“That’s so unfair. What kind of justice is that?” The outrage in Millie’s voice was palpable.
“It’s not any kind of justice.” Veronica picked at the stitching on her boots.
“Don’t you want to clear your name? I know Jaya would work with you, with your financial situation.”
Veronica snorted. “I have negative net worth. My folks took a second mortgage on their house and money out of their retirement accounts to pay for my waste of space attorney who was supposed to keep me out of jail. I want to pay them back.”
Millie stood abruptly. “But Veronica, it’s not right. If I were innocent, I’d want the world to know.”
Veronica studied Millie’s expression, the anger and frustration in her eyes startling in its fierceness. “Easy, Millie. I’m cool with it. I like what I do. I like this job. The horses don’t judge, and most of the people here don’t either.”
“I don’t understand how you can let this go. Why give up and let some ass get away with it?”
“I told you. It wouldn’t make any difference. I don’t want my parents to suffer when they retire because of me.” Veronica rose to her knees and picked up her pack. “It doesn’t matter.”
“But it does matter. You could…” Millie’s voice was rough.
Veronica raised her voice, cutting off Millie’s objection. “I don’t want to talk about this anymore. It’s a beautiful day. I don’t want to think about it. Let it go, Millie. Please.”
Millie shuffled her feet and kicked a loose stone down the path. “Right, sorry. None of my business if you want to waste your life shoveling horseshit.”
“It’s more than that. Don’t disrespect my job. I do a lot more than that.”
Veronica bent and picked up her pack, shouldered it, and stalked ahead. She focused on the scenery, desperate to stave off her sense of failure brought on by Millie’s disapproval.
VERONICA LED CLYDE out to the mounting block, therapeutic saddle in place. Mistress Siobhan, dressed in Victorian-style red hunt jacket, white breeches, and knee-high boots engineered to accommodate her leg brace, rested her hand on Millie’s forearm. Head high, imperious as a queen, she stood next to the mounting block. Her submissive, Marylyn, dressed in a dark-green cut-away styled Victorian ladies’ riding habit, sat regally on Marco. The sidesaddle Veronica had unearthed from the back of the tack closet and spent hours cleaning and polishing gleamed in the sunlight.
Mistress Siobhan handed her cane to Veronica and allowed Millie to help her up the steps and into the saddle. Millie wrapped her arm around the haughty Mistress, tender and respectful, asking her what assistance she needed as she settled in the saddle. Veronica worked rapidly. With deft hands she secured Mistress Siobhan’s leg with the straps that would assist her in remaining upright. Millie remained at her side, making sure Mistress Siobhan was balanced and stable.
“Tighten the strap on my leg, Veronica. I’ve only ridden in the ring. This will be my first time on the trail.”
Veronica opened and adjusted the hook and loop closure, tightening it. “Clyde is rock solid, Ma’am. If you find yourself in trouble, drop the reins, and he’ll stop. Millie and I will be right behind you. We’ll get you settled at the fire ring and take care of the horses. When you’re ready, call my phone, and we’ll return.”
Mistress Siobhan held Veronica’s gaze. Her voice was quiet, for Veronica’s ears alone. “Thank you for this. So many people act like having a stroke means you never think of sex again. I’m grateful to you. My Marylyn particularly likes to serve me at the fire ring. Do you have the lunge whip and other items I requested available?”
Veronica spoke in the same low tone. “I have the whip arranged next to the chair that is there for you and a valise with the other items you requested. I left a blanket and picnic basket with refreshments near the turnout shed. Your phone is in the basket. Call me when you’re ready to return, or if you need assistance.”
“Very good.” She sat up straighter in the saddle and clasped the reins with her left hand. “Okay, Millie, you can let go of my ass now, if you got your fill.” Her mocking tone made Veronica laugh out loud.
Millie backed away from the horse, laughing. “Yes, Mistress.”
Veronica and Millie followed the pair at a distance that was safe and gave the couple their privacy on the ride. The familiar ache of wanting what she observed between Siobhan and Marylyn filled Veronica. Thought I had that with Dee. The kind of love strong enough to bear up to any challenges life hurled at us. How wrong I was. She bailed. Gave up on us. Gave up on me.
“That’s love.” Millie’s husky voice startled Veronica.
“It is.” She kept her eyes fixed on the couple ahead of them. “At the end of the day, no matter what, you want to be with the person who will wipe your ass if you can’t do it yourself.”
“Aye. And not dress you funny.” Millie waited a beat and then laughed.
Millie’s infectious laughter made Veronica laugh with her.
WHILE MILLIE ASSISTED Mistress Siobhan and Marilyn at the fire ring, Veronica settled the horses in the paddock. Satisfied the women no longer needed their company, Veronica and Millie hiked to the glen. Large boulders and rocks bordered the small stream running down the middle of the valley. The sunlight glinted off the water as it meandered its way over flat stones and sharp rocks. Veronica swiped a stray drop of sweat off her face. Millie passed her the thermos from her saddle pack, and she took a long drink of cool water.
“Do you fancy a snack? Robin packed us some biscuits and sandwiches.”
Veronica smiled at Millie. “Not hungry”—she trailed her fingers down Millie’s arm leaving tiny raised hairs in their wake—“for cookies.”
Millie closed the flap on her saddle pack. “No?”
Veronica passed the water bottle back to Millie. “Nope.”
Millie stowed the water bottle in the pack. “Sandwich, then?”
“Not hungry for anything but you.” Veronica tugged her hand and pulled her into a kiss, loving the way Millie relaxed into her.
Millie’s hands rested on Veronica’s waist, her thumbs rubbing in small circles over Veronica’s hipbones. “And after Robin spent so long making us lunch.”
“Later.” Veronica had wrapped one arm around Millie’s broad shoulders, and with the other she played with the soft brush of hair on the back of her head. She scraped her fingernails along her scalp, and Millie moaned into her mouth and pulled her hips tighter to her. Veronica broke their kiss.
Millie leaned her head against Veronica’s brow. “Later.”
“Take your shirt off for me?” Veronica traced the edge of her nail over Millie’s cheek.
“Vest too?” Millie raised her chin in challenge.
“All of it. I want to see you.” Veronica cupped her cheek and brushed her thumb over her lips. “Don’t you want to please me?” She stepped back. “Show me.”
Millie snagged the hem of her shirt and peeled it and her undershirt off in one smooth movement. Veronica flattened her hands over her broad shoulders and swept them down over her breasts. “You are exquisite.” Millie’s nipples pebbled under her palms. She cupped her breasts and bent her head to lick at her nipples, teasing them, sucking them into tight points. Veronica tugged at the button on Millie’s jeans, snapping it open with a pop, and then she slipped her hand inside. Millie hollowed her stomach, giving Veronica room as she pushed farther inside her pants.
Veronica’s fingers swept over Millie’s clit, slick and hard beneath her touch. She groaned softly. “So wet. For me?”
“All for you.” Millie kissed the side of Veronica’s neck.
She touched her fingers to her mouth, tasting Millie’s sweetness. “I love the way you taste.” She turned them so Millie could lean against one of the large stones. “Do you want me to lick you? Take your thick clit in my mouth? Lick you until you come?”
“Yes, please.” Panting, Millie moved her hands to the waistband of her jeans and shoved them down around
her knees. They bunched over the top of her boots, binding her legs at the ankles. She bent to remove them.
“Stop. Leave them.” Veronica leaned into her and pushed her back against the smooth stone and slid her fingers along her wet heat. Millie panted, shivering under her touch as she leaned back supporting herself with her arms.
Veronica rubbed small circles around the base of her clit and stared into Millie’s eyes. “Do you like to be fucked?”
The blush starting at Millie’s collarbone and spreading across her cheeks made Veronica’s pulse speed up. Oh yeah. No one has ever challenged her, made her surrender. She slid her finger lower and teased its tip inside. “Like to be taken?”
“Um. I don’t know. No one’s ever really…” Millie’s voice faded out, and she licked her lower lip.
“Never?” Veronica drew the edge of her teeth over Millie’s neck and stroked her thumb over her clit as her fingers feathered over her wet center.
“No.” Millie’s voice was a harsh whisper. “No one’s wanted to.”
“Will you let me?” Veronica pulled back and peered into Millie’s eyes, assessing her reaction. She dropped one hand down to her breast and rolled her nipple between her fingers.
Millie’s eyes were wide, her pupils blown. “Aye. Yes. Please, Ceannard, please.”
She kissed Millie’s lips softly before she nibbled her way along her jaw. “What does Ceannard mean?” She traced the shell of Millie’s ear with her tongue.
“Chief, leader.” Millie panted as she struggled against the pants binding her at the ankles.
“Mmm. I like the sound of that, especially when you say it. Ask me for what you want. Ask me to fuck you. Say it.” Veronica pinned her in place with her gaze, searching her expression for reassurance. She needed to know this was what Millie truly wanted.
Millie groaned and moved her hands to clasp Veronica’s hips. “Please, Ceannard, please.” Her lip quivered. “Please fuck me. Please.” The desperate sound of her voice undid Veronica, and she shivered at the raw need in Millie’s voice. She bit and nibbled her way back to her mouth before she kissed her, devouring her mouth, her own need rampant. “Safe word?”
“Time.” Millie’s shifted her body, settling back against the rock.
Veronica gripped Millie’s jaw, enjoying the way the skin blanched under her fingers. “Time.”
She sank to her knees and licked a firm stroke over Millie’s clit. “I love the way you smell. So wet. But I’m greedy, I want you soaking wet.” Veronica teased her tongue over her slick opening. “I want you to give me every drop.” Grasping Millie’s thighs to hold them open, Veronica stiffened her tongue and licked up and down, burying her face in the wet.
Millie’s hand settled on her shoulders. “That’s so good.”
“Show me your clit.” Veronica lifted her head and nipped the inside of Millie’s thigh.
Millie placed a hand on either side of her labia and spread them. Her fat clit glistened. Veronica lapped at the tip, teasing the hot bundle of nerves. Millie trembled and panted. “Please. More. Please.”
“You want to come for me?” Veronica licked and sucked, swirling her tongue over the tip.
“So much. Please let me. Please, Ceannard.” Millie’s body trembled under Veronica’s palms.
“Come for me, babe. I want you to come in my mouth, give it to me.” She pursed her lips and sucked her clit hard, rolling her tongue over it.
Millie thrust her hips into Veronica’s mouth. Rocking hard, she came with a deep groan, soaking Veronica’s chin.
Veronica rose and planted a kiss on Millie’s mouth. She cupped the back of her neck and held her still. She leaned back to watch Millie’s face as she pressed two fingers inside her. “Is this okay?” She withdrew her fingers and eased them in a fraction more, teasing Millie as she worked her fingers deeper.
Millie lifted her hand and placed it on top of her wrist. She stared into Veronica’s eyes as she slowly curled her fingers around Veronica’s arm, held her still, and thrust her hips forward, driving Veronica’s fingers deep. They stilled, gazes locked.
Millie shifted her hands to grip Veronica’s hips. “Ahh, yes.” She panted. “Deeper. Please. Oh, yes, so good.”
“No.” Veronica lifted an eyebrow. “Hands at your side. No touching. Focus on what I’m doing to you.” She firmed her mouth and pinned Millie in place with a hard look while she toed off her boots, slipped out of her jeans and briefs. Millie’s eyes were glazed, and pleasure suffused her features as she rocked her hips against Veronica’s hand. “I like you inside me. More.” The soft pants between her words sent a riptide of desire through Veronica.
A raw groan escaped from Veronica as she swept her fingers over Millie’s sweet spot. Millie arched into Veronica’s touch. She lifted her hand and palmed Veronica’s breast.
“No.” Veronica lifted an eyebrow. “No touching. Not until I say.” Millie hesitated. “Now. Unless you want me to stop?” She paused her strokes. “Should I stop?” She pulled her fingers out and licked them, savoring the taste, never taking her eyes from Millie’s face.
Millie trembled and lowered her hands even as her eyes held a challenge. “More.”
“Ask nicely.” Veronica flicked Millie’s nipple.
“Please.”
“Please what?” Veronica teased her fingertips over Millie’s clit.
“Please, Ceannard. Please. Fuck me. Fuck me now. Please. Don’t tease me. I can’t…I need…” The desperate edge in Millie’s voice made Veronica smile.
Veronica pinched Millie’s clit and jacked slowly.
“Oh please. I want to come with you inside me. Please.”
Veronica cupped her, giving her a squeeze before she pushed three fingers deep. “Impatient woman.” She nipped and kissed Millie’s neck, working her way to her ear. She ran her tongue over the delicate shell as she swept her fingers in wide circles over Millie’s sweet spot, pressing deeper, her palm grinding against her clit. Veronica bit her earlobe sharply before she nuzzled her neck and kissed the space behind her ear. “Slow down, babe, I’ll make it good for you.”
Millie moaned and trembled. “Please. Please, Ceannard. Please. I can’t…don’t make me wait. Fuck me hard. Please. I want to come for you. Let me come for you.”
Veronica lifted her head and held Millie’s gaze. “Patience, babe. You’ll come when I want you to.” She eased her fingers back and lightly rubbed the back of her knuckles over Millie’s clit in slow circles. Millie shuddered and thrust her hips forward, seeking contact, her face a mask of pleasure. “You’re killing me, Ceannard. Faster. Please.” Millie panted.
“Like this?” She punctuated her words with kisses along Millie’s shoulder. Veronica slid into her liquid heat and stilled. “Or do you want me to fuck you?”
“Fuck me, please.” Millie ground out. “Please, Ceannard, fuck me. I want to come for you.”
“No.” Veronica sucked her lower lip between her teeth, nipped it, drank in Millie’s hiss of pain, and then licked away the copper taste with her tongue. Millie could wrest control of the situation anytime she wanted, and Veronica groaned as Millie’s body clenched tightly around her fingers. She curled them, hitting the spot that made Millie whimper and shake. Millie’s submission drove her own pleasure. Her heart clenched with the knowledge that Millie trusted her enough to surrender her power to Veronica.
“Please. More. Please. Mercy, Ceannard. I can’t. I want to come for you.”
A shiver of pleasure stole through Veronica as Millie pleaded and she swept her thumb over her clit, back and forth, drawing a deep groan from Millie before a long stream of cursing poured from her mouth.
“I can’t. Fuckmefuckmefuckme.” Louder now. Her pleas urgent, she lifted her hips and met Veronica’s thrusts. Her prayers for relief laced with profanity washed over Veronica, the gift of Millie’s surrender an aching throb between her legs.
Veronica sped up her pace and thrust deep and hard. She raised her hand and rolled Millie’s nip
ple. “You want to come for me?”
“Aye, Ceannard. Please. I’ll do whatever you want, please let me come. Please. Yes. Harder. There, right there. Please, Ceannard.” Millie begged through gritted teeth, her knuckles white where she gripped the stone.
“Me first. Then you.” Veronica straddled Millie’s powerful thigh and ground against her, sliding her thick clit against her supple skin, painting her with her desire until pleasure jetted through her body. She closed her eyes against the sensations and lost herself in Millie’s body, anxious to give her what she wanted. She fucked her, rolling her body into it, the muscles in her arm straining as she sought to give Millie what she craved, what she longed to give her.
Millie tensed under Veronica’s hand. “Please. I can’t…” She gasped and panted. Between shuddering breaths, her body tightened and pulsed around Veronica.
She opened her eyes to watch the wonder that was Millie. “Come now. Let me have you. Hold on to me.” She kept her rhythm as Millie curled into her and placed her hands on Veronica’s shoulders. She held tight, her grip bruising as she came. Wetness surged and flowed over Veronica’s hand. Millie rested her head on Veronica’s shoulder, and they clung to each other. With gentle shallow thrusts Veronica brought her off again and again, unable to get enough of Millie’s deep moans and shudders.
“Oh, enough, Ceannard. Please. Enough.”
Veronica eased her fingers from Millie, smeared her slick juices over her clit, cupped her one last time and squeezed, smiling at the soft curse and satisfied groan Millie gave as she shuddered through an aftershock of pleasure.
Millie lifted her head and kissed Veronica. “I think you’ve ruined me.”
Veronica laughed. “How?”
Millie blushed. “No one ever…I mean like that. No one ever made me wait before. Or the other.” She lowered her chin to her chest, the back of her neck red.
Veronica used her fingers to tip Millie’s head up. “Are you okay with it? With power play? With giving over to me?”
Complex Dimensions Page 10