Page 71 of If You Loved Me

“I like the sound of that.”

Chapter 30

Ranger

Sarah’s Craftsman-style house was quaint and picturesque with a small front yard and perfectly manicured lawn. It made me think she had her mother in mind when picking it out, but I kept that thought to myself as she led me through the front door.

To my left, I noticed exactly why she must have chosen this place to be her home. A huge kitchen with white porcelain countertops took up the massive space across from the living room.

I could picture her waking up every morning cooking herself a batch of blueberry pancakes. With her long hair in a bun on the top of her head, white speckles of flour gracing her nose and cheeks. The thought brought me comfort since I’d spent most of our ride here trying to keep from turning my truck around to hunt down that fucking asshole.

While I was waiting for her to leave therestaurant, I had looked to see if there were any cameras in the area next to the building. I couldn’t tell why my mind immediately went there, drawing me back to that fateful night. But I had a feeling that if Sarah’s mother had picked the guy out, he probably lacked the ability to be okay with being rejected. Turned out…I was right. The guy was an ass and needed to be taught a lesson. I could still feel the skin of his throat pressed against my palm, his pulse quickening every time I squeezed harder.

It would have been so easy to beat him down for not letting Sarah go when she told him to. So fucking easy.

When I felt the warmth of her touch against my arm and the plea in her voice, I knew there wasn’t anything in this world I wouldn’t do for her. She brought me back to life when I never thought I’d experience true joy again. And for that, I’d give her everything.

“So, this is my home,” Sarah said, rubbing her hands together and blowing her warm breath into them. The temperature had dropped significantly once the sun went down and it felt like she didn’t have the heater on yet. “Let me make us a fire.”

She started darting around the living room nervously, grabbing pieces of wood from a small holder next to the mantel. I came up next to her and took the two pieces of wood from her arms. “Let me,” I said.

Positioning the extra pieces around the starter log, I reached for the long lighter tucked in a basket in front of the hearth and set the paper on fire. Bright orange flames lickedaway at the starter log and small embers glowed on the oak wood. We’d have a roaring fire in a few minutes judging by how dry the wood was.

I turned to Sarah. Her arms were wrapped around her middle and I hated how small she looked in the space. My vibrant, beautiful girl looked fucking terrified in the safety of her own home and I hated it.

“Come here, sugar.” Moisture glistened in her chocolate eyes as she melted into my embrace.

“He wouldn’t let me go,” she whispered so low I could barely hear her. Her words broke something in me. “I told him to stop and he wouldn’t.” When her voice cracked, my chest ached so badly I couldn’t breathe.

My throat was raw as I spoke. “I promise you, Sarah, that no one else will ever touch you again. No one.” I kissed the top of her head, small whisps of her hair tickling my lips. “I wish I could take away every second of that experience for you. I wish I would have moved faster.”

Her head moved side to side against my chest. “No.” Her eyes glistened as she tilted her head back to look up at me. “You didn’t do anything wrong. The only person at fault here is Jones. He should have stopped when I told him to.”

Wetness hit my hands as I palmed the sides of her face. Watching tears fall over her rosy cheeks was the worst thing I’d ever seen. I needed them to go away, replaced with her beautiful smile.

So, I leaned down and kissed the salty trails along her face. Pressing my lips just under each one of her eyes Itrailed downward until I gently grazed her chin. A whimper escaped her lips as I carefully grasped the wrist Jones had grabbed her by and I kissed away that hurt too. Leaving only tender affection to replace the pain he’d caused her.

“Ranger,” she breathed, my name was a prayer on her lips.

I let her wrist go and reached down to pick her up. My heartbeat pounded in my ears as she kissed me, opening up fully and dipping her tongue into my mouth. She was so warm and sweet. Her little moans vibrated against my tongue making me want her mouth on another part of me.

I settled us on the couch and watched as she leaned back, threading her fingers through my hair. “I love that you have long hair.”

“Oh yeah?” I asked before bringing my thumb to her lower lip wondering what it might feel like to run the head of my cock over it.

Her tongue darted out between her lips and she took my thumb in her mouth, her cheeks hollowed as she sucked. “Mmhmm,” she mused. “It’ll make it easier to keep your head in place when it’s between my legs.”

My cock jolted. I yanked my thumb from her mouth and snagged her bottom lip between my teeth, suckling it with my tongue and lips before letting it go with apop. When I smacked her ass, she ground her hips into me, another moan slipping out of her mouth. “You won’t have to keep me anywhere, babe. I’ll gladly feast on your sweetness for the rest of my fucking life.”

Her lids fluttered, eyes dazed with lust. “But what if I want to be the one to taste you?”

Fuck. Me.

Grabbing the back of her neck, I brought her closer so I could whisper in her ear, “You wanna taste me?”

Tendrils of her hair tickled my cheek as she nodded.

“Then let me give my girl what she wants.” I lifted her off me and stood before her. The fear I’d seen in her eyes before was gone. Erased with the heady need we felt for one another and I was thankful for it. This I could do. Watching her eyes trace my body as I unbuckled my belt and undid my jeans. Seeing her in pain had been too much for me to bear. My chest had felt like it was caving in.

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