Chapter Twenty-Three
Low, smoky gray clouds cover the sky, keeping out the sunlight for most of the day. I’ve never been a girl afraid of thunderstorms and even appreciate their chaos. I’m taking full advantage of this cozy day by curling up in bed with my Kindle. I’ve only moved to take a quick shower, then came to lay under the thick comforter. Every few minutes, flashes of lightning light up the dark bedroom.
Jack barges in through the front door just as a loud crashing sound and vibration from the storm rattle the shutters. Startled, I yelp and inadvertently throw my Kindle across the room. Jack is standing in the door frame to the bedroom.
“Shit. You’ve got to stop scaring me like that.”
I laugh, but his demeanor is off. When he left, he said not to expect him until later in the afternoon, and from the way he stalked toward me with a straight face, I could tell the meeting did not go as planned.
“Take off your clothes,” he commands, loosening the tie around his neck. His shoulders are square, and his eyes blaze as they pin me from across the room. He stands hidden beneath the shadows in the doorway.
“Excuse me?” My eyes widen. I stare at his silhouette, slowly moving toward me and out of the blanket of the obscure darkness. What the hell did he just say?
“Take off your clothes, Piper,” he repeats. A gentle, demanding tone in his voice makes the hairs stand up on the back of my neck, and my legs quiver with curiosity.
“Are you seriously telling me to remove my clothing?”
A look of frustration sweeps across his face, and I can tell he needs something else at the moment, and it doesn’t have anything to do with our blossoming friendship.
“Yes, now take them off yourself, or I will help you take them off.”
I spring out of bed and open my mouth to protest once again, but Jack steps into me, pressing a finger over my lips, halting my words and thoughts. The heat from his body pours over me like warm honey and causes my eyes to fall closed, descending into a moment of pure sensation. “I don’t need you to be my fake girlfriend. I need you to be my real wife.”
My lungs constrict, and I can barely suck in air. Not knowing how to respond, I’m in shock but overcome with excitement at the same time. “If that’s what you want,” I give in with a whisper.
I’m sensing a different Jack Bradley than the one I’ve been fake dating for the past few weeks. And I think I like it. Surprisingly calm, I do as I’m told and bend at my waist, reach down to pinch the hem of my T-shirt dress, and then lift it over my head.
Jack’s electric blue eyes flare, turning a shade like the open ocean. He steps back and pauses, presumably waiting for me to finish undressing. Without a word, I continue to comply by unhooking my pink satin bra, then sliding the matching white and pink satin panties down my legs and off of my bare feet.
“Your favorite color is pink, isn’t it?” he comments, dragging his eyes over every inch of my body. A chill breaks out behind their powerful path.
“Maybe. Why do you ask?” Uncontrolled power is coursing through my veins, standing in front of Jack, naked and completely exposed.
“Because you own so much pink. Your panties, bras, workout clothes, and even your toes,”—he shifts into me—“all pink.” The roughness of his black suit rubs against my skin. “I told you I’d figure out your favorite color eventually.”
“You noticed all of those things?” I ask, flinching as the heavy rain bellows at the window.
“I notice everything about you.”
I inhale a sharp breath, not expecting that admission to come out of his mouth. “Jack?”
“Yes?” A lightning flash reflects across his face.
“Why are you still clothed?”
He smiles. “Do you want me to take them off?”
“Yes,” I say, rising on my tippy toes. Leaning into him, I run my tongue along his bottom lip. We haven’t kissed again since that night on the balcony at Bradley Wines, and it feels like I’ve been anxiously counting down the seconds until I’d get to touch his soft lips again. I breathe out, and he sucks in at that same time.
“I’ve wanted to have you ever since I ran into you at that fucking airport.” He captures my tongue between his lips, sucking it into his mouth until we’re fully connected. A quiet moan escapes from my mouth and into his.
Fuck, I could die now.
“Have you? And this is the first time you’re doing anything about it,” I say between his rough kisses.
“I won’t be making that mistake again.” He draws back. His smile is broad and mischievous. From the side, I see him bring both arms behind me, and then a light sting laces from the base of my scalp as Jack grips my ponytail, pulling my hair back. The sensation tingles down the back of my neck, onto my shoulders, and down to my clit, creating a throbbing need for him to do it again. A quick gasp ends with a groan filled with delight.
“I knew you’d like that,” Jack whispers into the sensitive skin of my neck. My legs almost give out.
“I do,” I reply with his hand still gripping my hair, my eyes facing the wooden beams of the ceiling above me. I feel helpless, and it’s invigorating.
“I remember the last time you said I do. You think I don’t remember much from the night, but I remember much more than you realize.” Jack’s soft lips trace my neck, along my jaw, and to the corner of my mouth, eliciting a frantic response from my nerve endings.
My brain is lost in a lust-filled fog to register what he’s saying. I know I’m hearing the words, but right now, all I can think of is getting that goddamned suit and tie off him. As if anticipating my next move, Jack releases my hair, creates only an inch of space between us, and clutches his tie.
I clasp my hands over his. “I’m going to do it,” I tell him, beginning to loosen the slick material. I will be the one taking his clothes off. He may think he’s in control, but I will always say when—and how.
Jack lets his arms hang at his sides while I slide off his tie before moving my fingers to the buttons on his shirt. I start at the top, working my way down, until his collared shirt hangs open, giving me a full view of his six-pack. I almost cry out in desperation at the perfection of his body. I have been watching him walk around for weeks, taunting me with it as he acts like there’s not this palpable surge pulsing between us.
I slide my fingers over his chest and broad shoulders, pushing off the unbuttoned shirt. Once it falls to the floor, I circle him, letting my eyes roam wherever they want. As I move onto his back, I lean in, bringing my lips to his warm skin. My fingertips follow in the line of my mouth, gliding my tongue across his body, tasting small amounts until I’m facing his front once again.
“,” he commands as another rumble of thunder shakes the shutters.
I crawl on top of the bed. Positioning myself at the head, I lay on my back with my eyes fixed on Jack, who is still clothed from the waist down. Once I’m flat, he bends to the floor, retrieving his tie, then slides off his belt in one fluid motion.
“I have to do this. Do you trust me?” he asks. It takes a moment for me to register what he’s asking, and when I do, I’m confused but also at ease. “I’m going to blindfold and bind your wrists. If it gets too much, tell me.”
This is new for me. I’m a little apprehensive, but I do as he says. “Okay.”
“Do you trust me?”
Biting my bottom lip, I nod. “Yes.”
“Now, put your hands above your head.” His voice is deep and without inflection which tells me he’s confident in what he’s doing.
Obeying his direction, I raise my arms above my head, linking my wrists together. Jack kneels on the bed, bends over me, and clasps my hands in one of his palms. I tilt my head up, watching his every move. Jack loops his belt around my wrists twice, then threads it through the iron bars of the bed frame before tying it and buckling the loose end.
I suck a breath of air and, by reflex, yank on the leather bounding around my wrists. They don’t move. Panic creeps up my spine, but wetness pools between my legs. There is a contrast in both feeling and sensation that leaves me in utter shock.
“I knew you’d be a good girl,” he praises. I bite my tongue and remain quiet, watching Jack as he towers over me. “I’m going to blindfold you now,” he tells me. Again, I remain silent, entranced by his movements.
He places his black tie over my eyes, the smooth silk gliding across my skin. His two hands gently slip under my head to secure it in place. The world around me is dark. My pulse quickens, and my body involuntarily starts to tremble. Jack has taken away two of my senses, enhancing the remaining three. I hear the rustling of his pants as he lowers them to the floor.
“Jack?” I call him, my voice cracking.
“I’m right here, my love,” he reassures me, possibly sensing the panic in my voice. The warm sensation from his body climbing on top of me feels like a blanket of comfort. As my sense of smell enhances, I arch my back, needing to bathe in his scent.
The mattress dips slightly on either side of my shoulders, and then I feel his breath float over my mouth. My pussy starts throbbing before he even touches my lips. Craving him, I angle my head back, and even without sight, I easily find his inviting mouth. I push my lips into him, trying to get closer, but unable to lift any farther. Jack tastes my tongue for a few moments, then sucks on my bottom lip before pulling away.
I’m out of breath, desperate for him to come back. He trails down my neck onto my chest, nibbles each breast, and they harden under his wet kisses. Then, he circles my belly button, moving on to one of the thighbrows, then switching to the other. My legs shake more aggressively the closer he gets to my core.
“Oh god,” I moan in anticipation. Not based on what he’s doing but where he’s going.
“Every time you bent down in front of me with those little pajama shorts or that fucking bathing suit, I desperate to have you,” he mutters, grazing across my slit.
“I ached to have you down there just as bad.”
“Good.” Jack slips his tongue in, making me melt from the waist down. The pounding rain outside has now become a faint dripping like a leaky faucet as I drift into myself. Slow and deep, he buries his lips between my legs, nibbling and kissing my most sensitive area. I feel Jack tilt his head to get a better angle like he needs more. My eyes roll back of my head, hidden behind his tie and my legs start to shake when he quickly pulls away.
“Are you ready for me?” he asks into the crease of my skin.
“Yes,” I cry out, begging to feel any part of him.
Jack grips my hips and pulls them into the air. He positions himself between my widespread legs. “I’m sorry I couldn’t do that longer, but I need to fuck you right now. But don’t worry, I’ll be coming back for more.”
I moan once again, growing impatient. Without pause, he slides into me, filling me instantly. The sensation shoots from my clit, all the way up my spine, and settles with a tingling on the back of my neck.
My world is black.
I can’t see.
I can’t think.
I can only feel.
“Fuck.” His voice is low and hoarse, an addicting tone I’ve never heard come from him.
I’m completely helpless, forcing me to submit to the rhythm of his thrusts. I buck back, rolling my hips up, needing to get deeper. I imagine what he looks like on top of me, his chest bare, dripping with sweat as my legs drip with juices. His muscles flex as he stiffens, and his fingers grip deeply into my hips.
I sense him bend down and cage me in. I lower my back to rest on the bed, feeling the weight of his body on top of mine. I pull on my arms that are trapped in the belt above my head, frustrated that I can’t pull him close, that I can’t run my fingers along his body.
“Not yet,” he corrects in a low voice, thrusting harder. My ear tingles from his words. As if conducting a symphony made up of every part of my body, Jack directs me where to go while we move in sequence with one another.
As soon as I feel my body start to chase an impending orgasm, I clench my muscles, enjoying the way Jack slips in and out of me. “Jack, I’m about to come,” I squeak.
He doesn’t answer but picks up his pace. With every roll of his hips, my pussy vibrates harder, getting closer to my peak. My insides hum until I’m covered with a heat that consumes every inch of me.
“Oh god, Jack!” I yell, jerking my arms above my head, but they don’t move. My skin stings where the leather has been rubbing against it, which I’m sure is irritated and raw by now. Riding the aftershocks with me, Jack maintains his speed and rhythm.
But suddenly, his body stiffens on top of me, and he lets out a rough groan, slamming into the sensitive bud between my legs. Air is forced from the back of my throat, making me cough. Jack’s body is still twitching when he aggressively tears his tie from over my eyes and snatches the belt from around my wrists before throwing them both across the room.
My arms are sore from being held above my head for so long. Jack’s flared eyes meet mine, and their energy is so overwhelming that it breaks me down.
“How do you feel?” He scoops me up and brings me into his lap.
I automatically curl into a fetal position in his arms. Blindsided by the intense emotions that hit me, my eyes swell, having never experienced that type of release. “I feel weak but euphoric.”
“So do I.” Jack nuzzles his nose into my hair like he always does when we fall asleep in each other’s arms.
Jack and I stay in this position long enough for me to attempt to gather myself. He gazes down at me, taking two fingers to pinch my chin, raising my head to his. Then, he lowers his lips to mine, giving me a deeply intimate and overpowering kiss.
“I’m going to start a bath for you. Then, I’ll go pick up something for us to eat.”
I smile at him, still somewhat dizzy from overexertion. “That sounds perfect.”
Jack gently lays me back down and gets off the bed.
A second later, I hear the sound of running bath water. My thoughts with excitement, apprehension, and electricity. I have given myself to Jack without understanding what we are or what we’re doing. The other night, when we both watched each other get off, he said he was doing it all for me after I begged him to do it. I succumbed to the temptation of having Jack, only for him to reiterate the complications, stating that it couldn’t happen again. And yes, I agreed with him—I truly did, but it’s impossible to deny our connection.
Now, what happened today? I would have put up more of a fight when he came home demanding that I give myself to him, but I didn’t want to. I wanted him. I wanted to have all of him, and even though my first instinct is to regret what we did with each other, I don’t.
I wrap a bedsheet around myself as Jack walks out with a white towel around his waist. When our eyes meet, we stand silently in front of each other, both of us hiding our bodies when there is no need to anymore. I take in a heavy inhale before blurting out the first thing on my mind. “I don’t regret it.”
Jack straightens his stance. “I don’t either.”
I’m glad he doesn’t because if he did, that would wipe out every positive emotion still buzzing within me.
Later on that evening, Jack and I are lying in bed watching a movie together. We’ve both been relatively quiet since he returned with takeout earlier. I wanted to ask him about his meeting while we ate, but this is a better time. He’s calm and more likely to share with me what caused him to get upset.
I sit up, resting my back against two stacked pillows. Jack’s arm falls from where it was around my shoulder.
He glances down at me tucked into his side. “Is something the matter?”
“What happened at the meeting?”
Jack brings his hands together in front of his face. A brief moment passes before he begins to speak. “My dad’s best friend Steve and his son Preston basically told me that I didn’t deserve the winery and that they would be more successful with it.”
“Oh shit, I’d be pissed too. What assholes they are.” No wonder Jack was so upset. What a messed up situation he’s in. No wonder he convinced himself that he needed my help. Who’s on his side?
“Yeah. They also explained that the winegrowers association and the community would be more comfortable with keeping it as a family-run business—and since Preston and Sophia are getting married and will most likely have kids, it’s better for optics.”
I tuck my legs to my chest. “That’s such bullshit.”
Jack’s mouth is set in a hard line as he nods, sharing my frustration. “I know. It’s fucked up that we live in an age where having a family shouldn’t matter in an overall sense, but it does. Especially in this small community.”
“This isn’t fair.”
“I know. I told you all this before. That’s why you’re here, to make me look more wholesome,” he says.
“Yeah, you did, but I guess I didn’t fully understand in the beginning, and now that I’m living in it with you, I realize how stressful it really is.” I rest my chin on my knees.
“They offered to buy us out. And honestly, for a split second, I considered it. But then I saw the look on my mom’s face. She turned white as a ghost. She misses my dad so much, and the winery is all she has left of him.”
“She has you. And from what you’ve told me, there was nothing more your parents wanted in the world than for it to be yours.” I refute his assumption.
Jack frowns. “I want that, too, and even though I’m grateful to have had these years to experience a life on my own, I wonder if it was all worth it.”
I can’t imagine the weight and pressure that Jack is under, and the more I chip away at that hard exterior that he’s built around himself, the more I want to be the one with him when it’s gone.
I cup the side of his face. He leans into it. “Don’t regret anything. You made the best decision with the knowledge you had at the time. If anything, I feel like it was self-preservation. If you never would have broken free, you wouldn’t have become the person you are today.”
Jack gently reaches for my arm and slowly guides my hand to his lips, leaving a tender kiss on the hollow of my wrist. It’s one of the most intimate gestures someone has ever given me. My eyes stay trapped in the softness of his expression even after he pulls his lips away. I wiggle myself into the safety under his arm, and he tightens around me.
“You’re right. Thanks,” he says in a low voice.