CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO
“Here. Let me do that. We can’t have you looking like an unmade bed for the photos.”
Guy never looked like an unmade bed—it was a matter of personal pride. Furthermore, he was more than capable of fixing his own bow tie, but he was becoming rather partial to having Maddie fuss over him. Today was a special day for so many reasons. Not only was it Ros and Simon’s wedding day—it was the day he’d chosen to ask the woman he loved to be his. To ask her if she’d do him the honour of wearing his ring and his collar.
They’d spent the night together in Maddie’s quarters at the hotel. When she’d tried to sneak away at a ridiculously early hour to check on the preparations for the ceremony, he’d put her over his knee. After giving her a sound spanking for not sharing the responsibility with him, he’d accompanied her on her quest to make sure everything was as close to perfection as possible. He’d seen her professionalism first-hand, and been both impressed and not in the least surprised. She’d applied the same dedication, focus and resourcefulness when they’d worked together in British Intelligence.
In the lightweight summer dress he’d helped her choose for the wedding, she was a jaw-dropping beauty. The soft-hued tones were a stunning complement to her colouring. Right now, it was still on its hanger. Although he was honoured to give Ros away to the man who loved her, the greater honour for him was to take his place at Maddie’s side.
“Madeleine.” He turned in her arms and took a step back, so he could take her hands in his. The sight of her in the lacy lingerie was almost enough for him to throw caution to the winds and take her back to bed. If he did that, though, Ros was likely to kill him for missing her wedding, and she knew so many interesting ways to do it. “There’s something I need to say to you. Please remove your shoes and kneel for me. Hands behind your back.”
She was so elegant. His body responded instantly to the sight of her on her knees before him, with her hands clasped at the base of her spine. Her eyes were lowered in respect, and her shoulders were back, thrusting her breasts into delightful prominence. He placed his hand on the crown of her head, taking care not to disturb the intricate updo. The tension stiffening her body evaporated.
“Today is Ros and Simon’s day, but before we go down and get this show on the road, I have a question I need to ask you.” He gave a short, humourless laugh. “I need to ask you more than one question, and I should have done it a long time ago.”
He opened the dresser drawer, where he’d stashed the jeweller’s boxes. The larger one, which he removed first, held two items—one for her, and one for him. Hers was the diamond necklace, an elegant creation he’d had made for her. He’d barely been able to wait for it to be completed. He’d collected it just the day before. His part of it was the key that fastened the delicate, jewelled padlock at one end of the necklace.
“Will you do me the honour of accepting my collar and the commitment it represents, and belong to me as I belong to you?”
She looked up at him, and if he’d ever doubted her love, what he saw in her gaze would have extinguished every last glimmer of uncertainty.
“I will, Sire. And the honour is mine. Thank you.”
Guy carefully released the breath he’d been holding. Amazingly, he didn’t fumble as he locked the necklace in place. For now, the key would be safe in his waistcoat pocket. After the weekend, it was going on a chain around his neck, close to the heart he’d given to this woman a long time ago.
“Give me your hands.”
He helped her to stand, then picked up the second, smaller box. He flipped the lid open. The jeweller had told him the Art Deco ring was over eighty years old. The stunning design was centred on a rectangular emerald. The stone was flanked by two baguette-cut diamonds, with smaller diamonds on the shoulders of the platinum and yellow gold setting. The exquisite jewel paled into insignificance next to the woman whose finger he hoped it would adorn.
“Now for the second question. Would you marry me? Or at least move into Stonehaven, and stop me rattling around the place like a fossilised old fool. Please?”
“Guy, I’m not sure—”
“Not sure? About what?” Whatever reassurance she needed, she’d have.
“I’m not sure I’m cut out to be Lady of the Manor. What about Heather?”
“Heather runs Stonehaven, but she’s not its mistress. Her role is completely different. You and she would make a great team. Besides, she’d love another woman in the place to keep me in line. Anyway, you don’t think the ‘Lady of the Manor’ sits around, drinking camomile tea all day, do you?”
“No, but I don’t think there’ll be much time for camomile tea in my future.”
“Meaning?” Guy wasn’t sure whether he should feel uneasy or not.
“I need to work.”
“You know I won’t stop you. I know you’ve arranged the wedding of the season for Ros, but are you really telling me you really want to spend the rest of your life organising parties for a bunch of inbred ingrates?” The lack of conversation around Alex Lombard’s job offer had disturbed him. The waste of her talent and experience appalled him, but if she’d chosen to decline the offer after all, he wouldn’t stand in her way.
“When I could be doing precisely what instead?”
He wanted to believe he heard a hint of teasing in her voice. “Working with me. Think you might accept the challenge?”
“I’m close to making a decision, I think. I just have another couple of questions.”
“Maybe I can help.”
“Maybe you can. I was wondering—does this job have any perks that might… sway my decision?”
The twitch of her lips and the sparkle in her eyes gave away the ribbing behind her words. For her, he could think of plenty of perks, the kind that were making him hard again. “Time in the playroom for good behaviour.”
“Only time? Surely some sort of activity would be involved?”
“What do you suggest?”
Her lashes lowered, and when she looked at him again, a spike of pure lust targeted his groin.
“Whatever pleases you, Sire.”
“At any other time, what pleases me is you under my cane, kitten, but right now, I’m looking for an answer to my question.” The conversation had darted here and there, but she still owed him an answer. He didn’t think he’d ever been quite so nervous in his entire life. He braced himself, because there was no guarantee he’d get the outcome he wanted.
For long, painful seconds, she looked at him, then at the ring, then back at him. His racing heartbeat pounded in his ears, and the longer the silence stretched between them, the less hopeful he became.
Maddie gave him a nervous half-smile. “The first time around, I thought you were the best thing that ever happened to me. I became addicted to you so fast, it scared me. You scared me, but I couldn’t walk away. At first I thought it was infatuation, and it would fade as quickly as it started, but it didn’t. I was head over heels in love with you before I knew it, but before I felt confident enough to tell you, you became distant, and I retreated. Perhaps if I’d said something—”
Guy placed his finger over her lips. “Ifs and might-have-beens can’t change what happened in the past. The question is, can we build a future on what we have now? And if we can… do you want to?”
Again she looked from him to the ring and back again, then held out her left hand, palm down. “Yes. The answer to everything is yes.”
>>><<<
The ceremony went without a hitch, from the moment Ros appeared at the entrance to the function room on Guy’s arm. Although she hadn’t known the younger woman long, Maddie still felt the sting of tears.
She made a stunning bride. If her dress had looked beautiful on the hanger, it was a work of art on the woman. Maddie sneaked a tissue out of her purse, to dab away the moisture threatening to smudge her mascara. The flowers printed on Ros’ dress came in myriad shades of purple, one of which was a perfect match for Simon’s waistcoat and matching tie. The dress itself had been a perfect compromise between Ros’ determination to marry in something colourful and Simon’s wish for her to wear a more traditional colour.
And weren’t relationships all about compromise?
While everyone’s attention was on Ros and Guy, as they made their way to the front of the gathering, Maddie spared a glance for the bridegroom. Tall and proud, he stood at the front of the congregation. While the immaculate grey morning suit was tailored to fit him perfectly, not many men could carry off the purple waistcoat the way he did. His eyes shone with love for the woman who was about to become his wife. Maddie thought her heart would break with the beauty of it. She’d never seen a couple so deeply in love and unafraid to show it. And she couldn’t help but rejoice in the fact that Ros’ fears surrounding Nia Shepherd were utterly unfounded, to the extent that she’d even invited the other woman to the wedding. She’d taken a seat at the end of one of the rows towards the rear of the room. She was still alone.
Having handed the bride into the care of her groom, Guy took his place beside Maddie. When he’d told her a seat was reserved for her right there on the front row, in spite of everything Maddie had still felt like a fraud and an interloper. The remnants of those feelings evaporated when Guy took her hand. As if he picked up on her discomfort, without hesitation he mouthed two words to her.
You’re family.
And as if to prove it, he held onto her hand through the whole of the ceremony. Afterwards, however, Guy took her to one side before they joined the other guests for drinks.
“Why are you wearing your ring like that?”
A pang of guilt assailed her. She twisted the ring on her finger so the gems showed once more. “I didn’t—don’t—want it to be a distraction on Ros’ big day. People already know we’re in a relationship, but the sudden appearance of an engagement ring’ll take too much attention away from them.” She nodded in the direction of the happy couple.”
Guy closed his eyes. Maddie winced at the impatience in his sigh. “I’m sorry.” Her voice barely made it above a whisper.
“No, kitten, you’ve no need to apologise.” He kissed her hand. “My fault entirely. I was in too damn much of a hurry to tell the world you’re mine. Didn’t think about the consequences of doing it today of all days, and before the wedding as well.”
Maddie lifted her hand. Before she could conceal the stones again, Guy stopped her. “No more hiding. If anyone spots this,” he rubbed his thumb over her fingers near the ring, “and makes a fuss, I’ll take care of it.”
“Makes a fuss about what?”
At the sound of Ros’ voice they both turned. However, before they could hide Maddie’s hand or even congratulate the new Mrs. Northwood, she’d spotted the subject of their conversation.
“Oh my God, you did it! Congratulations! Maddie, I’m so happy for you!”
With Ros’ arms wrapped around her, Maddie spared a quick glance and a smile for Guy, who was watching them with undeniable satisfaction and approval. “I should be congratulating you. I’m so sorry—”
“Maddie, we just discussed this. It’s my fault, Ros—I didn’t intend to steal your thunder, but I couldn’t wait a moment longer, in case she got away from me.”
“As if that was likely to happen,” his niece scoffed with a broad grin. “I’m so pleased for both of you.”
“What’s going on here?”
Simon had also arrived, evidently in search of his new wife. As she stepped back from Maddie, he put his hands on her waist and guided her back against him.
“Maddie and Guy just got engaged. Isn’t it wonderful?” Ros wrapped her new husband’s arm around her waist.
“Sorry, it’s all my fault.” Guy delivered his apology with a rueful smile.
“Nonsense. It’s a bonus, seeing you two get together officially today. The best wedding present you could have given us.” Simon was genuinely delighted.
“Well, we’ll still try to keep a low profile,” Maddie insisted.
“And I need to introduce her to everyone—there wasn’t time before the ceremony. Now go and enjoy the attention.”
With her hand enclosed in Guy’s, Maddie allowed him to lead her away. “Are you really going to introduce me to everyone?”
“I may be guilty of a slight exaggeration there. I’m not sure I know all the guests, but the ones I would especially like you to meet are… I guess you could call them extended family. Your family too, now. Not to mention the fact that, since you’re going to accept Alex’s offer, you’ll be working alongside them as well. One thing you should be aware of—they’re all members of the club.”
“They’re in the lifestyle?”
Guy nodded. “But don’t worry. This is a social occasion, and no one’s on protocol today. Come on—we need to make a start on the champagne and canapés.”
As he introduced the cluster of guests, Maddie was able to put faces to the names for whom she’d made reservations at the hotel as part of the service she’d provided for the wedding. She doubted she’d ever seen a more attractive or charismatic group of individuals.
“It’s lovely to meet you all. Guy’s told me so much about you all.”
“And none of it good, I’ll bet.” The man identified to her as Ryan Quinn winked and grinned before taking a sip from his glass.
“Oh, I couldn’t possibly say.” Reassured by the warm welcome she’d been given, Maddie allowed a small, mischievous grin to flirt with her lips.
“I hope you’re all duly impressed with the arrangements for today. Maddie is the events manager for the hotel, and responsible for putting everything together.”
She blushed at the sheer pride in Guy’s voice. “I can’t really take any of the credit for today—it’s my job, after all. Ros did all the hard work—I was merely the facilitator.”
Which was entirely the wrong thing to say, if her fiancé’s expression was any indication. Something told her, later in the evening, her backside might regret her mouth’s lack of restraint. It was only when she looked back at the people around her that she remembered they were in the lifestyle too. The Doms among them were regarding her with knowing looks. Maddie groaned.
“Quite.” Guy’s tone was dry, with a noticeable lack of humour. “Alex, I thought I saw Beth before. Everything all right?”
“Fine—she’s just gone to check on Charley. Our daughter, Maddie. Almost six months old now.”
The Lombards weren’t the only guests taking advantage of the professionally staffed crèche facility Ros had requested. Several couples had brought children with them, some of them quite young, and the crèche provided a peaceful haven for when the festivities became too exciting.
Maddie put on a brave smile. Mention of the Lombards’ baby reminded her for a moment of the child she’d lost. Guy’s arm around her, drawing her into his side, told her he remembered too.
“I’m sorry, I didn’t realise the conversation would take that direction,” he murmured.
“It’s okay.” She laid her hand over his. “Things like this are always going to happen. It was a long time ago—I can deal with it.”
“Have I missed anything?”
The new voice belonged to yet another stunningly beautiful woman—the mysterious Beth, given the way she went directly to Alex. Maddie could only marvel at how far from a harried, relatively new mother she appeared to be. Like the blonde woman—Stacie Fraser, if she recalled correctly—she too wore a necklace that had the look of a collar. The Quinns had thrown her for a moment, until she realised that in that relationship, Fiona was the Dominant, even though there was no doubting Ryan’s alpha masculinity.
“How’s Charley?”
Beth rolled her eyes and glared at her husband. “Charlotte is fine. She’s out for the count at the moment. I’ve asked the nurse to let me know when she wakes up, then I can bring her down.”
“Let me know, and I’ll go and get her.” Alex kissed his wife.
And that was how Guy would have been. Every inch the proud father, if their daughter had lived, if their relationship hadn’t failed, if, if, if… How she hated that word.
“Come back to me, kitten. Remember what we said about not being able to change the past?”
“I remember.” Maddie closed the door on the memories and regrets. “Why don’t we make today a new start?”