I’m dying to explore that further, but this isn’t really the time or place. So I file the thought away before proceeding with my last stipulation.
“Finally,” I say, appreciating that I’ve bombarded him with a lot of information in a short amount of time. “If we go ahead, I will ask you to sign an NDA agreement. What we do in the comfort of our own home is both private and sacred to me and my husband. However, there is a specific clause that states if anything illegal takes place, you will obviously be free to bring the matter to the authorities.” I reach out and squeeze Oliver’s hand in mine. “The purpose of this document will be to protectallof us, not just August and I.”
“Oh, wow,” Oliver says thoughtfully. “That’s pretty serious. But I guess it makes sense. Can I read it before I sign?”
Now it’s my turn to frown. “You should never sign anything without reading it thoroughly, Oliver,” I tell him firmly. “I can give you the contract right now, and you can have a lawyer look it over if you so wish.”
“Really?” he asks.
“Of course.” I know he’s just naïve, so I try not to be offended that he’d think I’d try and screw him over in any way. In fact, he could possibly do with being a little more savvy from what I can tell so far.
Reluctantly, I release his hand and reach into the briefcase by my feet to retrieve the document.
“Take your time going over it,” I urge him. “You can message me whenever you’re ready. However…I would ask that no matter what happens, please don’t publicize what we’ve discussed. A lot of people don’t understand kink, and I would hate for my husband’s reputation to be in jeopardy.”
“Or yours,” Oliver adds earnestly.
In that moment, I’m fairly confident we won’t have anything to worry about.
As much as I don’t want to let this little treat out of my sight, that’s our cue to gather our belongings and go our separate ways for the time being. It’s Tuesday, so we agree that he’ll give me an answer by tomorrow evening at the latest so we can have everything arranged for Friday afternoon when my Augie Pie returns home.
That won’t leave me enough time to organize an alternative if he turns me down. But as it stands, if I can’t have Oliver Carver, I don’t want anyone else.
So it’s a good thing that by the time I’m sipping on red wine that evening, he messages with a photo of the signed contract.
My relief is so strong, it’s almost startling. I’m not sure what I would have done if this morsel had slipped through my fingers.
Now I get to give my beloved the best birthday gift ever.
CHAPTER 3
August
Seeingas Tallis almost always picks me up from the airport when I’ve had to travel for work, I can’t be too grumpy that he couldn’t on this occasion. I don’t have conferences more than a couple of times a year, but statistically he was bound to be unavailable at some point. I’m so tired, I can’t even remember what he said it was. Perhaps a meeting with his editor?
It doesn’t matter. As I park in our garage and kill the ignition, I take a moment to close my eyes and breathe deeply. Like Dorothy said, there’s no place like home. And traveling halfway across the country might not be an ideal way to spend a birthday, but as long as I get to see my husband for dinner, that’s all I really care about.
He sent me a lovely text this morning telling me how much he loves me and can’t wait to do delicious things to me tonight. However, he was surprisingly sparse on the details.
No matter how long we’ve been together, there’s always a small voice in the back of my mind that sounds an awful lot like my parents. As I fortify myself to get out of my car, I try not to listen as it whispers that Tallis didn’t tell me how we’re celebrating because he’s decided this is the year that he doesn’t care about my birthday anymore. That I should have grown outof such childish things by now and probably shouldn’t be eating so much cake anyway.
A stronger voice drowns it out, reminding me that I’ve known this incredible man for over fifteen years, and he revels in making me feel special. I trust him completely. Still, once I fetch my small suitcase from the trunk, I hurry into the house through the internal door into the utility room, eager to see Tallis for a kiss.
My slippers are waiting for me, and I sigh contentedly as I toe my brogues off to swap into them. Then I open the kitchen and am met with the mouthwatering aroma of what I guess to be the rice cooker and a casserole warming in the oven. Considering I only had a questionable lunch on the plane several hours ago, my stomach rumbles. But I’m paying more attention to my heart, which swoops in my chest.
See?I tell that nasty little voice.Just because Tallis couldn’t pick me up doesn’t mean that he’s forgotten about me.
“Hello!” I cry out, moving farther into the house to look for him. I expect him to be in his office working on his latest crime thriller novel or perhaps still on a video call with whoever he had that meeting with.
Instead, his voice drifts from upstairs. “In here, my darling.”
I smile to myself. It’s stupid that simply hearing him speak is enough to give me butterflies even after all this time together. In my defense, I’ve been in California for almost a whole week, and I’ve missed him a hell of a lot. But I don’t think there will ever come a time when I don’t get the shivers from his presence.
It’s not lost on me that I’m one lucky son of a bitch. But then I know he’d say the same thing about me. That’s why he’s so perfect.
As we both work from home, we have separate offices on the first floor. I dump my laptop case in mine, then I haul my luggage up the stairs. Again, usually Tallis would run to help me,but as it’s not very heavy, I brush the thought aside. I don’tneedmy Master to take care of my every need all the time. I guess the birthday insecurities and travel weariness are getting the best of me in the moment, though, as I can’t quite stop the little flash of hurt that squeezes my chest.
I immediately banish it by wondering if my husband is waiting for me in our bedroom to do those naughty things he implied. However, when I push the door and step inside, it’s vacant. “Tallis?” I call out, placing my case down and shucking off my blazer.