Chapter 9 #2
“Depend on what?” she whispers, her pupils dilated. With her body flush up against mine, I can feel every inch of her. Every goddamn inch.
“Who they were,” I whisper back. “What they were planning on doing next. Their status, financially and socially.” I brush my lips across the apple of her cheek, loving the way her eyelids flutter closed and a soft pink colors her skin. “But none would ever be as beautiful as you.”
“How can you call me beautiful?” Her eyes flutter open, and she holds my gaze. “What I’ve done should make me hideous to you.”
Now that I’ve finally gotten the confession I was after, why don’t I feel the satisfaction I expected? I wanted the truth. I wanted repentance. Now I have it all, and my only thought is to ease her discomfort.
I roll her over onto her back, and she takes in a quick breath when her arse comes in contact with the bed sheets.
I gather her wrists in my hand and push them carefully against the bed, then position myself with a knee on either side of her.
She’s trapped beneath me. I eye her with the steely conviction of someone who knows they’re stronger and more powerful, and a slow smile spreads over her face.
“Maybe I should swim with the fishes,” she whispers. I feel a corner of my lips quirk up.
“Never,” I growl, silencing her taunting with a kiss.
My mouth meets hers, and her body rises to meet me.
Her wrists still pinned in my grip, she can only lift her hips, arching into me with abandon.
I slide my tongue against hers, relishing the sweet, sultry, seductive taste of her, and she releases a harsh, gasping breath that I swallow, owning her. Possessing her. Making her mine.
I want her lips swollen and branded by me. Her body marked and aching for me. Every inch of her… mine.
I press my swollen cock, still trapped in fabric, against her heated pussy, and she moves her hips to meet me.
“Tate,” she whispers, losing herself to this.
I kiss her forehead, her cheek, the soft curve of her chin.
I kiss her jaw, her neck, and down the tempting slope of her breasts until I reach her hardened nipple.
I let my tongue dance against dusky pink, just a glimmer of a touch, but it’s enough to make her tremble.
I pull the nipple fully into my mouth as I move my hips against her belly, so hard, so fucking turned on, all I can think of is fucking her like this.
Just like this. I want to feel the walls of her pussy hugging my cock, her full breasts pressed up against my chest. I want to feel her slick, heated entrance, and feel the way she melts against me when I enter her.
“Tate,” she repeats. “Oh, God. Do you mean to punish me further?”
I do, but I want to hear what she’s thinking. I release her nipple. “How?”
“By torturing me,” she groans. “By turning me on then leaving me hanging. Seriouslyyyy.”
“Having sex right now will complicate things,” I warn her, even as I let go of her wrists long enough to whip off my T-shirt.
But I want her.
“Oh my God,” she repeats, and I’m fully prepared for her to lecture me, when her hand goes flat on my chest and her eyes drink me in. “I’ve never seen you bare-chested.”
I look down at myself, surprised by her obvious interest.
“You haven’t?”
“No, I’ve stalked you every single time you chopped wood hoping for a strip show, but I’ve been woefully unlucky.”
“Woefully unlucky,” I say with a snort. “Honestly, woman, you even talk like a writer sometimes.”
She grins. “Why, thank you.”
I kiss her cheek.
“I like what I see,” she whispers, then her hands come to my shoulders and she directs my gaze to hers. “But I need answers, Tate. Honest answers.”
Doesn’t seem fair for me to ask questions and not give honest answers myself.
“Aye.”
“Were you ever attracted to me before?”
Bloody hell, she doesn’t know?
“I’ve been attracted to you since Leith met Cairstina.”
She blinks. “What?”
“You remember when we went looking for Paisley? You met up with us, helped us find her location. Don’t tell me you forgot that already.”
“I didn’t forget it. I just don’t know why that matters.”
“I thought you were beautiful. I thought you were brilliant, and brave, and I couldn’t get you out of my mind.”
Her face falls. “And then I had to fuck it up and hook up with that douche. And I know you, Tate. I know you well enough to know you’d never come after someone with a significant other.”
“Aye. You know that’s exactly why I kept away.”
She had Fergus and responsibilities. I couldn’t ruin that for her.
"We still shouldn't do this," she said softly. "I want this for us. But I won't let myself hurt your family anymore. I've done too much, and now it's time for me to make it better."
I remember how she reacted to my dominance. I know how wet she gets when I punish her. I've seen the way her eyes dilate when I catch her wrists between my fingers. So I give her a look that dares her to defy me. "I don't remember giving you a choice."
I don't miss the look of excitement that crosses her face. I don't miss the way she gasps, trying to smother her reaction. "Will you… Have your way with me no matter what?"
"You are mine, Fran. My prisoner. You won't be allowed to leave my presence without supervision. You are my charge." There’s truth in what I say, and she knows it, but I’ll use this to my advantage.
Her eyes warm. “Yes, sir."
God, the sound of her saying those words…
I spread her legs and glide my fingers to where she’s wet and swollen for me. She clenches around my fingers and throws her head back.
“Will I make it up to you, then?” she whispers.
I remove my fingers, and she groans.
“How?”
“If I give myself over to you… let you use me… let you take advantage of me….” Her voice grows huskier as she says the words, her eyes wide with lust and need. “Will you forgive me for what I’ve done?”
If only it were that simple. If only I could take away the ramifications of what she’s done. If only…
“It’s a start,” I say teasingly, bending my mouth to her ear and nipping the lobe. I relish her gasp. “It’s a bloody fucking start.”
I’ll fight for her.
I’ll work with her to make it better.
And it might be my lust-filled brain convincing me this will work out, but I know that I'd give her anything right now.
I’ll fight her demons.
I’ll fight her enemies.
I’ll vindicate her so the Clan won’t have a case for retribution.
And when I’m done… she’ll be mine.
“Then fuck me, Tate,” she says, her eyes meeting mine in bold challenge.
“Fuck me.” She reaches for my waist and unfastens the button of my pants, licking her lips.
At first, I allow it, relishing the feel of her hands on my hips, then further down, my trousers pushed down over my hips as she reaches for my hard cock.
I push her hand away and shake my head.
“Not now, darlin’. No.”
She bites her lip. I watch her, drinking in every detail.