Chapter 4
Chapter Four
Since nothing was currently happening at The Mane Event Hall, Ford decided it was the perfect time to show it to Erin and get her reaction.
He was actually surprised she showed up at the resort at all. Especially after finding out she and Dylan Lyons dated back in high school. Not because she mentioned it, but because someone else had told him a while ago in passing.
From what Ford found out, when Dylan graduated, he was eighteen and Erin only sixteen and they had dated for two years. The second Dylan graduated, he booked it out of Fisher Falls as fast as he could, while Erin stayed to finish high school.
She had always made it clear she wanted to stay in Fisher Falls and didn’t have any plans to follow him. Not long after Dylan left, Erin began dating Kyle Hart, Dylan’s classmate. At barely twenty years old, she married him, ready to settle down and start a family.
Once Ford moved to the area, he ended up hiring Kyle for his fledgling construction company and that was when he first met Erin. He and Kyle also became fast friends. Erin’s late husband was a good man, a reliable worker and a great friend.
Then, he died while on a job.
Of course, that turned Erin’s life upside down.
While it was a freak accident and nobody’s fault, Ford still felt guilty and also responsible for the young widow. That led to him checking in with her often, helping her out when he could, and causing them to become close. Initially, they remained friends and nothing more.
He always thought she was smoking hot but remained hands off until she was ready to move on. Once she was, he moved in to take his shot.
Their relationship started out casual, and for the next few years, it remained that way. Mostly because he worked long hours growing his business and she didn’t seem interested in anything serious.
He didn’t have an issue with keeping what they had together loose and free. Mostly because they lived in Fisher Falls, where the likelihood of her meeting another man worthy of her attention was slim to none.
Until now, anyway, since Dylan and his twin Dayne were back in town for good.
At this point, Ford needed to decide if Dylan was a threat to the relationship he and Erin had. And if he was, what Ford would do about it.
If anything.
Seeing her today reminded him that he didn’t want her to slip away and into someone else’s arms. Or another man’s bed on a permanent basis.
She might act like a typical “small-town girl” on the surface, but in reality, deep down, she was far from that. Where she got her wild sexual appetite, he didn’t know.
Not that he was complaining since he encouraged it and benefitted from it, too.
Too many times to count.
The only issue he’d have was if she shared that certain particular appetite with others. At least without him taking part in that “sharing.”
Not that he had much say in what she did.
Maybe he needed to change that. Make more of an effort. Ask her to make more of one, too.
Their personalities didn’t clash. They had unmistakable chemistry. They had the best sex he ever had in his life. The woman was beautiful inside and out. Kind, giving, intelligent…
The list was long.
So, why weren’t they a couple?
Not only were neither in a rush to commit, Ford had some tastes he had not shared with her.
Fisher Falls tended to lean more toward the traditional side. Most residents graduated high school, got married, had babies, grew old, doted on their grandbabies, sat in a rocker on the porch, then died. It seemed to be the town’s circle of life.
They liked life simple. Though, that kind of simple sounded boring to Ford.
This resort, once it was revealed for what it truly was, would turn this area on its ear.
The Lyons brothers were smart to have this open house. They wanted everyone to see how it would impact the area financially first before they found out how that money was made later.
This was no ordinary resort.
Unlike most of his neighbors, he was all for everything this ranch would bring.
He squeezed Erin’s hand as they approached the stairs on the east side of the event hall. He was sure Erin would be fine with what happened at the resort, too.
When she tugged on his hand, he stopped and saw her pointing at the small sign at the bottom of the steps. A little arrow directed guests up to the second floor.
Her expression was both curious and amused as she read the sign. “Stairway to Heaven?”
“It’s appropriate,” he answered.
A twinkle lit up her brown eyes. “I thought the second floor wasn’t finished?”
“That’s what everyone is being told today. Let’s go.” He encouraged her to take the stairs first—like the gentleman he was—mostly because he wanted to watch her ass rock and roll and maybe get a peek of her smooth legs under her sundress as she climbed.
As she did so, she asked, “Why are the steps to the second floor outside and not inside?”
“For the same reason I built them on the side opposite The Mane Lodge, darlin’. Guests might want to sneak away for playtime and not be seen.” They expected the first floor of the event hall to be a busy place since it would be used for various events and even weddings.
“Playtime,” she repeated in a murmur. When she reached the top landing, she read the sign above the windowless door. “Welcome to Heaven.” She turned and faced him. “You said playtime. That tells me the rumors are true.”
“I’m not sure what you heard, but I promise you this: The reality is so much better than the rumors.”
With a husky voice, she urged, “Then, hurry up and unlock the door.”
“Are you impatient?”
“Well, you explained why the stairs are on this side of the building. Maybe I don’t want us to get caught heading into Heaven. Especially since the second floor is ‘still under construction’ and technically, we shouldn’t be here.”
“ Ah , but I’m the general contractor. I’m just checking my crew’s work.”
She laughed. “Smart.”
But being the general contractor didn’t mean he’d be allowed to use one of the playrooms, so they still needed to be cautious.
From his front pocket, he dug out the master key he carried. It opened every door on the property, except for the farmhouse. Only Dayne, Danica and Dylan had the keys to their residence.
As he turned the key in the lock, Erin drew her fingers down his spine and caressed his ass.
Jesus , he missed her touch.
He missed touching her.
He’d been stupid to let it go far too long.
The whole point of working hard, long hours was so he could enjoy life when he wasn’t working. He needed to start doing that again.
His business was doing well. The money he earned from this project put him in a very safe financial position and Dayne had hinted about keeping him on full-time on the ranch as the facilities manager.
If they gave him a hefty salary, along with retirement and health benefits, he might actually consider it. Working a job with normal hours would free him up to enjoy that life he’d been working toward.
If he really wanted to, he could keep his crew on and simply hire a foreman to oversee the construction jobs. But the possibility of no longer being responsible for payroll, taxes, insurance, benefits and everything else that went along with running a business was tempting.
As soon as he opened the door, she stepped over the threshold and waited since the interior was pitch black. Especially without any windows for natural light. He followed her inside and hit the main light switch by the door.
“ Oh ,” she breathed as the second floor lit up.
If that was her reaction simply to the long hallway, he couldn’t wait to show her one of the rooms.
She started down the hallway. “How many playrooms are up here?”
“Eight.”
She paused in front of room number two. “They all have windows so people can watch?”
“They do. But they also all have blinds for those preferring privacy.”
Since he followed closely on her heels, when she continued, he could feel the energy buzzing from her. But then, knowing exactly what was beyond the locked doors did the same for him.
In fact, every time he’d been up here to check on his guys or to help carry up equipment, he pictured a naked Erin in every one of the themed rooms.
One fantasy included her locking herself in a room while she left the blinds open and played with herself until she came. Of course, he’d be on the other side of the window, watching and incapable of doing anything about it.
His cock was already getting hard at the thought of watching her finger her slick pink pussy to the point of orgasm. Maybe even using some toys on herself, too.
Anal beads, vibrators, a pussy clamp, nipple clamps… The list of toys could be endless and bring her multiple orgasms. To the point she’d be dripping on the floor.
When she was done, she’d unlock the door, crook a finger at him, then point to the puddle, demanding he drop to his hands and knees and clean it up with his tongue.
Fuuuuuck.
He might have to run that scenario by her, despite the fact he was the dominant one out of the two. But for that specific fantasy, he certainly wouldn’t mind switching things up.
“Are there cameras up here?”
That question pulled him out of his head.
His cock was now so damn hard, it was uncomfortable. “There are, but they don’t record.” Normally, anyway. The Lyons planned on hiring staff to watch the cameras around the property, only to make sure everything was consensual. However, no cameras were allowed in the actual playrooms or guest rooms, only in common or public areas. The only time staff were allowed to push the record button would be if they needed proof of an active incident happening.
It would protect both the resort and the guests.
“Will that be disclosed?”
“Yes.” He pointed to a sign she missed. “They will only record any kind of questionable incident. By the way, all staff will be signing NDAs.”
“Smart.”
He had to sign one prior to being hired as the general contractor. All his guys did, too. The Lyons brothers didn’t want to risk a contractor or an employee blackmailing any of their guests. That would quickly destroy their business and reputation. If that happened, they’d fall into bankruptcy with all the money they invested in getting the resort up and running.
Ford could only imagine how much it was. His labor charges alone were astronomical. Mind-blowing, actually, and he had no idea where that money came from. He guessed the majority came from the equity on the three-hundred-acre property, the land itself was worth a small fortune.
After David Lyons passed, his wife Evelyn was approached by several developers offering her the world. However, since the property had been willed to her sons, she wanted them to decide the dairy farm’s fate. She had trusted her sons to make the right choice.
Ford stopped in front of room number six and slipped the master key into the lock.
He stepped inside and flipped the switch, lighting up the room.
When he heard her sharp intake of breath behind him, he turned to see her eyes wide as she took in the whole room.
“Holy crap,” she whispered as she glanced around. “This is insane.”
“A good kind of insanity, right?”
“Oh yes,” she breathed. “It’s amazing, Ford. I had no idea that Dylan had any of these kinds of thoughts in his head.”
That was certainly not what he wanted to hear. “He might not have had these tastes back in high school, Erin. As we mature sexually, our desires can change or develop. We figure out what we want, what we need, what we can’t do without to make sex both exciting, as well as satisfying.”
She glanced at him. “True.”
“Did you two have sex back then?”
She shook her head. “We did normal teenage stuff—you know, kissing, touching and the rest—but we never went all the way. I didn’t lose my virginity until Kyle.”
“You never told me that.”
“No reason to bring it up,” she said simply.
That was true. Honestly, he didn’t care who took her virginity. It didn’t matter, nor was it his business.
As she wandered around the room, she checked everything out. “Are all the rooms outfitted the same?”
While she was distracted, he locked the closed door and shut the blinds to the viewing window.
When he turned, he realized she’d been watching him.
A slight flush filled her cheeks, and the outlines of her nipples were now visible through the light fabric of her sundress. “Ford?”
That was right, she had asked him a question. “No. Each room has its own theme.”
She brushed her fingers across the spanking bench. The base was black and the vinyl padding red. More importantly, he was itching to use it. “And the theme to this room?”
“It’s set up for impact play.”
“And the others?” She inspected the custom-made, padded St. Andrew’s cross securely attached to the wall next.
Another piece of equipment he couldn’t wait to use. “I’d rather they be a surprise.”
She shot a quick glance over her shoulder at him. “When you show them to me today?”
“No. When we use them in the future.”
Her breath hitched and she turned to face him. “Will that be allowed? We won’t be guests of the resort.”
He shrugged slightly. “Perks of the job.”
“But isn’t your job finished? Are you sure it’s okay that we’re in here right now?”
He didn’t want to tell her yet about Dayne’s hinting at hiring him. He’d wait until the job was offered and he decided whether he’d accept or not.
He would not be making any rash decisions, especially if it meant giving up or selling the business he worked so hard to build.
Circling her slowly, he inspected her from the top of her dark head to the tips of her pink-painted toes. “No one will be up here today.”
“I know but…”
“We won’t use the equipment.” Today, anyway. If he was allowed access to the rooms in the future, he’d make sure to take full advantage of everything they offered.
He had so many damn plans.
As he closed in on her, she moved away and headed right toward the basket found in every room. It was full of single-use lube packets, condoms, dental dams and the like.
She picked up one of the small packets of lube at the same time he grabbed her hair, fisting it into a tight ponytail. She gasped when he used it to spin her to face him.
“On. Your. Knees.”