by Tara Sue Me
As proven on one of our first family visits to Switzerland, when there was an emergency at the New York office and Nathaniel had to work from his tablet to keep everything from falling apart. We had a small office added to the bottom floor which before held our indoor pool, sauna, and bathrooms. It wasn’t an enticing location, which was the exact point. It had no windows and I wouldn’t recommend anyone suffering from claustrophobia to use it, but it had a printer which was all I needed that morning.
I printed off what I needed, slipped it in into envelope I’d found the night before, and added a bow from the art supplies Elizabeth had in a chalet bedroom. I tip-toed up the stairs and peeked in on Nathaniel, thankfully, still sleeping. With an enormous sigh of relief at having everything taken care of in the short timeline I’d given myself, I hid the envelope in the living room and set about getting breakfast together.
I couldn’t keep the smile off my face at what I’d pulled off, but even more, the fact I’d been able to accomplish it without Nathaniel knowing. That I knew of anyway. He was a tricky one, and hard to surprise, but I was near giddy thinking I might have finally done it this time.
I hadn’t done it by myself, I’d had the help of Dena, who knew just about everyone, and Luke and Megan DeVaan who knew everyone else. That we’d been able to get it all together and completed in the time we had, was nothing but a minor miracle.
As much as I wanted to run up the stairs and wake Nathaniel up so I could give him his gift, I knew he never slept late, even the few times he’d been ill, and he’d be downstairs in the kitchen soon. But even having that knowledge, I was still almost bouncing as I waited for him to get up.
“You were up earlier than normal this morning,” he said when he made it down the stairs.
“I had a few things to take care of,” I said, wondering if he’d let it go with that or if he’d push for more.
He raised a questioning eyebrow, but said nothing.
“What time is the cab coming to get us?” I asked, as if that’d make him forget how early I’d been up.
“In about three hours.”
We’d taken care of most of the packing the night before so we could have a leisurely morning today. I smiled. “Plenty of time for breakfast.”
My plan had been to give him the present after we ate, but I knew I’d never make it that long. Already, my cheeks felt flushed, and a tremor of excitement pulsed though me so intense, there was no way Nathaniel didn’t notice.
I glanced toward the kitchen where the breakfast casserole, leftover from the day before, warmed in the oven. The coffee had been made, and I had fresh fruit cut and ready in the refrigerator.
“I have a little something for you in the living room,” I told him. “That I want to give to you before breakfast.”
I only needed the finger of one hand to count the number of times I’d been able to surprise Nathaniel over the years. Not because of lack of trying, but because he was so intuitive. Although I believed what allowed me to get away with it now was that he’d never in ten million years have expected me to give him a gift. Maybe he wasn’t as intuitive as I thought.
Yeah, no way.
I got lucky, is all.
I led him into the living room and nodded toward the couch.
He sat down, eyes dancing with delight. “It’s a week or so too early for Christmas presents.”
“I didn’t want you to open this one with the kids watching,” I said, knowing where his mind would go.
He tugged at my robe, though I couldn’t tell if he meant to take it off or entice me to sit down. I remained where I was, knowing if I sat down, more than my robe would come off. I shook my head, telling him to wait, and retrieved the envelope from behind a pillow I’d hid it behind.
An envelope with a bow was not what he expected, based on his puzzled expression, and I swallowed a giggle.
“What’s this?” he asked when I placed it in his hands.
“I see it as a sort of payback,” I said, to confuse him more.
“Payback?” His brows furrowed, and his finger played with the flap I had tucked inside, but not sealed. “For what?”
“Open it and find out,” I whispered in his ear.
He slid his finger under the flap and lifted it up, allowing him access to the papers inside. I waited as he pulled them out, trying not to be impatient with my excitement. Three sheets of paper, each with pictures and detailing a private island. One in the Caribbean, one in French Polynesia, and one in the Maldives.
He looked up at me with a grin. “Do I get to pick one?”
“Basically.”
“Are you serious?” he asked.
“Yes,” I said. “I thought we might tire of skiing and snow and mountains since we’re going to be getting away twice a year. Might be a pleasant change of pace to go somewhere tropical. I couldn’t decide where I wanted it to be.”
He listened as he glanced through the islands. “I’m not sure how to decide between the three. We might have to go visit them all.”
I leveled my gaze at him, so he’d know I was serious. “That can be arranged. I told the agent we’d be calling her after Christmas.”
He didn’t reply, but pulled me toward him so I straddled him. “I’d thought about some tropical property,” he said. “But didn’t plan to look until after the new year. You beat me to it.”
“First time for everything.”
“Thank you,” he whispered. “For the island. For loving me. For giving me our kids. For being you. The gift of your love is the best thing I’ve ever received.”
I would have told him the same things, but his lips silenced me. The truth, however, was only in giving my love could I open myself to receive his.
Coming Soon
ALL OR NONE (Wall Street Royals, Book 3)
Conquer. Control. Command. They have. They are. They will. They are the Wall Street Royals, men at the top of their game who are about to be mastered by the one thing they never counted on: love.
Don’t miss the third and final book in the seductively sexy series by New York Times bestselling author Tara Sue Me.
All-Or-None: An order that must be followed immediately and to the letter or not done at all.
Ty and Lillian Bancroft had the life everyone wanted. They were young, wealthy, and beautiful. Deeply in love, everyone said they were a match made in heaven. Until one night shot their whole world straight to hell.
Now divorced, Ty and Lillian get along just fine. As long as they live on separate continents. When changes at the company they both work for send Ty back to the United States, Lillian submits her resignation. To ensure Ty doesn’t follow, she signs up to volunteer in the hurricane ravaged Florida Keys.
Ty isn’t going to let her get away that easily and follows, determined to get to the bottom of what happened that horrible night everything fell apart. Once in Florida, Ty realizes he’s not the only one after Lillian’s heart, the site manger has his eye on her as well.
Lillian still loves Ty, but can’t come to terms with his actions years ago. Can Ty find and convince Lillian of the truth before it’s too late? Or has she already replaced him?
Keep reading for a sneak peek!
THEN
Ty groaned at the pounding in his head and rolled over, promising to get the name of whatever the hell he’d drank the night before so he could make sure he never touched it again. He should get up and take something for his headache, but the thought of sitting upright made him feel sick. Instead, he forced himself to take deep breaths until the feeling went away.
According to the clock at the side of the bed, it was just after two in the morning.
Hell, what was in that drink?
His memory was fuzzy. He remembered the cocktail party he’d hosted in the Upper West Side penthouse he shared with his wife, Lillian. Lillian hadn’t been at the party. She’d left unexpectedly for the hospital because her mother had fallen down her front porch steps. Ty had suggested postponing everything , but Li
llian told him there was no need.
The bed shifted beside him and he wondered when she’d returned home. Why he hadn’t heard her? She was more than likely naked, based on her bare shoulders. He had a sudden flashback of the wild spring break trip they went on when they were both sophomores in college.
God, they’d gotten so drunk and then spent the next three days only getting out of bed for the necessities. That was the year they added kink into their relationship. Back then, he’d never let a headache stop him from taking Lillian whenever and however he wanted.
How long had it been since he woke her up and had her suck him off?
His dick twitched as if saying ‘too damn long.’
Hell, how long had it been since they’d done anything kinky?
All at once, his head didn’t seem to hurt as much.
“Lilli,” he called softly, using her submissive name. He leaned over to kiss her shoulder. Something was wrong. She didn’t smell right. “Lilli?” He asked again.
The bedroom door opened right as Lillian turned in the bed to face him.
“Ty?” Lillian asked, but it wasn’t the woman in his arms.
His heart pounded, and he looked over his shoulder to see his name had been spoken by the Lillian at the door.
What?
He looked down to the woman in bed with him. She wasn’t Lillian. She wasn’t even close.
“Your new PA, Ty?” Lillian asked, slamming the door behind her. “Seriously? Couldn’t you be a little more original and fuck the mail clerk?”
What the hell was going on?
He sat up. “I don’t know what you think happened, but—”
Lillian held her hand up. “Don’t even.”
“Is this your wife, Ty?” The girl in the bed had dropped the sheet, exposing her perky nipples. “Do you think she’ll join us?”
Now
Lillian had never thought of herself as lacking common sense. In fact, she’d always thought the exact opposite. Which explained her shock upon realizing that people with common sense rarely hung out at BDSM clubs waiting for their ex-husbands to show up.
It had never been her intention to act so out of character. Her friend, Jaci, had called yesterday and whispered excitedly that Lillian’s ex-husband, Ty, had called to indicate his intent to reactive his membership at The Club where Jaci worked the following evening. Lillian’s response should have been that Ty could go fuck himself and the plane that brought him back to the States. Lillian hadn’t stepped a foot inside The Club since their divorce, and had never planned to again. That’s what she should have said, but she didn’t.
No, instead, she decided to visit again. One last time.
Nothing could happen because she visited the place once more. In two days she’d be on her way to the Florida Keys for two weeks. Not for a vacation, but because two hurricanes had battered the islands, leaving devastation everywhere. Lillian had volunteered to help, thinking it would help keep her mind off Ty.
She should be at her apartment, packing, rather than standing in the large room separating The Club’s check-in room and the play areas. Nothing to do about it now, though, she was already here.
The much-too-white room was filling up with people. Most only walked through because no play was allowed, but several members sat chatting on one of the many curved loveseats.Ty was nowhere to be seen. She decided to grab a drink from the bar tucked away in far corner. Just as she turned to head in that direction, Ty appeared.
He’d been in London for two years, so it’d been at least that long since she’d laid eyes on him. How was it possible he’d grown even more handsome? His dark blond hair held a bit of gray, but it didn’t make him look old. Rather, he looked more distinguished. The laugh lines around his mouth spoke of his laid-back demeanor.
After everything they’d been through, his betrayal, the divorce he didn’t fight her on, being separated by the Atlantic Ocean, and finding their way back to a cordial relationship, the sight of him should not make her body react the way it did. The visceral yearning threatened to pull her across the room to where he stood. She thought about letting it take her. Until she dropped her eyes to the person who’d entered with him.
A woman.
Short with a headful of unruly curls, her eyes flickered from one thing or person to another in unmasked interest and with a hint of trepidation.
A newbie? What the hell?
Just that quickly, she remembered opening her bedroom door and finding Ty in bed with his recently hired PA. Since their divorce, she had tried to date, but had been unable to build up any interest, much less excitement, about doing so. It went without saying, she hadn’t found the first person she wanted to sleep with. Of course, the same couldn’t be said of Ty.
Not that she cared. She'd divorced him, he could play and sleep with anyone he wanted. It wasn’t her business anymore.
Still, she had to get out of the room before he saw her and, even worse, noticed she was alone.
He called her name the second she turned away, but she continued through the doors leading to the public play space as if she didn’t hear. He wouldn’t follow because he was much too good of a Dom, and the tiny little thing he brought with him looked scared half to death. No way would he bring her back here or leave her alone while he followed by himself.
She stopped walking for a minute. Hell, did she think he cared enough to follow her? He brought someone with him for crying out loud. His plan for the night probably involved the newbie sub and a private room.
She snorted, causing several people to look her way, though most went on with whatever it was they were doing before. Except, of course, for one guy who must have decided he enjoyed snorting submissives because he changed course and headed in her direction.
Damn it all to hell.
He was attractive enough, but after seeing Ty in person, there wasn’t a man on the planet who could tempt her at the moment. God, she’d forgotten how devilishly handsome her ex was.
“Hello,” the Dom said, coming to a stop right in front of her. “I’m Eric. I don’t recall ever seeing you here before.”
His smile and demeanor were charming, but they were lost on her. “Lillian. I’m an old member,” she told him. “Just haven’t been part of the scene lately.”
“Any reason?” he asked.
She shrugged, not wanting to explain the entire situation to a stranger. “Yes, but nothing I’d bore you with.”
“Why do you think I’d be bored?” He was pushing, as one would expect from a Dom, but she wasn’t in the mood for anything he had in mind.
“Trust me,” she said. “You would be. But it doesn’t matter, because I only came to observe tonight. I have no intentions of playing.”
“I can take a hint,” he said, with a grin. “It’s nice to have met you, Lillian. If you decide you’d like to do more than observe the next time you’re here, feel free to find me.”
“Thank you, Eric,” she said, relieved he didn’t attempt to change her mind. He gave her a wink before turning and walking away.
She sighed, watching his tight backside as he made his way across the room. Another time, another place, another lifetime, Eric would have turned her head. For the briefest of seconds, she contemplated calling him back. What would be the harm in blowing off some steam for an hour or two? Or blowing him off?
But she’d never been one to play casually.
“Thank goodness you turned him away.”
She knew the voice, knew it at the most intimate of levels. Lillian closed her eyes and let the sound wash over her. Enjoying the way it made her skin tingle and her insides grow warm and needy. Then, as sudden as she’d let it wash over her, she shut it off, and turned to face the owner of the voice.
“Ty,” she said, looking him in the eyes, determined not to give into or show any of the emotions running through her body. Not the jealousy, or the anger, and for sure as hell not the desire being around him unwillingly brought out. “How did you think you’d h
ave stopped me if I’d welcomed his advances?”
“I don’t know, but he wouldn’t have put his hands on you tonight,” Ty said as if the entire thing was up to him. Damn cocky arrogant bastard Dom, he never changed.
“I believe you lost the right to have any say on that matter the day the divorce papers were signed,” she told him, almost wanting him to say otherwise.
“That doesn’t keep me from thinking it or wanting to stop it.”
Anger at his words boiled inside of her. How dare he?
“You have some nerve” she said, hands on her hips. “You stroll in here with some pretty young thing who looks like she might pass out at any minute, and then you think you can dictate who I’m with?”
Screw this. Lillian turned away. Maybe Eric hadn’t gone far. If she hurried, she might catch up with him before he found someone else to play with.
“Maggie?” Ty asked, as if Lillian would know who he was talking about, would know her name. “Because if she’s who you mean, the short woman with the curly hair, it’s not what it looks like.”
Lillian snorted. “Like I haven’t heard that one before.” Though, thankfully, Ty had the decency to look uneasy with his own choice of words.
“Maggie is Issac’s PA, and she’s completely into him,” Ty said.
Obviously, her ex-husband had forgotten who she’d worked with from the time he went to London until a few weeks ago. She had little doubt she knew Issac better than anyone after working as his PA for years before the illustrious Maggie. And yes, she’d tell Ty, she knew he went to college with the man, but it wasn’t the same. She’d worked at his side, day and night, for nearly two years straight.
“Please,” she said. “Issac has never dated women he works with, especially his assistant. There’s no way he’d be with her. Even if changed his mind on that score, I thought you had enough respect for your friend and business partner not to make a move on his woman.”