Bunny and the Beast(Divine Creek Ranch 22)(16)

“Get down,” she said, biting her lip as he tumbled over her and flattened them both in the narrow hallway. “Stay down, buddy. Grinnie!”

“In here,” Grinnie called from the kitchen at the back of the house. “I was making cocoa. Are you okay, honey? That sounded like next door. I hope Louisa is okay. Those boys—”

A screeching noise outside, followed by the squeal of tires on the corner, came through the thin walls of their home, and Bunny sighed. Grinnie joined them, groaning as she crawled on her arthritic knees, and they stayed put as Bunny dialed 911.

Given the proximity to their headquarters, it wasn’t long before sheriff’s deputies showed up, evidently having received calls from several of the neighbors. By day, their neighborhood was relatively peaceful. Made up of mostly elderly folks, there were a few houses that attracted a more questionable element into the neighborhood. One of Hank’s deputies knocked on their door to check on them. The emergency vehicles were parked next door for a time, their activity and flashing lights making sleep impossible for Bunny. She was just grateful that none of them were ambulances.

After making sure the doors and windows were locked up tight, and the house was as secure as she could make it, Bunny took a hot bath to help her relax and then sat down on the edge of her bed.

Joseph’s gift sat there, tempting her. Was it a gift?

Biting her lip, she removed the wrappings and looked at the tastefully designed book cover.

His gift was authored by a Dom and sub couple, written in a journal form. The Dom had directed his sub to write a journal entry after each night they played, to share with him, and unbeknownst to his sub, he did the same. At the end of their first year together, the Dom allowed her to see his journal. Their journey and their shared perspectives dovetailed together so beautifully they’d evidently decided to publish a book based on them for the Dominance and submission community.

Her heart pounded while reading some of the sub’s journal entries, a little surprised at how well she could relate to the woman and taken by surprise at the vulnerabilities her Dom allowed to show. So they aren’t super-perfect, know-it-all mind readers after all?

Figuring she might as well go “whole hog,” she retrieved the other two books Violet had sold her and looked through those as well. The moon was hanging low in the sky when she finally yawned and turned out her lamp.





Chapter Five




The following morning, Joseph closed his office door to assure their privacy and returned to his desk as he contemplated the question Bunny had just asked. She’d obviously done her reading and had confessed to curiosity that clearly disturbed her. She stood before him, dressed in her standard work clothes—jeans, cotton shirt, boots, tousled red hair restrained in a loose braid and a pair of leather gloves hanging out of a pocket. Her cheeks were as rosy as her lips, and questions filled her eyes. He’d never wanted a woman so much.

“Not only would I like to put you over my knee and spank you—and enjoy your whimpering and screaming—Miss Carrigan, I’d happily tie you up and fuck you into next week, if you were brave enough to submit to me.” He sat back down as he waited for her reaction.

“You—you—you—”

Bunny’s beautiful face transformed as she sputtered, her cheeks turning a shade that nearly matched her bright red hair. Joseph gritted his teeth as he watched, but not from anger or frustration. The lust-spiked urge to do exactly as he’d described was strong, and gritting his teeth was the only way he could quell it.

“Son of a bitch?” he provided, enjoying having her on edge immensely.

She let out a gasp. “Well, no.” She ran her fingertips into her red hair, further disheveling her braid. “I wasn’t going to say that. I didn’t get much sleep last night. Maybe I’m just…” Normally he enjoyed watching subs struggle with their fears and denial but her momentary vulnerability drew him right back out of his seat.

He leaned against the front of his desk, and held out his hand, indicating the seat in front of him. He was pleased when she came without question or argument. “Can we agree to one thing?”

“I’m not a pushover or a doormat. We can agree on that much for damn sure.”

Delighting in her attempts to shore up her defenses, he said, “I’m not interested in a pushover or a doormat. And I don’t think you are either of those things, or any of a number of other insulting names you’ve mistakenly attributed to Dominance and submission. I’m willing to assuage your curiosity, but you and I must agree on something else as well.”