MasukJust to be ornery, she picked her Cat Lover T-shirt.Ben caught it one handed and slipped it over his head. “Speaking of cats…they raced outta the room the instant I stepped foot inside. They hate me.”“Because you smell like dog. Your dogs hate me because I smell like cat.”“Mmm. But I like how your pu**y smells.”“Bennett McKay.”He laughed. “Hand me the remote. We’ve already missed ten minutes of Wheel.”Ainsley sat next to him, like she always did. Bennett jerked her close to his body like he always did. Only when the show ended did she remember they weren’t supposed to be twined together. He wasn’t supposed to be touching her. She wasn’t supposed to have her head on his shoulder.Almost as if he’d read her mind, he murmured, “Sorry. Habit.” His fingers trailed across her forearm three more times before he released her.She stood and retreated to the kitchen. He followed. Closely. “Look, your shirt still isn’t dry. Why don’t you stay for dinner? It’s nothing fancy. Just a skillet
Sealing that envelope gave her a strange feeling of finality she wasn’t ready for. She’d liked how things were growing and changing between them. Not only when he slipped into Dom mode, but when he was just Ben.She’d miss the way he called her angel. The way he’d growl it against her skin. She’d miss the way he pushed her to accept what she was. The way he wouldn’t let her hide from herself or from him. The way he gave her what she’d needed for so long but hadn’t the guts to admit it she’d wanted.This was temporary. And he’d rather have the money than you.How long had he known he’d needed a loan? And what would he have done if she’d refused to help him? Would it have strained their Dom/sub relationship? Or ended it completely?No way to know now, but she couldn’t help but feel a little used and a lot disappointed.Through all her questions and doubt about what could’ve been, she still felt his pull. She wondered how long she could stay away from him.Not long, as it turned out. But
Ainsley leaned on him as he led her to the couches in front of the TV. He draped her across his lap, nestling her head into a cushion, offering her a bottle of water, which she declined.When he placed the cool towel on her abraded skin, she hissed. Then sighed.“Anything I can get you?” he asked, drawing random patterns on her back.“No.”He brought her down from the orgasmic high with soothing touches and gentle caresses. Eventually he urged her to turn on her side so he could see her face.Ainsley looked at him without his asking.“What?” he asked.“Will you kiss me?”Ben leaned over and captured her mouth. He fed her flirty kisses, tickling kisses, kisses laced with passion, kisses tempered with sweetness. When he nibbled on the inside of her lips, she pulled him closer. Threading her fingers through his hair, holding him in place as she took a hungry kiss. All at once she remembered her place and abruptly released him.“Sorry. I just needed…you to anchor me.”“I’m glad you asked
“Then why is it on the counter?”He felt like a total dickhead for using it as a scare tactic. “It was just in the bag,” he lied.She relaxed slightly. “Okay.”Part of him wanted to call this punishment off. But a stronger part knew Ainsley needed this lesson.Why? So the next Dom she hooks up with will reap the benefits?The thought of another Dom touching her made him insane.Ben did grant a soft kiss on her forehead as he ran his palm up her bound arm. “Count loud enough so I can hear or I won’t count it. And I better hear respect in that tone, understand?”“Yes. Sir.”Using the paddle, he smacked her left butt cheek. The thwack bounced off the bar mirror in an erotic echo.“One. Sir.”By the time he reached twenty smacks, Ainsley was very squirmy and his c**k was painfully hard. What a gorgeous sight, her ass a bright pink border between the white skin of her back and thighs. He traced her butt crack until his fingers connected with her pu**y. Her wet pu**y. Oh hell yeah. His ange
Ben gave her a look she’d never seen before. “Ainsley. I never meant—”“Found them.” Rielle waved a stack of paper bags. “I also grabbed the herbs. They should be refrigerated.”Grateful for the interruption, she practically ran to Rielle. “Thanks. How much do I owe you?”“Twenty bucks oughta cover it.”Ainsley figured that was a low amount after she loaded the four heavy bags into her trunk. She ignored Bennett’s hard, hot stare that seemed to liquefy her bones as she chatted with Rielle.She didn’t look his way when she climbed in her car. She hesitated at the end of the driveway.A right turn led back into town. A left turn led to Ben’s house.She knew his eyes were on her vehicle as she turned left.Ainsley wasn’t naked when Ben walked in the door. Something smelled good, and while the thought of a homemade meal awaiting him stirred a weird longing, she hadn’t followed his instructions.And she didn’t seem particularly perplexed about that.She sliced cubed potatoes and dropped th
“True. But I always wondered why your mom went out of her way to check on me when Rory was a baby.”That surprised Ben enough he stopped digging. “Really? Vi did that? Without preaching about the high price of sin?”“Jerk.” Rielle whipped a clump of dirt at him. “Vi never was like that toward me. Or Rory. And you don’t give your mom enough credit, Ben. She might’ve made some mistakes in her life, but she’s owned up to them. She’s changed a lot.”“I didn’t realize you were so buddy-buddy with my mom.”Rielle shrugged. “Vi’s a damn sight more interesting than Joan McKay, who was the only other woman close by besides Libby.”As Ainsley shifted her stance, feeling woefully out of place, three dogs came bounding out of the treeline. Ace and Deuce made a beeline for her, barking happily, no doubt remembering her last doggie bribe. There went this brand new pair of pantyhose.“Ace! Deuce! Sit. Stay,” Ben commanded.The dogs obeyed. Heck, she had the urge to obey.Rielle’s dog cowered by her
PrologueSkylar Ellison hated being naked in public.Not that she was positioned on a bridge waving her hoo-hoos and va-jay-jay at passersby, but damn, wearing just her birthday suit made her oh-so conscious of the flaws in that aging suit. The paper covering the patient’s exam table crinkled beneath
“Might sound stupid, but I’d convinced myself that for once, the name I had, the name you knew me by, didn’t matter, because you were interested in the man inside.Yeah, I realize it was dumb. But I didn’t have any idea on how to go about making it right back then.”She waited, unsure of where he was
“Soon. But don’t be sneakin’ into the bathroom to get yourself off because I’ll know.And I will not be a happy camper, darlin’, because I want you to be primed for everything I can give you tonight. Promise me.”Skylar panted against his neck. He heard her swallow hard. “I promise.”“Good enough.”Skyl
The fluttery sensation in her stomach solidified as the baby gave her a good swift kick.****Nine months later…The door slammed hard enough to shake the whole house.“Kade West McKay. I want to talk to you right now.”Kade sighed. He wondered what he’d done to invoke his mother’s wrath this time.Left t







