“Yes, I totally agree.” It sure hadn’t been pretty to be sick, but neither one cared about what they had looked like. If they were to stay together, there’d be plenty of times when they’d see each other at their worst.
“Besides, my mom and dad called before the game. The whole McKay clan is planning to visit for our final game before the playoffs. I’d like to include you in the family get-together. They all want to meet my Gracie.”
“I’d love to be there,” she said. “Oh, before I forget, Phalen Maddox went to Minneapolis to follow a lead on Dr. Joseph Mathews.”
“Awesome, do you know when he’ll be back?”
“He’ll call and let us know as soon as he can. But I wouldn’t expect to hear anything until tomorrow morning at the earliest.”
“If he found the doctor, do you think we’ll find my birth parents?” Dallas stopped, his arm going around her waist.
“I think we’ll find a lot of answers,” Grace said. “This morning I spoke to your foster father, Kohana Blackstone.”
Dallas glanced around the hallway. It was empty, which was why Grace could talk without concern for being overheard. She thought she saw shyness in his eyes when she mentioned Kohana.
“I remember him,” he finally said. “He owned the horse farm where I lived before I went to Texas.”
“He’s a good man. He’s a widower now,” Grace explained. “He remembers you as Matoskah and helped make it possible for a family to adopt you.”
“Looking back on it, I think I’d given him a hard time,” Dallas admitted. “He and his wife couldn’t have children so they fostered them. It wouldn’t surprise me if he adopted some after I left.”
“He did. I think you should know something. Kohana Blackstone was always concerned that you were bullied as a kid and felt that you had used your anger to fight back. He hoped that working with horses would help you see that you didn’t need to be angry.”
“He was right. In all honesty, sometimes I started the fights.”
“You were a scared little boy,” she said. “As someone who did get bullied, I can’t see you being that mean to others. Look at the man you’ve become. You have a terrific family and are incredibly successful. I really think we’re going to find your birth parents very soon now. Kohana Blackstone was one of the first to fight for Safe Haven laws to go into effect in South Dakota. Once the laws were established, parents who might have abandoned their babies could safely surrender their children with police stations or firehouses without fear of prosecution. As I told you the other day, the laws were not in effect when you were born. I suspect that Dr. Mathews or maybe the police had voluntarily made it so that your birth parents weren’t jailed for surrendering you. I’m not sure why the doctor left after that. I’m hoping Phalen will find out soon.”
“You got all this information this morning?” Dallas asked.
“Yes. Rachel and I went shopping and to a salon. That’s why my hair is perfect.” She brushed her hair back again. It was so soft and silky from the hairstylist that it was nice to touch it.
Dallas reached up and stroked her jaw, then combed his fingers through her long hair. “You’re a knockout tonight, baby. I can hardly keep my hands off you.” He leaned in and kissed her lightly. “If I don’t, we’ll never make it to Alexandria.”
“We can always skip dinner and go to your place,” Grace suggested.
“No, there’s something I want to talk to you about first,” he refused, releasing her but keeping her close. “I texted my sister and put in an order of honeysuckle shampoo for you.”
“Thank you.”
“My pleasure.” His fingers tightened at her waist and they walked on, reaching the reserved parking lot. “I get a kick out of having you smell like me when you use my soap and shampoo, but I much prefer when you smell like honeysuckle.”
“I used to hunt down the flowers and suck the nectar out when I was a kid.” Grace saw that Alex Grant’s Q7 was already gone. Kyran’s black Escalade was still in the lot. “Do you think Anna and Kyran are all right?”
“I think they have a thing for the mascot changing room,” Dallas replied. “I’d rather not think about why.”
He was probably right. Grace clutched her small purse closer as Dallas helped her up into the truck. It didn’t have the warm seats like Alex’s vehicle, but she didn’t need it. She was warm from Dallas’ constant touch and even hotter kisses.
Wondering where they were headed for their night out in Alexandria, she elected not to ask. Dallas seemed to want to charm her, although he didn’t have to. She was thoroughly charmed already. Once he got the truck warmed up and they were heading out of the lot, he reached across the seats to take her hand.
They talked about the game as he took the highway to the exit for Old Town. Grace loved the early American feel and atmosphere, along with some of the finest restaurants and clubs in the area. Dallas said he’d made reservations at a renowned French restaurant, complete with valet parking, and she was stunned.
She’d never gone on a date like this. The place was elegant, refined and the valet treated them with such courtesy and respect, she couldn’t help but smile. Inside the restaurant, the host greeted them in French. To her surprise, Dallas replied in French.
Dallas checked their coats, though he took something from his coat and stuck it in his pants pocket. They followed the host to their table, located in an intimate corner with candlelight and a bottle of chilled white wine already waiting. The French décor was utterly charming, like they’d stepped into an elegant restaurant in the center of Paris.
As soon as they were seated, a waiter came to pour a little of the wine in Dallas’ glass. He tasted it and gave his approval. Grace was served and then the waiter added more to Dallas’ wineglass. There were two small menus on the table, the writing primarily French.
“I had no idea you spoke French,” Grace said, glancing at her menu, but far more interested in looking at him.
“My mom thought I should know French and Spanish. But I only remember a fraction of what I’d learned in high school French class.”
“I didn’t do well in foreign languages,” Grace admitted. “I don’t know why. I excelled in Social Studies, History and English and struggled in Math and Science. I only took a year of Spanish to graduate.”
“You’re a bright woman, Gracie,” Dallas complimented. “I’d love to teach you what I remember of Lakota.”
“Do you think I can learn?”
“Of course,” he said, nodding. He reached across the table and took her hand.
“How’d you get to be so nice?” she asked, using her free hand to pick up her wineglass. She sipped the chardonnay. It was delicious.
“I’m not sure,” he admitted. “I think it’s from my parents.”
“I think so too.” She sipped again, watching as he copied her.
They took a minute to read the menus, but then she decided to let him select something for her. When the waiter returned, Dallas ordered a shrimp appetizer, salads and pan-roasted duck with a cognac-based sauce and complementing vegetables.
Dallas poured another glass of wine for her and they talked as they waited for their salads to arrive. He only took a few sips of his own wine and she remembered he didn’t like to drink and drive.
After their appetizer was served, Dallas reached into his pocket and pulled out a long slender box. “Gracie, I hope this isn’t too soon. I want you to wear these for me from now on.” He handed her the gift.
Suddenly aware of how serious they were getting as a couple, Grace accepted it. Her fingers were trembling as she carefully removed the gold paper and opened the elegant box. For a moment she could only stare, as she wasn’t certain at first what it meant. Two sterling silver rings adorned with sapphires sparkled within a bed of crushed velvet. Along with the rings, a very intricate and long twisted chain lay in the box. The chain was designed to attach to the rings and then loop up around her neck.
“Oh Dallas, this is
lovely,” she breathed out. God, she felt like a kid who couldn’t string two sentences together. “Are you saying what I think you are?”
He leaned forward, speaking in a very quiet voice. “If you accept the nipple rings and chains, I’ll be the one to put them on and take them off. I want you to belong to me. More than that, I want your pleasure to belong to me.”
Grace had known that from the beginning. “My pleasure is already under your control. It has been since we met.” Feeling heat flood her cheeks, she saw that her hands were shaking. But she knew what she wanted. “Yes, I will wear these for you. I want to give you the same promise of pleasure. Getting you off is the most exciting thing I’ve ever known.”
Dallas grinned devilishly. “It’s a two-way street, baby.”
“You’re not worried by how quickly we fell in love?”
“No way, Gracie.” He shook his head and sipped his wine. He still hadn’t added more to his glass, obviously keeping in mind that he was driving. “Knowing you’re wearing my jewelry is going to drive me crazy when I think about it.”
Grace smiled. “I hope to drive you crazy for years.”
“That’s my plan.”
“Mine too,” she said.
The waiter returned to their table and Grace quickly closed her jewelry box. She was already anxious to get home and try the gift. She’d like to rush up to the bathroom and change into her new nightgown for the occasion. But she wasn’t sure they’d make it up the stairs before Dallas put his claim on her body.
After the waiter took their barely eaten shrimp, he left the salads. Grace and Dallas cleaned their salad plates and nibbled on crusty bread. She switched from drinking too much wine to sparkling water when their main course arrived. They talked for a little while, primarily about Dr. Joseph Mathews and what his reasons might have been for disappearing and changing his name.
“Grace, if Dr. Mathews isn’t the lead you need to find my mother and father, I’ll consider the case is closed. I see now that they must have had reason to stay anonymous. I’ll leave it at that.”
“Are you sure, Dallas?” Finished with her pan-roasted duck, which was delicious, she pushed the plate away. The sauce had made the dish especially flavorful and she hoped they’d come back to this restaurant so she could sample other dishes on the menu.
“Yeah, I am,” he said. “It’s not that the idea of not knowing their names doesn’t bother me. In fact, it’ll probably hurt like hell. But I have that photo of my mother. I have the knowledge that she left me where she did because she didn’t know what else to do.”
“Just know, I’ll be here for you no matter what you decide,” Grace promised, reaching across the table to rest her hand over top of his.
“Thanks, baby,” he said, shifting his hand to cup her fingers. “I love my folks. You know that. I’d still like to have answers, even if it means all I learn is that my birth parents are happy in the lives they’re living now. That’ll be enough.”
“Dallas, I hope this isn’t out of place. Would you consider adopting children?”
“It’s not out of place,” he said. “And I would. I’d love to have a big family. We’ve talked about that already.”
She thought of his big home and the vacant rooms. She still wanted to be the woman he married and had a family with. Knowing Dallas, she was certain he would be a great father.
“Yes, we have,” she said, nodding. She looked at the slender jewelry box sitting on the table. As she imagined Dallas’ hands placing the rings on her nipples and tightening them just the right way and adding the heavier chains, a lightning storm of need struck deep in her soul.
She loved Dallas with all that was in her. It didn’t matter that she hadn’t known him long. Her heart recognized him in an instant. And right now, she wanted to fuck him.
But Dallas decided to order coffee. They didn’t ask for dessert, but the way he watched her while the waiter poured two cups made her very aware that he delayed their departure on purpose. He wanted her to wait, even though she saw him tuck his hand under the table and adjust his erection. She didn’t have to see his tented slacks to know he was rock-hard. She sensed it with every throb of her clit and drip of cream from her pussy.
“Dallas,” she finally whispered, swallowing hard as she watched him sip his coffee.
“Gracie?”
“Take me home.”
Dallas set down his cup and signaled for their waiter. Within minutes, he’d handed the man his Amex Black Card. She didn’t want to ask, but she wondered if the card was actually made of titanium. She’d certainly never seen one in person or qualified for the exclusive invitation that it took to get one. Dallas was so down to earth, hardly ever flaunting his wealth. She was glad to know that, otherwise she’d be intimidated as hell when the waiter recognized the card.
They left, with Dallas stopping to get their coats and leaving a generous tip for the girl working behind the counter. He did the same with the valet. The truck was warm when they climbed in and were soon on their way out of Old Town. Grace looked at the dashboard clock. It was midnight.
Checking to make sure her shoes hadn’t turned to glass slippers, she was glad to see the straps wrapped around her ankle. They weren’t in a fairytale. “Oh damn, my suitcase! I left it in Alex Grant’s car.”
“No, it’s in the back. Look,” Dallas said, gesturing with his head.
Grace looked into the extended cab. Her small case was on the backseat. “Whew.”
“I texted Alex from the locker room and asked him to put your things in my truck,” Dallas explained how he’d arranged the transfer.
“Thank you,” she said. “You’ve no idea what I have in that case.”
“If it involves bondage, we’ll have to negotiate who’s in charge tomorrow night.”
“Is this your way of saying you intend to be dominant this evening?”
“I can be tamed on occasion, baby. But I’m always going to want to take charge of you.”
“If it matters, I don’t have anything in my suitcase that will restrict your movements tonight,” she told him.
“Maybe tomorrow night,” he offered.
“We’ll see,” she said, although an idea formed for Saturday night that had nothing to do with sexy lingerie and everything to do with handcuffs and full nudity for both of them. The very idea of taking over Dallas’ pleasure excited her like nothing she’d ever known.
Knowing that she’d submit to him tonight, especially when he claimed her with his nipple rings and chains, left her feeling weak in the knees. To be desired by Dallas McKay was nothing short of breathtaking. She could already smell his arousal and hers. Turning her head just enough so she could see the front of his pants, she wasn’t surprised to see the outline of his erection pushing against the zipper.
It had been a week and a half since she’d felt his cock in her pussy. She wanted him so badly she squirmed with the need to touch her clit. Just once, she thought, just enough to ease the ache.
“You doing okay over there, baby?”
“Ah, no,” she admitted. “I need to come.”
“You know the rules,” he said. “You wait for me. I can’t drive if you so much as touch yourself.”
How he knew what she’d been thinking, she couldn’t say. Dallas was right on the money. “Sometime soon, I really am going to handcuff you to the bed and put a cock ring on you to keep you from coming until I say.”
“Deal,” he agreed. “Wait until you see your present when we get home.”
Grace thought of the box he’d put into her coat pocket when they left the restaurant. “You’ve already given me a gift.”
“I’ve something else for you.” His gruff sexy voice returned, sending heat waves through her nerve endings. Her heart pounded so furiously, she was sure he could hear it. There was something so sexy about knowing his voice had gone deep and hoarse because he wanted her.
Dallas reached over and took her hand, bringing her a little closer so he could put he
r hand on his thigh. She was so tempted to shift her fingers and cup his groin. But if she did, they’d waste more time and she wanted to get home and slip into something sexy.
She thought about telling Dallas about Robyn’s behavior at the game, deciding it could wait until tomorrow. There was no reason to cause trouble when all Robyn had done was prod into something that wasn’t her business.
He drove on, her hand clutched in his, and Grace eased back into her seat. Soon they’d be at his house and the rest of the evening could unfold.
Chapter Thirteen
Dallas drove with one hand on the wheel, his mind thoroughly on what he planned to do when he had Grace back in his bed.
Grinning at what awaited her, he flipped the turn signal for his road. They both remained quiet, but he didn’t mind. He had Grace with him and once he fucked her without a condom getting in the way, there’d be no turning back.
He’d never thought the search for his birth parents would lead to finding love. But he was happy that he didn’t feel pressured or panicked over anything with Grace Daniels. He didn’t expect to. He trusted her more than he’d trusted any woman. That was the only reason he’d ditch using condoms.
Hard as a freakin’ rock, he managed to drive down his lane and into the garage. He wished the second spot over wasn’t empty. Grace had left her Camaro at her apartment. They’d need it by the end of the weekend. He’d like her to consider moving in permanently. However, he’d wait to ask her until she finished with his case. She’d spent most of her evenings with him since they’d gotten together. Only twice had she slept at her own place, last night and the night before, because she’d wanted to make up time on his case after being sick.
He hadn’t liked sleeping alone. Waking up without her in bed had been hell and he refused to jack off. He’d promised not to come without her. Tonight he intended to come several times. First he had to get her inside. Helping Grace out of the truck, he went back for her overnight bag and carried it into the house. Max was in the kitchen wagging his tail when Grace went to greet him.
His dog licked her right on the chin. Grace didn’t push him away. She hugged him tight and scratched his ears the way he liked as she drew back. “Hey sweetie, aren’t you the best dog in the world,” she said.
FieldofPlay Page 25