Chapter 26

When Mandy followed my gaze to the sodden envelope, she shuddered. That sent ripples along my trapped pole and had me gasping for air. While chewing her lower lip, she returned to me. But she remained silent, and I swept a stray strand of hair from her cheek.

“That was from only one video. And, like Gary said, views alone. Oh, and so far, only about two million views. Also, without turning on the exclusive download feature.” I chuckled. “Who knows how many more will find you? With your own Naughty Little Slut channel, you can rake in more money than you’d know what to do with.”

Although Mandy was quiet for a long time, she again rose and fell in my lap. When my hands moved to slow her, she gripped my wrists. At the flares in her eyes, I relented and skimmed her sleek ribs as she bounced. After a curt sigh, she smacked her shiny lips.

She shifted her gaze to the closed laptop. “I wouldn’t have to—”

“Nope.” I shook my head. “You only ever do what you want.”

“And you’ll be there?” she whispered.

“Always.”

After saying nothing more, Mandy slid forward to hug me tight. Even as her eyelids closed, her pelvis continued its languid pumping. Centuries of discipline were the only reason I hadn’t thrust upwards to fill her. Instead, time wandered away as her mind processed.

“I love you, Jim.” The abrupt directness of her tone jolted me. After opening her eyes, she stared at me while settling on my lap. “I wasn’t sure before, but I am now. Until I must, I won’t leave Charles. But I’m not abandoning you. If he gets transferred, I’ll be staying.”

“Okay.” I grinned. “I’ll keep the couch for you.”

After a light punch of my shoulder and a soft chuckle, she collapsed onto me again. As my hands roamed her, she only sighed. And right then, it hit me. She was exhausted. Overwhelmed. And my responsibility. She’d stay with me.

When she started another upward stroke, I gripped her tight. As she whimpered, struggling to move, her eyes met mine. Desire. She wanted to please me.

“No, Mandy.” I smiled. “Later, hungry little slut. I’m starting to prune. Let’s take a break.”

After a reluctant nod, she let me lift her from my aching shaft. All the way upwards, she huffed until my fat helm plopped free. Even then, her hands slid onto me as we stood.

Talisman.

Only once I’d handed her the towel she’d brought did Mandy release me. As we dried, she watched my every motion. After lifting the envelope to retrieve the laptop, I held the soggy package towards her.

“Here,” I said. “This is yours.”

“Nuh-uh. You keep it for me. Charles would ask way too many questions if thirty thousand dollars in cash appears. He does finances, remember?”

“Okay.” I gestured her inside. “I’ll set up an account for you.”

Although part of me wanted her naked all the time, at goosebumps on Mandy’s skin, I dashed upstairs to retrieve loose shorts and a t-shirt for each of us.

“Thank you, master,” she replied as she took them from my hands.

A simple gesture. But it sealed our agreement. Somehow, her beautiful, glimmering blue pools deepened. Yes, Mandy was my lover, but also my charge.

And what followed did even more to entwine our fates. After making a light lunch, we moved to the couch to eat. But as we munched and sipped a mellow red wine, she spoke.

With her eyes only leaving me to drift as Mandy recalled details, she recounted her early life. Raised in a very strict household. Sex solely for baby-making. After a soft sigh, she giggled and slid a hand into my shorts. Her family had expected her to find a kind, stable husband. In Charles, she had that. Then she was to live a quiet, ‘normal’ life.

After she fell silent, her fingers sliding along my cock, I leaned back and stared at her. My pulse was ratcheting ever higher. But it wasn’t just her twisting fist. With her dark hair shiny beneath the lights and blue eyes flashing, Mandy was beauty incarnate. Aphrodite. Eros.

“And then, Jim, I saw you gazing at me like that. With those warm eyes.” Her smile lit my soul. “And my entire world melted.”

“Melted?” I snorted while glancing at her hand moving in my bulging shorts. “Or you got so horny you couldn’t think straight?”

After a laugh, she punched my shoulder. “Perhaps, both.”

“Yeah, well.” I grinned while rubbing where her fist had tapped me. “Surprise. Same thing happened to me. After talking to a couple of brokers, I was gonna sell this place. The house is too big for me. After I’d retired, we’d always planned to head south. Well, I did retire. But then cancer took Debbie.” I gulped as the last sentence formed. Although too close to the truth, I added, “So, there I was, stuck in time.”

After a large swig of red wine, I sighed. At that precise moment, I was as near as ever to explaining who I really was. What I was. And what I did. And for how long I’d been doing it. Everything I’d said to Mi. And more.

But that kind of burden ... Again, Mandy knew me well. And her eyes had narrowed when I’d fallen silent. But no. She had enough on her plate. I was there to support her needs. To ensure her happiness and safety. After a heavy sigh, I grinned.

“Um, after retiring, since I had nothing else, I was lucky enough to...” My chest tightened. The memories flooded back. How they’d begged me to help. To stay a little longer. Just until they could reform a decent response force from the ruins of the last. “Uh, now it’s consulting. Keeps me busy. Also, I make my schedule most of the time. And, uh, the pay is good.” At the laugh held deep inside me, my jaw pulsed. The next thing I’d say was an understatement for the ages. “Although, I, um, don’t have to worry about funds.

“At least, my routine kept me sane, sorta. But damned if I wasn’t lonely here.” As I brought the wine to my lips again, Mandy’s gorgeous blue pools swallowed me. So warm and inviting. “Then I stepped outside and saw those beautiful eyes squeezed between a large cap and scarf. My soul melted. No idea how. Or when. But I knew.” My pulse roared. “I wanted you, Mandy.”

Although I added a brief chuckle, the directness of my voice had her trembling. But when she opened her mouth to speak, I held up my palm.

“Whenever I figured you were watching, I enjoyed teasing you. The way you took ever bigger risks to see or touch me. And before you ask, am I sorry you’re married? Maybe. If you were single, I’d have you chained to my bed all day long. But here we are.”

Although I chortled at that—I’d meant it to be off-the-cuff—Mandy gasped. With her eyes gleaming, she gulped the rest of her wine. After setting the empty glass on the coffee table, she gnawed her lips while scanning me.