Chapter 10
Chapter Ten
Giana
“Ireally don’t think you should be doing this today,” I panted, trying to keep up with Merrick’s long strides.
We’d been walking the trail daily for the last week, needing to get out to do some exercise.
Merrick had increased the pace to a run shortly after we crossed the line of trees delineating the backyard from the forested section of the property.
“I have to stay in shape,” he said, barely breathing heavily. Because of course he wasn’t.
I grumbled a few curses under my breath and focused on steadying my breathing, not wanting to be left behind. Who knew what he’d get up to next if he got out of my line of sight? Pull-ups on a tree branch? Weightlifting with a boulder? I wouldn’t put anything past him right now.
The fallen leaves crunching under our feet, our heavy breaths, and the pound of my pulse were the only sounds as the path looped around, depositing us back onto the damp grass, still glistening with the morning dew.
“I did not sleep enough last night for a run like that.” I braced myself on my knees as I doubled over.
“I tried to get you to stay in bed.” He pulled in ragged breaths too, at least. “You didn’t have to come out with me.”
I narrowed my eyes on him until a smile tilted his lips up. I knew it. He was going to throw the doctor’s orders out the window today.
He rolled his shoulders back, and I didn’t miss the wince he attempted to hide. “It’s nothing.”
“It doesn’t look like nothing.” I pulled myself up to my full height, grateful that my lungs weren’t burning anymore.
“It’s actually a lot better today.” He wrapped his good arm around me, directing me to the sliding glass back door we’d left out of. “Besides, if I spend any more time lounging in bed, I won’t be able to maintain these muscles you love to ogle, will I?”
I pushed his chest lightly, but he didn’t budge a single inch. “I do not ogle them.” I definitely did, but he didn’t need to call me out for it.
“You do.” He chuckled and opened the door for us. “Don’t worry, I like it.”
“Get your ass down the stairs.” I glared up at him. “I’m suddenly in the mood to kick your ass back into shape.”
“You can dream, little devil. I’m sure you’ve had plenty of dirty thoughts about my ass before.”
“That’s it. You’ve done it now.” I leaped onto his back, careful not to hit his shoulder as I wrapped my arms around his neck. “You’re going down.”
“I’ll go down on you, babe.” He caught my legs, turning my attack into a piggyback.
I gasped, but before I could say anything or take him up on his offer, Sophia cut in. “I really don’t need to hear that first thing in the morning.” She picked up her mug of coffee from the counter and strolled out of the kitchen.
Damn, I hadn’t even seen her there.
“Get your boyfriends to find you a new hideout then,” Merrick grumbled, and Sophia paused in the living room.
“They aren’t my boyfriends.” She spun on her heel, coffee nearly sloshing out of her mug. “Besides, I helped save your life; you really shouldn’t piss me off.”
“Fine, I’ll repay your generous act of kindness by starting your training again. Get changed and meet us in the basement.”
Sophia’s eyes went wide, looking to me for some backup. “We really should get you some more training.”
Her mouth gaped open. “Really? You’re supposed to have my back. Chicks before dicks.”
“I do have your back.” I giggled. “That’s why I want you to be able to defend yourself. Besides, those guys won’t let you out of their sight unless they’re confident you can handle yourself in a fight.”
She pursed her lips, seemingly debating it. “Fine,” she said over her shoulder and stomped upstairs.
“I think she secretly likes them following her around.”
“Agreed.” I choked on my laugh before slapping Merrick’s ass. “Don’t think you’re going to get out of your training by torturing her.”
“I wouldn’t dare.” He carried me to the basement door and down the stairs to the gym.
“Let me go.” I squirmed, trying to get him to drop me, but he gently lowered me to the ground.
“Never.”
I couldn’t help but smile as he spun to face me, determination glinting in his hazel eyes. I reached up on my toes, and he met me halfway, his lips descending on mine in a scintillating kiss. He gripped my thighs, and he lifted me to straddle his waist, pressing my back against the padded wall.
I ground my core against him, needing the friction of his hardening cock as lust scorched through my veins. Our hands were frenzied as I pushed down his loose shorts and wrapped a hand around his thick length.
“Fuck, little devil.” He pressed his hips into me. “Having you in my bed for the last week and not being able to do anything about it has been torture.”
“Tell me about it,” I said before his lips slammed back onto mine.
“What if Sophia comes down?”
“I doubt she’ll come without having to be dragged down here.” At least I hoped, because my body was burning up, and only Merrick could douse the flames.
“I fucking hope so,” he growled against my lips. “Because only you telling me no would stop me right now.”
“I won’t be doing that,” I said with a breathy chuckle as I pumped my hand up and down, reminding him I was the one holding his cock right now.
“Fuck.” He slipped a hand beneath the waistband of my leggings. “You’re so fucking wet for me.”
I arched into his touch as he used my arousal to circle my clit. “I need you, Merrick.”
“Shh, I’ll take care of you.” He pumped two fingers into me, his lips slamming on mine to cover the moan about to tear from my lips. “Be a good girl and keep your voice down; otherwise, those two cockblockers will come downstairs and stop us just to be assholes.”
“Or maybe they’ll join in.” I grinned as he thrust into my palm, his cock twitching in my hold.
“I’m not opposed to that, but right now you’re mine,” he said, possession lacing every word. The feverish glint in his gaze only ratcheted my desire higher. I liked that my guys were possessive because I was theirs just as much as they were mine.
I thought I might have to remind myself that they weren’t Tommaso when they acted like that. But there was a difference between being possessive and treating someone as a possession, something Tommaso never could truly grasp.
“Merrick,” I moaned as he drove his fingers into me, pushing me so close to the edge. He kissed along my jaw, lightly nipping and dragging his lips down my neck, growling in frustration as he reached the collar of my jacket.
I tugged down the zipper and shrugged it off one arm at a time, barely letting his cock go before I had my fingers wrapped around him again. I was left in only a sports bra, which he eyed like he wanted to tear it off me too.
“Come for me, Gi.” He plunged his fingers into me faster as he circled his thumb around my clit.
My head rolled back as ecstasy washed over me, pushing me over the edge.
My pussy pulsed around his fingers, coaxing a grin from his lips as he watched me come apart.
“You’re so fucking beautiful. The sweetest sin I’ve ever tasted. ”
I grappled with the hem of his shirt, wanting to pull it off him and run my hands over his taut muscles. Yes, I did like to ogle them. There, I admitted it.
Before I could do anything, he pulled his fingers from me and lowered me to the ground.
I was about to protest, but he tugged my bra up and over my head, freeing my breasts.
His eyes darkened as he hungrily devoured me.
The next thing I knew, we were both desperately stripping off each other’s clothes, our gazes greedily drinking each other in.
He cradled me to him and lowered us both to the floor as we used our mouths to explore each other.
His teeth lightly nipped my pebbled nipple as I kissed and sucked my way down his neck before sinking my teeth into his shoulder.
He groaned, fire blazing in his eyes. “I think my little devil needs a punishment for that.” He flipped me over onto my stomach and straddled my legs, trailing kisses to my tailbone. “I should turn this pretty ass pink, what do you think?”
Fuck, that sounded like exactly what I wanted. “If that’s what you think I need, sir.”
“You drive me fucking crazy every time you call me that,” he grunted, sliding a hand down the curve of my ass in a loving caress.
“I wanted to bend you over the table at the diner so many times when you teased me like that. I wanted to claim you in front of everyone so that those fucking creeps knew you were mine, and I’d slit their throats if they ever laid a hand on you again. ”
“Please.” I pressed myself back into his hand as it trailed to the apex of my thighs, and he dipped his fingers into my wet core.
He pumped into me as his palm came down on my right cheek, the sting of pain easing away as he ran his hand over it, amplifying the pleasure that burned through me with every stroke.
“Merrick,” I whimpered. I glanced at him over my shoulder and reached for him.
“Hands on the floor, little devil. I’m the one in charge now.” He paused his ministrations. I followed his orders without a second thought, needing his touch more than I needed to breathe in that moment. “Good girl.”
The praise sent a jolt of pleasure straight to my needy pussy. Thankfully he rubbed his thumb over my clit, sending a shock through my body like a bolt of electricity.
“What do you say?”
“Thank you, sir.”
“Fuck,” he said, slapping his palm down on the other cheek. “You’re mine.”
“Yes.” I nodded emphatically as I pushed back against him.
“You drive me half out of my mind, Gi.” He rubbed the sting away, pleasure singing through my veins and going straight to my head.
I was drunk on him and the way he worked my body, and he wasn’t even inside me yet.
“I need you on your hands and knees; otherwise, I might come all over this pretty ass just from watching you.”
He didn’t need to tell me twice. My knees dug into the mat as I balanced myself on my forearms.