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  The man wore a grin wider than she’d ever seen on him. “Gotcha something. Happy birthday, baby.”

  Kayla whipped her gaze to Gage one more time. “You knew it was my birthday?”

  He furrowed his brow. “Of course.”

  Tears came to her eyes. It had been so long since anyone cared about her birthday. And the man had gotten her a puppy. Best birthday present ever, hands down.

  “You just gonna stand there?”

  Kayla pecked him on the cheek and ran across the room. The cutest little fellow she’d ever seen in her life lifted his sweet face to her as she opened the latch on the little door. He came bouncing out and jumped into her lap. His tiny body climbed all up her until he could lick her face, his paws on her cheeks. She giggled.

  Gage kneeled beside her and stroked the little guy’s fur. “You like him?”

  “Do I like him?” Crazy man. “I love him to pieces. What’s his name?”

  “Whatever you want it to be.”

  Kayla glanced around. “Where’s Thor?”

  “He’s with Chief Edwards for the night. Chief Edwards picked up this little fellow and brought him over and took Thor home with him. Just to give us some time before Thor gets all territorial.”

  “Oh, Gage. I love him so much. Is he the same breed as Thor?”

  Gage nodded. “German Shepherd. We’ll train him to be just as possessive, so you’ll never be alone.” He leaned closer and kissed Kayla on the forehead.

  She snuggled with the puppy, burying her face in his fur while he squirmed in her arms. She finally lifted her face. “I love you too, you know.”

  He shrugged. “Sure. Whatever,” he teased. “Finish playing with your little beast there and then show me how much you love me.”

  “Deal.” She set him on the floor, and he trotted around clumsily, sniffing at everything in the vicinity.

  “Better take him out to pee. That’s the first lesson he needs to learn.”

  Kayla scrambled off her butt and went to the sliding glass door. As soon as she opened it, the little guy bounded out behind her, nipping at her ankles and doing nothing to avoid getting stepped on. “I think he likes me.”

  Gage followed her. He leaned against the door as Kayla took the puppy into the yard.

  He ran circles around her with his boundless energy.

  Kayla lifted her face and looked back at Gage. “Jove.”

  “What?”

  “His name. I want to call him Jove.”

  Gage grinned. “The Roman equivalent of Thor.”

  “Uh huh. You like it?”

  “Love it. It’s perfect.” He kneeled down to the ground. “Now, come on young Jove. Back in your kennel. I have plans for your mama that don’t involve you peeing on her.”

  Jove raced across the lawn and jumped eagerly into his lap.

  “Let’s go, baby. You can play with him tomorrow. I want you to myself tonight.”

  Kayla followed Gage and watched him put Jove in the tiny cage. “He’s not going to fit in that long.”

  “Yeah, but it’s the only way to keep a puppy from peeing inside. They won’t pee on themselves where they sleep.”

  “Oh.” She was going to need a how-to manual for this endeavor. Although she did live with the latest version of the dog whisperer, so she was guaranteed a perfectly trained dog within months.

  Gage shut the gate and led Kayla to their bedroom. He sat her on the edge of the bed and turned to light several candles around the room. The first addition Kayla had made to Gage’s house was the candles. She loved the lighting and the way they made her feel.

  “Strip, baby,” he said as he rounded the bed to light the ones on the other side of the room.

  Kayla stood and pulled her shirt over her head. Her fingers trembled as though she’d never slept with Gage before. She had no idea why she was nervous, but with the way he was acting, she had a suspicion she would need every nerve she had.

  She unbuttoned her jeans and wiggled her hips to lower them. When she stood in her bra and panties, he stepped in front of her. He reverently reached with one finger and stroked along the upper swell of her breasts. “I’ll never get enough of you.”

  “I hope not,” she whispered.

  “Do you realize how much I love you?”

  She nodded.

  “Happy birthday, baby.”

  “You’ve said that.”

  He grinned. “I’ve also told you I love you. Is once enough for a lifetime?”

  “No.” He had a point. She shivered deep inside every time he said it.

  Gage popped the front clasp on her bra and slid it down her shoulders to drop it on the floor with her other clothes. Then he hooked his fingers in the sides of her panties and lowered them also. He kneeled in front of her to tug them off and then smoothed his hands up her legs as he rose to his feet again. “Spread your legs wider, baby.” He tapped her hip.

  Kayla did as he said.

  “Submit to me, Kayla.”

  She nodded and swallowed. “Yes, Sir.” It had become their way. She knew when it was time to play because Gage always began with that line. Submit to me. Whenever he said that, she fell into the role for him, assuming the proper stance he preferred and using the reverent term of Sir when she spoke to him. It worked for them. She didn’t submit to him twenty-four seven, but he did enjoy requiring it most evenings and sometimes before they went to work in the morning.

  At other times, no one would know about this side of them. They were just a regular couple in a committed relationship.

  “I’m going to push your boundaries tonight, baby. I think you’re ready.”

  She stiffened. “Yes, Sir.” Her head dipped lower than necessary to stare at the floor.

  “Do you trust me?”

  “Yes, Sir.”

  “Implicitly?”

  “Yes, Sir.”

  “You understand that I’ll never strike you for any reason, right?”

  “Yes, Sir.”

  “I want it to be clear. At no point in our lives am I going to spank or flog you. Not for play. Not for sex. And not out of anger.”

  She nodded. He’d said that many times.

  “But I want to restrain you.”

  She swallowed. Secretly she’d wanted that too for several weeks, but she hadn’t been able to ask for it. She suspected he would balk at the idea and turn her down, and she didn’t want to hear his refusal. “Please, Sir.”

  “That appeals to you?”

  “Yes, Sir.”

  “You’re an excellent submissive in complete control of keeping your hands and feet exactly where I demand them to be. But being restrained is an entirely different element, a deeper level of obedience.”

  She trembled, more with need than fear. Her body was so alive, her pussy already pulsed with the thought of coming.

  “Safe word?”

  “Red, Sir.”

  “Do not hesitate to use it.”

  “I won’t, Sir.” They’d also had several lengthy discussions about using her safe word. Gage had been almost overbearing with his need to make sure she wouldn’t let things go further than she could tolerate. If she freaked out on him like she had at Extreme that night several months ago, he would be destroyed. She knew that. And she never intended to make him feel that way again. First of all, there was virtually nothing he could do that would cause the same sort of fear to enter her mind again. Gage was Gage. He wasn’t Simon. She’d stopped comparing the two of them a long time ago.

  Kayla trusted Gage implicitly. She knew she would even survive a spanking or flogging from him. But that would never happen.

  “Climb on the bed and spread your arms and legs toward the corners.”

  Kayla crawled up and lay on her back in the center. When she reached her arms toward the corner of the headboard, Gage took the first one and wrapped her wrist in a Velcro cuff. He attached the other end to the bed. Instead of circling her body and repeating the action on her other limbs, he stroked her skin, slo
wly trailing his fingers down her arm from her palm to her shoulder. He breezed over her nipple and then circled it with the tips of his fingers.

  “Your tits are so fucking hot, baby.” He cupped the globe and weighed it in his hand. And then he danced his fingers down her belly toward her pussy. He didn’t linger. He barely touched the hood of her clit and passed through her folds, and then trailed the rest of the way down her leg until he reached her ankle. He wrapped her ankle in another Velcro cuff and affixed it to the footboard. Not satisfied with the amount of leeway she had, he tightened the attachments and pulled her leg straighter. If he did her other arm and leg the same way, she wouldn’t be able to lift even her hips, splayed for his view and pleasure.

  Gage circled the bed and wrapped the Velcro around her other leg. He caressed up that leg and back through her lower lips until he flicked his pointer over her clit.

  Kayla squeezed her eyes shut. Already she was so aroused. The restraints he’d been afraid to use on her for weeks on end were making her so aroused, she couldn’t think.

  Up her body, he trailed, tickling her belly and then teasing the swell of her breast. And finally her nipple.

  When she bucked her chest the few inches left to her, he stopped and pulled her arm tight toward the last corner to join all of its mates in restraint.

  “So sexy, baby. You have no idea how horny it makes me for you to let me tie you down. It’s humbling to have your trust like this.”

  Did he not have any idea how aroused she was right alongside him?

  “Don’t move.” Gage turned and left the room, chuckling under his breath. He jerked his shirt over his head with one hand while he walked and dropped it on the floor.

  Kayla rolled her eyes and squirmed to see how much room she had. Almost none. She couldn’t control anything enough to prevent him from doing whatever the heck he chose. Even her pussy didn’t have more than an inch of space wiggling in either direction or up into the air. She was well and truly secured for Gage’s pleasure.

  At least that’s what he thought. In truth, the pleasure would be all hers.

  When he returned, Kayla jerked her gaze to follow him into the room. He held several items that made her heart rate soar as he set them on the bedside table.

  The first thing he picked up was the jar of marshmallow cream.

  She bit her lip to keep from giggling. This was not meant to be funny, and even her body agreed there was nothing remotely humorous happening between her legs right then, but she couldn’t help it.

  He twisted the lid off, and she flinched when the vacuum seal popped. He climbed up between her legs and got comfortable on his knees. He reached into the jar with one finger and drew out a glob of the sticky white confection. He slowly brought his finger toward her pussy, but at the last second he retracted and sucked the cream from his pointer, so provocatively her eyes widened. By the time he reached back into the jar for more, she was close to begging him to apply it to her. Anywhere.

  Gage tapped a nipple first, and Kayla yelped. He grinned. “I’ve barely started, baby.”

  She held her tongue as he repeated the action on her other nipple.

  He reached in for more and spread it around both stiff buds until little peaks of sticky cream highlighted her rosy tips. Shocking her, he spread a generous portion onto her entire breast until she was covered with mounds of white, hardly any of her skin showing.

  And then the man leaned down and proceeded to lick every speck of the marshmallow off her tits. He intentionally lifted onto his knees so that no part of him touched her pussy, which drove her crazy.

  By the time he leaned back and licked his lips, Kayla was writhing with need. Her nipples were sensitive normally, but that much activity was beyond anything he’d ever done.

  And then he grabbed the jar of fluff and held her gaze while he scooped out another large glob. He kept staring at her as he dipped his hand to her pussy and spread the cream all around her clit and lower lips.

  Kayla moaned. There was no stopping her mouth from emitting sounds.

  Gage smiled broadly and then lowered himself between her legs. He held her thighs with both hands and licked her pussy from bottom to top, flicking his tongue over her clit.

  “Oh my God. Gage.” She fisted her hands and tugged on her wrists, but there was no way to move more than an inch in any direction.

  “Yes, baby?” He lifted his face, a coy look of confusion hovering in his blinking eyes.

  She stared daggers at him, but she doubted it came off that way. Her eyes were glazed, and she was torn between begging him to stop and begging him to continue.

  He dipped low again and repeated the action. And then he sucked in earnest, feasting on every inch of her pussy. He even nipped at her clit and then held it between his teeth. When she stiffened, so close to coming she could think of nothing else, he stopped. “Not yet, baby.”

  Kayla moaned and rolled her head to one side. She gritted her teeth and tried to pull her legs in, but they wouldn’t budge.

  Gage wiggled so much between her legs that she twisted her head to see him. She watched as he tugged his jeans over his hips and shrugged out of them. Now gloriously naked, his cock bobbed in front of him, and he watched her face as he took the length in one hand and stroked himself. His breathing was erratic, much how she imagined hers was.

  Suddenly he dipped one hand between her legs and thrust a finger into her pussy while he continued to work his cock with is other hand. “Oh, baby. So wet for me. I’m so in awe of your strength.”

  My strength? What was he smoking? She was two seconds from spontaneously combusting and he wanted to point out her strength?

  He smirked. “I love that look of shock on your face when I confuse you.” He rubbed the tip of his cock with his thumb as she licked her lips, trying to concentrate on his words. “It took courage to let me restrain you like this, and you’ve gone above and beyond. You’re so aroused, you could come with just a word. Right, baby?” He pulled his finger out to emphasize his point.

  She swallowed. “Please, Gage. Oh God. I need you so bad. Don’t leave me like this any longer.”

  He released his cock and leaned over her, planting both hands beside her shoulders and kissing her lips. “Since you asked so nicely, and since I can’t stand another moment outside of you.” And then he plunged into her, his lips brushing over hers as he did.

  Kayla couldn’t stop the tidal wave of sensation as he thrust in and out, not pausing to take her pulse. He took and he gave in equal measure, holding her gaze and communicating his love for her with his face alone.

  “Come, baby. Come with me.”

  She shattered. Her pussy pulsed around his cock in rhythm with his own orgasm. She recognized every nuance of the way he came deep inside her. The way he held his mouth, slightly open. The way his arms stiffened at her sides. It took effort to watch him come while she herself was engrossed in her own orgasm, but she forced herself to witness his release.

  It was a thing of beauty. And she never wanted the image to fade.

  Luckily she would never have to.

  When they were both spent, Gage leaned over her, his cock still lodged inside her where she preferred he stay. He ripped the Velcro from her wrists one at a time and then slumped onto her chest, holding himself up enough to keep from crushing her. He rained kisses along her neck, her throat, her face. And then he met her mouth and consumed her with a kiss that curled her toes.

  When neither of them could breathe, he pulled back only enough for them to gasp for oxygen. “Happy birthday, Kayla,” he repeated a third time. He kissed her nose then and set his forehead on hers.

  “Can tomorrow be my birthday too?”

  “If you’d like.” He chuckled, his deep rumbles shaking her frame.

  “I think I’m gonna like celebrating birthdays with you.”

  “I’ll do my best.”

  “You do realize you’ve set a precedent, and it will be hard to top it each year.”

  �
�Challenge accepted.”

  Half an hour later, Gage had cleaned her up with a damp cloth and removed the binding from her ankles. He crawled over her body and snuggled up behind her to hold her back to his front.

  She’d never felt so totally worshiped.

  He nibbled around her ear. “I guess restraints are now on the yes column.”

  “Absolutely,” she admitted.

  Her eyes were heavy as she stared at the array of flickering candles still burning around them.

  And then a faint whimper broke the silence.

  Kayla grinned and popped into a sitting position. She twisted around to face Gage, suddenly forgetting how replete and sated she’d been two seconds ago.

  “Would I be a bad mom and ruin our puppy if I took him out of his cage and played with him for a while?”

  Gage laughed, his entire body shuddering with his amusement. He wrapped his arm around her neck and pulled her head down to kiss her lips. “Go get him, baby. I know you won’t be able to sleep until you do. But I’m warning you, if Jove pees in my bed…”

  She wiggled free of the blankets, not bothering to listen to the rest of his sentence. She didn’t need to hear what he was going to say because she knew Gage. Even if that puppy did pee in the bed, he would roll his eyes and give Kayla whatever her heart desired. That’s the kind of man he was. And she was damn lucky he’d fallen in love with her. She paused at the door and turned back. “We should take him to see your dad Sunday.”

  Gage smiled. “I’m sure he’d like that.” They had moved Jed to a rehab center two weeks before. He was alert more and more often. He didn’t speak yet, but it was clear he understood what was being said around him and managed to smile on occasion. Aletha firmly believed meeting Kayla and finding out Gage had a woman he was in love with gave Jed a reason to try. Kayla wasn’t sure how all that worked, but she did know when they brought Thor to visit, Jed perked up even more.

  Kayla jogged down the hall toward her new little bundle of energy.

  She had every intention of bringing that sweet puppy into their bed. She just hoped Thor adored the puppy as much as she did and he didn’t feel threatened. He’d earned his spot in the bed. She wasn’t about to kick Thor out. There was room for one more, wasn’t there?