29. Ambrose
Ambrose
I couldn’t recall a time in my life where my blood rushed so quickly, where my whole body shook with dread as it did now.
I stumbled through the field to get to the barn, the one place I felt at home.
Zeth walked alongside me, holding my hand as I led us forward.
I needed him so much right now, and I was glad he agreed to come here with me so I could calm down before returning home.
As soon as we reached the barn doors, Zeth helped me pull them open. Once inside, I made my way to my workbench to light the lamp there and placed it on the dining table I’d made. When I faced him, he was looking at me with concern and a whole lot of care.
Taking a breath, I took Zeth’s hand and held it.
I was still shaking, so incredibly hurt from my father’s rejection.
His defeated expression reminded me of my place in the family, and it tore a piece of me away.
And then when he walked away and refused to give us his blessing, my spirit broke completely. That moment was burned in my mind.
Now, I stared at a button on Zeth’s shirt as I tried to hold it together, but I couldn’t. The button blurred and my nose itched. I was about to embarrass myself. I wouldn’t blame Zeth if he changed his mind about me once he saw how pathetic this rich boy truly was.
Sniffling, I took off my glasses and pocketed them to pinch the bridge of my nose, just as the hot tears spilled down my fingers.
Instead of fleeing, Zeth’s hands found my shoulders, and he pulled me to him, so I leaned my head against his shoulder and let out a sob, twisting my fingers in his vest. My body shook from the fury and shame burning through me.
“If I were one of my sisters announcing I loved a man, it would have been a happy moment,” I muttered against him. “I’ve failed you.”
“Failed me?” Zeth asked incredulously, stroking my back. “You didn’t fail me. Never.”
“I didn’t gain my father’s blessing. Now I can’t give you a home. I can’t promise you the shelter and comfort you need. I’m so sorry, Zeth.”
“You haven’t failed me,” he insisted, but that was hard to believe, and I cried harder, my shoulders shaking as I let my worries out through tears.
He tugged me even tighter to him, allowing me to use him as my support while I soaked his shirt with guilt and shame. Despite my failure, Zeth coddled me anyway. He stroked my hair and cooed comforting words in my ear.
“Amby, it’s alright. You’ve been so brave.
You did more for me tonight than anyone else has ever done.
You welcomed me into your family and made me feel like I belonged in your circle, that we belonged there side-by-side.
” Zeth kissed my temple. “That’s why I tried to grab your hand at dinner.
You already changed my life for the better.
I just wanted to shout it to the rooftops that I’m in love with Ambrose Somerset. ”
I lifted my head to look at him as tears ran along my cheeks, feeling too stunned by his words to even speak.
Zeth released a breath, and his chin trembled.
“Look at me, spilling my truths all over the place tonight.” He raised his hands to thumb my cheeks dry while his gaze roamed over my messy face.
“I love you, Rosie. I never stopped, but the feelings are so much stronger now. I can’t hold them in any longer. Is that okay?”
I’d ended the Somerset legacy… and yet the world hadn’t stopped. The sky hadn’t crashed down, Zeth didn’t leave me. My lips twitched as I realized it no longer mattered what my father thought about the whole thing. Someone loved me, accepted me, and that overtook any other emotion I felt.
I wrapped my arms around Zeth and nuzzled my face against his neck. “I love you too, Zeth. Every bit of you.”
Zeth shivered in my arms and chuckled against my hair, “You just gave me goosebumps, darling.”
I laughed through my tears and hugged him tighter.
This man who was so bitter at me for so long, loved me.
He loved me enough to give me a second chance to be his again.
Sniffling, I kissed Zeth’s neck gently, then kissed him again, and again, making a path up to the underside of his jaw until Zeth tilted his head back with a soft gasp.
I needed him, his touch, to focus solely on us.
I’d just chosen him for life, and that made me so full of happiness, I wanted to show him I’d never leave his side.
I wanted all of him.
“Show me how much you love me,” I said against him, before I pushed him back playfully.
Caught off guard, Zeth stumbled but raised an eyebrow and swiftly grabbed my belt loops to pull me hard against his chest. My hands flew to his shoulders to steady myself, and when Zeth made a low, possessive growl in his throat, I looked up at him to see his hungry stare.
My body flushed as Zeth nudged us toward the horse stalls, our feet shuffling together. When he pushed me against the wall, a thrilling sensation enraptured my body. I wanted his hard hands and rough kisses.
As he leaned in to kiss me, our lips barely touching, I said, “Since we’re being honest… I don’t want you to play nice tonight.”
“Since when do I play nice?” Zeth replied huskily against my lips.
Smiling, I caressed the nape of his neck and spread my fingers out to feel the soft prickle of his hair. “I want your hand on my ass, hard. I’ve wanted it since you brought it up at the river. Make me forget everything but you. Make me yours .”
“Yeah?” Zeth smiled crookedly as he crowded me against the stall. My face warmed under his covetous gaze. “I’ll spank you so hard, you’ll forget your name. You’re going to be my good boy tonight. You deserve my attention and praise.”
My heart thrummed wildly with excitement as Zeth reached between us and undid his vest to slide it off his broad shoulders with ease.
“I’m so proud of you for choosing your path.” He locked his eyes on me as he popped a few buttons from his collar, exposing his thick neck before moving to roll the sleeves of his white dress shirt up those lean arms. “You faced your fears, love, and good boys deserve rewards.”
I was flushing all over, my stomach fluttering so much I could hardly stand it. Zeth was going to give me what I wanted, and he’d called me his good boy. This side of him that took control had me so spellbound, I couldn’t think straight.
Finally, I nodded, finding my voice, “I-I want it. Please.”
“You’re so pretty when you beg.”
When Zeth grabbed my chin with firm fingers, I groaned. He stroked his thumb along my mouth, parting my lips to capture me in a heavy kiss as he held me tight against his warm body. I grabbed Zeth’s arm and traced over the raised veins there, memorizing them by touch.
He pulled away too quickly to tilt my face to the side, until my cheek pressed against the rough wood of the stall.
With a deep groan, Zeth licked my neck with a wet, claiming stroke of his tongue.
He was giving me exactly what I needed, and I shivered from the flutter in my stomach, humming my pleasure in my throat.
“There’s my good boy. You like it when I take control, don’t you?”
I did, and tried to nod in agreement, but the way he held me against the wood prevented me. Yes, I wanted to surrender completely to him. I wanted to play along with whatever he had up his sleeve.
Zeth planted kisses from my tear-stained cheeks and up to my ear. “My Rosie, I want to make your ass so red that you feel my claim for days. You’ll remember who wants you, who loves you. Tell me you want that too.”
“Yes, I want that,” I breathed, needing his praise.
“Yes… Sir ,” Zeth commanded, tugging me back to look at him.
My mouth twitched. Oh, I liked this. “Yes, Sir.”
“Good boy, so obliging,” he complimented. His amber eyes darkened with desire as he gazed into mine. He reached between us to pull at the buckle on my trousers, undoing it. The rough scrape of his knuckles against my stomach made me thrust my hips against him.
When Zeth grabbed my waistband and yanked my trousers and undershorts down, I gasped.
As I sprang free, he refastened the buckle of my trousers below my cheeks, binding me, keeping me still.
I bit my lip as I realized I was granting him much more than my body.
I was giving him my trust, and accepting his too.
His hand bumped against my cock as he straightened, and I sucked in a sharp breath.
“So tempting,” Zeth purred. “But first, I want to hear how much you need me. Don’t hold back.”
I swallowed hard and voiced my approval through a whimper, “Yes, sir.”
“Oh, how I love hearing you say that,” Zeth replied passionately, and swiftly grabbed my left wrist to flip me around.
I stumbled to face the stall, with my trousers still fastened around my thighs.
Zeth twisted my arm behind me and lifted my wrist to my shoulder blades.
He didn’t hurt me, only used my helpless position to push me forward until my chest hit the wood.
His rough hands were so big and loving in hard ways that I craved.
Zeth balanced along the knife edge between discomfort and pleasure.
He closed in to trap me in place with his firm body.
Soft lips grazed the skin behind my ear, and I marveled at his gentleness.
When he shifted to the side, keeping my arm held tight, he tugged my hip against him crudely, until I felt how aroused he was through his trousers.
His touch trailed my shirt until his warm fingers caressed my right cheek with such loving care that I shivered.
“Rosie, when you want me to stop , just say the word.”
I nodded. “I trust you.”
“I know you do.”