by Charlie Hart
I turn around, my back against the counter and glance up at him. Deep green eyes, that are always so controlled, so decisive, are filled now with a restless passion that makes me swallow hard.
Placing my palms on his stomach, I curl my fingers into the fabric of his shirt and pull my bottom lip between my teeth. “You never touch me.”
His arms remain by his side and his jaw clenches. “I needed time.”
“Time?” I snake my hands under his shirt, feeling the heat of his skin, and he sucks in a breath.
“I wanted you to...” He looks away, dark auburn brows drawn like he’s in pain.
I place a hand on his cheek, his rough beard tickling my palm. “Tell me.”
“It may seem silly to you. But I wanted you to care about me before we made love.”
Made love. Only Giles would use that term. And my heart squeezes at his confession.
“I do care about you.”
“Then why run?” His lips thin, and his eyes search mine wanting an answer he can believe.
“Because...” Am I ready to confess who I am? Put him in more danger. “I was trying to protect you. All of you.”
His frown deepens. “From what?”
“My past.”
His hands cup my face and he leans down, holding my gaze for a long moment. “The six of us took an oath to protect you. If you’d trusted us-”
“I do trust you.”
He shakes his head. “No, Tia. If you trusted us, you would have come to us with whatever truth you’re still holding back. And we would have kept you safe, no matter the cost.”
“But that’s exactly what I was worried about. I couldn’t live if something happened to you, because of me.”
A tear slips down my cheek and he brushes it away with his thumb. “And how do you think we’d feel if anything happened to you?”
His eyes, deep green pools, are full of emotion, and I know my betrayal has left a deep wound on his heart. I hate that I caused that.
“Make love to me,” I say the words quickly, desperately, not knowing what he’ll do. Praying he doesn’t reject me. Because I wasn’t lying, I do care about him. And right now, I need this. Need him.
“Tia...” He drops his forehead to mine, his breathing rough, and I can feel his heart beating wildly beneath my palm.
“Please,” I whisper, my hand trailing down his abs. “I need you.”
He groans. A deep guttural sound at the back of his throat. Then his mouth is on mine. His lips exploring mine with a restraint that leaves me begging for more.
He pulls back, green fire blazing in his eyes. “You’re sure?”
I wrap my arms around his neck and pull his mouth back to mine, kissing him fiercely with abandon until his body relaxes and he meets my kiss with equal passion.
His hands are on me, large and calloused, they roam across my body, and I can feel the heavy length of his erection pressing against my belly.
“Not here,” he moans against my lips, then scoops me up against his chest and carries me to the living room, where the fire is still smoldering. A large bear fur rug is beside the couch and he lays me down on it and slowly begins to undress me.
“I knew I’d find you alive,” he tells me, his eyes on my bare skin.
“Why?” My voice is so small I hardly recognize it as my own.
“In your eyes, I see a fighter. Your heart’s not easily bruised, even if your skin says otherwise.”
He runs his thumbs over the tender flesh on my upper arms, where the men pushed me hard into the snow. It feels so intimate, and it’s as if his touch wipes away some of the pain I feel over being violated yesterday.
“How do you figure all that? We’ve hardly spoken, Giles.” I close my eyes as his hands cup my breasts, my nipples covered by my bra, but they are hard beneath his touch.
“You killed a man for me, Tia.”
I swallow, shame coursing through my veins. “You don’t think I’m a monster?”
He groans and shakes his head softly. “No Tia, I think I got damn lucky when my name was drawn in the Lottery.”
His eyes find mine now, and it’s startling when our gazes meet. He’s a man who does what he wants when he wants.
And right now, he wants me.
Each movement is an act of worship. He takes his time, kissing every area of skin as it’s exposed. The fire crackles beside us, warming me and casting an otherworldly glow around us.
He reaches behind his head and tugs off his shirt. The man is all muscle, toned and defined, and they ripple with every movement. Of all the men, he’s the tallest, and his strength even shadows Fallon’s.
His skin is fair, his chest covered in soft freckles, and a small line of dark auburn hair trails down his lower abs. I follow that line with my finger, then pull his belt loose from the clasp.
“Tia,” he moans.
With only my bra and panties on, he crouches over me, one thick thigh between my legs, hands beside my head, and growls, “You’re so beautiful.”
My chest squeezes.
“So are you,” I say, placing a hand on his beard.
He chuckles. “That’s not something most men want to hear.”
I smile up at him. “But you are.” My palm resting on his chest, I open up, “I saw you the night of the lottery. At the back of the room. And your eyes...”
He gives me a crooked smile and tilts his head waiting for me to continue.
“There was a kindness in them that I’d never seen before. Not from a...”
“A man.”
I nod.
Compassion fills his expression. “I’ll never hurt you.”
“I know.”
“And I’ll protect you with my last breath.”
I close my eyes. “I know.”
It’s also my worst fear.
I unbutton the top button of his pants, then slide my hand under the material bringing it down over his hips so that his cock springs free. A drop of precum moistens the tip, and I lick my lips, wanting to taste him. He brings out a different side of me. He saw me at my worst, and he didn’t push me away.
He pulled me close. I want him to pull me closer still. My body aches to be joined with his, and I look him over - when he says he will protect me with all that he is, I know his body is capable of it.
But as I look at him, he seems almost shy under my gaze. “So beautiful,” I say again.
“I have to confess something to you.”
“What?” I trace the frown line on his forehead.
“I’ve never...” He chews on his bottom lip, the muscles in his shoulders bunching and coiling. “Never done this before.”
“Really?” My heart opens at his confession, it makes me want to wrap my arms around him and show him how thankful I am to be his wife.
I twist my legs around his and use my strength to flip him on his back.
He grunts then laughs. “What are you doing?”
A smile breaks out across my face, his laughter lightened the mood. Reminded me that beyond guns and kidnappers, the high stakes outside this cabin - right here, before the fire, we are husband and wife. And we can enjoy the life we are lucky enough to have. For as long as we have it.
“For once,” I tell him. “Let me take care of you.” I kiss his chest, his abs, gripping the base of his cock in my hand, then swirling my tongue around the engorged head.
His throat bobs as he watches me, and I feel his cock grow as I lick it. It feels so decadent to be here alone with him. And I know the moment is fleeting; soon enough we’ll have to make a plan for getting out of here. Somehow, we’ll have to let the other husbands know we are okay. But right now, we are here together.
In the middle of nowhere. Alone.
I will give Giles all that I can. After all, he saved my life.
And God, how I want to devour his body. His cock is so thick in my hand and I smile up at him before taking the full length of his cock in my mouth. He groans as I do, and my body tingles with excitement as I enjoy his t
hickness, already imagining him between my legs.
“My God, Tia.” His fingers tangle in my hair and his body tenses beneath me, as I suck, stroke, and lick.
I watch his reaction, seeing what he likes, what makes his muscles clench in pleasure.
When I glance up at him, I see his emotions are on full display. He is utterly enraptured with me, with the moment.
I don’t deserve this man.
Chapter 4
Giles
My self-control is frayed, my body ready to explode with pleasure, and my heart filled with so much damn love for the woman staring up at me, her sweet lips curved up in a smile as she strokes her tongue one more time across the crest of my cock.
“I’m not going to last long if you keep doing that.”
She smiles, then shifts up on her knees. “But you like it.”
“Hell, yeah. But I want...” Shit, I’ve never been good with words.
“I know,” she says, reaching behind her and unfastening her bra, then shifting out of her thong.
Her hair tumbles in brown waves down her shoulders and back, and she may just be the most incredible thing I’ve ever seen.
My cock strains painfully toward her when she straddles me, rubbing her pussy against the length of cock. I can feel her wetness, feel her desire, and it takes every ounce of strength in me not to flip her over and bury myself deep inside of her.
But I don’t want to hurt her, and I know that if I do it my way, I won’t last more than ten seconds. It’s my first time, and I sure as hell want to make it memorable for both of us.
She takes my hands and places them on her breasts, holding them there as she rocks her hips against me. I haven’t even been inside her and yet I’ve never felt anything so exquisite, so sensual.
I circle my thumbs over her bare nipples, and they harden beneath my touch. Her breasts are so full and round and I can hardly hold them with my large hands.
Tia whimpers as I twist her nipples playfully and the sound is almost too much.
“Show me what you like.” I run my hands down her body, across her hips, moving with her. Running my hands over her ass gets me harder still, her cheeks are so fucking perfect. She leans over me, her tits grazing my chest, and I pull one into my mouth, rolling my tongue over her nipple. She likes that, and she grinds harder against me as I massage her breasts, sucking them, as her ass is in the air.
“Oh, Giles,” she moans, her fingers threading through my hair as she sits up, panting with desire. I haven’t even pressed my hand against her swollen pussy yet, but I can tell she is wet and ready.
I can’t wait anymore, I run my hand over her opening. Her body so soft against my calloused hand. She purrs as I press a finger inside her, she bites her bottom lip, pulls her hair up on the tip of her head, anticipation rolling over her skin.
“It feels so good to have you touch me,” she whispers as she presses a hand against my chest. “You’re so solid… so strong.”
“And you are so fucking hot,” I tell her unabashedly. It’s the fucking truth, my wife is a goddess, a goddamn dream.
It makes her smile, and I revel in that. I’m rarely seen as the easygoing one, someone who is playful. But Tia sees a different side of me, or maybe, I want to show her another side of me.
I know it will take time, but right now, I swear I’d be willing to stay in this cabin forever, if it meant I’d be able to memorize every inch of her - heart, body, soul.
She lifts up on her knees and takes my cock in one hand, her gaze never leaving mine as she places the tip against her entrance, then slowly slides down my shaft.
“Holy hell,” I grind out, gripping her hips as she reaches the base.
My cock pulses inside of her, and her pussy clamps around it.
She sucks in a breath, and a smile pulls at her lips. “I’ve wanted this since we met.”
“Trust me, Tia, I’ve wanted it more.”
She chuckles, then places her hands on my chest and begins to rock her hips like she had been before, but this time I’m inside her, and every movement is blissful torture. She is tight and warm, and my cock is near bursting.
I move with her, finding her rhythm, and then helping her slow this down. Not wanting this moment with my wife to end anytime soon.
The wait was worth it, her body is the sweetest sight I’ve ever seen, her face that of an angel. She looks down, watching me with interest.
“You like it?” she asks, swiveling her hips achingly slow.
“I love it,” I say, wanting to say more, but not wanting to scare her.
“I’m really your first?” she asks, moving faster, my hands moving to her hips, transfixed at the way her body moves as if music is playing. It’s like she hears the beat of my heart.
“You really are,” I manage to grunt, my cock so fucking hard and ready. “Dammit, I don’t wanna come, Tia.”
“We can do this more than once, you know.” She smiles down at me, her teeth bright white and her eyes filled with light and my cock goes rigid, watching her watch me.
It’s like she sees me, wants me. Like I’m hers. And it’s not just because we exchanged vows, slipped on rings, it’s because we’ve been through hell and back the last twenty-four hours.
Clinging to whatever hope we can find in this world.
Hell, when I look into her eyes I see more than hope. I see our future.
I come inside her then, filling her up with my seed and she falls over my chest as I thrust into her pussy. She wraps her arms around my neck, gasping as our bodies melt together, as two become one.
“Oh, Giles,” she moans, kissing my neck, my mouth, my ears. Inhaling me, her tongue against my skin, biting and licking, as if she can’t bear to stop. Like she needs more. Like her body is awake now, craving more now that she has tasted me.
“Fuck, woman, I love this side of you.”
“What did you do to me?” she asks. “I’ve become so…”
“Primal?”
She laughs, and so do I. “Yes, primal. It’s like you’re the beast and I’m your-”
“And you’re my beauty.” I flip her over then, burying myself inside of her again, marking what is mine.
Chapter 5
Tia
“For never doing that before, you’re pretty good at it,” I tease, my chin on his chest as I look up at him and smile.
“I don’t know what got into you, but I liked it,” he says, leaning over and kissing my shoulder. He falls back on the pile of pillows and blankets on the floor, and I nestle closer to him, his arm wrapped around me.
The last several hours were wild, and we’re both left a little ragged and raw.
“I mean you went from never being with a woman to…” I laugh into his chest, remembering the way he spread my legs and pressed his face to my pussy… his beard causing me to laugh in delight and then moan in pleasure... and then come. Over and over again. “You’re gonna need to do that thing you did, down there, again. And soon.”
“Oh, beautiful, I have no problem obliging you with that.” His hand runs over my bare ass, and we bask in the heat from the fire, our bodies just coming down from the high of making love.
“It wasn’t like that with the others...” I start, then stop. “Sorry, that’s probably not appropriate. I don’t mean it wasn’t good, they were just... different.”
“More experienced?”
I shake my head and lift it so our eyes meet. There is so much depth to Giles and I feel like I have just tapped the surface. “That’s not what I mean. You were just... vulnerable. Like, willing to go all in. To laugh and smile and make me feel safe in the middle of a really scary time.”
He gives me a smile, so tender it makes me melt into his arms all over again.
“I know it was scary, Tia. And I hate that for you.” He kisses my head, then runs his fingers through my messy hair. “I’m just glad I got there when I did. If anything had happened to you... I don’t think I could go through that again.”
&
nbsp; “Again?” I ask.
His fingers go still, and I swear he stops breathing. His words and my question seem to lace together and form a halo around us, and a silence takes over the cabin. A log from the fire splits in two, making a sharp crack and a pop. Then quiet once more.
I hold my breath, wanting to ask again, but before I do, Giles begins to speak. His voice hushed and reverent, and it’s like his memory-prayer from earlier when we ate our soup, is finally being offered up.
“Her name was Caroline.” His voice breaks on her name, and I take his hand in my own, squeezing tight. “She was her mother’s daughter. Always wearing an apron and doing something with her hands. She sang songs all day long, her voice as sweet as sugar. We grew up together, and even though we all knew she would be sent to the lottery, I guess we all pretended it wouldn’t happen.”
His fingers begin moving through my hair once more, and I bite my bottom lip, already knowing how this story is going to end.
The way all stories end, now.
“The summer we were eighteen we fell in love. The kind of love that you don’t hear about anymore. It wasn’t passion, it was promise. Picking apples in the orchard and fishing at the lake, and coming here... to the cabin, and...”
He stops talking altogether and even though he is strong and resilient in a way that puts me in check, I sit up and pull him into my arms.
“I knew I didn’t have enough money, and that she would be safer if she went to the lottery, but I guess we gave ourselves that summer, knowing nothing lasts forever.”
“But you never...”
He shakes his head, and we move to the couch, holding one another as we sit under a heavy quilt. There is the softest smile on his lips as he thinks of how to answer. “Caroline was Fal’s sister. He would have killed me.”
“Oh.” Pieces click into place. Fallon’s fear of losing me, just like he lost Caroline. But it wasn’t Fallon’s Caroline. She was Giles’. “How did she…”
“We told her she had to go to the lottery. It killed us, but you know, now, how dangerous it is. She needed the protection of six men, the security system only the compound can offer. We all hated it, but knew she needed to go if she wanted a chance at a real future.”
