Dare To Love Series: The Marriage Dare (Kindle Worlds Novella)

by Marian Tee

  When she made it to the penthouse, Christian himself opened the door. “Jane?” He was dressed in a striped V-necked shirt and loose trousers that fell an inch above his ankles. He looked very stylish, the way only an Englishman could be, it seemed.

  Stylish…and stunned, she noted nervously, and Jane’s voice came out a croak as she asked, “May I come in?”

  Christian seemed to recover himself. “Of course.” As he drew her in, his glance went over her shoulder, and he murmured absently, “Thanks, Dave.”

  “It was my pleasure, sir.”

  The door swung close as Dave walked back to the elevator, and Christian turned back to Jane. She flashed him an uncertain smile. “Umm…hi?”

  He laughed, and he mimicked her, saying, “Umm, hi.” Then he hauled her to him, and before Jane could speak, he was already kissing her hard.

  “This is a pleasant surprise.” And the kiss became deeper and rougher. “I thought you’d be at the trade show the whole day.” Christian pushed her against the door, his mouth moving hungrily down her jaw, all the way to her neck, her breasts---

  His name came out of her in a helpless moan.

  It was so hard to think, to remember---

  But then she felt Christian’s hands pushing her skirt up.

  Jane panicked, and her brain cells started functioning again. “No,” she managed to say. “Wait.”

  The movement of Christian’s hands immediately stopped, and the heat of his touch began to burn the bare skin of her thighs. “What is it, pet?”

  She gulped. “I have something to tell you.”

  Christian pulled away at the tremulous note in her voice. “What is it?”

  “Jared…”

  A hard, possessive look entered Christian’s azure eyes. “Didn’t I tell you I don’t like it when you think about another man?”

  “You did, but---” Her voice caught. His hands had started moving again.

  “So why the fuck are we still talking about him?” By now, her skirt was bunched up her waist, and his fingers had started skimming the edge of her panties.

  “Because…” Oh God, she was halfway to losing her her mind now. “Because---” Somehow, she managed to keep a portion of her brain functioning, enough to desperately grab his hand and prevent it from moving another inch.

  His eyes swung to hers, demanding an explanation, and she gulped.

  “We really have to talk about Jared one last time.” A part of her hated the fact that she even had to bring it up, and there was even a part of her that still had trouble accepting Jared’s feelings were for real.

  She was just Jane Cooper. She was ordinary. She was more than lucky enough to have someone like Christian Ravenhearst desiring her, but to have an equally good-looking and powerful man want her?

  It didn’t make sense.

  It wasn’t even supposed to happen.

  But it did – and Jane knew she would never feel completely at ease until she spoke to Christian about it.

  Jane took a deep breath. “About Jared---”

  “He’s made his move, and you finally realize he’s not fooling around?” Jane’s eyes widened in shock, and Christian smiled humorlessly. “I’ve known him far longer than you have, pet.”

  And that’s what I’m afraid of, Jane thought miserably. Christian and Jared were friends far longer than she and Christian had been engaged. If push came to shove, or if Jared ever chose to lie about their interactions – who would Christian believe?

  “He never disrespected me.” She suddenly felt a need to make that clear.

  Christian nodded. “He wouldn’t be my friend if he did.”

  Jane started gnawing on her lip. “I’m not even sure why…”

  “He wants you for himself?”

  The words made her fidget uncomfortably. She just wasn’t used to situations that made her seem so much more desirable than she really was.

  Lowering her gaze to her feet, she mumbled, “You don’t think I’m to blame?” Jane chewed on her lip harder, asking haltingly, “You don’t think I led him on or anything?”

  Silence.

  Jane’s heart began to hammer against her chest. Oh no. What if---

  And then Christian said with a sigh, “How is it still not obvious that I trust you completely, pet?”

  Jane’s body visibly shook with relief. “Thank God. I was so afraid---” This time, she could afford to smile, albeit a little tremulously. “I thought if I talked to you about him, you’d suddenly flip out and think it’s my fault something like this happened.”

  “Idiot,” Christian muttered under his breath. “Don’t you know how much you’ve come to mean to me?”

  She shook her head. She didn’t think she was able to mean anything to him.

  In response, Christian took her right hand and pressed it over his heart, and Jane’s lips parted in shock when she found it beating rather hard.

  Her gaze flew up to him.

  “You look incredulous,” Christian observed, amused.

  “I am,” she confessed.

  “So now you know.” He bent his head and brushed her mouth with his, saying against her lips, “You always excite me, pet.”

  His hands on her thighs suddenly tightened, and she squeaked in surprise.

  “Anything else?

  “Well…” Jane’s voice drifted off. He had started stroking the side of her thighs, and it was making her forget everything, even her name.

  His hands stilled. “Just say it.” This time, his voice took on a commanding note, and a shiver of awareness ran down her spine.

  When he spoke like this, she thought vaguely, he sounded a lot like Jared Westland. But the difference between the two was that while she followed the CEO’s orders because she needed to---

  She followed Christian Ravenhearst’s commands because she wanted to.

  “Jane?” Christian tipped her chin up.

  “I just…I just realized what I wanted from our marriage.” Or rather…Jared had helped her realize it, but she didn’t think Christian would welcome the knowledge.

  “If it’s mine to give, it’s yours---”

  “It is.”

  And that’s what scares me, Jane thought as she fought for composure.

  Azure eyes narrowed.

  “I want you to promise,” Jane whispered unsteadily, “to always let me be myself.”

  Christian didn’t answer right away, and she held her breath, her heart hammering painfully against her chest. Oh no. Had she asked a really wrong question this time? Had she asked for too much? Or was Christian not the man she thought he was? Had she made a mist---

  Christian cupped her face, and she blurted out, “Well?”

  His beautiful lips slowly curved…into a smirk.

  “You never had to ask,” Christian said simply. “Nothing gives me greater pleasure than knowing you’re being yourself with me.”

  Her eyes started to prick. “And you really mean that,” she asked shakily, “don’t you?”

  “It’s why you felt right. Because I’m also myself when I’m with you.”

  “Oh.” The words were completely unexpected and downright sweet, and she said again, “Oh.”

  “Are you lost for words?” Christian teased huskily.

  Instead of answering, she just twined her fingers with his, saying, “Let’s go.”

  Christian blinked. “Go where?”

  “Wherever it is you can fuck me?”

  There was one second of silence.

  “Please?”

  And then Christian suddenly swept her up his arms. As he started walking, she told him warningly, “If you find me heavy, don’t tell me or I’ll lose the courage to get naked in front of you.”

  Christian’s shoulders rocked with laughter. “You are heavy.”

  Her gasp echoed inside his living room, and then she gasped again when he tossed her up in the air.

  She fell back in his arms, shrieking, “Christian!” Oh my God, that had to be the most frightening
moment of her life.

  “Just to demonstrate how heavy you are,” he explained innocently.

  And then he tossed her again.

  She fell back in his arms, laughing this time. “Oh God, you’re crazy.” Jane’s eyes sparkled. “Do it again---aah!”

  Christian had tossed her with greater force this time, causing her to go up a lot higher.

  When she fell back down, she quickly held on to him. “Don’t do it again!” Her arms tightened around his neck. “And thank God you’ve got high ceilings.”

  She laid her head on his chest as he went up the stairs, and Christian chuckled, asking knowingly, “Are you actually checking if I’m about to run out of breath?”

  Jane only grinned and burrowed her head closer. He was right, and he was not. It was sexy as hell.

  When they made it to his bedroom, Jane started in his arms, gasping, “You had it renovated.”

  Christian muttered something under his breath as he lowered her to the floor. It sounded distinctly like ‘fuck,’ but she was probably wrong.

  She looked around her, the bedroom’s new design as enthralling as its owner. The walls were a glossy shade of white, the windows shuttered with metallic blinds, and the bed frame and all other pieces of furniture made of glass. The sleek entertainment system was outlined in glowing neon shades of red and blue, and---

  There wasn’t a single switch visible, Jane realized. Did that mean everything was voice or motion activated?

  Overall, Christian’s bedroom was a galactic showcase – something like Town & Country meets Discovery Science – and she shook her head, beyond fascinated at what he had accomplished in a matter of days.

  “Are you mad?” Christian asked guardedly when she turned to look at him.

  Jane was puzzled. “Why would I be?”

  “Because…if we marry---”

  Understanding dawned, and she finished cheekily, “I’ll have a say on how your bedroom looks like as mistress of the household?”

  Christian only looked at her. “Are you mad?”

  “And if I were?” she couldn’t help testing.

  “I’ll have it redone,” Christian answered without hesitation. “Something like this isn’t worth any argument.”

  Oh. It wasn’t at all what she expected him to say, and she doubted most men would have said the same thing. Or if they did, they wouldn’t be honest.

  “I really don’t care what you do with your bedroom,” Jane began.

  “Our bedroom,” Christian corrected flatly.

  The words somehow made her blush, and she cleared her throat. “Anyway, it’s cool with me, however this place looks. But – and I’m asking this purely out of curiosity – why did you have your bedroom renovated?”

  “Inspiration,” Christian answered, and again there was a guarded note in his voice.

  “Inspiration?” she echoed blankly.

  “For the next level in H.”

  His tone was still guarded, and the distance between their bodies remained. Looking at him, she realized that this was probably something he had problems about with his ex-girlfriends.

  And he had expected her to be the same, Jane thought.

  What a wonderfully smart, silly man he was.

  When she walked towards Christian, she couldn’t help noting the way his azure eyes took on a calculating look, as if trying to figure out her intentions with a mathematical formula.

  Smart silly man---

  And she was engaged to him.

  When Jane reached Christian, she locked her arms behind his neck, saying with mock seriousness, “If I marry you---”

  Christian’s gaze became even more calculating.

  “You must promise to let me live in your spaceship.”

  The tension left his form, and Christian’s eyes gleamed. “It’s a deal.”

  She laughed. She just couldn’t help it.

  “But only on one condition.”

  “And what’s that?” Jane’s tone was breathless, Christian having hauled her close so he could start undressing her.

  Taking her cardigan off, Christian said, “You need to wear a spacesuit…”

  The sound of her giggle was slightly muffled by her blouse being whipped over her body.

  “That lets your breasts hang out,” Christian finished, crouching down to work on her skirt.

  “Kinky!” Laughter had her swaying, and she quickly held on to his shoulders as she stepped out of her skirt and then her shoes. “Makes me wonder how you’re able to keep your games PG,” she murmured as Christian made her turn around.

  “Did I ever say I don’t develop any adult games?” Christian asked dulcetly as he unclasped her bra from behind.

  “Oh!” Her gasp coincided with her bra falling to the floor, and she automatically covered her chest with her arms as she turned around, asking breathlessly, “Then that means you do?”

  Instead of answering, Christian whipped her panties down her legs.

  “Christian, does that mean---”

  He kissed her hard, muttering against her lips, “Enough talking, more fucking.” He tossed her onto the bed right after, and she giggled. “I thought you only swore when you’re pissed.” Her voice was faint, the sight of Christian swiftly undressing himself making Jane’s head whirl.

  This was really happening. Christian Ravenhearst was about to become her lover. Her only lover.

  “I am pissed.” Christian placed one knee on the bed.

  “W-why?”

  “Because I want you so bad, I don’t fucking know if I can control myself---”

  And finally – finally – their naked bodies touched, both of them knowing that this time it was different.

  This time, they would really be lovers to the end.

  Mind blown, Jane thought dazedly as her aching body arched involuntarily.

  And then there was no time to think.

  Ravishment was the only word to describe the way Christian kissed her, touched her – and she loved it. The way his tongue penetrated her mouth, the way his fingers pulled on her nipples, the way his cock rubbed almost tauntingly against the slick folds of her pussy.

  And he did it all without letting Jane have a single second to compose herself, ignoring her cries for him to stop like he knew that what she was really begging him to do was the opposite.

  Ravish me more. Drive me crazy. Kill me with your passion.

  And he did.

  Oh, he did.

  When Christian poised himself between her legs, she was more than ready, writhing and moaning under him, her nails digging into the sculpted panes of his back.

  “Christian---”

  His cock slowly sheathed itself inside her pussy, inch by inch.

  “Oh God, Christian…”

  Deeper and deeper, piercing her body, possessing her soul.

  “Christian---”

  And then he was all the way in, and Jane gasped as his cock drove past the barrier of her virginity.

  Their hoarse breathing filled the room.

  It was done.

  She was his.

  “Jane.” Christian’s azure eyes captured hers. “Are you okay?”

  She could only nod, unable to speak just yet. The feel of his cock throbbing inside of her, rubbing against the walls of her pussy, was strange but compelling.

  It was making her feel things.

  It was making her do things.

  Her clouded eyes searched Christian’s in a mute plea to make her understand just what she was supposed to do, and a rough growl escaped him.

  He started to move, and she gasped as those things gradually became clear.

  The pleasure began to build, and her legs snaked around his waist. He withdrew and plunged deeper into her, and Jane moaned.

  “Yes,” Christian rasped.

  And he began to move just a little bit deeper, just a little bit faster and harder with every stroke, until Jane couldn’t help meeting every thrust.

  “Yes. That’s it, pet.” Christia
n’s voice was strained, his jaw clamped.

  The thrusts kept coming, pounding into her, and she couldn’t stop moaning, rubbing her breasts against his chest, feeling like there should be more, but it was just out of reach.

  Their bodies began to rock against each other, and the bed began to thud against the wall, the heavy sound underlining their panting.

  “Christian. Oh God, Christian---” She was going to break. She wanted to break. She needed to break.

  But how?

  And as if he heard her silent, desperate plea, Christian’s mouth closed over her nipple while his hands went under her ass.

  He bit her nipple hard just as he ground his cock down into her, his hands squeezing her ass hard as he pushed her up to meet his thrust.

  She screamed.

  He bit her nipple harder, ground his cock harder.

  “Oh God, Christian!” Her fists pounded his back.

  And still he didn’t let up, shoving his cock relentlessly into her while lashing her nipple with his tongue---

  And she finally broke.

  Jane’s eyes rolled back as she came. She couldn’t even scream, her orgasm so raw and deep it had her body shuddering so hard until she felt she was boneless. Over her, she heard Christian groan, and then his own cum poured into her in a hot, spurting stream.

  “Christian.” His name came out a shocked whimper as his cum continued to fill her. She hadn’t expected to feel so stuffed, and she whimpered anew when she felt excess cum trickle down her thigh.

  Her eyes drifted closed.

  Mind blown.

  And over her, she heard Christian ask in a velvety voice, “Ready for Round 2?”

  Her eyes flew open. “Nooooooo.”

  His sexy laugh sent shivers down her spine, literally.

  “Yes. It’s a fucking yes, pet.” And Christian started moving again.

  Chapter Nine

  Halloween

  Middle Road, Citrus County

  Jane started hyperventilating as she heard the engine of Christian’s BMW switch off. Across the street was the nice, cozy home she lived in, and where her parents and younger sister lived.

  She glanced at Christian. He looked properly British with his tweed jacket, V-necked shirt, and gray pants. She looked down at herself. At least I’m wearing a dress, Jane thought. Granted, it had seen as many seasons as CSI had, but still.