Chapter 11 #2
She’s smiling up at me, her pupils blown wide and her cheeks flushed. “Ready to go home, wife?” Her answer doesn’t matter. I’m struggling with the need to toss her over my shoulder—a total Asher move—and carry her out of here.
Her grin is adorable and mischievous. I’m going to have my hands full with her, and I wouldn’t have it any other way.
She’ll push boundaries and test my rules every chance she gets, and I’ll love every minute of administering her punishments.
“Yes, husband,” she answers loud enough for everyone to hear, then pulls me down to whisper in my ear, “Take me home, Daddy.”
Holy fuck. Maybe I should call her Trouble instead of Sweetpea.
“You’re asking for trouble, Little bit,” I murmur.
Her cheeks flame. I lace her fingers with mine.
“We’re heading back to the cabin. Don’t expect us for dinner,” I announce to my brothers when they follow us into the parking lot in front of the courthouse.
My brothers chortle, and Adrian howls, as I help Jaclyn climb into my truck and buckle her in.
“I can do that.”
“Yes, you can, doesn’t mean you’re going to, though. You’re mine, baby. As soon as I get you back to the cabin, I’ll claim every bit of you until you don’t ever doubt my feelings for you.”
Grinning like a fool at her whispered “fuck,” I close the door.
After a brief nod toward my brothers, I run around the front of the truck.
All my usual chill is missing as my need to get my wife home and claim her, breed her, thrums in my chest. Adjusting my throbbing cock before getting in, I catch Asher’s smirk.
Yeah, fuck you too, bro. He wasn’t any different when he married Emma. Hell, he was worse.
The ride up the mountain is quiet; the longest thirty minutes of my life. I pull her hand over the console, needing to feel her hands on me, and place mine over it—holding it in place. She’s warmer now, not like the ice they were prior to the ceremony. I chuckle. My girl is warming up to me.
“What’s so funny?” she asks, turning so she can see my profile.
“Nothing really, just a passing thought,” I reply and squeeze her hand.
“You can tell me, you know. I could use a good laugh after all the tension over the last day.”
I consider it, then decide I’m never going to keep anything from her. If she asks, I’ll answer with the truth—always. “Your hand is warm.”
“Yeah, so what’s funny about that?” When I glance over at her, her eyebrows are drawn in with confusion.
“They were ice cold in the judge’s office. I figure you’re warming up to me. That’s all. It struck me as funny.”
Her soft giggle brings another smile to my face. “That is funny, and probably true on some level, too. I’m not scared of you, Andrew, just the situation.”
“I know, baby. I promise you it’s being handled. You won’t be affected by anything that happens from here on out. Our marriage will protect you. I will protect you with all that I am.”
“I know.” The certainty of her words is a relief. I know she agreed to this marriage, but it doesn’t mean she truly believed I could keep her from losing everything she’s worked for her entire life.
“Good. We’re almost home, but maybe we need to set some ground rules for going forward.” I don’t have to wait long for her reaction.
“Ground rules? I’m not a child. I mean, I know you have a Daddy kink, but I’m not a little.”
“You don’t have to be to have rules. You’re mine, Jaclyn. Mine to love, to protect, and to breed.”
“Breed?” she squeaks. “Do I have a say in that?”
“Not really.” At her raised eyebrows, I relent. “Yes, of course you do. I will never force you to do anything, nor will I lie, cheat, or do anything to intentionally hurt you.”
“Okay. But you should probably know I got a birth control shot a few months ago. I’d have to check exactly when I got it to help control my periods. So…there won’t be any breeding today.” She smirks, thinking she has control. And she does, but not in the way she thinks.
“Doesn’t mean we won’t be trying anyway. You never know. Birth control fails all the time.” I wink as I pull up the driveway to our cabin. A few minutes later, I’m parking in the garage. The moment to claim my woman is finally here.
After turning off the truck, I lean over the console and kiss her forehead. “Stay there. I’ll come and get you.”
Her huff is cute, but she doesn’t move as she watches me walk around the front of the truck to the passenger side door. When I’ve pulled it open, I disconnect her seatbelt and lift her into my arms.
“What are you doing? I can walk perfectly fine,” she snarks, but there’s a huge grin on her face.
“Yes, you can, and you will, but I need to carry my new wife over the threshold to her home for the first time. I love this tradition, but I love you being in my arms even more.”
Aaron and I decorated the cabin after he returned from the city earlier. I wonder what she’ll think. I turn the doorknob and push open the door with my shoulder, my gaze glued to hers as I carry her in.
“Is that a trail of rose petals on the floor?” she asks.
“It is, it leads to our bedroom. I wanted to make this as special as I could, given how quickly we had to get married.”
“No kidding. Shotgun wedding sans shotgun. Does this mean my husband is romantic?” She kisses my cheek.
I’m thrilled she doesn’t struggle to get down, not that I’d let her unless she used her safe word.
We’re following the trail of petals to my room—our room.
It’s the only room with blackout drapes, though I rarely close them.
Today I did, and the LED candles I set around the room cast a soft glow in the room, and over the bed, which is also covered in petals.
As I push open the bedroom door, I can’t wait to see her reaction if she already thought I was being romantic. “I am.” Then I carry her inside.
When she raises her face to mine, tears shine in her eyes. “I don’t know what I did to deserve you, but I’m so glad I found you.”
“It’s fate, baby. You’re my other half, and I’m yours—our missing pieces finding their way home. I love you.”
Stopping beside the bed, I slide her soft body over mine as I help her stand. There’s no way she can’t feel my rock-hard cock straining to escape from my pants. I haven’t come since my shower last night, and I’m dying to fill her full and paint her insides with my claim.