by Hélène Soper
The connection between Avery and Cassie shined brightly in their faces when they looked at each other. Unconditional love and trust flowed effortlessly between them. Luc missed being surrounded by that gift. He counted his blessings he had experienced that depth of love once in his life. Would it be selfish to ask the universe for another chance to experience that completeness, that bond with another person that supersedes all others, that place where acceptance of all of who he was freed him to breathe in everything life had to offer? The prospect of spending another five years going through the motions, separate from the surrounding world, scared the shit out of him. Maybe that was a good thing. He had expertly contained his emotions in a walled-up fortress he wasn’t sure anyone could penetrate. But, these two had him wanting to try. That was something.
Luc’s eyes locked with Avery’s long before he was within speaking distance. His mouth watered in anticipation of tasting her again. Her mom’s elbow jabbed into Avery’s side as she whispered into her ear. Color bloomed in Avery’s face, flushing deeper shades of red the closer he neared.
“Well, well. Luc Christianson. It’s been ages since we’ve seen you.” Avery’s mother, Sheilagh Lewis, eagerly embraced Luc like a long-lost son before he had a chance to properly welcome Avery. “My, what a handsome man you’ve grown into.” Avery’s father just shook his head as Luc kissed both of Sheilagh’s cheeks. “And so gallant too.”
Luc, ever the gentleman, ramped up the charm with a broad smile and said, “Mrs. Lewis, you’re as lovely as I remember.” He offered his hand to Avery’s father. “Mr. Lewis, welcome to Sky Hill. So glad you could join Avery and Cassie.”
Avery’s father met Luc’s hand and gave it a vigorous pump. “Looks like you have a perfect day today, Luc. Is your father here too?”
“He sure is. I think he’s still inside but will be out here any minute. Can I get you all a glass of wine?”
Luc took wine orders from her parents and quickly moved to where Avery stood. Before she could say or do anything, he took her elbow and pulled her close until daylight couldn’t slip between them, bent down, and whispered in her ear. “I’m so glad you came today. You look beautiful.”
She smelled divine. His lips brushed the soft spot behind her ear he knew would send shivers through her body. He couldn’t help himself. Considering it was ninety degrees Fahrenheit and blazing sunshine, her visible tremble couldn’t be mistaken for chills. He was grateful he could elicit that kind of reaction from her despite how wooden her muscles felt in his hands. He had some work to do.
Luc cautiously looked at Cassie then to Avery for approval. He understood the significance of meeting her daughter. Avery hesitated for a split second but acquiesced and gave a small nod. Relief surged through Luc. He wanted to show Avery with both his words and actions that both she and Cassie were safe with him. He could be their foundation. Someone Avery could count on for support. Someone she could trust with everything she was, including her daughter. He bent down to be on eye level with Cassie and gently took her hand in his. “Hi, Cassie. I’m Luc. I’m a friend of your mom’s and Uncle Gryff’s. Did you know that we all went to school together when we were kids?”
“Really? That must have been a hundred years ago!”
“Now, now, sweet pea, we’re not that old.” Everyone had a good chuckle at the precocious little girl’s genuine astonishment.
“Nice to meet you, Luc,” she spun to Gryff and in the same breath said, “can we go bounce now?”
Cassie and Gryff headed off toward the bouncy castle, hand in hand. Avery’s parents followed the pair. Luc offered Avery a glass of wine and noticed a fine tremor in her arm as she took the stem from his hand.
“Thank you,” she said without looking at him.
Luc cupped her delicate face with both his palms, not letting her gaze stray from his. “It’s my pleasure, Avery. I’m sorry I have to leave you for a bit, but I have a few things to take care of. Please stay and enjoy the party. I’d like to spend some time with you later. Can you wait for me?”
Confusion flitted across Avery’s gaze but she answered. “I’ll try.”
“That’s all I ask.” Luc bent and placed his lips on her jaw. “I’ll see you soon.”
Her eyes seared his back as he walked to where Gen stood next to the stage directing a couple of staff members.
Luc gave Gen a curt nod. Time to get his game face on. He mounted the steps to the stage and stood at the microphone.
“Hello everyone. My name is Luc Christianson and on behalf of my father, Billy, sisters, Geneviève and Anne-Sophie, as well as our extended family here at Sky Hill, we’re delighted you’re here to celebrate Canada’s birthday with us. Canada Day was always a very special day in our family because it was the day our matriarch, Maryse, celebrated as the birth of her new life here in Canada. Though Mom is no longer with us, we feel her joie de vivre surrounding us. To get this party started we must have a little bubbly. It was Mom’s favorite wine, not only for the taste but because of the pomp just from opening a bottle.”
From behind a stack of speakers Luc pulled out a wickedly sharp looking saber, picked up a magnum of Sky Hill sparkling wine and with a single clean swipe down the shoulder slope of the bottle, popped off the crown, cork, and cage with as much flare and gusto as a swashbuckling hero proclaiming to save the fair maiden. The crowd erupted in cheers as the frothy wine erupted from the bottle filling a few flutes he had on stage.
Discretely, the Sky Hill staff circulated among the guests with trays of pre-poured sparkling wine so they could join Luc and his family in a toast. He paused long enough for the staff to reach all the guests then returned to the microphone.
“Now, if you can all raise your glass. To family, friends, and our incredible country where a woman from France and a local farmer found love and their life’s work, together. May we all be as blessed as my mom and dad have been. Happy Canada Day!”
Everyone raised their glasses and took a sip of the bubbly pink wine.
“My mom believed in enjoying the moment. She also loved music of all kinds. This afternoon and evening we are pleased to bring you three amazingly talented local bands, each with their own style. Mom loved to dance. It didn’t matter if it was the standards, pop, or even hard rock. If it had a groove she loved to move. Before the pros take the stage please indulge me and a few friends as we play for you.” His bandmates took the stage and got situated with their instruments.
Luc continued as he slipped his guitar strap over his head and plugged into the amp. “We were very lucky kids because our parents were always supportive of our love of music, even while we were just learning how to play. We sure made a lot of noise back then.”
The other band members nodded as laughter trickled through the crowd.
“Though none of us pursued music as a career, it continues to enrich our lives. Music, like wine, can be a soulful experience. When you discover a riff or song or a wine that moves you, it’s magical. Avery, this is for you.”
17
Avery was chatting with a local mayor off to the side of the stage when she heard her name coming through the speakers. She faced the stage and looked up to see Luc smiling down at her. It was like they were teenagers, but this time Mr. Sexy Lead Guitarist was actually looking at her. At her! The familiar opening chords of AC/DC’s “Back in Black” awakened her senses and without even realizing it, her body switched on and she began moving to the beat as effortlessly as twenty years ago.
Back in high school she went to all of their gigs. Everyone thought the boys in the band were cool — musicians and athletes and, of course, so very cute. All the popular, pretty girls would be at the front of the stage screaming for Luc, Gryff, and their buddies while Avery stood at the back of the crowd, her eyes glued to Luc. It didn’t matter that there were four other guys on stage with him, she saw only him. She knew she didn’t stand a chance with all the dyed blonde hair and pushed-up boobs being thrown at him. But that didn’t stop her from imag
ining what it would have been like had they been together.
Half a dozen of her favorite rock songs later, Avery’s neck was sore from her head bopping to the driving beat. She giggled at herself. When was the last time she’d enjoyed Canada Day this much? A couple of local grape growers were talking to her about the wet spring and the effect on local vineyards when she felt a familiar rush of tingles thrum through her body. Not that the conversation had had her undivided attention, but now she was completely distracted. Avery felt the crowd float away when she looked up and caught Luc’s huge smile as he made a beeline for where she stood at the edge of the crowd. Lights flooded the stage, and the crowd cheered as the next band broke into their first song.
Then she heard his voice.
“Doug, Pat, thanks for coming by.” Luc reached beyond Avery to shake their hands. “Can I refill your glasses? How about you, Avery? Another Sauvignon Blanc?”
Luc’s hand at the small of her back felt like it was burning a hole through her shirt. It was delicious.
“Another glass would be lovely. Surprise me on the flavor.”
Luc smiled and brushed his lips against her cheek as he excused himself. Was he staking his claim in front of these colleagues? No, couldn’t be. He wasn’t interested in a relationship with her. Hell, he couldn’t stand to spend the night in the same bed as her. Yet, he just dedicated his band’s set to her and was definitely acting all possessive in public. Maybe she was reading more into his actions than he intended. They were, after all, old friends. That must be it. She sighed, disappointment taking up residence in her gut.
Avery’s head spun like some demonic character from the movies. She could hear her therapist’s voice, echoed by Rae’s — what do you want? That was a question Avery could easily answer. Luc. Always had, always would. But did Luc want her for more than a few D/s scenes? Would he give her a taste of blissful submission then pass her off to another Dom? Giving herself over to someone didn’t hold the appeal it once did. Before Cal, the quest for the right Dom to trust with her body and mind preoccupied Avery’s waking life. Cal effectively quashed that goal to the point that her independence from everyone was as necessary as breathing. Unfortunately, the cost of her independence was lonely nights with only her vibrator to warm her insides. Until Luc. He awoke the sub she’d tried to bury under layers of detached professionalism and busy motherhood. Submissive Avery was feisty and determined. And she liked this woman. Yep, three-hundred-and-sixty-degrees rotation.
The sun started to dip into the horizon casting broad swaths of purple, pink, and gold across the sky. The volume had been ratcheted up a few notches to party level, making conversation challenging unless you were yelling into someone’s ear. But there were other ways to communicate.
Luc returned with fresh glasses of wine for them. After handing off the stems to his colleagues he turned to her and stepped forward until he was only inches from her, never dropping his gaze from hers. Gentle fingers slid along her jawline to push a wayward strand of hair behind her ear.
“So glad you waited.”
His rumbling voice resonated along every nerve fiber in her body, alighting each like buzzing fireflies.
“Me too.”
The smile that spread across his face didn’t dampen the desire swirling in the depths of his molten eyes.
“Dance with me, beautiful girl.”
Luc didn’t wait for a response, not that it was posed as a question. He placed their wine glasses on the edge of the stage, grabbed both her hips and pulled so they were locked together. His left hand took her right in a classic dance form. Then he rolled his hips, slipped his right hand to the middle of her back and gently rocked his fingers or the heel of his hand to urge her to follow. Rational thought evaporated into the sultry night air. They said more than fifty percent of communication was done through body language. Luc was a hell of a good communicator.
“Christ, Avery, what you do to me,” he whispered in her ear.
Clearly, he wanted her. And that realization made her heart pound even harder against her ribs. What if she wanted more than just sex with Luc? OK, it wouldn’t be just sex, it would be steamy, mind-blowing, earth-shattering sex. If she didn’t have another panic attack. That was a big if.
Avery knew the kind of sex Luc liked. He wanted control. Dominance wasn’t just a role for Luc, it was the underpinning of his thoughts, behaviors, actions. That was one of the reasons why she was drawn to him all those years ago. Back then, it was a wild heat that flared in his eyes and radiated off his body. Now it was an undercurrent of supreme confidence, not to the point of arrogance, just enough to be completely intoxicating. He would never hurt her physically, still she was petrified her body would betray her again. She couldn’t survive that humiliation. Yet here he was, molded to her body better than her best-fitting shapewear, leaving no doubt about his arousal. Nor her own.
As the band progressed through their set, Avery relaxed and let her body move to the beat. It had been a long time since she saw a live band, but her body hadn’t forgotten how to feel the groove. Though what she was feeling had more to do with the way Luc held her snugly against him, close enough that the ripples in his honed chest and abdomen rivaled the flutters in her belly. And the growing ridge between his legs told her he was enjoying this every bit as much as she was.
Luc overwhelmed her senses — blocked out the pounding beat of the music, blinded her to the magnificently colorful sunset, shrouded the scent of fresh cut grass with his pheromone-laden spice. Could he honestly be interested in her as a woman? The very notion of her fantasy possibly coming true had her nipples hardening to the point of pain. Delicious pain that shot straight to the folds between her legs. Wasn’t this what she craved? For Master Luc to whisk her away to another plane where her only job was to feel everything he bestowed upon her. That he would protect her, cherish her, and lavish her with untold pleasure. Yes, please!
The band must have finished their set because a breath of wind replaced Luc’s solid wall of heat against her torso. And they had stopped dancing. She looked up at the stage and realized it was a completely different band from when she and Luc had started. When had that happened?
Avery was glad Cassie had gone home with her parents a couple of hours earlier. She had expended a lot of energy running around with Gryff and his brothers and even Luc. Avery’s heart had filled with pride as she watched her little angel confidently chat with all the adults and make new friends with the other kids.
Cassie had been only two years old when Avery finally broke free from Cal’s abuse, so she probably didn’t remember anything. Every time Avery thought of the potential effects her bastard of an ex could have had on her precious little girl, she regretted staying in that house as long as she did. She lived with that guilt every day, probably always would.
“Why the solemn look, beautiful girl? I thought you were having a good time.”
“Oh, it’s nothing,” she said with a dismissive wave of her hand, half a smile trying to curl her lips.
“That doesn’t sound very convincing. Looks like the party is winding down and I’m all done down here. My dad and Gryff’s mom are still catching up over a glass of wine inside the winery, so he’ll lock up.”
Luc picked up her purse from the grass next to her chair, pivoted toward the parking lot with a firm grip on her hand, and practically dragged her toward his car.
She could feel the intensity of his need sizzling through his hand where they were connected, yet he moved with the fluid grace of a panther on the hunt. She was his prey. That thought sent shivers down her spine and heat to her core.
They pulled out of the Sky Hill parking lot and headed around the corner of a vineyard block, away from Billy’s house.
“Where are we going?”
“Patience, beautiful girl. I promise you won’t be disappointed.”
Avery knew she could take that promise all the way to the bank.
Luc pulled off the road onto a small access lane
at the back of one of Sky Hill’s vineyards. He popped the trunk to fetch a tote bag from the back and then made his way to open the passenger door and offered her his hand.
“Always the gentleman, Luc. You always make me feel special.”
“It’s easy when the lady I’m with is special.”
It was a spectacular evening in Niagara. Cotton-ball clouds dotted the otherwise clear sky, setting the stage for hide-and-go-seek with the stars. A gentle breeze took the edge off the humidity of the day. The crescent moon hung in the sky like a character from one of Ella’s favorite books. Luc was amazed at how the simplest things, at the most unexpected times, reminded him of his cherished daughter and wife. He resigned himself that they would always have a dedicated place in his heart. But lately, that place didn’t seem as hollow and empty. Paired with a compelling need to bring Avery to this place, to show her this part of himself that hadn’t seen the light of day for five years, drove Luc to plan this private vineyard tour. A whisper of peace fluttered in his chest. Curious, but not altogether unwelcome.
Avery didn’t say a word but her tight grip on his hand and her shallow, rapid breaths revealed she was either nervous or on her way to being excited. Maybe a bit of both. He could work with that.
“Almost there, little one. Don’t worry, I’ve got you,” Luc said with a reassuring squeeze of her hand.
“Almost where, Luc? Oh, why are there no vines in this block?”
“That’s what I wanted to show you,” Luc replied and tugged her toward him, needing the feel of her body against his, rooting him to this piece of earth at this moment in time. Her unique scent mingled with the familiar — soil, grass, Mother Nature. Home.