Chapter 5

 

He found her leaning against the kitchen sink, her slender arms wide, palms flat on the counter, her face turned up to the faint morning sun that poured through the window. For a moment, he watched her in silence, drinking in her beauty, her quiet peacefulness, struck anew at how lucky he was to have found a woman as wonderful as Lacey.

To have found a wife who fit him so well, in every way.

Her charcoal suit clung to her curves in a tasteful, yet mouthwatering, way, the skirt ending just at the knees, her black heels high, but not quite enough to be deemed inappropriate for the office. He smiled at the flash of envy that her coworkers would get to see her in that outfit for hours that day.

Apparently bending her completely to his will still wasn’t enough for him.

“I shouldn’t let you leave the house looking as good as you do right now.”

Lacey spun around with a yelp, her hand to her mouth, her knuckles white as she gripped the edge of the countertop. “You scared the sh-hell, out of me!”

Good catch.

Troy slid into a chair at the table. “You have any coffee?”

She nodded, reaching up and retrieving a mug.

Her eyes sparkled in the sunlight room as she set the steaming cup down on the table, pecking him on the temple. “Good morning, sir.”

“Morning, gorgeous.” He took a searing sip, wincing. “You have a big meeting today? Dressed to kill.”

“This is how we’re always supposed to dress.” She sat down opposite, nursing her own mug. “I got tired of feeling like a slob, honestly. Now that I’ve got Hayden into a good pattern, kinda like to come back to the land of living, and start adulting again.”

“Motherhood is about as adult as it gets, dear.” He gave her a wink.

Lacey didn’t need to go back to work; he made enough now that they would be just fine on his paycheck alone. She’d stated that it was probably time to start staying home and just be a mother and wife. They’d planned for her to hand in her resignation shortly after her maternity leave for Hayden, but he got the sense she wasn’t in a hurry to let the world of work go quite yet.

He wasn’t about to pressure her into leaving before she was ready though. As submissive as Lacey might be, she was as strong as steel when it came to making career decisions for herself. He knew better than to fuck with that aspect of her life.

When she was ready, she’d say goodbye to the gig.

“You heading out soon?” He touched her hand, and she squeezed it.

“In a few, wanted to say goodbye before I left.” She winced, shifting in her seat. “I… I’m feeling it this morning.”

Swelling pride accompanied his suddenly swelling cock. “Good.”

“I don’t want to admit how many times I’ve told myself I’ve bitten off more than I can chew this time.” Her luminous eyes met his. “I trust you though… even though my ass is killing me.”

Troy chuckled, then took another sip. “You’re a good girl, Lacey-mine.”

She beamed at that, as she always did at those special words, ones that held a unique power — and affection — for women like her.

“I, uh, I need to talk to you about something though.”

Her expression instantly sobered, but she regarded him quietly.

“I think I’m going to need to take a short trip out of town. Not far, just out to eastern Washington. But I will need to stay overnight, most likely.”

“Where?”

“Place is called White Valley. Yeah, I’ve never heard of it, either.”

“Is this… part of”—she waved her hand in front of her—“what we’re doing?”

“I don’t really know. Probably not.” He shook his head. “Maybe.”

“Clear as mud,” she murmured, with a mischievous quirk of her soft lips.

He set his mug down on the table. “Von Ellison got in touch with me. He’s living in White Valley. Guess he’s a big contractor guy out there apparently.”

“Isn’t he one of your… war buddies?”

“Yeah. He was the one who was, well, pretty intense. He’s… into what we’re into. And then some.”

He watched her very closely as he said it, noting the way her eyes widened ever so slightly, the subtle flaring of her adorable nostrils. “Why do you need to go out there? They must have a website or something. Chamber of Commerce page?”

“Oh, I looked at those. They… don’t really show what the place is really like. Von wants me to come out there and see what the tourism board doesn’t exactly advertise.”

“I… don’t know what you mean.”

“I’m not sure either.” He draped an elbow over the back of his chair. “Which is why he wanted me to pay a visit.”

She didn’t say anything for a moment, then smiled at him over the rim of her mug. “Why don’t I come with you? I’ve still got vacation time I didn’t use for maternity leave.”

“I don’t think that’s a good idea.”

“Why not?”

Troy spun his coffee cup in his hand upon the table. “I have a feeling it’s a little more… out there. As far as how they live.”

“Like hippie commune shit?”

Troy shrugged. “Don’t know — but knowing Von… it’s probably something fairly fucked up.”

“Hopefully in a good way.”

She said it so quietly, Troy did a double take. Her sly grin confirmed he wasn’t suddenly hearing things.

He stood up, taking her hand and drawing her to her feet. “You need to get going — and I need to hop in the shower. I have a shitload to do at work if I want to get away.”

“When are you going? To White Valley, I mean?”

“Probably head out tomorrow morning. I’ll come back early Friday and get a couple hours in at the office before I head home.”

For Maintenance Night.

His cock began to stir at the nervous way her slender throat worked. “Oh… does that mean…?”

Gently kissing her on the forehead, he whispered the words against her soft skin. “When I get back from White Valley, we have a date with those luscious tits of yours, wifey.”

“Yes, sir.” She shivered as she said the words, even as she hugged those same generous breasts to his chest.

He gave her skirt-clad ass a playful slap. “Now, get to work.”