Rogue Rascal (The Rourkes, Book 9)

by Kylie Gilmore

  But it’s Friday night. We have the weekend, right? The problem is, it’s only an annulment if we don’t hook up. How would they know at the legal office? I can’t believe I didn’t consider this angle from the beginning. You can’t prove we hooked up or didn’t.

  I glance back at her. “Do we have to sign some legal document that says the marriage wasn’t consummated in order to get the annulment?”

  She bites her lower lip and looks away.

  A trickle of unease goes through me. I straighten. “Ry?”

  “So there’s a small piece that I didn’t mention before because I wasn’t sure how you’d take it, but now that we’re only a couple of days away from signing off on the annulment, I guess I should mention it.”

  “You guess?”

  She twirls a lock of her hair. “Seems appropriate.”

  I’m on the edge of my seat. “What?”

  “The way to nullify the marriage is to say it wasn’t consummated. My friend filled me in on all the—” she coughs “—intimate details. She went through it twice, once with the court in New York, and once with the Catholic church.”

  “I’m not going through this twice. Court’s enough.”

  “Agreed.” Her brow crinkles like it does when she’s thinking. “I just realized my friend was married in New York and filed the annulment here. I wonder if different rules apply when you’re married in Vegas, but a resident of New York. Maybe I should Google that.”

  She’s stalling. “Focus! What’s the part you didn’t mention before?”

  She nods once. “The way to nullify the marriage is to say it wasn’t consummated. I think there are a few other ways, underage minor, under duress, that kind of thing, but for our purposes it’s—” She stops and grimaces.

  “Spit it out,” I order.

  “Because you’re impotent.”

  I bolt off the sofa, putting as much distance between me and that word as I can. No fucking way!

  I pace the room. “No. I refuse. I’m not signing anything that says I’m—” I gesture wildly “—that.” If I say the word, it might stick to me. I halt. “That goes in the legal record forever? Of course it does! You might’ve mentioned this before! Jesus.” I pace again, my mind bouncing through all the implications. Holy shit. I do not want that label following me around. Impotent! The lowest of low blows to my manly pride.

  I can’t believe this! I tortured myself for weeks, trying not to touch her so we could have this freaking annulment, and my family would be spared the pain of my stupid mistake, and now I find out this horrible thing.

  I stop and shove a hand in my hair. I can’t get an annulment now!

  I walk straight out the door of the apartment and run downstairs.

  “Jack!” Riley yells. “Where are you going?”

  I stop. Where am I going? I felt like I needed to move. Like I was going to explode if I didn’t.

  I throw my hands up. “I don’t know!”

  She gestures for me to come back.

  I head back upstairs and brush past her to get into the apartment, feeling like an idiot. “I was on autopilot, not thinking straight,” I mutter.

  She’s standing in the middle of the living room, looking at me curiously.

  I jab a hand in the air. “Okay, listen, we can’t get an annulment. That’s out.”

  “Does that mean we can hook up now?”

  I still, the question hanging in the air. Is that what it means? But that means we’d still be married. Can I deal with that? My heart pounds, adrenaline racing through me. It’s a huge step, but…maybe she’s considering it, so I should consider it too. “We do get along,” I say slowly. “Sam is okay with us being together as long as we’re serious. And marriage is as serious as it gets.”

  She steps closer, hips swaying in her tight skirt. My mouth goes dry. I want her so freaking bad.

  Don’t think with your dick!

  I look away. “I’m not sure about your parents or mine, how they’d react, but if…I don’t know.” I exhale sharply. “I never thought I’d get married so fast.” I consider a hookup and quickie divorce for a hot second, but then I would never get to be with her again, and that feels like too great a loss. Am I really doing this? Sweat trickles down my spine, my chest, my forehead. Man up!

  I turn to her and take a deep breath. “Do you want to stay married?”

  She gives me a small smile, crosses to me, and holds both my hands. “Jack, I have never seen someone break out in a sweat the way you did just now, all for a marriage you never wanted.”

  “Well, maybe…”

  “Jack,” she says gently. She takes a deep breath and hesitates, her eyes intent on mine.

  I brace myself. She’s about to walk. I knew someone like her would never actually want to be married to someone like me. There’s no hope for it. I can’t change who I am; she can’t change who she is. We’re just two very different people. “Just say it.”

  “We were never actually married.”

  9

  Jack

  My jaw drops at that bombshell. “What? What about the rings? What about your bridal veil?”

  She pulls her hands from mine. “We had intentions. We bought the rings and veil, went to the chapel, but then you pulled me out the door before the vows. You said it was time for the honeymoon. I got excited about that part. Anyway, it was never official.”

  “I can’t fucking believe this!”

  She holds her palms up. “Jack, you shared so much that night about all the fun pranks you pulled, I thought it’d be great fun to pull one on you. I never thought it would extend this long. Before I could tell you it was a prank, Sam was at the door, and then you told him it was serious between us, so I thought, okay, one week. We’ll get through Sam’s wedding so he remains oblivious and happy, and then that’s it. No harm done.”

  “No harm done!” I echo incredulously. “Who else knew?” Humiliation creeps in, making my face hot. Here I was actually taking things seriously for once in my life when everyone was laughing at me behind my back.

  “No one else knew about the marriage but us, I swear. It was just a fun little prank I pulled that I thought you’d appreciate later.” At my stony silence, she adds, “And you would’ve remembered we never got married if you’d drank less tequila.”

  I shove both hands in my hair. “This is the worst prank ever!”

  She grimaces. “I just wanted to be with you for a little while because you seemed so fun. But Sam was always so against it. It seemed the only way to buy a little time with you, and then it just snowballed like you said before.” She wrings her hands together. “If you just think about it for a minute, you’ll see this was the best possible outcome. There’s no need for an annulment or a divorce. And, Jack, now that I’ve gotten to know you better, I like you even more. And I’m so hoping you’ll take a prank as well as you give them.”

  I glare at her. This is not a funny prank.

  “You gave me a fist bump for my prank before. Remember? When I stole your towel and clothes? You said you respected the prank. So maybe—”

  “This is completely different!”

  Her eyes lock on mine as she kicks off her heels. “I really hope you can take what you dish out.” She reaches to the back of her skirt, unzipping it, and lets it drop to the floor. She’s wearing a scrap of black lace. Not granny panties. They’re delicate, a small triangle in front with skinny straps on the sides that would rip with one good tug.

  “I got these for you,” she says softly, her finger tracing the lace in front, touching herself.

  My traitorous dick goes rock hard. Three things hit me at the same time—I’m still mad; I do respect the prank, even if I don’t like it; we can have sex. That last one is all I care about.

  I grab her and toss her over my shoulder. She lets out a muffled squeak and then gets quiet as I caress her sweet ass. Tonight she’s mine, and I’m not holding back either. She’s no delicate flower. She’s proven that without a doubt tonight.
She’s devious, calculating, all in for the gotcha moment just for her own amusement. Like me.

  I may have met my perfect match.

  And I’m too turned on to be alarmed by all that could mean.

  Riley

  I don’t think I appreciated just how powerful Jack is until he tossed me over his shoulder like I weighed nothing. The ground feels a long way off, the blood rushing to my head. His big hand caresses my bottom, making me throb. I’ve lost the power of speech.

  He kicks the door shut behind us and sets me on my feet. My head swims for a moment, and then he comes into sharp focus, his blue eyes burning into mine, his jaw set. Is this angry sex? I’ve only had regular—

  The breath whooshes from my body as he pins me against the wall, his mouth sealing over mine, his tongue thrusting inside. Yesss. I knew it could be like this if he’d stop holding back. I wrap my arms around his neck and kiss him back passionately.

  He eases off my body just enough to get his hands between us, running them all over me as we kiss. He strokes down my throat, over my shoulders, down my arms, up my sides, and finally lands on my breasts. He cups them with both hands, dragging his thumbs back and forth over my hard nipples. I moan into his mouth. His hands grip my blouse briefly before he rips it open, buttons flying, shocking me. He shifts, kissing and biting his way down my neck.

  I can barely catch my breath. Suddenly my bra is gone, and he leans down, suckling hard at my breast, his other hand caressing my other breast, rolling and tugging my nipple. Jesus. My head drops back, lost in pleasure, each suck and tug another direct hit to my throbbing sex. I’ve never been so turned on.

  “Jack,” I whisper urgently. I need him. Now.

  His mouth claims mine, his hand sliding between my legs. This time he moans into my mouth, feeling how much I want him. I stroke over the powerful muscles of his back, tugging the hem of his shirt up and sliding my hands under, desperate for skin on skin. He yanks my panties at the sides with both hands, tearing them from my body. I jerk in surprise. He’s literally ripping the clothes from my body.

  I pull his shirt up, and he breaks the kiss long enough to yank it off, his eyes smoldering into mine as he unbuttons and unzips his jeans. He gets them off, briefs too. I get only a glimpse of him, thick and hard, before his mouth slams over mine, stealing my breath. I reach for him, stroking his massive erection. He groans and wraps my hair around his fist, giving it a tug, exposing my throat. His mouth leaves a hot trail down my throat, his teeth scraping against me, bringing hot shivers.

  He grabs me suddenly by the hips and boosts me up the wall so we’re lined up. I wrap my arms and legs around him as he slowly pushes inside. My head drops back, my eyes closing. His fingers stroke down my throat.

  It feels so good, so hot, so right. My eyes fly open. We forgot the condom. “Jack!”

  “Got it.” He lifts me off him, spins me around, and bends me over, pushing my palms flat against the wall. He nudges my legs wider.

  “That’s not what I meant…” My voice trails off as his fingers delve between my legs, tracing me, circling. My knees buckle. “Jack, please,” I whisper, half begging. “I need you.”

  “So fucking sexy,” he growls. “Don’t move.”

  I hear the rustle of condom and then he’s on me, sliding deep inside, his hands covering mine, pinning them in place. His mouth closes over the cord of my neck, sucking hard. Something in me lets go, my limbs heavy, my body softening.

  He gives my earlobe a tug with his teeth, his voice rough. “I’m gonna fuck you so hard.”

  “T-take me.”

  He thrusts hard, over and over in a pounding rhythm. I arch back into him, taking him as deep as I can. I’ve never been taken like this before. It’s rough, primitive, animal. Each thrust brings more pleasure, my insides coiling tight. Oh God.

  His hands release mine, one hand cupping my breast, pinching my nipple, the other sliding between my legs. The intensity skyrockets as he thrusts into me, his fingers stroking rapidly. White-hot pleasure overwhelms me, on and on and on, higher and higher. My mouth opens, but no sound comes out. And then I explode, my body shuddering under him, the release flooding me in a tidal wave of pleasure. I go limp, my limbs weak. He’s got me, though, his big hands gripping my hips, pulling me back onto him as he thrusts rapidly. I’m panting as he takes and takes and takes, and the pleasure builds again. His mouth presses against my neck as he thrusts and then finally lets go, his groan vibrating against my skin.

  A long moment later, he kisses my neck gently and then pulls out.

  I turn to face him, shaky and unsure what happens after this.

  His lips curve up the tiniest bit. “I finally forgot you were Sam’s little sister.”

  “Who am I now?”

  He gives me a rueful smile, his big hand cupping my jaw. “You’re just you.” He turns and heads for the bathroom.

  I sag against the wall. Is this a one-night thing? I know he never sticks, which is why I was so careful not to get too close. Too late now. If it’s a one-night thing, maybe I should just go. It’ll only be harder to leave in the morning. I’m going to ask. If it scares him off, so be it. Better to know before I get in even deeper.

  The moment he returns, I ask, “So what would you call this thing between us now that we hooked up and we’re not married?” Is there a thing between us?

  He stops in front of me, reaching out to stroke my hair back from my face. “You’re with me.”

  I keep my voice light. “Lovers? Boyfriend-girlfriend? Onetime fun time?”

  He blinks a few times. “Did you, uh, want to be my girlfriend?”

  I smile widely, surprised and happy. “Yes. Am I your first girlfriend?”

  He scoops me up, carrying me to his bed. “Depends. Do you count the six long weeks I dated Lisa Bexler before prom in hopes of getting laid?”

  “No.”

  He sets me down gently in the center of the bed and covers me with his body, giving me a long, deep kiss. “Then you’re my first. That means you can’t go running around with other guys. You’re with me.”

  “And you can’t go running around with other women.”

  “That goes without saying.”

  “I want you to say it.”

  He kisses me tenderly. “I’ll be faithful to you, Ry. Spend the night.”

  I smile. “Okay. I’m so honored to be your first girlfriend. All it took was a fake wedding.”

  He taps my nose and rolls off me, sitting up in bed with the pillows propped behind him. “I am so getting you back for that stunt prank. That went above and beyond.”

  I maneuver myself so I’m sitting next to him, and he drops an arm over my shoulders, his fingers tracing my shoulder. “Worth it!” I say cheerfully.

  He shifts to look in my eyes. “Wait. Are you pranking me right now saying we’re not married just so I’d finally take you to bed? Are we actually married?”

  I laugh. “See? When you’re a prankster, people don’t know when to take you seriously.”

  “Ry, I’m serious as a heart attack right now.”

  I run my hand through the hair at the nape of his neck. “I’m not that devious, I swear. We really were never married. It sure did snowball, but I’m glad it did because I got a chance to get to know you.”

  He kisses me and settles back into the pillows. “Now that I’ve gotten to know you better, I have to wonder if you did a pro/con list on me before our Vegas nonwedding.”

  “Nope. First time ever that I didn’t.”

  He smiles against my lips. “Let’s see what other firsts I can get from you.”

  My heart races. “Are you into kinky stuff?”

  He kisses me tenderly. “Sadly, I’m just into you.”

  My heart is full to bursting. I straddle him, grab his head, and pepper kisses all over his gorgeous face.

  He smiles, his blue eyes twinkling with amusement, his hands settling on my hips. “Guess you liked that.”

  “Do you know how long I’v
e lusted for you?”

  “How long?”

  “Too long. Ridiculously, embarrassingly long. Since we met.”

  His hands slide up my sides and back down again. “We’ve got some catching up to do. So, the question is, do you trust me?”

  I hesitate. He said he’d get me back for my wedding prank and my hotel prank, and I’m not sure when that’s going to go down. My imagination runs wild. What if he ties me naked to the bedposts and leaves me there? What if he blindfolds me, gets me into some weird position, and secretly takes a picture?

  Am I the one with the kinky imagination?

  He undoes the clasp of my pearl necklace, sliding it off and setting it on the nightstand. “Do you need to make a pro/con list for this one?”

  “Are you about to take your revenge for the pseudo-marriage and the naked lavender ruffly towel incident?”

  “Worse.” He flips me onto my back and grins down at me. “I’m about to make you beg.” He kisses a trail along my jaw and down my neck.

  “Oh, yes. Make me beg.”

  His lips curve against my neck, and I close my eyes with a soft sigh.

  Jack

  It’s late. I’m tired after round two, but Riley’s tucked against my side, talking to me in the dark, and I find myself fascinated. She just confessed her girly prince-on-a-white-horse fantasy that she never told anyone about. Her mom was hard on her growing up, always on her about excelling in school and taking things seriously. It was almost like Riley was on the corporate ladder before she even knew what it was. It gives me a warm feeling that she’s sharing with me, and I suspect part of the reason is because she knows I’m a prince. Half-commoner, but still. I think she wants me to be part of her romantic fantasy. I don’t know much about romance, but I’m starting to understand her, and that goes a long way.

  I’m over the shock of not actually being married. The anger left me the moment I scooped her up and caressed her ass in those black lacy panties she bought just for me. Speaking of, she’s going to have to leave here commando tomorrow, wearing one of my T-shirts. I got a little aggressive with her clothes.