“You’re pushing your luck,” Zane said. “Better remember where you’re at and the rules I listed for you.”
“You going to have Luc spank me again?”
Cassie drew their attention to her when she leaned forward. “He can’t. I didn’t like him spanking someone else’s bottom. He and Logan have promised to spank only my bottom from now on.”
“That’s right, sugar.” Luc slung his arm around Cassie and gave her a hug. Logan nodded and elbowed Zane. “Looks like you’ll have to do it yourself, unless you can get Cade, Jackson, or Thor to do it.”
Ravyn smiled when the three men shook their heads.
Mac leaned forward and caught Ravyn’s eye. “I’ll do it.”
“Fuck off, Mac,” Zane said before he turned back to Ravyn. “Don’t push me. You won’t like the consequences.”
Ravyn ignored his warning. “You can’t be sure about that. I might.”
Before Zane could snap back at her, the door leading into the kitchen swung open. A wheel squeaked as a cart laden with dishes and platters was pushed into the room by a woman with bright aqua hair.
“Who are you, and where’s Jane?” Cade asked, his voice deadly as he stood up and pushed Addison behind him.
Addison slid around and smiled up at him, even though he fought to keep her behind him. “Cade, it’s okay. Maggie sprained her ankle so I sent Jane to take care of her. Isabella is Luc and Logan’s housekeeper. She volunteered to help us out.”
“Damn it, Addison, how many times have I told you to keep me informed when you change things?” Cade picked her up until they were eye-to-eye. “Answer me.”
“Sorry, Master, I thought I’d told you.” Addison kissed him, then wrapped her arms around his neck. “Do I get a spanking?”
Cade sat down and arranged her on his lap. “No.”
“Not even a teeny, tiny little one?”
“No, but you might spend some time in the corner while you think about the rules.”
Isabella snorted, then began placing the dishes of food on the table.
Cassie smiled at Isabella. “I thought you had decided not to cook for any more sorry bas—men.”
“I’m cooking for you and your misguided friends. These two yahoos”—Isabella nodded toward Luc and Logan—“would let you starve if I didn’t keep an eye on them. When they had you locked up, I had to remind them to feed you.” She placed the last dish on the table, then moved the cart with the dessert and two more pitchers of ice tea to the side.
“We didn’t forget,” Luc said. “Really, sugar. We just didn’t feel like eating so we forgot that you might be hungry.”
“I forgive you,” Cassie said, then laughed when Isabella frowned at her.
“Too easy. Make them work for it, Cassie.” Isabella adjusted the apron she wore as if it bothered her to be wearing it. “Nate and I are eating in the kitchen. You can get your own dessert. I’ll clear up after you’re gone.”
Luc leaned forward and a silent message passed between him and Logan. Logan shook his head, then gave in to Luc’s silent demand and asked, “Nate from Harry’s Truck Stop?”
Isabella planted her hands on her hips. “You have a problem with that?”
“No, ma’am.” Logan held up his hands and shook his head. “No problem here.”
Cassie giggled. “Thanks, Isabella. We appreciate your help.”
Isabella snorted as the kitchen door swung shut behind her.
“Damn, she scares the shit out of me when she gets that look on her face.” Logan sniffed the bowl of corn, then looked at Cassie.
Cassie sighed then ate a spoonful. She chewed, swallowed, then grabbed her throat and acted like she’d been poisoned.
Luc frowned. “That’s not funny, Cassandra. You just earned five swats.”
“Who the hell is Nate?” Zane asked.
“Logan and I met him when we were hunting Cassie. He’s the cook at Harry’s Truck Stop, and he’s one scary dude.” Luc served himself and Cassie some sweet potatoes, then handed the bowl to Logan.
Logan placed a small spoonful of potatoes on his plate. “He’s ex-military for sure. As tall as me and Luc. He shaves his head. Probably late forties, but in good condition. Scars on the right side of his face and his right hand.” Logan hesitated for a moment, then added another large serving of potatoes to his plate.
Cassie patted Logan’s arm. “That’s my brave hero. You love sweet potatoes.”
Logan stared at her until she took a bite of her potatoes, then he took a bite and made her laugh when he said, “Sugar, I’ve dodged bullets all over the world. I’m not getting taken out by a women’s libber with a bad attitude.”
Zane placed a huge pile of potatoes on his plate, then snorted. “Sounds like Nate’s seen some hard combat.”
Cassie took a sip of tea, then set the glass down while Luc and Logan nodded. “Isabella said she met Nate when he was in the hospital in Austin. He was injured in an explosion and had to have a lot of reconstructive surgery.”
“She wasn’t the cook, was she?” Logan asked.
Addison laughed. “No, Isabella was visiting a friend and Nate was in the same room with him. She said Nate never had visitors so she took things to him and they got to know each other.”
“You women talk to each other too much,” Thor said.
“Jealous?” Addison asked, and Cade gave her a light slap on her hip. She rolled her eyes and said, “Ouch, make me suffer, Master.”
Jenna, Marisol, and Ravyn giggled. A second later, Jackson had Jenna over his lap with her skirt flipped up. He gave her five hard swats on her bottom before he sat her up again. “Don’t encourage Addison to misbehave, angel.”
Cassie looked at Logan then Luc. Logan winked at her and Luc said, “Later, sugar. We’ll each give you five, followed by a nice reward.”
Cassie giggled. “Thank you, Sirs.”
Marisol grabbed onto the edge of the table, then glared at Thor when he reached for her. “Don’t even think about it, farmer.”
“‘Dispute not with her, she is lunatic,’” Thor quoted.
Addison leaned toward Thor. “Shakespeare.” She smiled. “‘There are no good girls gone wrong—just bad girls found out.’”
“Mae West,” Marisol said. “‘Women have always been spies.’”
“Harriet Rubin.” Ravyn shrugged, then smiled when all eyes turned her way. “Zane won’t spank me and he won’t let Mac spank me, so I guess I’m safe.” She glanced across the table at Zane. “You never did say how long you plan to stay.”
“As long as I like. This is my home.”
Addison relaxed back against Cade, then sent Zane a sideways glance. “I wasn’t expecting you, so I put Ravyn in your room. You’ll have to sleep on the couch in the family room.”
“No, Ravyn can share with me,” Zane said.
“Aren’t you afraid sharing a room with me will compromise you?” Ravyn asked.
“I don’t think anyone here is going to talk about where I sleep, or with whom.”
“Maybe I don’t want to share a room with you.”
Marisol drew her attention when she leaned around Thor. “You’re welcome to move your clothes into my room and use my shower. My room only has one twin bed in it, but maybe Addison has a cot or something.”
“Logan moved his furniture to his house,” Addison said. “So, I had one of the twin beds from the guest room moved into Logan’s old room for Thor. I don’t think we have any cots. Sorry.”
Zane smiled. “Then it looks like you’ll be sleeping on the couch, princess.”
Ravyn smiled and pretended she didn’t care. She was tempted to share a bed with him and grab whatever happiness she could, while she could. Only the knowledge that doing so would end with both of them being hurt kept her from begging him to let her share his room. “I’m fine with that, Zane. It’s your room.” She smiled across the table at Cassie. “I want to know why Luc and Logan had you locked up.”
“They thought I was a
drug-dealing murderer,” Cassie said. “But it turned out I was being framed by the traitor in Thor’s office, Dale Miller.”
Jenna giggled. “Cassie is an artist. She drew two pictures of Luc and Logan with smiling dickheads instead of faces and she framed them. Now, every time they act stupid—”
“Which is daily,” Zane said, then grunted when Logan elbowed him.
Jenna laughed again. “When they act stupid, she hangs them in their office until they smarten up.”
Luc hugged Cassie. “We didn’t really believe you were a drug-dealing murderer, sugar. That was Thor’s fault for showing us that DVD.”
“Right,” Cassie said, then kissed him. “I forgive you, even though I shouldn’t.”
“Well, now that we have that settled, I need to let you know to save room for dessert,” Addison said. “Jane made peach pies before she left for Maggie’s.”
* * * *
Ravyn made sure the sash on her silk robe was tied, then hurried down the stairs. Addison was just coming out of the family room as she stepped off the last step.
“I made up the couch,” Addison said.
“Thank you, Addison,” Ravyn said.
“If you need anything, just ask. Mac will be with you and you know not to open the doors or windows because of the security system. Right?”
Ravyn nodded, then hugged Addison. Mac appeared in the open door and smiled at her. He was wearing pajama bottoms that hung low on his hips and her mind went blank.
Addison laughed. “He’s really hot, huh?”
“Oh, yes. Wow, who knew? I mean, I knew, but I didn’t really, really know. Until now.” Ravyn sighed. “Does that make sense?”
Addison laughed, nodded, and then waved as she walked away.
Ravyn stared at Mac as she approached him, then scooted by him. The huge sectional was made up and she saw a yellow rose lying on the pillow. She picked it up and held it to her nose. The scent of roses always reminded her of her mother and the many hours they’d spent in their garden. She saw Mac watching her, so she smiled, then untied her sash and let her robe fall from her shoulders, revealing a short, sage-green silk nightgown. Blushing because Mac was staring, she tossed the robe over the back of the couch, then slipped beneath the covers on the couch. She fluffed the pillow, then curled up on her side facing him. “Night, Mac.”
Mac chuckled, then dimmed the overhead lights before he moved to the couch across from her. A second later, he laughed again. “Don’t get too comfortable over there, Ravyn. By now, Addison has told Zane that I’m sleeping here, too, and he should be storming in about—”
“What the hell do you think you’re doing, Ravyn?” Zane asked from the open door.
“—Now,” Mac said, then laughed.
Zane stalked into the room and leaned over her with one hand on the back of the couch and the other pressing into the cushion by her hip. Ravyn rolled onto her back. “I’m sleeping on the couch. Remember?”
“The hell you are,” Zane said as he scooped her into his arms. “You’re not sleeping in a room with Mac.”
“Mac is a gentleman.”
Mac laughed. “Whoa, don’t be saying things like that. I had a plan to get under the covers with you, pet.”
“Fuck off, Mac.” Zane carried Ravyn out of the room. “He sleeps with every woman he meets.”
“I do not,” Mac said, then laughed. “I sleep with every other one, and there’s no sleeping involved.”
Ravyn smiled at him over Zane’s shoulder, then waved. “Zane, put me down.”
“Be still or we’ll fall.” He climbed the stairs two at a time.
“Where are you taking me?”
“My room.”
“That’s not a good idea,” she said, even as her heart leapt with anticipation.
Zane kicked the bedroom door shut, then moved to the chairs by the fireplace. He set her down in one, then took the chair across from her. He stared at her for a moment and she fidgeted as his eyes ran over her silk gown. “Are you wearing panties?”
“No. You said it wasn’t allowed.” Ravyn looked around the dimly lit room. “Are we going to share the bed?”
“No. Mac’s getting a new roommate.” Zane smiled, then sobered. “I’m not going to let you hurt anyone in my family and that includes Thor and Ben, and even that bastard Mac.”
Ravyn curled her legs beneath her, then smoothed her gown over her knees. This was going to be another one of their conversations that left her heart shredded. “I don’t intend to hurt anyone, Zane.”
“Look at me.”
Ravyn folded her arms over her chest before she looked at him. He was dressed in jeans and nothing else. Even his feet were bare. He hadn’t shaved in several days and dark stubble covered his chin and cheeks. He appeared to be relaxed as he slouched in the chair with his legs spread apart, but his eyes were narrowed and focused on her.
“Did you know what your father and Dolman were doing? Tell me you didn’t, then maybe I’ll believe your intentions are good.”
“Zane.” She looked away, then, without hesitating, she slid to her knees and crawled over to him and knelt between his legs. She ran her hands up and down the well-washed material of his jeans. “I would rather die than do anything to hurt you or your family.”
Zane caught her hands and held them flat against his legs. “You didn’t answer my question.”
Ravyn could feel the heat of his body radiating through the material and she wanted to rest her head on his leg and just let time slip away. Instead she pulled her hand out from under his and slid it up and over his erection. “You told me not to tell you anything.”
“Ravyn.” His voice held a warning.
She fiddled with the button on his jeans until she had it undone. When she grasped the pull tab on the zipper, he covered her hand. She looked up at him. “You said you wouldn’t make love to me, but you didn’t say anything about me pleasuring you.” Zane reached out and ran his hand over her hair and she felt the pressure of the hand covering hers decrease. She finished pulling the tab down, then grasped his cock when it sprang free and squeezed it as she stroked it.
He groaned. “You’re killing me.”
The drops of pre-cum on the head tempted her and she kept her eyes on his as she licked them away, then took him into her mouth and flicked her tongue over him. Zane’s eyes dilated and the muscles in his face tightened with arousal. A rush of joy filled her as she saw a nerve by his lips jump as she licked him. She slid her lips down the shaft, and he threaded his fingers through her hair.
“Ravyn.” His voice broke on her name. “Damn.”
She tugged on his jeans, and he raised up so she could pull them off him. The flesh covering his dick was silky and she traced a throbbing vein down the side of his shaft to his balls, then took one into her mouth. She sucked on it for a moment, then released it and licked around the base of his cock. Zane’s fingers fell from her hair to his knees. His fingers opened and splayed as if he had no energy left to move them.
Ravyn wrapped her hands around his cock and held him prisoner as she slid her lips over the head again. Zane’s breathing sped up and he groaned as she worked her lips down his shaft until the spongy head touched the back of her throat. She pulled back, then took him deeper and swallowed, then hummed with pleasure, over and over again. She played with his balls until she felt them draw up, then she stopped sucking on him and licked up and down the shaft. He groaned and she sucked the head into her mouth then teased him by flicking her tongue over the slit.
Finally, he gritted out her name, plunged his fingers into her hair, pushed to the back of her throat, and held still. A moment later, a long, tortured moan echoed around the room, followed by her name.
Hot semen hit the back of her throat. She swallowed then licked the head of his cock and felt another spurt of cum fill her mouth. Zane’s hands slid from her hair as he slumped in the chair. She licked him clean and felt him shiver again just before he pulled her up onto his lap and claimed h
er with a kiss. His kiss had no soft lead-in and no fumbling. It was a complete invasion and takeover of her senses that left her lying limp in his arms. When he ran his hand over the silk covering her breasts, she froze, then jumped from his lap before he could stop her.
“Ravyn?” He reached for her. “Come here, pet.”
With a small shake of her head, she backed away from him. “If anyone asks if you made love to me, you can honestly say no.” She ran her hands up and down her arms as exhaustion consumed her. “I’m not sure what you can say if they ask if you fucked me.” She laughed then bit her lip. “You can say ‘not at the ranch,’ I guess.” When she bumped into the bed, she stepped to the side, then wrapped her hands around the intricately carved post and leaned against it. “I’m really tired.”
Zane stood up. She saw the intention in his eyes and held out her hand to stop his approach. “Don’t, Zane. I don’t expect anything from you. I just wanted to give you”—she paused while she asked herself if it was time to bring this up, then added—“pleasure. That’s all.”
Zane pulled his jeans on, buttoned them, and walked toward her. “Why?”
“Charles took me to a club in Houston three years ago. I saw you there. He wanted to show me what a real woman could give him. I watched you and learned what a man could give me instead.” She didn’t tell him she’d probably begun falling in love with him that night, or that his image had haunted her dreams ever since.
“Planning on blackmailing me, princess? It won’t work. My brothers know what I’m into and I don’t give a shit what anyone else knows.”
Ravyn jerked away from him. “Why can’t you just once think kindly of me?”
Zane tipped her face up to his and stared into her eyes before he kissed her. “Damn it, Ravyn. You tempt me at every turn.” He hugged her to him, then sighed. “I’m staying the night, then I’m returning to Dallas. I want you to stay here at the ranch. Will you do that for me?”
“Yes. If that’s what you want.” She couldn’t resist wrapping her arms around his waist. “I’m sorry, Zane.”
“What are you sorry for?”
“For this mess I’ve gotten you involved in,” she said. “I wish I could change the past.”
Maxwell, Mardi - Zane's Choice [The Doms of Club Mystique 4] (Siren Publishing Allure) Page 8