He transferred both wrists to one hand and pressed them into the leaves left over from winter. He kissed me, his teeth digging into my lip. I opened for him, and he swept his tongue inside, owning me with each stolen breath, each swipe of friction between us.
Pulling back, he stared into my eyes and gripped the waistband of my shorts and panties. “Red, I want this. I want it rough and ugly and fucking primal. I want to hurt you.” He pressed his forehead to mine. “Please, call black.”
“No.”
He yanked at my shorts, the seams ripping and my panties shredding along with them. My skin ached where the fabric chafed, but I didn’t care. I wanted him, all of him.
“You know, you could call black.” I spread my legs wide for him and gave him a smirk.
He pressed two fingers inside me and gripped up on my spot. “Never with you. I love you.” The words spilled out as if they weren’t quite intended.
I leaned up and kissed him. He answered, thrusting his fingers inside me in the same rhythm as his tongue.
“I love you, too.” I rested my head on the ground and stared up at him as he stilled.
“Really?”
“What kind of question is that after a declaration of love?” I pushed down against his fingers, needing more of him. All of him.
“I’m just—I just…” He smiled. “I don’t know. Happy.” He kissed me again, his beard tickling my nose.
I reached down to his pants and popped the button and unzipped his fly. “We should probably seal the deal.”
“So you aren’t going to call black?” He groaned as I took him in my hand and guided his tip to my opening.
“No. Are you?”
He growled and grabbed a handful of my hair, pulling me up until we were face to face, breast to breast. He pushed inside me, the full sensation sudden and delicious—the spark of pain and the euphoria of pleasure.
I dug my nails into his side. “Going easy on me just because we’re in love?”
His signature smirk crossed his lips as he began a wicked pace that curled my toes. “Never.”
BONUS EPILOGUE
A slow song played as twilight fell, and I rocked in Garrett’s arms.
“Was it everything you wanted?” He pressed my palm to his chest.
“More.” I smiled and rose on my tip toes to kiss him. His hands roved to my ass, and I wrapped my arms around his neck. No matter how many times he kissed me, it always felt new, exotic, delicious. This time was no different.
A slight murmur rose nearby as more dancers joined us on the floor.
“You may give Mayor Mitchell a heart attack.” Bonnie danced by in Ty’s arms.
I pulled away from Garrett, though his grip remained on my ass, his fingers pressing into the lace of my wedding gown.
“When can we be done with this, Mrs. Blackwood?” He smirked then glanced around the tent at the party-goers.
“We already cut the cake and had our dance.” I shrugged. “So we can go whenev—”
He scooped me into his arms, a surprised squeak eking from my throat as I held on. “I’m ready now.”
Bonnie shot a disapproving glance as he carried me out of the tent and into the blustery fall air. Fairy lights twinkled along the walk to the back yard, and some were wrapped around the scaffolds along the side of the house where workmen had been scraping, replacing, and painting for over a month.
Garrett strode steadily toward the house, giving nods and “thank yous” to a few of the guests who lingered outside. A chill wind blew past, cooling the exposed skin along my sweetheart neckline and the plunging back of my gown.
“We should probably have stayed a little longer.”
All I got in response was a grunt.
He climbed the steps onto the porch and nudged the front door open with his foot. The house was quiet, only the music from the reception floating through the air. When he closed the door, he reached back and flipped the lock.
“What if people want to come in?”
“They can fuck right off.” He set me on my feet. His eyes glinted in the low light. “You look good enough to eat.”
A thrill coursed through my veins. “I don’t think this gown would hold up out in the woods.” I stepped back and traced the neckline with my fingertips as he followed the movement with a hungry gaze. “Not to mention the guests might get worried if they see me running through the trees with a monster at my heels.”
“A monster?” He grinned, feral despite his elegant tux. “Is that what I am?”
My pulse quickened as he reached for my throat, his warm palm igniting my primal need to escape.
Leaning closer, his lips only a whisper from mine, he said, “Run.”
My eyes widened.
“I’ll give you a ten second head start. You can run and hide, little bride. But I’ll find you. And when I do—” His grip tightened as his gaze flicked down my body. “Let’s just say that I hope you weren’t intending to save that dress.”
“You wouldn’t.” I grabbed his wrist.
He ran his palm down my chest to the swells of my breasts. “I will.”
I tilted my chin up in defiance. “If you think I’m going to let you—”
“One.”
“Garrett, you can’t—”
He smirked. “Two.”
Oh, shit. I backed away and glanced around. Rushing out the back door was a possibility, but ill-advised given the number of people on the back lawn. Though I would have liked to think Garrett wouldn’t chase me down in front of dozens of wedding guests, I knew be
tter.
Turning toward the staircase, I grabbed my flowing skirts and darted away.
“Three.”
Up the staircase as fast as possible in my heels and dress, I hurried down the hallway as Garrett called out number seven. I noisily ran to the empty bedroom at the end of the hall, then pulled off my shoes and crept back to our bedroom, slipping behind the door right as he called ten.
His heavy steps on the staircase pushed my heart to beat faster, even though I was doing my best to hold my breath.
“Come out, come out, wherever you are.” His sly voice rolled over me as a board squeaked in the hall.
I pressed my palm to my chest and peeked through the hinges. He passed by, his shadow darkening my doorway for a moment before he continued along to the last bedroom. I waited a few more moments until I was sure he was searching the bedroom, then I snuck out from behind the door, intent on heading back down the stairs.
A gasp rose from my throat when I found him leaning against the wall next to the door, a smirk on his face.
“Gotcha.” He dashed forward and captured me in his arms before I could even take a step in the other direction.
“Asshole!”
“You’re just mad you got caught so easily.” He lifted me and carried me into his room, then slammed the door behind us.
“I’ve gotten pretty good at evading in the woods.” In fact, the last time we played our game, I let him catch me.
He laughed and nipped at my neck before dropping me on his bed. “I know you think you’ve been going easy on me.”
“I have.”
He shook his head and yanked his tie loose. “Not a chance.” Whipping off his jacket and then his shirt, he kept his eyes on me the whole time.
“I let you catch me last time.” My eyes widened as he roped the tie around his hand.
“Bullshit. I let you tire yourself out. Then, when I knew your pussy was wet and aching, I stopped playing and went in for the kill.” He leaned down, his lips at my ear. “Just like you’re wet and aching for my cock right now, Mrs. Blackwood.”
I wanted to tell him to get fucked, but the damp satin between my thighs would tell him the truth. His rough talk turned me on, just like his rough hands on me. I needed more. The quickest way to get it was to put up a fight. I turned my head to the side and bit down on his arm.