She rested her head on his biceps and he snuggled her close and drew up a sheet.
“I’ve never done this.”
“Slept with a man? Slept in the nude?”
Willow was quiet for so long he wasn’t sure she was going to answer. “You’re the only man I’ve ever been naked with.” She took a breath. “I lived with a guy for a little while, but… Something wasn’t right.”
He stiffened.
“Feminine intuition, I don’t know. Friends set us up, and we got along well. At first, we went out as a group, and then we became exclusive. After about six months, he invited me to move in, and he said he was okay with not having sex. It wasn’t that I had something against it. I just wanted to be sure. I saw a bunch of my friends fall in love, and it was sex that made things messy. Emotionally, I mean. I wasn’t sure I wanted to get so tangled up that I couldn’t get back out.”
Yet she’d slept with him.
“After a week or so, he made a move on me when he’d been drinking, and it pissed me off. Then little things started to add up. He would come home late, with vague excuses that he’d had to work late or had to stay for a meeting.”
“He was cheating.”
“Yeah. He was annoyed that I wouldn’t put out.”
“He wasn’t good enough for you.”
“That’s one of the reasons I come to the Quarter, Jax.” She sat up to look at him. “I don’t date. And I won’t go to a club in New York, just in case someone I know is there. It’s something I need.”
“I’ll take you as often as you want.” No matter how earnest her pleas were, he wasn’t going to relent. “Sex is complicated for me too.”
“Men don’t have the same feelings about it that women do.”
“That’s a broad stroke. And not true for me. Because I didn’t know my mom, don’t know whether I’m legitimate or the bastard my dad thinks I am, I controlled my impulses. I didn’t want to hurt any kid of mine the way I’d been hurt.”
She steepled her hands in front of her face.
“I channeled all my energy and time into making something of myself and helping others along the way. Maybe you don’t like the way I do it, but I kick the asses of a million people a day, men and women who rely on me for their dose of inspiration. So, Willow, I mean it when I say sex is damn important to me. Which is why I cherish the fact you chose me. You were absolutely right to be wary. Sleeping with a man came with a whole lot of consequences for you.”
* * * * *
Willow’s favorite song blasted through the room, dragging her from her sleep. Who the hell was calling her so early? She glanced over at the phone’s screen. Dad. Of course. Who else would it be? Obviously after slipping from bed before dawn with a promise to return with breakfast and coffee, Jax had called her father.
She tossed a pillow on top of the device, trying to shut out its happy, annoying tune.
After three more rings, it fell silent, and she was on edge, waiting for it to ring out again. It would. No doubt.
Knowing she wouldn’t be able to go back to sleep, she propped pillows behind her and sat up. She’d been sucked into Jaxon’s vortex. She didn’t regret their scene or offering him her virginity. With him, she had completion that she’d never experienced before. On the other hand, no man had ever irritated her more. Why the hell did he have to be a self-proclaimed knight in shining armor?
The phone sang out again. She couldn’t dodge her parents all day. If she did, they’d probably get on a damn plane and show up at the hotel. Her voice tight with fake sincerity, she answered. “Morning, Dad.”
“Congratulations, Willow.”
She dragged the blanket around her bare breasts. How much did he know? Afraid to unintentionally reveal something, she kept her mouth shut.
“Jaxon asked for permission to marry you. Of course, your mother wishes she had more time to plan the wedding…”
What? Her father’s voice buzzed in her ears, but she couldn’t make out a single word.
“But she finds Jax’s suggestion agreeable.”
She shook her head. “Wait. Can you repeat that? What suggestion?”
Her dad sighed. “She’s agreeable to a private ceremony in the next month or so, but she wants you to have the full church wedding and big reception later. She thinks it will take at least a year to plan it.”
The vortex tightened around her.
“I’d put your mother on, but she’s busy talking to her friends and searching for venues. She’s thinking about the Sterling Downtown. Their rooftop atrium, perhaps? Jax mentioned you don’t have time to be involved in many of the decisions because of your studies.”
Good of him. She pulled the covers over her head. She’d been right when she said she was going to end up hating him.
“I’ll let you get back to your future husband.”
Arguing with her father would do no good. She had to deal with Jax straight-up.
By the time he returned, she was dressed in blue jeans and wearing a T-shirt with an inspirational saying. Despite the fact that she was pacing the confines of the room, she was in control, no longer the woman who’d done scandalous things with the billionaire.
“Morning.” He held a cardboard to-go tray containing two cups. “Room service will be up with breakfast in half an hour.”
She took a step toward him and pointed a finger at his chest. “My dad called.”
“Ah. I expected he would.” His lips twitched. “I’m crazy about you, princess.”
And…she was lost. His transformation from resolved to shocked to humored unraveled the knot in her stomach. She lowered her hand.
He held the tray between them, either as a peace offering or to ward her off, she wasn’t sure which.
“I don’t drink coffee.”
“It’s green tea.”
“How did you…?
“I remembered. That day you visited my office. You brought your own drink with you.”
His voice wrapped around her in provocative tendrils. It was so much easier to keep emotional distance from him when she wasn’t inhaling his scent. “Don’t do nice things when I’m mad.”
“Would it be so bad? Being my wife? Knowing I’ll take care of you?”
“I don’t need a man for that.”
“Of course not. I’m not questioning your capability or resolve. You’ve argued with me more than any other person. All within the first eighteen hours that I spent alone with you.”
Despite herself, she considered his question. Would it be so bad? Having her BDSM and sexual desires satisfied? She might not want to go to work for him, but she’d planned to return to Houston at some point. Having someone like her on his staff would be good for him. His message needed to be tempered, and she might be the only person on the planet who was willing to say that to his face.
She accepted the tea and took a long drink. “It’s wonderful.”
He took his cup and lifted it in a salute. “Here’s to many more mornings like this.”
“I haven’t said yes,” she warned. “I’m not dropping out of school or transferring.”
“I’ll relocate until you’re finished.”
“That’s not possible.” She blinked. “You can’t just move your office.” The logistics would be a nightmare.
“No one but you has the audacity to tell me what I can and can’t do. You’ll need to fly home to get the marriage license.”
“This is ludicrous.”
“Would a spanking help convince you?”
Damn him. It would. And he knew it.
Wordlessly, he took her cup from her and set it safely on the desk. “Do you have a hairbrush?”
Her blood turned sluggish as she began the ascent to the alternate reality where worries slipped away.
“Willow?”
She nodded. “It’s in the bathroom.”
“Fetch it.”
While she complied, she heard him slide the drapes closed. When she returned, he was standing near the foot
of the bed with his arms folded. He was forceful and intimidating. Even though her pussy still throbbed from they way he’d fucked her so hard last night, she couldn’t wait to be dominated again.
“Remove all your clothes and then place your palms flat on the mattress.”
God, his voice. So uncompromising. Exactly what she wanted in the bedroom. Aware of his watchful gaze, she did as he instructed. This was different than last night. He hadn’t asked for a striptease, and there were no sexual underpinnings.
“I’ll always give you this.” It was as if he’d seen into her psyche.
Which made him perfect for her.
He caressed her skin, but he didn’t warm her up like he had last night. “I want you to feel it. And if you have a few marks to remember this, I’ll be happy.”
Willow nodded.
“Spread your legs. Your inner thighs and pussy are not safe from me.”
She shivered as she adjusted herself.
“Your safe word will always be respected. Use it at any time.”
The first crack of the hairbrush knocked her forward. Everything inside her settled. Yes. Unprompted, she added, “Thank you.”
He was methodical as he applied the implement to her skin. As promised, he covered her inner thighs, making her sway. Then he caught her pussy with his bare hand. Though he’d been gentle, she whimpered. The scorch of pain receded almost immediately, leaving her more turned her on more than she could have imagined. “That was…” She couldn’t complete the sentence.
Jax continued until her arms gave out and she collapsed on the mattress in a pile of sobs. He hadn’t taken her to subspace, but he’d made her vibrantly alive.
Suddenly, he tossed the brush aside, then smoothed his palms over her heated flesh. She needed this. Him.
With tenderness, he helped her up and turned her to face him. She was still wobbly, so she reached for his shoulders for balance. “Will you make love to me?”
“Princess, I’d do anything for you. Anything.”
She tugged his shirt from his waistband, reveling in his honed, sexy abs.
With a ridiculous grin, he lifted his arms so she could finish undressing him. “Are you sure you’re up for it?”
Even after her long soak last night, her pussy was sore from the immense size of his cock. But she didn’t dare tell him that. Instead, she settled for, “I’ll take another bath afterward.”
“You can’t get enough of me, can you?”
“There should be a way for us to put your ego in a box or something.” She dropped his shirt.
Catching her off guard, he captured her wrists and linked them behind her.
His eyes were dark, beseeching. “I’m falling in love with you, Willow.”
Her pulse surged.
“Tell me you’ll marry me.” The tremor of doubt in his voice was endearing. This really did matter to him. With his expression and tone, he revealed another part of himself, one vulnerable to being hurt. Her emotions softened.
Still, she hesitated, a little. “Maybe it wouldn’t be so bad, like you said. But I need some time to get used to the idea.”
“More than a month?”
This time, his persistence made her laugh. “Three.”
“Done.”
What? He’d agreed?
With a gleam in his eyes, he capitalized on her shock by kissing her soundly.
Within moments, she yielded to him and linked her arms around his neck. If he was willing to take a risk, she would, too.
“How would you like to celebrate?” he asked, eyes still as intense, but this time with sexual desire. He backed her up toward the bed. “I have a suggestion or two, if you’re interested.”
“Oh, Sir. Yes.” This was a pretty good beginning to their happily ever after.
Epilogue
“You’re a beautiful bride.”
Jax’s intimate words, feathered against her ear, made Willow soar. “The gown is wonderful.”
“It is.” He pressed his palm on her bare back. “Your mom made an excellent choice.”
Her mother had visited a store known as one of the best in town. The owner, Randy, had spent hours with her, looking at dresses. They’d linked Willow in by video, but she’d been so overwhelmed and distracted with school that she hadn’t been able to decide. So they’d proceeded on their own. The gown flattered her figure and flared out at the bottom. She loved it.
“But it’s the woman who makes the dress,” Jax finished.
The evening couldn’t be more magical. She was in his arms on the dance floor of the rooftop atrium of downtown Houston’s Sterling Hotel. The area had been lit with twinkling lights, and a nearly full moon radiated in the sky above. A jazz quartet serenaded them. Despite the fifty or so people watching from the sidelines, Jax stared at her as if she were the center of the universe.
“How long do we have to stay?”
“The cocktail hour ends in about twenty minutes. Then we need to eat. We’ll be expected to have cake, and then my dad is planning a toast.”
“I know what I want to eat.”
Scandalized, she blushed. He was such a paradox. He was a brash personality on his show, yelling at people to stop with their excuses and get up an hour earlier. His knight-in-shining-armor side could be just as annoying.
After she agreed to marry him, he’d decided they would wait until after the wedding to have sex again. No matter what she’d tried, from vamp to vixen, to naughty schoolgirl, he’d refused to relent. She was ready to crawl out of her skin. Once she’d suggested they elope just so he’d take her to bed.
The dance ended, and a few other couples joined them for a more up-tempo tune.
Shortly after, she and Jax left the floor to mingle. Her father shook Jax’s hand, then took her shoulders and met her eyes. “I hope he makes you happy. If he doesn’t, I have a shotgun.”
Her mother was all smiles as she kissed Willow’s cheeks. “I can’t wait for your big ceremony! This was so much fun that I’m thinking of becoming a wedding planner.”
“You’d be perfect, Mrs. Henderson,” Jax said. “I’ll do a few promo spots for you and give you some social media pointers.”
“No. No, no, no.” Willow scowled at him. “I’ll give you the pointers, Mom.”
He shrugged.
“You have your hands full, my boy,” Brian said.
“I consider myself lucky.” He stroked the length of her spine as he spoke.
Rafe Sterling, owner of the hotel, exited the private elevator and walked over to join them. “I wanted to be among the first to offer my congratulations.”
She’d known Rafe for several years, and stress lines were now grooved next to his eyes. Rumor had it that his father had abandoned his family and the business, leaving Rafe to sort out the mess.
“And I wanted to thank you for comping the Honeymoon Suite,” Jax replied. “That wasn’t necessary.”
“It’s my pleasure.”
“So when are you finally going to come on my show? I stayed at the Maison Sterling recently. Exceptional service,” Jax said. “My subscribers want to hear your philosophies on hospitality, what you do different, how you consistently win top marks in the industry. They want to hear from winners.”
For the remainder of the cocktail hour, they chatted with guests, including Rykker King, whom she’d met in New Orleans.
Later, during dinner, Jax leaned toward her. Against her ear, he said, “Dinner is taking too damn long.”
“It was your idea for us to be celibate until tonight.” She tried to hide her smile.
“I’m having a fantasy. About fucking you while you’re wearing the gown.”
Her new husband’s words made her blush. The realization that she was his forever made her shiver anew. Every time she looked at him, tingles jumped through her. She wondered if that sensation would ever go away.
“Just pull it up and take you from behind.”
She dropped her fork.
From the other side
of the table, her mother cast her a concerned glance.
Jax chuckled. “Smile, princess.”
She gave her mother a reassuring nod.
Jax stayed by her side the entire evening, and after her father gave his toast, Jax stood.
“I hope it’s okay if I say something.”
The crowd laughed. No one expected that Jaxon Mills would have resisted the siren’s call of an open microphone.
He faced her, as did everyone else in the room.
“In a man’s life, if he’s lucky, he meets a woman who completes his heart.”
Her eyes filled with tears and her mother patted her arm.
“He finally understands why no other relationship worked out, because there’s only one person for him.”
Willow reached for her champagne and took a drink to swallow the lump in her throat, but it refused to budge.
When the room fell silent, he finished. “You’re my one, Willow. The more I know you, what a good person you are, the more I love you. You’ve made me the happiest man on the planet.”
With that, he tossed the mic onto the table.
To prevent tears from escaping, she pressed her hands to her face. With purpose in each step, he strode toward her.
In front of everyone gathered to celebrate their union, Jax tugged her to her feet. Then, making her gasp with shock, he swept her off the floor and into his arms.
“You’ll have to excuse us,” he said to the crowd. “I’m taking my wife upstairs.”
“Jax!” She kicked her legs helplessly. “You can’t do this.”
“Darling wife, I’ve waited long enough. If you want me to keep my hands off you until we’re alone, you might want to stay still.” His eyes were dark with promise.
She stopped squirming.
“Excellent choice.” He summoned the elevator. “I meant what I said back there, Willow. I love you.”
She exhaled. Part of her thought it was too soon. But the truth was, she felt it, too. And she knew that their commitment to each other would deepen their emotional connection. “I love you, too, Jax.”
His smile melted her heart.
“Let’s get our future started.”
“Yes, Sir.”
The guests cheered as Jax carried her into the waiting compartment and took her to their suite to claim her as his wife.
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