“Really?” I said. I knew he’d be getting a bump in pay, but I didn’t imagine our lives being much different.
“We made it to the top,” Caleb said. He grabbed a bottle of champagne and poured two glasses. “So we’re entitled to all the perks.”
I sipped the champagne, wondering what this meant for our life. Was I going to be a kept woman, taking care of the home and children, while Caleb showered us with luxuries, and did whatever he pleased? It was never the kind of life I’d wanted for myself.
Caleb looked to me coyly, then reached into his pocket. He unfolded a check with more zeroes than I could mentally process.
“What’s that?” I asked.
“My bonus,” Caleb said.
“That much?”
“Now you understand why I had to work so hard.” Caleb turned towards me, pressing his forehead against mine. “I want to take this money and do something special for you.”
“No, that’s okay,” I said.
Caleb grabbed my chin, making him look at me. “You’ve earned this as much as I have. You made this possible.”
His eyes looked so sincere, I couldn’t help but believe him. Inside, however, I knew the truth.
*
Caleb planned the trip without telling me anything about it. He wanted it to be a surprise. I didn’t push him for details. I was just waiting for the day when informed me he was leaving me for Megan.
We took first class on a flight deep into the Appalachian mountains. After landing, we rented a car and drove two hours up steep, winding roads. We crested a hill, and a resort that looked more like a castle appeared before us. It sat perched on the edge of a cliff, in front of a backdrop of rolling, tree covered hills, and the blue, boundless sky.
“This is it,” Caleb said. “Some of the other partners recommended it.”
The lobby was warm, inviting, and very upscale. Wood paneled walls soared up to the ceiling, where a skylight let the sun rush in. The furnishings were carved from large tree trunks and upholstered with rich leather. Patrons milled around drinking tumblers of brown liquor while waiters rushed around catering to their every need.
“Mr. and Mrs. Steward,” the receptionist said. “I’ll take you to your cabin. Right this way.”
“Cabin?” I whispered to Caleb as we followed her. “We’re not staying in one of the rooms?”
“The cabin is tucked away from property. It’s very quiet. And private.” Caleb gave me a knowing smile.
We followed the receptionist out of the lobby, and waited idly until a Jeep pulled up in front of us. Three busboys loaded our luggages into the Jeep, and then Caleb and I climbed inside. I clutched Caleb’s hand when the driver took off suddenly, and squeezed even harder as we climbed up a steep hill.
The cabin was charming. It was made out of dark logs, stacked on top of each other, with an expansive front porch. It was nestled against the base of a hill, and surrounded only by nature. I closed my eyes and listened to the birds flutter in this trees.
“Do you like it?” Caleb asked.
“Yes. It’s lovely.”
He jumped out of the Jeep and held out his hand to me. “It may look modest, but I’m told it has every luxury you could ever imagine.”
I saw the glint in his eyes. It reminded me of the Caleb I knew, the man I loved. Maybe, just for a little while, I could pretend everything was okay. I took his hand, then walked with him up the stepping stone path to the cabin.
Caleb was right about the luxuries. Everywhere I turned was some contraption designed to make life more comfortable. In the living room, there was a huge, flat screen TV, speakers recessed in the walls and ceiling, deep leather couches, and a fireplace that roared to life with just the touch of a button. In the kitchen was a fridge stocked with soda, bottled water, wine and beer. On the marble counters, I found a menu listing gourmet dishes that could be delivered right to your door.
The bathroom was spectacular. It was covered with rich, brown, travertine tiles. Above the large bathtub was a wall of pebbles that water flowed down. The shower had a control panel with settings like steam, rainwater, and massage. The floors were heated, as was the toilet seat.
“See,” Caleb said after we toured the cabin. “This is just what we need.” He handed me a plush, cotton robe, just like the one he was already wearing. “Everything we need is right at our fingertips. All there is to do is enjoy each other.” He grazed his lips across my cheek and kissed my temple. “Let’s go to the hot tub.”
The hot tub sat on the back deck, overlooking an amazing view. It was late afternoon, and the sun was beginning to set, casting golden rays over the tops of the mountains. Caleb shed his robe, and, completely naked, submerged himself into the hot tub. I hid behind the shower stalls while I undressed, then sprinted to the hot tub and quickly slipped into the water. I sat on the bench in front of Caleb. He cocked his head at me, then took my hand. When he pulled, I floated towards him. Caleb took my thighs and pulled me into his lap, making me straddle him.
“Kristen,” he whispered as he caressed my face. “You have no idea how much I’ve missed you. All I ever did was think of you. All I wanted to do was take you in my arms and tell you everything was going to be okay.”
He spoke genuinely, but I wasn’t able to completely believe him. I gave him a curt smile, then gazed out at the view beyond. Caleb leaned up and wetly kissed the side of my neck. His cock stirred between my legs and began to rise.
“You’re the only woman for me,” he said in a low growl.
For some reason, my first instinct was to laugh. Caleb pulled back, and regarded me with a confused look.
“What?” he said.
“Nothing,” I laughed. “It’s nothing.”
Caleb peered at me closer. “I know you, Kristen. It’s not nothing. Something’s been up with you. What is it?”
I floated off of his lap and sat beside him. “Caleb, I know.”
“About what?” Caleb asked.
I narrowed my eyes, preparing to put him in his place. “I know about Megan.”
“You do?” he asked, shocked. “Great, now the surprise is ruined.”
“Surprise?” I croaked.
Caleb looked at me sideways. “That I’m interviewing nannies. Wait, what did you think was going on?”
I breathed a heavy sigh of relief. How could I have been so daft? Of course Caleb would never cheat on me. He was the perfect man, the perfect husband. And he was getting me a nanny! I looked to him with a gushing smile, but Caleb didn’t look so happy.
“Answer the question,” he said, sternly. “What did you think was going on?”
I cowered away from him, wishing I could slip underneath the water and never come back up.
“I thought-“ I started, but I couldn’t continue. I couldn’t say the words.
“You thought I was having an affair,” he said, matter of factly. “How could you think that?”
“I don’t know. It was crazy, I knew it was crazy.” I looked to him, appealingly. “When I saw her calling you that night at the restaurant, I started getting suspicious. And when I watched you walk into her apartment-“
“Wait,” Caleb said, holding up his hand. “You were spying on me?”
I pinched my lips together. I needed to stop talking.
“During our interview at Neiman’s, Megan mentioned her heater wasn’t working,” Caleb said. “Since she’s single and doesn’t have a man around the house, I offered to look at it for her.”
He was trying to help her, I thought with shame. He’s such a gentleman.
Caleb shook his head. The expression on his face pained me. “Kristen, I’m disturbed by this breakdown of trust. If you can’t have faith in me, then how can you have faith in anything else? I love you. That will never change.”
I rushed towards him, laying my head against his wet chest. “I know that. I’ve always known that.”
Caleb stroked my hair. “You’ve broken your vows. When we married, you promised to
trust and obey.” He gently pulled me away from him. “Get out of the hot tub.”
I nodded, lowering my gaze to the water, then stood, dripping and naked. Caleb helped me down the stairs to the deck. I crossed my arms over my wet, shivering body.
“Can I have my robe, please?” I asked.
“No,” Caleb said, quickly.
He stood in front of me, water dripping off of his lean, muscular body. The wetness gave his golden skin a sheen. His cock hung semi-hard between his legs, and I tried hard not to stare at it. He was so perfect, and in comparison, I was much less than perfect. My eyes widened in hope when Caleb walked over to where our robes hung. But all he did was remove one of the sashes.
“This is about trust,” Caleb said, approaching me with the sash. He stretched it between both hands, then covered my eyes with it. He tied it tightly behind my head. “Kristen, do you trust me?” Caleb asked.
His voice was amplified in the darkness. I turned to where I thought he was. “Yes,” I whispered.
“We’ll see about that,” Caleb said. “Lower your arms.”
I rested my arms by my side, exposing my flabby, stretch marked body. Caleb was silent for a moment. I heard his footsteps as he paced in a circle around me.
“What are you feeling?” Caleb asked. “Tell the truth.”
I took a deep breath. “I feel shame. Self conscious.”
I heard Caleb stop in his tracks. “Why?”
“Look at me.” I ran my hands down my middle. “I’m soft and dimply. I have no shape.”
Caleb rushed up beside me. “Is that what this is about?” I didn’t answer. “Kristen, your body is different, that’s because you did something amazing. You brought a life into this world. You’re never going to be the same.”
“But you’re so perfect, so fit. How can you be attracted to me?”
Caleb ran the palm of his hand down my breasts, and the soft curve of my stomach. “I wish you could see what I see. Then you’d know, you’re nothing less than beautiful.”
I wanted so badly to reach out and embrace him, but this was a punishment. All I could do was obey.
“Come with me,” Caleb said. He took my hand and started walking. I stumbled after him.
“Where are we going?” I asked.
“You have to trust me,” he said.
I had no idea of what direction we were going in. We walked for a little while, and then Caleb stopped.
“Pick up your foot,” he said.
I did what he said, and felt him slip a shoe on my foot.
“The other,” he said.
Once my shoes were on, we started walking again. I knew when we entered the cabin, and when we walked back out of the front door. Greenery rustled around me, and a warm breeze wafted over my bare skin. I was outside, completely naked, and with no way of seeing anything. Were there people around? Was I about to walk off of a cliff? I had no choice but to trust Caleb.
As we walked, humidity thickened the air. Caleb led me carefully down a path, navigating me around things I could trip over. I heard rumbling in the distance, and wondered if a storm was coming. The further we walked, the louder the rumbling became until it was nearly deafening. It was frightening not being able to see what was going on. I shouted to Caleb, but he just kept walking.
Flecks of water hit my face and body. I figured we must be at some kind of waterfall. Caleb stopped abruptly, then wrapped his hands around my waist. He picked me up and put me down on what felt like a flat rock. I could hear water rushing very close to us.
“Lie down,” he shouted.
Though I was terrified, I trusted Caleb would never let anything harm me. Trembling, I lay back on the rock. I would feel icy cold water nipping at my toes. Caleb had me scoot down further until I felt the water flowing over my hips. The water was cold, and the pressure intense. It wasn’t comfortable at all.
Caleb picked up one of my legs, bent it at the knee, and planted my foot on the rock. He did the same with the other. He adjusted my position until the water was raining down directly between my legs. The rhythmic drumming hit right above my clit, endless and unrelenting. My body relaxed under the pulsing pleasure it produced. I rose to orgasm easily the first time. When it subsided, the water kept pounding me, making me come again and again. I writhed on the rock while the wetness engulfed me, and in the darkness, I was launched into a world of pleasure.
I was a trembling mess by the time Caleb pulled me out from under the fall. He steadied me in his arms while I caught my breath, and removed my blindfold. I gasped at the beauty before us. We were in what looked like a cove, overlooking a clear stream below. Water fell from rocks overhead, but it wasn’t the main waterfall. That was in front of us, spilling gloriously down the steep side of the mountain. Caleb stroked the wet hair from my face.
“You can put your faith in me, always,” Caleb said. He held my gaze for a moment, then whirled me around, bending me over the rock. With a heavy hand, he slammed down hard against my cold, wet skin. I cried out, and the roaring water absorbed my voice. My body, once relaxed from the pleasure, tensed up.
“Don’t ever think such vulgar thoughts about me again,” Caleb said. He raised his hand and slammed it hard against my bottom. “I’d never defile myself with another woman, or betray our marriage bed.”
My bottom throbbed and the rest of me shivered in the wet cold. Caleb spanked me once more with all his force. I lurched forward, catching myself on the rock in front of me. Water thundered down around all around, and I was completely soaked. Caleb grabbed onto my waist, whirling me around.
“Now that that’s over,” Caleb said, wrapping his arms tightly around me. “Can we get back to where we were?”
I laughed against his chest and nodded. Caleb smiled broadly, then planted his lips on mine. He kissed me deeply, passionately, filling me with warmth. I clutched at his muscular back, kissing him so hard I hoped we would become one. Caleb picked me up and walked me over to the rock. I winced when he sat me on my sore bottom, but soon forgot the pain when Caleb parted my legs and wrapped them around his waist. With a groan, his plunged his cock inside of me, and began to thrust. He gazed into my face, and I could see the desire he had for me. I felt it in the way he pawed at my body, the way he kissed my neck, chest and mouth.
Water fell from above onto Caleb’s head. It dripped down his nose and chin. But he was undeterred. He pounded me with determination, and jarred loose an intense pleasure that hid deep inside of me. I clutched him tighter, and screamed out into the rushing water. He held my wet body close to him, groaning in my ear, while he climaxed inside of me.
Back in the cabin, I wrapped myself in the cotton robe, then warmed up with Caleb in front of the fire. After months of misery, of carrying the weight of suspicion, and desperately missing my husband, I felt cleansed.
“I say we come up here every year,” Caleb said.
“Every year,” I agreed. “Until death do us part.”
Epilogue
Joshua jumped on the bed where I was trying to pack my suitcase.
“Why can’t I come?” he asked.
“Because this trip is for Daddy and me,” I said, ruffling his hair. “We do this every year. You know that.”
Joshua plopped down on his butt, his bottom lip puckered out. “Can I go next year when I’m six?”
I laughed, folding the last of my clothes. “We’ll see.”
“Honey, are you almost ready to go?” Caleb said, walking into the bedroom.
“Almost,” I said.
“Good,” Caleb said. “Mom will be here soon.”
“I can’t wait to stay with Grandma,” Joshua said. “She lets me eat ice cream everyday. But I’m not supposed to tell you that.”
“It looks like you let the cat out of the bag,” Caleb said. He picked Joshua up and threw the giggling child on the bed.
“Again, Daddy,” Joshua said, scrambling up.
While I watched them play, I couldn’t help but notice how handsome Caleb
was. The stress of his job had turned the hair around his temples gray, and worn a few lines in the skin around his eyes. He didn’t look the same as the day we married, but I loved him just as much, if not more. Caleb walked up behind me with Joshua hanging off of his back.
“Are you looking forward to it?” he asked.
“I am,” I said. I loved our yearly trip into the mountains. It reminded of that time, years ago, right after Caleb had made partner. There, our love had been solidified for the second time after our wedding day, and I knew for certainty that nothing could shake the strength of our bond. Trips since had been less magical, perhaps because we were never able to get that cabin again.
“Hello,” Therese called from the front door. “Grandma’s here.”
Joshua wriggled down Caleb’s back, and as soon as he hit the floor, took off running. “Grandma,” he screamed.
Caleb wrapped his arms around my waist and nuzzled his nose against my neck.
“Good news, the waterfall cabin is available this year,” he said.
I gasped with delight, then turned around. “Now I really am looking forward to it.”
Dear Reader,
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Eden
Excerpt from ‘Surrender to Him’ Part 1 of the Jenny and Max Series
“You’ll only need three stitches,” I said. “This won’t take long.”
Max nodded, and gripped the table in front of him. I threaded the needle, then started sewing him up. Max took a sharp breath in and gripped the table so hard I thought he’d launch it against the room.
“Doing okay?” I said after the first stitch was completed.
Alpha Husbands and Obedient Wives (Christian Domestic Discipline Romance): 3 Complete Series in 1 Page 19