Jessi nodded. “I do. I love him. I’m not saying I’m going to marry him. We haven’t even thought about it.” She glanced at Judd again, and looked back to Cara. “But for right now, I’m content to see where this leads.” She tipped up her chin slightly, defying Cara to object.
“I just...miss Dad, is all,” Cara admitted softly.
“I know you do, baby. I do, too. But we owe it to him to move forward.” She hugged Cara. “And forget about Trevor. He was never right for you anyway.”
“What?” Cara sputtered.
Jessi laughed. “You need a guy you can’t overpower.”
To Jessi’s relief, Cara laughed too. Together, they gathered dessert plates, forks, extra napkins, and the chilled Key lime pie from the refrigerator, and returned to Judd and Adam on the pool deck.
“SO HOW DID IT GO, ANGEL?” To Jessi’s ears, Judd sounded so far away over the phone. Following dessert, he’d made his exit, returning to his own place to get ready for work the next day.
Jessi pressed the phone to her ear in an effort to make him seem closer. “I think it went very well. Dinner was outstanding.”
She smiled at his soft chuckle. “Well, I am the rib king.”
“Yes, you are,” she laughed softly.
“I had a great time chatting with Adam. He’s a good kid.”
Jessi felt a glow of pride. “He is. So smart, so kind and easy-going.”
“Was everything okay with Cara?”
She pressed her lips together. It was unnerving at times, the way Judd was so perceptive. “Yes, she’ll be fine. She and Trevor broke up. You remember him?”
“He was with Cara the first time she and I met.”
“Right. She said he told her she overpowered him. I had to laugh. Cara is a force.”
His voice was soft. “She’s a sub, you know.”
Jessi gaped at her phone. “Cara? No way. She’s so headstrong and independent.”
She heard his smile. “She’s like you. Which is why the two of you butt heads at times.”
Jessi considered this for a moment as a grin slowly spread across her face. “Son of a gun. I never even thought about it.”
“That’s why you keep me around. For my wisdom, charm, and intelligence,” he laughed.
“And, more importantly, you sex me up.”
“True. And speaking of which, I have plans for you next weekend, Angel.”
Jessi felt the flutter in her stomach, and lower as well. “I’m counting on it, Sir.”
AS JESSI SAT UNDER the south Florida stars sharing dessert with those she loved best in the world, Gary Wayne Gentry made his way into a nondescript pub in Philadelphia and took a seat at the bar. This particular evening, he’d elected to wear his uniform. It made him feel significant, like he mattered. And, he hoped, it would be good for a few free drinks, maybe even some pussy if he got lucky. He snorted. He couldn’t recall a time in his life when he’d been lucky.
He glanced around the dim, smoky space. It looked like any other bar in any other city. Okay, maybe the Phillies crap on the wall gave it away. But Gary had been a bit disappointed with his first trip to the City of Brotherly Love. He’d done some of the tourist things, seen the Rocky steps, and that. He’d even toured Eastern State Penitentiary, which he’d seen on a ghost hunting show once. It was supposed to be haunted. He shrugged indifferently. In his experience, living people were way more dangerous than dead ones.
Case in point, himself. He’d studied a map of the downtown area, which seemed to offer the most selection in terms of targets. Plenty of abandoned storefronts, tons of homeless people squatting in empty buildings. Those in charge would find it easy to blame a fire on vagrants. The only thing was, big cities tended to have lots of surveillance cameras. But he was pretty sure he had the right place figured out.
He'd seen the reports on the news. They’d done ballistics tests and could match the bullets in the various shootings to the same gun.
But they’d have to find the gun, Gary grinned to himself. And that was the trick, wasn’t it? Who’s the idiot now?
JESSI STOOD STARING at the black granite headstone, her children flanking her on either side. She hadn’t been to the cemetery since the day of Graham’s funeral. At the base of the stone, they’d placed an arrangement of pale pink roses accented with white and pink lilies.
“It feels weird,” Adam observed, echoing the thought in Jessi’s mind. Graham wasn’t there. The entire exercise felt...empty.
“I think it’s nice to honor Daddy like this,” Cara insisted.
“It is nice. He’d be happy we did.” Jessi put her arm around Cara, hugging her to her side. They stood in silence for a moment.
“No, he wouldn’t,” Adam said. “He’d complain about how much we spent on cut flowers that are just going to die. Then he’d tell us to buck the hell up.”
Jessi snickered, as did Adam. The snickers grew into full-blown guffaws. Cara tried to be indignant, but soon gave in to the laughter.
Wiping tears from her eyes, Jessi embraced her children in a huge hug. “I love you both so much,” she said. “Let’s go get some ice cream.”
Chapter 38
After Jessi’s kids returned to their own lives, Jessi and Judd fell back into their normal routine. With the arrival of season, Jessi was busy with event after event. But since her work was more flexible, she was able to adjust to Judd’s erratic schedule. Together, they managed to continue to tackle the jobs on Graham’s list, and to enjoy down time on the water, going out, and at times, doubling with Alex and Trish. The two couples had made a memorable trip to the fair, and Jessi and Trish had the giant stuffed bears to prove it.
Before Jessi knew it, her birthday rolled around. Judd had made certain that both of them had the night off, and he made an occasion of it, ringing her doorbell at precisely the minute he said he would be there.
“Hello, birthday girl,” he drawled, right arm behind his back. Impeccably groomed and dressed in a dark suit, a white dress shirt, and navy tie, Jessi thought he looked like sex on legs.
She grinned shyly. “Hello. Come on in.”
Judd swept his right arm around with a flourish and presented her with a huge bouquet of pink and red roses. “Surprise number one.”
She giggled as she took the roses from him. “They’re beautiful,” she said, stepping back to let him in. “Thank you.”
Judd winked. “You ain’t seen nothing yet. Let’s get those into some water and go to dinner.”
Jessi found a heavy cut-crystal vase in the cupboard and filled it with water. She set the vase on the kitchen island and eased the bouquet into it.
“They light up the room,” she told him.
“No. You light up the room.” He stepped back to look at her. The dress she wore was new, a form-fitting short white sheath with a steel-grey lace overlay that hugged her curves. The deep v-neck highlighted her luscious cleavage, and his locked silver chain glittered at her collarbone. She stood taller than usual in black four-inch heels with ankle straps.
Self-consciously, she smoothed her hair. “Do I look okay?”
Judd swept her up in his arms, twirling and dipping her dramatically, causing her to whoop in surprise. “Baby, you look fantastic! Are you ready?”
Jessi collected her handbag, pausing to check the water level in Buddy’s dish before they headed out the door.
“Oh, one more thing,” Judd said, scooping up Buddy. “Killer’s going on a sleepover tonight.”
Jessi frowned. “He is?”
“Mm-hmm.” He winked at Jessi. “He doesn’t need to take anything with him, it’s all taken care of.”
Judd opened the passenger door of the F-150 and gave her a hand as Jessi climbed in, then he deposited the happy beagle on the back seat before he headed to his side.
As they drove off into the night, Jessi had no idea where they were going, and she didn’t care. She was thrilled to be going anywhere with Judd. He’d been secretive for the past several weeks, and
her stomach was filled with butterflies in anticipation of what he had planned.
Their first stop, much to Jessi’s surprise, was Sarah’s house. “There’s that little scamp,” Sarah cooed when Buddy jumped out of the truck and ran up to greet her.
“How long has this been planned?” Jessi asked her partner.
“Birthday girls should not ask questions,” she smiled. “You two have a wonderful time. Buddy and I are watching chick flicks tonight.”
“Thanks again, Sarah,” Judd said.
“It’s my pleasure, hon,” Sarah answered. “We’ll see you tomorrow.”
Back in the truck, Judd navigated away from Sarah’s and headed back toward downtown. He made a turn south onto Broadway, and grinned at Jessi. “Know where we’re going now?”
Jessi looked around. “I’m not sure. Maybe.” A few miles later, she looked at him suspiciously. “Are we heading to Northwood?”
Judd kept his eyes on the road and suppressed a grin. Soon enough, they reached the outskirts of the Northwood neighborhood. The deep coral stucco of the Sunset Grill loomed on the left and she playfully slapped at his right arm.
Judd laughed. “Surprise! We’re having dinner at the Sunset.”
The two of them went out nearly every week to many different kinds of places, from casual outdoor tiki bars like Square Grouper, to trendy places like O-BO. But Jessi’s favorite was this small boutique restaurant and bar owned by a middle-aged gay couple. Housed in an old building that had been a restaurant of one kind or another for nearly a century, the décor was funky and eclectic, with art on the walls that you could purchase if you so desired. Service was impeccable, and the fresh locally-sourced food was outstanding, winning numerous awards.
Seated in their favorite booth on the south wall, they ordered a bottle of Kim Crawford and a starter of coconut shrimp. When the wine came, the server poured for each of them.
Judd raised his glass. “Happy birthday, Jessi!”
Jessi touched her glass to his. “Thank you,” she grinned. As they both sipped, she became aware of music playing in the background. Funky Town segued into Le Freak and Jessi giggled. “Disco! I am so happy right now!”
Judd beamed at her. “Good. That’s what we were going for.”
The pair chatted casually over a dinner of crab cakes and fresh grilled vegetables, with Jessi pausing occasionally to sing along with the music. For dessert, the owners treated them to pear raspberry cobbler.
The table was cleared just as they were finishing up the wine. Judd’s eyes sparkled mischievously and Jessi chewed her lower lip.
“The birthday girl needs presents,” Judd said cryptically.
Jessi rolled her eyes. “You brought me roses and took me for a wonderful dinner. I’d say that was plenty.”
“It’s a good thing you’re not in charge, then,” Judd answered, “and don’t think I didn’t notice your little eyeroll. The infractions are adding up.”
A shiver of anticipation rolled through Jessi, and she rubbed her arms anxiously. Judd produced a small, flat, square box and slid it across the table.
Jessi looked from the box to Judd, and back to the box again. He smiled enigmatically. Slowly, Jessi reached for the box, tugged the white ribbon, and removed the lid. Nested in black velvet was a delicate silver bracelet. On closer inspection, she saw that each link was an infinity symbol. She looked back to Judd who was watching her with interest.
“Do you like it?”
“I love it, it’s beautiful!” Gently, she removed the chain from the box and lay it across her wrist. Judd reached over and helped her fasten it. Jessi turned her wrist to catch the light, making the bracelet sparkle beneath the overhead chandelier.
She smiled at him. “Thank you, Judd. It’s so special.”
His eyes twinkled. “That’s not your last gift.” He reached inside his coat and removed a large white envelope which he slid across the table. Jessi eyed it wonderingly before she reached to pick it up. She opened it and took out a folded stack of paper. The top page was a reservation from a bed and breakfast in Key West. She looked back to Judd. “That’s three nights at the Paradise House. I’m taking you away for a long weekend.”
Jessi scanned the brochure beneath the first page. The images showed a yellow Victorian two-story mansion surrounded by tropical gardens.
She gasped. “Judd, this is too much.”
He just smiled at her. “It’s your birthday, Angel.”
The next page was a reservation for two at a place called The Castle. Brow furrowed, Jessi read the message.
Congratulations! This confirmation is for you and a guest to attend the Fantasy Ball at The Castle. Please submit all necessary paperwork in order to be properly vetted before the event. As a member, you are responsible for making sure you and your guest follow the rules of The Castle at all times. We look forward to seeing you.
Still frowning, Jessi looked to Judd. “I don’t understand. What is this?”
A wry smile curled his lips. “It’s a private club in Key West. I recently renewed my membership. We’ll be attending the annual Fantasy Ball a month from tonight.” He watched for her reaction.
“A private club,” she repeated.
“A BDSM club.”
Her eyes widened. “Oh.”
“It’s a masked affair, and everyone wears their best fetish formal wear.” He leaned forward and took her hand. “It’s a chance to be anonymous and experiment with your fantasies. Everyone is a member or a guest of a member, and there’s a thorough vetting process. The management of the club goes the extra mile to ensure everyone’s safety.”
He cocked his head slightly. “What are you thinking, Angel?”
Jessi drew in a deep breath. “I’m thinking...wow, it’s just a little unexpected.”
“In a bad way?” Judd frowned.
She shook her head immediately. “No, not in a bad way. I just never thought about...” She broke off with a shy smile. “I mean, it’s kind of exciting.”
Judd gave a relieved smile. “You’re going to love it, Jessi. I know you. It’s not something you’d want to do all the time, but as a bucket list thing?” He lifted her hand, his lips grazing her knuckles. “You’re going to blow everyone away.”
AFTER DINNER, THEY drove to Judd’s house. He unlocked the front door and let them inside. As he closed the door, Judd pressed her up against it, covering her lips with his, sliding his hand beneath her skirt. As she’d known to do, she’d foregone panties, giving him easy access to her molten core. He stroked her pussy, and she moaned into his mouth as he ground his steel-hard cock into her thigh.
He released her, leaving her breathless as he stepped back. “Come with me,” he growled, taking her hand and leading her upstairs.
His bedroom was neat and tidy, as always, but she noticed something new in the center of the floor. A wooden pedestal stood near the end of the bed, with a vase of red and pink roses perched on top.
“Oh, how pretty,” Jessi remarked.
Judd smiled mischievously. “Do you like it?”
“I do, it’s very pretty. Although it might go better in a corner.”
“Have a seat on the bed,” he said. “I left it here because I wanted you to notice it.” He moved the flowers to the top of the dresser. Then, winking at Jessi, he lit the dozen tealight candles scattered around the room before turning out the overhead light.
Jessi removed her shoes and drew her legs up beside her on the bed. The candles bathed the room in a romantic glow. “Everything is so beautiful, Judd.”
He gave a low laugh. “Just wait.” Returning to the pedestal, he surprised her by removing the top. He set it beside her on the bed, and proceeded to remove the four upright boards that comprised the bulk of the piece. From the beneath the base, he removed an iron plate shaped a bit like an angular hour glass, with holes along the edges.
Working quickly, he laid the boards on the floor in the shape of an X, then placed the iron piece at the junction where they
all met. As he slid in the first bolts, he looked back to her and arched an eyebrow. “Is it starting to come together for you yet, Angel?”
Jessi slid off the bed and approached the design, tilting her head this way and that. Then she gasped as it suddenly dawned on her what he was putting together. “It’s a St. Andrew’s cross!”
Judd chuckled. “Yes, it is. Cleverly disguised as a simple pedestal. And it’s almost ready.”
He tightened the remaining bolts and stood up the piece, angling it against the wall and anchoring it onto hardware she hadn’t noticed before.
His eyes sparkled darkly. “What do you think?”
“It’s, well...wow!” Jessi felt a distinct tingle in her sex.
“Strip. Now,” he ordered.
Jessi quickly complied, slipping out of the dress and dropping it on the floor. She reached behind to unhook the nude lace bra, sliding the straps down her arms. It was momentarily snagged on her tight, erect points, but a slight shake sent the lingerie drifting to the floor.
“Now take my clothes off.”
She started with his jacket, which she draped across the bed. Then she slid off his tie and unbuttoned his shirt, placing them with the jacket. Finally, she unbuckled his belt and unfastened his pants, sliding them and his boxer briefs down his legs.
Judd stepped out of them, kicking the clothes and shoes out of the way. “Worry about putting those away later, Angel. I want those luscious lips around my cock. Now.”
Smiling up at him, she dropped to her knees and took him in her mouth as far as he’d go. Judd released a hiss of pleasure, gripping her head with both hands and fucking her face for about ten thrusts. Abruptly, he pulled out and helped her stand.
“Let’s try this thing out, shall we?” He faced her toward the cross, spread her feet apart, and fastened her ankles with soft leather cuffs. Then he buckled her wrists to the upper points using similar cuffs. When she was fully restrained, he stepped back to gaze at her, pure heat radiating from his soul.
“Angel, you are something else,” he murmured. “You worked me so well with your mouth. I’m going to return the favor.”
For Sparrow (The Dream Dominant Collection Book 3) Page 22