The Fool Ch. 08

"It's time you knew the truth about me too," he said, gathering her into his arms. "You won't regret trusting in me, Carrington," his tone was suddenly serious. "I will keep your secret safe, until we decide what to do about our families, together."

"Together?" she repeated in a strained voice, the word making her feel a little less unsure of her confession.

"Yes, together. We're partners in this thing now, for better or worse, so to speak," his voice was soft and soothing as his arms remained around her. "Give in for once, trust me and just give in," he murmured into her ear and kissed her neck.

Carrie tried to block out the ominous voice of Robyn in her mind which prophesied nothing but doom and gloom and tried to let herself be in the moment with Sinclair. He hadn't jumped on her confession with accusations and recriminations. He had done exactly as he had said he would, and, knowing why the fool had targeted the Hats from their conversation, had embraced her even more fervently.

"Does this mean you'll give me the Heart of the Heartless?" she asked in a teasing voice, though her body language remained defensive.

"You already have it," he picked up her hand and placed it on his chest. "I guess you can have the necklace too, if you still want to hand it over to the Bonnets," he grinned and raised his eyebrow.

"Maybe that's something we should decide together?" she queried, looking up at him.

"Together," he nodded. "Right now, however, there's something else I think we should do together," he pulled her against his body and kissed her deeply.

"I thought you wanted me to pack," she said breathlessly as he released her from the kiss.

"I was just helping you start with this dress," he chuckled, softly pushing the strap from her shoulder.

"Maybe you should wait until the guys aren't watching us quite so closely," she laughed as he took her hand and led her quickly back to the house. He gave the guys the afternoon to prepare to return to London and spoke briefly with the staff as he continued to walk through the house, pulling her along with him.

"Wait," she pulled her hands from his and stopped in her tracks, realising that with his commands the staff had left them virtually alone in this section of the house. He'd somehow slipped back into the controlling commanding man who just expected that everyone, including her, would just fall into line with his plans and commands. He was in control, and it took her a moment to realise that, in her moment of weakness and vulnerability in the garden, she had unwittingly given him that control. Robyn's voice resumed sounding alarm bells in her mind.

"It's too late for regrets, Carrington. I know the truth now, and you have to trust that I will keep you safe," his voice lowered as he took a step toward her. "You're mine now, more than ever."

"What happened to 'Together'?" she hissed. "I'm not a trinket for you to add to your collections. You don't own me!" She watched as a steely look of determination settled on his face, and his stance changed ever so slightly. She took a step back, realising his intentions. Her heart was pounding with anticipation as she waited for him to speak.

He stared at her for what seemed an eternity, taking in her sparkling eyes peeking out at him through long lashes, the way her teeth grazed her bottom lip when she was excited and anxious. When he finally spoke, it was a single word. "Submit."

Her eyes widened, then narrowed in defiance as she replied: "Make me."

She turned and ran, knowing she wouldn't get far in the maze-like house full of staff. She needed to be in a familiar room, or a room where she could defend herself. He caught up with her as she ran into a dead end at the end of a narrow hallway. She stood there breathing hard as she realised there was no way out. He stepped towards her menacingly. She tried to use her speed and the small element of surprise to push past him, but he grabbed her round the waist with one arm and pushed her back against the wall. He used the weight of his body to hold her there while he grabbed both of her wrists and held them up above her head. They were both panting hard, their faces so close to each other.

"Submit" he demanded in a low growl as their lips almost touched.

"No!" she hissed through gritted teeth, and her body writhed against him as she tried futilely to pull her hands from his grip. They hadn't fought for dominance in their relationship for some time now, but if he thought her confession gave him automatic domination of her and their relationship she would make sure he knew how mistaken he was.

He leant in to kiss her, but she turned her face away, still defiant, despite her position. He growled and took both her wrists in one hand, still pressed against the wall above her head. He pressed his knee between her thighs, almost lifting her off the floor, and grabbed hold of her hair with his now free hand. He turned her head to face him. Her eyes were shining, and her breath was ragged as he bent down and kissed her mouth.

She tried to resist him, but the feel of his now familiar body against hers, the taste of him in her mouth, the gentle pain where he held her wrists and her hair, was proof that he was prepared to make her accept that she did belong to him, and him alone now. His strength and power radiated through his every touch, and a low murmur delved into the core of her. She started to kiss him back, her tongue searching hungrily for his, their mouths pressed together hard in a rough, possessive kiss.

He felt her body relax as she gave in to his kiss, felt her start to grind her hips against him as she kissed him back, submitting to his needs and desires. He smiled to himself and pulled his face away. He noted the sparkling eyes following him and knew that, as always, she would submit. She was his completely now, and the defiance had been a token attempt to remind him that she would never be a docile partner in their relationship. He moved his face close enough for their noses to touch.

She could feel his breath on her lips, but couldn't reach to touch him. He was so close she could feel every inch of him pressed against her. She could feel the bulge in his jeans digging into her hip, and she knew he wanted her as much as she wanted him. He let go of her hair and moved his hand to her waist, tracing the shape of her breast with his finger on the way down.

She felt his hand move to slide the straps of her dress from her shoulders and expose the lacy bra she wore. His fingers trailed down over her shoulders, tracing soft tickling lines over the soft skin of her breast. He cupped her breast and squeezed it through the fabric of her bra making her moan softly.

He reached around and undid it with one hand, letting the soft globes of flesh swing free under his gaze. He bent his head and nipped at her nipple with surprisingly hard but fleeting movements. She gasped as the tendrils of pain flowed into the surrounding flesh, and her nipples stood up further as if begging for his attention.

He kissed her neck just below her ear, and she tilted her head to allow him more. The fingers of his free hand pushed the dress lower to her hips as his mouth followed down her body, kissing each part of her flesh as it became exposed. He let go of her wrists, confident that the fight that she had put up was gone and that she wasn't going anywhere now.

Carrie arched her back and closed her eyes as she felt him tug gently on her nipples while he kissed her stomach. As he let go of her hands, she briefly remembered that they were standing at the end of a quiet hallway where anyone could see them, but then his mouth and hands moved again, and everything but the sensations fled from her brain.

His hard cock was growing uncomfortable in his jeans, but he ignored it as he knelt before her and pushed the dress over her hips, taking her panties with it. He inhaled her scent, and it made his cock swell even more. He leant forward, his breath heavy and warm as he tentatively kissed the mound above her pussy before moving lower. He used his teeth to nip her thighs and make her inhale sharply before lifting her foot and discarding her clothes to a pile in the opposite corner.

She shuddered as he ran his finger along her slit, testing to see how ready she was for him. She was so wet that his finger slid inside her without any resistance. Carrie widened her stance allowing more access to his fingers and the teasing tongue which had begun to follow his finger and seek out her swelling clit. She felt her climax growing slowly, a warm fuzzy feel building low in her belly, when he abruptly stopped and stood up, pressing her back against the wall and bringing his face to hers.

He placed his finger against her lips, wanting to watch her taste herself on his skin. She parted her lips greedily and took his fingers into her mouth. She licked and sucked her juices off his hand eagerly, flicking her tongue up and down the length and around the tip before taking it all into her mouth and sucking hard. He closed his eyes knowing how her skilful mouth felt wrapped around his cock.

She drew a deep breath as he moved his hand away. She tried to move to touch him, but he held her back, pinning her wrists to the wall either side of her hips.

"Submit!" he said hoarsely. "Admit you're mine and I will finish what I began!" His eyes searched hers for the glint of defiance and the promise of a battle.

"You don't fight fair!" she whined breathlessly, struggling against the grip he had on her wrists.

"Not when I desire something this much. You're mine," he murmured, bringing his lips to hers again. He kissed her hard just once, then moved his kisses lower until he was kneeling in front of her again, purposely taking the submissive position.

She struggled to get her hands free, torn between wanting to get away and wanting to pull him closer. He held her hands tighter against the wall, then moved his face towards her gorgeous pussy. He took her swollen clit between his teeth and shook his head, causing her to cry out and her knees to sag under her.

"Oh God!" she groaned, loving the way his mouth felt on her. She cried out again as he sucked her clit into his mouth and flicked it with his skilful tongue.

He let go of her wrists and held her pussy lips open with his thumbs. He swept his tongue over her exposed clit again, softer this time. Her eyes were closed, and her naked chest heaved as she panted hard in response to his touch. He teased the entrance to her wet hole with the tip of one finger. She wriggled against it, trying to swallow more of him into her. Her juices were coating her pussy lips, making them glisten, and he couldn't resist running his tongue along her wet slit. He bit, nibbled, sucked, and kissed his way along her lips, making her gasp and moan as he did. He moved his finger back to her hole, joining it with a second. Without warning, he plunged two fingers deep inside her and heard her cry out as he did so. Her breathing was getting faster, and her moans were getting louder as he moved his fingers inside her. He found that sweet spot that set her on fire and his mouth clamped back down on her clit.

She came noisily, her juices coating his mouth and face, her cum running down his hand and smearing on her thighs. Her body sagged, her legs no longer able to support her, and he caught her on the way down, his fingers still inside her.

He held her as the last waves of her orgasm washed over her. Her body trembled, her eyes were unfocused, and her breathing was hard and ragged.

As her breathing slowed, she looked up at him and smiled. She stroked his face with her hand, and he reached down to kiss her softly.

He picked her up tenderly, all the fight gone from her for now, and carried her towards the bedroom. They could leave later tonight. It was important for him now to make sure she accepted his position in her life and felt the realness of their relationship if they had any chance of unravelling the machinations of those who would use her against him. He needed her trust and loyalty, but what he wanted was her unconditional love, and he knew the battle for that was far from over. He would have to be satisfied with her trust and loyalty for now.

*****

Carrie sat in the library of her new home and stared at the stationary samples before her, only half listening as her future mother-in-law continued to complain about the timing of such an event and that they felt the need to have the party so close to the holidays.

Sinclair stopped in the doorway, taking in the situation at a glance and entered, interrupting the two women.

"Hello, darling," Georgia Mansvelt smiled widely at her only son.

"Mother, I thought you were meeting with Dylan today?" Sinclair walked in and kissed his mother's cheek before moving across the desk to kiss Carrie. He stood back up and placed a hand on her shoulder showing a united front. "Didn't you already choose the stationary?" He directed the second question to Carrie.

"I am meeting Dylan, dear, as soon as I have finished here," Georgia said, flushing slightly with guilt that she had been caught badgering Carrie again about the timing of this party and why it couldn't wait. Carrie merely sighed in resignation. "It's all the details that become frustrating."

"Mum, we wanted you to be involved in this event, but Carrie is more than qualified to do this on her own and would probably prefer to just make the decisions once and know there wouldn't be any second guessing. Perhaps the timeline is just too tight for your usual thoroughness, and you should let us take it from here," Sinclair hated making the threat, but his mother had been pushing the limits of Carrie's patience since their return from Myanmar.

"Don't be silly, darling; I'm more than happy to help. I was just making sure I understood what Carrie wanted," Georgia said quickly. "Simple and elegant, a black and white theme. See, I listen." She smiled sweetly. "Are you sure I can't convince you to come to lunch with Dylan and me?"

"No thank you, it's rare that Sin and I have a day off together, so we've made plans," Carrie said quietly but firmly.

"Speaking of which, are you ready to go?" Sinclair asked with a gentle smile. Carrie tilted her head inquiringly at Georgia.

"You kids go on and have fun. We'll just go with the simple yet elegant style of the invitations for the menu and place cards," Georgia collected the samples of the place cards. She had been probing for reasons why they were in such a rush to have the engagement party, and, she assumed, marry. Despite reassurances that there was no pregnancy or illness involved in their planning, she failed to come up with another reason for the haste. Given time she could have pulled off the party of the century, as it was she would have to make do with the best of what she could get on such short notice.

"Thank you, Georgia," Carrie said sincerely. "I guess I'm ready then." She smiled up at Sinclair as she came to her feet.

"We'll walk out with you, Mum," Sinclair took Carrie's hand.

In the time since their return from Myanmar, Sinclair had doted on Carrie, barely letting her out of his sight. She knew she should feel stifled by his presence and the nagging need she always felt to cut loose when anyone crowded her personal space, but she didn't. It was as if telling him the truth had brought a new dimension to their relationship, one she had never felt before. She trusted him, and, for the first time in her life, she knew that she didn't have to be the strong one in the relationship in order to feel safe and secure. He'd opened up his life to her, his real friends and those who were mere acquaintances, and he told her about the rift in the association of the Hats caused by her ancestor and the lack of a Bonnet heir.

Carrie hadn't been surprised to find Sinclair's preferred Range Rover in the driveway and the overnight bag she had packed already stowed in the back. His mother's surprise visit this morning had taken much longer than the few minutes she had asked for before they left for the weekend. Farewelling Georgia, she climbed into the car and sighed loudly in relief. They hadn't told anyone they were planning to get away for the weekend, except their security team, who they gave the weekend off, planning on stealing away quietly.

"When are you going to tell me where we are going?" Carrie asked as he slid into the driver's seat beside her.

"Here's how this weekend is going to work," he said, turning to her with a grin. "I'll pose a heads or tails question, and you flip this coin," he handed her a brand-new penny. "Ready?"

"No," she shook her head. This wasn't the organised in control man she was used to! She had assumed he had booked them into a romantic little bed and breakfast place near the sea somewhere. "Why am I flipping a coin?"

"To make the important decisions," he chuckled. "We'll start simply. Heads we go north, tails we go south, now you flip, and the decision is made."

"I thought you'd made plans, or a booking, at least," she queried, feeling uneasy about his seeming lack of direction or control of the outcome of this trip. Carrie frowned but flipped the coin, keeping her hand over the coin as she caught it and slapped it onto her forearm. "What if the flip goes in the wrong direction to where your plans have been made?"

"I've made several plans, some you will enjoy, others you will endure," he waggled his eyebrows suggestively. "Personally, I am hoping for one of those. Ultimately, however, you get to decide in which direction the weekend will go," he smirked. "Don't be concerned, you can't make a wrong decision."

"That's very vague. What if I would have enjoyed north when we are destined to go south now?" she removed her hand, revealing the coin.

"Given that you fell from a large rock last time we went north, I think you'll be just as pleased with the options to the south. Now flip again, heads for east or tails for west and we can leave," he instructed.

"Ah, yes, our last spontaneous weekend away didn't turn out so well, did it," she had a serious tone to her voice as she flipped the coin, again showing heads. "Just promise me that we won't be checking into some rundown motel in the middle of nowhere because you haven't made any reservations," she asked.

"I can promise that wherever we end up tonight we will be expected and catered for accordingly," he said seriously, leaning over to kiss her lightly. "You can trust me to look after you like a princess." He put the car in gear and began their journey.

"What a shame I forgot to pack my tiara, because I will make you eat those words if we pull up at the equivalent to the Bates Motel tonight," Carrie threatened with a smile.

"Don't tempt me," Sinclair chuckled. "It's been some time since I've seen the wild cat from our first night together truly show her claws."

They drove south, making small decisions along the way to take the coast road and finally stop in a small village for lunch.

"Just lunch?" she asked, not expecting a response. She hadn't been able to draw him out on anything but the general direction they were heading.

"Yes," he smirked. "What do you feel like eating? Fish and chips on the beach doesn't quite sound fine enough for a princess, even without her tiara."

"This princess happens to enjoy roughing it with the peasants," she said haughtily. "What she doesn't enjoy is not knowing where we are going."

"Talking about yourself in the third person now?" Sinclair laughed. "That's cute. Will you be using the royal we as well?" He kissed her lightly and led her into a seaside café.

They ordered and took their newspaper-wrapped fish and chips across the road to a park bordering the foreshore. They found a bench and sat, soaking in the warmth of the sun as they ate. In moments like this Carrie could almost believe she could be normal, have a normal life, just like the few television shows and movies she had watched in her adult life. The last few months had made her believe that having a life beyond her mother's plan could be possible. She may not ever get the happily ever after that Sinclair promised her, but she had started to believe a normal life might be possible. She smiled as Sinclair gathered the refuse of their lunch and stood to take it to the rubbish bin.