by Leah Brooke
Zach chuckled. “Yep.” He grinned at Hope. “Word got around pretty fast to the guys in town that dating you would be dangerous to their health. Ace has been watching out for you ever since.”
Chapter Eleven
Much to Hope’s relief, Ace healed quickly, his energy improving each day.
He also moved better, his movements becoming less stiff, his usual graceful stride becoming stronger with every day that passed.
A week had passed since the accident, and they hadn’t been alone much, as it seemed that every resident of Desire wanted to stop in and check on the sheriff, replay the story of what had happened, and see if there was anything that they could do for him.
The story, of course, had been embellished in the telling.
Sitting at the table with Brandon and Ethan, Hope and Ace sipped coffee and smiled at the latest version.
Brandon dug into his slice of apple pie. “Yeah, the word is now that you flew through the air fifty or sixty feet.”
Pausing with a bite of pie halfway to his mouth, Ace smiled. “Then how the hell did I end up under the car?”
Ethan swallowed his bite of pie and reached for his coffee. “Who knows? They believe that, but what really gets ’em going is that Clay, Rio, and Marshall lifted the car off of you themselves. If you listen to some of them, it sounds like they lifted it over their heads, and even though every bone in your body was broken, you helped them.” He negligently waved his fork. “Heard that version in Tulsa.”
Brandon grinned. “Scares everyone. Good for law enforcement and keeping the riffraff out.”
“How’s the repair work going?” Ace sat back and sipped his coffee, having already put away two slices of her mother’s apple pie.
“Almost done. Boone, Chase, and their men have been working around the clock to get it finished.” Ethan finished his slice and pushed the plate away, reaching for his coffee. “They’re just painting now. Damn.” He glanced at Hope. “Your mom’s pie’s the best.”
“Yes, I know.” Hope rose to refill their cups. “They sure can cook, but I’m just worried that they’re getting too old for the diner. They’re not getting any younger, and I hate to see them working so hard.”
Hearing the shakiness in her voice, Ace wrapped an arm around his wife’s shoulders in an effort to comfort her. “They’re stubborn. Probably where you got it. We won’t let them kill themselves, baby. Don’t worry.”
He’d already heard that there was a woman interested in buying the diner and had already approached the town council, of which he was a member, to approve the sale. Since Hope and Charity’s parents hadn’t mentioned it to them, Ace held his tongue, suspecting that they wouldn’t say anything until the deal went through.
Brandon got to his feet. “We’ve got to get back and get ready for the dinner crowd. We’ve been busy since the accident with people wanting to see the scene for themselves.”
Ethan finished his coffee with a chuckle and rose. “Even considered telling Boone and Chase to slow down on the repairs.”
Ace nodded. “That’s good. I’m glad business is doing well. I guess you’re too full for us to make a reservation.”
“Not at all. We’ll make room. We’ll even put you in a corner so people won’t bother you. The last time you were gonna eat with us got interrupted. Want a privacy booth?”
Ace rose and frowned at his friends. “No.”
Chuckling. Brandon held up his hand in surrender. “I know. I know. You’re the sheriff, and it wouldn’t look good.”
“And I certainly wouldn’t embarrass Hope’s parents.”
Ethan nodded. “Good point. What time?”
“Make it for seven.”
“You got it.” Brandon kissed Hope’s hair as he passed. “See you in a bit.”
Brandon and Ethan left soon afterward, leaving Ace alone with his wife for the first time in days.
There’d been a steady stream of people through their home since he’d gotten out of the hospital, and although he appreciated everyone’s concern and offers of help, he wanted his wife to himself.
He wanted normal again.
He needed to have his home back to normal so he and Hope could just concentrate on each other, and not his injuries.
It starts now.
Aware that his wife watched him as she cleared the table, he pulled the Do Not Disturb sign he’d asked Ethan and Brandon to bring out of his back pocket and hooked it to the doorknob.
After closing and locking the door behind him, Ace turned to his wife. “Alone at last.”
Hope’s eyes flared as he moved closer. “Yeah. I heard you call the office earlier. I thought you trusted your deputies.”
“I do.”
“Do they know that? It’s not the first time you’ve called to check on them.”
“They know that I trust them. They also know that I like to know what’s going on.”
Closing his hands on her waist, he pulled her closer, noting that she already trembled with the desire darkening her eyes. “They all know that I like to be in control—something, my darling wife, that you already know well.”
Hope sucked in a breath, desire slamming into her. “I do.” Lifting her hands to his chest, she leaned into him. “It gives me a lot of pleasure at times and, at other times, frustrates the hell out of me.”
God, she’d missed this.
His hands on her, and hunger in his eyes instead of pain.
Ace’s lips twitched. “I haven’t had you alone for a while. Let’s see if I can’t do a little of both.”
Hope blinked, trying to remember what she’d said. “Both?”
Obviously amused that his touch had distracted her, Ace smiled. “Pleasure and frustrate you.”
Rubbing her breasts against his chest, Hope moaned and lifted her face to his. “Maybe one at a time, but I don’t think even you can do both simultaneously.”
“A challenge? You know I can’t resist a challenge from my wife.” Taking her hand, he led her down the hall and to their bedroom, closing and locking the door behind them.
Moving toward the bed, Hope stilled when Ace caught her hand again.
“No.” He tugged her toward the playroom door and unlocked it.
Concerned, Hope caught his arm. “Ace, why don’t we just go to bed? I don’t want you to hurt yourself.”
Raising a brow, Ace shoved the door open. “If I were you, I’d be more worried about what was going to happen to you.”
He led her into the playroom and surprised her by turning on the light, allowing her to see that he’d set up the swinging chair he’d bought about six months earlier and seemed to enjoy quite a bit.
She stared at it as he released her, a shiver going through her at the sound of the lock on the door being slid into place.
Swallowing heavily, she tried to turn to him, but his hands closed over her shoulders, preventing it.
“Strip.”
Hope shivered again at the steel in his tone, turning her head to watch him as he went to his wide array of toys. “What are you going to do?”
She wondered why he hadn’t blindfolded her but used the rare opportunity to study him as she stripped out of her shirt.
She didn’t often get to see his face when they were in the playroom and had a feeling that he wanted her to see his preparations.
Her bottom clenched when he pulled out lube, chills racing up and down her spine when he reached for his favorite crop.
He turned to her, slapping the thin strip of leather attached at the end against his palm. “Excuse me?”
Hope gulped and hurriedly stepped out of her jeans. “Sorry.”
“Sorry what, sub?”
Gulping, Hope began to tremble with nerves and excitement. “Sorry, Master.”
“Better.” Turning again, he reached for another whip before going to one of the drawers, opening it and taking something from inside before turning back to her again with a scowl.
“You’re taking too long. Do I need
to help you undress?”
Although tempted, Hope shook her head, trying to see what he held in his hand as she removed her bra. “No.”
Watching her, Ace meticulously lined up the items he’d chosen on the padded table she’d been bent over the last time he’d brought her to the playroom.
“You’re earning yourself some extra attention by taking so long.”
Hope glanced at him, noting that he didn’t seem particularly upset by it. Smiling, she continued to scan the room, fascinated by the array of her husband’s toy collection. “I know, but it’ll be worth it. You usually blindfold me so that I can’t see anything. When the hell did you bring all this stuff into the house?”
She’d never seen him walk in with a bag, nor had he ever gotten any mysterious packages in the mail.
Ace’s lips twitched. “I managed. Get those panties off. Now.”
Hope gulped, easily recognizing the icy intent in his tone and the determination and hunger glittering in his eyes.
Awed at the sight of his impressive collection of whips and cuffs, along with the spreader bar he preferred, she slipped her panties off and tossed them onto the nearby bench with the rest of her clothes.
She eyed the contraption attached by bolts to the ceiling, trembling with anticipation.
Two wide leather straps hung from thick silver chains.
She would lean back against one while the other would support her upper thighs.
The one that she could rest her neck on wasn’t there, leaving her with the impression that he would arrange her in a sitting position.
The crank at the side would enable him to raise or lower her as he wanted, which she knew could provide all sorts of possibilities.
The entire apparatus hung from a thick metal frame, with two padded cuffs hanging from the top bar for her wrists, and cuffs on each side for her ankles.
She would be restrained in a sitting position with her arms above her head and her legs spread wide, vulnerable to whatever her devious husband intended to do to her.
She’d felt it before, but seeing it proved much more intimidating.
One look at his face and she knew that he planned to be even more devious than usual.
“You’ve seen enough.” Coming up behind her, Ace slipped a blindfold over her eyes, plunging her into darkness. “You’re too easily distracted, and I want all of your attention.”
Sucking in a breath at the slide of his hands over her breasts, Hope leaned back against him, jerking upright again when she remembered his injuries. “You have my attention.”
“Good. Let’s make sure.”
Turning her, he backed her up several steps before lifting one hand and then the other, fastening her wrists in leather cuffs slightly over her head. “Because of my accident, you got a short reprieve.”
She automatically tugged at the cuffs, an erotic thrill going through her when she found them as secure as she’d expected. “I know.”
Just knowing that she couldn’t use her hands to cover her breasts made them even more sensitive, heightening her awareness there and making her nipples bead and begin to ache.
She could feel the heat of his body in front of her, and although she couldn’t see him, she felt his stare.
His fingers closed over her nipples, tugging lightly and shooting sensation all the way to her clit. “We’re gonna have to make up for lost time.”
Squirming, Hope cried out at the sharp pleasure. “Yes!”
Releasing her nipples, Ace closed his hands on her waist and nudged her backward, settling her on the swing that supported her with a thick, padded strap at her back and another beneath her thighs.
“Now isn’t that a sight.” Ace ran his hands over her before slapping her exposed ass lightly. “Almost ready.”
As she’d expected, he fastened leather cuffs to each of her ankles, spreading them wide.
He ran the backs of his fingers up her inner thighs, letting them drop away before he reached her slit. “Much better.”
The faint sound of the well-oiled crank was the only sound in the room as he raised her, running his free hand over her bottom as he did.
She couldn’t judge how high he’d raised her but suspected it to be several feet from the floor, and she could only imagine how she looked, naked and spread wide for him.
Although her arms weren’t straight over her head, they’d been raised high enough to keep her from using them to cover herself or provide any resistance at all, the leather straps above and below her bottom holding her securely but not providing any coverage at all.
She loved it.
Once he’d raised her to the height that suited him, Ace slowly pulled at the chains on the cuffs securing her ankles, parting them even wider.
Ace ran his fingers over her smooth mound, her sensitive flesh coming alive at his touch. “Very soft. This little clit’s bright red already, and I haven’t even touched it. It makes me anxious to see it even redder and swollen after a few strikes of the crop.”
Instinctively fighting to close her legs again, Hope moaned. “Ace!”
The strike to her clit stunned her into immobility, the too-intense sensation sending white-hot need through her. Almost immediately she began writhing helplessly in her restraints, her ragged cries filling the air.
The small leather tip of the whip ran up and down her inner thigh. “What did you call me?”
With her entire being shaking with sensation, she struggled to remember, but couldn’t. Assuming that she’d called him by his name, she took a steadying breath and rushed to apologize. “I’m sorry. Uh, Master. Please. Oh God!” She sucked in a breath when the leather strip at the end of the whip slid over her slit—from her puckered opening to her clit and back again.
She cried out again when the small leather tip of the whip hit her puckered opening, writhing in her restraints. “Oh!”
Ace suddenly appeared at her back, his breath warm against her ear. “Quiet or I’ll gag you.”
The feel of his belt buckle against her bottom gave her a clue as to how high he’d raised her.
Straightening, he moved away, leaving her chilled. “I enjoy spoiling you, but it’s become increasingly clear to me that you need a firmer hand.”
His large, callused hand slid over her still warm ass cheek, emphasizing his intent. “I’ve babied you because it suits me to do so, but you’re developing some very bad habits.”
His hand connected with her ass, rubbing the heat in as she cried out and tugged at her restraints. “You’re not being very quiet. I usually enjoy your little girly cries, but today, I want quiet.”
Hope gasped at the insult. “Little girly cries?”
His teeth scraped over her shoulder. “You’re so young. So innocent.”
Shivering, she turned her head, trying to follow his voice as he moved away. “I married you. I’m not so innocent anymore.”
“Oh, baby, you don’t even realize how innocent you are. You’re also incredibly undisciplined.”
Hope gasped again at the feel of his warm lips closing over her right nipple, crying out again at the sharp sting of the whip on her inner thigh.
Ace licked a trail from her nipple to her shoulder. “I take full responsibility for your lack of discipline.” Nuzzling her jaw, he lightly stroked her damp nipple. “I like that wild side and didn’t want to subdue it. You’re very high-strung, and I also didn’t want to scare you.”
“High-strung?” Hope fought at her bonds, even more insulted. “You don’t scare me! Damn it, Ace. Stop treating me with kid gloves.”
“You sure about that?”
The feel of his warm breath against her temple and the velvet-coated steel in his tone had her lifting her face to nuzzle his jaw. “I’m sure. I trust you completely.”
“Do you?” He straightened, breaking the contact she so desperately craved. Cupping her jaw, he ran his thumb back and forth over her lips. “I’m gonna gag you.”
A whimper escaped at the thought of being sil
enced—a shiver going through her at the thought that she’d awakened a darker side that she hadn’t expected. “Okay.”
The leather strips of Ace’s favorite flogger trailed down her body. “I wasn’t asking for permission, sub.”
The cool leather strips slid over her breasts, down her belly, and over her mound before falling free, the lash of it at her slit startling another cry from her and warming her entire slit from her bottom to her mound.
Crying out at the sting, she fought her bonds, surprised when the sting eased into a mind-numbing warm tingling sensation that radiated outward.
Sucking in a breath when the leather strips trailed over her mound again, Hope couldn’t help but struggle against the restraints on her ankles but couldn’t close them at all.
Ace moved away, coming up behind her again, the feel of his chest against the back of her head enticing her to lean back into him. “You can struggle all you want, but those legs are staying wide open. If you want to use your safe word, use it now.”
“Not a chance. I can take whatever you dish out, Sheriff.” Hope stilled when the ball gag touched her lips. “Ace?”
He lifted the gag away, running his thumb over her bottom lip. “Yes, baby?”
Warming at the tenderness in his voice, Hope leaned into him as far as her restraints allowed. “Please don’t hurt yourself.”
His lips moved over her hair. “I’m fine, and more than able to handle you. If I were you, I’d be more concerned with your own predicament. Open.”
Hope opened her mouth, wishing she could see her husband’s face as he inserted the ball gag and urged her head forward to secure it.
Once he finished, she felt him move away, and turning her head, she followed the sound of one of the drawers opening and closing again.
She felt more than heard him approach again, jolting when she felt him move between her thighs.
“Because you’re not gonna be able to use your safe word, I’m going to give you a way to signal me.”