Taming Lucinda by Normandie Alleman

Chapter 12

Cole

Watching Dynassy's wedding through social media with Lucinda was surreal. If I went out to the terrace, I'd be able to see the top of the arch I'd built. I might even be able to hear the bishop officiating. To have it also playing out in HD on my phone screen was strange.

What was stranger was the steady stream of comments accompanying the video.

Strangest of all, a large number of those comments were talking about my arch, wondering who the artist was, expressing interest in their own arch or gazebo. I didn't know what to think about all of that, but when I looked over to Lucinda, I could already see the wheels turning in her head. Any other time I might've cut her off at the pass, but this time I knew I was going to let Lucinda have her moment. She needed it.

"Your handiwork is a big hit," she said, cuddling up to me to show me some comments I hadn't seen yet.

"I'm glad people like it."

"Don't be so modest. You're going viral."

The word made me wrinkle my nose. "I never did understand why that's supposed to be a good thing."

"Because it means your talents are being recognized. People love your work and want to see more of it. Doesn't that excite you?"

I shrugged. Maybe it should have, but I'd never cared about recognition or getting anyone's approval.

"This could be the perfect launching point to an incredible business," she said, quickly gaining steam. She sat up excitedly and put her phone down, setting the wedding aside, forgetting her melancholy—how could I rain on her parade?

"You could really make a name for yourself—people would love to watch you," she added, her smile turning suggestive.

"I don't know," I finally said. I wanted her to forget all the family crap that was dragging her down, but I didn't want her to get too carried away. I had to rein her in a little before I had a TV show, two podcasts, and a line of designer plant pots. "Don't you think you might be getting a little ahead of yourself? Just because a few people on the internet like one thing—"

"It's not just a few people," she cut in, snatching her phone back up. She scrolled right past the video feed, leaving it muted as she went through the comments instead. "And these aren't just random people; there are some very famous people commenting on your work. Trust me, with my help, you could be a household name by next summer."

I took her wrist, pulling her toward me. With her free hand, she braced herself against my chest, and I took her phone away, setting it out of her reach.

"I don't doubt your abilities for a moment," I assured her.

"Don't you want to be more than just a gardener?" she asked, dismayed.

"I am more than 'just a gardener,'" I said. "I've never wanted to define myself by what I do for a living. Even though it's something I love, that's just one part of me. I also enjoy woodworking. Brewing my own beer. Surfing. Spending time with my cat. Spending time with you..." I added, pulling her face toward mine.

"And you're happy with that?" she asked.

I chuckled. "Yes. I have a lot of interests. Working too much on one thing would take away from that."

She exhaled a long, slow breath, the excitement and enthusiasm slowly fading. It was too bad I'd had to take that away from her. She was so gorgeous when she got that spark in her eyes.  I wish I knew how to bring it back without selling my soul to the Barnes Media machine.

"Okay, if you're sure," she said, still making a face that told me she didn't get it. She was far too driven and powerful to understand being content with nothing like I was. Her ambition was incredibly hot, but that didn't mean I could match it.

"I am. But thank you for offering. I'm perfectly happy being just your gardener."

"That's not what I meant," she said, frowning, her body turned toward mine. I'd taken off most of the tux as soon as we entered her bedroom, but Lucinda was still wearing the gown she'd picked out for the wedding. No one else was going to get to see the way that dress hugged her body, how it showed off her long legs with a high slit.

And I knew no one was ever going to see her in the dress, because when I pulled her on top of me, her legs astride me, we both heard the riiiiiiip that said I'd just ruined a very expensive dress.

Instead of being upset about it, she laughed.

That was all the permission I needed to rip it off of her the rest of the way, propelled by her squeals of shock and laughter.

Neither one of us talked about her family, the wedding or anything else that was going on outside for the rest of the day.

The next morning, Lucinda was ready to go to Texas.

"Now? Today?" I'd agreed to go with her, but I thought I'd get a bit more notice than that. "I've got to find someone to take care of my cat—"

"I'll have you back by tomorrow. Surely you can leave for a day without it dying?"

I sighed. "He's not going to be happy about it. Let me go home and pack and explain things to him."

"To...your cat?" she asked, a slow smile spreading across her face.

"Yes. He deserves to know when I plan on coming home."

She grinned, then leaned up on her toes to kiss me. "You're cute. Can you be back in three hours?"

"Okay," I agreed, kissing her back. Life with Lucida was never dull, but I did wind up wondering what the hell I'd gotten myself into far too often.

Predictably, Max was not happy that I'd been gone so much lately. He wasn't about to get any happier either. I cleaned out his bowls, gave him fresh wet and dry food—plus enough extra to keep the fat bastard happy for at least a day—and made sure he had bowls of water all throughout the house. I cleaned out his litter box and gave him a thorough belly rub, then I tried to ignore the betrayed look he gave me as I left with my overnight bag.

If he still had his balls, he'd understand the crazy things we'd do for sex.

Though, if I was honest with myself, this was far more than sex. It had been for a long time. Originally, I never expected to be anything more than a plaything for a rich and powerful woman like Lucinda, but she surprised me all the time. She let me in more than I thought she would, and the more I learned about her, the more I wanted to learn. Every new thing she showed me just made me want her more.

I had it bad; there was no denying it. But I couldn't tell Lucinda. If she thought I was going to make things complicated, she'd end this whole thing rather than try to fit another tangled mess into her life. And I couldn't even say I'd blame her.

I wanted to be the one simple thing in her life. The one thing that didn't stress her out. Maybe if I could pull that off, I'd earn my place in her life.

What else did I have to offer her?

I'd never been on a private plane before.

Hell, I could count the number of times that I'd been on any plane on one hand, so while Lucinda was telling me about how she decided to downsize their jet after the kids all moved to different areas, I just gaped at it all.

The interior of Lucinda's plane was bigger than my apartment. Way nicer too. There were overstuffed armchairs on one side, upholstered in creamy tan leather, and on the opposite side, there was a long couch that looked perfect for a quick in-flight nap. There was a TV and a minibar, and the crew area was separated from the cabin by a sliding door, so once we were all closed up, it felt more like a hotel room than the inside of a plane.

It was incredible that things like this even existed, but I didn't know how I felt about all of it—not exactly uncomfortable, per se, but definitely a little out of place. This was a world I felt like I had no business being in. Everything I knew about planes was cramped seats, crying babies, and bad food. Not comfortable armchairs, champagne, and the whole place to ourselves.

I felt like someone had mistaken me for someone important.

"I'm not sure it's the best idea for me to be drinking on the way to see Mary Lou," Lucinda admitted, watching the champagne bubbles form around the strawberry that had sunk to the bottom of the glass. "I don't really know what to expect."

"No?"

She shook her head. "We used to be friends. Back before...Well, you know. We drifted apart when she started to suspect about me and Ray, but after the plane crash, I thought..." She shook her head, downing half her champagne in one. "I thought we might be able to get over all that and be there for each other. Help each other grieve...Instead, she took Eden away to Texas and pretended like her life in California had never existed."

"You're nervous about seeing her again," I filled in the blanks. It wasn't easy for Lucinda to admit weaknesses like that, but she nodded anyway.

I set down my champagne and circled around her seat to rub her shoulders.

"Oh, wow," she groaned. "That feels amazing."

I kept going, varying my pressure without ever going too hard. I didn't want to bruise her. Not like this, anyway. I might like some bruises in the shape of my handprint on her ass...But that would be later. Right now she needed a gentler hand.

Her head fell forward as I worked on the knots at the base of her skull, moving further down her spine. I leaned in and kissed the side of her neck, lingering on the spot that always made her shiver.

She looked back at me, eyes dilated with lust, breathing shallow, and she licked her lips. "Have you ever joined the Mile High Club?"

My startled laugh probably gave me away. "Can't say that I have. I don't fly much. Definitely never like this..."

Lucinda smiled and pressed the call button.

"Did you need something, Mrs. Barnes?" the flight attendant asked, opening the door just enough to check on us.

"I just wanted to tell you that we won't be needing anything else, so you don't need to check on us. Enjoy the flight," Lucinda said. The flight attendant understood perfectly, suddenly bashful as she ducked back into the crew section of the plane.

"There," Lucinda said, satisfied with herself. "Now we won't be interrupted."

"Is that so?" I asked, heated anticipation surging to my groin, making me want her more than ever. Nothing was off-limits with Lucinda. She was vibrant, adventurous, and insatiable.

What more could a man ask for?

"Do you not want to?" she asked, fake innocence in her voice as she stood up, sauntering over to me, her hips swaying from side to side.

"Oh no, I definitely want to," I answered, eyes traveling up and down her body. I could eat her up here and now, but I had other ideas.

Ideas that came from memories of our very first night together.

"But I think you're going to have to show me how it's done," I finished, sitting down on the long couch, stretching my arms out over the back.

"Mmm, you've never needed any lessons before," she purred, pulling her dress up as she approached.

"Get your ass over here," I growled, making her grin.

Her dress went higher, up over her hips so she could sit astride me. I slid my hand between us, pushing the thin fabric of her thong to the side so my fingers could tease all the spots that made her eyelids flutter.

Lucinda wasn't in the mood to be teased, though. She was full of nervous energy that she wouldn't admit to, and she had to get it out somehow. She didn't bother undressing me; she undid my belt, the button and fly on my jeans, and then she just pulled my cock free.

Her touch always felt incredible but seeing her go for what she wanted was what really turned me on in the moment. I loved our power play, I loved bossing her around, the light in her eyes as she considered arguing and what the consequences for that would be, but the determined set of her brow as she sank down onto me was almost too much. I didn't often get this side of Lucinda in the bedroom and the novelty of it nearly made me come before I was ready.

"Don't you dare," she said. "I'm not ready yet."

"Yes ma'am," I groaned, squeezing her hips to try to gain some semblance of control.

Lucinda wasn't giving it up this time, though. She was a woman on a mission, and she planned to use me until she was done with me.

I had no objections.

She kissed me hard, riding me like she was worried we'd be caught or run out of time, but we were in danger of neither. There was a desperate urgency in the way she fucked me that I didn't fully understand, but God, it was hot. I couldn't get enough of it.

I couldn't get enough of her.

I wasn't sure I ever would.

Her fingernails curled into my shoulders, the telltale sign that she was getting close. There were times when Lucinda had left actual claw marks down my back—not that I was complaining. Though I did use it as an excuse to tie her up the next time.

She bore down on me, her muscles clenching and milking me while her whole body shook with the waves of her orgasm.

It was a big one. Big and beautiful. Her mouth fell open, her eyes rolled back in her head, and the gasping moan that slipped through her lips—perfection.

"There," she said, still panting afterward as we laid down on the couch together. "Now you can say you've joined the Mile High Club."

"No one I'd rather join with that you," I chuckled, stroking her hair as I held her against my chest. Her shampoo smelled like jasmine, and I could never get enough of it.

After a stretch of comfortable silence, once we'd caught our breaths, Lucinda propped up and gave me a look that instantly made me worried.

It was the look she got when she had a plan.

"I've been thinking more about what we were talking about yesterday," she said.

"Oh?"

"What do you think about a reality show? You could keep working in the garden and we'd just have a couple of cameras following you around. You won't even know they're there—"

I kissed her, then looked directly in her eyes so she wouldn't be able to misinterpret me. "No. I like things the way they are. I'm not looking for bigger and better things. I already have the best."

She didn't argue with me about it anymore. She didn't say much of anything after that. We stayed snuggled on the couch for the rest of the flight, only getting dressed when the pilot made the landing announcement. Lucinda didn't seem angry, but a part of me wondered if I'd disappointed her by turning down her offer.

Could she ever be happy with my lack of ambition?