AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Incoming!” Jackson picked up one of his three-year-old twin sons and flew him like an airplane around the living room. The child he held airborne was either Levi or Luis. From my angle on the couch it was difficult to see the tiny birthmark above Levi’s eyebrow that made it possible to differentiate the two identical twins.
Felicia sat on the couch across from me. Her feet were propped on a stool and she rubbed her pregnant belly. “I’d tell him to watch out because he’ll break something, but he won’t listen to me when the boys want to play airplane.”
The other twin stood in the doorway, bouncing up and down. “My turn! My turn! My turn, Daddy!”
Jackson swept across the room again, making a whoosh sound as he turned the corner where Elizabeth and Lucy, their five-year-old daughter, sat playing with dolls.
“That’s dangerous, Uncle Jack,” Elizabeth said. “If you drop him, he might break his clapacal.”
“Clavicle,” said Maddox. He was approaching ten, in a bad position, really, being too old to play with the other children but too young to be interested in the adults’ conversation. He sat in a chair by himself, reading a book.
“That’s what I said,” Elizabeth explained patiently before turning her attention to Lucy. “Did you bring a bathing suit? Want to go swim? Mommy?”
I shook my head. “Too late to
night. We haven’t had dinner yet and you have school tomorrow.” Granted it was preschool, but bedtime was bedtime and we tried to keep it consistent. “We’ll have everyone over soon for a swim date.”
Laughter floated down the stairs, making it to the living room before Nathaniel and Todd. The two men entered, smiling. Nathaniel walked over to me and ran his arm along my shoulder before sitting down and talking to Maddox about what he was reading.
Elaina returned from where she’d been in the bathroom and sat beside Felicia. Though they’d tried repeatedly, she and Todd hadn’t been able to conceive since Maddox was born. They’d looked into adoption, but nothing had worked out.
I turned my attention to Nathaniel. Maddox was explaining something in the book. It sounded like a fantasy novel. Nathaniel must have read it or heard of it because Maddox became very animated over whatever it was he said.
A timer went off in the kitchen and since Linda was changing Henry, I motioned to Elaina and we went in together to take care of it. I took the roast out of the oven while Elaina grabbed the plates and silverware.
“This smells so good,” I said, putting it down to cool. “Want me to help you set the table?”
“That would be great.”
Linda’s dining room had changed over the years, the biggest addition being the small kiddie table she added for guests like the ones she had tonight. Sometimes the kids ate at the table with the adults, but they seemed to enjoy their own space, so tonight we were going to let them eat by themselves. Except for Maddox, who had insisted he was too old to eat at the kiddie table.
“We heard from the adoption agency,” Elaina whispered, looking over her shoulder.
“Oh?” I tried to be nonchalant, but I knew how important this was to them.
Her face broke out into a huge grin. “We’re picking our son up tomorrow.”
I dropped the silver and she scooped it up. “Really?” I choked out.
“Yes, but we’re not telling anyone until it’s a done deal. You never know. I had to tell someone though. It’s eating me trying to keep it a secret.”
“I thought you and Todd looked different tonight.”
She nodded and placed the silver around the table at each setting. “It’s been a rough time. Infertility and then nothing with the adoption for so long. I feel like everything should happen right now, when I want it, and I’m learning patience is hard.”
I started putting out the napkins. “I understand. It’s tough when things happen you don’t have control over and can’t make fit your timetable.”
“Sounds like you’re speaking from experience.”
“The things we appreciate the most are the things we have to work for. Wait for. If it’s handed to us, we don’t value it as much.”
She cocked her head to the side. “Are you sure you aren’t a psychologist?”
We laughed while we finished setting the table and then called everyone in to grab a plate and get their food. As everyone sat, my advice to Elaina repeated in my head. It made sense, what I’d told her. Looking across the table to where Nathaniel sat, laughing and joking with Jackson, I was reminded that our own journey hadn’t been the easiest, but I liked to think we valued what we had as a result.
He looked up and caught me staring. “I love you,” he mouthed to me.
“Always,” I replied.
Chapter Eight
A few weeks later, we were in our private jet on our way to Wilmington, Delaware. I’d felt off the entire week before. The day we left, I knew I’d been a bit of a brat. Probably because of the week ahead of us. I wanted to try wearing Nathaniel’s collar for this extended period of time, but I was apprehensive as well. Plus, we’d be leaving the kids for longer than we ever had before.
I drummed my fingers in a disjointed staccato on the armrest. My legs were crossed and I swung my foot in time with the tap-tap-tap of my nails. Nathaniel reached out and put his hand over mine.
“Stop, please,” he said.
I stopped my fingers, but my leg kept swinging. “I don’t know why we’re taking the jet. Wilmington isn’t that far away—we could have driven.”
He raised an eyebrow. “We’re taking the jet because I want to.”
I snapped my hand out from under his and buckled my seat belt. It was a petty thing to do, but I couldn’t help it.
“It’s not going to be easy,” he said. “We’ve never played this long before and that alone will stretch us. But I want you to know, I do plan to push you as well. It’s okay to be anxious.”
I closed my eyes and leaned my head back against the seat. “I’ll be fine. It’s not like I’ve never been anxious before. I’ll work through it.”
But I knew it was more than anxiety; I just didn’t say that to Nathaniel. But it was also him. He was different lately and it confused me as much as it turned me on. I couldn’t give specific examples, but it was there and it made me uneasy.
“Just as well you get the attitude and snark out of the way before I collar you,” he said. “Because I’m not going to put up with it once I do.”
I turned my head to look at him. He was leaning back in his seat and though his body was relaxed, I sensed an underlying tension in him.
“Don’t even think about arguing,” he spoke before I could utter any disagreement. “You’ve been goading me for the last few days. I’ve already decided you’ll be on the floor the first night. Keep it up and you won’t sleep in my bed all week.”
My mouth fell open. “You can’t punish me for what I do when I’m not wearing your collar.”
“Oh, you’re very mistaken. I can do anything I want. And I never said it was a punishment. I simply stated a fact.”
I wanted to say more, but didn’t. I couldn’t remember the last time I slept on the floor; surely he had a good reason for insisting I do it tonight. Just like this week. Even though it was something I wanted, he’d specifically said it wasn’t working out for him the way things were. Perhaps this was his way to show me how things could work. Or maybe he was seeing if he liked it better with me in his collar more frequently.
I glanced out the window. We’d almost reached our cruising altitude. It would be a ridiculously short trip.
Beside me, Nathaniel unbuckled his seat belt and stood up. I glanced out of the corner of my eye and saw he had my platinum and diamond collar with him. I had another one made of leather but I remembered he’d said something about a cocktail reception tonight, so it made sense he’d pick the platinum one for today.
“If you’re ready, Abigail,” he said just a few steps beyond my chair. “Come kneel and show your desire to wear my collar.”
He’d instructed me earlier to wear a dress with no hose or panties, and when I stood up, I felt cool air brush against my skin. The hem came only to my knees, so I knelt down carefully before him. As always, when I got into position to serve him, I felt restful and at peace.
I relaxed with a deep sigh as he slipped the collar into place and fastened it with a softly spoken, “Thank you, Abigail.”
I looked up at him to see if he made any sort of movement that indicated he wanted to use my mouth.
“Not right now.” He ran his fingers through my hair. “The pilot said there was a possibility of running into turbulence and I’d prefer not to have my dick in your mouth if that happens.”
I couldn’t help it—I laughed at the visual. “Ouch.”
He smiled. “Come back over this way. I have something for you to do.”
He pulled a large pillow from the cabinets beside my chair and placed it on the floor. “I want you to sit and write in your journal. I’d like for you to spend twenty minutes writing down your goals for the week.”
He’d told me yesterday to have my journal with me and accessible during the flight, so his assignment didn’t come as a
