Total pages in book: 80
Estimated words: 75164 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 376(@200wpm)___ 301(@250wpm)___ 251(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 75164 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 376(@200wpm)___ 301(@250wpm)___ 251(@300wpm)
He looked at me with the sweetest smile on his face, tucked the ring into his fist, lunged through the air, and tackled me to the ground. I barely had time to register his movements before I was flat on my back with the man of my dreams straddling me.
“Why, yes…I think I will,” he answered. A tear leaked from his eye and dropped onto my cheek. Untucking his fist, he held the ring out to me and ordered, “Put this one on me, too.” He blinked and another tear dropped to kiss my skin. “You put it on me, and I’ll never take it off.”
Epilogue
Baker
Samantha smirked at me. “A collaring, Baker?” She tapped her chin thoughtfully…with a heavy dose of smart-assery. “If I recall correctly, I remember a sub I used to have that made fun of the very idea of allowing someone to collar them. Did you know him? His name is Mr. Eat-His-Words.”
Grinning widely, I wrapped her in a hug and answered, “I’ve met him.” I winked. “Trust me, he’s seen the error of his ways.”
“Good to hear, love,” she whispered as she kissed my cheek. “I couldn’t be happier for you. Seth is perfect.”
“Hands off the merchandise, Mistress,” Seth teased as he sauntered over and wrapped his arm around my waist. “You had your chance.”
She grinned and released me to give Seth a hug. “No, darling,” she answered. “I never had a chance with this one. He’s always been yours…just waiting for you to find him.”
Pushing away from both of us, she said, “Now…where’s the alcohol? I’m not into this whole lovey-dovey stuff. I’m going to have to be completely shit-faced drunk to keep from sobbing like a cry-baby during the ceremony. My little man’s all grown up.”
Rolling my eyes, I said, “Dear Lord, you’re already half-way drunk now, aren’t you?”
“Of course, darling,” she answered. “I rode with Eli and I’m not planning on participating in any scenes tonight so I’m free to behave like a sloppy drunk…as long as I don’t do anything to ruin your ceremony.”
“Eli’s here?” I asked, my voice sounding a bit more high-pitched than usual. It wasn’t that I didn’t like Eli, quite the contrary, actually. He was a cool dude, funny, and incredibly good at his job. Over the past six weeks, Eli, Seth, and I had already managed to build a firm foundation to what would be a solid friendship in the future. The only problem was that the day Eli started working, Ari stopped. Well, Ari didn’t actually stop working, he just stopped coming into the office. Since his job was computer work, he was able to work from home.
Coward.
I’d told him just as much, but there was no getting him to budge on his stay-away-from-Eli line in the sand. He’d promised to attend tonight only because I’d participated in another pinky swear that Eli Wallace would not be invited. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. As it turned out, it looked like I was really bad at that pinky swearing thing.
“Oh, honey,” Samantha cooed. “Get that deer in the headlights look off your face. He understands he’s restricted to the club floor only. He’s here only to make sure I have a safe ride home. I don’t understand why he wasn’t invited, but he seems to agree that it’s for the best.” She looked around the intimate room we’d reserved for our ceremony and asked, “Where is the little twerp, anyway?”
Twerp? “I assume you’re referring to my best friend, Arizona?” I countered. “He isn’t here yet. I’ll be sure to introduce the two of you as soon as he arrives.”
“Don’t bother,” she replied. “If he doesn’t like my Eli, then I’m not going to like him. No introductions will be necessary.” She blew Seth and me a kiss and then left us to make her way over to the bar.
“Well…that went well,” I told Seth. “You think she’ll tie Ari up and spank him before the night is over?”
Seth studied her for a second before answering, “No, he should be safe tonight. She’s a good Domme so she’d never lay hand on ass while drinking. He keeps acting like a teenage boy over Eli, and I can’t make any promises for the future of his safety, though.”
Seth looked around the room, checking for the hundredth time that everything was absolutely perfect, and then shoved his hands into his pockets. I was one hundred percent certain that was to keep them from fluttering around nervously. Who would have ever thought I would be the calm one?
“Everything’s perfect, Seth,” I whispered. “Stop worrying. If Ari doesn’t show up, Landon fires us, or Samantha dances naked on the bar, none of it will matter. When this night is over, your collar will be on my neck and nobody will ever be able to take it from me. Three months from now, your ring will be on my finger and mine on yours. Same story. Nobody steals what’s in our hearts.” I smiled, thinking of how I’d taken both our wedding bands to the jeweler and had them engraved. Seth hadn’t known of my plans, but I’d had zero doubts that he would approve. My band said Owned and his was engraved with Owner. When I’d shown them to him, he’d fucked me harder and longer than ever before, whispering words of love with each and every thrust.