99
EMERSYN
Nine hours flew by. Between helping load the boat and going over last minute details, then sneaking in another quickie with the guys, there was plenty to do.
No one seemed to sleep around here, but that didn’t surprise me.
Everyone dozed or caught an hour here and there between tasks, so when oh-six hundred rolled around I was as awake as everyone else.
The boat rolled out on time, and disappeared into the fog that quickly obscured the coastline.
Despite not being able to see much, being on the water was glorious.
I stood out on the bow and watched the waves pass beneath us.
I couldn’t bring myself to move as I breathed in breath after breath of cold sea air.
I heard Griffin approach behind me, his footfalls loud on purpose so I wasn’t startled, when his arms wrapped around me.
I was instantly engulfed in warmth and a light lingering scent of male cologne.
“You should come get warm,” Griffin said suggestively.
The low rumble of his words sent desire rippling under my skin. I leaned back into his chest. Again, I felt that seductive pull of what I could only describe as happiness. It was a foreign concept I still couldn’t quite allow myself to sink into fully, for fear of something taking it away.
“Just one more minute,” I murmured.
In answer, Griffin settled more firmly against my back, his arms banded strongly across my chest—an anchor. I listened to his heart beat steadily, in a cadence my own seemed to want to sync to. I wanted to live in this moment, revel in it, for as long as possible.
This was love. This was life. This was freedom. It was also safety, understanding and partnership. It was everything. And maybe that’s what it was all about anyway. Not holding on, but instead letting things flow and ebb and surge. Life wasn’t a stagnant thing, so I wouldn’t be either.
I slipped from his arms and entwined our fingers. “Okay, I’m ready now.”
He led me below deck to the room we were staying in. The door had barely clicked shut before he pressed me against the polished wood. His fingers pushed my wind blown hair off my cheek. I wrapped my arms around his waist.
“You seem like a man who usually takes what he wants,” I said.
He nudged my nose with his. “I am.”
“Why don’t you do that with me?”
I looked up through my lashes to see a thoughtfulness edged around a dark desire that always lingered under the surface of him. I’d seen the edges of it on the island—those moments he caught himself before it broke through. But now that I trusted him, I wanted to see more of it.
“Because people have done nothing but take from you,” he said. “I wanted you to know what it feels like to have a choice.”
“I didn’t ask you to do that. I’m not fragile.”
Griffin looked amused. “Is that what I said?”
“No, but I feel like it’s implied.”
He shook his head. “You’re not fragile, Emersyn.” His thumb caressed a spot below my ear that made my body want to sink against him. “But, I want to know you’re with me because you want to be, not because I’m forcing you.”
I scoffed. “Well, I would have killed you a long time ago if I didn’t want to be with you.”
A wicked grin curled his lips. “Oh yeah? You think you could kill me?”
I smirked and leaned closer until our breath mingled. “I know it.”
His hand moved to wrap around my throat. Firm pressure—a gentle warning that lit my blood on fire and made my breath catch.
“I call bullshit. When you had the chance, you hesitated.” His voice was a low rumble I felt straight between my legs. “In fact, I think you hesitated three times.”
I let my lips brush his. “I must have sensed it then.”
“Sensed what?”
“That you were different.” I leaned into his hand. “That you were mine.”
“I thought you didn’t belong to anyone?”
I shrugged. “I think you were right,” I said. “Maybe it was inevitable.”
His eyes flashed in amusement, and his lips lightly met mine. “Say that again.”
“It was inevitable?”
“No, that I was right.”
A small laugh burst free. I tried to slap his chest playfully, but he caught my wrist and pinned it to the door by my head. A low laugh vibrated through his chest, and that delicious smile hovered tantalizingly close. His hand tightened around my throat.
“I’m not saying that again,” I said breathlessly.
“Kiss me then,” he said, and moved his lips to mine in a searing kiss.
I didn’t have to be told twice. Griffin pressed in close and I melted into him. Hard muscle burned hot at all the points we touched, and his thigh pressed between my legs. I shamelessly rubbed against him. He pulled back just enough to speak.
“What’s your safe word?” He demanded, sounding rather breathless himself.
I kissed his jaw, and he tilted his head for better access. His stubble felt like heaven against my lips.
“I don’t need one,” I mumbled.
His hand around my throat tightened, and he held me still as he pulled back farther. The darkness in his eyes was potent and seductive.
“Yes, you do,” he growled. “This time you do.”
“Why?”
He lifted me up by the backs of my thighs. I wrapped my legs around him and dug my fingers into his hair. His lips found my neck and he nipped at my skin.
“Because I’m going to ruin you,” he said. “But, you need to know you can stop it at any time.”
He moved over to the bed and my world fell away as he tipped me backward. I inhaled as my stomach dropped, only for him to catch my exhale when he held himself above me.
“Green is all clear,” Griffin said. “Yellow slows it all down. And red means everything stops immediately. Understood?”
“Yes.”
Griffin grabbed my ankles and flipped me onto my stomach.
He pulled my pants off and his hands found my ass.
His thumbs teased down between my cheeks until I thought I’d explode with the need for him to touch something.
I gripped the sheets with each pass, and my breath caught with anticipation, only to be let down each time.
A whisper of a whine escaped, and he chuckled.
“So needy,” he whispered.
His hands disappeared, only for one of them to come back down in a loud slap.
I startled, but the sting only made me rub my thighs together in search of friction that wasn’t there.
He did it again—and again and again, in rapid succession, until I cursed and writhed against the bed.
My breath caught at the burn of his hand.
Griffin rubbed over the sting and moved to the other cheek.
He brought his hand down, hard. Over and over and over again, until I cried out into the pillow and shifted my hips in an effort to elude the pain.
But, we both knew what I had to do to stop it, and I wasn’t about to do that when the moment the spanks stopped, his caress made it all exquisitely better.
I panted into the pillow, feeling every single inch of hot skin. His hands massaged, and this time when his thumbs dipped between my legs, they pushed against my pussy.
“You’re wet, little storm,” Griffin’s voice sounded strained.
He leaned over my back and dragged my ear between his teeth. His breath was hot against my neck.
“I want to push you,” he growled. “Unfortunately, we have a job to do so I need you walking. But, you better believe you’re going to feel my marks on you tomorrow.”
His fingers slipped deeper, and I fought against his thighs to spread my legs wider. He didn’t let me move an inch.
“When you’re out there, getting your revenge.
” Griffin’s fingers found my clit. “When you’re killing those guards who dared to touch you.
” His voice was edged with delicious danger as his fingers worked devastating circles.
I moaned and choked on a gasp. “I want you to feel my touch. I want you to know who you belong to. And I want you to understand—no one can touch you ever again—” He shoved two of his fingers inside, and I cried out softly as the pleasure bloomed.
“No one except for me and Seven get to touch this pretty little pussy.” He worked his fingers in and out in a firm rhythm that was anything but soft.
“Never. Fucking. Again,” he growled with each thrust.
“Never,” I panted. “I’m yours.”
He abruptly surged back, and I heard him frantically work his zipper down. He didn’t bother pulling his pants off before I felt his dick at my entrance. He leaned over my back, and his lips brushed my ear.
“Give me a color, Emersyn,” he demanded.
“Green—” I gasped. “Fucking, green—”
He buried himself in one solid thrust that elicited a groan from both of us. His pace was hard, ruthlessly dominating, and fuck did it call to the primal beast that I’d heard the call of, but never felt safe enough to enjoy.
Griffin pulled out and flipped me over, only to shove back inside and set the same pace. I lost myself to the depths of his dark green stare, that was filled with possession and protection, until a small part of my brain invaded.
I wondered if he would really stop, in the midst of all this passion and dominance, if I said the safe word. The only problem was, I didn’t want it to stop. I could feel the heat coiled up, growing hotter and wilder with each thrust, and I realized I didn’t need to test it—I trusted him.
The thought cracked the last of my resistance open, and I was overwhelmed with emotions. I surged up and wrapped my arms around his neck. I pulled his mouth to mine, and my tongue claimed his in a kiss that was more breath and touch than finesse. I needed to consume him the way he consumed me.
He sat back and dragged me forward onto his lap, where his hands planted on my hips, and I found a rhythm riding his cock. I gripped his hair in one hand and his jaw in the other.
“Mine,” I said breathlessly.
“All yours, baby.” His hand dipped between us and found my clit. “Come with me.”
I could see the strain in his jaw, but each pass of his fingers and stroke of his cock drove me higher, until his other hand tightened around my neck, and squeezed.
I clenched around him in response—I couldn’t find my control; I’d lost all sense of reality except for what felt like the divine.
Then, just as stars danced around the darkness of us, he released his hand and I inhaled—
The wave rose, crashed, and swept us both away.