Page 158 of Entering Stronghold

“Definitely giving.”

Another long pause. Maria swirled her wine in her glass. Stretched out her legs and stared at her toes as she flexed them against her coffee table. The pedicure she’d gotten with Jackie last week was still holding strong.

“Wow...” Jackie said finally, her voice almost a whisper. “So he’s like, all Fifty Shades of Grey?”

“I have no idea what that means.”

“What?! Maria! How have you not heard of Fifty Shades of Grey?”

“I’ve heard of it. Isn’t it a Twilight spin-off?”

Jackie groaned. “You’re hopeless. Never mind. Not what I’m interested in. Are you going to do it?”

“I don’t know...” Maria hesitated and then decided to give her sister a little bit more of the truth. After all, she really did value Jackie’s opinion and she wanted to know if it would change if Jackie knew Maria was considering more than just something casual with someone who wanted to spank her. And more, but she really didn’t feel comfortable telling Jackie about the more. “He’s not just looking for a good time.”

This time the long pause seemed weightier. Maria took another sip of wine and waited.

“So.... you’re saying the spanker wants a relationship with you?”

Maria sat up straight. “If you ever meet him, you are not allowed to call him that.”

“Of course I wouldn’t say it to him.”

“Or if he’s anywhere nearby,” Maria said, going into her ‘stern older sister’ mode. She could only imagine how Rick and his incredibly intimidating group of dominant buddies would react to the nickname. On the other hand, she was willing to bet Olivia would be amused. So would the other women, but they probably wouldn’t be able to show it. From what she’d seen on Saturday, spanking might be the least of their worries.

“Yeah, yeah okay... soooo... if I’m going to be meeting him, does that mean you’re actually going to date him? A guy who wants a real relationship?”

From the hope in her sister’s voice, Maria had the sudden suspicion Rick could want to do just about anything other than really hurt her and her sister would support him as long as he was looking for a real relationship and not just a casual fling. Great. Not that she thought Jackie was doing it out of pity, like some of her other relatives might, but it meant Jackie’s standards for her were apparently lower than her own. Blech.

“I haven’t decided yet.” And wasn’t that the truth.

Jackie sighed. “Alright, well I have to go, Daniel just got home... but Maria, I want you to seriously think about this. Cuz I can tell you like this guy, I could tell you liked him even when you were saying you just wanted something casual, and I don’t want his um... interests to put you off. Especially if he’s smart enough to want more than just a fling with you. Okay? Like... think about it. Give him a chance.”

“Yeah, I’ll think about it,” Maria said, inwardly sighing as they said goodbye. She could hear the masculine rumble of her brother-in-law’s voice in the background, filled with obvious delight at seeing his wife at the end of a long day. Must be nice.

But she hadn’t told Jackie everything Rick wanted from a relationship, because she really wasn’t sure her sister would understand. And she was a little scared. What if Jackie judged her for wanting to try out the things Rick wanted? Not just the spanking, but literally giving over her sexual control to a man? Letting him decide when and how she orgasmed? Her sister was open-minded, but there were limits.

Especially if Jackie realized how aroused it made Maria. Not something she really wanted to share with any of her sisters. Although she bet the ladies of Stronghold would understand.

Mornings just weren’t the same without Maria. Rick had half-heartedly hoped she might show up on Tuesday morning, but she didn’t. He wasn’t sure whether his hungover performance the day before had helped or hindered him. At least she’d stopped to help him. He’d definitely needed the help, although he’d also used the opportunity to press himself up against all those soft curves… and get her into his apartment, and into his bedroom, and to kiss her. It had been a good excuse, which probably meant he was a bastard, but he didn’t care.

She hadn’t run screaming. She just didn’t seem to have made up her mind yet.

Waiting on tenterhooks was not his style, but he was trying to be good. Trying to wait her out and give her the space and time she needed. It was making him temperamental. He wasn’t sure if it was the hangover or his nerves from not knowing what Maria was going to decide that made him so snappy, but Justin and Adam avoided him pretty much all day. Which was fine, he was happy to be left alone with his pounding head and his circular thoughts.

Another man might not be so patient. Another man might decide he wanted a woman who knew she wanted him. But Rick was pretty sure she did, and she was just a bit scared. Hesitant. It was a big step. So he was trying to wait for her to figure out what she wanted. To learn from Liam, who had tried to use scare tactics on Hilary to get her to stay away, just because he’d been attracted to her but didn’t think she’d be able to handle what he wanted. Especially since it hadn’t worked when he’d tried it on Maria anyway.

It was frustrating as fuck.

Tuesday slid by with no word from her. So did Wednesday. Fortunately, he had distractions in the form of working for Adam, helping Andrew deliver a heavy table he’d custom-made for a client, and, finally, Wednesday evening, by helping out Angel with the women’s self-defense class she was teaching at Stronghold. It was the first time any of the guys were going to get even a peek at the classes. Even though Patrick owned the place, Angel had told him that interrupting class—even just to look in—would be disruptive to the sense of security the women would have by it being an all-female class.

So when she’d asked for volunteers among Adam’s friends to help with the last day and her equivalent of a final exam, Rick, Patrick, and Andrew had all jumped at the opportunity. Actually, he’d been rather surprised the other guys hadn’t. Liam had to teach his own classes in the evenings, and he knew Adam was there working out tonight, but Justin and Chris had actually been asked not to participate by Jessica. She’d told them she’d be more comfortable without them there, which had both of them grumbling but they’d respected her wishes. Rick knew Andrew was looking forward to rubbing it in Chris’ face that he was able to be there.

“Oh good, you’re here,” Angel said, grinning as he came in the door. Patrick and Andrew were already there, putting on some bulky padding with dubious expressions on their faces. He couldn’t blame them; the padding was at least three inches thick and made them look like Rock ‘em Sock ‘em Robots. They looked ridiculous. “Come on over and get padded up.”

Angel was adorable in yoga pants and a tank top show-casing her curves, her curls pulled back into a high ponytail that bounced along behind her. When he was a kid, Rick would have wanted to tug on her ponytail. Just for fun. Now he couldn’t help but think of Maria’s curls and how much longer and thicker they’d be in a similar hairstyle. Easy to wind around his hand.

“I feel like the Stay Puft Marshmallow Man,” Patrick said, complaining. Even though the pads were a dark red color, Rick could see what he meant. Patrick was a big guy anyway, with that much padding on he looked like twice his usual size. The helmet part hung loosely from his fingers; obviously he wasn’t going to put it on until he absolutely had to.

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