Chapter 10
CHAPTER 10
P irate woke up to two surprises. The first being the sun was already up and shining in through his bedroom window and the second being Sophia asleep in his bed next to him. She was burrowed so completely in the covers, he couldn’t see what she was wearing but her light snores told him she was definitely still asleep.
Reaching over, he grabbed his phone and was shocked to see it was after ten in the morning.
Shit! He was late for work!
He unlocked his phone to call Principal Rockland and apologize, only to find a message from his boss awaiting him in his text messages.
Rockland: I’m sorry to hear your leg is causing you pain. Please let me know when you’re ready to return to work. We will discuss your schedule then.
That sounded…ominous.
But who could have called the principal on his behalf? Principal Rockland was a fair man, but Pirate had already had one unexcused extended absence this school year. There was a chance he wouldn’t have a job upon returning.
His right leg certainly felt better than it had the day before, but it was still inflamed. Damnit. Grabbing his forearm crutch, Pirate slid out of bed so he didn’t disturb Sophia. He recalled her saying she hadn’t gotten a good night’s sleep Monday night. Besides, he needed to use the bathroom and see what was going on with the dogs.
He found Jumper at their kitchen table when he walked out. Well, hopped out was more accurate. His single forearm crutch was easier to use than underarm crutches, but not as smooth of a gait.
“Rise and shine, Sleeping Beauty,” his brother quipped.
Pirate held up his middle finger. “Tell me there’s coffee.”
Jumper pointed to the kitchen with his thumb over his shoulder. “Just made a fresh pot. Jazz made cinnamon buns this morning. She put them back in the oven to keep them warm for you.”
As good as that sounded, Pirate could only carry one thing at a time while using his forearm crutch and coffee was his priority. After pouring himself a cup, he carefully made his way over to the table.
“Want to catch me up on what happened last night?”
“You mean when I carried you to your room like a baby?” Jumper asked him with a shit-eating grin.
Pirate’s eyes narrowed. “Anything happen besides that?” Hoping his brother would get the hint and explain why Sophia was in his bed. Not that he minded she was in his bed, it was just unexpected.
Jumper had his laptop open. Sitting catty corner to him, Pirate could just make out the nighttime view of a patio door. Jumper slowed the video slightly and then watched as a man dressed in all black looked to be picking the lock of the door. He sprayed something on the top and bottom track, then slid the door open just enough to slip inside.
Pirate’s eyes narrowed. As the door opened, it gave him a clearer view of inside the building the man in black was entering. His eyes widened. “That’s Sophia’s house!”
Jumper nodded. “Yup.”
Pirate pushed his coffee aside and grabbed the laptop to put it in front of him. “What the hell is this?”
“Video of her house Sunday night. Keep watching.”
Sunday night? Sunday was the club run. He and Sophia were in his clubhouse apartment until after midnight. He’d followed her home and saw her inside before leaving to come back to his apartment. What time was this? Had Pirate dropped her off while the intruder had been in her house? Why hadn’t she said anything?
He searched for a timestamp. Twenty three fifty seven. They were still at the clubhouse when this occurred. He felt some relief for that.
The figure in black was inside the guesthouse for just under a half hour. Then he exited the same way he came in, using either a key or lock-picks to lock the sliding door behind himself. As he strode away, Pirate confirmed his assumption of a male based on the walk and posture of the dark figure.
Unfortunately, though the camera with night vision was facing right at him, his hood obscured his face too much to get a clear view.
“Based on the height of the sliding door, Keys puts him at five-ten. A footprint left in the mud showed he was wearing tactical boots, size eleven. Around one-eighty in weight.”
“Keys?” Pirate repeated. What the fuck was going on? Was he still asleep and this was some fucked up dream? “What the hell, Jumper?”
“After we got you to bed last night, Sophia confided in me that she felt like she was being watched in her place Monday night.”
“The fuck?” Pirate demanded.
“I called Keys to have him check the security cameras. The Grovetons’ property is gated but this man still got in. Keys hasn’t found where yet.”
“Wait, this is Sunday night. You said Monday night. Why the fuck didn’t she call me?” Pirate was fixing a fucking bike in the clubhouse’s garage while Sophia had been in danger? What the fuck?
“I got the feeling she didn’t want to be a bother,” Jumper answered softly. Fury filled Pirate at those words. Not wanting to be a bother ? “And to answer your question, he went back Monday night.”
“While she was home?” Pirate shouted. The dogs, Aerial, Pooch, and Kidd, all raised their heads and whined.
Jumper nodded. “According to Sophia, she was so creeped out by the feeling of being watched that she slept with the bedroom and bathroom lights on. She also barricaded her bedroom door so it couldn’t be easily opened and put a chair under her closet door.”
She was that freaked out and she still hadn’t called him? Pirate dropped his head into his hands. Did she not trust him? Did she think he was incapable of protecting her?
“What did he do?” Pirate was loathe to find out but also needed to know. How could she not tell him? All she’d said was that she’d hardly slept Monday night.
“As far as we can tell, he moved a pair of her boots.”
Pirate’s head shot up. “What?”
“There’s no cameras inside her home. He went in through the slider door just as he had Sunday night. Ten minutes later, he comes back out.”
“Ten minutes?” That was all?
Jumper nodded.
“What about last night?” If he was there Sunday night and Monday night, there was a good possibility he went back last night too.
Jumper nodded. “Around midnight, just like the other nights. Keys saw him on the camera feed, but Keys, Bulldog, Ghost, and Ranger were inside with the lights on. The camera shows him approach the guesthouse and then leave as soon as he saw the others.”
Pirate was glad the others had been there but pissed they hadn’t caught the guy. “Who is he? Do they know?”
Jumper shook his head, his expression somber. “Based on what they know of him, plus his history with Sophia, our first assumption was Fletcher.”
Pirate’s teeth ground together. Fletcher! Of course, it was fucking Fletcher. The guy had told Sophia to be at her house on Sunday at seven so they could talk and she’d stood him up. Or really, she’d ignored him. It couldn’t really be called ‘standing him up’ when she’d never agreed to the meeting to begin with.
“But it’s not.”
Pirate’s head wiped towards his brother. “What do you mean? Of course, it is. Her ex shows back up, tries to meet up with her, and then this creep starts breaking into her house? Of course, it was Fletcher.”
Jumper shook his head. “ You alibi him, Pirate. While this guy,” Jumper pointed to the screen, “was breaking into her place, you were with Fletcher in the garage.”
Pirate thought frantically. “He left at three. He called someone to come and pick him up. Knowing him, he probably has a family driver on standby or something. He could have gone to her house after he left me with his fucking bike.”
“But that wasn’t until after three in the morning,” Jumper argued. “This guy was in her place around midnight.”
“What time did Sophia leave the hospital?” His fight with Carlos had been around nine-thirty.
Jumper did not look happy to answer. “He was in the guesthouse when she got home.”
Pirate slammed his hand down on the table. His coffee mug spilled over and Jumper rushed to save his laptop from getting wet. The coffee ran over the fake wood and over onto the carpeting. Pirate could care less though.
“That bastard,” he seethed through his teeth, “was in her house when she got home?”
And he hadn’t been there. He’d been with Steel and Bulldog, getting ready to accept his punishment for punching Carlos. If he hadn’t started that stupid fight, he’d have been with her. He’d have?—
Pirate stopped himself mid-rant. He wouldn’t have been at Sophia’s. Because, though they’d had sex there numerous times, he’d never slept over. They didn’t sleep over at each other’s places. Except for last night.
He turned his head towards his closed bedroom door where Sophia still slept. Last night was the first night they’d slept next to each other since the night they’d drunkenly gotten married in San Francisco. And damn if he didn’t remember that one either.
Be nice if he could fall asleep next to her and actually remember the experience. That seemed to be too much to ask for though.
His brother touched his arm. It wasn’t until then that Pirate realized he was shaking from anger. Jumper’s bruising grip helped to ground him.
“We’ll figure this out and we’ll keep her safe. There won’t be a repeat of last time, I swear it to you.”
Pirate swallowed hard. “I didn’t realize what she meant to me at first. I was so blind and wasted so much time.”
Jumper leaned over, gripping Pirate hard behind the neck with his other hand. “Brother, she’s not dead and you can still make a future with her. We’ll figure out who this bastard is and you’ll have your time with him.” Pirate knew the true meaning behind Jumper’s cryptic statement was getting Sophia’s creeper into the hidden cellar and dishing out the club’s version of justice. “Until then, I suggest the two of you figure out what you are to each other.”
“She’s mine,” Pirate declared. “I just don’t know how much convincing will be required to get her to accept that.”
Jumper squeezed the nape of his neck a little before letting him go. His brother stood up, packing up his laptop into a backpack. “I’m going to go meet Jazz at the clinic. The two of you will have the apartment today to talk.” Then he pointed a finger in Pirate’s face. “And stay off your goddamn leg. I called Rockland for you and he was not happy. You’re going to lose your job if you’re not careful.”
Pirate had already guessed as much. There was no way he could miss so much work and not be on thin ice. “Maybe I don’t want to be a high school security guard anymore.”
Jumper raised an eyebrow. “Be that as it may, you made an obligation through the end of the school year. If you want to switch careers, you know I’m behind you but you need to do it right.”
Pirate nodded his agreement. “I know and I will.”
Jumper dipped his chin once and then whistled for Aerial. He put her harness on her that declared her to be a service dog. The brothers gave each other a chin lift and then Jumper left the apartment. Pirate heard the key scrape to know Jumper had locked the door.
Pirate sat at the table for a long minute, just trying to process the information that had been dumped on him in the past half hour. Certainly not how he expected to start his day.
Letting out a long sigh, he grabbed his crutch and headed for the kitchen to grab some paper towels to clean up the spilled coffee. He’d get the table and the dogs could get the carpet. He’d call a prospect to come collect them if they got too hyped up on caffeine.
Besides, he had to stay off his leg. What better way to do that than to spend the day in bed with Sophia?
When Sophia finally stumbled out of his bedroom, she was a grouchy mess. Mumbling something about coffee, she walked right past where Pirate was standing in the kitchen, leaning against the counter. Her wild hair resembled Medusa’s snakes, she had eyeliner running down the side of her cheek, and she wore absolutely nothing underneath one of his shirts. He got a fantastic look at her goods under the hem when she went up on her toes to pull a mug down from the cabinet.
Bleary eyed, she stuffed an entire cinnamon roll into her mouth as she pressed the buttons on the espresso machine she’d added to the apartment after Jasmine had moved in. Sophia tried to pass it off that it had come from Jasmine’s old apartment, but since Sophia was the only one who used it, Pirate doubted her story. Plus, he’d been in Jasmine’s old place and he couldn’t remember seeing an espresso machine in her kitchen.
Her cheeks puffed out like a hamster’s, Sophia chewed as the dark liquid poured out into the tiny ceramic cup that had also been added to their kitchen collection upon Jasmine’s move. When she finally swallowed several minutes later, she picked up the espresso and chugged it back so swiftly it might as well have been a shot glass.
Sophia let out a loud, “Ah!” and then smacked her lips together. She blinked, stood up straighter, and seemed to finally come awake.
She turned to him and smiled. “Good morning.”
As adorable as he found her morning antics, he would not let it distract him. “Shut the fuck up and grab a seat.”
She blinked at him in surprise. Then she looked around. The kitchen was a small inlet just off of the front door. There was a long counter, the sink, range, and fridge all crammed into one small U-shaped space. “And where would you like me to sit?”
He snagged the edge of her shirt—actually, his shirt—and pulled her to him. Careful of his balance, Pirate spun them and then lifted her up onto the counter. He leaned over her, keeping his weight on his arms, with his hands on either side of her hips.
“I have had it up to here,” he raised his right hand head-level before lowering it, “with you. You are annoying, sassy, a bit of a slob, certifiably insane, stubborn as a fucking mule,” he added through gritted teeth, “and I don’t know who’s crazier, you or me,” he stared into her beautiful hazel eyes, “because I am head over heels fucking in love with you. Don’t ask me how or why. Fuck, I didn’t even know it until the other day at the hospital. But you, Sophia Groveton, are mine .”
She stared down at him with a mixture of amusement, disbelief, and—dare he believe it—love. It took her a moment to work through her shock and then she wrapped her arms around his neck. Her thighs opened on the counter to bring him closer to her. “You’re definitely crazier,” she informed him with a sassy smile. “But I’d love to ride this crazy train with you.”
“Yeah?”
She nodded. “Yeah.” She scratched the back of his head at his hairline. “How’d you figure it out?”
“Carlos. You?”
“Jazz. She knows everything, by the way, except for the drunken marriage.”
Pirate nodded. “Yeah. We’re still going to have to figure that part out. But that’s a Later Problem. A Right Now Problem is why the fuck you didn’t call me Monday night when you felt like there was someone in your house. Did you not think I would drop everything and come to you?”
Sophia winced and made a face. “No, that was the problem. I knew you would.”
“I’m not seeing the problem.”
“I’m used to solving my own issues, Pirate. I’m not used to having someone I can call except for Jazz. Sure, Carlos is my friend too, but he has other responsibilities. I don’t want to be a bother. Besides, I was so sure it was in my head.”
“It wasn’t,” he told her sternly. He leaned close. “And you’re not alone. You’re never going to be alone again.”
Sophia’s lips twitched. “I really like the sound of that. It might just take me a little bit to believe it, okay? Be patient with me.”
“Hey,” he nudged her hips with his arms, wiggling her. “Same boat, remember? Or crazy train. I’ve never been in a relationship that lasted longer than a single night either. At least, not since I became an adult. There’s going to be some rocky times. We’re going to have to figure some things out and what works for us. But as long as you’re in this with me, I have faith that we’ll get there.”
Sophia smiled, leaned down, and kissed him. “Me too.” Then she pulled back, her face scrunched in confusion. “Wait, was there someone in my house?”
“Yes,” Pirate growled out. “He was there when you arrived home Monday night. He came in through your slider.”
“Oh fuck!” Her eyes went wide. “I didn’t think… I mean, I felt it but I didn’t actually think…”
“That’s not all. He was there Sunday before you got home but left before I dropped you off and he tried to show up again last night, saw some of the club there, and left before entering.”
Her face paled. “But he was in my house while I was sleeping. He moved my boots.”
“We don’t know why, but yes. There aren’t cameras in your house but it’s the only explanation.”
“Fuck…” she breathed out. Then she gasped, “Do you think it was Fletcher?”
“I did,” he said unhappily. “Until Jumper informed me of his alibi Monday night. While your creeper was in your house, Fletcher was with me at the club’s garage.”
“What were you two doing together?” Sophia asked in confusion.
Pirate shook his head. “Not important. Unfortunately, I can personally confirm that it was not Fletcher.”
“Well, shit.” Worry crossed her face. “What now?”
“Now?” he answered. “Now, you and I head into my bedroom because I have been ordered to stay off my leg all day. I plan on doing that with you. And don’t think I can’t still redden your ass for keeping Monday night from me. I owe you a hell of a spanking.”
Arousal replaced the worry in her eyes. “Sounds like a plan to me. But Pirate?”
“Yeah?”
She leaned close, their mouths a breath apart. “How exactly do you plan on reddening my ass when you can’t chase me?”
With that, Sophia pushed him hard enough on his chest for him to tip. As he worked to keep his balance, she slipped off the counter and bolted from the room.
“Saucy wench,” he growled and then went hunting for his prey.
Sophia didn’t run far. She headed into his bedroom, not wanting him to struggle to keep up, and jumped onto his bed. Unfortunately, her dash into the bedroom caught the dogs’ attention. Pooch and Kidd went running after her. They leapt onto the bed and practically tackled her down to the mattress with licks. Sophia laughed, trying to push them off of her but they only doubled their efforts.
A sharp whistle caught their attention. Both puppies turned and Sophia saw Pirate standing at the foot of his bed, leaning on his crutch.
“ Vooruit ,” he commanded with a tip of his head to the door.
Pooch and Kidd immediately jumped off the bed and ran out of the room. Sophia’s eyebrows went up. Enola was definitely not that well behaved.
“You’re teaching them Dutch commands like Aerial?” she asked as he hobbled back to the door.
Closing it, he turned towards the bed. “Doesn’t make sense for one dog to know Dutch and the other two to know English.”
“Yeah,” she grumbled. “But now I’m going to have to learn Dutch.”
Putting his crutch by his nightstand, Pirate crawled onto the bed using both hands and one knee. He approached her slowly. In contrast, her heartbeat was racing in her chest, her blood hot with anticipation. Still, she had to ask, “Are you sure you’re up for this? I don’t want to cause you more pain.”
“Trust me.” He grabbed her shoulders. Flipping onto his back, he took her with him, pulling her onto his front. Sophia let out a gasping giggle. “I am up ,” he pressed his groin up into hers, “for this.”
“Oh,” she cooed. “Is that for me?”
“Damn straight it is. I want to know what it’s like.”
Sophia cocked her head. “Know what what’s like?”
He reached up and tucked a lock of her hair behind her ear. “For years now, I’ve watched my brothers fall for their women. Lucky, Bear, Bulldog, Jumper, Angel and Cage, and then Demo. I didn’t get it. Watching from the outside, it almost seemed like a pandemic. But a part of me was curious. Sex had to be different when you’re with someone you love. Hell, half of Hollywood and the music industry is paid for by the concept of falling in love. I just didn’t see the appeal.” He reached down and took hold of her hips. “Until a saucy wench bulldozed her way into my life. And now I get to see what it’s like.”
Sophia smiled down at him. She’d never been one for romantic words and felt a little awkward in confessing, “It’s always been different with you and I never understood why until now.”
Moving his hands up from her hips, he slowly started to raise his t-shirt off of her. “There’s a lot we still have to discuss. We’re already starting off with this relationship being complicated because of that marriage certificate burning a hole in my nightstand.”
She glanced over at the wooden piece of furniture. “You keep it in your nightstand?”
He shrugged. “Where else was I supposed to put it?”
Sophia lifted one hand off of his chest at a time before he slipped the shirt over her head. She was now completely naked on top of him. Moving herself down, she worked his boxer briefs over his hips and then down his legs. Despite him saying he was up for sex, she wanted to see for herself and glanced at his knee. It was still swollen and red, but nowhere near what it had been the night before. That was good.
Careful of his right leg, she tossed his shirt and boxer briefs on the floor out of their way and then straddled his hips. His hard cock rested between her slick folds.
“Can I ask you something?”
Sophia started to slowly rock her hips back and forth. Not hard and not fast, but just enough to create a sweet friction between them. “You can ask me anything.”
“Do you want to stay married to me?”
Her hips paused in shock at the question before she started to move again. Meeting his green eyes, Sophia shook her head. “No.” A flash of hurt crossed his face. “Let me explain,” she begged. Placing a hand over his heart on his chest, she said, “Pirate, I don’t want that drunken night to be our beginning. It can be a fun mistake we tell our kids someday, a cautionary tale of how you can make some pretty fucking stupid mistakes when you’re shitfaced and don’t read paperwork before you sign it.” She rubbed her palm over the dusting of russet hair on his chest. “I want this to be our beginning. I want us to do this whole dating thing and get to know each other outside of the bedroom,” she added pointedly. “I don’t want to be your wife. And maybe it’s because I’ve never had the opportunity to really be someone’s girlfriend. To be wooed and doted on.” She shrugged, a little embarrassed by her admission. “And then, when we’re ready, we can discuss marriage like responsible, sober adults.”
He put a hand over hers on his chest. “I can promise you the sober part, but ‘responsible’ might be pushing it.”
Sophia laughed. She leaned down and pressed a kiss to his lips. “What do you say? Guster Sager, will you divorce me?”
“I will happily divorce you,” he answered against her mouth. “But my name’s not Guster.”
Sophia sat upright. “What? It’s not?”
Pirate shook his head, amused. “You don’t even know your husband’s real name!” He ticked his tongue against the roof of his mouth. “Naughty, naughty.”
She wracked her brain, trying to remember if she’d ever heard anyone call him anything besides ‘Gus’ or ‘Pirate’. She couldn’t. “What the hell is your first name?”
“August.”
She stared down at him. “Marshall and August? Wow, you two must have really been picked on before you hit puberty and outgrew your peers.”
Pirate chuckled. “I didn’t really bulk up until I entered the Corps.”
Her eyes roved over his muscular form. She licked her lips hungrily. “I approve.” She lowered her head down to his chest. Teasing a nipple between her teeth, she rocked her slick folds harder against his erection.
Pirate groaned. “Damn, Sophia. What you do to me. I can’t believe I was so blind for so long.”
Rising up slowly, she pulled his nipple with her between her teeth. When he let out a hiss, she let go and continued to sit up. “You weren’t the only one who was blind. Jazz tried to book me an appointment at the eye doctor.”
“Come up here,” he coaxed with a finger. “I gotta stay on the bottom so I want you to sit on my face.”
Heat seared her at the thought. He’d eaten her out before, but not like that. As she lifted her hips off of his hard length, an idea came to mind. She’d given him a blowjob before too—but not while he ate her out.
Once she was off of him, Pirate slid down the bed a little more and adjusted his head so he only had one pillow beneath him.
Sophia moved towards his head. He was probably expecting her to raise her left leg over his neck so he had access to her pussy while she faced forwards. Instead, Sophia twisted and threw her right leg over him. Lowering herself down over his body, Sophia pressed the swollen lips of her pussy to his mouth at the same time that she ran her tongue from tip to base over his shaft.
There was a single, “Oh fuck!” from Pirate before he looped his arms up over her thighs and attacked her throbbing clit like he was starving and she was a juicy steak. Sophia moaned at the heat of his mouth, tongue, and breath on her and had to put some serious concentration into remembering her own task.
She took his cock into her mouth. Using her tongue, she swirled and teased his length. Suctioning her mouth, she bobbed her head up and down.
The dual sensations of pleasuring him while he pleasured her had both of them trembling. It was like an unspoken race to see who could make the other one come first while seeking their own orgasm. Pirate bent his left knee and started to thrust his hips upward, driving his cock further to the back of her throat. Sophia ground her hips down to the point where she could feel his nose on her ass and she would later be surprised she hadn’t suffocated him. The scruff on his face from not shaving yet that day only added to her pleasure, teasing her nerve endings.
When he added a finger, hitting just the right spot inside her, Sophia screamed around his cock in her mouth as her inner walls quaked. She had to lift her head up to catch her breath and not choke on his length.
“Oh God!” she practically mewled because he just…kept… going … She gripped his muscular thighs as her entire body shook on top of him. “Pirate!”
Keeping his mouth on her clit, Pirate removed his finger from her and moved it to her back entrance. Sophia froze over him. He only circled her puckered hole, using the finger she’d just soaked during her orgasm.
Pirate dropped his mouth from her clit long enough to ask, “Okay?”
Anal play was new to them. He enjoyed spanking her ass—hell, she did too—but they’d never done more than that. He joked about ‘plundering her booty’ when she misbehaved or she said one too many pirate jokes. But that was it.
She had to admit, the idea was tempting. Would it be just his finger? Her eyes looked down at the large cock that was dripping with her saliva and his precum. His piss slit seemed to be staring back up at her.
“Sophia?”
“I… I don’t know,” she stammered.
“We don’t have to.” He started to pull his finger away.
“Wait,” she nearly shouted. Heart thundering in her ears, she said, “We can try it. But if I don’t like it?—”
“Then we stop,” he finished for her. A vow.
She nodded. Not one to normally get nervous, Sophia was surprised she had butterflies in her stomach at what she’d just agreed to do.
Pirate wasn’t sure which one of them was more surprised by Sophia’s second orgasm. He honestly hadn’t expected her to come the first time he played with her ass. But damn, once he got his finger inside and started to pump the single digit in and out of her rear, it was like he’d hooked her up to a twelve volt battery. She writhed and begged for more. Careful to not put the finger that had just been inside her ass back into pussy, Pirate dipped his ring and middle fingers inside to get them lubed up by her juices.
Then he worked his pointer finger back inside her ass. After only two pumps, he added his middle finger too. Sophia shook over him, completely forgetting her task of sucking him off. Which was probably a good thing, because he was near bursting without her even touching his cock. It was so fucking hot to see his fingers going in and out of her tight, little ass.
Fuck, he’d been such a dumbass. How could he have not realized all this time, the reason sex was different with Sophia was because he was falling in love with her?
When she seemed ready, he worked his ring finger in too.
Using her pussy juices and his saliva wasn’t ideal. What he really needed was the damn lube bottle that was in his nightstand.
Following her second orgasm, Sophia toppled boneless on top of him. Her body fell forward some, with her ass landing just below his chin. Removing his fingers from her tight hole, he gave her a single, sharp swat across both cheeks.
Sophia jumped. “What the hell?”
“I just realized something.” He brought his hand down on her right cheek, squeezing the flesh. “I told you that I loved you.” His left palm landed on her left cheek. She moaned. “But you never said it back.”
“I did!” she insisted. Despite the whine in her voice, she raised herself up onto her knees to lift her ass more.
“You didn’t!” Her body jolted at his harsh swat. Her ass reddened so beautifully. “Tell me now!”
“No!” Sophia cried out.
“Do you want to get spanked, naughty girl?” Pirate demanded, bring both hands down together that time.
Sophia gasped out. It sounded so pitiful, but then she moaned. He had the perfect view of her ass and pussy from his angle. She was soaked with arousal. Her pussy lips were swollen and red from his ministrations. Fuck, just when he thought she couldn’t look any sexier, he noticed his beard burn on the inside of her thighs coated moist with her juices. Now there was a sight.
He swatted her ass again. “Tell me you love me. I’ll keep going until you do.”
“I already told you!” she insisted.
“Then tell me again!” he demanded, bringing his palm across her ass crack.
Sophia stubbornly cried out, “No!” again.
One, two, three sharp strikes in a row. Sophia’s cry echoed off of the walls. “God, Pirate!”
“Tell,” slap , “me,” slap , “what,” slap , “I want,” slap , “to hear!” Slap! Slap!
Her ass was a fiery red. He squeezed the globes to add to the sensation. He would need to give her a bath later to help cool her off.
“Stop!” she cried.
Pirate immediately lowered his hands. For a moment, he wondered if he’d gone too far, but she was the one in control. Game or not, she could have called a halt at any time.
Gasping over top of him, Sophia got herself up onto her arms. She twisted around to face him. He was shocked to see tears running down her cheeks.
“Fuck, Sophia! I’m so sorry—” He reached up to wipe at her tears, but she caught his hands before he could touch her face.
Bending down, she pressed her lips to his fingertips. Then she pressed a kiss to his right palm. Cradling his hand to her cheek, her bright hazel eyes captivated his own.
“I love you.”
Pirate’s breath caught. Torn between worry that he’d gone too far and caused her real pain and the elation of hearing those words cross her lips for the first time, there was a solid minute where his heart may have stopped beating.
She leaned down and claimed his mouth. Still clutching his hand to her, they spent a long time just tasting each other and tasting themselves on the other’s lips and tongue.
When they pulled away to catch their breath, Pirate saw her tears had mostly been wiped away. He removed the rest with his thumbs. “You mean it, right? I didn’t push you into saying it before you were ready?”
She nodded between his hands. “I mean it.”
“Fuck.” He took her mouth again. “It really is different. Sex, I mean. I feel like my blood’s on fire.”
Sophia laughed. “I’ve already had two orgasms but it still feels like I’m not close enough to you. I have the oddest need to find a way to burrow myself under your skin.”
“Why do you think I love marking you so much?” He lifted her hair so he could get a look at the marks he’d left on her. “It’s like a need I hadn’t understood before to prove you’re mine even when you’re not with me.”
“We’re going to need to figure out another way for you to claim me. As you’ve already pointed out, I can’t wear turtlenecks during the summer months.”
“But you can wear my cut.”
Sophia’s mouth dropped open. “You’re serious.”
He nodded. “Deadly. I told you, you’re mine. And I meant it.”
“But… That’s not something you can take back, Pirate. I know what it means to be an ol’ lady. You can’t divorce me once you’ve claimed me.”
“Apparently I can,” he chuckled.
She swatted his chest. “You know what I mean! Being your ol’ lady’s a big deal. The forever kind of big deal. Are you sure you’re ready for that?”
Pirate sat up slightly, using his elbows as leverage. “I love you. I might have only just realized it, but I’ve loved you for months. Before Hawaii and San Francisco, hell before Christmas when you woke us up by blasting Jingle Bells and wearing that sexy as fuck naughty Santa number, I think I loved you. You’re like a parasite that latched onto my heart and I only just realized is there.”
Sophia snorted. “Really romantic, Pirate. You basically just called me a heartworm.”
He shrugged, not the least bit apologetic. “You can be my heartworm.” When she made a face, Pirate pressed on, “You can be whatever you want to be, so long as you’re mine . I want you to wear my cut, Sophia. I want it all with you. Someday, we’ll get a house together and have kids. Little pirates running around with wooden swords and eye patches.”
The tears that escaped her eyes this time were not from pleasure-pain but from undisputed happiness.
“Okay.”
He raised an eyebrow. “Okay?”
She nodded. “Yes, I’ll wear your cut.”
Falling back on the mattress, Pirate pulled her back down on top of him. He claimed her mouth with heated fervor, thrilled beyond measure that she’d agreed to become his.
Aside from divorcing him, that is.
He lifted her head up so he could look into her eyes. “You’re beautiful, you know that. I don’t think I ever told you that before.” He nipped at her jawline. “But there is something I promised you we’d do that we haven’t done yet.”
“What’s that?” Sophia inquired.
Pirate’s crooked grin was full of mirth and promise as he told her, “Plunder your booty. It’s time, wench. Get the lube.”