Chapter 27 #2
He continued, “I don’t care about the requirements.
But if you’d only spoken to me first, you’d know that I don’t think it’s true.
I’m almost certain my uncle made it up and probably because it benefited him.
My income has specific restrictions on how it can be spent.
Richard demanding a bride price would give him money to burn. ”
“Oh.” Shit.
“All you need to bring is yourself, but I think I understand what’s at the heart of this. Truth now, Beth.”
“I…” I couldn’t finish my sentence.
“You don’t want to marry me because you can’t see yourself in the role.”
“Well, that’s obvious.”
“Why?” He planted his hands on his hips. “In detail. The brothers made me cut short my workout for some nonsensical reason of my health, so I’m beyond fired up and ready to argue this out.”
“Because your wife will be a countess. She’ll own jewellery and throw balls.”
James made a sound of utter disbelief, frustration distorting his handsome face, but I didn’t let him interrupt.
“It’s one thing dating you, and I can’t refuse you anything, even your proposal, but can you really say I am what you saw when you imagined your wife?” I flapped my hands down my body. My skull print leggings and too-big jumper.
“No. I couldn’t have envisaged anyone so perfect for me.”
“You’re being ridiculous!” My face heated, because this was going nowhere. I had to tell him the dark secrets of my heart. My last reserves I knew wouldn’t fail to shock him.
“My grandfather, the guy who taught me to love engines? He stole cars for a living. That’s why I love driving fast and at night, because it reminds me of being with him.
Then when I was a teenager, I went off the rails and got arrested in a stolen car.
Fuck it, I’m still on probation for it, and I will be forever because I can’t pay the fine.
If I’d been caught driving you here, in that car I stole, I’d have been sent to jail.
” I counted the points off on my fingers. “Thief. Accomplice. Criminal record.”
James’s frustration bled from his face. “There it is,” he stated, his tone soft like some sort of miracle had happened.
“What?” my voice wobbled. All my defences had gone, and I felt exposed.
“You’ve been hiding behind this. Ever since I met you. Do you think it really matters? Any of it?” James’s gaze burned into mine.
“Don’t say that.” My hand started to shake, but I couldn’t look away from him.
All manner of truths passed between us, and my whole centre of gravity shifted.
“That it doesn’t matter? It’s the truth. And you love me. I’m glad to finally know that.”
“I do.” My damn eyes pricked with tears.
“Then tell me. Make up for this hissy fit.”
Hissy fit? My jaw dropped, a spark of energy igniting inside me. “Fine. I love you. If you’re so stubborn that you’ll still marry me, then nothing’s going to make you see sense.”
“I worship the ground you walk on. Deal with it.” His lips curved, and he bowed his head until his forehead touched mine.
“I will.” My voice came out in a whisper because, holy shit. It had gone. The pain I carried deep inside had lifted. “What just happened?” I asked, in awe of the moment. Of the love in his gaze.
“You accepted me.”
“We’re getting married.” Hot damn. It was true.
“No doubt about it.” Then he slid his arms around my waist and lifted me, turning us towards the bed. “You love me?” he asked one more time.
“I love you. I love you.”
James kissed me, and I made an urgent sound, kissing him back. We landed on the bed, and the quilt crumpled under my back.
“I need you, all of you. Always.” James pulled my long sleeves over my head, removing my top.
With my arms in the air, my breasts pushed up and out, James pounced, dragging my bra cups down and sucking hard on me. He palmed my flesh as he worked me, his noises of appreciation proving his pleasure at the task. Licking and teasing me until I was a puddle of need.
At my core, he ground down, his cock already hard.
I pawed at his running shirt until he got the point, jumping up to discard it.
The scent of his sweat drove me wild. He made quick work of the rest of his clothes, his cock springing free.
We’d made love in the daylight before, but every time I saw his body, I counted my lucky stars.
I was crazy about those wide shoulders, how his torso tapered down to a lean waist. And his strong, muscular arms, with his biceps popping.
I loved his scars, too, and leaned in to kiss them, to lick his nipples.
I ran my fingers into his dark smattering of chest hair. Down his happy trail.
“No touching. Just wait,” he said.
James pushed me onto my back. With infinite care, he laid a kiss to one bare ankle, then the other.
I slid my fingers under the waistband of my leggings and shucked them down my legs, taking my underwear with them, more aroused after my revelation than I’d ever been.
“Before I left the gym, I had an idea. Something to prove to you I wasn’t just blinded by lust and my feelings were solid.” James helped, pulling my clothes off and throwing them to the floor. His gaze snapped to my body. Between my legs. “We should stop having sex until our wedding night.”
“Bad idea. Besides, I hate to break it to you, but I’m pretty certain we’re about to have sex right now.”
His look turned devilish, and my insides quivered. Heat sizzled over my skin where he pressed my knee. Moving it outward. Opening me up. “We’re not having sex now. But I’m about to return the favour you gave me earlier. Get some practice in.”
“But no sex?” I could almost feel him touching me right there, though he only stared, the intensity wonderful.
He took my other knee, pushing my heel into the bed so my legs splayed wide apart. A groan slipped from my lips, yet still no touch came where I needed it most.
“We’ll still do this. We can put our mouths on each other. Just not full sex.” I arched my spine.
James followed my movements, his teeth grazing over his lower lip. “No. This is to even the score. After this, I won’t touch you.”
The shock struck me square in the chest. “You won’t kiss me?”
An unexpected hurt rang out in my tone, and James’s attention snapped to my face. He shifted forwards to lie over me, then fitted his mouth to mine. Our kiss warded away the castle chill.
“I will kiss you. I don’t think I could live without it. But that’s as far as we’ll go. Do you agree? It’ll be so hard to resist and make our wedding day even more meaningful.” His words came out strained. Barely a whisper.
His cock lodged snuggly against me, and I rolled my hips. We both groaned.
I wanted him. So badly the ache overtook me.
“We won’t do this?” I kissed the hollow at the bottom of his throat.
“No. Lips only.”
“Or this?” I arched up and licked his nipple.
James briefly closed his eyes. “You’re going to kill me.”
Another roll of my hips, and James’s blunt head nudged at my entrance, setting light to nerve endings and sending shivers through me. I held my breath, expecting him to protest, but one glimpse at the burning passion in his eyes and all bets were off.
“Then let’s make this time count. Evens, for both of us.”
“Agreed,” James uttered and in a single, plunging thrust, buried himself in me.
We didn’t pause. Taking my hips, James began a rapid pace. I met him stroke for stroke, bucking under him.
Fever took us.
I grasped his neck and pulled him in for a kiss. Our tongues slid together in an erotic dance, and I was utterly filled with James. His cock ramming into me over and over. His mouth owning mine.
He loved me, and I loved him, and we were going to stay together. For the first time ever, I let myself simply feel, and it blew my mind.
“Roll us over,” I begged.
James complied, a smile on his lips. Then I was on top, looking down on his blissed-out face.
I gave him my all, riding him hard. If I’d felt cold before; now, I was blazing hot, my breath coming in hard pants, my whole concentration on the place we connected.
James propped himself up on one arm, the other hand groping my ass, my breasts, his mouth at my nipple. “You have the perfect body,” he said between licks and kisses.
I was so close, the sight of his hot tongue on me nearly sending me insane.
Then he sat back and demanded, “Touch yourself.”
I ran my hand between our bodies. One stroke of my aching clit, and I gave a loud cry and launched over the edge in a startling climax.
Wave after wave of spiralling sensation.
James didn’t pause, his hips bucking up, and I clamped down on him with my internal muscles, loving the force of his thrusts inside me, my pleasure enduring.
I braced myself on his solid shoulders and held on for dear life.
With a shout, James stilled, then laid a branding kiss on my mouth. He spilled inside me, his orgasm pulsing.
I kissed him until we were both breathless. And then some more.
“The next three weeks are going to be hell.” James rolled me under him, keeping us joined in a fast, clever move, and his words broke through my haze.
“Three weeks? We’re getting married in three weeks?”
He chuckled. “If we can get ourselves up from this bed and go and book it. That’s the quickest possible date.”
“Shit!” I pressed my hands against his chest.
He sat up. “What is it, love?” Happiness shone in his eyes.
I gaped, my pulse racing. “I can’t believe I thought this with you still inside me, but I need to call Belle. I have to tell my foster mother that I’m getting married. She is going to flip.”