STORY EXCERPT

After a quick shower, Xander threw his work clothes directly into the washing machine. He realized why Lexi had turned up her nose at the stench that lingered on the fabric. The heavy smoke had permeated his nostrils as it filled the air at the scene. Water that doused the flames made the smoke even thicker. His eyes stung until he relieved the biting pain with eye drops. He blinked repeatedly until the pain subsided. He was ready to run.

With earbuds in place, he started his run playlist and gave Lexi a quick kiss before stepping out the door.

There was something about the witness statements that made him uneasy about the fire. Three different neighbors commented about the teens that would sneak into the house late at night, but it was the mom who ran a home daycare across the street that caught his attention when she mentioned a fortysomething male who had walked up the street just two days earlier. She reported watching him from an upstairs bedroom while she was changing a diaper. She described how the short and stocky man had stood in front of the house for several minutes before walking around to the rear of the yard where he disappeared from her sight. With two crying children clamoring for her attention, she hadn’t the time to notice when he left or where he had gone.

There were of course, a number of reasonable explanations. Perhaps he had been a real estate agent looking at the property. He could even have been an inspector of some sort, there on official business to determine if the house was secure. Even insurance agents were known to visit a site to evaluate worth before writing a policy.

Insurance.

He wondered what the value of the property would be with and without the run-down building. He’d be sure to ask Lexi over dinner. As an owner of dozens of real estate properties, she would know precisely what the market value was. Depending on the value, it was possible that one of the disgruntled siblings had set or arranged for the fire to be started, just for the insurance payout.

He crossed at an intersection and turned toward the beach. As the second big fire in a month, he wondered if the two blazes were linked. The first fire had appeared innocent enough. The fire investigator had attributed the cause to careless smoking when a teenager admitted to the likelihood he had left a burning cigarette unattended while he stepped out for beer on an afternoon he had cut class. With both parents at work, the youth had managed to burn the family recreation room in one careless act of negligence.

Sheamus.

Lexi had only mentioned him once. It was the night she had told Xander about her three-year relationship with the man who had abandoned her in the hospital, claiming that he didn’t want his reputation soiled when details of her attack made the papers. Just hearing his name on her lips made him jealous. He loved Lexi and he hated to think about the man who treated her so poorly. He was thankful that the man Stacey had described as a pompous ass had moved to Florida to set up a vacation home business like the one Lexi owned. Xander secretly hoped the recession had hit him hard.

ADULT EXCERPT

“Would you like another glass of lemonade?” Shelly asked as she poured the homemade beverage over a glass of ice.

“Thank you,” Dennis said as he watched her walk back to the kitchen. He always enjoyed watching her sexy ass whether she was walking around the house or bent over for his enjoyment. With her training regimen as coach of the cheerleading squad conflicting with his work schedule, it had been days since they had seen each other.

“Is the squad all ready for this Saturday’s game?” he asked when she returned and sat on his lap as he had requested.

“I think so,” she answered with a nervous excitement. “Today’s practice was flawless and I think the squad is mentally ready.”

“I’m so proud of you,” he said softly as he ran his hand over her hair.

“You’ll be at the game, won’t you?”

“Of course. I wouldn’t miss it for anything.”

She looked nervously at him and then down at her fingers that pulled anxiously at the ends of the dress shirt he had asked her to wear. “We’ll be in public on Saturday for the game. Will you have me wear the remote vibe?” she whispered.

“Oh, baby doll. Of course I’ll have you wear it, but I promise that I won’t distract you during your big moment. I know you’ve worked so hard for this.”

She took a deep breath and smiled in relief. “Thank you, Daddy D. I’m not sure I could focus during the performance if you decided to test me.”

“I promise, baby doll.” He turned her face to meet his gaze. “But after the performance, I will thoroughly enjoy making you come.”

She shivered and then smiled a slight smile.

“I’ll be watching you on the sideline, knowing your pussy is throbbing because of me.”

Her pussy was throbbing at the mere suggestion.

“Today is Wednesday. After our time together tonight, I don’t want you to masturbate until I see you on Saturday. Besides bathing, no touching at all,” he said as he pressed his third and fourth fingers against her pussy and gently rubbed. “Can you do that for me?”

She let out a whimper and nodded. “Yes, Daddy D.”

He murmured his praises. “Good girl.”

Shelly’s eyelids grew heavy at his touch.

“Have you been wearing your Ben Wa balls everyday like I’ve asked?”

“Yes. Every day.”

“Even when you exercise?”

“Yes,” she whispered. “Even when I run and when I’m working out with the squad.”

Her dedication to his request pleased him. Ever since he had introduced his training rules to her, she had embraced them to the fullest. Only once had he had to punish her for orgasming when he had denied her permission to do so. He had secretly wondered if she had committed the act intentionally, just to see what punishment was in store.

Every morning, she sent him a text as soon as she woke. She understood how much it meant to know he was on her mind. Before leaving for work, she would text him a photo of her outfit, just as he requested. It wasn’t about controlling what she wore, but merely so he could visualize her stunning body as he went about his day.

Her pussy had gotten tight enough to regularly test his own stamina. He knew she was telling the truth when it came to the Ben Wa balls he had purchased for her.

“Are you all ready for our time together?” he asked as his fingers continued to move.

“I had a wax today,” she said appreciatively. “Thank you for arranging for a pedicure while I was there at the spa,” she purred.

He inspected the polish on her toes. It was precisely the shade of raspberry-red he had requested. “You make me very happy.”

Shelly smiled as she curled up into his lap and laid her head against his chest as his fingers slowly moved. “Pleasing you is all I think about.”

He knew she was speaking the truth and it came from her heart. Having his little baby doll in his life made all of the hideous evidence and ignorant criminals more tolerable. From the day he had introduced his list of requests, she had embraced her training as his submissive with the dedication of an elite athlete. Calling him Daddy D instead of Dennis when they were alone together had been the hardest change for her to accept, but now, it flowed easily off her tongue and he treasured her commitment to pleasing him.

“Would you like to go to the closet and pick out your toys?” he asked as he withdrew his hand from between her legs.

“Yes, Daddy D,” she said as she reluctantly left his lap.

He knew she craved their time together as much as he did. As she walked out of sight, he wondered what she would pick for him to use on her tonight.