Chapter Thirty-Three
Royce
Marina relents and scrambles into the passenger seat.
I close the door, walk around the front of the truck, and climb behind the wheel.
Neither of us says a word.
I start the engine and pull out of the parking lot.
The drive back to the ranch is silent. Not peaceful. Not comfortable. Just heavy.
Marina stares out the window the entire way.
I keep stealing glances at her, but she never looks at me.
When we reach the ranch, I pass the main house without slowing.
She doesn’t say anything.
I take the left turn toward the academy, park across from the clinic, and shut off the engine.
For several seconds, neither of us moves.
The only sound is the echo of my own damn heart hammering in my ears.
I reach across and release her seat belt.
She still won’t look at me.
I slide an arm behind her back and another beneath her knees, lifting her carefully from the passenger seat and settling her across my lap, facing me.
My hands find her hips, and I rub circles over her skin with my thumbs.
Resting my forehead against hers, I take a moment to breathe her in, and we just stay there. Inhaling and exhaling. Until her eyes eventually flick up to mine.
I reach for her hat and knock it gently onto the seat beside us before sliding my fingers into her hair.
I kiss her forehead.
“I’m sorry.”
Her cheek.
“I’m sorry.”
The other cheek.
“Fucking sorry.”
The tip of her nose.
“So fucking sorry.”
Her eyes close, and tears begin slipping down her cheeks again. I catch them with my mouth, one after another, kissing them away until all I can taste is the salt of them.
My chest aches.
“Forgive me, baby,” I whisper against her skin.
She finally turns her face and presses her lips to mine.
The kiss is soft.
Nothing like the desperate one from the patio. This one feels like forgiveness. She pulls back just enough to look at me.
“You acted like an idiot,” she says.
“I did.”
“Don’t do it again.”
A grin tugs at my mouth. “I’m a man, Rina. It’ll probably happen again.”
Her lips twitch.
God. I’d do anything to keep that smile on her face.
I cup her jaw, letting my thumb brush gently across her bottom lip. “But I promise I’ll try not to.”
I lean in and kiss the corner of her mouth, and this time, she doesn’t pull away.
She closes her eyes and melts into my touch.
“You want to come inside?” I ask.
She nods.
I open the truck door, and I groan as she slides off my lap. Once I climb out behind her, I quickly march her across the gravel path and toward the front of my cabin.
“Royce, slow down,” she rasps as I practically drag her forward.
Fuck slow.
I tug her in front of me. “I spend the whole damn day trying to focus on what I’m doing instead of on you,” I whisper in her ear as I get the door open, back her inside, and kick it shut with my boot. The sound echoes through the tiny space.
Her hands are in my hair, and mine are gripping her tighter than necessary. Our touch is frantic, and I’m kissing her like I’m scared she’s gonna change her mind and run.
I step forward, pinning her against the kitchen island, and she pulls back just long enough to whisper, “This cabin is nice.”
I manage a hoarse laugh against her mouth.
Then I kiss her again, and my fingers fumble with the belt at her waist. Once it’s loose, I toss it onto one of the barstools, and my hands go under her dress. I cup her ass to hike her up onto the granite, pressing my body into her to hold her in place.
She begins to tremble with need, arching her back.
I kiss my way down her chest until I’m dragging the zipper between her breasts down with my teeth.
Then I lift the suede fabric over her body and let it drop to the floor.
Her soft breasts brush against the front of my shirt.
She grabs a fistful of flannel and yanks my shirt from my jeans, and the two of us frantically start undoing buttons until I’m shrugging out of it.
Her hands guide it off my shoulders, the tips of her fingers digging into the muscle.
I let out a guttural groan as I drag my mouth down the column of her throat, sucking and nipping as I make my way to her collarbone.
The feral need pulses through me as I taste her sweat-slicked skin.
Never have I wanted a woman like this.
She grips me tighter as my tongue explores the peaks of her breasts. My name is a moan on her lips as I suck a nipple between my teeth.
“God, Royce, that feels good.”
She hums encouragement as I bite down gently.
My head snaps up at the sound, and before she has a chance to protest, I’m carrying her over to the center of the room and dropping her onto the bed.
With my throbbing erection screaming to be released, I kneel beside her and pull one foot free from her boot and then the other and set them on the rug. Then I stand and quickly tug off my jeans and boots, retrieving a condom from my wallet before flinging it onto the nightstand.
Marina sits up and reaches for me.
“Baby,” I rasp as her fingers wrap around my cock.
I’m hard and ready as she holds the base with one hand and strokes firmly with the other. When she runs a fingertip over the head, I twitch in her grip, and my breath catches as I watch her.
Her gaze locks with mine, and her teeth sink into her bottom lip.
“Tease,” I hiss as my hands fist in her hair.
Her eyes spark with mischief as her tongue darts out and licks the dollop of pre-cum from the tip.
My grip on her hair tightens as she licks me again, this time letting her tongue swirl around the swollen head a few times before opening her mouth and taking me deep. She keeps her fingers wrapped firmly around the base as she works me with her mouth.
“Fuck, baby,” I groan as I watch my cock slide in and out of her pretty little mouth.
I thrust my hips, and she relaxes, letting me pump in and out as she hollows her cheeks and sucks me deep.
I bring my other hand around to caress her jaw as we find a rhythm, her gripping the back of my thigh with her free hand.
I can feel my cock growing thicker as she pulls back her lips and drags her teeth lightly down my length, causing me to growl as the speed of my thrusts increases.
“I’m going to come, baby,” I warn, but she doesn’t back away.
Instead, her hand moves to caress my balls as she sucks me faster.
Fuck me.
My breaths quicken as my back stiffens when my release explodes.
“Fuck, Rina,” I growl as I watch her throat work. “That’s sexy as hell.”
She’s fucking beautiful, swallowing every drop, before letting me fall from her mouth and swiping her swollen lips with the back of her hand.
I urge her onto her back, sitting beside her so I can take her in. Her skin is flushed pink from head to toe, and her green eyes have darkened with desire, shining beneath thick lashes.
Her white silk panties are soaked through, and I can see the outline of her pussy. I give the wet fabric a tug and drag it over her clit, and she writhes from the sensation.
I bring my mouth to hers again and kiss her slow as my cock twitches to life again.
I break the kiss, and she moans in protest when I stand.
“Where are you going?”
I chuckle as I walk to the end of the bed. “Don’t worry. I’m going to take care of you,” I promise as I kiss my way up the inside of her thigh. Stroking and caressing every inch of exposed skin until she’s a whimpering mess.
When I reach her panties, I hook my fingers into the sides and guide them down her legs.
She impatiently kicks them away. I take a moment just to look at her.
Wet and ready for me. I climb back up between her legs, and she lets her knees fall to the sides.
I run a fingertip through her center. I bring it to my lips and suck, the salty flavor of her hitting my tongue.
Her breath hitches as she watches me.
Finally, I spread her open with my fingers and run my tongue over her hot, sticky flesh.
“Yes, Royce,” she groans as soon as my lips wrap around her clit.
Her hips jump in my grip when I nip at it with my teeth, and I insert a finger and swirl it as I continue to flick her clit with the tip of my tongue.
I take my time, using my lips, tongue, and hands to drive her wild. Listening to her changing breath, I insert another finger, curling and twisting them as she writhes and pants while her pleasure builds.
She sinks her fingers into my hair and holds me against her, rotating her hips to meet my tongue until she’s trembling beneath me.
I lift my eyes to hers. “Easy, baby. I’m not going anywhere.”
She narrows her eyes, and I chuckle as I return my attention to her pussy but keep my eyes locked on hers. I suck her clit with more pressure while pumping my fingers.
She gasps my name over and over as the orgasm erupts, and I lick every drop of the flood that drenches her.
As she lies there, catching her breath, I push up to my knees and reach for the condom on the nightstand. I take the packet between my teeth, ripping it open as I crawl up the bed.
“Ready to come for me again?” I ask as I slide the latex over my length.
“I don’t know,” she teases, a wicked grin curving her lips. “Think you can get me there, cowboy?”
I lift my hips and thrust inside of her in answer. Filling her completely.
“Oh my God,” she groans. “Royce.”
I reach back and clasp one of her legs and tug it over my hip so I can move deeper. Her head falls back against the pillow, and her fist twists the sheets at her side.
I bring my mouth to her exposed neck and suck at the skin just beneath her ear as my hips hammer into her.
“Fuck, baby,” I hiss. “You’re so tight.”
Her breaths start coming in short, soft pants as her leg locks tightly around my waist.
“Damn, you feel good,” I grunt as her muscles contract around me. Pulling me deeper. “Like you were made to take my cock.”
My fingers sink into the flesh of her hips as I arch up and thrust harder.
She slides her hands down to my back and holds on. A husky, guttural noise escapes her throat, letting me know she is close.
I’m so close myself that I’m not sure I can make it much longer, so I slip a hand between us, stroking her clit. I rub circles around the bundle of nerves as I move deep inside her, causing her body to convulse.
She screams my name as she tumbles over the edge again.
My mouth clamps on hers, and I swallow her cries as my climax explodes into her.
Then I collapse on top of her.
We lie there, a tangle of sweat-slicked limbs and knotted sheets, my softening cock still inside of her, as we catch our breath.
Finally, I lift my head as I slide out of her. My eyes go to her chest. I kiss the side of one of her breasts and stand.
“I’ll be right back,” I say before heading to the bathroom to toss the condom.
When I return, she’s hugging one of my pillows, and she blinks up at me, her eyelids heavy with sleep.
I curl up behind her, wrapping an arm around her to tug her back into my chest.
I kiss her neck.
“Sweet dreams, Rina.”