Page 87 of Wreck Me

Her chest heaves with ragged breaths. The mews and moans she makes set my heart racing. I trail my tongue upwards, over her clavicle and up over her long, elegant neck. She angles her face down, her expression one of sheer ecstasy.

‘If you ever go to the library, or anywhere else with Shane Stenson again, I’m going to pin you on the table and fuck you in front of him, just so he’s in no doubt who you belong to, okay?’ Her eyes widen and her core clenches my cock in a vice-like grip.

‘You’d like that, wouldn't you? If I tied him to a chair and made him watch as I ate your pussy, then fucked you into next week?’

Our eyes lock and I know she’s imagining the scene in her head. ‘You’d like to be watched, wouldn't you?’ I graze my knuckles over her sweat-sheened skin until my hand is between us. I circle her clit with my thumb and her head rolls back. ‘And I thought you were a good girl.’

She moans my name as her nails scratch across my back. ‘I don’t mind if the entire world watches us. But I’m the only man who will ever touch you, Scarlett.’

‘Yes,’ she cries, tightening and clenching my cock as herorgasm rips through her. I’m seconds behind her, soaring into the most decadent oblivion of my life.

Her hips slowly rock to a stop as we catch our breath in ragged pants. Something powerful presses against my ribcage. Something that’s bursting to get out. Something that I’ve only ever said to one other woman before. Something that’s going to change everything between us.

I cup her chin and angle her face towards me. We exchange so much more than just a look. We exchange souls. ‘I love you, Scarlett.’

A single tear falls from her eye and rolls slowly over her cheek. ‘I love you too. I think I have from the second I laid eyes on you.’ Glittering silver pools rove over my torso before returning to my pupils. ‘I felt like you were pulling me towards you with an invisible string.’

That’s a pretty accurate summary given I was mentally willing her over.

I brush my thumb across her cheekbone, swipe the tear, then bring it to my lips. ‘Don’t cry, baby. I told you before, I’ll never hurt you.’

‘I know.’ She nods and another tear falls. ‘I can’t believe you’re mine. That this is my life now.’

‘Well, you’d better believe it, because nothing and no one is going to get between us. Ever.’ I wrap my arms around her and stand, carrying her across the room like a child. ‘Let’s run that bath now. It’s been a big day already and it’s not even nine am.’

‘Tim will be waiting to take me to college.’ Scarlett’s hand cups her mouth.

‘No, he’s not. He’s in his cottage with Rosa.’ I smirk.

‘With Rosa?’ Scarlett blinks hard.

‘They’re married.’ I’m surprised she didn't guess. Why the hell else would the two of them last out here in the sticks with no one else for company?

‘No way! Why didn't anyone tell me?’

‘You didn’t ask.’

‘We can go on double dates!’ She claps her hands together and rubs them with glee.

‘With the staff?’ I scoff. ‘Not likely.’

‘Oh, come on, don’t give me that crap. What about that time we all had take-out? Tim’s your best friend. Don’t try to deny it.’

I place Scarlett on the marble bathroom counter while I fill the tub. ‘Tim’s my only friend these days, apart from my brothers,’ I admit. He might work for me, but he is my closest confidant outside of my family, the only man brave enough to spar with me in the gym, and the only man stupid enough to drink whiskey with me when I’ve already had too much. He might call me Mr Beckett in public, but it’s James, or even Jim, when we’re alone. Scarlett’s obviously picked up on our easy friendship.

‘Why?’

‘I don’t trust easily. I trusted Cynthia. She was dishonest. I can’t stand dishonesty.’

Scarlett’s teeth worry at her lower lip as she looks at me with an expression I can’t quite fathom. ‘What did she do?’

‘She lied to me and she stole from me. From the company.’

‘I see.’ Scarlett glances at the floor.

‘Enough about the past. Let’s talk about the future.’ I pour a generous amount of scented bubble bath into the tub and change the subject. ‘We’re going to have this bath. I’m going to devour you, and then a tonne of pancakes, dripping with maple syrup and bacon. After that, we’re going to pack up your things and move them into my room.’ Her eyebrows shoot skywards but I silence her with a finger until I finish. ‘And then we’re going toourlibrary to get your dissertationdone. And if it takes until three in the morning, we’re going to submit it early.’

A frown creases her forehead as her fingers curl around the edge of the marble. ‘Firstly, isn't that moving a bit fast? And secondly, Professor Buckley’s given us until Friday.’

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