Home. His favorite place in the entire world.
Chapter Nine ~ Chasing the Light
Victor turned the car into the cobbled stone driveway and even though the garden was blanketed with darkness, Donovan immediately saw the sunflowers, dozens of them, lining the paths and walkways. Sunflowers! Could he finally start to relax and believe? Not yet, but soon.
He was out of the car almost before it stopped moving. That was a habit he was going to have to break. Couldn’t set a bad example for his kids. His kids! He could hardly wait to get inside.
“Victor,” Donovan called out as he grabbed his bags from the car, “make sure you bring Jeremy over early so the boys can play with the new ranch sets I brought them. They can play in my office. Matt thinks the dark green carpet looks like a meadow and they can gallop their horses all over the place.”
“But you hate when they play in your office. You always complain about stepping on the little fences.”
“Well, tomorrow they can play as much and as long as they want. I might even play with them.”
“Sounds like a plan.” Didn’t take much to excite Victor. “I’ll call Trent and we can all come over and have a ranch-a-palooza. He’ll like having a boy’s day and he’s really good at making horse noises.”
Donovan had to agree. “A horse’s ass should be good at making horse noises and, yes, all the boys can come over to play. I’ll be sure to chill extra juice boxes.”
“Great! Don’t forget the apple. That’s my favorite. See ya tomorrow!”
Great indeed. A playdate with his two favorite little boys and his two not so favorite grown-up boys. Everyone needed something to look forward to. Right now, however, all Donovan wanted was to get inside. He had three pretty damned good reasons.
Dropping his bags by the door, he headed directly to his office and switched on the light. It was all there; the wood paneled wall next to his desk was full of photographs, just as it always was. His favorite picture of Laci was sitting on his desk. It had been taken on their wedding day and she looked like a perfect and beautiful Prom Queen. A Prom Queen in love. How had she managed to look even more beautiful every day since?
Donovan couldn’t recall ever bolting up the stairs so quickly but he did have those three really good reasons waiting for him.
Reason number one: Matthew Donovan Corbett.
Donovan’s heart was pounding at the sight of his son soundly sleeping with his arms wrapped around a blessing of five unicorns headed by the patriarch himself, Virgil. He supposed the heart pounding could have been as a result of taking the stairs so swiftly but, gazing down at Matthew, he doubted it.
Where had the time gone? It wasn’t so long ago that he’d held Matthew in his arms for hours, marveling at the tiny being he’d helped create and now his son was smart, full of adventure, never stopped talking or asking questions and laughed with excitement when his dad hoisted him high in the air.
There would be plenty of time for that in the morning but, for the moment, Donovan pulled the covers up around his sleeping son and gently ruffled his hair. He supposed it was only fair to give Virgil a pat, after all, he was doing a remarkable job of looking after Matthew. Just great. Emotionless and cold as ice Master Donovan patting the head of a stuffed unicorn. Maybe he could try it with the slaves and really keep them off balance.
Stepping silently out of Matthew’s room, Donovan turned into the yellow nursery in search of reason number two: Victoria Grace Corbett.
Virgil the second, also known as the dog-moose, was dutifully keeping guard and sleepily lifted his head while thumping his moose-sized tail on the rug. What was one more pat on the head? As expected, Virgil slobbered on Donovan’s shoes but he didn’t notice. He was too busy peeping into the crib. Patting and peeping. Really great. Next training session he could give the other Dominants lessons in patting and peeping. That should go well. Might as well keep everyone off balance.
The heart that had been pounding a few minutes earlier was stuck in his throat. Victoria seemed so big. He’d only been away for a few weeks and she’d already grown so much. She still looked exactly like Laci but had inherited his dark hair. He touched her soft, tiny hand with one finger and she immediately gripped on and held tight. Even when she was sound asleep she somehow knew he’d always be right by her side.
He gave Virgil another pat on the head and, without making a sound, tip-toed out of the room to find reason number three: his Prom Queen.
The master bedroom was at the end of the hall and it felt like the longest walk he’d ever taken, but there she was, sound asleep, with her blonde hair feathered around her like a halo. Her arm was wrapped around his pillow the way it was usually wrapped around him and that made him smile. She truly missed him. Laci was snuggled next to his pillow, holding it tightly because she missed him and finally he was able to take a deep breath and relax. He was home. His favorite place in the entire world and his favorite and only Prom Queen was very real and just a few inches away.
He wasn’t sure he’d ever completely understand why she loved him and he wasn’t certain he deserved her love but now wasn’t the time to ask questions. No, actually, there was one more question. Could he set a world’s record for the least amount of time to get undressed, into bed and position himself in place of the pillow she was hugging in her sleep? Damn straight and get his gold medal ready.
Donovan had to admit that he was almost always a compulsive and persnickety neat freak who believed everything should be in its proper place at all times and right now the proper place for what he was wearing was the floor of his closet where he didn’t have to see it until he decided to look sometime tomorrow. Holding Laci in his arms was much more important than hanging up his jacket. Even a Dominant had priorities.
He tried to be as quiet as possible as he discarded his clothes, then slid into their bed and reached for her, a sigh of contentment settling over him as she snuggled closer and ran her hand across his bare chest.
“Donovan,” she murmured sleepily.
With tremendous satisfaction he noted it wasn’t a question. She spoke his name as if she was dreaming about him and took it for granted that he would be there. Was it possible his own strangely disturbing dream had finally helped him to develop insight about Laci? Somehow he doubted it and, besides, part of the fun was trying to figure her out. At the moment, however, he was far more interested in the rest of the fun. Still he felt compelled to respond. It was only polite and he was, after all, always a gentleman. “Were you expecting someone else?”
There was a moment of complete stillness before her blue eyes flew open and sunbeams spangled the room. Instantly she was in his arms. “It’s really you. I thought I was dreaming.”
“Could we not discuss dreams right now? I’d rather talk about how much I missed you.”
“Can we also talk about how much I missed you?” she questioned.
There was an extended moment of silence and it might have been wishful thinking, but he was certain he could smell her arousal. She had just been sound asleep. Was she truly inflamed that quickly? Usually he was the one who couldn’t hold back. He had his answer when she looked into his eyes with pure, unrestrained and almost ferocious wanting and lust. She really had missed him as much as he missed her.
Laci was always horny but this went further. He hadn’t been expecting it and for some reason he was startled, so startled he almost fell off the bed. Almost. He probably would have except that he had a second opinion from his cock which had obviously also noticed Laci’s expression. The hell with bad dreams. No holding back tonight.
There was more silence and he gently reached under her silky, dark blue nightgown and touched between her legs. Laci hated wearing panties to bed and he smiled to himself when he discovered that she was, indeed, deliciously wet.
He was suddenly consumed with an overpowering desire to possess her. Even though he was now certain his anguished experience had been nothing more than a dream, Donovan was suddenly filled
with the intense need to believe he couldn’t ever lose the things that had come to mean so much to him; that Laci, above all, would always be his.
He made his first move and pushed her back, just a little aggressively, against the pillows. His controlling core roared to the surface as he gripped her shoulders tightly, even a little roughly, pulled her towards him and demanded a kiss as if it was his right. If she was startled, she didn’t show it and responded without any hesitation, tightly clutching his forearms, her nails digging into his flesh. He was forceful but her lips were soft, receptive, maybe even a little submissive. His hands moved up to her face, cupping cheeks that felt both cool from the night air and flushed from her excitement, while his tongue skillfully danced with hers. Donovan felt a heart pounding but they were so close together, he couldn’t tell if it was Laci’s or his own. He loved her without hesitation but never before had he felt such unmistakable yearning and he knew he could never live without her. He needed her as much as he needed control, as much as he needed to breathe. That really wasn’t a surprise but he wanted her to know it, too.
“Don’t move,” he ordered as he peeled the nightgown away from her and flung it to the floor. She looked as perfect as she always looked without the slightest indication that she was the mother of two children, his two children. She had given him everything.
The very masculine and Dominant part of him flared again as he commanded her to maintain eye contact with him, to remain still and completely silent while he caressed every inch of her skin. It was an order that set her up for failure, just as he planned. The way he touched her, she would not have been able to stay completely still if she was made of stone. He’d set a scene for the perfect seduction as he moved closer and swept his fingertips through her glorious, blonde hair, past her temples, over her slightly parted lips, under her jaw. Pausing for a split second, he continued down the sides of her neck and across her shoulders. She was starting to breathe a little harder and he could feel and see a pulse point fluttering rapidly on the side of her neck as his touch made contact. Her anticipated failure was imminent. She was already trembling and he’d just gotten started.
As he moved his hands down the length of her arms, he noticed she kept them at her sides but was it his directive or her desire that made her lie still with her legs parted in just the right way? Her skin was warm, tactile, had a feel similar to the finest suede, soft and almost buttery and the simple thought of pressing himself against it, of feeling his bareness against hers was almost forcing him to lose the control he desperately craved. He needed this, needed to be her Master, even if only for tonight.
There was a fragrance hanging in the air around her, clean like a breeze after fresh rain yet also something primal, hedonistic, and a scent uniquely hers. Wild and intoxicating, it drew him even closer, made his cock stir and harden even more, electrified and enticed him into having every salacious thought he could possibly imagine.
He continued to move his hands up and down her arms, stroking between her wrists and shoulders, hardly touching her and at the same time gauging her levels of comfort, trust and relaxation. Unexpectedly he reached out and grabbed her breasts, cupping them in his hands before gently twisting her nipples and feeling them harden under his touch. His rapid and unexpected movement made her jump as instinct kicked in and he sensed she was about to move but she didn’t. He was impressed. In spite of the very brief, almost imperceptible falter, she immediately regained composure, stayed silent and never lost contact with his gaze. Damn! She could be one hell of a good submissive when she wanted to be.
He kneaded her breasts as he lowered his head and suckled first one nipple, then the other, licking, gently biting and then inwardly smiling as he heard her sharp intake of breath. They were slightly fuller and a perfect fit in his hands as though they’d been molded specifically to size. Just as he hoped, she was finding it harder to stay still. In truth he didn’t care but he glared at her and she immediately was motionless. If she moved again, he might have to spank her. Yeah. Not likely but a nice thought.
The exploration continued when he moved down her ribcage, clutching at her hips to pull her just a bit closer. Reaching behind he grabbed her ass cheeks and squeezed tightly before pulling them apart and picturing how they would look if she was bent across his lap. What color would they be after his hand made contact one time? Ten times? He could be very creative when he wanted to be and he wanted more than a simple shade of red. He wanted something exotic like Cherry Glow or Lusty Crimson. Maybe even Flaming Scarlet. No matter how much control he needed, he also knew he couldn’t hurt her even if he tried yet the thought of watching her attempting to sit on a Lusty Crimson shaded, sore and tender ass excited him more than he believed possible. Knowing Laci she’d turn the tables and he’d be the one having problems sitting.
He moved further down, eye level to her mound and could see a shimmer of moisture and the trickle of wetness on her inner thigh. Donovan glanced up just in time to see Laci swallow hard and he knew he was getting to her but he was enjoying this way too much and wanted to torment her a little longer. His fingertips were on the move again, sweeping down her outer thighs, past her knees and down to her ankles, then slowly moving back up. He had to give her credit for mostly staying silent and still, but she was trembling harder. It wasn’t going to take very much to push her over the edge. Was it only his own natural need to stay in control preventing him from plunging into her and falling over his own edge? Control. Controlling. Controlled. Will always control.
Without giving her any warning, his fingers suddenly thrust up between her thighs, the action forcing a whimper from her. It was hard to believe how wet she was and he couldn’t contain his satisfaction. A few more sessions like this and she could apply for a permit to open a water park. What a hell of an amusement park ride that would be!
Pulling his fingers away, Donovan leaned back and glared just enough to make her think he was displeased even though nothing was further from the truth. He drew his moist fingers under her nose so she would smell her own arousal and an instant later he stroked her lips but before she could taste herself, his own lips met hers and he was tasting her. Before she realized what was happening, he struck again, his hand invading, his finger stroking her clit. Laci was on the precipice, barely hanging on and struggling to maintain her balance but ultimately shattering into a vast and unrestrained orgasm.
This was better than he expected and he had been expecting a lot. She was convulsing all over and it probably would have been her turn to fall off the bed if he hadn’t been holding her so tightly but he wasn’t about to let go. He had no plans to ever let go. Had she had enough? Could she take more? He wasn’t ready to stop yet. He waited for her to regain her focus so he could push a little further and claim what was his.
He glared again and watched her shivering all over. From fear? Anticipation? Definitely not from cold. At the moment, the median temperature in the bedroom was just the way he liked it, hovering between spicy and steamy. He was more than willing to push it up to searing and, before the night was over, they would make it all the way to sizzling.
How had she done this to him? All the emotions he never thought he would feel were now rooted so deeply within him that he felt like one of the magnificent maple trees growing on his property. He kissed her again, this time gently, thankful he was lying down. If he’d been standing upright his knees surely would have buckled by now. Again the thought that this was something he could have lost gripped him tightly. No. He would never let that happen. He might be the controlling Dominant but she owned him, heart and soul. He belonged to her as much as he wanted to possess her.
He pulled back, simply to gaze at her for a moment. With her lips parted and still looking him directly in the eye, Laci was the most beautiful thing he had ever seen. She was truly submitting to him. He might as well enjoy it while he could.
He had to resume touching her even though there wasn’t one inch of her he didn’t already know. He needed to
reacquaint himself with her neck, her breasts, down her belly and again sliding between her thighs. She was swollen, wonderfully wet and arched to meet his hand as she welcomed his intrusion.
All he wanted was to bury himself deep inside her and his heart raced as he parted her legs. First he had to sweep across her bud with his tongue. He continued tasting her for several minutes until he could feel her trembling intensify and hear those amazing little noises she always made. Roughly he kissed across her inner thighs and in spite of his admonition not to move, he could feel her fingers tangled in his hair as she attempted to pull him closer to the center of her softness. It was almost his undoing and it didn’t matter if she hadn’t followed his orders. What was more important was knowing how much she cared, how much she wanted and cherished him.
Finally he could wait no longer. He pulled back, then thrust forward, sliding in as deeply as he could, holding on to her as tightly as possible. He wasn’t giving her a chance to think about anything but she didn’t appear to be asking for any chances. Right now it was pure, unadulterated fucking, two bodies, his forcefully driving into hers, claiming her as his own, moans and cries of untamed passion, both of them combusting into a stunning climax as his seed flooded her insides. This was what he had nearly lost.
Pure exhaustion made him almost collapse on top of her. She wrapped her arms around him, kissing his neck as his heart thudded against hers. The deep and dark despair he felt earlier had been replaced with the radiant light only she had ever given him.
Laci’s chest was still heaving but she was absolutely content. Whenever Donovan was away he always came back wanting her the instant he saw her which worked out quite well because she always wanted him more. Even after all their time together, they still could never have enough of each other. This time, though, was different. She recognized the signs. Something had happened to upset the balance of his need for control and he had claimed her possessively and so perfectly.
The Darker Side of Love (A Dark Erotica Boxed Set) Page 59