The light from the flames cast him even sexier than usual as shadows played over his features. “Darlin’, when you look at me like that it gets me all tangled up inside.”

  She hummed her pleasure as she moved to him, reveling in the way his gaze ate her up as she did. His lids dropped halfway and he got to his knees, facing her.

  His hands on her calves were warm, pausing to knead or to leave the ghost of a caress as he moved them upward, under the skirt. He tipped his head back to look up into her face. So handsome and sexy her breath hitched and her hips jutted forward.

  “Good.” Her breath caught again as he dragged his short, blunt-tipped nails up her thighs. “I’d hate to be alone.”

  A smile from him and then he bent his head, pushing the hem of her sweater up with his nose to expose her skin. His mouth, hot and open against the flesh of her belly brought a groan from deep. />
  She grabbed his shoulders as her knees buckled slightly when he nipped at her navel and laved the sting.

  His fingertips brushed over the material of her panties, a breath of a touch.

  Her scent hung in the air and he didn’t bother resisting the urge to bend a little and press his face against her pussy. His groan was an echo of hers as he held her to him.

  Perfect.

  He breathed over her, knowing the air would stimulate her but not enough. And then he stood.

  Her pupils were large, dark against the color, lids at half-mast and the way she held her mouth told him she was letting herself fall into her submission.

  He kissed her neck and the sound she made ricocheted through him. The hollow below her ear. The corner of her jaw and then that mouth.

  “I want you to undress and then get me the toy bag.” He stepped back to get his head together, dragging his fingers over his cock through the denim.

  She let the skirt fall to her feet and then peeled her sweater off. Letting him see her in nothing but the panties she knew were his favorite. A few heartbeats later she shimmied from them too and bent, her breasts swaying, the stones in the nipple rings she wore catching the firelight.

  She put her things on a nearby chair and then brought him the bag.

  In her view, as she stood with her hands at the small of her back, he brought out the new crop he’d picked up on his trip to Dallas. She made a sound then, a soft, yearning plea and he looked up to her, loving the raw desire on her face. Knowing she wanted the things he did, that she got off on this as much as he did. This path was not just his or not only hers, but theirs.

  “I can’t wait to see what your ass looks like with the marks this will give you on it.” In fact… He walked to the foot of the bed and sat. Perfect height.

  She watched him, her nipples dark and hard, her breath ragged.

  “You know what I want you to do.”

  She lay over his lap, placing herself just so, right so that her ass pitched up enough to give the perfect vibrations up to her cunt. Her hands lay flat on the floor.

  He dragged the tip of the crop over her ass, back and forth. Softly caressing her until she relaxed. The creak of the leather handle and then the sound of the whick of air being split as the crop swung brought a gasp from her lips at the same time he tasted his own.

  His cock throbbed as she squirmed in his lap.

  The first strike, it was the sound that brought her moan. The burn was dull, barely even a sting. That would come, though, she knew. Anticipated that stew of chemicals he’d wring from her as he played her body like a master.

  At the second crack of leather against flesh, the dull burn was replaced by a bloom of heat. A sharp sting that brought her intake of breath.

  Her skin was hyper-sensitive to each touch. Each time he brought the crop down against her skin she fell deeper into the velvet of subspace. He shifted, abrading her nipples with denim. She swallowed hard, letting her body take over as he built her climax up.

  She knew he’d be looking at her skin, pink with her flush of desire, darker pink where he’d brought the crop down. Hard. Not too hard to really harm, but hard enough to bring a sting and some heat. Stripes on her skin, the contrast with her normal skin tone would incite him.

  Knowing that, feeling the steel-hard ridge of his cock against her hip, only made her wetter, hotter, nearly mindless with need.

  He shifted again to blow across her inflamed skin.

  “So beautiful. Your skin is so pretty and pink. I’m going to fuck you from behind. Just so I can look at your ass while my cock is deep inside your cunt. Just so I can see the new tattoo. Because I like how deep I can get that way.”

  She nodded against him. Wordless.

  “Up on the bed. I want your hands on the headboard. Don’t let go. “

  Her movements were less than perfectly graceful as she got up on the bed. He looked imposing there, his face in hard lines, desire taut. The air was warm. She knew he’d made it that way on purpose. So she’d be comfortable naked.

  Right then all she could do was think about how he still had his clothes on. She wanted him inside her like he’d just described. Wanted to feel the bristle of the hair on his thighs against her skin where he’d used the crop.

  His smile and the light in his eyes told he her had his own plans and he’d get to it when he was good and ready. Which only made her hotter for him.

  Her fingers dug into the headboard as she watched the way he reached down and pulled his shirt up and over his head. Whoo boy.

  “Before I fuck you, I’m going to eat your pussy. Take the edge off a little.”

  Beyond words, her brain managed a wheeee!

  He got on the bed behind her. “I can see how wet you are.” His knuckles brushed against her clit, sending dizzying little waves of pleasure through her body.

  “You’re slick and wet, shiny with your juices.” He said this with his lips against that crease where the cheek of her ass met her thigh. “Dark and swollen. Ready for my cock. Spread wider.”

  Rori inched her knees wider and nearly screamed when he took a long lick from her asshole to her clit.

  Over and over, he took long, wet licks through her cunt, over each fold and into each dip. He knew each and every spot, just how hard or soft she liked it. And he used it to ravish her. To devastate her with the build-up of so much pleasure she wasn’t sure she could withstand it.

  She rocked forward and back to meet his mouth until he stilled her with a firm hold, his fingers spread wide over her thighs. Holding her open and just where he wanted.

  There was no hiding from it, from the intensity of sensation drowning her. Instead, she embraced it, leapt into it and opened up to an orgasm that felt as if her entire body exploded apart and welded back together in his arms as he lowered her to the bed, careful to keep her on her belly.

  “Wow,” she managed to mutter around a tongue that felt like a bag of sand.

  He laughed, wrapping himself around her, trailing kisses along her shoulder. When she got the feeling in her legs again, she’d go for that belt buckle.

  “I think we should take a walk. The room even came with two walking sticks.”

  “I think we should have more sex.”

  He nipped her shoulder, making her hiss and then shiver. “We will, greedy. When I’m ready. You’ll need to recover because I plan to fuck you so hard it makes that slapping sound you like so much.”

  Ohgod, she loved when he thrust so hard her tits bounced and his skin meeting hers actually made a slap. Loved the raw edge of his control.

  She smiled, her face buried in the blankets. The bed rustled as he rolled from it and she turned, enjoying the cool of the comforter against the heat on her ass.

  Damn he was easy to look at.

  A smile hinted at the corners of his mouth. “What you thinking about, darlin’? Should I be worried?”

  Love filled her, blurring her vision for a brief moment. She moved to him and straight into his embrace. His heart beat steady against the ear she pressed to his chest.

  “Just about how awesome this trip is. And about how much I love you.”

  “I was just thinking the same thing.”

  “I suppose I can let you draw me out into the cold. A walk does sound good and maybe the cold will soothe my ass. Will it be all right to leave with a fire going?”

  “I don’t plan a big long walk. There’s just a path here.” He pointed to the map of the resort. “Maybe ten minutes? We won’t even be totally out of sight. The wood isn’t popping or anything.”

  He brought the rest of the bags in while she got dressed in warm clothing and surprised her by handing her a brightly wrapped package.

  “I think this might come in handy.”

  “You spoil me.” She grinned as the tore the pretty wrapping away and found a soft cashmere scarf, cap and pair of gloves.

  “I was born to spoil you. It’s my job.” He put on his own gloves and a cowboy hat th
at only made her more reticent to leave the cabin, he looked so delicious.

  Chapter Five

  The trail near their cabin was quiet but for the crunch of gravel beneath their feet. Snow fell on and off in delicate flurries. Enough to cling to Rori’s hair, spun gold with icy white.

  Her cheeks were rosy, eyes bright as she took in the scenery. Her hand fit in his just right. It was just the two of them, far away from all responsibility. It felt damned good.

  “We need to do this more often. Get away from Oakley and our friends and family.” That she said it first surprised him. “I think we need it. The time alone.”

  They kept walking, occasionally halting for her to take a picture or two. The silence between them was easy.

  “I think so too.”

  They stopped at an overlook where he dusted the seat of the pretty bench for them to sit and take in the view. The light was fading and they’d need to go back soon.

  She eased to sit and his cock stirred back to life as he remembered the sounds she’d made while he used the crop.

  “You okay?”

  She turned to him, smiling, head tilted. “You mean my ass?” She laughed. “Yes. The sting is gone. You never really hurt me, Jude.” The meat of her thumb slid over the scruff of his beard.

  “I never mean to. I know I did once.”

  She sighed. “You love me. Take care of me. That you were a giant dick once when we dated isn’t part of what we have now except that I know the sweetness in you I only suspected you had then.” She looked down at their hands, clasped and resting on her thigh. “You waited for me.”

  He’d waited for her for years and now she was his. He wondered if there’d be a time when he simply took it for granted and hoped there never was. Hoped he never lost that sense of joy and holy shit I’m a lucky man in his step.

  “I don’t deserve you, but I sure as hell don’t plan to give you back.” He kissed her, harder than he’d planned to, to underline that. “I’d have waited a lifetime for you,” he gasped when he broke away.