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was too soon. He hadn’t accomplished what he’d set out to do.
    “It was none of your business.” She thumped his calf with her palm.
    “You’ve always been my business.” He smoothed his palm up to her buttocks and stroked it in circles.
    “Not when you were out there making a life and thinking about not coming back.” She shook her head adamantly.
    “I always planned to come back. I simply didn’t know if a life together here would be possible.” He’d always planned to be with her. He knew he’d made that clear, but she apparently didn’t fully believe it. He didn’t know how to prove it to her other than telling her and showing her that he wasn’t walking away.
    “Yeah, right, you say that now.” She sounded doubtful and he knew he’d see a distinct twist to those beautiful lips if she faced him.
    Time to get control of this conversation. She’d succeeded in distracting him once. Not again. It was time to do some distracting of his own. He drew his fingers down the crease of her buttocks, but didn’t press between them. He continued down until he found the plump, slick lips of her pussy. Nudging her legs a little wider, he pressed between them to trace around the entrance. Juices coated his fingers. He wanted to hear her cry his name again, but first there was one more question.
    “How did you get involved with Tobias Sorensen?” He looked down at her, watching for some kind of reaction.
    “I’m not involved with him. I haven’t met him. I don’t think anyone in the company has. As far as I know, he wants to try to set up some kind of small retreat and wanted to buy some of our wine, nuts and fruit. The first business meeting hasn’t even taken place.” She turned her head and frowned at him. He could see the confusion in her eyes.
    He nodded, but that worried him even more than if she’d met Sorensen on the street. Jericho had heard the man talking about her as if he knew her and they had a relationship. Some of the things hadn’t jibed with what he knew of Charleigh. Was the man playing some kind of game to make another woman jealous? Jericho didn’t know, but he would feel better once Charleigh realized she was his. He could move her in with him. Sorensen would see that she wasn’t available.
    “Good. Now on to your punishment.” He smiled. His fingers trailed down to flick her clit before drawing his hand from between her legs.
    “If you’re waiting for an agreement—” Her words ended on a yelp as his palm landed on her bare ass.
    “Not agreement, Charleigh, just your full attention.” He smoothed his hand over the spot where his palm had landed, feeling the heat beginning to rise beneath his hand.
    She didn’t fight or wriggle to get off his lap. He knew if she really didn’t want this, she would. The first time he’d warmed her rear, she’d bitten him before she realized how hot the stinging swats made her.
    He landed two solid swats before he let his hand wander over her thigh. He picked up the toy from the cushion at his side. The round head nudged the lips of her pussy and she gasped. Her body tensed. He slowly pushed the vibrator into her pussy and turned it on. He wanted to make sure she went wild with this spanking. She needed to remember how he could make her feel. Each response and concession almost seemed to be another tie that would make it harder for her to deny the feelings between them. Using his palm, he pressed the vibrator into her while he stroked her clit a few times. Her hips rocked against his leg.

Chapter Five
     
    The vibrator wasn’t necessary. Charleigh knew it. He could have taken her to the heights with only his fingers. He didn’t fuck her with it. He kept it pressed deep. His fingers circled her clit. The toy thrummed inside her. The vibration and the slow rotation of those wonderful, magical fingers had her rocking her hips against them. She loved the way he touched her. Even when he was gently stroking or holding her, he claimed, his