by Mia Jones
Garrett lifted his head, gazed down at her, and inhaled her heady feminine scent. Although she was still pale, a pleasing flush now painted her cheek, and her mouth was wet and puffy from his kisses. Wave after wave of raw pleasure tore through his veins. A coil of sexual heat radiated so strong, it took his breath away. The force inside him, that kept his passions under control, tightened. He’d never felt this out of control; he came close every time he was with her, but never to the point that he’d lose his sanity so abruptly or he wouldn’t be able to pull back if she needed him too.
His eyes fell on her parted lips and dived in again and pushed his tongue into the depths of her mouth, dominating it. Garrett pulled her in tighter against his hardness, controlling the tremors and passionate moves that engulfed her body.
He was always dominant, especially when it came to sex, but right now, his urgency took her by surprise and made a shiver course through her body. She wasn’t afraid he’d hurt her, but she didn’t know how to handle this side of Garrett.
He lifted his head and tore his mouth from hers.
She watched, entranced, as he seemed to slowly pull himself back from the edge. She froze and inhaled sharply, her pulse spinning out of control. She tried to still her involuntary female need to push against his hard arousal and shake his control again.
His gaze captured hers and held. Eventually, he was able to take a breath that calmed the unadulterated animal desire to mate. He clenched his fist in her hair to hold her a breath away from him. Garrett gritted his teeth. He needed to rein it in because he could tell he was making her uneasy. “Tell me right now, Jessica, you’ll never do this shit again. That you’ll never leave me again.”
Jessica nodded mutely and stared at the possessive expression on his face.
“Say the words, Jess.” A harsh frown bowed his brows, and his grip tightened.
Jessica licked her lips. “I will never leave you again.” God, he was so handsome. She would never get sick of looking at this man.
He released her hair and moved her back a step. “Let’s take your clothes off.” The look on his face showed how close to the edge he still was. “Jessss?” he asked, concerned when she’d stayed frozen.
Jessica’s body jerked, and she started to unbutton her shirt and looked toward the door nervously. “What abo—”
“She’s gone, but it wouldn’t matter. I dare someone to come through that door right now. Come on, baby. I want your clothes off now. I need to see and touch you. It’s been too damn long.”
Jessica nodded, looked down, and focused on her hands as they slowly started to unbutton her blouse. She glanced at Garrett through her eyelashes, and her heart jumped under her breastbone at the predatory gleam of male possession stamped on his face.
Garrett was entranced by the small fingers slowly opening one button at a time, giving him little glimpses of the black lace of her bra. It was sexy as hell, but it wasn’t going fast enough for him. He reached out to help her, but she gripped her shirt tight and turned a little to the side.
“Wait,” she said.
His eyes narrowed on her. He didn’t deal well with not being able to have her under normal circumstances. Today was not normal. He hadn’t had her for five days. He was enraged when he was tried and failed to decide if she was doing it on purpose. “Did you really just push me away?”
Jessica froze as she was pulled her shirt off. His gaze caught and held hers. “What? No. I just wanted to do it myself, for you.” She inhaled raggedly.
His gaze was heavy lidded but unblinking, and his voice was lethally dominant. “That’s good. If something I’m doing is hurting you, then tell me, but otherwise I’m in control.”
Jessica dropped the shirt to the floor and reached for Garrett. Her arms slid up and around his neck. “I know that, and I’m okay with it, Garrett. I can’t imagine me not ever wanting your touch.” She spoke softly against his neck, and her hot breath skimmed over his skin.
Garrett pulled her back to look in her eyes. What he saw, her total surrender, calmed him enough to take a breath. He nudged her to take another step from him. “Okay, the rest of the clothes, baby.”
Jessica didn’t pause as she unzipped her pants and slid them down her legs. She pulled her shoes off then her pants. She stood before him in only her bra and panties.
“As much as I like to see you in things I buy you, I like you naked more. All of it, Jess.”
After the bra and panties came off, she stood still as he looked at her. She involuntarily tried to raise her hands to cover herself but caught the dangerous look in his eyes.
Garrett exhaled on a laugh. “Shy again, Jess?” His voice deepened with menace and his brows drew together. “That’s what happens when we’re away from each other for more than a day.”
She bit her lip but kept her eyes on him.
“How much weight have you lost?”
Jessica shrugged as an embarrassed flush spread over her chest.
He reached for her and wrapped his hands around her waist. “Too damn much. What the hell. Did you starve yourself while we were apart?”
She paused before admitting and focused her gaze on the windows behind him. “I didn’t do it on purpose. I just couldn’t get anything down my throat.”
A growl erupted from his throat, and his hands tightened around her waist. “Anything?”
She nodded jerkily.
“You mean to tell me you haven’t eaten anything?” His expression grew darker.
She nodded hesitantly and kept her eyes focused behind him.
He was stunned and infuriated. Disbelief was written on his face. “You haven’t eaten a meal in five days?” How in the hell is she standing here?
A shiver of apprehension ran down her back. Her head dipped slightly. “I did get a few crackers down today.”
Garrett pulled her into his arms. Dammit. She’d taken the separation harder than he would have guessed. Although, he had to admit, he didn’t know if he would have been able to handle heartbreak better if he hadn’t had the huge advantage of knowing it was only going to be a matter of time before he came for her, something she hadn’t known. He’d warned her several times she was his, and she’d promised him forever. He was going to make sure she kept her promise.
His hands roamed over her, cataloging the changes she’d involuntary made to her body. Her skin was pale, but he thought a few good meals and rest would take care of that. The protruding bones of her ribs and clavicle would take longer to fix. What she needed right now was food and then sleep. He lifted her with his hands around her tiny waist, and turned to lay her across his desk. His hands slid up to cup her breasts as he made a place for himself between her thighs.
“Baby, I need to get you home and take care of you...”
She cried out and reached for him, rapidly shook her head, and opened her mouth to argue as tears started to mist her eyes.
Garrett held up a hand. “Wait...but right now, we both need each other too much. I know we need to make love and strengthen the ties that have been strained.”
Relieved, she nodded and relaxed and lay herself open before him. “Garrett, thank you.” She choked back a whimper. “I feel like I need you inside me more than I need my next breath.”
He opened his dress pants enough to pull his achingly hardened shaft out. He slid a finger and then two into her to make sure she was ready to take him and watched her expressions for any sort of pain or discomfort. “Baby, I need you to hold on to the desk. I’m afraid this is going be hard and fast. I’ve been too long without you. Don’t worry, I’ll make it good for you too.” He waited until her hands were above her head to grip the edge of his desk and he had a good grip on her hips before he pushed himself powerfully into her. When he was in, they both let out a deep groan of contentment. He could actually feel most of his tension leave his body in a wave of relief.
He bent forward and placed his elbows on either side of her head and speared his fingers into her thick dark red mane as
he pushed his tongue into her mouth for a quick hard kiss. Everything about her drove him wild. Garrett sucked her red swollen nipple into his mouth and drew strongly from it.
He pulled away and stood when the need to move became unbearable. He gripped her hips and pulled out before he drove into her. The feeling of her wet heat surrounding him just about threw him over, and he had to grit his teeth to keep his control. He set a fast rhythm, and his gaze stayed fixed on hers.
He would never get tired of looking at her. The softness of her skin felt like satin and so smooth and creamy. “Keep your eyes open,” he demanded between clenched teeth when her lashes started to droop.
Jessica’s eyes widened, and her breath hitched.
A strangled keening sound slid from her throat. The feeling of him inside her, stretching her, felt like coming home. The warmth of his body felt like it sank into every cell and bone in her body and spread outward. Everything was right in her world when they were making love. How could she have ever thought they didn’t fit? That they couldn’t be a family? Jessica lifted her hips and watched the emotions race across his face. She willed herself to keep her eyes open for him, to please him.
Garrett didn’t pause, his gaze ran across her face before he leaned to lay his lips on hers. The difference between the pounding force of his thrusts inside her and the gentle way he kissed her threw her over the edge.
Jessica screamed, and her body bowed and shuddered as she came apart. She vaguely heard Garrett’s shout as his climax followed hers. She lay lax against him, and her breasts rose as harsh breaths see-sawed from her lungs.
Garrett lowered himself until he was on top of her and used his arms to support most of his weight. His mouth pressed against her neck, and he gently licked before bit he down gently. He locked eyes with hers. “I love you, Jessica.”
A sense of pure peace and rightness encased her heart. Jessica closed her eyes as a tear gently rolled down her cheek, and a bright smile crossed her face. “I love you too, Garrett. More than I can ever say.”
He pushed himself up, smiled gently, and used his thumbs to wipe away the tears that fell. “Are you okay, baby?”
A smile crossed her exhausted face as she nodded. She weakly ran her hands up and down his sides and up to his shoulders.
“Let me see your beautiful eyes.”
Her eyes opened slowly and was instantly trapped by his.
His smile grew across his face at the stark sparkle of happiness in her eyes. He bent his head and pressed his lips to hers, then twisted his head to take it deeper. After a minute, Garrett stood and gently withdrew from her, took a step back, and adjusted his clothing before he pulled her up into a sitting position. “Are you steady enough for me to get your clothes?”
Jessica leaned back and rested her hands on the desk behind. She watched as he bent to gather her clothes. He helped her with her bra and shirt, then panties and pants, spreading kisses every other second. He led her around his desk and sat her in his large leather chair. “Sit here, baby. I need to grab my briefcase before we can head home.”
“Head home?” She didn’t ask as a question but a heartfelt relief.
“Yeah, baby, home,” he said in a husky tone as his gaze flew to hers while he donned his suit jacket.
He pulled her up and wrapped an arm around her while he gripped his briefcase with the other and snagged her purse off the floor. They rode the elevator down and made it to his car.
She looked at him in curiosity when he froze beside her as he started to help her into his car.
Garrett cupped her chin in his hard-callused palm. “Please tell me that’s not your car over there.” He tilted his head to the side, indicating the spot behind them.
A shiver ran down her spine. “Yes,” she said uncertainly. She watched him grit his teeth.
“So you’re telling me that you drove here from...” His eyebrows rose in question.
“Th-e sh-el-ter,” she stammered.
He closed his eyes as if in pain but continued his lecture. “From the shelter across town?”
She placed a hand on his chest and spread her fingers out over the solid wall of muscle under his shirt. Her heart dropped. “Yes. Why are you so upset, Garrett?”
“Because you can barely stand, but you choose to drive a car. You could have been in an accident. In fact, I’m surprised you weren’t.” He gritted his words between his teeth, his jaw tense.
She pressed her forehead against his chest and inhaled his wonderful hot musky scent, and he visibly relaxed. She felt relieved when his arms came around her. “I’m sorry. All I could think of was getting to you. It was stupid decision.”
Garrett pressed a kiss on top of her head. “Yeah, it was reckless and dangerous.” He rubbed a cheek against her hair before he gripped her arms to move her back a step. His cool steady gaze bore into hers. “You’ll never do something like that again. Never take a chance with your life. Do you understand me?” His voice grew firmer as the words came.
Jessica swallowed. Her pulse pounded. All she could do was nod mutely.
He sat her in the seat and made sure her seat belt was fastened and all her hair was in before he closed the door.
Her eyes closed as she rested against the door. A veil of fatigue rushed through her. The last thing she heard was when Garrett snapped his seat belt.
They made it back to his house without words between them, him because he was lost in thought, and her because she’d fallen asleep before he’d driven out of the parking lot.
Chapter 24
The sound of the car door woke her. She looked groggily around. Her fatigue made her whole body move in slow motion, like she was stuck in quicksand.
Garrett helped Jessica out of the car and into the kitchen and sat her down in a chair at the table on the far side of the kitchen. He made sure she was steady before he walked to the fridge and pulled out eggs.
He scrambled some eggs in a bowl before sliding them into a hot pan. While they cooked, he toasted bread. Within minutes, he had a plate of food sitting in front of her. “I know you’re tired, but you need to eat before we lay down,” he said and sat next to her and watched her carefully.
Jessica picked up the fork he handed her. She ate a half piece of toast and part of the eggs before she set her fork down. She looked at Garrett, still unable to grasp that she was here next to him.
His fingers combed through her long tresses. “You did pretty good. Let’s get you up to bed.” He stood and lifted her in his arms and walked up the stairs to the bedroom to lay her on his bed. He slowly pulled her clothes off before he tucked her under the covers. “Sleep, baby.” Garrett gritted his teeth against the overwhelming need to sink into her again.
Jessica grabbed onto his arm, eyes wide as panic coursed through her veins. “Wait. Where are you going?”
Garrett sat on the side of the mattress, his arms on either side of her caging her in. “I’m not going anywhere. I’m going to make sure the house is secure and the alarm is set. I want to grab a quick shower and then I’ll come to bed. I know it’s early, but we both need to catch up on our sleep, and I need to hold you.”
She reluctantly released her grip and watched him walk away. Jessica snuggled under the covers. She slid into a deep, healing sleep before he came back.
Garrett walked around the house like he did every night, but tonight he pushed himself to go faster. He glanced at her when he passed through the bedroom on his way to the bathroom and froze. What was it about this little woman that consumed him? He couldn’t think of a single thing he didn’t love about her. She was one of the most sensual women he’d ever seen and so damn beautiful it was hard for him to look away from her. Jessica’s inner beauty matched her outside. She gave everything of herself. It didn’t matter if it was the shelter, her friends, or him, and there was an innocence and sweetness to her that drew him. It made him want to wrap her in cotton at the same time be the man, the only man to show her how good it would be between them and all the t
hings she’d never had time for.
He tore his gaze from her and quickly dropped his clothes and stepped into the shower before the water could warm. A hissing gasp flew from his mouth at the first contact with the water. He quickly flew through washing himself and at the same time cooling his desire to sink into her again and again.
He walked out of the bathroom and turned off the lights as he briskly rubbed his body and hair with a towel and threw it in a chair by the bed before slipping under the covers. One strong arm circled her waist and pulled her into the curve of his body until he was wrapped around her. He exhaled a shaky breath and released the lead weight that had been stuck in his chest since she’d left him.
His contentment grew, and the beast that drove him to have her calmed when she sighed and snuggled tighter against him, finding her place against him where she would stay for the rest of her life.
“I love you, baby,” he whispered against her ear.
Epilogue
Six years later
The smell of barbeque, sunshine, and flowers filled the air. The trees in Angie and Nick’s backyard muddled the rays and heat of the sun and made the outside bearable for the people to lounge or swim.
“Jesus, Garrett, get that tongue in your mouth.” Nick laughed. “Still obsessed with your wife after all this time.”
Garrett snorted. “Look who’s talking, asshole. Your eyes haven’t left your wife’s ass since we got here.”
“How in the hell would you know. You haven’t taken your eyes of your wife’s chest since you walked through the gate.”
“I see you guys are getting along,” Angie said sarcastically as she walked by with a bowl of coleslaw.
“He started it, honey. I’m just standing here doing what you told me to do,” Nick called after her, smiling when she laughed.
