She breathed a sigh of relief. The freedom of knowing he was once again in control flooded her soul. “Yes, Sir.”
“Good girl.”
How had she got here? Where those two simple words from him could make her heart stand up and sing?
“So we’re good for that plan?” he asked.
“Yes, Sir.”
He stroked her cheek. “And yes, this is also a wedding proposal, pet. Although we can take our time planning that. Whatever you want to do.”
She felt heat in her cheeks. “It won’t be much. I can’t afford an expensive wedding.”
He made her look at him again. “I can. So what’s your answer?”
It felt good to be blinking back happy tears. “Yes!” she whispered.
She’d have to give that smile a name. His killer smile. His nuclear smile. Something, because it totally disarmed her.
“This weekend,” he said, “we’re going to the club and making the first part of it official. I will formally collar you in front of all our friends. Then I’m going to lay you across a bench and put my marks on you the way I’ve been wanting to. There will be no doubt in anyone’s mind who you belong to.” As his lips traced hers she let out a soft whimper. She wished tonight was already here.
When he broke their kiss, she gasped for breath. “Any special request for dinner, Sir?”
He grinned as he gently chucked her under the chin. “No, I don’t care what we eat. All I care about is that you answer the door naked except for your collar.”
He left a few minutes before she did. She felt like she couldn’t focus, couldn’t think beyond what she wanted to make for dinner. Maybe spaghetti. That’s fast and easy. No, maybe I should make pork chops. Argh!
It was a problem she didn’t mind having.
When Shayla got to work, she quickly ran through her accumulated texts and voice mails. James had called twice, and she deleted them as soon as she recognized his voice, before he said more than two words. Leah, Loren, and Tilly had all called to check on her. She saw where Tony had called once over the weekend, but hung up without leaving a voice mail.
She grinned, a little thrill running through her at the memory of the feel of his hands on her that morning, the way he’d pinned her wrists to the bed.
Owned her.
Her hand constantly fingered the amulet. She found herself unable to stop smiling.
Dreams do come true.
During the Monday editorial meeting, Bill Melling finally stopped what he was doing and looked at Shayla. “Is there something you want to share with the rest of the class?” he teased.
“Huh?”
Kimberly laughed next to her and gently nudged her with her elbow. “You look disgustingly happy compared to how sad you’ve been the past two weeks. Did you get engaged or something?”
The barking laugh burped out of her so suddenly that she clapped a hand to her mouth as she looked around the table. Everyone let out a laugh.
“Well?” Bill said.
Shayla nodded as she pushed her glasses up on her nose. “He got back into town late last night and he proposed this morning.”
A round of cheers and congratulations went up throughout the room. Bill grinned. “Our congratulations to the bride-to-be.” He grabbed a dry-erase marker and wrote Exotic Wedding Ideas on the whiteboard. “Hey,” he said with a smile, “I’m not above using your good news to give us story ideas.”
Only after the meeting ended did Shayla text Loren. Guess what?
A few minutes later, she received a reply. What?
Tony’s home.
She giggled at Loren’s reply. Do I need to call Tilly to help us hold him down?
Noooo. :)
Loren called her seconds later. “What’s going on?”
“Tony’s officially collaring me. And he proposed.”
“Shut. Your. Mouth. You better not be lying to me.”
“No! He really did!”
Loren let out a squeal of laughter. “Congratulations! What happened?”
“He showed up at my front door in the middle of the night after getting in from Denver. He didn’t even go home first. And he said Leah was right, that he was an asshat.”
She heard Loren sigh. “That’s one of the great things about him. He’s not afraid to admit he made a mistake. So give me details!”
“I don’t have a lot of details to give. We talked and cleared the air, he collared me, and he proposed this morning. I just wanted to let you know.”
“Can I spread the word?”
Shayla smiled. “Feel free. And I’ve been told we’ll be there on Saturday. That’s when he’s collaring me in front of everyone. I need to get back to work.” Shayla ended the call and knew within the next few minutes Loren would have their friends updated.
Sure enough, she was inundated with text messages in the next ten minutes from Leah, Tilly, and Clarisse.
After lunch, Tony called to check on her. “How’s my pet?”
She giggled, unable to help herself. “Good, Sir.”
“Just wanted to let you know I should be at your place by nine. If I’ll be any later, I’ll call. So plan accordingly. If you want to go ahead and eat and heat mine up when I get there, that’s fine. I don’t want to make you wait.”
“That’s okay, Sir. I’d rather eat with you.”
“How’d I get so lucky?”
She closed her eyes and pictured his face. “I’m the lucky one, Sir.”
She opted to bake a modified ziti casserole that she used to make a lot when she was in Ohio and had friends over. It wouldn’t matter what time he arrived. It kept well and made great leftovers.
She wrote her grocery list while she sat at her desk and tried not to nervously tap her feet. She added garlic bread to the list, along with dessert.
Although hopefully I’ll be the dessert.
She giggled.
The closer the clock crawled toward 5:00 p.m. the slower time appeared to drag. She made it to her car by 5:05 and smiled all the way to the grocery store. By six she was home, showered, and naked except for her collar—all the blinds closed, of course—and had started dinner preparations. She put together a salad and stashed it in the fridge for later. She’d throw the frozen garlic bread in the oven when Tony got there.
Now ready, with the pasta casserole in the oven, she texted Tony.
I’m ready, Sir.
A few minutes later, his reply. Good girl. I’m trying to finish, maybe there by eight if I’m lucky. I’ll text when I leave.
Her heart raced and she went to watch TV to pass the time. She couldn’t help reaching up to her collar, feeling it, reveling in it being buckled around her throat once again.
Remembering the feel of his lips on hers as he fisted her hair and kissed her when he came through the door.
Remembering the feel of his cock inside her that morning as they truly made love for the first time.
Owning her mind, body, and soul.
Finally, at seven thirty-five he texted her again. On my way. ETA 30.
She let out a squeal, then giggled when she read his next text. Be kneeling on the floor by the front door when I come in.
She felt her pussy throb. Her fingers trembled as she texted her reply. Yes, Sir.
A minute later, he texted back. Good girl.
She turned up the temperature on the oven to reheat the casserole and tried not to pace around the apartment. Twenty-five minutes later, headlights swept across her front blinds as a car pulled into the spot next to her car.