Page 44 of Kissing Kayley
“Oh, wow! Can we pet him, too?” Kayley asked.
“Sure!” Wren led us down the center corridor, introducing us to horses along the way, practically telling us their life stories.
Then she glanced at her watch. “I need to finish grooming Atlas, but if you have questions, don’t hesitate to ask. You’re free to explore here or in the barn as well”
“Thanks,” I said. We ended up down at a pen holding goats, who eagerly congregated by us at the fence, climbing all over each other for pets.
Kayley’s face brightened as she petted them, and I focused on her.
With the unusual logistics of our relationship, I rarely had time to see her like this. No worries, no responsibilities, just enjoying the moment and having fun.
She looked up at me and her smile twisted my heart around her even more tightly. “Never had goats,” she said. “Had a dog when I was little, but he passed away from old age.”
“We could adopt you a dog,” I said. “I love animals. Or a cat.”
She shrugged, and I almost wished I hadn’t suggested it because of the melancholy that dulled her joy. “I don’t have time for a pet,” she said. “And what would I do with it when I’m traveling? I can’t fly it back and forth with me all the time, that’d just stress it out. I’d hate to adopt one and then it’s sitting at home all day, lonely without me.”
I didn’t point out that if we lived together full-time one or both of us would likely be with our pet and leaving them behind to travel wouldn’t be necessary, because we wouldn’t be traveling frequently.
Because I didn’t want to go there. Not yet. I didn’t want to get shot down, especially not after our fantastic day.
It was full dark by the time we washed our hands down at the barn and then headed back to the main lodge.
Kayley sneezed a couple of times. “Bless you,” I said.
“Thanks.” She sniffled. “Probably hay fever or something.” She sneezed again. “I’m not getting sick, don’t worry.”
“I wasn’t worried, until you said something.”
It took her a moment to process that, then she laughed and poked me in the ribs. “Smart-ass.”
She sneezed a few more times before we made it back to the lodge, and we stopped by the front desk and found we could buy allergy meds in the store. With that handled, we finally returned to our room.
She kicked off her shoes. “Let me take this right now,” she said with a chuckle. “The problem probably is I’m not used to clean, fresh air.”
“We don’t need to do anything but cuddle tonight, if that’s what you feel like.”
“Oh, no, you don’t.” She took the meds and swallowed some water. “I want to play with the ropes again. Then maybe we can try out the hot tub?”
God, she was beautiful. I loved the way the mocha flecks in her eyes deepened the color, made the amber stand out.
I brushed a kiss across her gorgeous lips. “That’s a deal, baby.”
She nuzzled her nose against mine. “Maybe you can even talk me into experimenting with the butt plug.”
“I think I could be persuaded to persuade you, baby.” I tipped her chin up with my index finger. “Feel like trying the ropes naked?”
Her smile widened. “I think I could be persuaded.”
CHAPTER 17
Kayley
I didn’t know why I felt so drawn to shibari. While the earlier class wasn’t exactly “sexy” in its presentation, there was something downright comforting about Vic’s hands roaming my body as he wrapped my limbs with the jute rope.
I didn’t feel trapped, ironically. It felt… freeing. To know this man would keep me safe, that nothing bad would happen to me. To completely give over control to him and do nothing but exist and enjoy the moment, able to freely trust him.
Maybe I was another step closer to understanding why my brother and his men were into this stuff.
