However tough she’d been to actually Top from the bottom, her submission kicked in so quickly as he pressed himself between them, covering both of them with the remnants of their crazy passion.
“Have to clean you…” she muttered feverishly. “Coming still...and cleaning…”
Dipping her head down, she licked and lapped at Drew’s abs, gliding her tongue through every curve and crevice upon his hard body. She’d have a mess of her own to clean up—from her face and hair—but she didn’t care. Hell, she had no idea where the hell they were even headed that night. Nothing mattered but the frenetic sex they’d just had in the back of that rented BMW.
Shit, they would have to sanitize that, too, before they dropped the damn thing off.
“Maxine…?” he whispered, his eyes rolling back into his skull as he patted her head.
“Hmmm?” she murmured, still attending to the sticky mess between them.
“I commend you with my highest appraisal…”
“Really…?” She looked up at him at last with a touch of innocence in those lust-swept green eyes. “Why, thank you, Kind Sir…”
“But…” He moved ever closer, his eyes so bold and serious in their command. “Don’t ever—ever—try that again…”
Chapter Twenty-Six
“You’ll find the elevator to your right, Monsieur,” the front desk clerk said to Drew as he passed along the room key. “Your suite is on the top floor with access to the deck which spans the perimeter of the building. And I hope your wife is feeling better.”
“Yeah, a little too much celebrating the honeymoon,” Drew smirked, feeling the scorch of his embarrassment blistering over his face. “Uh, Monsieur…I hate to trouble you…but she sort of messed herself up a bit. And she’s a little on the shy side. Would you mind…well…?” Drew focused on the open door near the end of the long, crisp white counter. “Would you…”
“I can step away to assure you some privacy,” the clerk obliged. “Again, our regards to Madame, and we’re happy to call a doctor if necessary…”
“Merci beaucoup, Monsieur,” Drew shook his hand and placed a stack of euros in his clutch. “Merci…”
As Drew hurried out the front door, he rushed the bellman to the trunk of the car before daring to open Maxine’s door. “A doctor…yeah…one for my fucking crazy head!”
After paying off the young man tending to their suitcases, Drew just stopped for a moment to gather his composure. At least he’d changed his tattered shirt in the car before trying to check in.
The rain had stopped for a few minutes, and he had to collect his thoughts. Fuck, Maxine didn’t even know where the hell they were or what they were doing at that point. However, her thoughts and actions had been otherwise occupied for the last few hours.
“Aright,” Drew said when he finally opened her door. “Our luggage is now on its way to our room…and I got rid of the front desk clerk so that you can walk your dirty self through that lobby. Start praying now that we don’t run into any other guests.”
“Drew!” Maxine rubbed her eyes like a sleepy child and shook out her auburn tresses. “That man…!”
Looking around, Drew furrowed his face in confusion. They were positively alone. “What man?”
“He came in my hair—that dirty Mr. Mack!”
“Not my fault you’re such a little slut…” Drew shrugged, taking her hand. “For the record, he did not come directly in your hair. You messed yourself up by licking his stomach.”
“Mmm…” she licked her lips. For once, Maxine seemed to care less about their surroundings, as she continued to recover “So good.”
“This is going to be a very long night,” Drew groused. “March it out, my little wanton one. Straight to the elevator. Do not pass go. Or I’ll have you show the concierge your dirty locks here.”
Mouth popping open, she rendered herself speechless.
“Punishment has to begin somewhere, Miss Merryweather…”
“I’m marching…” she said, pulling that damn trench coat tighter around her and scuffing her rain boots in the gravel.
“And pouting again…” he took note as he hovered close behind her, ready to shield her from any assuming eyes.
Luckily, the lobby was empty, but Maxine had to smile through her exhaustion. If he’d selected both The Ritz and the mini-castle to suit her tastes, he’d chosen this hotel for his own penchant for all things modern.
Built at the turn of the twentieth century for the King of Belgium, the newly renovated manor house now housed a luxury boutique hotel and spa. Reminiscent of the Hotel Bellechasse in Paris, where he stole her away after her restitution of the blowjob bet, Chateau Corniche offered a stark contrast to the antiquity in which they’d been living over the last few days. With its dark gray walls and carpeting and pure white accents, the lobby boasted a trendy vibe for an old hotel sitting right in the middle of the rural France.
When at last he shoved her into the tiny elevator car, Drew combed his fingers through Maxine’s tangled hair. “You have no idea why we’re here, do you?”
With the rise of a pensive eyebrow, Maxine considered his question. “A shower…and a quickie or two?”
The tiny car came to a hard stop, and Drew led her along to the only suite on the top floor. He opened the door to find their luggage stacked neatly in the corner of the vast room.
While it wasn’t their mini-castle in the heart of the Loire, this room was luxuriously appointed in rich purple tones with deep sage walls. Sleek gray pin-striped drapery panels of thick silk framed the French doors that led to the balcony.
As she swept the terrace doors wide open, she hoped it wouldn’t rain again anytime soon while she stepped outside.
The glorious view captured all of the countryside, with its rolling pastures of crops and gigantic round barrels of hay dotting the fields. Behind the property, the overgrown hillside provided the frame for an age-old gazebo stuck in the middle of the wild greenery. Perhaps they’d sneak away there later for a few stolen kisses, she mused. However, it was the winding waters of the Seine and the riverside valley below that entranced her to a standstill.
Even while they sat in the epicenter of modern luxury in that hotel, Drew still had a way of making Maxine feel like she was the queen of the castle once again.
Slowly, she felt his arms tighten around her waist from behind. His lips curved into a smile as he held her tight.
“You’ve outdone yourself again, my fine husband.”
“We’re going to spend a couple of days here,” he explained. “There’s something not far from here that I know you really wanted to see…”
“Surprises…surprises…” she said as she swiveled in his arms. “You so love them.”
“I was actually going to tell you…” he whispered, his eyes now tender and his earlier frustration forgotten.
She reached up to stroke his cheek. “Only if you want to tell me.”
“How about a trip to Monet’s Gardens tomorrow?”
With her mother’s passion for art, Maxine had developed her own affinity for French Impressionists. She’d loved Monet since Judy first introduced her to his work as a child, but Maxine never thought she’d have the opportunity to visit the home that inspired his greatest works.
“Really?” she smiled almost hesitantly. “We’re going to Giverny?”
“If for no other reason than making out on the Japanese Bridge,” Drew teased her, “yes, little one, we’re going to Giverny…”
“But this is…we’re out of our way here…and…”
Sweetly and delicately, his lips found hers, and against her mouth, he murmured, “One honeymoon, Maxine—that’s all we get. I want this to be perfect for you…”
“And what about you?” she worried. “You’re my other half now, Drew. You should be enjoying yourself, too!”
“Oh, little one…I am enjoying every single second,” he whispered as he took her earlobe into his mouth and bit down so gently. “Even when y
ou look like something the kittens dragged in from a romp around the neighborhood.”
Shrinking in her humiliation, she turned her head away. “I should probably shower—and I’d love it if you’d join me…”
“Maxine, that could be the wisest suggestion you made all day.”
“Sometimes, I get a little…” She stopped to find her words but came up nearly empty. “Horny.”
“Like now?” he questioned, slipping his hand just inside her coat for a quick, slick rub against her clit. “Again, so soon?”
She nodded, as he unfastened her collar before they both took things further. “It’s this view—it’s getting to me…”
“Race you to the bathroom. You get a head start,” he said. “Go!”
Bribery—at least of the sexual nature—worked so well on her. In fact, she tore off her trench coat as she hurried along. Drew, on the other hand, tried to catch up, but he had to undress himself. Maxine was right—clothes just got in the way of the important things in life.
However, when he arrived behind her in the bathroom, he found Maxine stopped just short of the shower stall.
“Problem with the luxury accommodations, Mrs. Mack?”
“Um…” Maxine hesitated, her eyes darting around the exquisite master bath, appointed with glossy black cabinetry, one large basin sink, and more fluffy white towels than she could ever possibly need. There was just one very tiny problem…
“The cats can’t possibly have your tongue, Maxine—they’re now likely snuggled up with Nana Maggie on the couch, while she practices lullabies on them for my brother’s spawn,” he teased. “Your issue is…?”
“The shower…” she blurted out. “It’s clearly built for one…”
“It’s typically European…” As he reached out and turned on the faucet, his eyes challenged her. “Get in. I’ll bet we can make it work to our advantage…”
Stepping under the warm water, Maxine backed herself into the cylindrical stall and up against the curved wall, just wondering how he planned to do this.
“Doubt me, little one?”
“Never,” she said, her gaze salaciously focused on his ever-present erection as the water fell in hot pellets upon her already warmed skin.
And then with almost reckless abandon, Drew shoved himself against her, his cock nearly twitching against her tummy, and pulled the door shut in one sudden lunge. Oh, it was an intimate fit, especially with his broad shoulders in the way, but she clung to him as the water rained down upon them.
Steam from the spray of the shower generated between them, as his slippery hands managed to slink up and down her body, stopping only for seconds to toy with her breasts.
As she raked her fingers through his dampened curls, his lips sought hers. She returned his passion with equal fervor—slithering against him, her taut nipples grazing against his chest.
“Told ya so, little one,” his laughter played between their very tight embrace. “How about we get a little closer here?”
“Ohhh, Drew…” Maxine groaned as he somehow managed to maneuver inside her. She still felt tender from their romp in the woods. Now, their proximity only made it possible for him to merely pulse against her, but she could feel every last hard inch of him, riding her up and down.
“So lucky that you’re so quick to come…” his voice rasped as her nails bit down into his shoulder blades.
“Now…?” It was a question. That residual effect of subspace from their play in the car continued to linger. Sometimes, she just couldn’t shake her submission.
“Oh, yes, now…”
With her climax, he delighted in every contraction that clenched him between her legs. Yet he continued to fight this ravenous desire to eliminate even a speck of distance between them. That steady roll of his hips against her and the hot water cascading over them was just what she needed that early evening.
Reeling Maxine further into the hook of oblivion, he knew his own release was near. As he called her name, his lips pressed against the top of her head, and Maxine realized that they were both quivering against each other.
It seemed to Maxine that they stood beneath the powerful spray of water for hours, locked in embrace, until that rush of peace settled over them. That sated moment lingered between them in the steam, enveloping them in its calm. Regardless of where or how they made love, Maxine always found her true home in his arms.
If their lovemaking within that stall proved difficult, actually trying to shower was a comedy of errors. With literally no room to move, they had no choice but to slather the shower gel all over each other. Hands roaming, caressing and even daring to play a little, they wasted no time in their efforts to get clean.
“Boy, that man really did come in your hair, didn’t he?” he said with a hefty swat to her pink bare bottom, still spackled with their play from their Dungeon time, as she stepped out of the stall at long last.
“Mmmm…may I have another one of those?”
Opening his arms wide with a towel in which to wrap her, Drew just shook his head. “Oh, my Maxine…”
Scratching her fingernails against her scalp, she turned toward the mirror. “Hey, you got it all!” she cheered. “Wow.”
“Listen…I know it’s been a long day,” Drew began. “Would you prefer dinner downstairs or here in the room?”
“It’s such a neat little place here, and I’d love to get a better look at the river,” she said thoughtfully. “And I’d hate to waste a minute of our time. Let’s do an early dinner at the restaurant.”
“Perfect—I’ll confirm the reservation I made,” he said and turned to go hunt down his cell phone.
“Would you be so kind as to bring me my overnight bag, Sir?”
“Of course, little one…”
Drew was relieved to find his phone right in the pocket of his jacket. Between the drive and the sex, he worried that he’d lost it along the way. Quickly, he thumbed through his texts, seeing a photo of the cats from his mother and a yet to be determined niece or nephew on Jillian’s sonogram that Adam sent around.
Just after dropping the other happy couple a note, he almost shut down, but gave a second quick look at a message that just came in.
And his blood froze to ice while his trembling hands held the phone…
A lump stuck in his throat, and his stomach lurched. Certainly, he was just tired and his eyes were playing silly tricks on him, so Drew looked away…and then back again.
Sent from an unknown number, there were a series of photos of their dungeon back home. There were close-ups of the bondage bed, the St. Andrew’s Cross and the whip collection on the wall. The lighting was dim, indicating that it was dark outside when the photos were taken. It was still afternoon on the East Coast, so these photos had to have been shot at some earlier point while they’d been away.
Immediately, Drew’s mind raced to wonder who the fuck would have broken in…and then he began to worry about the motive. Blackmail was likely. It was probably that little son of a bitch in the lobby. He knew he should have had his ass canned, but Drew just hadn’t had the time. Now, he cursed himself for his own disregard.
Fuck.
“Drew, my bag, please?” Maxine called out.
Oh, he couldn’t tell her—he’d ruin their entire honeymoon. But for once, he worried about hiding his emotions. Maxine could always see past his efforts to mask his true thoughts, but that night, he had to maintain extra caution. Under no circumstances could he set off any alarms that something was awry back on the home front.
Shit, he had to let his attorney, Sean Fitzpatrick, know. Someone had to go survey the scene. Drew needed to know if there were signs of forced entry, and they had to take a look at the surveillance recording.
After all of his help and support when Louise had been arrested, Drew trusted no one more than Sean. While he’d served as Declan and Maggie’s legal counsel for years, Sean also took care of Drew along the way—from looking over his contracts to dealing with legal matters when he
bought the penthouse. In fact, Sean even knew all about Drew’s lifestyle, and he planned to carry those secrets to his grave.
Closing his eyes, Drew just wanted to cry…or punch a hole in the wall. He hated the fact that he simply couldn’t do a damn thing right now. They’d be home in a few days, but that was far too long.
“Drew?” Maxine said as she barreled into the room. “What’s going on?”
“Oh…” He shook his head as if he’d just been awakened from a nap. “Just…Adam sent the sonogram photo. Got a little lost in that.”
“Oooh!” Maxine jumped up and down in an attempt to peer over his shoulder. Drew, however, managed to shut off his phone before she could suspect anything was amiss. “They sent it to you, too. Drop them a note back—let them know you saw it.”
Good save, but not nearly enough, Mack…
While Maxine lost herself in her texts for a moment, Drew took that opportunity to change the password on his phone. He hated himself to the point of making himself sick for keeping this from her, and he would tell her. He just wanted this to be the perfect honeymoon—for both of them….
# # #
The crow of the rooster throttled Maxine from a somewhat deep and restful slumber the next morning. Before she even opened her eyes, though, she rolled within the circle of Drew’s arms. He seemed to hold her just a bit tighter than his norm as Maxine found her way to his mouth for a kiss.
“Damn farm!” he muttered as her lips continued to tease. “Who the hell builds a luxury hotel next to a chicken coop?”
“That would be a rooster, City Boy,” she said as she climbed astride him.
Like clockwork, Drew was always ready to play in the morning; however, he couldn’t help but feel distracted by those texts sent the previous evening. Sean, along with a couple of his friends who were former FBI agents, cased both apartments the previous evening. Drew had yet to find out if they found anything, as he’d been busy deterring Maxine with sex and neglected to check his phone.
Part of him didn’t want to know—didn’t want to find out the truth behind whatever the hell was happening—but he had to take full responsibility. And at some point, he had to come clean with Maxine.
KNOTTED: The Manhattan Bound Series, Book Three Page 43