Dirty Little Secrets (The Cheating #2)

Chapter 1

SEBASTIAN

For twenty years I’ve been married to the smartest, strongest, most beautiful woman in the world.

And for ten of those years, I’ve been faithfully cheating on her.

I’m not proud of it. God knows I’ve tried to stop. I’ve even succeeded for a few weeks at a time. One time I made it six whole months before going back.

But here I am, slipping into my “going out with the boys” uniform of a polo shirt and worn jeans while the love of my life hums a happy little song as she readies herself for a night of wine, charcuterie, and whatever her latest TV obsession is.

My heart stops at the sight of her in a baggy t-shirt and ass-hugging yoga pants, her hair up in the messy bun she prefers at home.

Fucking hell, she’s perfect. Generous curves and a razor-sharp smile, the latter of which she aims at me as she cocks a hip to the side, drawing my eye down to the delicious swell of her hips.

“See something you like, cowboy?”

Reaching for her, I snag her by the waist and yank her to me. She dips her head back, inviting me to touch and taste.

Would she be so accommodating if she knew where I was really headed tonight? If she knew I had a standing Monday night date with another woman?

Shoving aside the guilt those thoughts bring, I capture my wife’s full lips, pouring myself into the kiss as she lets out a soft sigh, wrapping her arms around my neck and clinging to me. She sinks into me, a move so full of love and trust it makes my chest ache.

Not for the first time, I wonder what the fuck I’m doing. Why I’m risking everything, risking this perfect, incredible life I’ve built with this perfect, incredible woman.

But then the kiss ends and I lift my head. Val smiles up at me, her eyes dreamy and unfocused. “You know you don’t have to go out with the boys tonight.”

I’m tempted to give in. To throw my plans aside and stay here, wrapped up in my stunning wife. “Hmmm.” I return her smile, let it turn teasing. “It’s very naughty of you to tempt me like that right before I leave, wife. I should spank your ass for being such a little cocktease.”

And just like that, I’m reminded why I keep these Monday-night appointments. I watch, disappointment and shame welling inside me as the burning arousal in her eyes dies an instant death.

Her smile tightens at the edges as she steps back, pulling away from me. “You’re right. Go, have fun with the boys. Tell everyone I said hello.”

“Val…”

She waves a hand, batting away whatever I was going to say next.

Which is probably for the best because what can I say?

Sorry for being this way? Sorry you married a man who can’t control his urges?

Sorry for making you feel, once again, like you’re not enough when you’re fucking perfect just the way you are?

I can’t say any of that, because I’m a fucking coward and I suspect we both know it.

“It’s fine.” Her words are clipped, sharp little daggers in my heart. “I’m really tired anyway. Go, have fun. I’ll see you when you get home.”

I should stay. Comfort her, be with her, do something, anything to close the growing divide between us.

But I’m a selfish bastard, so I do none of those things. Bending down, I brush a kiss across her cheek. “I won’t be out too late.”

“Okay.”

“I love you.”

At that, her expression softens just a fraction. “I love you too. Now, shoo, get out of my house so I can go enjoy my hockey boys without you.”

Ignoring the churning of guilt in my gut, I roll my eyes for her sake. “You’d think after ten rounds you’d be tired of that show.”

“Tired of my sexy Russian and his adorable Canadian boy? Bite your tongue, cowboy.”

I give her another kiss before grabbing my coat and heading for the front door.

And try to convince myself the glint I saw in her eyes was a trick of the light and not her desperately trying to hold back tears.

Juniper

“Hey, brat. Waiting on your man?”

Sliding onto the stool at the bar situated just outside the doors of Restraint, one of the kink clubs I’ve been frequenting every Monday for nearly two years, I roll my eyes at Penny’s question. “He’s not my man, you know that.”

Now it’s Penny’s turn to roll her eyes, though she does so with a knowing smirk that has my tummy doing funny little twists. “I know you’ve been trying desperately to convince yourself that you’re happy with the little scraps of attention he gives you once a week. You deserve more, Junie.”

Picking up the non-alcoholic cocktail she makes for me every Monday night—no alcohol if you’re playing, club rules—I do my best to ignore the stab of pain in my chest as I sip the fruity concoction.

“I don’t want more, Pen. I’m living my best single life and loving it, thank you very much.

Even if Daddy tried to expand our relationship to outside of the club, I wouldn’t want it. ”

“Uh-huh.” It’s clear from both her tone and the raised brow that she’s not buying what I’m selling. “And that’s why you refuse to play with anyone else, even when he’s not here.”

Heat rushes to my cheeks as I shift uncomfortably on the stool. “I play at other clubs.”

“Sure you do, honey.”

“I do! I go to The Velvet Collar every Wednesday.”

That has Penny’s brows raising. “Really? If I’d known you were looking for a Mommy I would have hooked you up sooner.”

The truth is, there is a very special Mommy over at The Velvet Collar I have a standing play date with, just like I do with Daddy.

But also like Daddy, Mommy is completely off limits outside the club, so I just shrug, as if I’m not at all bothered by the fact that two separate people seem to think I’m good enough for a weekly fuck but nothing more.

“I’m not looking for anything other than a sore ass and some good orgasms.”

Snorting out a disbelieving laugh, Penny shakes her head. “Keep telling yourself that, hon.”

Annoyed, both at her prying and the niggling voice in the back of my mind that tells me she’s right, I pull my lip back in a sneer. “Fuck off, Pen.”

“Excuse me, little girl?”

Every cell in my body freezes at the sound of his voice.

Behind the bar, Pen flashes a sympathetic smile, but says nothing in my defense as I slowly turn on the stool to face the man behind me.

His face isn’t the pretty kind of handsome I always thought I was attracted to, but rough and rugged, with hints of his age showing at the corners of his eyes and mouth when he laughs or frowns.

He keeps his beard trimmed short, and every now and then you can see hints of gray peeking through, which only makes him seem even more swoon-worthy.

When he’s not angry, his eyes are a sparkling golden-green I sometimes think I could get lost in if I stare into them for long enough.

But when he is angry, the gold darkens to a deeper brown that only allows little peeks of the green through.

And right now, there’s almost no green to be found.

“Um. Hi, Daddy.”

One dark brow raises as he stares down at me. “Apologize to Penny, Juniper Skye. Right now.”

Heart in my throat, I glance over my shoulder at my friend. “I’m sorry, Pen. That was really rude of me.”

“It’s all right, brat. I’m sure your Daddy will make sure it doesn’t happen again.”

“I certainly will.” When I turn back, Daddy is holding his hand out, and I place my fingers in his palm, heaving a quiet sigh as he helps me down from the stool. “Come with me, Juniper.”

I don’t bother to plead my case as he leads me away from the bar. “No swearing” was one of the very first rules he laid down for me when we decided to be long-term play partners, and it’s one of the rules I know from experience he’s the strictest about enforcing.

But when he stops at the base of a large wooden platform rather than leading me back to the playroom I reserved for us, I balk. “Daddy, no! Not here!”

“Yes, here.” There’s no room for argument in his tone. “What’s the rule about being naughty in the club?”

I can feel at least a dozen eyes on me, watching us as I grow smaller and smaller. Not physically, of course, but mentally. Emotionally. There are only a few people in this world capable of bringing me to my Little space so quickly, and he’s one of them.

Dropping my gaze to the floor beneath us, I sigh again as I scuff the toe of my pretty pink ballet flats against the tile floor. “When I’m naughty in public, I get spanked in public,” I recite sulkily.

“That’s right. So you are going to get your naughty bottom spanked right here in front of everyone. Maybe if you take your punishment like a good girl, Daddy will take you to our playroom afterward.”

“Yes, Daddy.”

With my hand still trapped in his much larger one, he heads up the stairs, pulling me along after him.

This particular podium is set up rather simply, with nothing but a straight-backed chair in the middle of it.

Many of the players at Restraint have a fondness for over-the-knee spankings, and they petitioned to have a station set up specifically for that purpose.

It’s Daddy’s favorite spot to use when I’ve earned a public punishment.

Dropping his black play bag beside the chair, he shrugs out of his coat and drapes it over the back of the chair before sitting and crooking a finger at me. “Come here, young lady.”

My body obeys him before my mind has time to even process the request. Heart hammering against my ribcage, I shuffle forward to stand in front of him.

“Eyes on me, Juniper.”

Sniffling back tears, I lift my watery gaze to his. “I’m really sorry, Daddy. It just slipped out.”

“Well after tonight I can guarantee you’ll think twice about letting any more naughty words ‘just slip out’.”

Taking my hand, he pulls me down over his hard thighs. My stomach is fluttering wildly, and even though I know I’m in Big Trouble, my clit throbs with need as he flips my tutu up to expose my bottom.

And when he sighs, heavy and disappointed, the butterflies in my stomach go even more wild.

“What are the rules about panties, Juniper Skye?”

Oh, fuck. I completely forgot about the cute little panties with the dancing dinosaurs I’d picked out to wear beneath my skirt. “N-no panties when I’m with Daddy.”

Unlike the No Swearing rule, the underwear rule came about later. It’s meant to be a signal for him that I’m feeling a bit out of sorts and need more of his attention than usual.

Well. I’m about to have all the attention my poor ass can handle.

Crap.

There’s a tugging sensation as he pulls the forbidden panties down to my knees, baring my ass to the small crowd that’s gathered to watch.

God, please kill me now.

It’s not that I mind being naked in front of people. When I first started going to kink clubs it was a little weird, I’ll admit, but I got over my inhibitions pretty quickly.

No, what I hate specifically is being punished in front of people. There’s something about being so aware that everyone watching knows what a naughty Little girl I was that makes my whole body heat with humiliation.

And my pussy weep with need.

A large hand cups my ass, squeezing hard enough to send a flash of pain coursing through me and to snap my attention back to my Daddy.

“I’m very disappointed in your behavior tonight, little girl. You’re getting a long warmup with Daddy’s hand and then ten with Daddy’s belt.”

Fresh tears well in my eyes. Not because of the punishment he’s laid out, but because of that word. Disappointed. As much as I enjoy being a brat and earning as many fun spankings as I can during our time together, I hate actually disappointing him.

But before I can apologize again, his hand leaves my ass and comes crashing down once more. The stinging pain knocks the air from my lungs and I can’t even cry out. It takes three full spanks for me to be able to drag in enough of a breath to vocalize my pain.

“Owie, Daddy, I’m sorry! I’m sorry!”

“You are going to be very sorry by the time I’m through with you, little girl.”