by Sadie King
“What’s the time?” I ask.
“Almost eleven.”
“What? I haven’t slept that late in months.”
“You probably needed it.”
I fling the covers off and start to get out of bed. “I need to open the shop.”
“Relax. I called Allan. He’s covering for you today.”
“Allan’s going to run the shop?”
“He was more than happy to help. In fact, he said he was honored that I’d asked him.”
I look at him in disbelief.
“You see, there are plenty of people waiting to lend a hand if only you’d let them.”
He pushes me gently onto the bed. “You get back into bed, and I’ll get the breakfast ready.”
I don’t need to be told twice. I crawl under the covers while he goes downstairs to make breakfast.
He comes back soon afterwards with a plate of eggs and bacon. “I found this in the fridge. I hope you’re hungry.”
My stomach growls in response, and I dig in hungrily. Once breakfast is finished, he clears the tray and sits on the end of the bed.
“Thank you,” I say.
“No problem. I like a cooked breakfast. Sets you up for the day.”
“I don’t mean the breakfast; I mean thanks for last night.”
He takes my hand in his. “It was no problem.”
“I’m sorry I behaved like a jerk.”
“There’s nothing to apologize for. It’s been great getting to know you over the last week, and last night I realized how much you mean to me.”
“You mean a lot to me too.”
“I want to keep you safe. I want to always look after you.”
“I’d like that. I’ve been doing some thinking. You’re right. The shop is too dangerous.” I sigh. “I’m going to pack it in and stick to the online business. I can’t have you worrying about me every time I go to work.”
He shakes his head. “Uh-uh. No way. You are not giving up.”
My eyebrows shoot up in surprise. “I thought you’d be pleased; you won’t have to risk your life keeping an eye on me.”
“You are not giving up on your dreams. You’ve worked too hard for this. I won’t let you give up now.”
“The shop’s been broken into twice; I can’t keep doing business there.”
“I may have an idea that could help with that.”
“What?”
“Leave it with me. That’s all I’m going to tell you now.”
“But, what...?”
“Leave it with me.”
I open my mouth to protest, and he silences me with a kiss. His lips are warm and firm, and I let him distract me. I open my mouth for him and his tongue darts in, sliding along my teeth and exploring my mouth.
He gently pushes me back on the pillows, and I lie back, succumbing to his touch.
He breaks away from the kiss and looks down at me.
“How are you feeling?” he asks, tucking a strand of hair behind my ear.
“Much better than I was last night.”
“Good.” He gives me a cheeky smile. “Because I’ve got plans for you.”
My whole body tingles in anticipation. I smile back as he slides a hand under my top and cups one of my breasts.
I suck in my breath as he finds the nipple, and it instantly hardens under his touch.
“Let’s take this off. I want to see all of you.” He pulls my top off so I’m lying on the bed semi-naked. His gaze sweeps over me. “God, you’re beautiful.”
He ducks his head and kisses the soft skin of my breasts. I hold his head in my hands and pull him up to me.
“I want to see you too.”
He pulls his shirt off, and my god his body is as hard and sculpted as I’ve been imagining. I run my hands over his pecs and sit up so I can kiss his hard chest.
Our bodies press together, and I push my breasts into him.
“Take these off.” He pulls at my pajama pants, and I scramble out of them while he undoes his jeans.
He kneels on the bed in nothing but his underwear, with his hard cock pressing against the fabric.
Suddenly I’ve overcome with the need to have him, to feel him inside me. He must feel it too, because we come together with a renewed urgency, kissing and pulling at each other. He tears my panties off, and I pull him out of his pants.
His hands are on my buttocks, and he pulls me towards him, so I’m balanced on the end of his cock. My pussy is wet and ready for him, and he presses his dick up against my opening. He holds me there while his mouth finds my breast. As he sucks on my nipple, he slowly slides me down his shaft.
My pussy sucks him into my warm wetness, and he fills me up until I can’t take anymore. Then he slides me up his dick and, with a sudden thrust, pushes me down all the way. I cry out as his cock slams into me. He lifts me again and again so I’m riding him fast, each thrust bringing me closer to release.
He picks up the pace until I can’t stand it anymore and I explode, tendrils of pleasure coursing through me. He groans as he cums, and for a moment we share our pleasure.
Then I collapse onto him, satisfied and exhausted. We roll onto the bed together, and locked in each other’s arms, we fall into a comfortable midday sleep.
7
Jacob
A few days later, I lead Lexi blindfolded out of my car.
“I can’t see anything,” she complains, almost tripping up the sidewalk.
“That’s the idea. You’re not meant to see anything. It’s a surprise.”
I lead her to a place on the sidewalk and turn her around. “Do you know where you are?”
She takes a moment to answer. “Judging by the traffic noise, are we on Main Street? Can I smell cinnamon buns?”
I untie the blindfold and she blinks a few times, taking in her surroundings. We’re in front of a vacant shop on the main street in between a bookstore and a cafe. I’ve painted a makeshift sign that reads “Jewelry store coming soon.”
She takes it in and looks at me in confusion.
“Welcome to your new gallery,” I say, “or shop, or studio. Whatever you’d like to call it.”
Her eyes go wide. “On Main Street? I can’t afford this.”
I hold out a set of keys. “Why don’t you take a look around.”
She snatches the keys off me and excitedly pushes through the front door.
It’s a decent sized space with an area out back for her studio. She inspects every corner, a huge smile on her face.
“So what do you think?”
“I think it’s perfect.” Her face falls. “But seriously, Jacob, I can’t afford it.”
“Well, lucky for you I have a friend in town who’s happy to give a cop a good deal.”
“You seem to have a lot of friends in this town.”
“It goes with the job title.”
“And it must be an extremely good deal.”
“The insurance here is less than what you paid at the other place, so it’s not actually that much more expensive overall.”
She looks at me skeptically.
“Look, I want you to give this the best chance you have. And to do that, you need to be in this part of town where the customers are.”
She turns around in the empty space. And I can tell she’s imagining how it could look. “It needs a lot of work.”
“You’re right. But you never told me that Allan’s husband was an interior decorator, and he’s more than happy to help. So get your overalls ready, because we’re spending this weekend doing this place up.” Her eyes go dangerously wide, but I push on. “All ready for your grand opening in two week’s time.”
Her mouth drops open, and for a moment I think I’ve gone too far. Then she throws her arms around me, and I know I’ve done the right thing.
Epilogue
Six years later…
Lexi
I cast a critical eye over the display cabinet and tap my finger impatiently against the glass as my frown deepens.<
br />
“Something wrong?” asks Allan. “Anything you want me to change?”
“No,” I say. “That’s just the problem. It all looks perfect.”
He gives me a pointed look. “See, we will be okay without you.”
“That’s what I’m worried about,” I say, rubbing my belly absently. I waddle over to the next display and give that a thorough scrutiny. After a few moments, I snap my head up. “This one’s fine too.”
“Of course it is, petal,” says Allan. “Now you go off and have that baby, and don’t worry about us for one minute.”
“I’ll be worried about you all the time.”
The bell rings as the door opens and Jacob steps through. Even now, six years later, the sight of him in his uniform still makes me breathless.
“And here’s the man we’ve got to blame for it all,” says Allan, smiling. “Take her away, would you please, and let me get on with managing this shop.”
“With pleasure,” says Jacob, kissing my forehead.
I grab my bag from out back and give the place a final look over. “The new pieces from upstate should be arriving tomorrow. Make sure to check them over before putting them on display.”
“I will,” says Allan.
“And the new exhibition sponsors are dropping by on Friday...”
“Lexi.” Allan cuts me off. “I’ve got it all under control. Go off and have your baby, and I’ll look after this baby for you until you get back. Same as I did last time.”
“Thank you.” I give him a hug and let Jacob lead me out the door. I’m two weeks away from my due date, and Jacob insisted I finish up work and get a bit of rest before the baby arrives.
Since I opened up on Main Street, business has been booming. We have designers from all over the state now. I curate their pieces into exhibitions, and we do a different theme every month. It attracts local collectors to the shop as well as the tourists who come through.
I still design my own pieces too, but I’ve limited my late nights to only one a week. I’ve got too much to come home to these days.
We married the year after we met, and out daughter was born two years after. Now with another on the way, I couldn’t be happier with our expanding family.
Allan came to work for me at the shop and manages the place while I take maternity leave. It’s hard to be away from the place, but I know it’s in safe hands.
Jacob helps me into the car, and we pull out onto the street. I like it on the days when we can pick our daughter up from daycare together.
He rests a hand casually on my thigh, and at his touch, a warm shiver goes through me.
“We’ve got a bit of time before pick-up,” he says, running his hand up my thigh.
“What did you have in mind?” I say casually.
“Oh, I think you know what I have in mind,” he says, sliding his hand under my skirt.
“I think we’d better make a quick stop at home.”
“Don’t worry, it won’t be too quick,” he says, laughing.
I laugh along with him as we pull into the driveway. He drives into the garage, and I check my watch as we get out of the car. “You’ve got twenty minutes, officer. Better make the most of it.”
He comes around my side of the car and puts his arms around me. “Spread ‘em, ma’am.”
His voice is husky and commanding. I turn around, spread my legs and lean over the hood of the car, tingling in anticipation as I wait for my man.
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Fox in the Garden is a bonus book in the Filthy Rich Love series, exclusive to email subscribers.
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Dad’s drinking is getting worse, and it’s starting to lose him clients. So I step in and take over the gardening business. But who knew our most profitable client was such a silver fox?
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