I watched her sleep. I had taken away the bindings and I had held her for a long time before I went to sleep. Nicola was still sleeping, and I was tempted to wake her up and take her again, but I didn’t know if she had something to do that would pull her away from me. I didn’t know what her day was like. I didn’t like that fact. I should know. I should know everything about her. I had meant what I had said yesterday. All I had thought about was how I was going to make her mine. It was not a question of when or why, but mainly how. How was I to convince her to submit to me for life?
Her brown eyes opened, and I felt a smile spread across my face. She was perfect and I wanted her to be mine forever. Once or twice wasn’t enough. I wondered sometimes if it would ever be enough. I really wasn’t sure that it would be.
“Good morning, Nicola. I’m glad to see that you’re finally up.”
She smiled back at me and I was lost in the moment. I couldn’t speak, and all of the wonderful things that I was going to tell her slipped away. Before I knew it, I was on top of her, sliding into the hot, wet center that always seemed ready for me. It took me some time to satisfy myself with her enough to even get out of bed. I had never stayed down there overnight and I found it strange in a way.
“Do you have anything that you want to do today?”
Nicola shrugged and told me that she had a couple of meetings with bankers. She was still trying to get funding. I knew that she didn’t really want to talk about it. I was probably the last person that she could talk to about money. I knew that she was independent, and I imagined that the independence went to all aspects of her life. But she was mine now, so she was going to have to get used to the way things were going to be. I was going to be there for her in all ways, and her business was going to be no different.
I didn’t suggest that I go with her. I knew that it would not be what she wanted, but I planned to talk to the bank as soon as she left. I wanted her to have everything that she needed, and I was willing to sign for her. Not that she would ever know. It would just be a guarantee that I would cover her if anything happened. Nicola was trustworthy and she was going to great. I just didn’t want her to know I was helping.
“Well, let me take you back home so you don’t miss your appointments.”
“Thanks, Jerold. I would appreciate that. I don’t want to miss the chance.”
“So I’ll pick you up about eight o’clock tonight.”
It wasn’t a question, and she just kind of nodded her head. She was back under my spell, and I was going to use a firm hand to keep her in line. I was so worried about everything else that I had forgotten who I was and who she was.
Pulling her to me, I kissed her hard on the mouth to remind both of us. I wanted to be reminded that she was in fact mine and I wasn’t going to lose her again. And I wanted to remind her of what I could do to her body and to her mind.
***
“I can’t believe that you went behind my back and talked to the banks! I was going in to sign the final contract and Marshall let it slip. How could you do that?”
“I have no say in your business. That is yours. I have no stake in anything. I just wanted to make sure that you were given the chance. You deserve it.”
I could tell that she wasn’t at all pleased about it. I had gone down to the bank weeks ago, and this was the first time that she’d raised her voice to me since we’d gotten back together. Everything was going perfectly, and I wasn’t going to let a misunderstanding ruin what we had now.
“I don’t care how much money you have, Jerold, you can’t buy me.”
“I don’t want to buy you. You are already mine, Nicola. I just want you to be happy. I will never interfere. I have no rights. It’s really just a guarantee to the bank.” Why couldn’t she see that it wasn’t a bad thing? It was me putting my reputation and everything else on the line because I needed her so badly.
“I don’t like the idea of you going behind my back. You knew that I wouldn’t have agreed to it if I’d known.”
I acknowledged that fact. It was of course the reason that I had done it the way I had. If I could have told her, I would have. “It’s too late now. The restaurant is getting its first stock shipped in tomorrow, and I know that you are going to do great.”
“I can’t let you do this.”
She was stubborn. I kissed her, watching her eyes close and feeling her body melt against me. I would have to do this often if I was going to have her as mine, but I was okay with that. I was okay with using my lips to change her mind. She would learn one way or another that I was going to be there for her always.
“You don’t have a choice, Nicola. I have already done it.”
“I told you that I didn’t want you as my boss.”
“You are mine, Nicola. I don’t care what you call it, but you are mine. I want you to call me your husband. You are carrying my child, and I love you more than I could ever admit. That is what I want from you Nicola. Not anything else. I don’t want your business, I just want you happy. Why can’t you see that?”
I hated the way my voice sounded. It sounded like I was desperate. Then I realized that I most likely was. She kind of made me feel a little crazy and it was coming out. I had just let it slip that I loved her again. Now I had to wait and see what she said. It was the longest moment of my life. It was like I couldn’t breathe at all.
“You love me?”
Her voice was tiny. It made me look down at her, finally meeting her eyes and no longer afraid of what I was going to find.
“Of course I love you.”
“What do you mean that I’m carrying your child?”
I kind of chuckled and watched her mind try to do the math.
“I can tell, baby. Your breasts are getting larger and more sensitive. You moan louder when I suck on them, and there is a slight rounding to your stomach. When you are ready you can go to the doctor, but I will tell you now that you are with child, my child. So will you marry me, Nicola?”
I had been expecting to ask her for a while. Ever since I had gotten her back, I knew that I was going to have to ask her the right way. I pulled out the ring that had been in my jacket pocket next to the bed. Her eyes started to water and I knew then that she was mine. She was not going to leave me. She was going to be mine forever.
She nodded her head yes. I pulled her in for a kiss. It was the first time that I knew that she was finally mine for good. Her body molded against mine, and I wished we could stay in that moment forever. It was perfect. It was more than I could have asked for.
“I knew you would be mine the first time I met you, Nicola.”
“Now that I’m yours, what are you going to do to me?”
I gave her a devilish look. So many things ran through my head, but for now, I just wanted to take my prize.
~The End~