Maybe, With Conditions

by Mariella Starr

  She knew what she was doing as she took Dalton in her mouth. He had taught her, coached her, and she knew he enjoyed oral sex as much as she did. It had been a long time since she had done this for him, but she had not forgotten how or how much he enjoyed her giving him this kind of pleasure. He was more than generous in his attentions to her, so she wanted to reward him with the same pleasure. It took her a little bit not to choke on his size and she tasted herself on him. She swirled her tongue around him as he raised himself on his elbows to watch her.

  Dalton was in his idea of heaven. His woman was tending to his needs as only Nicole could do. He leaned back to enjoy it and soon they were in a contest to see how much he could thrust into her mouth and how much of him she could take. When she choked a bit, he pulled back, but she moved forward and would not release him.

  "Relax, baby," Dalton crooned. "Relax."

  She slowed down and he could feel her throat relaxing as she took in more of him. When he knew he was about to explode, he pulled her away from his shaft and positioning her ass in front of him as he rose to his knees behind her and thrust inside banging into her with the precision of jackhammer.

  Nicole had wanted to finish him, but it was not Dalton's way. When he turned her over, she moaned until he was inside pounding into her, again. They shifted positions several times, but Dalton liked to extend their pleasure as long as possible. When he could no longer contain himself, he groaned with the release, but kept pumping and slid his hands under her. As he removed himself, he replaced his penis with his fingers, continuing to stroke her. She thought he had rung her dry of orgasms already. He moved down and took her clitoris in his mouth, again, and she spontaneously erupted. She felt herself rising, again and again, shuddering, and moaning. She had no control over her body. The orgasm would not stop.

  Something momentous was happening, as every touch seemed to set off another orgasm. Dalton marveled, as he continued to watch and play with her, but after a few minutes, Nicole was becoming panicked.

  "I can't stop it," she gasped.

  He carried her into the bathroom, stepped into the shower, and turned on the cold water blasting both of them and reversing their arousals.

  Nicole leaned against him and shivered. "That has never happened before," she exclaimed with a nervous laugh.

  "Was it painful?"

  She shook her head. "At first, it was wonderful, but then it wouldn't stop!"

  "Has it happened to you before during sex?"

  Nicole smacked him on the chest. "No! You would know if it had!"

  He let the information settle for a few seconds before a cocky grin appeared on his face. "You haven't been with another man in six years?"

  "No," Nicole admitted reluctantly. "Not until you, again. Are you satisfied?"

  "Actually, I think I'm elated," he admitted. He pulled her into his arms. "It's probably old-fashioned, but knowing I have been the only man in your life makes me quite proud."

  She turned her back to him and adjusted the shower to a much warmer setting while mumbling, "Neanderthal!"

  "Nic?"

  "What?" she demanded, embarrassed by her admission.

  Dalton turned her around to face him and kissed her gently. "Thank you."

  * * *

  "Get dressed," Dalton said as he followed her out of the shower.

  "Now?"

  "Yes, we have a reservation for our date."

  Nicole stared at him. "It took me hours to get ready before and Kay helped! My hair is wet and you know it's nearly impossible to control. Besides, it's almost time for Roy Mac and Helen to return."

  "I know, which is the reason we need to leave soon," Dalton explained. "Hop to it, the night is not over."

  "Are we still going to Reno?"

  "Yep," Dalton said giving her a light spank on her bottom. "Get moving and quit obsessing about your hair. It's beautiful." He buried his fingers in it drawing her to him. "I've always loved these corkscrews. They were cute before, now they are glorious."

  Fifty minutes later, they left the house with him hustling her out the door, as she was still fussing. He drove past the main ranch gate, but instead of turning right toward Hawthorne, Dalton turned left. He drove to a small airstrip where she saw several small planes and hangers.

  "Where are we? Are we going by plane?" Nicole asked.

  "Yes. We're at the old Babbitt airstrip. The town was deconstructed, but some of us in Hawthorne decided to lease the airstrip for private aircraft."

  "What do you mean deconstructed?"

  "Before the Second World War, each branch of the military services had a separate ammunition depot. The Hawthorne Depot belonged to the Navy and was a full base. According to my great-grandfather, who died when I was twelve, the Navy built a town here called Babbitt. It was much bigger than Hawthorne. My great grandfather believed Babbitt was a major reason why Hawthorne never developed into a larger city.

  "During and after the second world war, the Depot was an active base for many years. However, sometime between Korea, the cold war, and Vietnam, the base began to shrink. By the eighties, there was hardly any Navy personnel working at the base. The military literally dismantled the town, taking the 'Babbitt houses' apart and selling them. After that, the military population almost disappeared. The Navy turned the Depot over to the Army in the early 1990s. The Army transferred the operation to an independent contractor who hires local civilians to fill the jobs needed. The Depot is the largest employer in the area and quite literally surrounds most of the town of Hawthorne.

  "Ammunition is no longer made there, as far as we know, but it is stored there in almost 2,500 bunkers. It's a no-fly zone, so I can't show it to you from the air. About ten years ago, some local pilots wanted to buy this old airstrip. The military wouldn't sell it, but they leased it to us with the understanding it could be re-appropriated by the army and our flights had to be routed around the Depot." As Dalton explained the Depot's history, he parked his truck outside one of the hangers.

  "Are you telling me you're flying us to Reno?" Nicole asked looking at the small plane in consternation. "Tonight. In this little plane?"

  "Yes, and yes," Dalton said with a laugh. "Don't worry, I'm an experienced pilot. I've had a pilot's license since I was seventeen. My Dad and I used to fly together. After the accident that killed my parents and disabled Roy Mac, we had to sell his plane, but I bought this one about three years ago. I like the smaller planes."

  Nicole was a little skeptical about Dalton's ability to fly the small aircraft, but she didn't balk at getting into it. She was fascinated by it and especially thrilled when he let her hold the controls to get the feel of it.

  "How hard is it to learn to fly?" she asked.

  He smiled at her interest. "It takes a lot of navigation and instrument classes with many hours devoted to learning how to fly long before you are ever allowed in a cockpit. Once you learn, it's not much different than driving a ground vehicle."

  "Except there aren't four wheels firmly on the ground. I think it would be a lot more difficult," she responded looking at the instrument panels.

  "Kay has her license," Dalton said with a grin.

  "Cool," was the only response from his excited passenger.

  They landed at a private airstrip on the outskirts of the Reno airport and took a taxi to the Peppermill Resort Spa Casino. As they entered the lobby, Nicole tried not to feel like a country bumpkin. It was obvious that pleasure and luxury were Peppermill's business.

  Dalton bypassed the check-in desk, leading Nicole to an office down a long hallway. He introduced her to Louis Addison, one of the Hotel Managers. Mr. Addison was both a client and a friend of Dalton's. They talked horses and family for a few minutes until a phone call interrupted them. Louis slapped his friend on the back and told Dalton his stay at the Peppermill was already arranged.

  From there they were escorted to a penthouse suite. As Dalton made himself at home by grabbing a beer from the in-suite bar, Nicole observed her sur
roundings.

  "You will find a few new things hanging in the closet," Dalton said a few feet behind her.

  "You have some explaining to do," Nicole said. "I thought we were going home tonight. Matty will be upset if I don't show up."

  "Matty is with family and they have already told him you will be home tomorrow."

  "Damn it, Dalton. You can't whisk me away from my child without warning him and me!

  "How else am I supposed to give you a surprise and a little time away from him?" Dalton asked. "Nic, it's healthy for a child to spend time away from his parents. He needs to learn independence. Roy Mac and Gran adore him, and we are only a phone call away." He turned her around to massage the tension from her shoulders. "Relax, I'm not kidnapping you. We're here for an evening and night of fun. Turn off the overprotective mom part of you for a few hours."

  "I am a mother. What do you want me to be?"

  He captured her in a long, sensual kiss that nearly buckled her knees.

  "My sex slave for the evening would be a nice change," Dalton growled.

  Nicole laughed. "I thought I did a reasonably good imitation of one earlier."

  "You did, but you haven't seen anything yet," he promised. "You're mine, only mine, for the rest of this evening and night. I don't have to share you with anyone. You are allowed to let go and enjoy yourself, Nic. Let's make the most of it."

  She wanted to turn off being a mother, but it was easier said than done. While Dalton ordered a room-service dinner, she snuck out to the patio, called Helen, and talked to Matty. When he reassured her he was having a great time, she disconnected the call feeling a little lost. She was so involved and tightly wrapped in her son's welfare, she felt a little anxious at being so easily replaced.

  "Is Matty okay?" Dalton asked when she returned inside.

  "How do you know I called him?"

  Dalton smiled. "I know you, Nic. You had to hear it from Matty to believe he is okay with you being away tonight."

  "He's having the time of his life," she said her voice breaking.

  He hauled her into his arms as she burst into tears. "It's okay, honey. You have to loosen the reins a little bit. Matty's still your baby and he needs you, but there are more people in his life, now. It's good for him."

  They had a leisurely dinner and afterward, Nicole peeked into the closet at the clothes Dalton had ordered for her.

  "How?" she questioned.

  "The casino has an online store. Kay told me you were borrowing dresses and I wanted you to be comfortable here. If you don't like what I picked, you can go online yourself and it will be delivered in about twenty minutes."

  "I thought you might be ashamed of me. I know I'm a casual jeans and tank-top kind of person."

  "Nic!" Dalton's tone went from teasing to serious. "Don't accuse me of something that never occurred to me."

  There was way too much to wear for one evening and one night. There was sexy lingerie, several evening dresses, shoes, push-up bras, and minuscule underwear. She touched the silky fabrics and looked at him seductively.

  "Are you planning on getting lucky tonight?"

  Dalton laughed. "I was lucky the day I ran into you, again. I was more than lucky earlier today. You were fabulous." He swept her into his arms and carried her to the bed. "Admit you are mine, Nic. What we have together is special. Not many women can lay claim to a five-minute orgasm."

  Nicole laughed as he pulled her dress over her head. "Maybe not, but the question is, can you give me a repeat performance?"

  As it turned out, Dalton did get a repeat performance. She had another extended orgasm, this time lasting six minutes before tapering off. It was heavenly and exhausting. The look on Dalton's face was pure male pride.

  Part of her wanted to wipe the smug smile off his face, but another part of her wondered when he would make it happen, again. As soon as she could get to her laptop, she had some research to do.

  Dalton had one more surprise for Nicole. When they were redressed, he kissed her and pulled a small jewelry box out of his pocket.

  She backed away from him, shaking her head.

  He closed his eyes and swallowed a bitter disappointment. "Would it be so bad, if you married me, Nicole?"

  "Maybe, I don't know," she whispered. "I'm not ready to take that step, yet. Don't push me!"

  "Okay. You're off the hook this time," Dalton said gruffly. "This is not an engagement ring. It's a family ring passed from my mother to me." He opened the box to display a pale blue gemstone. "It's my birthstone, aquamarine for March. My Dad had it made for my mother after I was born. Aquamarine is Matty's birthstone, too. I thought you might like to wear it."

  "Oh," Nicky said as she viewed the beautiful gem in its filigree setting. She stared at the ring realizing part of her was a little disappointed. It wasn't an engagement ring, and her feelings were confusing. She didn't want to marry Dalton. Did she?

  "Nic?"

  "Sorry," she took the ring and slipped it on her finger. "It's beautiful, Dalton. I will be proud to wear it. It was your mother's ring and is special because both you and Matty were born in the same month. We only missed your birthday by two days, but our kid is always in a hurry."

  "Thank you," Dalton said taking a deep breath of relief. Maybe there was still hope he was getting through to her.

  * * *

  It was well after midnight when they finally arrived at the casino. The noise level was loud as slot machines shouted a cacophony of sounds and words. Some machines screamed Wheel of Fortune while others played little ditties as their displays spun and whirled. Serious looking people played electronic poker games and there were tables for craps and blackjack, as well as other games she didn't recognize.

  "Let's get you a casino rewards card and then we'll set you up," Dalton suggested leading her toward a customer service area next to the cashiers behind bulletproof glass. She registered and received her card as a service rep rattled off a list of new customer rewards. The rep told Nicole she could print vouchers for these rewards at any of the freestanding rewards kiosks scattered throughout the gaming floor. They also told her to listen to the loudspeaker announcements since the casino had a special promotion and was announcing prize giveaways every hour.

  "What's your pleasure?" Dalton asked loudly in her ear.

  "I don't know. It's a little overwhelming, isn't it? What's easy?" Nicole asked.

  "Slots are the easiest, penny, quarter, or dollar?"

  "Penny!"

  "You won't win much, but you should be able to figure out how they work," Dalton said taking out his wallet. He handed her five twenties and showed her where to insert the money. He explained about choosing how many lines to play versus how much it cost, and what the payouts were. They wandered around until she saw a dancing penguin machine where she inserted a twenty.

  Dalton sat at a machine not far from her, except he was playing higher stakes video poker. He smiled to see Nicole so animated and having a good time.

  Nicole was almost more interested in people watching than playing the machine. So far, she'd heard at least five different languages. Some players were elaborately dressed; some were dressed casually while others looked to be in need of a lucky streak.

  Quite a few people took their gambling very seriously. She noticed little laughter, although occasionally there was a yell of excitement from a winner.

  She played the penny slot machine, never once making sense out of whether she would win or not as the various icons lined up and lines of color zigzagged across the screen. She had not played very long before she was caught in a loop of bonus spins where she did nothing except watch the 'Penguin March' run automatically. When the bonus spins finally stopped, she had doubled her original twenty. She played a couple more spins before she was caught in another cycle of bonus spins.

  This happened four times. Nicole knew she was accumulating points or pennies, but it wasn't much fun to her to sit and watch the bonus wheel spinning repeatedly. When the slot machine
finished its last bonus run, she had earned a hundred and twenty dollars. She pressed the cash out button and listened to the fake sounds of coins dropping until a voucher slid out.

  She walked over to Dalton, who smiled at her ruefully.

  "Did you lose it all already?"

  "No, I won," she said showing him the voucher.

  "You had a lucky streak. Do you want to try something different?"

  "Can I look around, or should I stay here and bug you?"

  "Brat," Dalton teased. "Look around, but stay away from the tables. If you don't know how to play, they'll take your cash in a matter of seconds," he warned. "Stick with the slots, and don't leave this part of the casino. If you can't find me, buzz me on my phone. I have it on vibrate. If you don't mind, I'm going to stick with this machine for a little while longer. So far, I'm up a couple hundred."

  Nicole nodded and took her time looking around. The machines were either childish or more complicated than she wanted to figure out. She was still wandering around, clutching her voucher when she came across an enormously oversized slot machine right inside the main entrance with banners above declaring it a Grand Prize winner. There was no one playing it even though many of the machines at the casino had people waiting in line for them. She looked around for Dalton, but he was still concentrating on his poker game on the other side of the room. She studied the giant machine and realized it was twenty dollars for a single play.

  She concluded that gambling at a casino was not for her. Her ears already hurt from the noise and she did not find people very friendly since they were concentrating only on winning. Even if the trip to a casino had been her idea, there was not much to do except watch the machines whirl and click as they gobbled people's well-earned money. She decided to take one last chance and then cash out her voucher while she was still ahead.

  Nicole pulled one of Dalton's twenty-dollar bills out of her pocket and fed it into the oversized slot machine, pressing the spin button. The gigantic screen turned slowly as one by one the cylinders on the reel stopped. Nine flashing golden dollar symbols lined up in a row. She was barely aware of the casino suddenly going quiet when the machine exploded with sound and all hell broke loose.