She tossed him a heart-attack-causing smile. "Brilliant, Mr. Donovan."

The elevator dinged as it reached the ground floor and she walked ahead of him. Yeah, he couldn't wait for later, a little marriage-night treat. If he survived that long.

April drove them to the courthouse, and they made their way to his friend's office.

They were shown in, and Connor performed the introductions.

"Good afternoon, Your Honor," she said. "Thanks for doing this."

"Call me Joshua," he replied. "Unless we meet in the courtroom."

"Or Sir," Connor added.

She looked between them. "You're a Dom, too? How many of you are there?"

"It's not like we're werewolves or something," Connor protested.

"Werewolves only get randy around the full moon."

Joshua coughed and picked up the manila envelope containing their marriage certificate. "Do y'all have your own vows, or would you like to go with something informal that I normally suggest?"

"I have vows," Lara said.

Connor raised his eyebrows. "Other than what we've discussed, I'm not prepared," he admitted.

"No problem," Joshua said. "We'll work with it." He stepped into the hallway and invited in the two employees who had agreed to serve as witnesses.

Connor and Lara said h.e.l.lo and thanked them for taking time out of their schedules.

"It's my pleasure," one of the ladies a.s.sured them. "Makes me remember when Murph and I got married thirty-seven years ago."

Joshua registered their names and ensured everything on the license was in order before asking Connor to face Lara.

They turned toward one another. Even though she'd been relaxed on the way over, he now saw tension in the way she held her shoulders. If they had been in private, he would ma.s.sage her until her head lolled and he'd eased away all the knots.

"Take Lara's right hand in yours," Joshua said.

Connor did, and it felt warm, rea.s.suring. Not only was he offering his hand, she was holding his.

"Repeat after me."

Connor nodded.

"I, Connor, take you, Lara, to be my wife. To have and to hold, for better, for worse, for richer or poorer, to cherish and protect, to honor and to love."

As he repeated the words, he squeezed her hand tight, conveying the emotion of his promise.

She pressed her lips together and momentarily looked away.

"Now, Lara," Joshua said. "You may proceed any time you're ready."

After nodding, she blinked a few times. When she spoke, her words wobbled with unshed emotion. "Connor, I take you as my husband. I promise to work with you, to honor you, to show you the respect you deserve."

A knot of emotion settled in his heart.

"I will make you proud. And just like we are in this moment, I will turn to you. And every day that we are married, I will show you my love and my utter devotion."

"Now the rings?"

Connor took the two bands out of his pocket and gave them to Joshua. "I have the other for later," he told her.

"Repeat after me," Joshua instructed. "Lara, I give you this ring as a symbol of my vow. With all that I am and all that I have, I will honor you."

Connor said the words and slid the ring on her finger.

Then Lara recited them with no further coaching. His ring slipped into place and felt shockingly right.

"You may kiss."

"Behave," Lara mouthed.

He kissed her, gently and tenderly and not at all like he intended to later.

The woman who was married to Murph patted her heart as she walked from the room. The other woman shook their hands.

Joshua took care of the legalities and refused payment. He wished them well and promised to be there for both of them in the future. "See you at the club?"

"Maybe in the next few weeks," he said. "I'm keeping Lara to myself for some time."

Connor guided her into the hallway. After making sure they were alone, he had her against a wall.

"Connor! Not here."

"Oh yes," he countered. "Open your mouth for me, wife." He had to have her.

He kissed her hard and deep. Having his ring on her finger had shifted something inside him. He'd had a similar reaction when he'd put that necklace on her before they'd gone to dinner Sat.u.r.day night. He identified the feeling as possessiveness, and he'd never had it with any other woman.

Within seconds, she became softer for him. She met his tongue, and he tasted her surrender. It wasn't enough to sate him. It was only enough to make him hungrier.

He ended the kiss and gave her a second to straighten her dress before taking her hand and guiding her to the elevator.

"Congratulations, Mr. and Mrs. Donovan," April told them with a smile as she opened the car's door for them. "Where can I take you, sir?"

"Home?" he asked Lara as she entered the car then slid across the seat to make room for him.

She nodded.

"Sir?"

"The Heights," he confirmed. "You can take some time off. We won't need you until next Monday."

"Thank you, sir, ma'am."

Afternoon traffic slowed them down, and the drive took an agonizingly long time.

"I was thinking about a soaker tub as a wedding gift to you," he said.

"That would add value to the house." She nodded. "So it's a good investment. And I was thinking about a hot tub for the backyard. That's an investment in us."

"You, the moonlight, no clothes?"

"Read my mind."

Once they were finally home, he locked the door. "As much as I'd like to let you settle and catch your breath, I've been having fantasies about your lingerie."

"Have you?" She set down her purse and faced him.

"Wait for me in the bedroom. Leave the dress on."

She left her shoes on, too, and her calf muscles flexed enticingly as she led the way down the hallway.

Lara perched on the edge of the bed, her legs crossed. That first day in his office, he'd thought she could have been on a pinup calendar. Seeing her now only reinforced that vision.

Then he followed her gaze. The necklace he'd bought her was on the nightstand.

"I thought you might want to put this on me."

He paused. "You understand what it represents to me."

"I do. I'm still learning, but with you as my Dom, I'll be an eager submissive. I'd be honored to wear it."

She lifted her hair, and he put the necklace in place.

He took a step back and looked at her. His c.o.c.k hardened as all blood left the rest of his body and went straight there. "You are spectacular."

She touched it. "I love it."

"Now take off your dress."

"I could use some help with the zipper." She turned her back to him and lifted her hair.

Within seconds, she wore only her lingerie, the necklace and the mile-high shoes. "I'd freeze this moment if I could," he said. "I'm going to f.u.c.k you."

Instantly the atmosphere changed, he felt her respond to him. Her breathing slowed and her eyes became wider.

"Kneel on the bed," he instructed. "Thrust your a.s.s back toward me."

He moved to her side and rubbed her cheeks until they were a flushed shade of pink. Then he parted her and tongued her, diving in and out making her hot and wet for him.

As she started to sway, he rained spanks on her a.s.s, heightening her frenzy. "Ask."

"Let me come, Sir! Please. Spank me. f.u.c.k me. I want your c.o.c.k."

He did, blazing her a.s.s with another dozen brutal slaps and several on her heated c.u.n.t. He dropped his pants and thrust into her.

She gasped, cried out. "I love you, Connor, Sir."

There were no sweeter words.

He held her hips steady while he f.u.c.ked her. "I love you, little Lara." The more he said it, the easier it became and the more natural it felt. He vowed to spend the rest of his life not just saying it, but proving it, by wrapping her up and binding in his love.

Also available from Totally Bound Publishing: Bonds: Crave Sierra Cartwright Excerpt

Chapter One.

What the f.u.c.k? Stunned, Reece McRae froze in place and stared at the woman prostrate before him.

Even though he couldn't see her face, there was no doubt that it was Sarah. His Sarah. The woman he'd planned to collar, marry, cherish for the rest of his days.

She wore a black corset that had a white arrow on each side, making her waist look impossibly tiny. A skirt covered her b.u.t.tocks-barely-and hinted at exposed flesh beneath.

Though it had been two years since he'd seen her, Reece remembered every one of her delicious curves. He recalled how silky soft she'd felt as he'd skimmed his fingertips across her skin.

At one time, he'd grasped handfuls of her long hair. Now its length pooled onto the hardwood floor. Her arms were stretched in front of her, and her hands were on the floor, palms facing up.

She remained in position, waiting on his command. Her reappearance was as unwelcome as it was unwanted.

And, this close, the scent of her-femininity wrapped in the musk of unrequited love and unexplored promise-wrapped around him and transported him back.

From the moment she'd walked into his company to apply for a job as his personal a.s.sistant four years before, he'd been attracted to her. After reminding himself that he had to be professional, he'd taken the time to consider all the applicants the human resources department had pre-screened. But she'd had the best resume, and she'd interviewed better than anyone else.

Even on their first project, they'd thrived. They'd made one h.e.l.l of a team. In a short time, he'd come to count on her brilliance, creativity and upbeat nature. He'd gone to the office every day with a smile.

At night, he'd hated saying goodbye. And he'd wanted, oh, so much more from her.

Though McRae International didn't have rules against fraternizing, as the CEO, he operated from his own set of guidelines. He didn't date employees. He compartmentalized each area of his life.

It had taken nearly four months to convince himself that going on a single date couldn't hurt. They'd worked late one night, and he'd invited her to dine with him afterwards. Instead of a quick bite, he'd taken her to his home and had grilled a couple of steaks. Though they'd shared an office suite, she'd kept her personal life cloaked in mystery. He'd never heard her make a phone call during the day, nor had he caught her spending any time on social media or answering anything other than company emails. It was as if she became a different person after she logged off the computer for the night. And the more time he'd spent with her, the more he'd wanted to know who the real Sarah was.

After dinner, he'd loaded the dishwasher, invited her to stay the night and promised her that he would be a complete gentleman. She had teased him about it. He'd admitted it was, indeed, a rarity. He'd made up the guest room, and when she'd slipped past him, he'd touched her shoulder, and she'd paused.

He hadn't consciously planned to kiss her, but having her in his arms, that close, had melted his steely resolve.