Tempting Boundaries

by Carrie Ann Ryan

  Griffin sighed then looked back at Decker. “I’d say if you hurt her, I’d kill you, but you already did that.”

  She winced at his words.

  “Just…just don’t do something that we’re all going to regret,” Griffin said softly then moved out of the way before looking at her. “I’m going to be in my office. Ring that damn bell if you need me.” He kissed her on the head before stomping back to his office.

  With her brother out of the room, she finally turned back to Decker.

  Her heart thudded.

  Stupid heart.

  He stood in the doorway, the sunlight behind him framing his body so he looked like a wicked angel. Apparently, her meds were making her loopy.

  She refused to meet his eyes just then, afraid of what she’d say once she did. Instead, she looked down to see Gunner at his master’s feet. The dog’s long tongue was hanging out of his mouth, but his eyes looked solemn.

  “Hey, boy,” she said, her voice a little higher than usual. “I’ve missed you.” It was safer to talk to the dog than the man.

  Gunner looked up at Decker then came at her. Decker whistled, and Gunner stopped.

  “It’s okay. As long as he doesn’t jump on me, I’ll be fine.” She still didn’t look at Decker when she said the words.

  “Be careful, Gunner,” Decker cautioned.

  The dog slowly made his way to her, sniffing along her casts, before putting his wet nose in her hand. She let out a giggle, surprised that she’d missed Gunner as much as she did.

  “Oh, honey, you are a sight for sore eyes,” she said softly.

  Gunner panted, and she rubbed his head. She couldn’t reach much else, but he looked happy. She knew that she was delaying the inevitable, but she wasn’t sure she could take looking up.

  “Miranda.”

  She closed her eyes and kept petting Gunner. God, it hurt so freaking much. “You left me,” she said softly. “You fucking left me alone and bleeding in a hospital room. You left a fucking note. Do you realize how that made me feel? Like I was nothing. Like I wasn’t worth your words or your time.”

  She swallowed hard then opened her eyes. Decker was on his knees in front of her, squished between Gunner and the footstool.

  “I’m so fucking sorry, Mir.” His eyes darkened, and she saw the pain in them. She just wasn’t sure it was all worth it.

  She loved his man, loved him with everything she had, yet he’d thrown it all away.

  “I loved you, Decker.”

  “Loved? Past tense?” His voice cracked, but she ignored it. If she didn’t, she might change her mind—though she wasn’t sure what she was going to do to begin with.

  She licked her lips and petted Gunner’s head again. Decker didn’t touch her, but she could feel the heat of his gaze.

  “I don’t know, Decker. No, I do know. I still love you.” It occurred to her she’d never said it to him before this. “Damn it. It wasn’t supposed to be like this. It wasn’t supposed to hurt this much. Love wasn’t supposed to make me feel like I’m dying inside, Decker. Don’t you get that? I gave you everything I had, and you threw it all away. I know I didn’t tell you I loved you before the accident, but it showed in all my actions. I didn’t want to scare you away like I did that day in the kitchen, and then you got scared anyway. I don’t know what to do, Deck. I don’t know what to think.”

  He reached out to cup her face then must have thought better of it. Good, because if he touched her, she wasn’t sure what she’d do.

  “I knew, Miranda. Deep down, I knew. I told myself you didn’t though. Told myself that you couldn’t love a man like me, a man with a family like mine. I was wrong, so fucking wrong. I put my fear of who I could be over what we actually had in front of us. I should have told you the same, Miranda. I should have told you that I loved you.”

  She gasped, blinking. “No. You don’t get to do this. You don’t get to throw my love back in my face and also say it back. That’s not how things work.” She couldn’t move, and she hated feeling trapped. Yet she didn’t ring the bell for Griffin to come save her.

  She’d save herself.

  “I’m not doing that, Miranda. Please. Please, just listen. Okay? I know I have no right to ask that of you, but I’m asking anyway. After I’m done, if you don’t want to hear from me, I’ll go away. I’ll leave you alone, leave Denver, leave everything. I’ll do whatever you need me to do so you’re happy.”

  She shook her head. “I’m not happy, Decker, and nothing about you leaving could make me happy. I’m not going to hurt you because I’m hurt. But I’ll listen to what you want to say.” She met his gaze and saw the love mixed with hope there, and this time, she didn’t turn away. She didn’t know what she was going to do next, but she knew she had to listen. If she didn’t, she’d make the same mistake he made in the hospital. If she ran away because she was scared, she’d regret it. Decker clearly had, but that didn’t make everything okay.

  “I’m not the man my father is. It took me too fucking long to realize that. He is a drunk, a cheat, a liar, and an abuser. He took my mother’s life in every way possible while not killing her. I know that if he’d been around longer, he’d have eventually gone too far and killed her. I was so fucking afraid that one day I’d snap and be like him.”

  She shook her head. “You know that’s not the case, Decker.”

  “I do know that. Now. Actions make the man. Not fear. I’ve never once done the things he has. I’m not a drunk. I’m not an abuser. What scared me more than I thought possible was thinking of the bruises and red marks I’d left on your skin the night before your accident.”

  Her eyes widened, finally understanding. “Decker, no. Those…those were something between the two of us. I wanted you to spank me. I wanted you to grip my hips that hard. It was something between two people who loved each other. That is nothing like what your dad did to your mom.” She licked her lips. “If you think that, then it cheapens everything we did. Do you get that?”

  She winced, remembering the fact that Griffin could probably hear everything she was saying, but she didn’t care. Not really. They all had their secrets and their own needs. Griffin would just have to deal with it.

  “I get it, Mir. I so fucking get it. I used what we had as an excuse. I was scared. I’m man enough to admit that. In doing so, though, I hurt the one person who means more than anything to me.” He reached out and touched her fingers. It was the only part of her arm he could get to since she still wore the cast.

  “I love you, Miranda Montgomery. I love what we had, what we could have. I was a fool to walk away thinking I was protecting you. I never should have made that choice for you. For that, I’m doubly sorry. You are not the type of woman who would ever let a man make her choices for her, and that’s what I did. I don’t know how to ever make that up to you. But I’m going to spend the rest of my life trying, if you let me.”

  He squeezed her fingers, and she squeezed back without thinking. The hope in his eyes flared, and she swallowed hard.

  “I don’t know if I can trust you, Decker.”

  There. She’d said it.

  He nodded and the hope didn’t leave his eyes. “I know. I’m so fucking sorry for that. I can make all the promises in the world and know in my heart I’ll keep them, but unless you can take a chance on me, then I don’t know what to do.”

  He lifted her hand and kissed her fingertips.

  She let him.

  “I’ll do everything I can to prove that I’m worthy of you, Mir.”

  She shook her head, and his face fell. “Decker, you were always worthy of me. That wasn’t the issue. It was you thinking you weren’t good enough in the first place.”

  He nodded. “I’m not going to turn into my dad,” he said, his voice stronger this time. “I’m going to love you until the day I die, Miranda. Let me love you. Be with me. You don’t have to forgive me because what I did was unforgivable, but love me anyway.”

  She bit her lip. “I do forgive yo
u, Decker. You did it because you were stupid and not thinking. Or maybe you were thinking too much.”

  He swallowed hard, and she watched his throat work. “Will you still love me? Will you let me try to make it up to you?”

  She took a deep breath and nodded, taking the plunge. She’d loved Decker Kendrick for what seemed like forever. Twists and turns along the path were things she’d known would come, though she hadn’t known they would hurt as much as they had. If she ran away because she was scared of being hurt, then she didn’t love him enough.

  And she did.

  Love him enough.

  She reached out with her free hand and cupped his face. He turned and kissed her palm. “I love you, Decker. I love you enough to move on from what happened.”

  He smiled then, his eyes bright. “I’m going to show you everything, Mir. Show you exactly how much I love you. I don’t want you to ever feel like you can’t trust me, can’t lean on me. I’ll be the man you need, the man you want.”

  She smiled then. “Oh, Decker. You already are.”

  He leaned in then and brushed his lips against hers. She sank into him, craving him. She’d missed this, missed him so much she could barely breathe.

  He pulled back and leaned his forehead against hers. “I won’t do more than that until you’re healed. I don’t want to hurt you.”

  She saw the truth in his eyes and smiled. “I can live with that.”

  “I hope so. And while you’re doing that, why don’t you come to my place?” He cleared his throat. “Our place. I can help you recover there.”

  She met his gaze and warmed. “I like the sound of that.”

  He kissed her again, and she fell in love with him once more. Things were never going to be easy, but that’s what love was. It wasn’t a fairy tale dreamed up by a little girl who liked the boy across the way. Love was something that flared between two people who were right for each other, even if they didn’t see it right away.

  She’d loved Decker Kendrick since she was a little girl. Now she was all grown up and living a life of her own, with the man she’d never thought she’d have.

  Not a bad way to heal.

  Or to live.

  ****

  Three months later.

  Decker grinned as Miranda arched against him. “That’s it baby, take me. Take all of me.”

  She wrapped her legs around his waist and pulled him deeper. “Start moving, Decker. I swear I’m going to reach down and make myself come if you don’t start doing your job.”

  Decker swooped in for a deep kiss, fucking her mouth with his tongue as he pumped his hips in the same rhythm. She gasped beneath him, writhing and moaning.

  He pulled back and moved down to suck one nipple into his mouth. He bit down on the bud, loving the way she shook under him. Her fingers tangled in his hair, pressing him closer. He flicked her nipple with his tongue then pulled back, giving the same attention to her other breast.

  “Decker, I’m going to…” She trailed off as she came, her pussy clenching around his cock.

  It was too much, and he followed her, filling her up even as he kept thrusting.

  “Jesus Christ, I love you.”

  She smiled up at him, her eyes dreamy, her motions lazy as she ran her hands up and down his back.

  “I love you too.” She touched a sore part on his back, and he winced. “Shit. I’m sorry. I forgot your new ink is back there.”

  He smiled and kissed her. “It’s why I was on top.”

  She snorted and rolled her eyes. “I love the fact that you have the Montgomery brand on your back. You’re officially one of us.”

  His chest grew tight at the words, and he nodded. Austin and Maya had each had a hand at his ink, and he’d never felt like he’d belonged more.

  He had the ink on his back, the connection to a family he never thought he’d have, and the love of a woman that made him reach for more.

  He’d crossed the boundaries of temptation to gain it all, yet he’d do it again in a heartbeat.

  Decker couldn’t have asked for more.

  He had his Montgomery. He was one lucky man.

  The End

  Coming Next:

  Harder Than Words, where Luc finally gets a chance with Meghan.

  A Note from Carrie Ann

  Thank you so much for reading Tempting Boundaires. I do hope if you liked this story, that you would please leave a review. Not only does a review spread the word to other readers, they let us authors know if you’d like to see more stories like this from us. I love hearing from readers and talking to them when I can. If you want to make sure you know what’s coming next from me, you can sign up for my newsletter at www.CarrieAnnRyan.com; follow me on twitter at @CarrieAnnRyan, or like my Facebook page. I also have a Facebook Fan Club where we have trivia, chats, and other goodies. You guys are the reason I get to do what I do and I thank you.

  Make sure you’re signed up for my MAILING LIST so you can know when the next releases are available as well as find giveaways and FREE READS.

  Tempting Boundaries is the second book in the Montgomery Ink series and one of my favorites already. Decker and Miranda were a blast to write even if they made me cry. Next up in the series is Meghan and Luc with Harder than Words. Their book will be out in 2015. There will be more ink in 2015 as well! Each of the Montgomery siblings will get their own book, as well as others in their neighborhood! If you haven’t already read them, you can find out more about Austin and Sierra in Delicate Ink! Plus Callie and Morgan have their story told in Forever Ink (found in the Hot Ink Anthology). Those two are out now!

  If you don’t want to wait for more Montgomery Ink books, I also have my Redwood Pack, Talon Pack, and Dante’s Circle series going in full swing now so there’s always a Carrie Ann book on the horizon!

  Thank you so much for going on this journey with me and I do hope you enjoyed my Montgomery Ink series. Without you readers, I wouldn’t be where I am today.

  Thank you again for reading and I do hope to see you again.

  Carrie Ann

  About this Author

  New York Times and USA Today Bestselling Author Carrie Ann Ryan never thought she’d be a writer. Not really. No, she loved math and science and even went on to graduate school in chemistry. Yes, she read as a kid and devoured teen fiction and Harry Potter, but it wasn’t until someone handed her a romance book in her late teens that she realized that there was something out there just for her. When another author suggested she use the voices in her head for good and not evil, The Redwood Pack and all her other stories were born.

  Carrie Ann is a bestselling author of over twenty novels and novellas and has so much more on her mind (and on her spreadsheets *grins*) that she isn’t planning on giving up her dream anytime soon.

  www.CarrieAnnRyan.com

  Also from this Author

  Now Available:

  Redwood Pack Series:

  An Alpha’s Path

  A Taste for a Mate

  Trinity Bound

  A Night Away

  Enforcer’s Redemption

  Blurred Expectations

  Forgiveness

  Shattered Emotions

  Hidden Destiny

  A Beta’s Haven

  Fighting Fate

  Loving the Omega

  The Hunted Heart

  The Redwood Pack Volumes:

  Redwood Pack Vol 1

  Redwood Pack Vol 2

  Redwood Pack Vol 3

  Redwood Pack Vol 4

  Redwood Pack Vol 5

  Redwood Pack Vol 6

  Dante’s Circle Series:

  Dust of My Wings

  Her Warriors’ Three Wishes

  An Unlucky Moon

  His Choice

  Tangled Innocence

  Holiday, Montana Series:

  Charmed Spirits

  Santa’s Executive

  Finding Abigail

  Her Lucky Love

  Dreams of Ivory

  Mon
tgomery Ink:

  Ink Inspired

  Ink Reunited

  Delicate Ink

  Forever Ink (also found in Hot Ink)

  Tempting Boundaries

  Coming Soon:

  Redwood Pack

  Wicked Wolf

  Talon Pack (Part of the Redwood Pack World)

  Tattered Loyalties

  Dante’s Circle:

  Fierce Enchantment

  Montgomery Ink:

  Harder than Words

  Tempting Signs:

  Finally Found You

  Excerpt: Forever Ink

  Did you enjoy this selection? Why not try another romance from Fated Desires?

  Next From New York Times Bestselling Author Carrie Ann Ryan’s Montgomery Ink

  Forever Ink

  Being bent over a table for long hours was only one of the perks in being Callie Masters. No, really...the ache that came from that position felt like nothing else. Since being bent over in just that way came from her inking a new client on her own with a brilliant—if she did say so herself—tattoo, she couldn’t wait for the ache again. In fact, if she was reading her boss right, she might just be in for more soon.

  Today was going to be a kickass day. Callie did a little hip shake around the office, humming to herself. When her hands went up into the air, she closed her eyes, swaying to music only she could hear. She danced to the beat in her head, getting herself in the mindset to work. That wasn’t difficult since she freaking loved her job. I’m doing what I always dreamed of doing—and I get paid for it. How lucky is that? She was twenty-five and knew she was well on her way to actually having a career bringing art, happiness, and memories to those who asked for it.