Her eyes softened, and he had little enough pride left that he’d use that.

“I’m happy for you. I am. I just don’t want to lose you, and that’s selfish. God, I hate myself for wanting to keep you here. I don’t… I want to be with you. All the time.” He felt freer as he rushed the truth. “You make me happy. No one gets me like you do. You don’t take my shit. You’re a really bad loser. You’re mean. And you turn me on like no one ever has.” He swallowed hard. “I love you, Maggie. And if you need to move out East to make a go of things, I, uh, I could go with you. For support.”

She stared at him, wide-eyed.

Someone knocked on the door.

“I’ll be out in a minute,” Maggie yelled. To Mac, she cupped his face and drew him down to her for a tender kiss. “I have never seen you this scared Mac. And it’s not a pretty look on you,” she teased.

He didn’t take offense, because the smile in her voice and joy in her eyes took his breath away.

“I was abandoned at birth. I transitioned through foster families, so I know what it’s like to be left behind.”

He blinked, not wanting to cry and look even worse to her.

“It took a lot of work for me not to feel that same way. I had Trevor, and I had some great people to help me along the way. And then I found Shelby. She’s my family. Mimi, Ron, now Shane. And you.”

He closed his eyes and let out a huge breath of relief.

“I was afraid too. I dated a lot of losers. Then you came along. Gruff, powerful, domineering. Just my type. I didn’t want to let you in on my dirty secrets, but you learned them anyway. My private kinks. How the heck was I so lucky to find someone to accept me for who I am?”

“I do, you know.” He cleared his throat. “You’re so beautiful to me, inside and out.”

“God Mac.” She wiped a tear from her eye and laughed. “You have the worst timing. We’re in a bathroom at the airport.”

“Shit. I know. This is probably the most unromantic declaration of love you’ve ever heard, right?”

“The only one that matters.” She kissed him again. “I love you too, you know.” She yanked him to her by his shirt. “Sir.”

He groaned. “You don’t know how happy it makes me to hear you say that. Maggie, it’s been hell without you here. I’m so sorry I didn’t come out there with you.”

“Actually, it was good I went alone. I stood on my own two feet. The one thing that’s scared me is how much I like when you take charge of me. I worry that I’ll like it so much I’ll let you take over all the time.”

He shook his head. “Nope. I don’t have any desire to boss you 24/7. Just in bed, where it’s the most fun.”

Someone knocked again, and Maggie gave what sounded like a giggle.

“Christ. Promise you won’t tell anyone I told you I love you at a public toilet.” He opened the door and apologized to a lady with three kids.

The woman stared, slack-jawed, at him and Maggie.

“He loves me,” Maggie said simply and hugged his arm as he dragged her back to the luggage belt.

He found her bag and dragged it and her to his car in record time. But instead of driving home, he pulled into the closest hotel he could find. The place cost an arm and a leg, but he didn’t want to wait any longer.

He ignored Maggie’s questions and entered their room with her behind him. Then he tugged off their jackets.

“Here, Mac? You couldn’t wait until we got home?”

“You talk too much,” he growled.

“What—?”


Mac shut her up with a kiss. While Maggie’s ears rung, he stepped back and pulled something out of his back pocket.

“I had this to give you at Christmas, to go with the earrings.” Mac opened the case and held a beautiful sapphire choker. “I want to collar you, Maggie. Permanently.”

She blinked at the piece. “Wait. Collar?”

“Yeah. Something you’ll always wear, like a ring but better.” He stroked her collar bone. “I love what’s between us. I’m not an easy guy, but I’m loyal. I don’t… I’ve never asked anyone to wear my collar. But I want you to have it, little sub. Wear it and think of me.”

Maggie stared at it, in awe of what it represented. “So you’re good with me being your sub…forever?”

He nodded.

“Just our little secret,” she whispered. “And you’re sure it doesn’t bother you about what I need? Like, the spankings and the bondage sometimes? The submission? I mean, it turns me on,” she said while blushing, needing him to truly understand this meant everything to her.

Mac fit his hand around her throat and squeezed, and she shivered, in lust and in love. “I need the same things only you can give me. This isn’t a game for me, Maggie. I need you in my life. In my bed. Telling me what to do at the gym.” He swallowed and took his hand away. “Ian finally offered to give me full control.”

“What did you tell him?”

“I wanted to talk to you about it first. Oh, and he and Mimi are a thing now. I ran into them one morning at my place. The morning after.”

Maggie grinned. “You poor thing. I bet Mimi scared you.”

“You have no idea.” He paused. “But about Ian’s offer. What do you think?”

“You need to boss people around. It suits you.”

“You suit me.” Mac picked up the collar. “Will you accept this?”

“I do.” The words made her shiver. “So are you trying to get out of an engagement ring?”

He chuckled as he fastened the silver chain around her throat. It fit perfectly. “No. I figured we’d take it slow. If I don’t drive you insane with my bad habits, and I can handle you being perky in the morning, I figure we could make a go of it.”

“Make a go of it?”

He shrugged. “Get married, have kids, everything.” He stared down at the choker. “I’ve never asked anyone for so much before, Maggie. But I’m asking you.”

“Mac.” She smiled through tears.

He smiled with her, relief there in his deep blue eyes. “It looks right on you, baby. My little sub.”

She touched the choker, and a huge ball of joy filled her. “My Master.”

“We have this room. A big bed, all to ourselves for”…Mac squinted at the clock…”another four hours until your surprise party.”

“Surprise party?”

“Act surprised.”

“I will. But we have so much time right now. What shall we do?” She stripped naked.

“That’s a very good start.”

“Can I give my master a suggestion?”

“As long as it involves me coming in your mouth, pussy or ass, sure thing.”

She rolled her eyes.

“I saw that. Oh yeah, you’re in sore need of some discipline.”

“Take the job at the gym. I’ll move into your place.” Was she rushing them?

“You can use the garage for your art studio.” Apparently not. He stared at her breasts. “I measured. It has plenty of room to store your equipment, and I could seal it in and heat the place to make it more comfortable for you.”

He wants me with him. Maggie knelt before him and took him out of his pants. She licked the underside of his shaft.

“Fuck.”

“Yes, Master. We need to fuck. I’ve been empty without you.” She licked and sucked on his cock while he rocked into her mouth.

“No,” he rasped and drew her to her feet, then tossed her on the bed as if she weighed nothing.

She loved when he did that.

 “We do this my way.” He shucked out of his clothes then mounted her and thrust deep. “That’s it. Right there. Yeah. We come together, sub. I love you, Maggie.”

“I love you too, Sir.”

“Even though you have yet to beat me at anything, I love you,” he taunted between thrusts.

Maggie clenched him tightly between her legs. Then she turned her attention to his chest and gave in to the urge to suck and bite his nipples.

She noticed his reaction and sucked his nipples harder.

Mac’s thrusts grew wilder, his breaths faster. He grazed her clit with each pass, and she rode the passion between them, conscious that his pleasure made everything better.

“Yes, Master. Let me pleasure you, Sir,” she begged, on fire to have him. “Come in your willing sub.”

“My dirty little sub,” he growled and came hard, just before she did.

After some time, she roused to feel him stroking her hair. “Dirty, huh?”

“Well, it sounded nicer than naughty slut.” He grabbed her hand before she could slap his chest, and chuckled. “Whatever you are, you belong to me, so it’s all okay,” he said softly. “Fuck, but I missed you, Maggie.”

She nodded. “Me too.” Then she grinned as something dawned on her. “I won.”

“What?”

She rolled him onto his back and sat over him. “Ha! You came first. I won. I beat you.”

He shook his head. “I beat you, Sir. Now I have to spank that ass, because how can my sub look so fine wearing her collar if Master doesn’t give her the discipline and love she needs?”

She blinked down at him and lowered her head. But her smile bloomed bright. “Yes, Master. I love you too.”