His fingers stroked again and as they hit deep inside me, Jeff said, “Now.”

I came with massive gasp and at the same time, Nathaniel released the clamps. One right after the other came off, tearing a shout from my throat and triggering another orgasm.

I slumped forward into Nathaniel’s arms, surprised to find I was totally unbound. Nathaniel pulled me close, gathering me into his arms, removing the blindfold, and lifting me from the chair. He carried me to the couch, where Jeff was already waiting with a thick white robe.

Once I was wrapped up, Nathaniel sat on the couch, holding me in his lap and stroking my hair. Through the haze of my foggy, postclimactic mind, I realized neither man had experienced their own release.

Jeff passed me a glass of water. It took only one sip for my body to recognize how thirsty it was. My comprehension must have been obvious because Nathaniel smiled.

“Slowly, my lovely.”

I made myself take small, measured sips. With each swallow I felt more and more revived. Nathaniel kissed my forehead.

“I’m going to go wash my hands before I inadvertently touch something I shouldn’t with ginger on my fingers.” He looked over to Jeff, who nodded.

“I’ll stay with her.”

Without Nathaniel, I expected the silence with Jeff to be awkward. He was, after all, a near stranger who’d just seen me in a very intimate and private situation. I didn’t have much experience making small talk in such settings.

“I have to say, Abby,” Jeff said, breaking the stillness. “I misjudged you and I’m sorry. It’s not the first time it’s happened. You’d think I’d have learned by now.”

I’d been curled up against the arm of the couch, and at his words, I straightened. “Misjudged how?”

“That night at the club, when I brought you home and saw where you lived.” He shook his head. “It was damn judgmental, but I took you for a lightweight.”

“That’s rather insulting to Master.”

“And the fact that that was your first response further proves how wrong I was.”

“Why did you think I was a lightweight?” I pulled the edges of the robe tighter around my body and shifted closer to him.

“Wealthy, drunk, high-society wife who also happens to be the submissive of her CEO husband.” He closed his eyes, deep in thought; then he looked at me. “Like I said, it was wrong of me to judge you.”

“You said you did it before. Do you often run into drunk, wealthy, high-society submissives?”

He laughed, though there seemed to be a hint of sadness clouding his amusement. “Just once before. Though she wasn’t drunk.”

“The blonde with the skin you like to mark?”

All traces of joviality left his face, and I realized I’d guessed right on both accounts. There was a sadness in him and it was tied to the blonde.

“Yes,” he said simply. “Her.”

Her.

He spoke it quietly and though it was a small word, it held a lot of weight and I wondered how long he’d been carrying that particular burden. Still, I wasn’t one to pry and he didn’t seem to be the sort to chatter.

He turned his face to look out the window and I studied his profile. Such rugged and handsome features. What had happened between him and his blond submissive with the fair skin to put such sadness in his eyes?

I had a sudden urge to track whoever it was down. Jeff seemed like such a strong and steadfast man, plus he was a firm and commanding Dominant. But we all had our own stories and people saw only what we wanted them to see for the most part. Whatever had happened between Jeff and the blonde was between them.

“You’re a lot alike,” he said out of the blue. “Wealthy, sassy, strong.”

“I’ll admit to sassy and strong, but I married into wealth.” I shrugged my shoulders. “Though I’d have married Nathaniel if he were a pauper.”

“She used to say the same. That it was just money.” He snorted. “I always thought it was easy to call it just money when you had plenty of it.”

“True.”

“I’m sorry.” He turned back to me and gave a half smile, though I saw right through it. “I didn’t mean to make the conversation about me.”

I leveled my gaze at him. “Does she know?”

“Know what?”

“That you still love her.”

He looked stunned, like he couldn’t believe I’d correctly nailed his feelings. But he was saved from having to answer by Nathaniel’s return.