Oh yes, she thought she could definitely get used to this new side of Lennox. She pretended to be thinking. “Mmm,” she hummed. “Depends.”
He pulled her to a stop and covered his heart with his hand. “Depends? Marie, you wound me.”
They were drawing the attention of the crowd again. Marie felt her face heat and she pulled him to her, trying to get him to dance again. “Stop it. Everyone’s looking at us.”
“You could get naked.” Lennox waggled his eyebrows.
Who was this man? After the night in the hotel, she’d tried to hope his easygoing nature would remain. She didn’t want to be disappointed again, even though that’s exactly what usually wound up happening. But now, she allowed that hope to bloom. He was actually smiling and teasing.
She pushed his chest. “You wish.”
“Damn straight.”
“You want to know what kind of trouble you are?” she asked. “The absolute worst kind.”
“That’s a good thing, right?”
“You’re also incorrigible.”
He didn’t say anything, but pulled her into his arms for another spin around the room. “Admit it,” he said while she tried to ignore all the stares they were getting. “You like me incorrigible.”
“Honestly.” She made sure he was looking at her before she continued. “I don’t know what to think about this side of you. I’ve never seen it before.”
He grew serious. “I think this is the real me. The me I was . . . before everything happened.”
She tilted her head. Was that true? She wasn’t sure she truly remembered a Lennox before Winnie. “Really?” she couldn’t help but ask.
“Yes. It’s just been so long.” He took a deep breath. “But I feel free finally. Normal.”
She had to admit, she really liked the return of the old him. “How do I know you’ll stay like this? That you won’t revert to the Lennox I’ve known all these years?”
“I can’t promise I won’t have days when the darkness comes back, but I think those days will be few and far between.” He smiled. “If I have you with me.”
Her heart began to pound. Was this really happening?
“Tell me I haven’t lost you, Marie.” He must have misread her silence. “I’m not going to live in the past anymore. There’s a part of me that still feels guilty over Winnie’s death, but I’m not going to let it rule my life for a second longer. And if I have you, I think with time, that part of me will slowly fade away into nothing.”
Yes. She felt her body warm with his words and the promise they represented. This was really happening. He must have seen the realization dawn in her eyes, because she saw hope begin to flicker in his expression.
“Tell me yes, Marie,” he begged. “Tell me I haven’t lost you. That you’ll be with me and stand by me as I rejoin the life of the living.”
Tears made her eyesight blurry. She reached up and brushed his cheek. “Yes,” she whispered. “A million times yes.”
“I love you,” he said.
“And I’ve always loved you.”
She didn’t notice they’d stopped dancing again until he leaned forward and kissed her soundly. She was further shocked by the applause that seemed to burst from the crowd as soon as his lips touched hers.
He held her tight, though, and wouldn’t let her pull away. He broke the kiss long enough to whisper against her lips, “Deal with the attention, just this once. Let them all be happy for us.”
“Only for you,” was all she got out before his lips were once more on hers for a long, deep kiss. She wondered if the people clapping had any idea what she and Lennox had gone through to get to this point.
When he let her go and she risked a look at the gathered crowd, there were several people in attendance who were wiping their eyes. They did. They knew. And they were celebrating with them.
Lennox noticed, too. He lowered his head. “I say we get out of here while we still can and answer questions later.”
And there would definitely be questions. She estimated they had about five minutes before the crowd descended upon them. How could there not be questions? The headmaster who had been alone for so long and the best friend of his dead girlfriend?
“I agree,” she whispered. “Let’s get out of here.”
It was almost too late. As they started off the dance floor, a subtle shift in the crowd seemed to drift toward them. But just before they were surrounded, someone tapped silverware on a glass.
“Ladies and gentlemen, if I may have your attention.” Fulton stood at the front of the room and gave them a wink. “RACK Academy has decided to start a new tradition this year. . . .”
“Now,” Lennox grabbed her hand, and they all but ran from the ballroom.
It wasn’t until they were outside and well on their way to his place that Mariela asked, “What new tradition?”
She’d been in charge of the ball for years and this was the first she’d heard about a new tradition. Lennox squeezed her hand. “A silent auction. To benefit the children’s home Fulton grew up in. It was his idea and he asked me a week or so ago.” He laughed. “I thought it was a good idea, but I’ll admit, I had no idea it’d be such a lifesaver.”
“I love it. What a perfect way to give back to the community. Kids at Christmas, there’s nothing better.” It was absolutely perfect.
“You don’t mind I didn’t bring it up to you first? I know the ball is yours to plan.”
They were almost to his door. “Not in the least. I like a good surprise every now and then. Besides, it offered us a chance to escape. I like it so much, I’m going to write a big check.”
He unlocked his door, but hesitated. “I want you to know, you’re the first woman I’ve ever brought here.”
She wasn’t sure why he felt the need to admit that, but for whatever reason, it seemed important to him. “Thank you for telling me.”
He opened the door and let her in first. She didn’t even take the time to look around, but turned and faced him instead. “Know what I want?”
His gaze turned predatory. “I certainly hope so. I hope it’s the same thing I want.”
“I want you. I want you to dominate me.”
“And here I thought I’d won you over to slow and easy.”
She slipped out of her coat. “Do you really want slow and easy?”
His eyes never left her body as she toed her shoes off. “Hell no. I want you under me and I want it hard and rough and long and dirty, and when we finish, I want to do it all again. I want to touch every inch of you and just when you think you can’t live without me inside your body for one more second, I want to thrust inside you so deep, you’ll think I’ve become a permanent part of you. I want to fuck you for hours, and when we’re exhausted and can’t move anymore, I want to pull you into my arms and hold you while we both fall asleep.”
A shiver ran through her at his words.
“How does that sound to you?” he asked.
“Like the best idea you’ve ever had, Sir.”
“In that case, there’s a black bag in the coat closet. Go get it and carry it into the bedroom and wait for me there.”
A black bag? Did that mean what she thought it did?
She gave him a quick, “Yes, Sir,” and hurried to the closet to retrieve the bag. It was heavy and confirmed what she hoped. At least, she thought it did.
She placed it just inside the door and took the few steps necessary to make it to the middle of the room. Dropping to her knees, she took a deep breath. Though it felt similar to when she’d knelt for him in the cottage, it was vastly different. This time, there were no more secrets between them. More importantly, there was no guilt.
He walked into the room and she actually felt giddy. After all they’d been through, fought through, and com
e to terms with, they were finally here.
“You look incredible, Marie,” Lennox said, a touch of awe and wonder in his voice.
Her chest swelled with pride. He wanted her and he thought she looked incredible. Though it was a natural reaction to thank him, she decided to do so with her actions and obedience instead of with