I find Meadow talking to Oliver. He’s playing with a pile of neatly bound rope bundles, and she’s all over him in a sweet, innocent, eager rope bunny kind of way.

That bodes well for me. So well.

I dodge around a man on stilts and join them. “Having fun?”

She beams at me. “Oliver offered to let me tie him up! Isn’t that sweet?”

“Adorable. Do you want to?”

She shakes her head. “Not really. But his demonstration sounds neat.”

Oliver is a mutual friend of mine and Corinne’s. He knows the drill. Once our VIP guest leaves, he can get his kink on more freely, and I’ve secured a safe suspension tether point on the front of Duke & Main.

When I installed it earlier this week, I wondered if I was going overboard for a single-use public performance. But two hours into this street party, I’m sure I’ll do it again next year. The theatrical magic happening around us right now is more than I ever imagined—and I’ve got a pretty robust imagination for magical fantasy.

Meadow catches my eye and I hold my arm out so she can fold into my side.

“What are you thinking?” she asks quietly.

“Wondering if we’ve got the right balance of music to stall chatter.”

“Notes for next year?”

I look down at her. “How’d you know?”

She thinks about it for a moment. “Something’s shifted. I don’t know, I just knew.”

Because she sees me and gets me. I kiss the top of her head. “Yeah. Notes for next year.”

She hugs me tight. “Good.”

“How are you doing? Not tired?”

“Nope. I’ve got big plans later, so I’m well-caffeinated.”

That makes me laugh. Big plans. “I’ve got plans, too.”

“Excellent,” she whispers. “Because my plans are just to let you do whatever you want.”

Ah, fuck. Now I want this magical street party to be over right now, and we’ve still got a few hours to go. “Go on, little one. Find something to distract yourself with for a bit.”

She does a glorious pirouette and laughs. “Later, Viking.”

I growl.

The next time I find her, she’s watching Oliver string up a volunteer in front of my bar. She leans against my chest and I don’t offer any commentary. She doesn’t ask for any. It’s all wide-eyed wonder and raw appreciation.

When he finally releases his willing victim, Meadow applauds and lets out an excited whoop. Then she sighs as Oliver hugs the rope bottom, holding them close for a moment.

“That was lovely. I’ve never seen aftercare in person,” she says once the crowd disperses.

“You know about aftercare.” I tug her into the shadows between two buildings.

“I know a lot of things. I know what I want, and what I might like. What I want to try.” She walks her fingers up my chest, then strokes them over my jaw. “I’m not the vanilla girl you thought I was.”

“I’m figuring that out.”

“But tonight, I just want you.” Her words light me on fire, and I crush my mouth against hers.

She climbs up my body, a nimble little bunny, and I press her back against the brick wall with care.

We kiss until we’re both out of breath and my cock is rock hard. Then I hold her in place and just…breathe. Ragged inhales and slow, deliberate exhales.

“One more hour,” she whispers.

Before I can answer her, something vibrates between us.

She laughs weakly. “And…my pager just went off. It’ll be a consult call, but I gotta go check.”

I kiss her again, tasting the corner of her mouth. Someone did some trick-or-treating, because she tastes like candy even after all our kissing.

“Meet me in my apartment when you’re done cleaning up?”

I pat her hip and set her down. “Take off the leotard before you answer the door.” My hands linger on her skin. “The rest of the costume…that’s up to you.”

Even in the dark, I can see her react.

And my dick throbs.

It’s nearly midnight by the time I knock on her door. There’s no answer at first. Maybe she’s on the phone still, maybe she fell asleep.

Maybe I’m this is the Cinderella of fantasy fuck stories and I don’t get to sleep with Meadow after all.

But then there’s a flurry of steps and the door swings open, and all my fears disappear.

She’s still in costume. No leotard. Her breasts threaten to spill over the top of the corset and her tutu doesn’t quite cover the fact that she’s not wearing any panties.

“Bas,” she breathes. “I was just—”

I sweep her into my arms and move forward into the apartment, the door shutting hard behind me.

We should talk.

We will talk.

She bites my lower lip.

Yeah, talk will happen very soon. We just need to do something else first—fuck, hard and fast. Nothing that requires negotiation.

But it’s been a week of anticipation.

“No more waiting,” Meadow whispers as she slides her hands under my fur vest. “Please. Pillage my village, Bas.”

I howl, because this woman is fucking funny. Sweet and hot and funny, and I’m overthinking everything. Effortlessly, I pick her up, and she wraps her thighs around my waist. Her legs are soft and warm under my touch.

That’s where I’m starting, just as soon as I can get her to a horizontal surface. She pushes my vest off in her doorway, and after I dump her unceremoniously on the bed, I make short work of my belt and boots.

Her boots are gone, too, her fishnet legs soft and touchable and very spreadable.

I crawl after her and wrap my hands over her knees. “May I?”

“Anything,” she murmurs, stretching out.

“Spread these for me. Show me how beautiful you are.”

Her thighs tremble beneath my touch, but she doesn’t hesitate. Her legs slide apart and I crawl closer, needing to catch that first scent of her. See the glisten, and then, once she starts squirming, lean in for a first taste.

She’s perfect. Coppery sweet, slick and generous in her arousal. I start gently, but she likes firm flicks of my tongue and hard pulls on her clit. I suck on her until her thighs wrap hard around my head and her pussy throbs in a pulsing orgasm.

When she falls back on the bed, languid and sexy, I stand again and get rid of my cargo pants—keeping one of the condoms I’d pocketed earlier.

“You want to fuck me like this?” She asks, wiggling her tutu skirt.

Yes. That way, every way. “Roll over,” I demand. “Show me the back of this corset.”

She flips onto her front, then takes her time pushing up onto all fours, ass first. The pale white swells of her bottom, the darker line between her cheeks, and then, demanding to be fucked, the swollen folds of her pussy present themselves.

Who cares about the fucking corset?