Everything Lover's Can Know

An Ellora’s Cave Romantica Publication

www.ellorascave.com

Everything Lovers Can Know ISBN 9781419911538 ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. Everything Lovers Can Know Copyright © 2007 Anny Cook Edited by Helen Woodall. Cover art by Syneca. Electronic book Publication September 2007 This book may not be reproduced or used in whole or in part by any means existing without written permission from the publisher, Ellora’s Cave Publishing, Inc.® 1056 Home Avenue, Akron OH 443103502. This book is a work of fiction and any resemblance to persons, living or dead, or places, events or locales is purely coincidental. The characters are productions of the authors’ imagination and used fictitiously.

EVERYTHING LOVERS CAN KNOW

Anny Cook

Dedication This one is for the all the inhabitants of the Frog Pond—yes, even the lurkers—and most especially, the Queen Frog. Your loving encouragements, fierce defenses and hopping humor have made all the difference. Enjoy!

Everything Lovers Can Know

Prologue The quiet dark-haired boy waited alone in the long dark hall. He stood next to a huge mirror that hung above an antique table. On the opposite wall an enormous painting depicting nymphs and satyrs at play near a woodland pool occupied most of the space. Beneath the painting was a long leather bench. At twelve, Baron was very tall for his age and remarkably contained, which was probably the reason that his father had dragged him along on his visit to the Alexander house. For years every one had carefully ignored the brief affair between Rachel Alexander and Baron’s father, Fremont Llewellyn. And that affair was the subject of the blistering argument taking place in the library between Fremont and Alistair Alexander. Baron didn’t need to eavesdrop. The people at the end of the block could probably hear the contents of the discussion without opening their windows. With a sigh, he went to the leather bench and sat down. The atmosphere in the library was getting ugly and he wished with all his heart that his father had left him at home. The Alexander children were crouched at the top of the stairs, which were at the other end of the hall from him. He could hear the anxious whispers and faint rustles as they jostled for position. Abruptly, one of the little girls, a tiny red-haired sprite, stood up and slowly made her way down the stairs. When she stepped off the last riser she hesitated for a moment and then ran across the polished floor until she reached Baron. What happened next became the subject for considerable debate between them for the next few years. In a very uncharacteristic move, Baron reached for the little girl and lifted her onto his lap. She reached up with one tiny hand, patted him on the cheek and then inside his head he heard, My name is Jade. What is your name?

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My name is Baron Merlyn Llewellyn. You can call me Baron. For a few seconds, it didn’t even occur to him that he had answered her question in the same telepathic fashion as it had been posed. When he realized exactly what had happened, he leaned back against the wall and peered down at her face. Do you always talk in people’s heads? he asked curiously. No, just yours. With clear unconcern, she leaned over and snuggled against his thin t-shirt-clad chest. You’re special ‘cause you b’long to me. With that odd statement, the three-year-old slipped her thumb in her mouth and promptly fell asleep. As he cradled the intriguing little girl in his strong young arms, he struggled with the possessive feelings that swept over him. A sense of inevitability crept into his heart, the sense that she was his destiny and the truth that just as surely as he belonged to her, she belonged to him.

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Chapter One Crickets chirped noisily in the bushes. Owls hooted eerily in the woods and a lonely dog barked in the distance. Moonlight bathed the path leading to the cottage with liquid silver, but the beauty of the night was lost on the man weaving up the path. Early blooming lilacs and roses spread their heavy scent around the wide front porch, but he didn’t notice their lovely smell at all. He was drunk enough to know he was drunk, but it didn’t matter. After all, one should occasionally have something to celebrate. And the forthcoming marriage of his best friend Andrew was surely something to celebrate. God alone knew when he would be able to marry, himself. He had calculated that it would be at least two more years before he would be permitted to marry Jade. That was optimistic at best. She would only be twenty then, so there was no guarantee that old Alistair Alexander would agree that his little girl was ready to marry even then. Maybe they would have to wait until she was twenty-one and had complete control over her trust money. He stumbled over the bottom step and mumbled a curse under his breath. Lurching across his porch that insisted on tilting in the oddest manner, he smashed into the door, sharply banging his head. The thick mop of dark wavy hair covering his head did little to shield the well shaped skull beneath. Closing his eyes to shut out the shifting surroundings, he futilely tried to extract his keys from a pocket that seemed to be sewn shut. Eventually, he realized rather foggily that he was wrestling with his zipper. Ah-hah! The pocket was over just a bit. Keys in hand at last, he struggled to remember how the tricky devils worked. Sighing, he leaned against the doorjamb while he thought about the keys. His head pounded as though he had hordes of little elves armed with jackhammers in there. Settling more comfortably against the door, his spine gave up the tough task of

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supporting him, so he sagged. Slowly, ever so slowly, the door drifted open, inexorably removing his support. In slow motion, he sank to his knees in the doorway and then rolled over flat on his back, falling instantly asleep. His gentle snores broke the waiting silence. In the darkness, tender hands drifted over his face before finding his broad shoulders. “Baron, you lunk, why couldn’t you have made it to your bedroom?” a soft feminine voice chastised him despairingly. Carefully, she tugged his legs into the room and closed the door. Then mindful of her own secret presence here, she shut the heavy drapes before lighting a small votive candle. There he was, her hero, drunk as a lord, on his own living room floor! Sighing in disgust, she went in search of a quilt to throw over him. The mornings still got pretty cool in the foothills of the Appalachians in the spring. After a vain search for a coverlet, she decided to remove one from the bed and ended up tugging off his bedspread. Tossing it over him, she studied him thoughtfully. Perhaps a pillow? Fetching one from the couch, she wedged it under his head. Jade? Shhh. Go back to sleep, Baron. “Mmmm.” Jerking her down next to him, he rolled over pinning her beneath him and promptly fell back to sleep. Struggling didn’t get her far. Even at five feet seven she was still nearly a foot shorter and he outweighed her by an easy seventy pounds. Torn between aggravation and pleasure, she settled in the circle of his arms, determined to wait him out. Eventually, he would relax and she would be able to escape, she reasoned. In the meantime, she gave herself over to the forbidden pleasure of being this close to him. And if she was a little disappointed that he wasn’t sharing it with her, well, she pushed that thought away. She had prepared so carefully for this evening, counting on his guard being lowered enough that she could seduce him. How could she foresee that the skunk would be too drunk to do anything? 8

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She fell asleep planning her revenge. And just as suddenly, she was wide awake. Baron was quite busily stringing a line of kisses down her neck and along her collarbone conveniently left bare by the tube top she had thoughtfully donned earlier in the evening. Outside, several male voices were drunkenly singing and shouting, calling for Baron to come out. “Baron?” she murmured sleepily. “What’s going on?” “Never mind, sweetheart. Mmmm.” Lazily, he captured her mouth, silencing her instinctive objections. His hands seemed to be everywhere. We’ll just get this thing out of the way. When he tugged her top down, she tried desperately to capture them to no avail. Dizzily, she concluded that some men really did have eight hands and Baron must be one of them. The simple top and pull-on shorts she had on seemed to melt away under his ministrations. She had purposely neglected to wear underwear, so suddenly she was shockingly naked in the dim candlelit room. And at that precise moment, she decided that this whole plan was worthy of a lot more thought. Uh, Baron? Maybe we should talk about this? But Baron was far past the threshold of reason. He wrestled with his zipper in growing frustration, until miraculously it came undone. His shirt was much easier to dispose of. With one mighty yank, he ripped it open, showering buttons into the far shadows. Jade shoved futilely at his chest, seeking to shift him away from her, but he evidently decided it was an exciting new game she was playing. “No, no, baby. Don’t poke me like that!” he admonished her with a quiet chuckle. “Here, touch me like this,” he urged, demonstrating by seizing her hand and wrapping it around his warm cock. His hand covered her and together they stroked him until he was firmly erect. “Mmmm. That feels so good.” Fascinated by the contrasts between the velvet-soft skin stretched over iron-hard muscle, she clutched him convulsively. So soft. While she was learning his body, he 9

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found one of her nipples and nibbled on it for a few brief moments before taking it into his hot mouth with strong suction. His hand slipped down between her thighs, seeking out the soft damp petals and hard little clit. She widened her thighs unconsciously, opening up for his busy hand while she continued to stroke and play with his cock with increasing urgency. He found her slick entrance and worked a finger inside, then two, while rocking the heel of his palm against her clit. Caught up in the raging sensations, Jade moved urgently, countering his movements and tugging on his cock with mindless, desperate seeking need. With wild abandon, they surged against each other, struggling for that peak just out of reach. Abruptly, she reached some previously unknown pinnacle and fell off the other side, crashing with wave after wave of tight contractions clutching deep inside around his invading fingers. Seconds later, he came in hot, jerking spurts over her fingers, groaning against her breast. Jade gasped for breath and fought to understand the last few tumultuous moments. Was this what the books talked about? This was supposed to be romantic? This messy, complete loss of control? This is what her girlfriends were always giggling about? A soft snore caught her attention. Baron was sound asleep! All of this messy, smelly poking and sucking and rubbing and he had gone to sleep? She lay quietly until she was completely sure that he wasn’t going to wake up and grab her again. Then, moving slowly, she quietly gathered her clothing and retreated to the bathroom, where she dressed after the most rudimentary cleansing she could manage. Silently, she let herself out of the cottage, drifting soundlessly down the path through the woods to her secret place where she had hidden her bicycle. She wheeled it quietly up to the narrow nearby road and prepared to peddle home. “Did he fuck you?” The cold hard voice nearly gave her a heart attack before she realized it was her brother Mikhail, standing beneath the trees next to the road. 10

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Swallowing down her fear and unease, she shook her head. “No.” “It sure smells like he did,” Mikhail retorted. “He—uh—didn’t stick it in,” she stuttered with embarrassment. “Just—” she fluttered her hand helplessly. “He didn’t!” “If I find out otherwise, I’ll kill him.” Mikhail approached her and grasped her chin in his hand. “Do you understand me?” She jerked her head free. “I’m eighteen,” she pointed out calmly. “I’m legally old enough to vote, join the army or get married. I’m also old enough to fuck whoever I want to.” “Not until you’re married. So you better think about that, Jade. Think real hard about it. Between his brothers and ours, there wouldn’t be much left of him if they knew about tonight.” “And you’re going to tell them?” she flung at him defiantly. “No. Not this time. But I suggest that you find pressing business somewhere else in the country. Dad’s not going to let you marry him until you’re older. And I don’t want to hear about this so-called link you have with him. I don’t believe in that ESP hooey. Neither does Dad. If you marry without his permission, he’ll void your trust. Baron’s money is tied up in med school. I don’t think you would want to live a life less than you’ve become accustomed to.”

***** Early morning sun speared through the open door, penetrating the dark room where Baron sprawled on the floor. He squinted against the harsh light and groaned. “I should kill you.” Flinging his arm up to block the sun, Baron peered at the dark shadow standing in the doorway. “Who the fuck are you and what do you want?” he demanded as he struggled to sit up. 11

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“I’m her brother, asshole. Are you still that drunk?” Unfortunately not. Baron sighed. “Mikhail. What are you talking about?” “I’m talking about you fucking my little sister. Look at yourself, man. You’re a mess!” Baron clambered to his feet and swayed in the harsh sunlight. He puzzled over his torn shirt and unzipped pants, smeared with something that had dried white. His briefs were stuffed down below his balls. Very slowly, Mikhail’s words were taking on meaning. Shoving his shaking hands through his tangled hair, he looked around wildly, searching for any sign of Jade. “Where is she?” Mikhail snorted impatiently. “She’s at home. If she’s uses the brains she’s so famous for, she’s still asleep.” “Then what are you yammering on about!” Baron yelled, wincing from the hangover that was launching a massive headache. “I came over around midnight to make sure you made it home okay. Imagine my surprise when my little sister flew past me like her britches were on fire, smelling like she’d spent the night in a whorehouse. I followed her and confronted her out on the road. She swears that you didn’t complete the act because you were too drunk.” Mikhail stepped inside the dim room, but Baron had no trouble seeing the anger on his face. “If I find out otherwise, you’re a dead man,” he said softly. “You know better.” “Is she okay?” Baron whispered unsteadily. Jade? What the hell happened here last night? Nothing important, she whispered sleepily in his mind. Now go away so I can go back to sleep. “She appeared to be. I don’t know exactly what happened here. From your appearance, I tend to believe her. I suggest that you find a pressing reason to get out of town before she comes up with a new plan.” Mikhail held up his hand to stem Baron’s protest. “You don’t have to tell me that you had nothing to do with this. I know Jade’s

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quirky brain almost as well as you do. But next time, she might have a better plan and actually succeed.” Baron straightened his underwear, yanked up the zipper on his pants and dropped down into his recliner with a thump. “What the fuck am I going to do?” “Take that job at the inner-city clinic in Cleveland. That ought to be far enough away and you for damned sure need the money for school.” “I’ll think about it,” Baron muttered. Jade, don’t think you’re going to get away that easily! Wake up! Mikhail is standing in front of me and he’s pissed off for some reason! What did you do? “Yeah, do that.” Mikhail walked out on the porch and inhaled the sweet scent of lilac. “Think real hard, Baron. I’ve no doubt you’ll be my brother-in-law someday. But it isn’t going to be any time soon. Get out of town.” Jade?

***** Baron wearily trod up the last flight of stairs to what he laughingly called his apartment. It consisted of one room which served as bedroom—courtesy of a battered futon—living room and kitchen—hidden in a closet. What made it a functioning apartment was the miniscule full bath tucked away around a corner. The flat came furnished with the futon, a wobbly lamp, an end table that tilted precariously to one side and a hard wooden chair. After raiding his parents’ attic, he had added a large wooden table that did double duty as a desk and two tall, skinny bookcases. His sister Paige had brought Jade for a very brief, very uncomfortable visit nearly a year ago. After a silent survey, Paige had observed that he not only didn’t have room to swing a cat—he didn’t even have room to swing a hamster. He had smiled and pointed out that since he owned neither, it was all academic. Shortly after they left, a pimply-faced teenage boy from the local pet store appeared with a tiny lady hamster plus accoutrements. He informed Baron that his new pet was 13

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named Twinkles and she was a gift from Jade. His initial reaction was to send Twinkles back to the pet store, but it was love at first sight when she sat up, peered at him from the corner of her box and wiggled her tiny pink nose. He still didn’t have enough room to swing a hamster, but that didn’t matter. Every time he saw Twinkles he thought of Jade. When he unlocked and opened the door, he expected to hear the whirr-whirr-whirr of Twinkles running on her exercise wheel. He did not expect the sight of several of his and Jade’s brothers waiting for him. Closing the door gently, he leaned against it casually and nodded to the assembled group. “Surely I didn’t invite you all over and then forget about it, did I?” King, his oldest brother, leaned against the tiny counter in his kitchenette and indicated his other siblings. “We’re here to see that you get a fair shake. If we don’t like the answers we get, then we’ll leave you to the Alexander boys.” Scratching his chin thoughtfully, Baron scrutinized the water-stained ceiling a while. Then rather contemplatively, he said, “The one thing we all have in common is Jade, so…what is she up to now?” “She’s disappeared.” It took a moment for Baron to understand Nikolas’ slow drawl. He slid down the door to the floor, his knees suddenly refusing to support him. “How could she just disappear?” It was quite plain to all of them that he had forgotten their presence completely. Collectively, they sighed gustily, but he didn’t hear them. Mikhail looked down at Baron and commented rather dryly, “I think that means that he really didn’t know. And I was so looking forward to punching him out.” With his elbows propped on his knees, Baron covered his face with his hands, shaking with denial. “What happened? Where did she go?” Somberly staring at his brother, King sighed yet again. Knowing how Baron felt about Jade, he could vaguely imagine how devastated his brother must be. His surprise

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meant that it was true that Jade had cut off communication with Baron. The mental link they’d shared since she was three was severed. Squatting on his heels next to his brother, King touched his brother gently. “Baron? Now what? You’re sure she hasn’t been in touch with you?” Shrugging helplessly, he shook his head. “She broke off the connection over three years ago. After the first few weeks, I quit trying. It hurt too much.” Rising stiffly, he moved to the hard-backed chair next to his desk and sat down with a thump. “First you had better tell me the whole story.” Mikhail talked. Baron listened intently, hoping for a clue or hint of where she might have gone. When Mikhail was finished, Baron rose, found his duffel bag and started stuffing clothing into it, ignoring the chorus of questions fired at him. “Where are you going now? What are you going to do?” After checking his wallet for credit cards and cash, he stuffed it into his back pocket, hoisted his loaded duffel bag, grabbed his coat and left, pausing only to remind them that someone needed to take care of Twinkles. Leaning over the banister, Nikolas watched him stalk down the stairs before returning to the apartment. The men were arranged in various poses, some seated on the floor, some leaning against the wall and Mikhail at the table, watching Twinkles while she ran on her exercise wheel. Duke rummaged in the tiny refrigerator, finding beers for all. Then raising his can in the air, he said, “To Jade, who always gets her man. Thank God she finally got tired of waiting. And to Baron. Good luck! He’s going to need it!” There was a good-natured chorus of “Hear, hear”. Then in a voice rich with amusement, Nikolas asked, “How long do you think it will take him to figure out he’s been had? And how do we decide who gets Twinkles?”

*****

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After spending a few hours on a plane with nothing to do except think, Baron came to the conclusion that Jade was forcing her family’s hand and they were quite happy about that. It was one thing to privately forbid her to marry with the threat of losing her trust fund. It was something entirely different if she made a public issue of it by disappearing. Three years had made a tremendous difference in the amount of influence she wielded. With three platinum albums back-to-back and a six-month soldout tour, money was the least of her worries. He absently chewed on his lower lip while he contemplated the possibilities. There actually weren’t too many places she could go that were both safe and private. And he had an idea that privacy was her primary goal. When his plane landed, he collected his duffel and coat and set off to find a car rental agency. The destination he had in mind was high in the mountains, so he paid extra to rent their only four-wheel drive vehicle. He slipped on his coat and checked to make sure his gloves were in the pocket. They were. So was a small velvet box. He opened it with a howling urge to sit down on the curb next to the truck and laugh. His brothers were leaving nothing to chance. The box held the engagement ring he had purchased three years ago for Jade. He was willing to bet that the wedding was already planned down to the last detail. It was a good thing that he was going to marry a rich woman, he reflected with sour amusement, because it was costing him a small fortune to propose. The journey up the mountain could have been boring and difficult, but he was so focused on how it would be to see Jade again that he barely noticed the rough road or light snow beginning to fall. Jade.

*****

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The fire popped and crackled with energy and heat, but Jade didn’t feel it. The snow fell softly on the trees outside the window, but Jade didn’t see it. The music drifted lightly through the rooms, but Jade didn’t hear it. Her entire being was strained toward that distant wispy fragment of “other” that was Baron. He was coming. She could feel his presence on the mountain. He was coming. He wasn’t answering her little mental queries though, so obviously there was going to be some discussion before they opened that link again. She didn’t know what he would say. She didn’t care what he would say. He was coming at last and that was all she needed to know. It had been a long, long lonely three years without him. She had paid her penance for stupidity and immaturity, she thought. Enough was enough. She crouched on the wide window seat, wrapped in her grandmother’s heavy quilt and watched the road—watched for the man who was her other half to appear. Mikhail had come to her a few weeks ago and admitted his part in their separation. He said he hadn’t understood what a terrible thing he had done until he had met Baron at a family party. The unbearable sorrow of their separation had left a visible mark on Baron. His dark hair was liberally streaked with silver. His dark eyes were dull with grief. Mikhail had felt the vicious stab of guilt at what he had done. The flare of headlights flashed through the trees. Jade got up and went to the door, dragging the quilt with her. She opened the door, wrapped the quilt around her like she was a mummy and went out on the snowy deck to wait for Baron. The truck rolled to a slow stop at the foot of the stairs and Baron got out. He stood at the bottom of the stairs, just drinking in everything about her. Her bright auburn hair was shorter. She’d lost weight—enough weight that he could tell it was gone, even with the heavy quilt she was wrapped in. She’d lost her smile. Very slowly, one step at a time, he went up the steps until he stood in front of her. Then he opened his arms and like a homing pigeon she came, nesting against his tall

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strong body. He wrapped his arms around her and held her tightly in the falling snow. They were home at last. Jade.

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Chapter Two Night gently crept up the mountain with the snowfall. Baron and Jade cuddled on the faded blue sofa covered with “god-awful” cabbage roses—her father’s words. They hadn’t talked at all, content simply to be touching. Jade started to ask him about his trip and then she heard his soft snore and she just smiled. It stretched the soft skin on her face in unaccustomed ways and felt weird. She made funny faces to loosen the muscles and then tried the smile again. It still felt odd, but she couldn’t seem to stop once she was started. The telephone on the little end table next to her rang shrilly and she nabbed it before it could ring again and wake Baron. “Hello?” she said softly. “He made it?” Mikhail’s voice echoed with the burden of guilt he still carried. “He’s here,” she assured him, that smile still lilting in her voice like a song. “Let us know what you decide, little chick. I don’t have to ask if you’re happy. I can hear it,” said Mikhail, a catch in his breath. “Mikhail,” she said gently. “You’re forgiven. Let it go.” “Maybe, someday. Oh, say, after your first dozen children are born.” “Mik!” she protested with a laugh. “Let us get married first.” “Well, hurry it up. What’s taking so long?” She giggled under her breath. “He’s sleeping. What did you guys do to him?” “We caught him just as he came home from a double shift in the ER. We wanted him tired so he wouldn’t be thinking clearly,” Mikhail admitted. “You succeeded too well,” she retorted. “He’s sleeping like a log. I’ll probably have to wait until next week to get engaged.”

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Baron licked just below her unoccupied ear and whispered, “Tell Mik to take a hike. It’s my turn now.” Without a single qualm, Jade said, “Goodnight, Mik,” and dropped the receiver back in the cradle. She turned in his arms and snuggled close, rubbing her unbound breasts against his hard chest. “Hm-mmm.” “What did Mikhail want?” “Just to make sure you arrived okay.” She giggled. “He feels very guilty for engineering our separation. Maybe we should take him for everything we can get.” “Nah.” Baron pushed her sweater up until her breasts were revealed, swollen and needy. He plucked at the tight, pale pink nipples and she moaned and pressed against his warm hands. “Like that, huh?” She nodded her head. “Oh, yeah.” “What else do you like?” he asked as he bent his head to take her smiling lips. He swiped her full lower lip with his tongue, then nipped it sharply. “What else do you like, baby?” Jade whimpered softly. “I don’t know, Baron. I like you touching me.” “What do you mean you don’t know? What kind of guys have you been dating?” She sat up and stared at him solemnly. “I don’t date guys, Baron. I’ve been waiting for you to come for me.” Tears glittered in her deep turquoise-colored eyes and threatened to spill over. “They sent me away and I thought ‘Baron will come and get me’. I waited and waited but you never came. Then I started making my own plans.” Convulsively, he clutched her, holding her against him. “Shh. Shh. I shouldn’t have asked you that. Even if we tried to shut each other out of our mind link, we couldn’t ever hide something like that. I have to ask you, Jade. It’s been bothering me all this time. Did you tell Mikhail the truth when you told him you were still a virgin? I really didn’t take you? I didn’t hurt you?” Abruptly, she started laughing and couldn’t stop.

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“What’s so funny?” “You!” She buried her face against his neck and giggled. “I had such a romantic idea of what sex would be like. And when you came all over me, all I could think was ‘God, was it messy’!” “Oh, yeah? No wonder you shut me out. I guess I have a lot to make up for, huh?” She sat back and plucked at his t-shirt. “Take off your shirt. I want to see you and touch you.” Baron stood up and lifted her in his arms. When she would have pulled her sweater down to cover her breasts, he shook his head and nudged it back up with his nose. “Leave it. Which bedroom are we in?” Her heart turned over and she replied, “The master bedroom, of course. It has the biggest bed.” “You’re a girl after my own heart.” He deposited her on the soft bed and leaned over her, pinning her to the bed. “You are my heart, Jade. Always.” “As you are mine,” she whispered against his jaw. She feathered kisses along the hard line until she reached his ear. Her tongue licked around the whorls, investigating the curves. Then she nipped his earlobe. Can we get naked now? The question whispered in his mind. “I don’t know, baby. Have you been a good girl?” “Oh, yeah,” she moaned as he slipped her sweater over her head and proceeded to feast on her nipples. “I’ve been real good. I visited the doctor and had him put me on the Pill.” He dropped his head between her breasts and groaned. “You are a naughty, naughty girl. I may have to spank you for teasing me like that.” “Take your pants off. I want to see your cock.” “Jade,” he groaned. “I’m trying to take this slowly. I want to make love to you.”

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“Baron,” she mimicked, “I don’t want to go slowly. I want you to fuck me until I go blind with it. I want to feel you buried so deeply that I can’t tell where I end and you begin.” He stood up and pulled her over to the edge of the bed. Within moments, he had efficiently stripped her bare. She rolled onto her side, propped her head on one hand and waved for him to continue. “Skin! I want to see those clothes come off right away!” “What? Aren’t you going to return the favor? I undressed you,” he pointed out. Then with an exaggerated sway, he sashayed over to the door, planted his hands on his hips and batted his eyelashes. “Boys like to play, too,” he pouted. Her jaw dropped for a moment in shock. Then she bounced off the bed and rushed over to him. “Mm-mm-mm. Don’t move, you bad boy, or I’ll have to give you a licking.” He helped her strip off his t-shirt, but after that, she was on her own. She unfastened his belt, nudging and fondling his cock through his soft, faded jeans as she worked. Then she dropped down to her knees and grasped his zipper tab in her teeth. “What are you doing?” he demanded. He watched a slow, naughty smile creep across her face as she clenched her teeth around the zipper tab. Something I read in a book. Grasping his ass in her hands so she could hold him still, she slowly pulled the zipper tab down all the way. With fascination, he noticed that she spent a lot of time rubbing against the hard ridge of his cock with her chin. By the time, she had his jeans open, his legs were trembling. She ran her tongue down the fine line of hair that ran from his belly button to the soft curls around his cock. “Hmmm. No underwear. Were you dressing for me?” she asked as she slipped her hands inside his jeans and worked them down over his tight ass until they pooled around his knees. “Oh yeah,” he growled around the knot in his throat. She untied his sneakers and loosened the laces. “Lift your foot.” He braced himself with a hand on her shoulder and lifted his leg long enough for her to slip off his shoe, 22

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sock and pant leg. Then they repeated it on the other side. She tossed his jeans over her shoulder and licked her lips. “Mmmm, yummy,” she muttered, before clasping his cock with both hands and tugging gently until he stood directly in front of her. “Now I want you to stand very still.” And then, she leaned forward and sucked the heavy flushed knob of his cock into her warm wet mouth. “Jade!” Her name came out a strangled exclamation. “I don’t think my legs will hold me. Let’s go over to the bed,” he begged. “No, baby. You just stand there and take it like a man. I’ve waited a long time to try this.” Baron locked his knees and gritted his teeth. For a novice, she was remarkably adventurous. She licked and nibbled and suckled up one side and down the other. She tongued his balls, bathing them, rolling them around and finally trying to gently fit each one in her mouth. One finger meandered along the seam behind his tightening balls until it reached the sensitive pucker of his anus, where it investigated inquisitively. Involuntarily, he tightened his butt cheeks and thrust forward. “Ooh, you like that,” she teased. She stuck a finger in her own cream and then used it to work the tip into the tight entrance at the same time she sucked his cock with strong rhythmic pulls. He shouted her name and grabbed her by her hair. “Jade, please,” he groaned. “Not yet. I want to come inside you!” She sat back and looked up at him with mock sulkiness. “Oh, all right. What do you want to do now?” His dark eyes glowed with mischief. “On the bed, minx. I want to taste you.” She flounced over to the bed, crawled up into the middle, sprawled on her back and spread her legs. “Like this?” Baron cocked his head, a little smile playing over his lips. “Not exactly. Pile those pillows under your ass.” She sat up immediately and rearranged the pillows. “Like this?”

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“Uh-hmm. Now lift your head,” he directed and placed a pillow under her neck. Then he crawled up on the bed, straddled her so that his cock brushed her mouth while he buried his face between her legs and swiped her clit with his tongue. Jade jumped like he had stuck her finger in an electric socket and squeaked. Her knees jerked as her belly rippled in response. “What was that?” she exclaimed. He gently flicked his tongue over the tight little nub. “That?” “Do that again!” “I plan to. Are you just going to pull on my cock, or do you plan to stick it back in your delicious mouth?” “Oh, yeah, I’ll take care of it,” she promised enthusiastically. All the playing around brought them to the brink of climax within minutes. When he felt her silky inner muscles flexing against his fingers, he knew he was going to go off like a rocket any second so he tried to pull away from the wet heat of her mouth, but she wrapped her arms around his hips and held on, taking every drop of what he offered. He groaned and slithered down next to her panting like he’d run several simultaneous marathons. She rolled off the pillows and straddled his ass. Playfully, she leaned forward and brushed his back with her breasts. “That was fun,” she declared. “What’s next?” Baron yawned. “Sleep. I’m so tired I can’t keep my eyes open. I’ve wanted to sleep holding you in my arms forever.” His body was slack and limp. Without an argument, she gathered the pillows and tossed them back at the head of the bed, turned the covers down as far as she could without moving him, then helped him move up in the bed. When he saw she was leaving the room instead of getting in bed, he frowned. “Where are you going?” “Just to lock up and turn out the lights. I’ll be right back,” she promised.

*****

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When Baron opened his eyes next, the sun was glittering through the window and he was alone in bed. Vaguely, he heard the sound of running water and Jade singing and deduced that she was in the shower. From the high angle of the sun, it appeared to be past mid-morning. He yawned and stretched in the soft comfort of the wide bed. It definitely was a huge improvement over the lumpy futon in his apartment. The water shut off and there was the muted thump of the shower door. He knew if he got up, he would probably catch her naked and wet in the bathroom, but he felt at a distinct disadvantage. She was clean. He was grungy. With a deep sigh, he sat up on the side of the bed and waited for her to finish in the bathroom. It didn’t take her very long. The door opened with a billow of steam and she strolled out wearing her hair, a brilliant smile and nothing else. A dull ache pulsed in his chest for all the time lost as he returned her morning smile. “You’re awake! I was going to let you sleep.” He yawned again and blinked. “I guess I slept enough for now. Sorry about flaking out on you last night. Those fiends we call brothers waited until I worked a double shift in the ER on a full moon before they told me you were missing.” Chuckling, she came over and slung her arms around him. “Mik told me. I don’t care if you sleep all day, every day until we go home. I’m just glad you’re here with me.” She nuzzled his lips which he opened immediately and deepened the kiss to a lazy exploration of teeth and tongues. Mmmm. “Are you hungry?” “Like a bear. I don’t remember when I ate last,” he realized with a puzzled frown. “I think it was yesterday morning on the way home.” “Okay. You take your shower or whatever and I’ll make breakfast. It should be done by the time you’re done.” “Wait, just wait a darn minute. Jade, the scourge of the Harvey High Home Ec class, is going to cook breakfast?” “Things change, Baron. Times change. I took cooking lessons.”

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His dumbfounded expression said it all. “Cooking lessons? When?” he asked in bafflement. “You haven’t stopped running since you left Virginia.” “Actually, I did,” she corrected. “I rented a house and settled down for nearly a year in Tennessee. My tour dates were arranged in little clusters so I wasn’t on the road so much. Except for that concert at Madison Square Garden earlier in the year, I’ve mostly played smaller cities.” “That was that concert for World Hunger—the one you did a duet with that child prodigy…Dancer. Dancer Devereaux. What a name to hang on a little kid.” She laughed gently. “His brother’s name was Traveller. They were a real pair of imps, but they were cute. And Dancer can play that violin like an angel. He’s going to be a huge star someday.” Abruptly, he yawned again. “I’ve got to take a shower and see if I can wake up.” He opened his eyes as wide as he could and then blinked. “It won’t take me long, so get to it, sweetheart. I’m starved.” Trotting over to the closet to find a robe, she just shook her head. “You don’t want to mess with the cook,” she chastised. “She might put sugar on your eggs and salt in your coffee.” “She might also get a paddling for her impudence,” he warned before going into the bathroom and shutting the door. Shrugging, she went off to cook breakfast. When Baron went to find her after his refreshing shower, he was totally awake and longing for a fresh cup of coffee. He found her in the kitchen adding the last touches to a huge breakfast—oatmeal flapjacks, veggie omelets, sizzling ham steaks and icy orange juice. She handed him a steaming mug of coffee and pointed to his place. He set the mug down, gently grasped her shoulders and pulled her into a close embrace. Instantly, she melted against him, snuggling so close she could feel his immediate response. They rocked softly together, enjoying the feel of his hard cock rubbing against her lower belly. Her sleepy clit snapped to attention and her nipples got 26

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tight. His mouth covered her parted lips, smothering the little moan. She tasted hot coffee and cool minty toothpaste when their tongues tangled in a languid little duel. When he released her mouth, she smiled. “Breakfast first.” “Okay,” he mumbled as he scattered kisses across her cheeks. “Then what?” Tilting her head back so that he had easier access, she closed her eyes. “Hmmm. A soft blanket in front of the fire. You. Me. No clothes. And no interruptions all day long.” He nipped her nose very lightly. “You have a big bottle of multivitamins, huh? Maybe some iron, some calcium?” Rubbing her clit against the hard ridge beneath his soft sweatpants, she chuckled. “It already feels like iron to me. I don’t think you’re going to have a problem there.” His empty stomach growled and rumbled and she pulled away with a laugh. “Like I said, breakfast first. Then playtime.” In spite of the sexual tension, breakfast was a surprisingly relaxing time. Both of them were ravenously hungry, but Baron devoured twice what Jade ate, all the time complimenting her cooking skills lavishly. “You just want to make sure that I do all the cooking,” she teased him. “I’m willing to bet that you certainly didn’t have time to learn to cook.” “No, I didn’t,” he admitted. “That being the case, if you really plan for me to perform at the rate you indicated, you’ll need to keep me well fed.” “A bribe, then. No cooking, no cock?” He choked and wheezed. She rose and pounded on his back. “Take it easy, love. You can’t kick the bucket while I’m still a virgin.” Baron seized her around the waist and pulled her onto his lap facedown. Her head hung down on one side and her legs on the other. Pushing her silky robe up so that her ass was exposed, he slowly massaged the taut cheeks before bringing his palm down in a gentle blow that was just hard enough to warm the soft skin. When she wriggled in

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excitement and tilted her ass up for more, he repeated the blow. “You’re a naughty girl,” he growled. “Naughty, naughty, naughty.” His hand slid down between her legs and his fingers played with her wet pussy lips, spreading her cream up to her clit. He withdrew his hand and smacked her pink ass again. “Look how wet this makes you, sweetheart. You like to be spanked.” His cock nudged her belly. Slyly, she squirmed around until she could grasp him in her hand. She squeezed and tugged until he groaned while he rubbed her ass and pussy in slow circles. “Let’s go into the living room,” she suggested. She didn’t have to repeat it. In seconds he was helping her stand, supporting her with his arms around her until she was steady on her feet. Then he stood up, took her hand and led her into the living room where a lively fire snapped and popped in the fireplace. She had spread a pallet of several blankets in front of the fire. All the drapes were thrown open, allowing the addition of both warmth and brilliant light from the sun. Soft pillows were stack at each end. On the hearth was a basket of “toys” and a book with lots of colored scraps of paper bookmarks. He surveyed her efforts and raised an eyebrow. “You’ve been busy.” “Uh-hmm.” Bending over, he picked up the book and looked at the plain, unadorned cover. The Joy of Sex—A Gourmet Guide to Love Making. “I see you’ve been studying,” he teased. “What are the bookmarks?” “Those are all the things I want to try,” she replied, struggling to keep a straight face. His appalled expression was too much though and she burst out laughing. “Red for beginning. Blue for a little variety. Orange for a little spice—” “How long do you think we’ll be here?” he interrupted curiously. “Not long enough. Mikhail arranged a week off with your boss. Then we have to be back.” “Mikhail did?”

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She dropped her robe on the floor and began to slip his sweatpants down over his hips. “I’ll tell you a little secret. Mikhail and your boss are lovers. She was very, very happy to give you the week off. He made sure of it.” She knelt down and tapped his toes. “Lift up so I can take these off.” Willingly, he cooperated while he leafed through the book, looking at the various positions she’d marked. “The horse? A rocking chair? Actually, that kind of looks like fun.” He flipped a couple more pages. “My, you are adventurous. What do you want to try first?” “Everything. I want to know everything lovers can know.” Taking the book from him, she tossed it down on the hearth and tugged him down on the blanket beside her. “Practically speaking though, we should deal with my virginity first.” Toying idly with her puckered nipples, he thought about what he wanted to say. “I’ve always known from the beginning that one day you would be mine.” His eyes met hers then. “As you no doubt know from your research, there a dozens of ways to make love without that, if you want to wait until we’re married. I don’t ever want you to regret it if we don’t wait.” Their eyes held as she searched for some intangible answer. Then she asked, “Will you feel more married if we wait? If we say the words in front of a minister?” “Hell, no.” Nodding as though she expected exactly that reply, she said, “In my mind and heart, I’ve been yours since I was fourteen and knew exactly why my nipples got hard and my pussy got wet whenever I thought about you. In another time or place we would be old married folks by now.” She sighed. “But we did what everyone wanted and waited and I don’t want to wait anymore. I’m tired of feeling like I’m missing some part of me.” “That’s all I needed to hear. It’s been more than long enough for me,” he assured her. “I almost wish I’d succeeded three years ago.”

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Laughing, she shook her head. “Now I’m glad that you didn’t. I needed to grow up. Besides, I wouldn’t want you to miss it. Back then, I don’t think you would have remembered even having me.” “I’ll remember this time. I’m going to take my sweet time and remember every touch and every kiss and every word.” “What do we do first?” she whispered. “Kiss. Everything.” He demonstrated by getting to his knees and leaning over her. Scattering butterfly kisses over her face, he carefully avoided her mouth. Her ears, her neck, her shoulders all claimed their share. By then, she wanted to take part, so she pulled him down beside her and turned to face him. “Let’s take turns.” It took a long time. There was an occasional detour as they stopped to explore whatever seemed interesting. She discovered a very sensitive spot on the back of his neck. He found a highly erogenous zone on the back of her thighs just below her hips. They carefully avoided the obvious hot spots, wanting to delay and heighten the experience. When they were both shivering with need, she stretched out on the coverlet, arching her body to relieve some of the tension in her tight breasts. “I think we got the kissing stuff done. Now what?” “Hmmm. Now you get to see what a good girl you can be,” he teased. He dragged an end table closer to the hearth, took her hands and clasped them around the table leg above her head. “Keep them there. I wouldn’t want to have to spank you again.” Immediately, she felt the rush of wetness between her legs. He started at the top, nibbling the soft swell of her breasts, avoiding the hard, tight nipples while she writhed in frustration, trying to get his mouth on them. “Baron! Suck my nipples!” “Not yet. You’re not ready yet.” “What? If I get any more ready, I’ll explode!”

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He shook his head. “Not even close. Now be a good girl and let me get back to work.” Slowly, he licked around the tight puckers, never quite touching them. If possible, they got more rigid. Moving on, he investigated the tiny indentation of her navel, poking it with his tongue, before grasping her knees and spreading her legs wide. He bent her knees and nudged her feet up until they nearly touched her ass. The soft feminine petals of her pussy, flushed dark pink and wet with her cream, were totally exposed. He slid one exploratory finger just inside her vagina. She lifted her hips, trying to force it in further. “Unh-uh.” “Yes! Dammit, stick your fingers in me! Stick your cock in me! Now!” With a nod, he pressed his finger in until he could go no further. When she evinced no discomfort, he had a sudden thought. “Have you been playing with those toys, baby?” “Of course,” she sniffed. “Did you think I wanted our first time to be painful?” “Ah, my Jade. There’s no one else like you in the whole world.” He moved between her legs and positioned his aching cock exactly where she wanted it. He pushed. She lifted. And abruptly the waiting was over. Stretching out above her, careful to support himself with his elbows, he found her mouth, open, wet and longing for his touch. They rocked slowly, savoring a thousand gradations of sensation as wet, slick skin slid against skin while their tongues danced in an erotic imitation. Her breasts brushed against his chest. His cock slid across her tight clit. Slowly. So slowly, their bodies tightened in orgasm. Deliberately, fighting all the way, Baron kept the pace slow and leisurely. When at last their joint climax arrived, it was as though a tsunami, stunning and powerful, tossed them high above the waves before the inevitable crash. There were no words. Tightly entwined, two hearts beating in tandem, they curled together on the blanket in the warm sunlight and slept.

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Chapter Three Jade woke in increments, yawning and moaning like a cranky bear. She tried to roll over and discovered that her movements were severely restricted. Something was not right. “Baron?” “I’m here, baby.” She turned her head, shaking her hair out of her face, and saw him sitting in her Aunt Anna’s rocking chair, intently reading her book. “Why am I tied up?” she demanded. “Bondage—page 153. It’s one of your red flags.” “Oh. Why do I have a bunch of couch cushions stuffed under my belly?” He flipped through the pages. “Anal—page 150 combined with Vibrators—page 220. And I thought once we get the butt plug in, we could try Open Air—page 204 combined with Rocking Chair—page 211. Let’s see here. Uh, anal is blue, vibrators is red, open air is orange, and rocking chair is blue.” He looked at her over the top of his reading glasses. “You know, if we’re going to fit your entire list in this week, we’re going to have to combine a lot of them.” His enthusiasm dumbfounded her. She surely didn’t want to admit that she had mostly put the colored markers in pages at random to tease him. Clearing her throat tentatively, she said, “Good idea. Can you untie me so I can go to the bathroom? All that coffee I had for breakfast needs a place to go.” He bounded up and immediately proceeded to untie her. “I just wanted to try out the instructions,” he explained. “We could do something else. There are plenty of choices.”

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“No… I think I’m kind of intrigued now. Just give me a minute and I’ll be right back.” While she was gone, he retrieved the basket of toys from the hearth and sorted through them. Butt plugs in three sizes, nipple clamps, handcuffs, lubricant. He bit down hard on his lip to keep from laughing. He hadn’t missed the flash of panic in her eyes when he reeled off his list. But as long as she was willing, he wanted to push her to her limit. Jade never could resist a dare. She had pretty much held the upper hand until right this minute. Now it was his turn. When she returned, he had his selections lined up on the hearth. The pillows were arranged to best support her hips. And he waited with the cuffs in hand. “Now what?” she asked with just a little quaver in her voice. “Kneel in front of the pillows, bend over and stretch your arms over your head. We’ll just see if I placed everything correctly.” Whistling briskly, he helped her get in position. “Here, put your knees on each side of the cushion so your pussy and ass are completely exposed.” She shuffled a bit until she was exactly where he wanted her. He fastened the cuffs and looped them around the same table legs they’d used before. When she was securely restrained, he stood up and backed away to check his arrangements. She had never felt so open and vulnerable. Baron dropped down on the blanket next to her and lightly patted her back. “You okay with this?” he asked. She swallowed to clear her throat and nodded. “If you want to stop, all you have to do is say…‘Twinkles’. You can yell. You can whisper. You can tell me mind-to-mind. And we’ll stop immediately.” “Twinkles.” Her voice quivered and he was very tempted to call the entire thing off until he watched her gather her courage and determination. “Twinkles,” she said in a firmer tone.

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“Good. Good.” He picked up a scarf he’d found in the bedroom. “Now I want to blindfold you with this scarf. Masks—page 201. Okay?” She wet her lips and nodded. “Sure.” He tied it around her head, making sure that it was snug and covered her eyes. “Relax, baby. It will be fun. You have your safe word. We’ll stop if you don’t like anything. Take a deep breath. Rest your head on the blanket.” “God, I can’t believe I’m doing this. My ass is sticking up in the air.” He leaned down next to her ear and whispered, “It’s so sexy. I’m going to stretch that little hole with your collection of plugs here until I can fit my cock inside.” Jade shivered. There was a sudden rush of cream from her pussy and the unmistakable scent of her arousal. “You liked that, huh?” Baron teased. A second later, Jade felt the brush of a soft flat tongue swipe her from her clit to her anus. Two fingers nudged her labia apart and the tongue made another pass, flicking along the inner lips before stabbing briefly into her vagina. On his next pass, he curled his tongue around her clit then hummed against it. The vibrations drove her crazy. She rocked against his mouth. The humming stopped and abruptly, there was a sharp smack on her taut butt. She froze. “Don’t move unless I give you permission,” he instructed sternly. She felt cool gel dribble around the crease in her ass. A slick finger prodded her anus and then he said, “Push out.” Involuntarily, she pushed and his finger slid in. Jade felt hot and cold, turned-on and wicked. It was the forbidden and inexplicably felt darkly sexy. The anticipation and fear swept over her in equal parts. She felt his finger withdraw and return in a slow, decadent dance. Another rush of cream soaked her pussy. On the next in-stroke, Baron added a second finger. There was a pinch and just as she tightened up, the fingers of his other hand brushed her clit, distracting her long enough to relax and accept his invasion.

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He stroked out and she followed him. He tapped her butt. “Be still.” He pushed in with three fingers and she tightened up. As he stroked out, two fingers slipped inside her sopping pussy while a broad thumb brushed her clit. Confused by so many sensations, she didn’t know which way to move. The fingers in her ass stretched and slowly stroked in while the fingers in her pussy dragged against the thin membrane that separated them. Heat flashed up her back and she broke out in a fine sweat. The thumb on her clit moved in tiny circles around the sensitive button. She rocked her hips, trying to capture his fingers. “That’s right, baby. Fuck my fingers,” he encouraged. Abruptly, he changed the rhythm, stroking all of his fingers inside at once. The pinching pull in her ass was offset by the smooth glide across the nerve bed high in her vagina. She didn’t know which way to move. The clench in her pussy won out and she rocked back. He slipped the fingers in her pussy out and gently petted the swollen mound. “Hold on,” he said. A blunt slick object pressed against her pussy and slipped smoothly inside. Amid the overpowering sensations of fullness, she dimly recognized the feel and shape of one of her vibrators. She froze, torn between the urge to bear down and the need to squeeze. “What do you need, baby?” he asked. “What do you want?” “I don’t know,” she finally admitted. “I don’t know.” Alternating his fingers and the dildo, he stroked deep inside and out. Driven crazy by the opposing sensations, she pushed back, chasing his hands, hot and needy and wet. “Hold still, sweetheart.” He pulled his slick fingers from her ass. Then she felt the warm broad head of his cock. “Push, baby.” She rocked, pushing against the blunt head with all her strength and it slid in with a nearly audible pop. Jade groaned. “Shall I take it out?” “No!” 35

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He pushed forward, gaining ground in barely recognized increments. His thumb began its slow brush against her clit and her body jangled with the overload of heat and fire. Abruptly, the rush of orgasm swept up her spine and she rocked back just as Baron thrust forward. In the raging firestorm, he filled her to the hilt. Her body shook as she panted and fought for breath. Never had she imagined such a violent climax. Muscles deep inside jerked and compressed, squeezing Baron’s cock until she was positive he would have bruises. Gradually, her death grip on his cock relaxed enough that he felt he could safely move. With a gentle, leisurely thrusting and retreat, he lulled her back to the dark enticement of him fucking her ass. He felt her internal muscle tighten in preparation for another climax. He cupped her mound, softly stimulating the sides of her clit. Her body clenched hard in another pounding climax and he gave in to the irresistible lure of hot, pulsing completion, before falling forward to cover her body with his. When he was sure that he could keep himself upright, he carefully pulled his cock free from her clinging body, removed the vibrator and slipped the blindfold from her face. She was out cold. With some concern, he checked her pulse and breathed a shaky sigh of relief when he felt it was steady and strong. He couldn’t believe how exhausted he was. It took a moment before he gathered himself enough to release her hands from the handcuffs. Then with a deep breath, he staggered to his feet and headed for the bathroom to fill the tub. What they needed was a nice long soak. They were going to have to save the rocking chair and the other positions for another day.

***** The week passed before they were ready for it to be over. When it was time to go, Baron was still doubtful of the wisdom of Jade moving into his tiny apartment with him, but she packed, serenely confident that they would work it out.

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On the flight home, he worried about his limited income and heavy school loans, gnawing on the problems like an old moldy bone until finally Jade took his hand and informed him that the loans had been paid in full. As she had expected, thinking that she was responsible, he was not happy. She simply shook her head. “You might as well know now. Your brothers paid them off as a wedding present. Though I would like to know why it would have been a problem for you if I had paid them off.” In the incomprehensible logic of all men, he replied flatly, “You’re my wife.” “And?” she questioned with a maddening smile. “That has what to do with it?” “My wife is not supporting me.” “Uh-huh. I see. What do you want me to do with the money? Give it away?” A baffled silence settled over them as he unhappily gnawed on that one. Regardless of their personal meshing of hearts, minds and bodies, the bald truth was that she would always have more money than him, not because she was smarter or more talented, but simply because international musical recording stars were paid better than beginning doctors. No one cared that they both spoke several languages or that he had multiple degrees. “Baron, what do you really want to do with your skills? If you could do anything in the world, what would it be?” she asked quietly. “Treat the poor,” he replied instantly without thought. “Then do that. Allow me to help you do what’s important to you. It’s certainly more important than me playing a violin or piano or clarinet.” She relaxed and turned to look out the tiny window. “I’ll pay for a clinic.” “Jade, that’s a lot of money you’re talking about,” he said warned flatly. “I know to the penny exactly how much money it will take. Mikhail and Duke did a complete cost analysis for the project. I think you should do it.” “Just like that?”

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“Just like that. It would fulfill you in a way that nothing else will.” She took his hand in hers. “Think about it,” she said quietly. “Just think about it.” “All right, I’ll think about it. Now let’s talk about something else,” he said grumpily. Catching back the smile that threatened to break across her face, she nodded. “What would you like to talk about?” “Your music. I really loved your last album.” “Butterfly Stomp?” She laughed. “I figured that would be the one you didn’t like.” “Why?” “Oh, I guess because it’s not classical music. You used to always make fun of the musicians that played pop. Which song did you like the best?” she asked alive with curiosity. “Hmmm. I suppose it would be a tie between ‘Butterfly Stomp’ and ‘Alligator Twinkletoes’,” he teased. ‘“March of the Guinea Pigs’ was kind of cute, too. That little clarinet riff was great.” “The critics hated it.” “But the fans loved it. It went platinum in two weeks.” She turned to stare at him in amazement. “How do you know that?” “I read,” he pointed out dryly. “I also listen to the news. Butterfly Stomp got a Grammy nomination. What are you going to wear?” “What am I going to wear?” “You are going, of course. And you are going to win it,” he pronounced positively. “And I’m going to be there to see it this time. I missed it when you won for Jade’s Joy.” She tweaked his nose. “Maybe I’ll go naked.” “Oh. Well in that case, we’ll watch it on TV.” “Exactly.” “Jade? I have something to ask you,” he said nervously. 38

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Staring at him in puzzlement, she quirked a curious eyebrow. “What’s wrong?” “We’ve spent the last week making mad passionate love. We’re on our way home to a wedding that’s been completely planned. But there’s just one little thing missing.” Her lips twitched. It wasn’t hard to figure out where this was going and trust Baron to wait until the last minute. He stood up, moved out into the aisle and knelt down. People all up and down the aisle were craning their necks, trying to see what he was doing. Are you really going to ask me to marry you like this? she demanded silently. As publicly as possible. Her panties dampened with the quick rush of arousal and he quirked an eyebrow at her. We’ll take care of that later, baby. He took the small ring box from his pocket, opened it up and asked in a deep tone that carried nearly to the back row, “Jade Alexander, I love you with all my heart and want you for my wife. Will you marry me?” A deep hush fell over the plane. Fighting a smile, she folded up the armrest, leaned down and kissed him with her whole heart before replying, “I will.” Ragged cheers broke out as the passengers passed the word. A couple of moments later, the pilot impishly informed the passengers that they had a newly engaged couple on the plane. Of course, given Jade’s fame, the story was too good for the media to pass up, so by the time they arrived back home and settled down to a family celebratory dinner, the engagement was old news.

***** Two weeks later, Baron was still reeling from the breakneck way his life had changed. Jade’s grandmother had overseen their move and installment in a small townhouse. His own mother had supervised all the wedding arrangements while Jade went off to play several more concerts in between working on some special project for his father. It bothered Baron when she worked for his father because she got all tense 39

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and short-tempered. Something about this project was very wrong. He wasn’t sure exactly what she was working on, but one night she woke up crying. And the part that worried him the most was the fact that she shut him out of her mind when she worked on it. She refused to answer any questions and refused to discuss her worries. The day before when he had asked her about it, she had shrugged and told him her part in it was finished, but he didn’t like the haunted look in her eyes. Mikhail and Duke had spent several hours with him poring over plans for a clinic in one of the poorest parts of the city. It was hard not to get excited about the prospect of really carrying out his dream. While Jade and he were on their honeymoon, Mik and Duke had promised to find a suitable building. Now he waited nervously in an anteroom with his oldest brother, King. His other brothers had bounced in and out, with news and anecdotes as the wedding party slowly assembled. The minister wandered in, checked to make sure he had the ring, patted him on the shoulder and wandered back out. Bishop poked his head in the door and reported that Amber, Jade’s twin sister, was having a hissing temper fit because she didn’t like the color of her dress. Then he reported back that their grandmother VanLeigh was handling it and Baron relaxed at once. There wasn’t anything in the world Jade’s martinet grandmother couldn’t handle. He figured if they had put her in charge of the Vietnam War it would have been over on the third day. Time dragged by and he wished quite absurdly that he smoked so he would have something to do with his hands. His best friend Andrew showed up with two shot glasses and a tiny flask of whiskey. Ceremoniously, he handed both glasses to Baron while he unscrewed the top. After pouring a judicious tot in both, he sealed the flask, took one from his friend and offered a solemn toast, “Bottoms up. It’s the best position.” Baron grinned, warmed by a very recent memory and tossed the whisky down. “Oh, yeah. Bottoms up,” he agreed.

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Everything Lovers Can Know

Jade stood in the small anteroom just off the church foyer and meditated to maintain her calm. Around her, women in jewel-toned, embroidered velvet dresses fluttered like so many demented butterflies. Amber, her twin, arrived late as usual from Paris, where she was in a prestigious art school, and promptly threw a fit when she saw her dress. It was forest green, a color she hated, and embroidered, which she also detested. Grandmother VanLeigh weighed into the melee, slapped Amber and acidly pointed out that it wasn’t her wedding and no one would give a damn whether she went naked, wore the dress or flew back to Paris. A charged silence fell over the room while everyone held their breath. Amber grabbed the dress and stomped off to change. Grandmother VanLeigh shooed everyone out of the room and in a few moments there was no one left except Jade and her grandmother. “It’s nearly time,” Grandmother said abruptly. “Yes,” Jade agreed serenely. “Past time, if you ask me, but your father was always a stubborn old goat, especially after your mother was sent away.” Jade suppressed the smile that nearly crept out. The euphemism “sent away” for the reality of prison had always amused her in a perverse way. Somehow, it fit in the same category as calling murder an accident. She sighed. “It’s exactly the right time,” she assured her grandmother. “Baron and I had some growing up to do. Now we’re ready.” “Don’t think I don’t know about you having sex with him.” Widening her eyes innocently, Jade protested, “I don’t know what you mean.” Grandmother VanLeigh sniffed. “You were a wild one from the time you linked with Baron back when you were only three. Now you’ll be his responsibility. Thank God!” She leaned over and kissed Jade’s cheek. “I love you, Jade. Be happy.” “I will, Grandmother. I will.”

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The door opened and Alistair Alexander slipped inside. His back was turned and when he faced them and saw Jade for the first time, his breath caught in his tight throat. His little girl was beautiful. Grandmother VanLeigh slipped out to find her seat, leaving them alone for the last few moments as father and daughter. “Jade. You’re beautiful,” he whispered around the sudden tears that threatened to overflow. “Absolutely beautiful.” “Thank you, Daddy. You’re not going to cry, are you?” Alistair dug a hanky from his pocket and patted his eyes. “Not at all,” he denied sturdily. “Just got something in my eye.” He stuffed the hanky back in his pocket and straightened his coat. “Are you ready for this, sweetheart?” “I’m ready, Daddy.” “He’s a good man,” he offered by way of apology. “I know.” “Well, then.” He cleared his throat. “Time to go.”

In the small chapel, the music swelled just as the sun came out. Brilliant shafts of colored light shot down from the huge stained glass windows and lit the aisle as Jade slowly paced down it on her father’s arm. Baron turned to look at her and his heart caught in his throat at the glow in her eyes. He didn’t see the dress, beautiful though he knew it was, or the veil, or even the roses he had selected with such care. All that he saw was the love and promises in her eyes.

“Do you, Baron Merlyn Llewellyn, take this woman…?” “I do,” he answered firmly. “Do you, Jade Cleopatra Alexander, take this man…?” “I do,” she declared joyously. 42

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“I pronounce you man and wife. You may kiss the bride.” Baron’s eyes danced with mischief as he took her in his arms. “Shall we?” he whispered. “Why not?” she replied. He picked her up in his arms, covered her mouth with his and started slowly back down the aisle without breaking the kiss. Baron, my dearest love. I think I forgot my panties this morning. Oh, you’re just asking for a spanking, baby. Are you really naked under this dress? he demanded in disbelief. You’ll have to check it out for yourself. He could feel her happy laughter in his mind. Definitely, a spanking. By the time they reached midway, the guests were laughing and clapping and cheering them on. It was an exit that was talked about for a long time.

The reception at Grandmother VanLeigh’s estate was everything a bride and groom could ask for. There was plentiful champagne and music and lots of laughter. What seemed to be missing were the bride and groom. Grandmother frowned and muttered to King Llewellyn, “I’m going to kill your brother.” King just laughed. “What has he done now?” She shot him a look of disdain. “He and Jade are locked in the library.” “Yeah? I wonder if they forgot to close the drapes. Maybe I’ll go check it out.”

In the library, Baron was seated in a comfortable recliner with his pants unzipped and his cock aimed at the ceiling. Of course, no one could see that because Jade was perched astride him, with his feverishly hot cock stuffed in her soaked pussy. The skirt 43

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of her lacy wedding dress billowed around them. He unbuttoned her top and tugged the neckline down until it was tucked beneath her breasts. Plucking at her hard nipples, he chastised her, “That was extremely naughty of you.” “What?” “Revealing that you had no panties on as I’m carrying you down the aisle. It’s just a good thing your dress was covering my crotch.” He gently pinched down on her nipples and she bounced in his lap like a jockey on the last lap. “I can’t believe that you did that!” “Did I ever tell you that I love you?” she asked with a luminous smile. “Every day.” Grasping her hips to hold her in place, he lifted up to meet her. Just as they reached the peak they were striving for, a heavy fist pounded on the locked door. Jade collapsed on his chest and they gasped as quietly as possible. “You two have five minutes to get decent before Grandmother makes Manfred unlock this door,” Mikhail warned them. “I mean it! Everyone’s waiting for you to start the dance!” Baron took a deep breath and helped Jade dismount. While she held her billowing skirts up, he shook out his hanky and did a hurried clean-up job on first his brand-new wife and then himself. In a few moments, they were reasonably decent and no one would be able to tell that beneath her sedate, demure exterior, Jade wore no panties. Baron felt his instant response to the idea of her walking around the reception pantyless and just shook his head. It definitely called for a spanking. When they opened the door, Mikhail was leaning again the wall. He just rolled his eyes and shook his head. “Geez, guys. Couldn’t you wait until you got home?” “That’s hours from now,” Jade protested. “We’re not even going home. Whose idea was it to send us to Hawaii?” “Mine,” Mik admitted with twitching lips. “Come on. Everybody’s waiting.”

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When they reached the ballroom, the orchestra leader noted their arrival and hurriedly shuffled his sheet music so that he would be prepared when he got the signal from Jade’s father. There were toasts—some quite hilarious—and the cutting of the cake. Though there was a distinct gleam of mischief in his eyes, Baron refrained from any dominance displays. After a quick swallow of wine, Alistair signaled that it was time for them to have their first dance together and Baron led Jade out onto the floor. The music began and the guests began to chuckle as he danced around the room with his new bride to the lilting, joyous strains of “The Butterfly Stomp”.

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About the Author Anny Cook learned to read at five years old. Learning to write was a natural extension. Through her adult years while a wife, mother, grandmother, fast food cook, warehouse book packer, Girl Scout and Cub Scout Leader, perpetual college student, executive secretary, and adult education teacher, writing served as the anchor that kept her sane. Well, maybe not exactly sane, but close to it. Today, after thirty-five years with kids, cats, dogs, guinea pigs, and hamsters, she and her husband are empty nesters. Sigh. Finally, there's time—and quiet—to write in peace.

Anny welcomes comments from readers. You can find her website and email address on her author bio page at www.ellorascave.com.

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Also by Anny Cook Chrysanthemum Mystic Valley: Traveller’s Refuge

Also see this author’s titles at Cerridwen Press (www.cerridwenpress.com):

Mystic Valley: Dancer’s Delight

Discover for yourself why readers can’t get enough of the multiple award-winning publisher Ellora’s Cave. Whether you prefer e-books or paperbacks, be sure to visit EC on the web at www.ellorascave.com for an erotic reading experience that will leave you breathless.

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