Secret Lovers (Friendship Chronicles Book 1)

by Shelley Munro

  Susan snorted. “You’d run a mile if a man suggested he bring along another party—either male or female—for a sexual fling.”

  The color in Christina’s cheeks deepened, and Maggie thought she looked pissed now rather than amused.

  “Not everyone follows a traditional path,” Christina snapped. “We all want different things, like Maggie with her spanking. It doesn’t make us weird, and don’t get me started on kinky. I hate the label kinky. Wanting personal fulfillment, no matter what form it takes, makes us human. And before you say it, I don’t mean non-consensual sex in any shape or form. That is sick. I’m talking about relationships in the normal sense. Dreams, hopes, aspirations—a person shouldn’t push them away, and that includes sexual things.” Her chest rose and fell with each rapid breath, her gaze sharp like a sergeant-major conducting drills and looking for mistakes.

  The three women were silent for a long moment. Maggie wasn’t sure where to look until sympathy filled her in a crashing wave. If Christina wanted to move into untraditional sexual practices, that was fine with her. It wasn’t as if she was thinking along conventional lines. The Tight Five had supported her when she said she was into spanking. The least she could do was support Christina in turn.

  “Good for you, Christina,” Maggie said, breaking the yawning silence. “Do you want to talk about it? Are we allowed to ask questions?”

  Christina gave an uneasy laugh, picked up her glass and realized it was empty. Maggie noticed her unsteadiness when she replaced the stemware on the coffee table. “I think I’ve had too much wine. It’s loosened my tongue.”

  “You can’t leave us hanging like this,” Susan protested, her features glittering with curiosity.

  “Yes,” Maggie said before Christina answered. “She can. Christina knows we’re here if she wants to talk.”

  “Thanks.” Christina stood and hugged Maggie, the pressure of her hands on Maggie’s shoulders telling of her gratitude. “I must head home.” She glanced at Susan. “Do you want to share a cab?”

  “I need to do laundry and sort out a few things before I visit my parents tomorrow.” A grimace slid across her face. “I promised I’d make a bacon and egg pie to take for lunch.” She wrapped Maggie in a hug. “It was fun watching your makeover. You look stunning. Our Christina does an excellent job.”

  “She does,” Maggie agreed, infusing her voice with warmth. “I feel like a new woman. I keep seeing a stranger in the mirror.”

  Maggie walked her friends out and, with final hugs and kisses, they departed. After closing the door, she glanced at her watch. Just before nine. Connor had said to come over no matter how late her visitors left. A sliver of guilt slipped into her mind again, but she quashed it. Christina was right. She wanted to spend time with Connor. She wanted to explore spanking. Tonight, she’d tell him what she craved from their relationship. The worst thing that could happen was he’d say no.

  Connor answered the door with a smile on his face. Maggie. He yanked open the door and gaped.

  “Maggie?”

  She smiled, a wide, bright grin that did nothing to hide her apprehension. “Who else were you expecting?”

  “I don’t know—the Easter bunny?” Holy hell, what had she done to herself? She looked incredible. Amazing. Not that she hadn’t looked great before.

  “Wrong time of year. Try again.”

  “You look beautiful.” An understatement.

  “Thanks. Christina and the others did a makeover today. My bank account is looking sick, but other than that, I enjoyed myself.” She sashayed into his apartment, balancing on heels that put a dent in their seven-inch height difference. His gaze dropped to the gentle rock of her hips, the faint bounce of her ass, and lust roared through him. Was she wearing a new outfit? He couldn’t wait to see what she looked like under the coat.

  “Would you like a drink?” he asked, not wanting to be rude and jump her straight away. His mother had brought him up right.

  “No thanks. I’ve had enough wine tonight. If I have any more I’ll fall asleep.” She loosened the belt on her black and red coat until it dropped free and unfastened the buttons. “I wouldn’t want to waste this on sleep.”

  Connor froze. His mouth dried of every trace of spit.

  “Do you like?” she asked in a saucy tone, cocking one hip with sexy attitude.

  “Hell, yeah,” he croaked, staring at the wee bit of nothing she wore “I think red is my new favorite color.” He prowled the distance separating them and pushed the black-and-red coat off her shoulders. It slipped down her arms and dropped to the floor with a whisper of crisp fabric.

  She might as well have been naked because the lacey bra and panties she wore covered little. They were enticement rather than functionality. He tucked a lock of her dark hair behind one ear, still trying to take in the transformation from Maggie to siren. He ran his hand over her collarbone and across her shoulder, his attention on her beautiful breasts. The red lace was translucent and a real turn-on. As he touched and skimmed his hands across silky skin, her nipples hardened, pulling to tight crests that begged him to kiss.

  “Come to bed,” he said, his voice husky and full of desire.

  She smiled. “I thought you’d never ask.”

  He grabbed her hand, wanting to go slow despite the urgency thrumming through his veins. Even so, he couldn’t prevent a surge of impatience when he grabbed her, swinging her into his arms and striding for his bedroom. He tossed her on his bed, part of his mind thinking how right she looked there.

  His.

  He couldn’t muck this up between them. Not when it felt so damned right.

  Connor followed her down to the bed and plundered her mouth, nipping. Tasting. Seducing.

  “I want you so bad,” he muttered.

  “So, what’s stopping you? Take me. I’m all yours.”

  If only she meant that.

  He licked the sweetness of her mouth, pushed his tongue in at the corner of her lips until a choked, breathless sound escaped her. His hands mapped her body, committing her to memory while he continued to make love to her mouth.

  When he lifted his head, they were both breathing hard.

  “This lingerie is more thought than covering,” he said, tugging on one of the shoulder straps.

  “Yeah, great, isn’t it? It makes me feel sexy and feminine.”

  “Newsflash, you are sexy and feminine, babe.”

  “Prove it.”

  A lazy invitation and it lit a match under his libido. Urgency took over and he removed the bra in seconds flat, latching onto a nipple and sucking hard. His cock throbbed and he ground his erection against her leg, groaning around her nipple at the resulting surge of pleasure. So damned good.

  Maggie whimpered, and he would’ve stopped, but she grasped his head in her hands and arched into him. With his control at breaking point, he tried to go slow, but her silent encouragement urged him onward.

  He dragged down her panties, the sound of ripping of lace making him freeze. “Hell! I’m sorry. I’ll buy you new ones.”

  Maggie groaned. “I don’t care. I want you inside me. Now.” She struggled to kick the torn panties off her legs and puffed out an exasperated breath when she failed.

  “Let me.” Connor grasped the flimsy material and ripped them right off. Maggie parted her legs and he moved over her, surging inside her with one quick thrust of his hips. Her snug walls gripped him.

  Hot. Tight. So perfect.

  Fire exploded in his groin, forcing him to move. Clenching his butt muscles, he plunged into her, sheer need driving him. He surged, retreated, stoking the pleasure firing his body, his famous control history.

  Maggie bucked and moaned beneath him, arching and taking every one of his hard thrusts. The slap of flesh against flesh filled the air along with the tart, spicy aroma of arousal.

  Primitive hunger gripped him, and he couldn’t stop the plunge into pleasure. His balls lifted and his climax burst through him. He thrust hard then stilled, hi
s heart hammering against hers as he gave into the firestorm.

  Connor came back to himself and realized he’d placed all his weight on Maggie. Cursing under his breath, he lifted onto his elbows. Then he realized two other things. One, he’d taken her like a Neanderthal without care for her pleasure and two, they hadn’t used a condom.

  Chapter Seven

  “I didn’t use a condom,” Connor blurted.

  “You also came before I did,” Maggie said, her heart still thudding from the experience. She didn’t even care she hadn’t climaxed. A small problem. Connor would take care of that soon.

  “Did you hear me?”

  “I heard you,” Maggie said. “Don’t worry. I’m not at the right time in my cycle, but to set your mind at rest I’ll go to the doctor tomorrow and get the morning after pill.” Maggie felt a pang saying the words, even though it was the right thing to do. While she wanted children, it wasn’t right to have a baby to hook a man. And besides, she couldn’t explore spanking while pregnant. That sounded plain wrong.

  “I’m sorry.” Connor’s voice was hoarse. His eyes held remorse, and Maggie knew he was being too hard on himself. She shared the blame.

  “Hey, there are two of us in this bed. I didn’t notice the lack of condom until you said something. It will be all right, and to make sure I’ll ask the doctor for a prescription for birth control. Okay?”

  Connor dipped his head and kissed her hard, pouring apology and passion into the kiss. She felt it clearly.

  “I didn’t mean to manhandle you. I’ve never treated a woman that way before. I don’t know what came over me.”

  Maggie frowned. Manhandled? He’d ripped her panties and taken rather than coaxed. So what? She hadn’t felt in danger or scared. In fact, she’d enjoyed every moment of their lovemaking.

  “What are you talking about?” She pushed at his shoulders so she could see his expression. “Explain.”

  “I was rough with you.”

  “You didn’t hurt me. I like that you felt you could let go with me. I won’t break, you know. Besides, I have a mouth. If you ever do something I don’t like, I’ll tell you.”

  Connor blinked, a wealth of emotions flashing through his blue eyes. Too fast for her to decipher them. “You enjoyed it? Me being rough?”

  Maggie’s mouth twitched. “Apart from not coming. That bit sucked.”

  He hesitated before the tension seeped from his shoulders. “I can fix that.”

  “You should get right on it then,” Maggie said, allowing her teasing to rush free in a sassy grin. “I’m agog to see how you will do it.”

  “Agog?”

  “Yeah, it means eager and impatient.”

  Connor groaned. “I know what it means.”

  Her brows rose. “So?”

  He snorted, shook his head once and pressed a swift kiss to her lips. “Don’t talk. I need to concentrate.”

  “It’s true then. Men can’t multitask?”

  “That’s a myth put out by women.”

  “Prove it.”

  “I can’t speak and use my mouth on you at the same time.”

  Maggie suppressed a giggle and shook her head in a mournful manner. “All talk and no action.”

  A snort escaped him. “Someone should have spanked you when you were younger.”

  “Ah, but they didn’t, which is why I need it now.” She waited, taut with excitement, for his reply. It was the closest they’d ventured to a discussion of her sexual needs. Would he take the hint?

  His brow furrowed then he moved down the bed. “We’ll see if you’re singing a different tune after I’m finished.”

  “Promises, promises,” she taunted even though frustration roared through her. Why couldn’t she articulate what she wanted? Where the heck were her big girl panties?

  The touch of his mouth sent every thought flying from her head, the slow laps of tongue firing lust to life. Damn, he was good at that. He found her sensitive spots until heat and pleasure curled through her. A whimper squeezed free, one she couldn’t contain. A flush of heat crept up her body, and she sucked in a hoarse breath.

  “That feels good, Connor. Don’t stop. Please don’t stop.”

  He laughed, the sound a puff of heat against her sensitive flesh. His lick across her clit pushed her over the edge. She convulsed against his lips, her pussy fluttering in orgasm.

  “Connor,” she cried, almost sobbing because he made her feel so good.

  When he lifted his head, his stubble rasped against the delicate skin of her inner thighs. He moved up the bed and kissed her. She sank into the kiss, tasting her juices on his lips. Murmuring, she wrapped her arms around his neck and held tight.

  Connor rolled away, settling her at his side when she protested.

  “Where did you grow up?” he asked.

  “In Wellington. Why?”

  “I realized I didn’t know much about you.”

  “It’s not as if it’s a secret.” Her voice held a note of caution, the same caution she always experienced when discussing her family. It wasn’t as if she could come out and say, Oh, you know Elle Walker, the aging socialite who’s always in the gossip columns? That’s my mother. Oh, yeah and after one dumb mistake in my late teens my father is still convinced I take after her and will screw up again.

  When she thought about it, she knew little about Connor either. He was right. Whenever they were with the others, they talked about work, about the present, about rugby. They didn’t get into personal things.

  “How did you end up in Auckland?”

  “My parents divorced when I was five. I resided with my mother for a while but having a child didn’t work with her schedule and I went to live with my father. My mother had family in Auckland and moved up here. My father has three other children with his second wife.”

  “And you get on okay with your stepsiblings?”

  Maggie laughed. It was easy to laugh now, but her childhood hadn’t been easy. “Mostly. My stepmother is good for my father. They have a lot in common.”

  “What about your mother?”

  “She remarried. I don’t see her often.” Maggie bit her lip, knowing she’d left huge gaps in her potted history. “To tell the truth my teenage years were difficult and it wasn’t an easy time for me or my father and his new family. We fought and I left as soon as I could. We get on better now with time and distance between us.” But he still slipped in a lecture each time they spoke or visited.

  Connor stroked her upper arm before grasping her hip and pulling her into the cradle of his body. “My parents separated when I was four. My father used to hit my mother. He beat her so bad he put her in hospital. When he hit me too, she got out of the marriage.”

  “Oh, Connor. I’m so sorry.”

  “It was a long time ago. My mother remarried and my stepfather is a wonderful man. Frank’s been more of a parent than my real father.”

  “That’s good.” Maggie said nothing else. She couldn’t. No wonder he’d worried about acting rough with her.

  “Sometimes I worry I might take after my father.”

  “No! Connor, no. You mustn’t think that.” Maggie pulled away enough to search his face. “I’ve known you for two years now, and you’ve never shown a sign of violence. You are not your father.”

  “Blood will out, according to my grandmother.”

  “Your grandmother is a silly old woman,” Maggie said in a fierce tone, thinking the woman bore a resemblance to her father for outspokenness. “You mustn’t believe her. You’re a good man, Connor Grey. I wouldn’t be with you if I didn’t believe that.” Unsure if she had convinced him, she kissed him. Hard. It was a bruising kiss designed to make him pay attention. Once she was sure she had him, she softened the caress, taking it into loving and seductive. When he groaned and his cock prodded her thigh, she knew she had his full attention.

  This time their lovemaking was slow. They dragged out every last sensation in no hurry to finish. Their breaths mingled and each soft, to
rmenting stroke created an empty ache in her womb. She ran her hands down his back and dug her fingers into the taut globes of his backside, encouraging him to move. They only parted for the time it took for Connor to don a condom before coming together again. Strained breathing and sighs gave way to pleasure, the coil of energy in her pussy exploding into a shattering climax only seconds before Connor came. They stayed clasped together for a long time while their breathing returned to normal.

  Sleepy and content, Maggie let her awareness drift. As usual her mind went straight to her blog and spanking. She thought about Connor and her promise to herself to strive for honesty. She even opened her mouth, ready to speak until another thought occurred. If Connor worried about turning violent like his father, how would he react when she asked him to spank her?

  Sunday passed quickly. Maggie had expected Connor would leave her to visit the doctor on her own, but he insisted on going with her. After a quick stop at her place so she could grab clothes, they went to a walk-in clinic in a different part of town and saw the doctor together. The doctor suggested they both take blood tests, so they did. They left armed with prescriptions and advice to use condoms until the birth control protection became viable.

  That evening, alone in her flat, Maggie recalled the hours she’d spent with Connor. He made her feel cherished, and she knew without a doubt, he’d never hit her in violence. He’d never tread the same path as his natural father. Now all she had to do was convince Connor of something she knew was fact.

  How do I approach my partner and ask him to spank me?

  I’ve met a man I like. The sex is great. More than great. And even better, we have a good relationship out of bed. I want to take our relationship to the next stage. How do I ask him to spank me when I know something in his background makes him abhor the whole idea of this sort of kink?

  I don’t know what to do now. It’s true I’ve had more time to think about spanking and the repercussions of adding it to my sex life. When I approach him, I know he’ll be both shocked and reluctant. But I also know myself. I won’t be happy until I try this. The more I read both online in blogs and forums and also in erotic romances featuring spanking, the more I want to explore this for myself.