Endurance (The Sin Trilogy 4)

Shit. I hadn’t considered that.

Torrie is a total bitch but her argument has merit.

“Ellison is here because she wants to help, not hurt. The brotherhood will see that, so I think we’re done with this conversation.”

Jamie and his mother swap arguments about the infirmary for a while longer but I’m deaf to all of it. My thoughts are consumed by what will happen if Torrie is right. What will I do if Jamie doesn’t come around? If he doesn’t claim me? If he doesn’t marry me?

“Mac.”

The wheel spinning in my head slows, but doesn’t completely stop, when Jamie says my name. “What?”

“Don’t fall victim to her game.”

“It may be a game but I don’t think she’s wrong.”

“This is exactly what she wants—to get in your head so you’ll worry.”

“But she’s right. There might not be a brother to come forward for me because of what I did. If that happens, then what? The Fellowship isn’t going to let me leave here alive. Not when I know so many of their secrets.”

Jamie comes forward and takes my hands in his. “You shot my father to protect your leader’s pregnant wife who was carrying the next generation of leaders. Fellowship code says we aren’t to harm another member, but any brother can see your action was necessary to protect Sin’s children. She failed to mention that part.”

“I guess.”

“I don’t have to guess; I heard the things said about you afterwards. The brothers admired your bravery and courage.”

I won’t give Torrie a victory by feeling insecure. I won’t give her that kind of power over me.

“Don’t give it another moment of thought.” Jamie kisses my forehead and then crosses the room to where he was organizing the boxes of suture. “I think we can have the infirmary part completed by Sunday night so we can move into the master suite when I get out of lecture on Monday. At least that’s what I’m hoping for.”

I’m going to be sharing a bedroom with Jamie in forty-eight hours. I get two more sleeps at the apartment and then we’ll go to bed together at night. Wake together. Share a bathroom.

“I’ve never lived with a man.”

“I’ve never lived with a woman.”

I have a lot of stuff. Cosmetics. Hair products. Clothing. “I’ve never had to share my own personal space with anyone. You should probably know now that I’m a little high maintenance. You might want me back in my apartment by the end of day one.”

Jamie chuckles. “I knew long ago that you’re high maintenance.”

“Bleu calls me a princess. And I guess I can be but only in the most adorable of ways.”

“I’d call you more of a queen.”

“I’m not that bad.” Unless you ask my sister.

“We’ll see.”

“What do we say if we’re questioned about there only being one bedroom upstairs?” Maybe we should have thought that out before we went with this place.

“Who knows we only have one bedroom upstairs?”

“Well, no one right now.” Except Ani. And I see no reason she’d be discussing the bedroom situation with anyone from the brotherhood.

“Who’s coming over for the upstairs tour?”

I guess he has a point. “No one.”

“Then it’s our little secret.”

“Little secret?”

“All right. Big secret.”

We would be exposed if anyone went upstairs. And I would be ruined. Deemed fuck-worthy.

I wonder if Jamie would take me as his wife if he ruined me in the eyes of the brothers? If I’m tainted because of him, wouldn’t that be the honorable thing for him to do?

Exposure. That could be an option to consider when we reach the end of our time together . . . if he hasn’t come around.

I’d be manipulating him into marriage. Could I do that? Force his hand in that way?

There are no limits for what I could do when it comes to the man I love.

I look at Ellison’s belongings covering almost every square inch of the room and one thought comes to mind: “How is it possible any one person could need this much shite?”

She spins around and glares at me. “Not a single item here is shit. And it’s not a lot. Most of my stuff is still at the apartment since I thought it would be silly to move it here for such a short period of time.”

Such a short period of time. It’s a reminder I have to make the most of this month together in the event things don’t go our way.

Ellison could be moving her things from this temporary place with me to another man’s home when she leaves. I don’t want to think about that right now. I can’t.

“I don’t mind your stuff being all over our bedroom. And our bathroom. And the hallway leading from the staircase.” Trust me. Her shite is every-fucking-where. “I knew what I was getting into when I asked a high-maintenance lass like yourself to move in with me.”

Ellison giggles. “You did not. You knew zero about what it would be like living with me. And I can guarantee that whatever you’re thinking you’ve gotten yourself into with me ain’t even close to the reality of it.”

“Then why don’t you tell me?”

“I was thinking I would show you.” She grins and I’ve come to know in a short while that it’s a sure sign of mischief. “That is if you think you can handle it.”

“I promise I won’t be the one who can’t handle it.” I already know what kind of lover she likes and wants.

And I very much want to be the alpha she wants.

I pick Ellison up and throw her over my shoulder to carry her to the bed. Well, to the mattress on the floor.

I was planning to wait until bedtime to fuck her—after the work was done and everything was in place—but she’s made it impossible for me to wait another minute.

I toss her on the mattress and stand over her while I pull my T-shirt over my head and start working to get my jeans off. “I’m done waiting to have you.”

She smiles as her eyes survey my body. “I’ve been wondering what you look like underneath your shirt.”

“And?”

“I approve one hundred percent.”

“Take off your clothes, Mac. I want to watch you get naked.” My voice is stern. I’ll be the one in control. The one taking what I want. The one who’ll be completely unapologetic. Exactly what she said she wanted.

It’s November, that time of year where Scotland experiences more darkness than light. The sun is long gone, so the room is illuminated only by the soft lamp on the bedside table. It’s actually sort of perfect.

Ellison sits up and pulls her shirt over her head. Black and hot-pink lace covers what I already know is a beautiful pair of tits that fit my hands perfectly. And I can’t wait to get my hands on them again.

Her lovely breasts tumble out of her bra and she tosses it on the mattress before pushing her thumbs into the waistband of her yoga pants to drag them down her legs. A tiny black and hot-pink lace triangle barely covers the mound between her thighs.

She’s completely naked when she falls backward on the mattress, her feet apart and knees pressed together. Waiting. “No, Mac. You don’t get to close your legs on me. I want to see you. All. Of. You.” I put my palms together and then pull them apart to widen the space between my hands. “Spread them.”

She bites her bottom lip—an attempt to mask her grin—as her knees slowly fall apart. “Is this what you want to look at?”

My underwear is tight. My cock is straining hard against the fabric so I push them down and out of the way. “I think this is a sure sign I want to do more than look at it.”

Ellison grins. “Mmm. Someone’s eager.”

“You have no idea.”

I go to my knees and crawl over Ellison. “I’ve imagined us like this no less than a million times. I’ve seen it happen in my head over and over.”

Ellison brings my hand to her mouth to kiss my palm. “I’ve imagined us together too. I can’t tell you ho

w many times.”

My mouth connects with hers and she opens wide to invite my tongue inside to play. Silky. Slippery. Seductive. I like this game very much.

A little taunting. A little tickling. A lot of teasing. This woman knows how a man likes to be kissed.

I drag my mouth away from her lips and kiss that spot below her ear before moving down the side of her neck. My hands similarly mimic the downward motion beginning at her ribcage and moving lower on her sides, waist, and hips.

She pushes her fingers into the top of my hair and arches her back when I move lower to suck her nipple into my mouth. A soft gasp/moan expels from her chest when my tongue licks the erect point.

I know she’s going to squirm so I grasp her bum hard and hold her in place as I move lower to kiss the top of her pubic bone. “Doc, this teasing . . . it’s torture.”

“Do you want my mouth on you?”

She lifts her hips and squirms. “Yesss. So badly.”

She jolts when my tongue darts out and licks the top of her slit. “Ohhh.”

I tickle her clit with my tongue and then lick once. Twice. Three times. “I love the way you taste. And smell.”

She rocks her hips in a back and forth motion against my mouth. Her body shudders and a moan is released when my tongue works her in a circular motion. “More?”

“Please. Feels so good.”

Pleasing Ellison. Hearing her moans. Licking her until she comes. I’m going to enjoy this.