Текст книги "Playing Hard to Master"

Автор книги: Sparrow Beckett

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Текущая страница: 15 (всего у книги 15 страниц)

Chapter Sixteen

The briny sea air was just enough to keep them cool where they sat under the pagoda with the broad white beach stretching serenely in both directions. The cries of gulls from the docks down the coast echoed over the water, joining the lapping of the ocean on the shore in a natural lullaby.

Ambrose dragged a finger over the bare skin of Everly’s back, enjoying the way it made her shiver. Making her shiver was one of his favorite pastimes. He tugged at the back of the chain around her neck—the one that marked her as his—just to remind her who she belonged to, and that he still wanted her.

Always, he wanted her.

In just her floral bikini bottoms, all of her curves and pretty skin were making things . . . hard for him. Konstantin had made Everly blush by complimenting him on his taste in women when she’d come out in her swimsuit, and he’d caught his friend checking her out several times. It was odd having the women walk around topless at the beach—it was usually a club or play-party thing—but they made the scenery much more interesting, to the point where several times he’d forgotten where he was.

“Enough!” Konstantin complained imperiously. “The two of you are even worse than those two.” He waved a hand at Banner and Kate, who were curled up on a rattan sofa together, watching the ocean.

“You released Anna and Sindee too early. Don’t blame us for that.” Ambrose shook his head. Crazy Konstantin, not thinking ahead. He had a voracious sexual appetite, and he’d basically cut himself off.

Kon sighed. “It was an attack of conscience. The letter from my babushka came in the mail, and I couldn’t touch them again.”

The poor bastard. Konstantin had texted Ambrose, in crisis, to explain he’d ended things with the girls, and sent them off on a separate vacation. But that left him womanless for six more months until his wife-to-be arrived.

“I know it doesn’t help you any, but for what it’s worth, I think it’s romantic.” Kate smiled at him sympathetically.

“It is,” Everly agreed. If she was going to say something else, Ambrose’s hands distracted her.

She blocked his groping hand, and he contemplated ordering her to roll onto her back and forcing her hands over her head. No one in the pagoda would mind watching them play, and there was no one else around to see. Konstantin had bought the property specifically because it was private, and the others had been only too happy to keep him company while he took possession and furnished the house. They’d been installing O-rings around the property all morning.

Everly had balked over the cost of coming on the trip, and had insisted on getting them a good deal on their flight. Slowly, she was helping him become more conscious about his spending, but sometimes he still blew money on things without thinking.

It had taken a while to de-Ambrose the big house so they could sell it. They’d had an average house built, more suitable for two people. They were on the outskirts of town, and loved having no neighbors. The kitchen was perfect, as was the home office, and there were a couple of extra bedrooms, in case they needed them later. Downsizing the amount of crap he had made him feel better than he ever would have guessed, and he loved how good she was at helping him decide where to allocate donations most effectively.

The only thing that bothered him was she never let him buy her expensive gifts. But that he could live with. He worked at spoiling her in other ways. And sometimes he splurged on her then told her he’d gotten a good deal on the item, which was usually true now that she’d shown him how to use coupons and pay attention to the sale rack.

Ambrose realized he was staring at Everly again. He caught himself doing that a lot.

Kon groaned. “It’s the girl’s picture. I don’t know what I’m going to do with this . . . child, or if I’ll ever be able to lay a hand on her, even once we’re married.”

“I thought you said she was twenty-one,” Banner said.

“She is.” Konstantin sighed. “She’s just so . . . young-looking.” His grimace of distaste was eloquent. Kon tended to like high-maintenance girls with perfect nails and hair, who’d had augmentation done, and who spent a lot of time shopping. From what he’d told Ambrose, though, this girl was from a farming family and had lived a sheltered life.

“How bad can it be?” Kate shrugged. “If you’re not compatible, just say no.”

“It’s not that easy. I promised my grandmother. Varushka is her favorite of all the girls she’s helped from her village. Sweet and smart and a good cook. Used to hard work. Here.”

Kon pulled a photo from inside the book he’d been reading. He handed it to Ambrose.

“This is Varushka.”

A bird-thin girl with wide blue eyes stared out from the photo, looking awkward and self-conscious. There was no sophistication there—none of the worldliness or pronounced sensuality that marked the type of girl Konstantin dated. His taste seemed to run toward women who could work as exotic dancers or porn stars.

Shit. This girl looked barely legal. Not Kon’s kink at all.

“My grandmother has been telling me about her, in particular, for a few years. She volunteers at the community center I had built in the village. She’s one of the ones my grandmother has been putting through post-secondary with the money I send.”

Ambrose showed Everly, and her brows rose with concern. She handed the picture on to Banner and Kate, who soon wore similar expressions.

“Well, maybe she’s not as sweet and innocent as she looks,” Banner said hopefully.

“If she is, you’re going to have your work cut out for you.” Ambrose chuckled. Konstantin was well and truly screwed, not that he would ever say that to him out loud. “Maybe she’ll take to kink like a duck to water.”

“This one is more like a tiny bird than a duck.” Konstantin groaned, took the picture from Banner, and tucked it back in his book. “You’re a terrible liar, my friend. Can you imagine me taking her to The Catacombs? No one will believe she’s as old as she says, especially if she wears her hair braided like that. And to fuss with her and try to make her look older?” He shook his head. “She would look like a little girl who got into her mama’s makeup.”

Ambrose had to admit he felt bad for the guy, but he’d told him right off the bat that this was a terrible idea. Either he was going to have to disappoint his grandmother, or choose to lie in the bed he made for himself.

Everyone fell silent for a few minutes and Konstantin went back to reading his book. No one had easy answers for him, but he was used to being the advice giver, not the advice seeker. They’d be there for him when the time came. They were always there for one another, no matter how busy work got.

The ribbon on Everly’s bikini bottoms tickled his hand. The suit was fastened on the sides with them, and he itched to take hold of an end and give it a yank. Naked in no time flat. He assumed the ribbons were a nod to the time he’d tied her up in the pool area of their house, and he was just as eager to unwrap his present now as he’d been that day.

“We should go for a walk.” He smiled at Everly, and her eyes widened. She was always so suspicious when he tried to get her alone. It might have had something to do with the fact that he’d dragged her up to the bedroom earlier under the guise of taking a nap, but then had teased her and come on her tits.

Then, rather than giving her any satisfaction, he’d insisted they hang out with everyone again. She’d grumbled and called him names, and he had spanked her while the others watched with interest. Kate had said sympathetic things, considering they were close friends now, but afterward she’d rubbed against Banner until they went off for their own “nap.”

It was good to have friends who understood.

Hopefully Konstantin’s new wife wouldn’t throw a monkey wrench into what was becoming an entertaining group dynamic.

Everly rose from the lounge chair, the slave bells on her ankle jingling, and Ambrose was amused at the rows of lines the plastic slats had left on her bare breasts and stomach. God bless private beaches. When she caught the line of his gaze, she looked down and laughed.

“I hope you’re into striped patterns this season.” Everly reached up and rubbed the top of his freshly shaved head for a second. It’d become a habit she had trouble resisting.

Ambrose backed her against the support for the pagoda and pinned her there, acquainting himself with the new grooves in her skin. “Interesting.” He cupped one of her breasts then caught the nipple between two fingers and squeezed. Everly gasped, and tried to glare at him, but her moan ruined it.

“Unless you’re interested in sharing that sweet ass, I’d suggest the two of you get a room.” Konstantin glowered. “Oh wait, what was I thinking? You have a room. I’m sure Banner and Kate don’t mind, but I’m flying solo for the next six months. If the two of you were charitable men, you’d help a brother out.”

“Yeah,” Kate agreed. “Banner, you and Ambrose should help Konstantin out. Everly and I will sit over here and watch. Don’t worry, we’ll be very quiet and won’t get in the way.”

“Be careful what you wish for, Trouble. Ambrose and Konstantin are open-minded and like to share girls, and they might decide to convince me to share you.”

“Oh, like you would.” Kate smirked.

Banner grabbed his slave and yanked her into his lap, then bit her shoulder. They struggled, but that got derailed somehow and they ended up making out. Konstantin rolled his eyes and went back to reading.

Ambrose steered Everly away, although she’d been all too happy to stay and watch.

“I know what you’re thinking,” she said, as they walked down the beach, the dry sand so hot they had to stay near the water’s edge.

“What?”

“You wanted to get me out of there before Kate gave me any bad ideas. I swear she’s as bratty as I am some days.” Everly grinned.

“I think we should keep you two separated as much as possible. You should never be left unsupervised together.” He shook his head in mock disapproval. “Such bad girls.”

“You like us bad.” Everly paused and dug her toes into the wet sand. “Poor Varushka. She has no idea what she’s walking into. At least Kate chose this life, and I was already kinky. That poor kid is going to have some serious culture shock to deal with.”

Ambrose pulled her close and tilted her head back with his thumb. “We could start a petition to find her a more vanilla husband, if that would make you feel better.”

She stood on his toes and kissed him. “No, Master. I think Konstantin’s heart is in the right place. I just hope he’s not so hard up that he steamrolls over her to make her into what he wants, you know?”

“Well, we tend to call each other out if we’re being asshats. If you think he needs a talking-to at some point, you tell me and I’ll talk to him.”

She breathed a sigh of relief. “Thank you, Master.”

When she looked out at the water, he stole a kiss.

“Have I ever told you that being naked really suits you?” He slid his hands over her skin, and she melted against him. Every time she was in his arms like this, it felt like a piece of him had been put back in its place. There was contentment, relief, and a feeling that everything was right in his world.

“You’re such a fucking romantic, Master.”

“Wait. What’s this?” He crouched down at her feet, and feigned picking something up, then stood and held it out to her.

She blinked at his palm, then at him, then back again.

“It’s . . . Someone lost this?” Everly eyed him suspiciously.

The old-fashioned ring glittered in his palm, and he struggled to slow down his racing heart. Fuck, he sucked at this stuff. “No. This is your last chance to throw me back in the ocean though.”

“Ambrose. That is not a proposal.”

“No? Should I get down on one knee?” Without hesitation, he sank to one knee then tugged at the end of the bow holding one side of her bathing suit bottoms together.

“Behave yourself. This is supposed to be romantic.” A laugh rolled from her, and she pressed her fingers to her mouth, trying to quell it. A tear trickled down and she wiped it away, grinning like a kid at Christmas.

He offered the ring to her again. “This isn’t fancy, but it was my great-grandmother’s. Everly, you’re hot and funny and smart, and I love everything about you.”

“That’s better.”

“And if it’s not big enough, I’ll buy you another one.”

“Ohhh . . . it’s more than big enough.”

“The ring, little girl. I was talking about the ring.”

“Oh, um. Yes. Me too.” She gave him a sexy grin, and his hand crept back to her ribbons.

“Master?”

“Yes, slave?”

“Maybe you should put the ring on my finger before we lose it.”

He inclined his head. Point taken. “So is that a yes? You didn’t answer me.”

“You didn’t ask me anything, Master. You just listed some of my positive attributes.”

Did she have to be bratty about everything? Chuckling, he said, “Everly, my hot little piece of ass, will you marry me?”

She eyed him up and down, like he was a tasty piece of meat. “Yes, Master. But only if you fuck me. Immediately.”

He slipped the ring onto her finger, and stared at it in disbelief. She’d actually said yes. The ring was on her finger. He blinked up at her, full of wonder and giddy excitement. He jumped to his feet and pulled her into his arms.

She kissed him then squealed when he threw her over his shoulder and strode off toward the trees.

“I’ll be fucking you almost immediately. First we need to talk about what happens when you get bossy with me,” he grumbled, and swatted her ass. “Bossy slaves get punished.”

“Yessss!”

Brat. His brat. At least she couldn’t see his smile. It would only encourage her.

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

Thanks again to our agent, Nicole Resciniti, from the Seymour Agency, for all of your attention and patience. We couldn’t ask for better representation or career advice. You’ve also seriously impressed us with your willingness to be seen with us in public.

Also, thanks to Kristine Swartz, our editor at Penguin, for your direction and always being available to answer our questions, as well as for patiently guiding us through the process.

Of course, we wouldn’t get far without our street team, the Badass Brats. You ladies (and man) are the best friends and supporters authors could ask for. We love you all!

Special thanks to our bff and fellow author, Cari Silverwood, for your ongoing support and quirky humor. No one else can use personal insults to show their affection quite like you can.

We had the pleasure of meeting author Sidney Bristol at a convention this year. Sidney, thank you so much for the cover quote! Can’t wait to hang out with you again soon. (Sidney really is as awesome as she seems online, people.)

And finally, thanks to our partners and families for being supportive about our hours and deadlines, and never complaining when it was pizza for supper again.

Look for the third novel in the Masters Unleased series

TO HAVE AND TO MASTER

Coming soon from InterMix

Two writers in two countries transform into the writing duo Sparrow Beckett each night after wrangling their housefuls of children and pets. They are the authors of Playing Hard to Master and Finding Master Right. Sparrow also writes as Leia Shaw, and Beckett writes as Sorcha Black.

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