CHAPTER NINE
Dalton
I’d never driven so fast in my life. The truck fishtailed twice on the ice, but I didn’t slow down. I couldn’t. All I could think about was Amber sitting in that car, alone, in what was slowly turning into blizzard conditions.
I should never have let her go. I should have told her no. Locked her in the damn house if that’s what it took to keep her safe.
I saw her car just a few miles from the ranch. It was sideways in the ditch.
And then I saw her.
Standing beside it.
Standing. Outside. In the fucking snow.
Rage and relief hit me so hard I could barely breathe.
I slammed the truck into park and was out before the engine stopped running. She saw me coming and her eyes went wide as if she suddenly remembered what I’d said.
“Dalton, I can explain—”
“Get in the truck.”
“I saw you coming and I thought—”
“I said get in the truck.” My words came out harsher than I’d ever spoken to her.
She flinched but moved toward the passenger side, but it wasn’t fast enough. I grabbed her arm—not rough, but firm—and put her into the truck myself.
“Dalton—”
I slammed the door and walked around to the driver’s side. Got in, put the truck in gear, and didn’t say another word. I couldn’t. Not yet.
The drive back to the ranch took forever. Or maybe it was five minutes. I couldn’t tell. All I could focus on was the fact that she was sitting next to me. Safe.
And that she’d gotten out of the car when I’d specifically told her not to.
We pulled up to the house and I cut the engine. I sat there for a second, hands gripping the steering wheel.
“Dalton—” she began.
I got out. Walked around to her side. Opened the door and hauled her into my arms.
“I can walk,” she immediately protested.
I didn’t even grunt.
“Put me down.”
“No.”
“Dalton, I’m fine.”
“You got out of the car.”
“I saw you coming.”
“I told you to stay inside.” I opened the kitchen door. “I told you specifically what would happen if you didn’t.”
Her face flushed. “You were being dramatic.”
“Was I?”
I reluctantly set her down. She stumbled slightly, and I steadied her with my hands on her shoulders. There was snow in her hair and her face pale.
“Are you hurt?” My voice sounded almost garbled to my ears.
“No, I’m—”
“Let me see.” I didn’t wait for permission. My hands went to her coat, yanking the zipper down. She made a sound of protest, but I ignored it. I stripped the coat off and threw it on a chair.
“Dalton, what are you doing?”
“Checking for injuries.”
I pulled her sweater up and over her head. She yelped and tried to cover herself, but I caught her wrists.
“Stop.”
“You can’t just—”
I saw it then. A red streak across her shoulder from the seatbelt. My insides clenched. It could have been worse. So much worse. And then, what would I have done?
I leaned down and pressed my lips to it. Gentle. Reverent.
“What are you doing?” Her voice shook.
“Something I should have done weeks ago.”
I’d spent two weeks fighting this. Fighting her. Fighting myself.
I was done fighting.
She stood there in just her bra and jeans, hair wild, eyes wide, breathing hard. She was the most beautiful thing I’d ever seen.
And she could have died today.
I bent and lifted her into my arms again. She didn’t protest this time. Just wrapped her arms around my neck and held on.
I carried her toward the stairs and made it three steps before I had to stop and taste her.
I kissed her, pouring every ounce of fear and relief and need into it.
Her fingers tangled in my hair, pulling me closer.
I forced myself to stop and carried her up the rest of the stairs. I made it to the landing before I had to kiss her again.
“What about Cade?” she whispered against my mouth.
“Cade can mind his own damn business.”
I kicked open my bedroom door and carried her inside. I set her on her feet beside the bed, then shut and locked the door. I turned back around, my back pressed against the door, and looked at her.
Just looked at her.
“If anything had happened to you—” I couldn’t finish the sentence.
She closed the distance between us, putting her hands on my chest. “Nothing happened. You came for me.”
“You got out of the car.”
“I know.”
“I told you not to.”
“I know.”
“If you ever do that again—” I grabbed her hips, pulled her against me. “You won’t be able to sit down for a week.”
Her eyes went wide. “Are you threatening to spank me?”
“No threat, baby. A promise.” My mouth crushed hers because I was done talking. Now was the time for taking. I was still running on fear-fueled adrenaline. She was mine and I was done pretending otherwise.
She opened for me immediately, her tongue meeting mine, her body pressing against me in ways that made thinking impossible.
I walked her backward until her legs hit the bed. My hands went to the button of her jeans. “Tell me to stop.” I popped the button, then dragged the zipper down. “Tell me you don’t want this.”
She didn’t say anything.
I dropped to my knees and pulled them off completely, along with her socks.
Then I just took her in again, standing there in just her bra and panties.
The way her chest rose and fell with each rapid breath.
The way her thighs pressed together. The way she was looking at me like she wanted to cover herself and wanted me to keep looking all at once.
“I, um.” Color flooded her cheeks, but she didn’t look away.
“What, Amber? Tell me what you want.”
She looked up at me through her thick lashes. “I want… I want you, Dalton.”
That made me smile. “And you’re going to have me, baby.”
I reached for my shirt, pulling it over my head and throwing it aside. Her gaze dropped to my chest, and I saw her throat move as she swallowed.
“Your turn,” I said, stepping closer. I reached around her and unhooked her bra with one hand, sliding the straps down her arms and letting it fall to the floor. Again, I couldn’t help but just stand there and stare.
Full breasts. Dusky nipples already tight. Soft curves everywhere.
“Fuck, you’re beautiful.” I ground my cock against her, letting her feel what she did to me. Letting her know exactly how much I wanted her.
Then I put my mouth on her.
She gasped and her hands flew to my hair. I worked one breast with my mouth, the other with my hand, learning what made her gasp, what made her moan. Everywhere I touched, she responded. I traced the curve of her breast, felt her nipple harden. I used my teeth. Gentle at first, then harder.
When I felt her knees start to buckle, I eased her onto the bed and followed her down, covering her body with mine.
The feel of her skin against mine was almost enough to undo me. Almost. I needed more. I needed all of her.
My hand slid down her stomach and found the edge of her panties.
I didn’t ask permission for what I did next.
I just hooked my fingers into the waistband and pulled them down.
She lifted her hips to help. I slid my hand between her thighs and found her wet.
Ready. She bucked against my hand. “Easy,” I murmured. “I’ve got you.”
I worked her slowly, learning her. I found the rhythm that made her gasp. The pressure that made her moan. When she was trembling, my name was on her lips, I pulled back, not letting her finish.
“Dalton—”
“Not yet.”
I stood and stripped off my jeans and boxer briefs. She watched me do it, her gaze traveling down my body. Her eyes widened at my size, but she didn’t look away.
I moved back onto the bed and settled between her thighs. The head of my cock pressed against her entrance.
“Look at me,” I said.
She did.
“This is going to change things,” I told her. “After this, you’re mine. Understand?”
“I know.”
I pushed in slowly. Just the tip. Slow. Careful. Watching her face for any sign of pain.
She was tight. So tight I had to grit my teeth to keep from losing control.
“Does that feel good?” I whispered against her neck. I pushed in another inch.
“Yes. It feels so good, Dalton.” Her hands gripped my shoulders. “Please don’t stop.”
As if I could, I thought, pushing in deeper. I felt her body stretch around me. Felt her nails digging into my shoulders. The feel of her closing around me—hot and slick and perfect—was going to kill me. I made it halfway inside her and had to stop.
“Dalton?”
I kissed the side of her neck. “Just give me a minute.”
I was about to go off, she felt so damn good. I drew in a deep breath, then pushed in the rest of the way with one long, slow thrust that made us both groan.
For a second, I just stayed there. Buried in her. Feeling her around me. Feeling complete in a way I’d never felt before.
“Good?” I asked, pulling one of her legs up so it was hugging my waist.
She nodded, biting her lip. I leaned down and pulled it between my teeth before thrusting my tongue into her mouth. I gave her a long drawn out kiss before I started to move. Slow, deep strokes. I watched her face as I took her and knew I’d never grow tired of seeing her like that.
“Harder,” she whispered.
I thought I’d be the one in control.
I was wrong.
I didn’t hesitate, because I knew it was what we both wanted. Craved. I thrust harder, faster. Her head fell back, exposing her throat. I leaned down and bit gently, marking her.
Mine.
The thought should have terrified me. It didn’t.
I’d sworn off women, closed my heart off to love.
Until her.
She came apart beneath me and the feel of her—pulsing and clenching around me—shoved me right over the edge.
I came harder than I’d ever come in my life, buried deep inside her, her name the only thing I could say.
For a long moment, neither of us moved.
I was crushing her. I knew I was, but I couldn’t make myself move yet.
Couldn’t let go.
“Dalton,” she said softly, her hands gliding over my chest. “I can’t breathe.”
I shifted my weight, rolling to the side but taking her with me. Keeping us connected.
I ran my hand down her spine, needing to keep touching her. She was still trembling and I realized, so was I.
“I didn’t know it could be like that,” she whispered against my chest.
I tightened my arms around her. “It’s not supposed to be.”
“Then why—”
“Because you’re different.” I tilted her face up to look at me. “You’re mine.”
She studied my face. “What does that mean?”
It meant I was in deep. It meant I had fallen for her. It meant every wall I’d built was crumbling and I was terrified.
But I couldn’t say any of that. Not yet.
So I kissed her instead. Soft. Gentle. Promising things I wasn’t ready to name and not sure if I could deliver. I knew today she had scared the hell out of me. Woken me up to what had been slowly building between us.
“It means you’re not leaving when the job’s done,” I said.
Her eyes widened. “Dalton—”
“We’ll figure it out.” I pulled her closer. “But you’re not leaving. Not now.”
She was quiet for a long moment. Then she said, so soft I almost didn’t hear her, “Okay.”
I held her until she fell asleep and tried not to think about the fact that I’d just done the one thing I’d sworn I’d never do again.
Let someone in.
Let someone matter.
Let myself fall.