Chapter 29
James and I crept down the hallway, snickering like teenagers and checking over our shoulders to make sure that no one had caught onto us. I swayed, tipsy, but the cocktails that Angel and Shi had been slinging all night had nothing to do with the giddy feeling fluttering in my stomach.
With James’s hand in mine, I thumbed the ring on his finger, the one I’d replaced just hours ago. It was the same ring I’d given to him after we got engaged, but somehow this felt different.
My ring, the silver one with the thin sapphire band, sat a little easier on my hand—especially knowing that soon, it would have more than one meaning. James had explained it to me over dinner, when all eyes were on Kian and Hannah sharing their first dance.
“It’s Elizabeth’s sapphire.”
“What?”
“The sapphire in your ring.”
James had made the confession while I had a mouthful of chicken. I choked, but he only smiled and handed me my water until the coughs subsided. A few guests turned to see if I was all right.
James moved his chair closer and lowered his voice.
“After I broke into my office before the fire, I swiped Elizabeth’s necklace from my desk.
Something told me to get it, and I’m so glad I followed that hunch.
” I set down my fork, and James took my hand.
“You’re my mate. You are my everything. The moment we met, I knew you were it for me.
Elizabeth would have loved you, and I knew she wouldn’t want me to be holding onto such strong feelings about her death centuries later. ”
Oh shit. That heat behind my eyes returned again. Swallowing, I reached for my water. “James…”
“When I decided to propose to you, I had the pendant and the silver melted down to form your ring. When we learned that you might be stronger than Elizabeth or I ever was, I traded rings last month. I had it redone and increased the purity of the silver. It still won’t be enough to hurt you, but you felt the difference the moment I put it on your finger.
It won’t always feel that way. Once you adjust, it’ll be like any ordinary jewelry. ”
Looking down at the ring now, I smiled. He was wrong. It meant so much more.
It had already meant the world to me from the second he slipped it onto my finger at the bar, but after learning that? I couldn’t contain myself anymore, and I all but dragged him away from the dinner table and back to the hotel.
“Fucking finally,” I muttered as the door to our penthouse suite swung open. Chuckling, James let the door slam shut behind us.
My back pressed against the wood of the door, my husband’s hands roaming my body.
Christ, I’d only just gotten accustomed to the word fiancé.
Before my brain could spiral, James sealed his mouth over mine and reminded me of how much I loved this.
How I craved the familiarity of his taste, the metallic copper tinted by the woodsy bite of the whiskey he’d been sipping all night.
If I had my way, I would’ve hauled him to bed right after the ceremony. Having to sit through a meal and reception was torture, especially with his fingers tickling high on my thigh beneath the table and the way he kept shooting me suggestive looks when he thought no one else was looking.
When the attention shifted to Hannah and Kian, James and I made a break for it.
I tilted my head to deepen the kiss, and James automatically opened up for me. Our tongues tangled, battling to see who would win out for dominance this time around. My fingers speared through James’s hair, latching onto thick fistfuls and tugging. When he moaned, I knew I’d won.
Smiling against his mouth, I began to back him toward the bed. Eager hands fumbled at tux jackets, which hit the floor soon after. Shirt buttons came undone, the metallic clink of belts echoing through the room.
“Fuck, I love you,” James murmured, unfastening my pants and shoving them down my legs.
I kicked out of them, then returned the favor. With nothing but two thin layers of fabric separating us now, I grabbed him by the hips and hauled him into me.
“I love you so much,” I said, the hard ridge of his cock grinding against my own. Planting a hand in the middle of his chest, I shoved, knocking the unsuspecting James to the bed. “Lie back.”
Happily, he scrambled to the middle of the bed. Moonlight streamed through the window, highlighting the curves of his body. James sank his teeth into his bottom lip, eyes raking over me.
“Come on, love,” he begged, lip quirking into a grin. “Don’t keep your husband waiting.”
Hooking my thumbs behind the elastic of my boxer briefs, I dropped to the floor and kicked them away. James’s attention followed my hand as I fisted my cock, giving myself one slow stroke. He watched, licking his lips.
I crawled onto the bed gently. I threw one leg over him, straddling his lap and sitting back on his thighs. Strong hands landed on my legs, and he massaged up toward my hips.
“You’re killing me, Ryder.” His voice was gravel.
“What is it you’re always telling me?” I asked, leaning over him and bracing myself on the pillows next to his head. “Being patient will be worth it?”
His laugh vibrated my chest. I ground against his erection, pulling a growl from deep in his chest. “Of course you pick now to take my advice.”
I kissed him, smothering any other smart comments he may have had.
I had to admit, it was nice to be on the other side of the teasing for once.
Feeding a hand between us, I massaged his cock through his boxer briefs, feeling the wet slick of precome spreading beneath my thumb.
He throbbed in my hand, already close to release.
I didn’t need to wonder how much it would take to have him coming in his underwear—I already knew, and that sent a rush of blood south so fast that I grew lightheaded.
James groaned into the kiss as I let go of him, lacing our fingers together and pinning his hands above his head. I broke away, gasping for air.
I wondered what it would be like when I didn’t need to do that anymore.
“Tonight, James Campbell-Clark,” I panted, fumbling in the nightstand until I withdrew the bottle of lube, “you’re going to prep me. Then I’m going to take you for one hell of a ride. After that, I want you to turn me.”
“Ryder—”
“I’m not finished.” To my surprise, James zipped it.
The lube clicked open and I poured some into James’s outstretched hand.
“It’s going to work this time. I know it.
” James’s hips kicked up into mine, and I grinned, holding up my left hand.
“This ring is Elizabeth’s blessing. With that, and the fact that my parents love you, the reading Victoria gave me is complete.
” I worked my hands between my thighs, wiggling James’s underwear down his legs to free his erection.
“So I want you to do it. I don’t care what it takes, or how much it hurts.
I know it might be difficult and painful, but don’t stop until it works. ”
Leaning over, I gasped as James’s slick fingers teased between my cheeks. My lips brushed his. I poured lube into my palm and slipped my hand between us, stroking James’s cock.
“I trust you.”
“Fuck, Ryder.” James pushed through with one finger and I moaned, quickly begging for another.
My hand shuttled over his cock, slicking him up for me to sink down easily when the time came, but James wasn’t letting that happen as fast as I wanted.
He spread and scissored his fingers, frustrating me by adding a third.
I snarled when he tapped my prostate. He continued to assault that sweet spot inside of me until I was at the end of my rope.
I trembled in his arms, struggling to keep myself upright.
My cock wept, dripping a puddle onto James’s stomach. He watched, damn near drooling.
All too soon, I couldn’t take it anymore. I scrabbled at his arm, rising onto my knees and reaching behind me to line his dick up with my entrance. Hands on my hips, he barely had time to brace himself before I sank down, sighing as I stretched around inch after glorious inch of him.
“Fuck, you feel good, Ryder,” James puffed, body vibrating with the effort of staying still. “And you look even better.”
With deep breaths, I rocked my hips until I was fully seated, swiveling to feel his cock shift inside me.
My hands found his, fingers twisting together.
I didn’t often need much time to adjust to him, but something about this moment made me want to take those extra few seconds to enjoy it—to enjoy him.
With my husband buried deep inside me, I held my breath until the initial discomfort faded, giving way to but the feeling of being full.
James shifted, patience wearing thin. I couldn’t help but smile.
“Come on, love,” he said, the set of his jaw and the rough husk to his voice giving away his fading resolve.
I peered down at him through heavy-lidded eyes, working for each hard-earned breath.
Slowly rolling my hips, my eyes flitted to his neck, where his silver chain glittered in the moonlight.
A year ago, the thought of being bitten without him wearing that particular piece of jewelry scared me to death.
The idea of turning, the idea of being bound to one person for the rest of time was my biggest fear.
But unbeknownst to me, fate had already decided that for me, bite or no bite.
James and I were entwined in every way possible. That damn vampire had wormed his way into my bed, into my life… and into my heart.
I wouldn’t have it any other way.
Months ago, at the beach house, I pleaded with him to keep the chain on. I wasn’t ready to turn yet, wasn’t ready to address what it meant for me. There were times in the beginning where I wouldn’t so much as kiss him without making sure that chain was securely in place.
Now, I leaned over and curled one hand around his neck, working the clasp open and throwing the jewelry across the room. The change in angle had James knocking against my prostate, and I cried into his mouth as he hauled me in for a blistering kiss.
I couldn’t hold back anymore. James anchored his feet on the mattress, slamming into me until I swore I could feel him in my throat. He set the pace, fucking into me at an inhuman speed.
The burn was intense, scorching every inch of my skin. For some, it may have been too much, but for me it was just enough. I’d always liked it rough, but something about being able to feel James in every part of me had me riding the edge faster than I was riding him.
Nipping at his lip to break the kiss, I turned my attention to his neck, making sure he heard my next words right in his ear. Tingling built in the base of my spine, and I fought hard to stave it off. “I’m close.”
James’s hands tightened onto my hips, pulling me onto his cock harder with each thrust. “Sit up for me, love.”
I did, feeling him hit parts of me that I never even knew existed. I swayed on the spot, but with his hands on me, I felt safe, secure.
I knew he’d never let me fall.
James squeezed, thumbs bound to leave bruises on my hips, but I didn’t care. The man could mark me up in any damn way he wanted, and I’d thank him for it.
Soon enough, I’d have multiple marks all over my body—just from him.
The thought alone sent me careening over the edge before I could stop it.
I moaned, my cock pulsing my release onto James’s stomach and chest. With a primal snarl, James picked up speed.
Had it not been for his tight grip on my waist, I was sure he would’ve sent me right through the ceiling.
My heartbeat thundered in my ears, the organ damn near bursting through my skin as I came down from the high.
I held on tight, almost feeling a second wave of pleasure build before James’s cock swelled inside me, a hot rush of come flooding my ass a moment later.
I relaxed in his arms, a contented sigh pressing past my lips and a satisfied grin curling my mouth.
I’d always enjoyed being claimed by my partners, but this was different.
This was James. My husband and partner in every way that mattered.
Mate bond or no, I’d chosen him. Those feelings that I’d been so scared of for so long were now something I welcomed with open arms.
Even as the highs from our orgasms faded and the reality of what was about to happen trickled in, I banished the nerves.
As I caught my breath, James’s left hand trailed up my stomach, my chest, until my fingers threaded through his.
Our rings knocked together, and I brushed his with my finger, reflecting on all we’d been through that brought us to that moment.
A couple of years ago, I watched Raleigh and Angel get married. Raleigh had tried to tell me that I’d understand wanting to settle down too, but I never imagined it would happen in such a short time.
“Love,” James said, pulling me from my thoughts.
I gazed into the deep-red eyes that had become my security blanket lately. One glance, and I could feel the tension easing from my body. “Hm?”
“Are you ready?”
My answer was instant. “I’m ready.”