Sara pressed her hand over her eyes and turned a becoming shade of pink. “I do.”
Serena blew out a breath. “Man, I bet that’s hot. You’re so lucky.”
Lisa giggled into her cosmo. “Okay, we need to find two men for Serena. Preferably semistraight.”
Serena put her hand up. “I don’t have time for one man, let alone two. That’s why I read. Books are undemanding and work around my schedule.”
“You can never say that about a man,” Madison grinned. “Men are time consuming and demanding.”
Lisa bit into her favorite raspberry-and-dark-chocolate truffle. “We need to find our new members some nice men. You all have some very negative thought trends about the opposite sex. Men can be wonderful. Conor isn’t perfect, but he’s the best husband ever. Most of the time, anyway.”
Tori nodded in agreement. “Ian can make me madder than hell, but I know I’m the most important thing in the world to him.”
“Says the woman who’s getting married Saturday,” teased Noelle. “I can’t wait to get there. The bachelorette party is going to be legendary.”
Tori’s expression grew worried. “We need to keep things under control. I don’t want us to end up in jail or anything. Or in trouble with Ian. Or both.”
Lisa waved away her worries. “You have to have a bachelorette party. You didn’t have one last time.”
“I was seventeen and pregnant last time. Partying was the last thing on my mind,” Tori said.
Lisa smiled. “We have big plans. Big. Colossal. Just wait and see.”
Tori shuddered. “I’m starting to get terrified.”
Noelle nodded. “You should be scared. I was in charge of entertainment.”
Tori’s eyes went as round as saucers. “Oh fucking hell.”
Everyone laughed at Tori’s expression. Sara patted Tori’s hand. “Don’t worry. I’ll have my men on speed dial for bail money. We’re safe as kittens.”
“Conor’s a criminal attorney, so if we get arrested he’ll have us out in time for the wedding. You’re such a worrywart.” Lisa laughed.
Tori took a gulp of her martini. “No arrests, no bail money. Just some fun with the girls. That’s all I want.”
Brianne took the glass from Tori’s hand. “You do not want to get drunk. Just trust us, okay? We all have men who would heat up our asses if we got out of line. Trust. Say it with me.”
“Trust,” Tori dutifully repeated with Brianne. “I guess if I can trust a Devil Dom, I can trust my best friends.”
Madison laughed. “I don’t know you all very well, but if I were you, Tori, I’d run like hell.”
Tori grabbed an entire box of chocolates and set them right in front of her.
“That may be the smartest thing anyone’s said all day.”
* * * *
Conor shook his head in denial. Nate had to be confused about something.
“You’re saying Dad has Alzheimer’s? No way. That’s where you forget things. Dad hasn’t been forgetting things. He’s been an asshole.”
Nate grabbed two beers from the refrigerator, handing one to Conor. “Mood swings and changes in temperament are one of the early signs. Poor judgment is also a sign. Mom didn’t say anything, but Dad’s been buying tons of stuff off of those shopping channels.”
Conor frowned in confusion. “Dad’s been shopping? He hates to shop.”
“Exactly. So why would he suddenly change his mind about it? And he has been forgetting things. Nothing big that they were worried about. Mom put it down to aging.”
Conor cursed. “Forgetting things is a human trait, not necessarily a sign of a disease.”
They were sitting in Nate’s kitchen, while the girls were at Tori’s bachelorette party and the kids were staying with their grandparents.
Nate nodded. “All by itself, maybe not.” He leaned forward, his expression intense. “We need to face this. Come to terms with it. Mom needs us, Conor. Dad has Alzheimer’s. Luckily, they caught it early. There’s drug therapy they can try. It can slow things down.”
Conor scraped his hand down his face. “It’s a fucking death sentence. Shit, should the kids even be at their house tonight?”
“Best place for them. Have familiar things and people around him as long as possible. Let the kids enjoy spending time with them while he’s still in good shape. We’ll need to explain this to the kids, though, as things get worse.”
Conor picked at the label on the longneck. “How can you be so fucking calm?”
“I’m a doctor. I deal with this every day.”
“It’s our dad, not some random patient, for fuck’s sake.”
“I know that. But the one thing I’ve learned as a doctor is to accept the circle of life. There’s a time and a season for everyone and everything. Dad’s lived an amazing life. He’ll always live on in us and his grandchildren, and their children. We’re his immortality.”
“How did Mom take the news? Fuck, I should have been there. Lisa’s right, I work too damn much.”
“Your being there wouldn’t have made any difference. The only reason I was there was to ask any medical questions. Technically, it should have been just Mom and Dad.” Nate took a drink from his beer. “Mom did well. You know she has a backbone of steel, had to dealing with Dad all these years. She cried a little, which is a healthy thing to do. A worse thing would be to keep it all bottled up. I contacted a therapist I know for her. There’s also support groups out there if she wants to go that route.”
Conor pushed his beer away. It wasn’t the answer. He wanted to feel this pain, not dull it. “How did Dad take it?”
Nate sighed. “Dad lost his temper, got belligerent. Said the doctor was full of it. Swore he’d get a second opinion.”
That got Conor’s attention. “He’s right. We should get a second opinion. No offense, but doctors are wrong all the time.”
Nate shook his head. “The doctor already pulled in another doctor for the consult. He knows me and wanted to do due diligence before making the diagnosis.”
Conor slumped in his chair, his chest tight. “Fuck, fuck, fuck. What are we supposed to do now?”
“Be a family. Make sure Dad takes his medication. Help Mom.” Nate gave him a level look. “We need to find them an estate attorney that can advise them as to what they should do now. We can’t allow Dad to spend them into bankruptcy. Mom’s going to need to take away Dad’s ability to sign checks, use credit cards. All that stuff. Also, she’ll need his power of attorney.”
Conor tipped his head back to stare at the ceiling. He wanted this all to go away, but that wasn’t going to happen. His seemingly indestructible father was ill. Dying, even. His dad had always seemed so strong and indomitable. Now Conor was going to watch his father become frail, confused, and feeble. He couldn’t fathom how he was going to do that. He wasn’t sure he could do it.
“Already? We need to do this now? We can’t wait?”
“It’s best to do it while Dad can make some decisions for himself.”
Conor nodded. “I know the right guy. He’s good and he can deal with Dad. I’ll call him.”
“We can do this, brother. It won’t be easy, but as long as we stick together as a family, we can do this.”
Conor wished he was as sure as Nate. The only thing Conor knew for sure was everything was going to be different from this moment on.
Chapter Eight
Lisa watched as the sun dipped low on the horizon, casting a pink-and-yellow glow on the Gulf of Mexico. Tori and Ian just finished exchanging vows at their beach sunset wedding, and everyone was milling on the sugar-white sand of Clearwater Beach before heading into the hotel for dinner and the reception. Tori and Ian were gazing at each other with such love and adoration it made Lisa’s heart ache. Lisa dabbed at her eyes, hoping her mascara wasn’t making her look like a raccoon.
She walked over to where her husband and Nate were in earnest conversation. She linked her arm in Conor’s.
“Maybe w
e should renew our vows. The ceremony was so beautiful.”
Conor wrapped an arm around her shoulders, pulling her close. She let his warm scent envelope her, mixing with the salt air, teasing her senses. “I think our first wedding took just fine, blondie. We’re good and married, and staying that way.”
She pressed her face to his jacket. “And staying that way.”
Brianne joined them, her eyes red from crying during the ceremony. “I love weddings. Don’t they look happy?”
Lisa nodded. “They do. Tori deserves happiness after having to deal with her first husband being sick for so long. That couldn’t have been easy for her. I’m glad we took her out last night and showed her some fun.”
Nate quirked an eyebrow. “Just how much fun did you have?”
Conor’s laugh rumbled in his chest. “Well, I didn’t get a call to bail them out of jail, so it couldn’t have been too bad.”
Lisa crossed her heart with her finger. “I swear we stayed in the hotel suite all night.”
Nate’s eyes narrowed. “Did you hire a male stripper?”
Brianne’s face went instantly red, and Lisa knew her own skin was pink. “What did you do at your bachelor party, Nate?”
Nate scowled. “The first one Conor and some buddies took me to a strip club on the causeway. The second Conor and I looked at real estate listings on the computer and ate pizza.”
Lisa rounded on Conor. “You told me you played poker for Nate’s bachelor party! You took him to a strip club? You lied to me.”
Conor shook his head. “It was almost fifteen years ago, can we move past it? You weren’t as open minded then as you are now. I didn’t do anything. We hired a stripper to give Nate a lap dance. I didn’t get one.”
“I suppose you were in a corner reading scripture all evening?” Lisa rolled her eyes.
Conor grinned. “Yep, that’s what I was doing.” He leaned forward and tapped her on the nose. “So, did you have a stripper last night?”
“No, we did not have a stripper last night.” Lisa smiled. “We had two strippers last night.”
Luckily, Conor only laughed, and Lisa breathed a little easier. Noelle had hired the buff, hunky dancers who had only stripped down to a G-string. She’d even laughed about how Cam had specifically told her not to do it, and she’d done it anyway, knowing she’d be punished. Lisa had wondered how Conor would take the news, his moods unpredictable lately.
Brianne pointed to where Noelle appeared to be getting a scolding from Cam. Cam had a big scowl on his face, and Noelle had a smile of serene unconcern.
“It looks like Noelle told Cam about the strippers.”
Lisa nodded. “She said she would. She won’t lie to him. Wow, she’s really getting a lecture.”
Conor watched the exchange. “He’s already getting over it. He’s not as mad as he’s acting.”
“She won’t be punished, then?” Brianne asked.
Nate laughed. “He’s going to punish her. I can tell from here she’s not going to be able to sit down comfortably when he’s done. But he’s not as angry as he acts. His shoulders and back are relaxed. He’s more amused than anything. I bet he knew she’d defy him.”
“It’s not fair to set her up to fail,” Lisa protested.
Conor pointed to the couple. “Does she look like she’s failed? Or upset for that matter? She looks damn happy to me. Don’t question the dynamic between two people. If it works for them, it works.”
Lisa sighed. “I know. I hate people who say there’s only one way to act or be. I just want Noelle to be happy.”
Conor dropped a kiss on her hair. “She’s happy. They both are. Whatever they have between them obviously works.”
Conor and Nate exchanged a glance, before Conor tugged on her hand. “Let’s go for a little walk on the beach before dinner. We need to talk.”
Was Conor more upset about the strippers than he let on?
“Sure, a walk would be good.”
Conor took her head and led her away from the wedding party.
“Blondie, there’s something we need to talk about.”
* * * *
Conor tossed his keys on the foyer table, breathing a sigh of relief he and Lisa were home. The kids were still spending the weekend with his parents, and he was glad to have some quiet in the house. He’d needed it after the bombshell his brother had dropped last night.
Telling Lisa hadn’t been an easy task. She’d had a difficult relationship with his father over the years, mostly because of the complex relationship Conor had with his father. His father had always been tougher on Conor than Nate. Nate had received praise when he got his medical school acceptance. Conor had received a perfunctory nod. Even getting into the prestigious Yale Law School hadn’t been enough to impress his dad. After that, Conor had given up trying.
But it didn’t mean he didn’t want his father’s approval. He’d simply stopped jumping through hoops to get it.
Lisa pressed herself close, her arms winding around him. She looked beautiful tonight in a white-and-gold, gauzy dress that showed off her tanned limbs and blonde hair. Hell, she looked gorgeous all the time, even in cutoff shorts and one of his old T-shirts. She thought he liked her to dress up to impress others, the fact was he liked her to dress up simply because she looked hot. If he was a jealous man, he would have encouraged her to look sloppy all the time.
“You looked sexy tonight. I like your dress.”
She giggled, and his heart squeezed painfully in his chest. She would always be able to do this to him. He was already aroused, his cock hard and his breathing starting to get ragged.
“It’s new.” She pulled back and whirled around so her skirt lifted, giving him tantalizing glimpses of thighs and ass.
He caught her in his arms, her exotic scent floating around him. “Blondie, I need—”
She pressed her fingers to his lips. “I know. I know what you need tonight. I felt it all through the wedding and the reception.” She fell to her knees, her head bowed.
“Please, Master, let me serve you tonight. Please use me for your pleasure.”
God, this woman knew him better than he knew himself.
Her hair felt like silk as it ran through his fingers. He rubbed a few strands, letting it fall around her shoulders.
“To the office. I’ve laid out what I want you to wear. Wait for me there.”
His voice was gravelly and hoarse, he fought to control his arousal. His need to dominate Lisa tonight was strong. It was clearly the situation with his father making him feel this way. Conor wanted control and his sweet wife was going to give it to him.
She looked up and smiled before fleeing upstairs. He spent the next few minutes getting control of his emotions. He and Lisa would have played tonight no matter what with the kids out of the house. Tonight was going to be extra intense, and Conor needed to be sure he was firmly in check.
He climbed the stairs to the office, the door to the playroom open. He swallowed hard as Lisa knelt in the middle of the room. Her hair was a golden curtain around her shoulders and down her back. She was wearing the waist cincher, thigh-high stockings and stiletto heels he’d chosen. All in black, she looked like every man’s fantasy. Her rosy nipples were tight and hard, the air already perfumed with the musk of her arousal.
“Ah, pet. Are you excited? Are you wet for your Master?”
She nodded, but was too well trained to speak or raise her eyes. She was frozen in her posture.
“I’m so proud of you, pet.” He patted her head. “Your submission tonight is a gift. Hands behind you back, close your eyes, and open your mouth.”
* * * *
Conor’s cock slid over her lips and tongue, bumping the back of her throat. He must be desperately on the edge to have her blow him this early in the scene. He was upset by the news about his father. He couldn’t control the situation, but she could give him the gift of control tonight. He’d many times gifted her with the sweet peace she found in submission.
“Don’t tease me, pet. Finish me.”
His voice sounded like he’d swallowed broken glass. She picked up the pace and used her hands to play with his balls and stroke the inside of his thighs. He’d punish her for moving her hands without permission, but it was worth it to see him lost to the passion. His head was thrown back, the cords in his neck taut, his teeth clenched together.
Her sensitive nipples brushed the rough hair on his legs, driving her crazy with need. She worked her tongue faster until she heard his indrawn breath and a familiar string of expletives fall from his lips. He thrust in her mouth one last time before his hot seed jetted into her mouth and throat. She swallowed convulsively, not wanting to lose a drop. He was breathing like a man saved from drowning when she pulled off his cock and sat back on her heels.
It seemed to take him longer than normal to gather himself, but when he did he had a wicked smile on his lips.
“My pet was naughty. Did you have permission to use your hands?”
She shook her head. “No, Master. I disobeyed you.”
“Why did you disobey me?”
“To bring you more pleasure, Master.”
He considered her answer for a few moments. “That is a good reason, but you don’t make the decisions in this room. Who makes all the decisions, pet?”
“You do, Master.”
“You’ll need to be punished. Perhaps I could have you write one hundred times ‘I will not disobey Master’?”
She made a face. She hated writing lines, which is what made it such a good punishment. He laughed at her expression.
“You’re right. A hundred is too little. Two hundred is more fitting. If it hadn’t been for such a good reason, I would have given you five hundred. You’ll have them on my desk by five tomorrow, pet.”
Remind Me, Master [The Martinis and Chocolate Book Club 5] (Siren Publishing Everlasting Classic) Page 9