My head jerked and sitting with me at the table with an elaborate tea service on it, a tiered plate of perfectly decorated petit fours was my aunt. Her lined, sneering face was topped with a huge, wide brimmed, heavily decorated, absurd hat.

“What?” I asked.

“You never pay attention, Anya,” she snapped. “Look around. What do you see?”

I looked around then looked at her.

“Beauty,” I answered.

“Trash, Anya, it’s trash, you’re trash,” she leaned across the table, slamming her own tea cup down and hissed, “he’s trash.”

Then everything melted and she was sitting in her preposterous hat and all around her was tall, steaming, reeking piles of hideous trash.

* * * * *

I jerked awake, my eyes opening and I pulled in a breath thinking in that split second I hoped I didn’t wake Knight. He seriously hated it when I had a bad dream.

Since I was pressed to his side, head resting on his chest and his arm was around me, this hope was dashed quickly and I knew it when his arm got tight.

“Anya,” he growled, sleepy, sexy, rough and annoyed.

“I’m okay,” I whispered.

Nothing.

Then, “I change my mind, I’m glad that motherfucker bled out in the yard.”

Oh boy.

“What was this one about?” he asked.

The room was dark. I knew it was late since it was summer so dawn kissed Knight’s apartment early. But Knight had told me weeks ago that he wanted me to talk out each dream, thinking if I let it go, they’d eventually let go of me.

So far, this wasn’t working.

“It’s still dark, let’s go back to sleep,” I whispered.

“I won’t ask again.”

I sighed then I told him quickly about tea, filtered lenses, my aunt, her hat and trash.

“That f**kin’ cunt,” he grumbled, “follows you in your dreams.”

“I’m okay.”

Nothing, but his arm was still tight.

“Honey, seriously. I’m used to this. I’ve been having them for years,” I assured.

“We’re gonna see about you stoppin’ having them.”

Finally I lifted my head and looked at his shadowed face. “I’m used to them, sweetheart. But it bugs me that I wake you. Maybe I should sleep –”

I didn’t finish.

Knight’s arm got super tight and he pulled me on him and up so my face was at his.

“Don’t finish that. Not gonna happen.”

“Okay,” I whispered.

“We talk ‘em out.”

“Okay,” I repeated on a whisper.

“You had trash, her. Now you’re livin’ clean,” he informed me.

“Okay.”

“I had shit for a good while then I had good, Anya, and you’re still the most beautiful thing that’s touched my life. Mark that ‘cause it’s true. Ask Viv. Ask Sandrine. Ask Rhash. Ask Kurt. They all think the f**kin’ world of you. Mark that. Take that into your dreams.”

God, my boyfriend was so awesome.

“Okay, honey.”

I felt his eyes on me through the dark.

“That f**kin’ cunt, followin’ you in your dreams,” he muttered.

He still sounded pissed.

I needed to do something about that.

So I did.

My hand trailed down his chest, down to his abs and I nearly got to my destination before his fingers wrapped around my wrist.

“Where’s that goin’?” he growled.

“Your voice is sexy, sleepy rough,” I said softly. “I wanna hear you groan like that.”

“Don’t want your hand,” he stated.

Damn.

“Want your mouth.”

Yay!

“Get between my legs, baby.”

Oh yeah.

“Okay,” I whispered and his arm squeezed.

“Okay what?”

“Okay, Daddy.”

His hand let me go as he muttered, “Good, baby, now position and take Daddy in your mouth.”

I shifted and kissed his chest. I shifted again and kissed his tight abs. I shifted again and got between his legs. He cocked his knees and I saw he was stroking himself, preparing for me.

I took over and made my Daddy groan sexy, sleepy, rough.

* * * * *

I was walking from the coffeepot with my fresh mug of joe when Knight rounded the corner into the kitchen wearing an AC/DC tee and faded jeans.

I smiled at him.

One side of his lips tipped up then his eyes dropped immediately to my tee that was his tee. He was clearly headed to coffee and I was about to pass him but stopped when his arm went out, hooking me around my belly.

He pulled me to his front and I adjusted my coffee so we didn’t have spillage and second degree burns.

Then his hand dipped down and up so it was cupped on the bare skin of my bottom.

I stared into his eyes.

“Scary, crazy, hot punishment followed by f**kin’ my baby hard notwithstanding, this is definitely my favorite birthday present.”

It was a week and a half after his birthday and I was in his Black Sabbath tee.

“Cool,” I whispered, his lips twitched then his head dropped and he touched them to mine.

Then he let me go and went to coffee. I watched his ass move in his jeans then when he stopped and grabbed the pot, I moved out of the kitchen, skirted the sunken living room and out the opened glass door to sit on a cushy, streamlined gray cushion on his wrought iron furniture.

Plans were in high gear for the grand opening party of my spa that was two and a half weeks away. Mahleena was planning that too. Knight’s marketing firm was advertising it. I had hired staff. Manicures, pedicures, facials, body scrubs, massages and hair, the whole shebang. We even had a small steam sauna, a Jacuzzi and a shower. All low lighting (except the hair stations). Relaxing. Tranquil. The minute you entered, you got in the mood to let it all go and indulge.

I couldn’t wait.

I was still riding the high of Knight’s birthday. Not only was he moved by what I’d done for him, the next day, he took a birthday call from his Mom and Dad and he talked about me with me right there. And all he said was good.

He was Knight so it wasn’t flowery compliments but he did tell his Dad, his eyes on me, “She’s beautiful, Dad. You see her, you won’t believe your eyes. You’ll think you’re dreamin’.”

And I thought that was pretty flowery or at least it did a number on me.

He told them they had to come out to meet me or we’d be going to Hawaii soon so I could meet them.