Chapter 26
Claire
I gasp and my eyes go wide at the sight before me as Ryder carries me bridal style into the pink room at the mansion. The room is lit by a dozen candles. Pink rose petals that match the décor are scattered all over the room. There are gifts everywhere. Pretty packages in every shape and size. All wrapped in a dozen different patterns of pink wrapping paper with multiple shades of pink bows.
The entire day was a blur. I’m glad we didn’t spend months planning the wedding or make a huge production out of it because I don’t know how anyone could even remember most of it afterward.
The weather was perfect. The ceremony was a small, intimate gathering that included my parents, Tiago, Thomas, and surprise guests I had no idea were coming—Ryder and Tiago’s parents. William and Teresa are lovely people. They were a bit shocked since they’d only been given a few days’ notice about the wedding, but they surprised us by arriving this morning. William hasn’t been to the estate since before Ryder was born. Teresa has never been here.
Even though the mansion is massive and can easily accommodate dozens of people, Tiago is staying in his RV out back tonight, and William and Teresa have a reservation at a B if my man insists on accompanying me everywhere I go for the rest of my life, I will not argue. I think he had a sixth sense yesterday. I won’t question him next time. Hopefully, there won’t be a next time.
His lips tease behind my ear. “Have I told you how gorgeous you are, baby?”
“About a hundred times.” I smile. I’ve been smiling since I woke up this morning. I was in Ryder’s arms. Before yesterday, I had considered not spending the night with him last night. The tradition of not seeing the groom before the wedding seemed kind of fun.
But after the incident in my childhood bedroom, there was no way in hell I could have slept in that room. Besides, Ryder never would have agreed to it. When I’d suggested sleeping in another room in the mansion, he’d shut that down, too.
I’m glad. I didn’t want to be alone anyway. He insisted the only place I was sleeping was in his arms—which is where I’ve slept every night since the day after Smith assaulted me the first time.
I turn in Ryder’s arms and wrap mine around his waist, tipping my head back. “You make me feel like a princess.”
“That’s my plan for the rest of your life.”
“Do I get to open these gifts now?”
“Nope. You only get to open them when I say so. I’ll dole them out when I feel like it over the next week.”
I gasp. “Seriously?”
He kisses me. “Yep.” Another kiss before he turns me around, brushes my hair over my shoulder, and reaches for the zipper on my dress.
I’m glad he’s not going to take his time getting me naked. I stare at the long curls hanging in front of me. My mother arranged for Renee—the best stylist we have in town—to do my hair this morning. I’ve never looked so perfectly coiffed in my life. She did my makeup, too. Every time I’ve looked in a mirror, I’ve startled myself.
I might have been wrong about Ryder not taking his time. He’s easing the zipper down at a snail’s pace, kissing every inch of my skin as he reveals it. “This dress is so sexy, baby,” he murmurs.
I shiver as his lips and tongue dance down my spine.
“The cleavage was a bit low,” he grumbles. “I kept wanting to put a shawl around you.”
I giggle.
“You’re lucky that the only people who saw you were family, or I would have.”
“It’s not that bad.” I look down at the front of the dress and grin. It is pretty low, but I got the result I wanted from it. My man couldn’t take his eyes off me.
He chuckles against my skin. “You’re never leaving the house in something this revealing again, baby. Just so you know.”
I smile. Maybe I should argue or be incensed. Sometimes, I will because it’s fun to banter with him. I love it when I goad him until his brows furrow tightly, and he glares at me.
I don’t want to needle my husband tonight, however. Besides, though I’ll never admit it out loud, I love it when he’s so bossy. He’s possessive and overbearing, and it’s hotter than hell.
I can’t resist at least one jab. I just can’t hold back. “Are you planning to pick my clothes and dress me every day?”
“Are you angling for another spanking, sassy girl?”
My breath hitches as my body responds violently to his words. How does he manage to send my libido through the roof so easily?
I’m definitely going to spar with this man every single day because I love the results.
He finally has the zipper all the way down, and he eases the lace and satin over my shoulders until it falls to pool on the floor around me. It isn’t a frilly, girly dress. It’s sleek and feminine. It hugged my body, leaving very little to the imagination.
Ryder squats behind me. “Step out, baby.”
As soon as I step over the silk and lace, Ryder picks it up and carefully drapes it over the dark-pink armchair behind him.
I hate that he’s not touching me for those seconds, but his next words make my pussy clench. It’s his tone more than the words. “Turn around, Claire.”
I slowly turn to face him, biting my bottom lip to keep from moaning. When I meet his gaze, my breath hitches. He’s so intense. It’s so fucking sexy. He holds my gaze for long moments before letting his travel down my body.
I shiver. I feel sexy and exposed and desirable.
“Jesus…” he whispers.
I’m wearing the sexiest, most revealing lingerie I’ve ever seen. I’ve certainly never owned any. Willow ordered it and had it rush-delivered to go with the dress. It’s mostly lace and so dainty it barely covers anything.
Ryder’s chest rises and falls as he stares at me. He slowly removes his tie and works on the buttons down his crisp white dress shirt while kicking off his brand-new black dress shoes.
He never looks away from me. “Do you have any idea how sexy you are right now?”
I simply smile and try not to fidget. This is not a situation I’m accustomed to. I’m in the most scandalous panty-and-bra set, and I’m still wearing the white stilettos. I didn’t wear them all day because I might have fallen and broken my neck, but I put them back on before my man carried me upstairs precisely so that I could see his face at this moment.
Ryder removes everything but his dress pants before closing the distance between us. His hands come to my waist and slide up so that his thumbs graze the undersides of my breasts.
My breath hitches. My nipples are so hard they ache.
He kisses me gently. “I planned to send you into the bathroom with one of those packages so you could emerge wearing pale-pink lingerie, but this is so fucking sexy, the lingerie will have to wait for another time.” He backs me up toward the bed.
When my thighs hit the mattress, I reach for the front of his pants, surprised that he lets me unfasten them and lower the zipper. I’m looking at his face the entire time, but I’m fully aware of his erection, and as soon as his pants fall to the floor, I wrap my palm around his thick length over his briefs.
Ryder groans before cupping my face with both hands and kissing me. Not another gentle peck. This kiss is filled with love and desperation. He takes and takes from me, sucking my tongue, tasting every inch of my mouth, pressing so firmly against my lips they will be swollen.
I love it. I moan into his mouth. I can’t believe this is my wedding night, and I’m somehow a virgin. That was never in my plans. The only reason I haven’t had sex is because I’ve never met anyone worth giving myself to. Once I met Ryder, I would have gladly turned over my V-card, but the infuriating man made me wait. And now, we’re here. I’m married to this man, and he’s finally going to claim me.
His hands come to my back, and he unfastens my bra.
I shiver as the straps slide down my arms.
Ryder releases my lips to lean back and look at me as though he’s never seen me before. The man has seen my naked body every day since I moved in, but his gaze is reverent and burns into me, making me squirm.
His fingers move to my breasts and dance lightly over the tips until my nipples are hard, achy points.
“Please…”
“God, I love it when you beg,” he growls. He lowers his fingers to my barely existent panties and lowers them down my legs before pausing to remove my heels. “As much as I love these shoes, baby, I don’t want you to get injured,” he teases.
I’m okay with that. They served their purpose. I’m not sure I’m sophisticated enough to fuck with heels on. Before I finish that thought, he yanks the bedding down the bed, lifts me by the waist, and nearly drops me onto the mattress.
I scramble back, giving him room to join me. I even find the will to be daring, spreading my legs as I prop myself on my elbows.
Ryder growls, watching me intently. He lowers his briefs down his body, finally stepping toward me fully naked. He glances at the nightstand and grabs a box I hadn’t noticed. He holds it up for me to see, lifting a brow. “Yes? No?”
I hold my breath as I ponder his question. He’s asking me if I want him to wear a condom. My breasts grow heavier at the thought of my man taking me bare. I bite my lip. I could get pregnant. He’s made it clear that’s his intention.
Ryder sets a knee on the bed, climbs up, and drops the box next to me before planting his palms on both sides of my head. He’s not touching me. He’s hovering. Teasing. Making me tremble. He holds my gaze. “You’re my world, Claire. My everything. I’ve never had sex without a condom, but I want to be bare with you. I want to slide into you and feel every bit of your pussy around me. I’m sure I sound like a caveman, but I want my come dripping out of you. Only you. I’ve never wanted that before.”
I swallow. It’s hard to respond.
“I want to watch you grow round with my children. I want you to waddle around this massive monstrosity of an estate while we bring it back to life. I want this mansion to thrive under a new generation. I want it to bloom with light and love. We probably won’t be the only people to fill this space with laughter and children. Some of my cousins will show up, too, but there’s enough space for everyone. Together, we’ll turn the Wilde legacy around. This town will come alive, and tourists will return. It will become vibrant and draw people from all over the country.”
Ryder leans in closer and plants a soft kiss on my lips. “It starts with me and you. If you’re not ready to take the chance that you might get pregnant, I won’t rush you, baby. I bought the condoms for that reason. But if you take this leap with me, I promise you will never regret it.”
I lift my palms to set them on his chest and smooth my hands over his firm body. Damn, I love him. I didn’t know I could love someone this much. Some might think we are certifiable for getting married so fast, but I know in my heart this is forever. I know it with such certainty that I’m willing to take him into my body without protection.
“Yes,” I whisper.
A huge smile grows as his face lights up. “Yes?”
I nod. “Yes.”
He reaches for the box of condoms and tosses it over his shoulder before leaning over the top of me to snag something from the nightstand on my side of the bed. He holds up a wrapped box.
I reach for it.
He yanks it out of my reach.
I giggle. “Ryder…”
“Most of these packages contain sexy lingerie. I will give them to you when I feel like it because I’m going to want to watch you come out of that bathroom every night wearing the finest lace and silk before I strip it off you and fuck you until you scream.”
My face heats at the suggestion and the crude way he speaks.
He brings the box back to center, hovering between my spread legs on his knees. “This one is different. This we need so that I can make you writhe without coming prematurely myself.”
My brow furrows. I have no idea what he’s talking about, but when he finally hands me the pretty package, I tear into it, toss the paper toward the floor, and open the nondescript box.
My breath hitches as I reach in and pull out a pair of soft light-pink leather cuffs. A tight ball forms in my stomach. Need. My pussy clenches at the thought of Ryder using these on me.
He takes them out of my hands. “Will you let me restrain you to the corners of the bed, baby?” He takes one of my wrists and fastens the soft leather around me.
I shiver. The feel of the cuff is enough to make me nearly come. I can’t breathe as he does the same to my other wrist. The cuffs feel restrictive already, and he hasn’t attached them to anything.
Ryder grabs my waist and turns me so that I’m centered on the mattress. He lifts my palms and kisses them both reverently, holding my gaze. “You’re panting, baby,” he says softly.
I nod.
“You want this, don’t you?”
I nod again.
“If you weren’t so fucking turned on by the idea, I wouldn’t do it. I like the way you react when I restrain you. You have from the moment we climbed into this bed the first night. Restraining you will heighten your arousal and keep you from touching my cock so I don’t erupt before I’m ready.”
Ryder holds my gaze while he turns the leather cuffs around my wrists with his thumbs, bringing attention to them and making me more aware of their presence.
I glance over my shoulder at the post in the corner. Should I let him attach me to that post? The thought makes me arch my chest and moan.
“Tell me what you want, baby,” Ryder insists.
I look back at him, licking my lips.
“Tell me, Claire,” he demands. “Ask me to restrain you.”
Fuck, he’s intense. I’m so damn horny. I want everything with him. I could never deny him anything. I swallow and find the will to speak. “Please restrain me, Ryder.”
He bends down to give me another chaste kiss before lifting my arm over my head and attaching my wrist to the post. When he does the same on the other side, I moan. Being stretched out like this, I feel ten times more exposed.
Emotions consume me. The most important one is love.