Alex glanced around with a small frown. “You know why we’re doing this here, don’t you?”
“Because I left the club without telling you.”
“Yes, but not just that. You put yourself in danger. I know you weren’t expecting Eloise to be there with a gun. But you knew there was something going on and you could have waited and taken someone with you.”
He gave her a stern look. “You’re not alone, Tara. You’re always there for everyone else, but you won’t let them help you when you need them. You need to learn to lean on other people. They want to help you. They love you and they can’t stand the idea of something happening to you.”
Tears filled her eyes. She nodded. “I understand. But can we just get on with it?”
He smiled. His gaze was filled with sympathy but as he stood it grew stern. “We’re going to start with my hand.”
Start with? Great.
He moved out of her sight and she tensed. He rubbed her ass gently, causing her to jump.
“Easy, baby. Don’t tense up or this is going to be a lot more painful for you. I want you to say your safe word immediately if your arm starts hurting or if it all becomes too much, okay?”
“Yes, Sir,” she said, trying desperately to relax.
His hand descended in a steady rhythm. The spanks were firm but not unbearable and she found herself relaxing into them slightly. Maybe this wouldn’t be so bad after all.
Alex stopped and moved up beside her. “Okay?”
“Yes, Sir.”
“Good. That was your warm up. Now onto the more serious stuff.”
Her eyes grew wide as he picked up a paddle and held it in front of him. Tara gulped. It had been a while since she’d felt the sting of the paddle. Alex disappeared behind her. The paddle landed with a sharp thawp and she jolted, letting out a small cry.
“Okay?” Alex asked.
“Yes, Sir,” she replied.
The next five were given in quick succession. Tears filled her eyes as her buttocks grew hot. After another five, she was certain her butt cheeks were hot enough to fry eggs on. Tears escaped, dripping down her face. Another five and she knew she would never go near a bus again without remembering this.
A sob crept out of her throat. She attempted to hold it back, but Alex must have heard because he paused.
“Okay, sweet?”
“Green, Sir.”
Sweat coated her skin as the paddle descended again. Quick then slow. It kept her on edge, unable to relax into the pain. Her ass grew hotter, burning. The spanks were coming slower now.
Tara didn’t immediately realize that it was over, not until Alex started untying her. “I’ll have you out of there in a moment, sweet,” he murmured.
She could hear people talking around her. A blanket was placed over her and then Alex helped her stand. As soon as she was off the bench, he pulled her up into his arms, holding her tight against his chest.
“Shh, baby, you’re all right. It’s all over.” It was only then that she realized she was crying.
“I’m okay,” she told him, swiping at her cheeks as he carried her over to a quiet area and sat on a couch. He leaned back against the arm of the couch and draped her over him, chest to chest.
“Just let it all out, baby,” he told her rubbing her back.
She buried her face against his chest as tears dripped down her face. When she had herself under control, she pulled back.
“Feel better?” he asked.
“Yeah.” She did, actually. Lighter.
Alex nodded. “Sometimes pain can help you release tightly bottled emotions.”
“Are you saying that I hold things inside and need pain to help me let things out?”
“Something like that.”
She snorted. “So when do I get to spank your ass? You’re more tightly wound than I am.”
“Ahh, but I’m the Dom. On me it’s sexy and mysterious.”
She rolled her eyes, but snuggled in deeper against him.
“Two bottles of water, Sir,” a soft voice said. Tara didn’t bother to look up.
“Thank you, Missy. Just open one and hand it to me then put the other on the floor.”
Moments later he held a bottle of water to her lips.
“Drink, baby,” he ordered quietly.
She took a few thirsty mouthfuls before closing her eyes once more. They lay quietly together for another ten minutes, before Alex spoke.
“I’m going to turn you over and put some gel on your ass, sweet.”
She murmured a protest.
“Shh,” he told her. “It will help with any bruising.”
Wasn’t like she had much of a choice, anyway. He sat up then gently turned her over his lap and started to apply the gel to her burning ass. She hissed as he touched some particularly painful bits.
“Wouldn’t like to have to sit on that ass come Monday morning,” a deep voice said.
Tara stiffened and glared up over her shoulder at a grinning Sloan. Alex rolled her over, tucking the blanket around her. She snuggled back into his chest.
Sloan shook his head as he sat on the sofa opposite them. “Got to admit, you were tougher on her than I thought, old man. Of course she did deserve it.” He sent her a strict look and she resisted poking her tongue out at him. Barely.
“Us old guys know a thing or two,” Alex said without heat.
She glanced up at him.
“Am I forgiven?” she asked.
“Baby, you were forgiven the moment I got you back in my arms.”
Sloan groaned and stood. “Enough of that mushy stuff.” He pointed a finger at her. “Don’t you ever put your Dom through that again or I’ll hold you down while he wallops you.”
He wandered off towards the bar.
Alex winked at her. “I knew that would get rid of him.”
Tara giggled. During the next half an hour more of their friends stopped by to check up on her and give her a lecture about taking better care of herself and leaning on them. It sobered her to realize how worried everyone had been when she’d been shot.
“I didn’t realize they all cared about me so much,” she said in wonder after Roarke left.
“Of course they do, baby. They’re your family.”
She rubbed at her eyes, forcing back tears. “I guess they really are.”
“Tired?”
“A little.” She gazed up at him before wriggling off his lap and kneeling on the ground between his legs. “But there’s something I want to do. For you.”
He reached out and cupped her cheek. “Why don’t you hold that thought until we get home?”
She shook her head. “I can’t wait until then. I want to show you how much I love you. May I?”
“I’d be a fool to say no.”
Smiling, she reached out and undid his pants. He wasn’t wearing any underwear so it was easy to pull out his thick cock. She grasped the base of it with her hand.
Reaching down, she took the tip into her mouth, sucking and licking in turns as she pumped her hand up and down him.
“That feels so good, my sweet. Take a bit more. That’s it.”
Tara took more of him into her mouth, swallowing him down, loving the sound of his breath growing harsher, faster. It was a heady feeling, knowing she could do this to him.
“Faster, baby. That’s my girl. My good, sweet girl.”
Tara bobbed her head faster, sucking on him until her cheeks ached. She gently massaged his balls and he moaned loudly.
“I’m going to come, Tara.” His voice was filled with need, his breath coming in sharp, fast pants.
She made herself take as much of him as she could as he let out a low moan and shot his seed into her mouth. Tara quickly swallowed. She pulled back when he was finished, gulping in some deep breaths. Alex passed her the bottle of water and she took a few sips. Then he reached down and drew her up onto his lap so she was straddling him. Pulling her face down, he kissed her deeply.
“Thank you, baby
“No.” She shook her head. “Thank you. For coming for me. For saving me. For loving me.”
“You never have to thank me for that. Loving you is the best thing that ever happened to me.”
“Me too, Sir.”
Epilogue
Alex had had a long day. All he wanted was to put his feet up. Preferably with a scotch in one hand and Tara curled up in his lap. Naked.
He couldn’t believe how his life had changed. A year ago there was no way he would have believed that he would be living with another woman.
He thought Simone had burned him too badly for him to ever trust another woman. But Tara had proven him wrong. The last few months since she’d been shot had passed by in a blur. It hadn’t all been smooth sailing, of course. They’d both had to learn how to open up more.
Working for Reagan had worked out better than he’d thought. Tara really enjoyed it and while he thought he’d have to put his foot down about her hours, Reagan was the one who insisted Tara go home at a decent hour, despite the fact that Reagan often worked into the late hours of the night.
Alex parked his car in the garage and walked into the apartment, slipping his shoes off in the foyer.
“Tara, where are you?” he called out. Stepping into the living room he found her curled up on the sofa, talking to another man.
The other man looked up at him curiously. Alex felt a stab of disappointment that they weren’t alone. But that was all he felt, he realized. There wasn’t even a twinge of jealousy or suspicion.
“Hello, sweetheart,” he said leaning down and kissing Tara.
So, he might have kissed her a little longer and deeper than he usually would have in front of a stranger. Just because he trusted her didn’t mean he couldn’t make it perfectly clear who Tara belonged to.
Tara blushed as Alex pulled back. She knew it couldn’t be easy for him to come in and find a strange man sitting on his couch. But he hadn’t gone cold and brisk like he did when he was feeling suspicious or jealous.
Sure, he’d kissed her a little more possessively than he usually did around strangers, but then there was a bit of a caveman lurking beneath his polish.
“I tried calling you but you didn’t answer,” she said.
“My phone is flat and I couldn’t find the car charger.”
He sat on the edge of the sofa and put his arm over the back of it. She snuggled closer.
“I’d like you to meet my brother, Ben. He decided to surprise me with a visit.”
She arched her eyebrow at her brother. He shrugged unapologetically. He’d wanted to get up here earlier to meet Alex, but had been in the midst of exams. Still, he could have warned her he was coming.
Alex stood up with a smile, holding his hand out. To his credit he showed no annoyance about having a house guest just appear.
“Ben, it’s great to meet you,” Alex said warmly. “You look different than in the photos I’ve seen.”
“I cut my hair, shaved the goatee and I’ve lost a bit of weight.”
More than a bit she thought with a frown, looking him over. “You look like a skeleton.”
“You can talk,” he shot back, sending Alex a look.
“Hey, don’t look at him like that,” Tara scolded.
“I know she’s underweight,” Alex said before her brother could speak. “I’m working on it, but she lost a lot of weight when she was shot and she’s not being very cooperative.”
He sent her telling look. He’d spanked her for skipping lunch just yesterday and she had not appreciated it. Especially as she hadn’t been allowed any pleasure after the spanking. Tara scowled at him. He winked back at her.
“Shot!”
Tara jumped as her brother shouted. She bit her lip.
“Umm, yeah, I may not have mentioned that. It’s not as bad as it sounds.”
“She didn’t tell you?” Alex asked her brother.
“No, she did not,” her brother exclaimed, glaring at her. Tara sunk back into the sofa. Oh, this was not good.
“I wondered why you didn’t come to visit her,” Alex mused. “I even offered to call you, but she said that she would get around to it.” He sent her a look that told her she was in trouble. Whoops.
“Somebody better tell me. Now.”
Tara raised her eyebrows at her brother’s demanding tone. He almost sounded Dom-like. But no, he was her little brother. He knew nothing about BDSM.
She quickly relayed the story. Ben interrupted a few times with questions, but otherwise he just sat there, scowling.
“Why the hell did you work for that jerk?” he asked finally.
“Umm, he paid well.”
“Wasn’t worth it, for the shit he put you through…” Ben trailed off with a frown. “It was because of me, wasn’t it? To help me out. Damn it, Tara.”
“Don’t ‘damn it, Tara’ me,” she said grumpily. “You’re my brother. I love you.”
“I love you too.” He leaned over and pulled her into his arms. “Thank you. But don’t you ever do that again.”
***
Later on that night Tara lay snuggled in Alex’s arms.
“I’m sorry about the unexpected house guest,” she said.
Alex brushed the hair back from her face and kissed her forehead. “It’s not a problem. Honestly.”
Tara smiled up at him. “Don’t worry, he’s only staying two nights. He’ll be gone before the weekend.”
They’d planned a trip to the club that weekend.
“Good,” Alex said with a look of relief.
She chuckled and he smiled. “Not that your brother isn’t welcome to stay with us anytime.”
“But shorter is better.”
“Or maybe a guest suite would be the best idea.”
She frowned in confusion. “What?”
He rolled onto his side. “What do you think about buying a house? Something where the master bedroom is far away from the other rooms so your brother can feel welcome to visit anytime without being right next door.”
“Really?”
“Yeah, I think it’s time we had something that was ours. I bought this place as a bachelor pad after I separated with Simone, but now it’s not quite meeting our needs. What do you say?”
She smiled. “I say yes.”
Alex leaned down and kissed her.
“I wish we could do more,” she said as he nibbled down her neck.
“I should have bought an apartment with a soundproof bedroom.” He cupped her breast, squeezing lightly.
She groaned. “We can’t.”
“We can,” he replied as he slid under the covers and flicked one nipple with his tongue. “You’ll just have to be very, very quiet…”
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