Chapter Twenty-One #2
I didn’t think—I moved. My hand clamped on the back of Kyle’s collar, yanking him off of her.
He stumbled, his back slamming into the opposite wall with a thud that sang to the savage part of me.
“Keep your fucking hands off my girlfriend.” My voice was low, lethal.
The kind of tone that promised I’d finish what I started.
“What the hell, man. I can’t help it if she’s still into me.” Kyle smirked, and a fiery inferno of anger surged through my veins.
I jammed my forearm into his neck and pressed him into the wall. His eyes bulged and he gasped for breath. I hoped he felt even a fraction of the fear Ellie had when he assaulted her. My fist raised, every nerve screaming to break his face.
Ellie’s fingers wrapped around my bicep, halting me. “He’s not worth it.”
“He shouldn’t have had his hands on you,” I growled, chest heaving.
She kissed my knuckles—once, twice. Her lips were soft, steadying, and damn near broke me in half. “You’re right. He shouldn’t have touched me without my permission. But I can tell him that.”
My gaze locked with Kyle’s. He flinched at the fury in my stare, but I let Ellie work her magic on my hand and slowly released the pressure on Kyle’s neck.
He drew in a deep breath, his fingers running along his Adam’s apple.
Ellie’s lips continued to brush each of my fingers as she uncurled them from the fist I’d wanted to drive into his jaw. I forced my lungs to drag in air, body coiled tight ready to protect her, but also wanting to acknowledge her strength.
She stepped out from behind me—not away from my protection, but into her own power—and I’d never wanted her more. She straightened her shoulders and jabbed a finger at Kyle.
“What is wrong with you?” Her voice rang clear.
“Now, Ellie—” He threw up his hands in mock surrender.
“Ellie, nothing,” she spat. “If you ever lay a hand on me or corner me like that again, I’ll press charges. I don’t want you, Kyle. If anything I want you even less every second I stand here.”
Kyle’s smirk faltered.
“Now that I’m with Drew, I know what a real relationship is.
Not like what we had, which was all about how I could make your life better and revolved around your ego.
” Ellie spun on her heel, hips swaying with fury, tossing her hair over her shoulder.
“Come on, Drew. Leave the trash where it belongs.”
Goddamn. My cock twitched, heat surging low and sharp. She was fire and defiance and I wanted all of it. My pulse thundered in my ears and with every step I took screamed mine, mine, mine.
Through the bakery window Penny waved, wide-eyed, as Celia and Constance fussed over the ruined dress. They could go fuck themselves for the all the help they were.
I was taking Ellie home.
I opened the door and helped Ellie get into the passenger seat of my Mercedes. I closed it gently, even though I still vibrated with the need to hit something. I got in and started the engine, trying to calm myself, but my hands shook against the wheel.
Ellie’s palm slid over mine and her thumb traced slow circles, grounding me. “He didn’t touch me,” she whispered, her hand climbing up my arm until her fingers tangled in my hair.
My throat closed. If he had … I’d have killed him. No hesitation.
She leaned over, and pressed her lips to my temple. “You saved me. That’s what matters.”
“You’re sure you’re okay?” I forced out.
Her answering grin eased the steel bands surrounding my chest. “I’m fantastic.
The look on his face when he realized you were there …
priceless! And it felt so damn good to tell him off.
” She giggled. “And you were so hot. I mean, I know violence isn’t the answer, but the way you tossed him away from me … ” She fanned herself.
Relief cracked open and spread through me. “I thought you might be pissed.”
“What? No, not at all. He deserved it.”
I slid my hand to her thigh, and squeezed. “When I saw him standing over you like that …” My voice caught.
She made a soothing sound to try to placate me.
“If he’d hurt you, I’d have beaten the shit out of him.”
“He didn’t.”
I shot her a quick glance.
“He didn’t,” she promised.
A shudder tore through me, my muscles still wound tight.
I steered the car into my driveway and set it in park. “Excuse me.” I reached over Ellie to open the glove box and grabbed a handful of napkins. Ellie chuckled when I offered her the stack and we gave our best effort to de-frosting ourselves. The more we wiped, teh more we laughed.
Then Ellie hopped out before I could get to her door.
“Ellie,” I grumbled.
She threw me a cheeky smile, knowing damn well her action annoyed me. I wanted her to understand that I liked taking care of her.
And I needed to show her exactly how much.
Fake relationship be damned.
When we got inside, I couldn’t stop myself. I pressed her back against the door. My voice gravelly. “Are you sure you’re okay?” My hands skimmed her arms, her waist, her hips—as if checking for proof she was unharmed.
Her palms cradled my jaw, meeting my wild eyes with steady calm. “I’m better than okay.” Then her lips crashed into mine—hard and fierce—claiming me as much as I wanted to claim her.
I shuddered as her kiss unraveled me. My body rioted, craving her with an intensity that bordered on pain. “Ellie—”
She cut me off when her arms slid up and she tugged my face down. Our mouths moved together seamlessly, tongues tangling, heat searing everywhere we touched.
I kissed her hungrily, teeth clacking, desperately wanting to devour her. Everything about being with her felt right—her lips molding to mine, her body arching into me.
Every kiss we’d shared until now had been a tease of what was to come. A promise.
I was done fighting myself to stay away.
Her moans snapped the last of my restraint. I slid my tongue deeper into her mouth, swallowed her sounds and gripped her hips hard enough to bruise. My hands cupped her ass, overflowing with her softness, and pulled her into me.
She bucked her hips, gasping into my mouth.
The friction was exquisite torture.
“You’re mine,” I growled against her ear, my voice ragged with possession.
“Yes, yours.” Her lips trailed across my jaw and down my neck, sucking at the sensitive spot under my ear.
God, I needed her so fiercely I thought my knees might buckle. Instead, I locked them into place and hauled her up. Her legs instantly wrapped around my waist and instinct guided us. Our bodies found a rhythm, grinding together as though we’d waited lifetimes for this moment between us.
Her head fell back against the door, hair spilling around her shoulders, and her lips parted as she panted, “More. God, Drew. More.”
Her nails clawed at my shoulders. I had no doubt if I wasn’t wearing a shirt she’d have marked me.
“It’s like every one of our kisses were foreplay,” I rasped, thrusting harder, my cock straining, leaking with need.
Ellie writhed, hips rolling in short frantic movements. “So good,” she gasped over and over. “Don’t stop.”
Her legs tightened around me, her breath quickening. Her body stiffened around me as she trembled. She was so close to her release.
I matched her pace, erratic, feral, my whole body shaking with need.
With a sharp cry, Ellie shattered in my arms. The sound of her pleasure drove me over the edge, and I thrust once, twice more before coming hard, my hips jerking, and my forehead dropping to hers as the world went white behind my eyelids.
I didn’t care that I’d lost my control too fast, didn’t care that I’d come in my pants like a teenage boy making out for the first time. All that mattered was her in my arms and that she came, too.
Ellie relaxed and her body went limp. “Mmm, that was good.” Her warm breath tickled my neck as her face nuzzled into the curve above my shoulder, and I realized I wanted to stay like this forever.
With her.
My heart pounded so hard it almost hurt. I buried my face in the curve of her neck, inhaling her delicious scent, wanting—no, needing—to memorize this moment. “It was.”
She lifted her head, her heavy-lidded, satisfied eyes roving my face.
I nipped at her lips. “You okay?”
Her answering grin gave me the answer I wanted, but I needed to hear her say it.
“More than okay.”
Relief washed through me. “We don’t need to go any further. If you want to stop, I’ll stop. You’re in charge here, Ellie.” Her consent was key.
She frowned. “Do you want to stop?”
I nibbled at her collarbone and smiled at her quick inhale. “Not at all.”
“Good.” Her voice was husky, sultry even, making me shiver with the desire to have her again. “Then I think we should take this upstairs.”
I hiked her up higher in my grip and turned towards the stairs.
Her legs slid to the floor and I grabbed her hand as I steadied her wobbly legs. “What are you doing?”
“Taking you upstairs so I can have my way with you.” I waggled my eyebrows.
“You’re a dork.” She kissed my nose. “Well, then carry on, sir.”
My dick twitched at the moniker, and I hurried us up the stairs to my bedroom.
Tonight I’d make Ellie mine in all the ways possible.