Read Online Darkest by Ashe Barker - Free Book Online Page B

watching telly, all of us happy to be together again.
    Eventually Nathan nudges Rosie, who is dozing in his arms as I snuggle alongside him on the sofa. Tom has headed back to his pigs and chickens and whatever else he has over at Greystones and the nurse has taken herself off to her room, having seen to Grace’s personal needs and sorted her out with pain relief. Grace is now snoring softly in her pristine white sheets. “Bedtime, Princess,” he murmurs.
    “I need my bath,” comes the sleepy reply, and I feel Nathan stiffen. This is not normally his territory.
    “That’s my job now,” I butt in, putting him out of his misery. His look of grateful relief is almost comical. I hold out my hand to Rosie, who uncurls herself from around her daddy and slides to the floor, happily trotting out of the room with me.
    The next half-hour is spent in happy girlish chatter as Rosie excitedly reminisces over the events of the day. I comb and plait her towel-dried hair and dry the rest of her off with a large fluffy bath sheet before helping her into her nightie and settling her into bed. Barney makes himself comfortable at the foot of it—a bad habit we do seem to have drifted into but so far no one’s complaining. I read her a story about baby owls waiting for their mummy to come home, and she observes that her daddy’s come home now, just like in the story.
    He certainly has, and he’s waiting for me downstairs .
    * * * *
    I find him in the kitchen, bare-chested now. The room is warm, the Aga still hot from cooking earlier. His black jeans are faded, well-worn, and unbuttoned at the top. I suspect he has no underwear on, but I don’t dare ask. His expression is dark, formidable, his mood obvious. A few cushions are piled on the floor. The spanking paddle is on the table, along with the vampire gloves and the nipple clamps. Oh God!
    “We have unfinished business, Eva. Are you ready?” Meaning, ‘Do you consent?’
    “Yes.” My voice is quiet, but I am unafraid. I look him in the eye. He cocks an interested eyebrow and nods briefly. We understand each other.
    “Undress, please.” He stands, leaning against the edge of the table, his arms folded. I step forward to stand in front of him, close up. I tilt my head back to meet his eyes, which are dark, hooded. His finely chiselled masculine good looks are breathtaking and I lick my lips. “Everything, Sir?” I ask.
    He nods slowly. “Everything, Eva. But first…” He reaches a hand behind my head to pull out the elastic bobble holding my hair back in a loose ponytail. He runs his fingers through the wild length of it, dropping the long waves around my shoulders. “I love your hair, Eva. And I love you. You do realise that?”
    I knew, but this is the first time he’s said it out loud. I nod, my eyes never leaving his. My reply is whispered, “I love you too, Nathan.” He nods again, his smile brief but warm as he leans in to brush a light kiss across my lips. He straightens, and leans back, his arms folded once more. Waiting.
    I step back, and take my time over undressing. Neither one of us seems to be in any hurry. My loose T-shirt first, followed by my skinny black jeans. I drop them to the floor behind me and stand before him in just my bra and panties—carefully chosen from my selection of sexy matching underwear—before reaching behind me to unhook the bra. I drop it to the floor with the rest of my stuff and start to slide the panties over my hips.
    He reaches out, stops me. “No, let me do that. In a moment.” My heart is thumping despite my new-found confidence and my mouth is dry. I stand still, waiting for his next instruction. He turns to the table and picks up the spanking paddle, flexing the rubber blade between his fingers. Turning back to me, one eyebrow raised, he runs the blade slowly down between my breasts before flicking it sharply upward to catch my right nipple. I gasp, flinch. And stand still again as he repeats the action, this time