Page 157 of Rough and Rugged

“Name’s Briar Collins. Twenty-three. Missing two days.”

“Yeah, Grady. She’s… she’s here,” I admit, my heart breaking as I utter those damning words. “Found her injured on the riverbank.”

“Can I come in, Emmett?” he asks, though we both know it’s just a formality.

I nod, stepping aside and opening the door wider to let him inside.

“Briar,” I say gently as we approach the kitchen where she’s cleaning up our mess as best she can from her stool.

She glances up, her smile disappearing as she sees the sheriff.

“Miss Collins?” he asks.

“Yes,” she says hesitantly.

“Got a lot of people out lookin’ for you, ma’am. Glad we found you safe. Emmett here’s a good’un.”

“I’m sorry to worry everyone.”

“I’m gonna need to get a statement from you,” Sands says.

“You can chat in the living room. I’ll give you some privacy,” I offer, lifting Briar off the stool and moving her to the couch before walking away, my heart shattered.

“Emmett!” Briar calls loudly sometime later. She sounds pissed, and I know I deserve it.

“What the fudge?” she shouts when I walk into the living room. “You knew they were looking for me?”

The sheriff is gone, so it’s just us once again, exactly how I like it. Orlikedit until I fucked up and made her upset.

I wince, refusing to answer, my silence confirming her suspicions.

“What is wrong with you, Emmett?”

I shrug. I have no defense for my actions. As soon as I knew they were looking for her, I should’ve told them. Told her. But I selfishly kept silent, wanting more time with her. This is the reckoning I feared.

“Come here,” she demands, pointing to the couch. I comply, needing to be near her while I can before she leaves for good.

“I—I wanted you to stay. And I knew I needed more time with you to convince you,” I say quickly, hoping my honesty will reach her.

“Then, why didn’t you justsaythat, you dumbass?“ she shouts, gesturing wildly with her hands. “Because if you had, I would’ve told you that Iwantto stay!”

“You do?” I ask, bewildered.

“Yes. But you had to go and turn a swoon-worthy, fairytale rescue into a county-wide incident! Oh my god, we’re never going to live this down,” she wails, burying her head in her hands.

“I’m sorry, Briar,” I say, moving closer to her. “I should’ve said something. But I was sure you’d leave as soon as you knew, and I couldn’t face it. I want you to stay, sweetheart. I—I know it’s only been a few days, but I love you.”

“Prove it.”

I reach out, my fingers wrapping around her biceps as I pull her into my lap, my lips crashing down on hers, swallowing her yelp of surprise.

My hands dig into her hair, finally twining the soft strands through my fingers as I angle her head to deepen the kiss, our tongues dueling for control. I should’ve known my feisty girl wouldn’t submit without a challenge.

She’s straddling me, her hips rocking achingly slowly, dragging her molten core against my painfully erect cock, making both of us groan with need.

“Take me to bed,” she pants against my lips. “I need you, Emmett.”

Needing no more urging, I stand, my hands gripping her ass and dragging her up and down against my cock as I walk us to the bedroom, tossing her gently on the bed and following her down.

---