Chapter Fifteen
Ellie
T he sun has started to set by the time we arrive back at the garage. It took hours to provide our statements to the police, who were fortunately nearby when chaos erupted. An ordeal that still has me seething hours later.
“Go sit,” I order Gunnar, pointing to the stool tucked away in the corner of the shop. “I’ll grab the first aid kit.”
“Elle, I told you, I’m fine,” he insists stubbornly.
He is not fine. The angry gash slicing his brow and battered lip proves it. Never mind the blood splatter staining his jersey, although thankfully, most of it isn’t his.
I shoot him a stern look, warning him not to mess with me right now.
He grumbles something unintelligible but complies.
While I retrieve the emergency kit stashed under the sink, Bear saunters over to his water bowl, guzzling down its contents before collapsing onto the cold concrete floor. I drop down to give him a quick pat, knowing it was a long afternoon for him too.
It took all my strength to hold him back from jumping in to help Gunnar. Even he wanted a piece of those assholes. I was tempted to unleash him, but if they had hurt him in any way, I would have needed to kick some major ass too and no one needed that.
Shoving the thought aside, I return to Gunnar and find him perched on the stool, waiting for me.
The fluorescent lights above cast a harsh glow on his battered appearance. His once-bloodied jersey lays discarded on the floor, revealing a large bruise in shades of purple and blue on his ribs, adding to the tally.
“Look at you.” I sigh, hating to see him like this. Setting the kit on the steel counter, I grab a damp cloth and gently clean up the crusted blood near his eye.
“Could be worse,” he murmurs.
My brow arches at that statement. “How so?”
“I could look like the other guy.” He flashes me that lopsided grin, the sight of it easing the ache in my chest.
A reluctant smile tugs at my lips before I banish it with a shake of my head. “Still can’t believe they did this,” I seethe, dabbing his cuts with alcohol. “Bunch of grown-ass men acting like sore losers over a damn charity tournament.”
Gunnar chuckles, amused by my muttered frustration. “Come here.” He plucks the cloth from my fingers and pulls me down onto his lap.
I loop my arms around his neck, melting into him. “I hate seeing you like this,” the hurt in my voice betrays just how much.
He gently sweeps a stray hair from my face, his hand lingering as it cups my cheek. “I’m good, Elle. I swear.” His voice carries a soothing rumble of reassurance. “But you know what would make me feel even better?”
“What?” I ask, even though I have a good idea of what he’s about to say.
“To feel your lips against mine. ”
It’s the answer I anticipated. Smiling, I lean in and brush my lips softly over his, wanting to be mindful of his injuries.
He’s not having it.
He hauls me in close and slants his mouth over mine with an intensity that steals my breath.
I gasp when I realize how hard he is. It parts my lips, giving him the access he’s looking for.
A needy little sound escapes my throat as his tongue sweeps in to tangle with mine. The metallic tang of blood is faint, fusing with the heat simmering beneath the surface.
“Need you,” he murmurs against my lips, his hands reaching for the hem of my shirt.
“Then take me.” I follow the statement with a lift of my arms.
He wastes no time ridding me of the fabric and my bra before pulling me in close, chest to chest. Our skin meets in a feverish embrace, heartbeats syncing to the same rhythm.
“Jesus, I love the feel of your skin.” His large, calloused hands are a guided compass as they explore that skin. First, my back, then my breasts.
I arch against him as he thumbs my nipples, his lips and tongue following. Each fiery lick sends shivers down my spine. Moaning, I press down on his erection, feeling myself losing control under his touch.
The needy sound brings him to his feet, his strong hands lifting me effortlessly. Instead of heading toward the apartment like I expect him to, he carries me over to the black Challenger. A classic car he worked on for years, restoring it to its original brilliance just to proudly display it.
The world spins around me in a beautiful blur of colors as I’m laid out on the hood. The cool metal against my back is a stark contrast to the fire dancing beneath my skin .
His thumbs hook into the waistband of my jean shorts, swiftly stripping them away along with my panties, leaving me completely bare beneath his heated stare.
He straightens to his full height, his eyes ablaze with lust. “Goddamn, look at you,” the dark rasp of his voice shoots straight to my core. “Spread your legs for me, baby. Let me see that sweet spot.”
I eagerly obey, feeling a rush of heat as I open myself to him.
His growl morphs into a low sensual hum as he lowers his sweatpants and strokes the hard length of his cock.
My breath catches at the sight before me, the erotic display setting fire to the blood in my veins.
“You ever have a fantasy that you wanted to live out, Elle?” His voice is a seductive murmur, resonating with the same symphony of my heart.
Swallowing hard, I nod. “Every day I seem to get a new one that involves you.”
A cocky smirk tugs at the corners of his mouth. “Me too, baby. And there’s one in particular where I make you come on this car.”
My body flushes at the confession. “Well, I see this happening for you very soon.”
He chuckles, the sound rich with amusement. “Oh, it is, and it’s going to be better than any fucking thought I imagined.” Without another word, he drops his face between my legs, turning fantasy into reality.
Intense pleasure surges through my entire being, forcing a cry past my lips.
His groan reverberates through me as his tongue works its magic. My fingers tangle in his silky hair, drawing him closer to the inferno he has ignited. Each fiery lick is a sin I willingly commit.
Eventually, his hand joins in on the torment, adding to the intoxicating sensation of it all.
“God, I’m about to come already,” I whimper, knowing I’m not going to be able to drag this out.
“Do it, baby,” he growls against my flesh. “Come all over my face.”
The Challenger beneath me is forgotten as ecstasy engulfs every cell of my body. Rippling waves of pleasure cascade through me, each one more intense than the last.
Before I have a chance to bask in it all, Gunnar flips me onto my belly, and pulls me onto my knees, entering me in one powerful thrust.
I cry out at the beautiful invasion, the aftershocks of my release prolonging even further.
“Fuck, Ellie,” he groans long and deep, his fingers digging into my hips as he steadies himself. “How did I survive for so long without having you like this?”
The rawness of those words sears through me, merging with my soul. It’s a thought that often crosses my mind too.
“You good?” he asks through clenched teeth, giving me time.
I don’t want time. I want him. Every fierce, unyielding part of him.
“Yes,” I pant on a whisper. “Keep going and don’t stop.”
Like a well-oiled machine, he surges forward, setting a pace that leaves no part of me unclaimed.
I grip the sleek black car beneath me, my cries echoing through the shop, as I surrender to every savage thrust. It’s wild, freeing, and irrevocably exhilarating.
One hand remains on my hip while his other tangles in my hair, gently tugging my head back as he forces my gaze to the windshield. “Look at us.”
My breath catches at the sight before me. Our reflections dance in the darkened window, reflecting two untamable lovers locked in a battle of pleasure. A primal display that captivates me completely.
“We look good, don’t we?” he says, his voice as raw as this moment.
“So good,” I moan, unable to deny it. It’s more than just carnality—it’s passion and love entwined between sweet moans and whispered words. An aligning of two souls that were always destined for more than friendship. Something I believe now more than ever.
“Damn straight. Nothing better than the sight of your sweet body taking me deep, and you fucking love it, don’t you?
“Yes,” I whimper. “I love everything you do to me. I-I love you.”
They are words I’ve spoken countless times before, during all the moments we’ve spent together as friends. But not like this. Not in a way that fills my heart as completely as it does now.
Gunnar pauses behind me, his breathing heavy and labored.
I close my eyes, praying I didn’t just mess this up.
“Say it again,” he demands, his voice rough and vulnerable.
I turn my head fully, locking eyes with him over my shoulder. “I love you.”
Stark emotion fills his gaze, giving me a small glimpse into the fractured soul he has kept so guarded, even from me. It’s as beautiful and heartbreaking as I always expected it to be. It’s a glimpse that lasts only seconds before determination replaces it, propelling him forward again, this time even deeper.
I bite down on my lip and brace myself against the sheer force of his thrusts. My moans become louder, accompanying each drive of his hips until anticipation builds in my belly again, and Gunnar senses it.
“One more time, baby.” His strong hands tighten around my waist, drawing me closer as I reach the peak of pleasure. He lets go at the same time.
A guttural groan marks his own release. “My sweet Ellie,” he croons. “The one who never left.”
Those heartbreaking words resonate deeply, weaving themselves into the very fabric of my soul.
Afterward, he removes himself from my body and gathers me in his arms, effortlessly lifting me as if I weigh nothing more than a feather before carrying me up to the apartment.
I cling to him, grateful for the support, knowing my legs wouldn’t work properly right now.
He settles us into bed, pulling me close until our bodies fit together like two pieces of the same puzzle.
Silence rages in the darkness as his fingers trace a soothing pattern on my back. A contentment he breaks moments later.
“Did you mean it?” his voice is a vulnerable whisper in the night, carrying the weight of an unspoken question.
But I don’t need clarification. I know exactly what he’s asking. Lifting my head, I meet his gaze in the shadows. “Yes, I meant it.”
A flicker of emotion passes through his eyes like a fleeting witness. He visibly swallows and then opens his mouth, but before any words can escape, I press my finger to his lips, my fear silencing him.
“Don’t say anything. I don’t need to hear it back. I just wanted you to know.”
I’m not sure why, maybe because silence is safer than the absence of reciprocation .
Rather than respond with words, his lips meet mine in a soul-shattering kiss, a silent declaration that transcends the need for any verbal affirmation.
He rolls over top of me, conveying an unspoken promise through the language of touch and it’s enough for now.