“If you disobey, you’re going to find yourself bent over my knee while I spank you until your ass is cherry red so you remember who you belong to every time you sit.”
I released her hand only to shackle her wrist in my own. “Or maybe I’ll tie you to the bed and show you who’s in control by teasing you until you can’t remember your own name before I decide whether to let you come.”
Gracie panted and squirmed in her seat, and a wicked smile stole across my face. “Does that make you hot, baby?”
She blushed, but after a moment of hesitation, she nodded.
“That’s because you were made for me, Gracie. We’re two halves of one soul.”
“I love you,” she whispered.
“I love you too, Gracie.”
* * *
18 years old
Graduation Day.
Finally.
I’d waited, been a gentleman—mostly—because I wanted everything to be perfect for my Gracie. She’d almost managed to make me capitulate a few times while we were hot and heavy. I deserved a fucking medal for waiting until we turned eighteen.
My birthday had been several months ago, but Gracie’s was tomorrow. Today, we’d walk across the stage and leave our childhood behind, finally able to be the adults we’d grown into long ago.
Honestly, I could have graduated from high school my freshman year if I’d agreed when they asked me to skip three grades. But I’d refused to leave Gracie. I’d put up such a fit—I was only seven—that my parents had finally realized they’d never be able to separate us, and from that point on, no one tried.
We’d both grown up in homes with parents whose love for each other bordered on obsession. They taught us to love hard when it came to the right people. And to go after our destiny, whatever it might be. I knew we both wanted what our parents had, and we’d found it in each other.
So I’d gone through the motions, completing my schooling just to be near my Gracie. I never wanted her to feel as if she were holding me back, so I didn’t mention that I also completed my bachelor's degree in our four years of high school.
My plan was to graduate, get married, and start our family, but Gracie had misgivings about jumping in right away. She didn't want to live off our trust funds; she wanted to go to college, graduate, build careers, and be able to provide for our family on our own.
I certainly couldn’t blame her for wanting to be independent and for us to stand on our own two feet. I respected the fuck out of it. Which made it even more perfect when Jonah approached me about a job. I’d gone to him for research on some of my college papers, and we’d talked a lot over the years about my skills and ambitions.
At the end of my sophomore year, he came to me with a problem that no one in his company seemed to be able to solve. No one in the industry could top Jonah’s knowledge and skill, but I let him pretend I didn’t know he could have fixed the issue himself because it hadn’t been a favor. It had been an interview.
After completing the assignment in record time, he offered me a position that would work around my schedule, and I could do a lot of it from home. He also offered me the resources to indulge in some ideas I’d had percolating. Some new software and tools that could revolutionize the industry.
The only catch in the whole situation was that my main projects were being contracted from the DOD, which meant top secret clearance and a gag order. I was still a minor, so my parents were aware of my position and had given their permission. However, beyond my team, the only other person I could tell was a spouse. Which meant no Gracie.
I could have shared that I worked for Jonah to a certain extent, but I didn’t want suspicion anywhere near her, so I ultimately decided to keep her out of the loop completely until graduation.
Neither Jonah, nor I, were happy about me keeping secrets from Gracie, but we both knew that in the end, it meant I’d be prepared to take care of his precious baby girl. It actually worked a little in my favor anyway, because Jonah didn’t balk at my request to propose to Gracie as soon as we were both eighteen.
“Are you ready?” Gracie asked as she walked up, drawing me out of my thoughts.
I slipped my arm around her waist and answered honestly, “Couldn’t be more ready.”
Bending down, I winked before planting a solid kiss on her mouth. “Let’s get this shit over with and get to the good stuff.”
Gracie giggled and poked my side.
“You’re such a boy.”
“You’re such a girl.” I kissed her again. “My girl.”
1 Hudson
18 years old
Day after graduation
“Holy shit,” I breathed as I stared at the vision before me.
Gracie finished fastening an earring and turned toward me, away from the mirror she’d been facing. Her auburn hair was pulled back from her face with glittery clips, and it hung in gentle curls down to her waist. The blush-colored dress she’d put on was strapless, the top fitted to her waist before it flared out over her wide, curvy hips. It fell to her knees with a poufy thing underneath the skirt. There wasn’t a lot of cleavage showing—for which I was immensely grateful because I probably would have ended up in jail for assault before the night was over—but her generous tits pushed against their constraints. I licked my lips, thinking about setting them free later, only to capture them with my hands and mouth.
Down boy. I shook my head to dispel the images so I didn’t end up stealing her from the party before she had a chance to attend it.
Finally, my gaze traveled down her sexy legs, and
