Chapter Eighteen
Caroline
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I’D NEVER KNOWN ANYTHING like the surge of pleasure the orgasm had produced. Sure, I’d been turned on before, and I’d experienced heady climaxes at Harper’s hands, but none of that compared to the way that wave obliterated me.
As his hand shifted to release his grasp on the back of my neck, I fell forward onto all fours, vaguely aware of him speaking, yet not able to discern his words.
The foggy clouds in my head were lifting, but rather than being replaced with clarity, there was only a blissful blanket of gratification in their place.
Warm contentment swelled where there was once stagnant frustration, and all I could focus on was the relief emanating from what felt like my every pore.
“Caroline.” He shifted from the end of the bed, falling to his knees behind me and cocooning my weary body. His body heat enveloped me, protecting me from the cool air as he whispered into my ear. “I want you.”
In the aftermath of my orgasm, I recognized the feeling of his cock at my slick entrance, and my lips curled at the idea. Finally, he could fuck me without fueling my frustration.
I turned my head to meet his face. “Yes, please.”
I wanted him to claim me, to remind me that I was a woman; his woman.
He lunged smoothly, his mouth nibbling at my shoulder as my head fell forward.
“Fuck me.”
“Is that a command, little girl?” He withdrew before slamming back into me, and my God, even I couldn’t believe how extraordinarily aroused I was.
“Yes,” I called out as he filled me up.
“What was that?” he snarled.
“Yes, Sir.” I smiled as he grabbed a fistful of my hair. “Please fuck me, Sir.”
“Better.” His grasp relaxed, those deft fingers sliding around to my throat and holding me there as he thrust faster.
Fleetingly, a part of my brain warned of the danger those fingers represented and how easily they could cut off my air supply, but the thought was easily suppressed.
I had more faith in the man who’d got me out of Fortorus than I had in anyone in the world.
He could be a swine, but I trusted him not to do me genuine harm. “You’re mine, little girl.”
He collapsed over my shoulder in a satisfied heap, pushing us both to the carpet below as he groaned with his own relief.
His to use and his to love.
I’d never been happier.
***
“HERE YOU GO, BEAUTIFUL.” Delivering the hot cup of tea to my bedside, his dark hair fell past his eyes as he took a seat on the covers next to me.
Staring at the man who’d changed everything, I still couldn’t believe how fucking attractive he was.
His hair was starting to gray around his temples, making him even hotter in my opinion, and somehow, he still had a body more frequently seen on a man half his age. “You need to stay hydrated.”
“Thank you, Sir.” Stretching back on my pillow, I let out a comforted sigh. “Are you coming back to bed?”
We’d spent the last hour cuddling between the sheets after we’d made it back to our feet, and while I appreciated him taking care of me, I missed the warmth of his body beside mine.
“Miss me, do you?” His tone was sardonic.
“Always.” It was the truth. I never quite felt safe anymore unless he was at my side.
“Caroline.” My name was a sigh on his lips. “I hope you know I’ll never leave you. I don’t know how I ever got by without you.”
“I hope you never find out again.” I crawled from the covers, closing the short distance to where he was sitting. “I don’t want to be without you, either.”
“You won’t be.” He wrapped a protective arm around me, already easing me backward onto the covers, and I went with him gladly, happy to entwine my legs around his torso. “I promise.”
“You promise?” I grazed my fingers through the strands of his hair, revealing more of that sexy gray.
I couldn’t recall seeing so much of the silver when we’d met at Fortorus, but perhaps it had been the whirlwind of encountering me, leaving his command, and needing to smuggle us both out of the country that had provoked the growth.
I smirked at the thought. It was oddly reassuring to know I’d sent his life into a spin.
Twirling the gray strands around my fingertip, I realized the silver might always have been there, but not being allowed to touch him had meant I just hadn’t noticed.
“You know it.” He smiled as my fingers tugged at his tresses.
“So... no regrets then, Sir?”
I reached up to brush a kiss over his lips, relishing the tender moments we shared every inch as much as the carnal ones.
Affection had been missing at the camp for obvious, vicious reasons, but ever since we’d shared how we felt about the other, I’d begun to see the softer, more caring side of my lover; the man who’d hidden behind the regime’s brutality.
“About this?” His gaze rose to the room around us. “About being here?”
“About me.”
“No fucking chance.” He swooped, claiming my mouth while he pinned me to the bed, and for one blissful moment, there was only him.
No past, no future, and no concerns about either—nothing but the feeling of his mouth on mine, and the insistent electric pull between us.
Suspended in time, I trusted in that feeling, accepting it was all I truly needed.
“I’ll never change my mind about us, little girl. ”
“Whatever happens, I don’t want you to ever forget how thankful I am that you saved me.” I sensed our perfect bubble of bliss was fading, as though speaking had tainted the sensation somehow.
The weight of all the potential future scenarios awaiting us landed on me again, the rush of the uncertainty spiking fresh anxiety.
I was out of Fortorus, and as safe as I’d been since his old friends had taken control of Britain, but there was still a wall of ambiguity where our happily ever after should have been.
Even with the document he promised and the security his money bought, we didn’t know where we’d end up living, or how life would pan out once we made a home there.
Harper had told me he’d take care of me, but I couldn’t really allow him to pay for everything.
At some point, I’d have to get myself together and stand on my own two feet. I’d have to—
“Hey.” He rolled to one side and propped himself up on his elbow. “You’re welcome, but I’d hoped being saved would have inspired a little more happiness.” He gestured to my presumably bleak expression. “You look like you’re on the verge of tears.”
“I’m just thinking.” I smiled, bemused at how well he could read me. Living on my own for years before the world had fallen down meant I wasn’t used to having someone around who gave a shit.
“Worrying, more like.” He sighed, tugging me closer to where his muscular body was stretched out beside me. Naked from the waist up, he looked like one of the guys I’d only previously seen on billboards. “Stop overthinking. The future will take care of itself, and I’m here to take care of you.”
“It’s too much to ask of you.” I went to him gladly, burying my head against his chest. There was such comfort in the somatic experience, in knowing there was somewhere real I could finally rest my head.
“But you didn’t ask,” he corrected. “I’m telling you.”
“So, that’s another command then, Sir?” I kissed his soft chest hair, relieved to relinquish control of the apprehension.
After so long having no say about what happened to me, I’d thought grasping back control of my life would exhilarate me, but oddly, I’d been wrong.
Stripped of all my rights and possessions, I had nothing to offer the new world I found myself dropped into, so, for the time being at least, there was no choice but to depend on my dark protector.
Fortunately for me, he required no more than my love, trust, and submission; three things I’d already happily given him.
“Definitely.” He pressed a caress on my crown. “I just need you to keep talking to me, okay?”
“Okay.” Enclosed in the sanctuary of his arms, my eyes fell closed. “I can do that, Sir.”
“Well done.” His tone washed over me like soothing, warm water. “And how about being my good girl? Can you do that, too?”
“Of course.” I stretched an arm around him. “I’ll be good, and if I’m not, I know you’ll deal with that, too.”
My pussy clenched at the memory of the delectable ways he managed those situations. I’d never known discipline could be so fucking sexy until it had worn Harper’s handsome face.
“Yes, I will.” His laughter wrapped around me like a comforting hug, every inch as reassuring as his strong arms. “You never need to worry on that score. In fact, I don’t want you worrying at all.”
I tilted my head back to meet his big, blue eyes. “It might take a while for me to not worry at all, Sir.”
“I know.” Sympathy flashed in his eyes. “I know how much Fortorus fucked you up, and I accept that I’m to blame for that, but please, trust me to help make this right.”
“I do.” My hand shifted to press gently on his abs. “I trust you completely.”
A satisfied silence settled over us, and whatever trepidation lingered waned with the security of his embrace. He was right. Whatever happened, things would be okay because we were together. We’d found each other, and we were eminently stronger as a couple than we were apart.
“The agreement we signed with Fabian ends in a couple of days.” He stroked the back of my head as he broke the contented hush. “Which means we either need to find somewhere new to stay or ask for another short-term lease while we await your documentation.”
“How long might the documentation take?” I traced my fingers along his dark hair, enjoying the way it tickled my palm.
“It’s difficult to say. Maybe another couple of weeks. I’m thinking it might be better to stay where we are for now.”