He cupped her jaw then leaned in and kissed her. “Anytime, sweet Mallory. Whenever you need it, I’ll be here to provide whatever you need. Now lie back and we’ll get started.”
Over the next hour, he used nearly every rope in his bag, but finally she relaxed and slipped free of the worries that filled her thoughts. Feeling relaxed himself, Fletcher crawled up onto the bed and lay down beside her.
“Feeling better?” he asked softly, not wanting to jar her too much.
“Mmmm,” she breathed.
“Good.”
“I love you, Fletcher,” she said on a sigh. “So very much.”
He brushed a kiss on her cheek and whispered, “I love you, too, Mallory.”
He rolled her onto her side and snuggled in behind her and they both drifted with time having no meaning. It wasn’t until her stomach rumbled under his palm that Fletcher decided it was time for this rope therapy session to come to an end.
He’d found the perfect rope bunny and was determined that when he left Rawhide Ranch she would be by his side.
Chapter Twenty-Three
“Do I need to tie your hands together to get you to stop fussing?” Fletcher asked as he stepped up behind her and wrapped his arms around her middle. “I bet Chef Connor has a tablecloth or towel or something I can tie you up with.”
The Rawhide Ridge community center was set up to showcase Mallory and several of the Ranch’s artists as well as a wall of drawings and paintings the Littles had done over the past week. Mallory was having a hard time leaving her display alone. She knew it was just nerves, but she could not make herself walk away. She’d been rearranging the display for the past two days and it still didn’t look quite right.
Chef Connor and two assistants were setting up a buffet of snacks and nibbles at the back while Sadie rushed around the room making sure everything else was ready for the evening. None of the other artists were present, and Mallory knew it was past time for her to leave as well. Maybe she should just go back to her suite at Rawhide Ranch and hide, not attending the showing at all, though she doubted Fletcher would allow that.
The other problem was that it was no longer her suite. She’d given it up two weeks ago and moved in with Master Fletcher. When he left in a few days, if she didn’t go with him, she wouldhave to check with Caren to see if she’d been assigned a new roommate and, if so, beg Master Derek for a new room.
Looking at Fletcher, she blinked rapidly as tears filled her eyes. “It has to be perfect but there’s something wrong and I don’t know how to fix it.”
Fletcher looked from her to the wall where six paintings and more than a dozen of her caricature sketches hung in the frames that Colt had been more than happy to make for her.
“The wall is perfect and you are perfect in that outfit. I’m not sure if you need to be tied or spanked, but you need something to deal with those nerves. Come on, we’re leaving and we’ll come back later.”
He did not give her an option, instead bending and putting his shoulder in her middle before lifting her up and over his other shoulder. The long black skirt swirled around her ankles as he secured her legs with one arm. She curled her toes to keep the glitter-covered, black sneaker-clog hybrid shoes from falling off. A bright purple tank top completed the outfit. They’d bought the outfit in Porter’s Corner after she decided on what image she wanted to project at the art show.
“Sadie,” he called over his shoulder as he headed to the front door. “We’ll be back.”
“Just make sure she comes back before we open the doors. I want to get pictures of all the artists in front of their work. And remember, you cannot keep her all to yourself all evening,” the sassy Little called with a giggle.
Though she wanted to wiggle her way free, Mallory also didn’t want Fletcher to drop her, so she held very still as he walked out of the community center.
“You can put me down now,” Mallory said, patting his rock-hard ass.
“Not quite yet,” he said, walking around the corner and down the side of the building.
She tried to look around, but there wasn’t a lot to see, other than Fletcher’s back, very fine ass, and long legs.
Finally, he bent and set her on her feet. She straightened then wobbled as it took a moment for her head to catch up with her body. Fletcher stepped close and hugged her until she was steady. Only then did he slowly release her and step back.
“You need to eat something because I doubt you’ll get a chance once people start showing up.”
Mallory looked into his face but did not argue. He was right, she would need to eat, but she wasn’t sure the dancing hippos in her stomach would allow her to.
“I don’t know if I can eat anything now. Maybe after the show,” she said as a hopeful counteroffer.
“No. You’re going to eat something now,” he said, turning her around. “I don’t want your belly to roar and attack people during the showing.”
Mallory froze as she looked over the playground that appeared to have been fed too many steroids and was supersized. Then her gaze settled on the picnic table they stood next to. A red and white checkered tablecloth covered the wood top with a wicker picnic basket sitting in the center of it.
