Triple Dare (Sterling Shore 7)

“I’ll let you design mine, too.”

Her eyes soften, and a tear slides down from the corner of her eye.

“We’re crazy,” she whispers.

“That’s not new,” I point out, smiling when she laughs, sounding free again.

I reach between us, running my hand down her lowest piercing, feeling her as she shivers against me. She’s ready for me, but I want to—

“Later,” she whispers, tugging me back up when I try to descend down her body. “Right now, I just want you inside me.”

That’s all the encouragement I need. I push inside her, feeling my lids close over my eyes as I slowly sink all the way inside. Her heat wraps around me, encasing me, and she clenches around me like she’s trying to end this too soon.

“I love you,” she says quietly, and my eyes open as I stare down into hers.

My hips rock against her, and her sharp intake of breath awards me.

“I love you,” is all I can say, even though it’s not enough. There should be a new world for how fucking in love with her I am.

I bury my face in her neck, taking my time with her, prolonging each second possible as I slowly own her body. Her nails slide down my back, and her legs tighten around my waist as those fucking unmanning sounds keep escaping her.

“I love you,” I say again, pushing forward a little harder, and feeling powerful when she cries out.

Each thrust starts getting a little rougher, and I start kissing her, swallowing those damn sounds like I can absorb everything she’s releasing. My name comes out of her in a garbled cry, and she bites my lip when I feel her walls tighten down on my cock.

It forces me over, and I feel the shot of pleasure shoot through me like a bullet. My vision actually dims when I get my release, and I barely stop myself from dropping down on top of her.

Catching myself on my elbows, I lean down and kiss her lazily, just needing to take in more, needing to feel like it’s all real.

“I love you,” I say once more, barely able to catch my breath long enough to form words.

She smiles up at me, and her finger slides down my chest.

“Good. You can tell my father we’re getting married.”

Ah, fuck.

She laughs when she sees my face, and I decide whatever Jim does to me is worth hearing that laugh.

EPILOGUE

Two weeks later…

CORBIN

“What is that?” I ask, propping up behind Ruby as she puts the final touches on Krysta’s tattoo.

Krysta squeals, and Ruby turns to arch an eyebrow at me.

“You don’t scare someone when they’re getting something permanently inked to their body. Be glad I have quick hands.”

Krysta cranes her neck around, and her eyes widen.

“You can’t be in here.”

I look around the private room, motioning to the privacy curtain. “I closed it back.

“I’m not wearing a shirt,” she hisses.

“All I can see is your back,” I remind her. Christ. You’d think I just saw her naked or something.

That would be disgusting.

Ruby snickers softly while going back to work between Krysta’s shoulder blades, and Krysta rolls her eyes before turning back around. I stare at the silhouette of a bird that is wrapped in colorful flames, confused.

“What does it mean?”

“It’s the Phoenix rising from the ashes,” Ruby says idly, finally pulling back to examine her handiwork.

“I know it sounds cliché,” Krysta says, with her back turned, “but I wanted my first tattoo to stand for something.”

“It’s not cliché when it has deep meaning,” Ruby tells her, then she stands. “Out. She needs to dress.”

I leave them alone, and after a few minutes, they both come out of the privacy room. Ruby’s fingers intertwine with mine, and I pull her up left hand to examine it. The bruising has gone down from the piercing, and the thin vine of roses that connects to it seems to be healing good as well. The ruby looks like it was made for her finger, sitting right in the middle of the rose vine.

It looks fucking perfect on her hand.

“Does it still hurt?”

“The piercing is still sore. Don’t worry. It’s my new favorite, so the slight tenderness is definitely worth it.”

When she smiles up at me, I can’t help but kiss her finger as softly as possible.

“You two are really gross,” Krysta grumbles.

Ruby laughs while nudging me toward the door, and we all load up in my car. I keep glancing over at her finger, wishing she had that second tattoo on there.

It only takes a few minutes to reach Maverick’s house, and there are cars everywhere, meaning we’re the last ones to arrive.

“Are you ready for this?” Ruby asks, turning to face Krysta.

“Definitely.”

Smiling, I get out of the car and hold the door open for Krysta to climb out. She looks nervous but determined as we head inside, and Ruby stays tucked against my side, right where she belongs.