Blues Beach [Suncoast Society] Read online

  Brandon got up and hugged her. “That was very mature, sweetheart. I’ll be right back.” He left the room, and at least Eric didn’t feel left out when he noticed the confused expressions Jeff and Stuart wore.

  Brandon returned only a minute or so later. He opened his palm to Emma. In his hand, her car keys.

  She didn’t grab at them. She stared at them. “I didn’t apologize to get them back,” she said. “I apologized because you’re right. I was acting like Pat. I wasn’t mad because of anything Eric did.”

  “That’s why I’m giving them back to you. And dropping you being grounded. Let’s get this house back to normal. It’s not the same without Grace around all the time.”

  Grace stood and nearly tackled him in a hug. “Oh, thank god, Pop. I missed being around everyone.”

  Then she smacked Emma’s shoulder. “You bitch.” But she smiled.

  “Language,” Brandon warned, but he was also smiling.

  Grace rounded the table and hugged Eric, then Tracey. “I’m baaaaaack.”

  He couldn’t help it—he really liked Grace. “Good to have you back.”

  Emma finally took the car keys, brushing the tears from her eyes as she did. “Thanks, Dad.”

  “Whenever you’re ready to move,” Brandon said to Eric, “we’ll help. Not trying to rush you, because it’s been fine having you here, and you’re welcome to stay as long as you want, whether that’s weeks or months.”

  Eric stared into Tracey’s eyes. “Something needs to happen first. I’ll be right back.” He walked down to their bedroom to get what he’d been hiding there. Then he returned to the kitchen and dropped down on one knee next to her, holding up the ring. “I told you when you came back into my life that I was going to marry you. Will you please marry me?”

  She looked at Emma.

  So did he.

  Emma smiled, nodding. “Might as well. Better before the baby comes.”

  Tracey laughed and returned her focus to him. “Yes.”

  He slipped the ring on her finger and stood with her, kissing her.

  Emma finally got up and walked over, hugging her, then turning to him and giving him a very brief hug. “Thanks for giving me another chance,” she softly said.

  “I’ll give you as many as you need.”

  Chapter Twenty-Seven

  Grace and Emma took over the wedding plans, with help from Jeff. Loren agreed to perform the ceremony for them. Saturday afternoon two weeks later, they had a small ceremony at Brandon’s house, even fewer people than they’d had there for Brandon’s wedding.

  Grace’s dad cooked barbecue, of course.

  Eric’s parents and even JJ flew in for it.

  Tracey didn’t bother telling her family about it. She’d post pictures on Facebook later and let them see it there.

  Not only was it a celebration of their wedding, but of the fact that the amniocentesis results from Tracey’s appointment the previous week had revealed they were having a girl, and so far, no detectable health issues with her.

  That Eric suggested they name her Cara had only cemented Tracey’s love for him.

  And Eric had found a counselor. He knew he couldn’t let himself go back to that dark mental place, even though having Tracey in his life was a miracle. He still had to work on him.

  As they stood in Brandon’s backyard with everyone looking on, Tracey stared into Eric’s eyes and once and for all tried to stop making comparisons. She’d married Pat at the county courthouse on their lunch break, not exactly what she’d wanted to do, but it’d been what he’d wanted to do.

  Eric had named Brandon his best man, and Tracey had asked Emma to be her maid of honor.

  She hadn’t felt this nervous when she’d married Brandon. That had also been a small ceremony, over at the beach, her parents, sister, and two of her brothers there for it, along with Brandon’s family.

  The whole time, she’d felt judged and less-than, except Brandon had stood beside her and stood up for her, so he’d kept the worst of their comments at bay.

  Today felt…right.

  Good.

  Perfect.

  Eric smiled down at her and she knew there was no place she’d rather be than right there.

  When Loren reached the part of the ceremony where she had them recite their vows, Eric went first.

  “I know we spent a lot of years apart, but being with you now feels even better than it did when we were kids. And you’ve made my dream of being a dad come true. I have you, and Emma, and our baby on the way. I know we’ve had some rocky bumps, but I’d go through them again, and more, if it means I get to be with you in the end.

  “You are the love of my life, my friend, my partner, my perfection. I will spend the rest of our lives together loving you, loving our children, and doing everything I can to show you every day how much you mean to me. I never thought I’d ever be truly happy until you walked back into my life. Now I know I can’t live without you, and wouldn’t want to try.”

  She had to sniffle back happy tears and was glad she’d opted not to wear any makeup today. Between her emotions and pregnancy hormones, she was one big snot ball.

  Then it was her turn, and she had to struggle to remember what she’d wanted to say.

  “Things happen for a reason. I don’t regret marrying Brandon or having Emma. I do regret that we didn’t find each other again sooner. That there were years we both suffered in between what we had, alone, or nearly alone. I regret that my daughter didn’t have you in her life sooner, and that it took the death of Cara to bring us together again.

  “But now that I have you back, I know who I am now had to happen the way it did, so I could be the woman you need, and the wife you deserve.”

  She managed a teary laugh. “Didn’t expect you to have superpowers to give me the surprise of a lifetime”—which made everyone laugh—”but I’m looking forward to the next part of our lives together, to being married to you, to loving you. Thank you for loving both me and Emma, for making us part of your lives, and for your patience and kindness.” She looked to Brandon, Jeff, and Stuart. “And thank you guys for being patient with me and forgiving me and giving me a second chance, too.”

  She returned her focus to Eric. “Forever, I promise.”

  Loren called for them to exchange rings, and then smiled. “By the power vested in me by the State of Florida, I now pronounce you husband and wife. You may kiss your bride.”

  Everyone cheered as Eric took her into his arms and kissed her, long and hard.

  What the girls didn’t know was that Brandon had helped Eric arrange something else, another ceremony to happen later that night at Venture, with all their friends in attendance. Emma and Grace thought Tracey and Eric were going to a hotel after leaving Brandon’s.

  They were…although they weren’t going to be there all evening. Just long enough to drop their things off, change clothes, and then head out to Venture.

  Eric had gone through his storage unit and found his implement bag, something he’d almost gotten rid of after Paige’s death but hadn’t had the heart to.

  Tracey also knew he’d received an order via UPS the other day, but he wouldn’t let her see what it was. His sneaky smile gave her a hint, but that was all.

  As everyone gathered around them at the club, including Brandon, Stuart, and Jeff, Loren called for order.

  “We have part two of a ceremony that happened earlier today,” she said. “Eric?”

  Eric arched an eyebrow at Tracey and pointed at the floor.

  She was glad she didn’t have a huge baby belly yet. It wouldn’t be long before she’d likely have to beg him to play with her because he would be hesitant to do too much, but she’d enjoy as much play as she could talk him into now.

  Eric held a padded mailer envelope in his hand. “Earlier today, you consented to become my wife. But even before then, you’d asked me for more, and I told you it was a conversation we’d have to wait on for a variety of reasons I won’t go into now.
>
  “To me, being a Dominant or Master is a matter of trust, and of protection. Sure, I’m a sadist, but there has to be a willing power exchange for me to want to engage in it.”

  * * * *

  Eric stared down at her and fought the urge to pinch himself that this was really happening, that she was really wearing his wedding ring.

  That there was a matching wedding band on his left ring finger.

  “To be my slave, I need to know it’s what you want. It means you want to obey me, you want to belong to me. It means I put you above everything else in my life…” His voice choked up. “And it means I don’t repeat past mistakes. It means if you need me, I’m there. If you reach for me, I hold you. And it means if you fail, that I’ve failed you.

  “I don’t require you to be my slave. You’re my wife, and that’s more than I ever could have dreamed. But if you wish to be my slave, it means my word is law, and your obedience is complete. If you wish to be my submissive instead, you can ask for that. I know it takes a level of trust to be a slave, a level of trust that not every Master can earn.

  “So I stand here tonight, in front of our friends and extended family and ask you to tell me what it is you wish to be to me.”

  She serenely smiled. Tonight she looked more at peace than she had since returning to his life. “I want to be your slave, Master.”

  His cock twitched. “This means serving me, and obeying me, so I can protect you.”

  “Yes, Master.”

  “You completely give yourself to me?”

  Her smile widened. “Completely, Master.”

  “Hands.”

  She held her hands up and he withdrew the brand new leather cuffs he’d ordered for her. Wrists and ankles, and a matching collar. He buckled them around her wrists, then the collar. Before he had her stand so he could buckle the ankle cuffs around her, he withdrew a small, satin pouch from his pocket. From it, he took a silver chain with a small, heart-shaped locket on it. This he carefully fastened around her neck, below her collar so it wouldn’t get tangled in it.

  “This is your day collar. A reminder who you belong to. In addition to your wedding ring. I expect it to be on you unless I’ve told you otherwise, because you can’t always wear your cuffs and collar.”

  “Yes, Master.”

  He helped her stand and fastened the ankle cuffs, then pulled her in for a deep kiss as the room burst into applause.

  “I pronounce you Master and slave,” Loren said with a smile. “May you have many happy years between you.”

  “We will,” he said, staring into her eyes. “We will.”

  He led Tracey over to the other side of the dungeon and staked out a bench. After lifting the sundress off her, he kissed her, smiling. “How’s the butt?”

  She grinned. “Full, Master.”

  The other little secret that no one but them knew—she’d been wearing a butt plug all day in preparation for later.

  With Brandon, she hadn’t had a formal dynamic. Over the past couple of weeks, Eric had talked to her and told her what he expected from her if she really wanted to do this with him.

  Rituals and protocols. Things they could do around Emma and Grace.

  Rules.

  And he’d given her the chance to refuse, or to ask for modifications.

  She’d eagerly agreed to everything without hesitation, and it was with a little sadness he realized how lacking in structure parts of her life had been for so many years. She’d had it with Brandon, enough to keep her happy, and losing that had set her adrift and allowed her to fall for Pat’s predation.

  That’s all it amounted to, in his mind—a predator. Especially the more Emma opened up to him and told him what happened.

  Never again would his girls—including Grace—have to deal with something like that. He’d make sure of it, and knew he’d have Brandon, Jeff, and Stuart to back him up without hesitation.

  Tonight, he’d start out easy with her, but Tracey would have marks on her tomorrow.

  His marks.

  He clipped her wrist and ankle cuffs to the bench before he started massaging her back and ass with his hands. She undulated under his touch, moisture slicking her inner thighs as she responded to him.

  When he started spanking her with his bare hands, she arched her back to stick her ass out more, making a better target. After a few minutes of that, he started working on her with a pair of mop floggers, more sensation than anything but not going easy on her, either.

  By the time he switched to a leather strap, she was moaning and squirming, and every time he brushed his fingers between her legs she was begging for an orgasm.

  Not. Yet.

  That would have to wait until they were back at the hotel.

  He used several paddles on her, turning her ass and thighs a gorgeous shade of red before finishing up with ten hard strokes from the cane. Those made her cry out, but with his other hand playing with her clit to distract her, she begged for each of the ten, counting them out, his very good girl.

  He quickly freed her, packed his stuff, and cleaned the bench. With a fleece throw wrapped around her, he led her over to one of the aftercare couches where he held her tightly snuggled in his arms.

  * * * *

  Tracey felt subspace swirling through her brain as she relaxed in Eric’s arms. This was definitely a different man than she’d known way back then.

  This was a Master.

  She’d willingly give herself to him, loving him, just to keep feeling this.

  Now she got why Jeff and Stuart watched Brandon with puppy dog eyes when he got in one of “those” moods. Brandon had gone easy on her, too.

  In a way, maybe that was better. It would have made their divorce that much more painful on her if they’d had this.

  For the past couple of weeks, she’d been doing several rituals with Eric, morning and night, and during the day. Things to text him.

  Kneeling in front of him first thing in the morning and last thing at night.

  There’d been tears from him the first night they’d done that as he remembered Paige and their rituals. Cleansing tears that she didn’t begrudge, because she knew Paige had loved him as much as she did.

  She wanted to be as deeply embedded in his soul as he was in hers.

  When they finally returned to the hotel later that evening, he stripped her as soon as they walked into the room, put her collar and cuffs on her, and sent her into the bathroom to take out the butt plug and get ready.

  When she returned to the room, he was naked and sat on the end of the bed.

  She knew what he wanted and knelt in front of him without being told, kissing the tops of his feet.

  “My very good girl,” he whispered. “Someone asked me to do something tonight.”

  A nervous thrill raced through her. “Yes, Master.”

  “On the bed.”

  She slowly rose, enjoying the way his rigid cock twitched as she watched him watching her. On her hands and knees she awaited him.

  He picked up another item he’d purchased for her, an insertable vibrator. He slid it into her pussy, leaving it there and not turning it on. Then he knelt between her legs and she heard the snick of the lube being opened. “Normally, I’d say we use condoms for anal, but not tonight. I want to be the only one who’s ever put a load in you there, and what better night than tonight?”

  She swallowed back her needy moan as his fingers lubed her ass. “Thank you, Master.”

  “Tell me what you want, baby.”

  “I want Master to fuck my ass and come in it, please.”

  “Such a good girl.” She felt him press the head of his cock against her rim, which was well stretched from the butt plug. His fingers traced the cane marks along her flesh. “I love seeing you wear my marks, baby.”

  “Thank you, Master. I love wearing them.”

  His hands caressed her ass, settling on her hips. She thought he was going to say something else when he thrust, hard, making her cry out as he filled
her and a jolt of pleasure shot through her.

  Then he reached under her and turned on the vibrator.

  She…exploded was the only word for it. He didn’t have to fuck her, because the vibrator took care of slamming her over the cliff, one long, rolling orgasm that seemed to have no end. Eventually, he chuckled and started moving, his fingers gripping and holding her in place as he fucked her.

  And he fucked her.

  The butt plug meant she enjoyed every hard, deep thrust as he plowed her and took her.

  The thought that he was the first and only one there started another round of pleasure rippling through her, until she could barely hold herself up any longer.

  “Is my baby almost worn out?”

  “Yes, Master,” she gasped.

  He let out a grunt as he took several hard, deep strokes before finally burying his cock inside her ass with a loud, satisfied grunt.

  He left the vibrator running though, reaching around her to find her nipples and play with them, once more tripping her into an orgasm. She finally begged to stop coming, making him chuckle as he found the switch and shut it off. Then he pulled her up against him, only his arms supporting her.

  “Mine, baby,” he whispered.

  She smiled, sated and sore in all the perfect ways. “Master’s.”

  After a shower, they curled up in bed with her head tucked under his chin, fingers laced together. Her thumb kept finding his wedding band, tracing it.

  Happy.

  Perfection—finally.

  Not a hint of blues anywhere in her soul.

  Chapter Twenty-Eight

  They stood in the living room, Eric behind Tracey, his arms around her and his hands on her belly. Anytime she stood still long enough around him, his hands were on her, as if he couldn’t believe she was real.