Chapter 8: : Chapter 7

“You’re leaving in the morning?”

Her miserable tone hits me right in the chest. I was already up half the night watching her sleep, dreading my looming departure. This time it’s much worse than the last because this time, there’s nothing but my career keeping us apart.

In many ways it was easier to leave when we were younger, than to be tempted by her presence day in and day out. To constantly have the one thing I wanted more than anything else dangled in front of my face.

But she’s finally mine. And even if it’s only for a couple of days at a time, knowing I’m getting on that plane without her feels like the equivalent of ripping off a limb.

“Unfortunately,” I say, shutting and locking the door Anika just exited so she can’t storm back in here and wreak any more havoc on my life. “We’re in the middle of recording the new album in Nashville.”

She nods. “It’s fine.” Her head shakes away her look of disappointment, which she attempts to hide with a halfhearted smile. “You have to work.”

“And you need to be with your dad.”

“Right.” She blows out a long breath. “Speaking of…we should probably be heading back soon.”

“Hey,” I say, moving to crouch before her. “It won’t always be like this.”

She nods and then bursts out with the most anguished laugh I’ve ever heard. “Yeah. Soon, he’ll be dead.”

“Li’l Bit…” I shake my head, forcing back tears. “I know it doesn’t seem like it now, but—” Fuck. I don’t even know how to finish that statement. I’ve never lost a parent. To tell her it’ll all be okay or that it’ll get easier with time would just be me spewing a bunch of bullshit.

“It’s okay,” she offers. “Sometimes there’s just nothing to say.”

“What can I do?” I ask, my heart shredded from the pain darkening her eyes.

“You’ve already done it,” she smiles, reaching out to comb her fingers through my hair. “You’ve given me the most precious gift. You gave me a memory with my daddy I’ll cherish for as long as I live.”

“You’re giving me far too much credit.” I bring her fingers to my lips. “Marrying you was no sacrifice.” I press a kiss over each of her knuckles in tandem. “Don’t make me out to be some martyr, love.”

I pinch her chin in my thumb and forefinger, holding her gaze to mine. “Marrying you is and will forever be the highlight of my life. While I’m happy it worked out that you got your moment with your father, I don’t want you to ever feel indebted to me or think of this marriage as anything less than everything I’ve ever wanted.” I scrape my lower lip through my teeth, giving my bride a thorough once-over. “You are my most prized possession and certainly not fucking charity.”

Her lips warble. “Okay,” she says, nodding through a torrent of tears.

“Come here, sweet girl,” I say, pulling her from the bed and into my chest so I can hold her close. “You’re everything to me.” I smooth a hand up and down her spine.

“It feels wrong,” she says, lifting the neck of her shirt to dry her eyes.

“What does?”

“To feel so happy.”

“You can feel more than one emotion at the same time. They aren’t mutually exclusive. Being happy we’re together doesn’t mean you’re any less upset over what’s happening with your dad.”

Her head bobs lightly in a silent nod. Her fingers pressed to her lips like she’s deep in thought.

“I’m leaving in the morning, but it won’t be like it was before. You’re mine now.”

“I really like the sound of that.” Her warm breath on my shoulder sends a chill down my spine.

“Good.” I press a kiss to the tip of her salty nose. “I’ll be back before the sun rises on Friday.”

“You already booked a flight back?” she asks, incredulous.

She has no freaking clue how crazy I am for her, but she will. I’ll make it my mission to show her every day. “Last night,” I admit, “after you started snoring the walls in.”

She gives me the death stare. “A simple yes would have sufficed.”

“Now what fun is that?” I ask, smoothing her hair back and resting my chin on the top of her head “Hey,” I rasp.

“Yeah?” Her arms tighten around my back.

“You have some homework this week.”

She jerks back to glower at me. “You’re not gonna be one of husbands, are you?” she asks widening her eyes on the word “those.”

“What kind of husband would you be referring to?” I ask, slipping out of her hold and over to my dresser for a change of clothes.

“Bossy. Dominant.” She nibbles the side of her lip. “On second thought…”

I snort. “You wanna be ordered around, Jailbait?”

She shrugs. “Maybe just in bed.”

“Fuck,” I groan, snatching a pair of boxers from the top drawer.

“What?”

“You got me excited,” I say, turning so she can see the effect of her words.

Sammi jolts. “Lyle,” she rasps, her eyes unmoving as she openly gawks at my crotch. “You’re fucking huge.”

“Told ya,” I taunt, hinting at the time I said she wouldn’t be able to handle what I was packing when she shamelessly begged me to take her cherry beneath that boat dock.

“What’s stopping you now?” she asks, not missing a beat as she slinks across the room and backs me against the wall. “Make love to me, husband.”

Unable to maintain my composure while looking her in the eye, my gaze drops to the creamy expanse of her neck, which is no better. My throat goes instantly dry and scratchy. “Friday,” I say, barely able to hold myself back from tossing her on that bed.

“Right now,” she counters, reaching between us to palm my rigid length. “Please?”

“Ahhh, Li’l Bit,” I moan, nearly coming undone at the feel of her warm fingers wrapped around me. “Give me this, please.”

“I’m trying,” she teases with a giggle.

“Fuck, you’re good at that.” My breath comes out in shallow pants as I slowly and involuntarily start thrusting into her hand. My blood turns to molten lava, and I’m hot everywhere.

“Let me take care of you before you go.”

“Friday,” I grunt, “after we make this marriage official.”

“Since when do you care about being married before sex?”

I take her hands in mine and lift them into the air, switching our positions and pinning her to the wall. My heart is beating so hard it feels like it’ll break right through my ribcage. “Since the woman in question was you.”

“I’m no virgin, Mr. Livingston.” She fans her long lashes up at me.

“And I’m no saint. All the more reason to do things right with the woman I love.” I lower my face to hers and trail the tip of my tongue over her trembling lips. “Yesterday was his,” I grumble, biting back emotion. “Friday… Friday is ours, Li’l Bit.”

Understanding dawns. “That’s why you were so hesitant last night.”

“I want you.” I lower my hands to cup the sides of her face. “But I don’t want to feel like a stand-in.”

“But you’re not.”

“Get the license this week. That’s the homework I was speaking of. Book the courthouse Friday at whatever time you see fit.” I rest my forehead against hers. “Give me a day that’s ours alone,” I say, burying my fingers in her long locks. “One that was never intended for anyone else.”

“Okay,” she agrees, withdrawing her hand and trailing it up my abs to rest over the ink on my right pec. “We can wait.”

“I’ll make it worth your while,” I say, molding my lips to hers.

“You better.” Her threat is distorted by tangled tongues and gasping breaths.

Desire runs rampant between us. Our kiss is a lewd promise…a passionate prelude of what’s to come.

Before I realize what’s happening, her lips are blazing a path down my chest. The silky touch of her fingers exploring my torso as she flits her tongue over my nipples steals my resolve. Good intentions be damned, I’m a willing passenger on whatever ride she sees fit to take me on.

“Just a taste,” she murmurs nipping her lips along the dusting of hair beneath my navel. “I’ll leave your virtue intact,” she teases, gripping my underwear and dragging them to my knees.

My dick pops free, stretching to full mast.

Sammi’s sharp intake of breath and hard swallow seem to echo in my head which is blessedly empty. “Merry Christmas to me,” she sings.

My answering laugh is cut short at the feel of her warm wet tongue swirling around the head of my dick.

“Fuck,” I groan when she cups my balls with one hand and the base of my erection with the other.

“Is this okay?” she asks, innocently. As if I’d have it within my power to say no.

“More than,” I rasp, gripping two fists full of her silky mane and falling into the slow and steady rhythm she’s set. “So hot, Li’l Bit,” I grunt, unable to take my eyes off her mouth gliding up and down my hard length. Her baby blues are open wide, fixed on mine.

She picks up the pace, taking me deeper, all the way to the back of her throat.

Weak in the knees, I brace a hand against the wall behind her, driving into the warmth of her mouth. With every thrust she moans, her lips vibrating along my shaft. Sammi’s eyes water as her throat contracts around the head.

My dick starts to twitch, my hips jerking of their own accord. I’m approaching the point of no return, tumbling into the sweet abyss as the world fades to black. Heat and pressure build at the base as she hollows her cheeks.

My release is so close I can fucking taste it when suddenly she yanks back.

“Holy shit!”

I peer down, taking in her shocked expression as she flicks the ring at the base of my dick back and forth a few times with a finger. She’s utterly fascinated with her new discovery.

“Jailbait,” I groan, painfully aroused. “Not now.”

“Right.” Cheeks flushed, she attacks with renewed vigor, putting her entire body into it as she dips low and presses her tongue along the throbbing vein at the underside of my cock on each upward draw.

My breathing becomes erratic as my vision drifts back out of focus. Liquid fire spreads through my groin, a tell that my release is imminent.

“Li’l Bit,” I groan, jerking into her mouth, “Gonna come.”

“Mmm,” she moans around me. It’s all the encouragement I need to shoot off like a rocket on her next upward pull.

She drinks every drop, not easing up until my body deflates. Spent, I bow my back, leaning my forearms against the wall while trying to catch my breath.

“Your dick is pierced,” she announces before I’ve fully regained control of my senses.

“It’s a pubic piercing,” I pant, smiling down at her curious expression.

“Does it feel good when I flick it like this?”

I huff out a laugh. “Right now, I can hardly feel it at all. Still kinda numb down there. But it’s not meant for my pleasure.”

“Oh?” Her eyes double in size. “Pierced for pleasure?”

I hook a finger under her chin and guide her to her feet, caging her between myself and the wall. “You’ll think you’ve died and gone to heaven.”