He was tired of coercing her responses, determined to use his body to get the final vow he wanted from her. He had learned the hard way that marriage certificates and pledges taken in a church, in front of preacher, wouldn’t ensure a lasting relationship.
He jerked her sweater upward, breaking the kiss with a swipe of his tongue on her bottom lip. Then Rider buried his face between her breasts.
“I finally found the only thing that tastes better than Willa’s candy.” He eased his tongue under her bra to lick the rise of her breast.
“I bet you’ve said that to all your women.”
“No woman has reached that distinction before but you. If I could, I would give you a blue ribbon for taste.” Rider dragged the cup of her bra down so he could lick her nipple, feeling it harden under his tongue.
Jo gave a sighing moan, melting into his hard body as if releasing the last of the hurt she had experienced when she had seen the presents on his bed.
Rising, he went to work on the button of her jeans, looming over her, pinning her in place as he then took her jeans and panties off.
Reaching a long arm out, he opened his dresser, taking a condom out. Startled, he realized his fingers were shaking as he tore it open.
“Let me do it.” Jo raised herself, taking it from him. “I never expected you to be nervous.”
“I’m not nervous. I’m horny.”
“Really?” She slid the lubricated condom over his dick, rolling it down. “I didn’t notice,” she teased as she lay back down, wrapping her thighs around his hips, opening herself for him.
“Bluebonnet, if you can’t see how hard my dick is, you need glasses.”
“Steel …” Jo dragged her tongue over her bottom lip, wetting it. “I see it. I’m just waiting for you to use it.” Jo was getting better at being seductive.
Feeling a chip of ice fall off his heart, he told himself he would worry about repairing it right after he fucked her.
Reveling as his fingers found her wet, he stroked her thigh with his other hand before raising it higher up his side. “Take your bra off. Let me see those prize-winning breasts.”
She arched her upper body as she reached behind her to release the clasp.
“That’s much better. When you get your nipples pierced, I’m going to buy you blue stones to match your eyes,” he expertly planted the seed in her mind.
“I’m not getting my nipples pierced. You can get me earrings instead, or I’ll buy them myself.”
“It won’t have the same effect.”
“My ears aren’t even pierced. There’s no way I’m doing it to my nipples. It’ll hurt.”
Rider lightly pinched her clit. “You don’t seem the type to allow a little pain to keep you away from what you want to do.” Releasing her clit, he thrust a finger inside her pussy, rocking it back and forth to lubricate her.
“You’re right … when I want to do something.” Her hips arched under his hand. “And I don’t want any tattoos either.”
“Aly told you about the tattoos, didn’t she?” Rider grinned down at her.
“That the women get tattoos when they become a member? Yes. I won’t be becoming a Last Rider, so—”
Rider removed his finger so fast a small “oomph” escaped Jo. Before she could get her bearing, his hands were at her waist, turning her and pressing her back to his chest, her on her knees.
A hand on her breast, the other at her throat, using it to tilt her head to his shoulder, Rider said, “You’re going to become a Last Rider because you’re this Last Rider’s woman.” His voice went dangerously low. “You don’t want to fuck to get the votes, that’s cool, because I don’t want you to get them that way anyway. I’d kill any man who tries to touch you, and that’s a fucking promise. I’ll take care of the votes, just like I’ll take care of anything that concerns you. Because you’re mine. You don’t want a tattoo or get your nipple pierced, that’s cool, too. What you don’t have the right to decide on is saying no to being a Last Rider, because you’re fucking mine.”
She hadn’t just chipped away at his heart by claiming she wouldn’t become a Last Rider; she had taken off a big chunk, and he was going to get it back.
Rider felt her nod under his hand.
Using his chest, he pushed Jo flat on the floor. “You know what I’m going to do now?” he taunted.
“What?” Jo asked, trembling.
“I’m going to fuck you because you’re fucking mine, aren’t you?”
“Y-yes,” Jo stuttered.
“Say it.”
“I’m yours.”
“For how long?” This was the question he waited with bated breath for her to answer.
“Forever and ever.”
“You’re damn right about that.” Rising up, he removed his hand from her throat, using it to ruthlessly push her back down before driving his cock into her pussy in one stroke.
“Too hard?” he purred seductively.
Testing that she would stay in the position, he squeezed her ass cheek as he started fucking her with deep thrusts.
“Harder,” she moaned out.
“I’m going to show you that you can handle a little pain, and you’re going to be a good girl and take it.”
“Yes, sir.”
“I’m going to take it easy on you tonight because you were smart enough to say sir.”
“Thank you.”
“You know what to say if you don’t like what I’m doing?”
“Yes, sir. Red. Except, I really don’t want to try spanking.”
“Then don’t do anything to deserve one. Is that fair?”
“Yes, sir.”
“I could fuck you every hour of the day.” Squeezing her ass harder, he claimed his possession of her with rapid strokes of his cock that had Jo gasping for air every time he drove in deeper and higher.
He loosened his grip on her ass, seeing his handprint on her. He had to hold back the desire to make the mark brighter and last much longer. His bluebonnet wasn’t ready to play the games he enjoyed, and until she was, he would wait.
Rider smoothed his hand over her silky cheek, skillfully parting the cheeks while moving his fingers featherlight over the rosebud of her anus. She almost jumped off his cock at the movement.
Moving downward, he traced the indention before moving back to her ass cheek. His poor little flower was shuddering at his boldness, calming when he started squeezing it again. Rider practically read her mind, knowing she would think that if he was squeezing her ass cheek, he wouldn’t go off exploring.
Jo didn’t know him at all, but she would learn, and how she would learn had him moving harder.
She had lost her timidity and was rearing her ass back as he plunged into her pussy.
“You’re as tight as a vise, clamping down on me.” Reaching forward until he was once again leaning over her, he grabbed a pert breast, giving it the same treatment as he did her ass.
“Steel …” Jo whimpered.
“It’s not going to work. I’m not ready to come.”
“Rider, please … I want to come.”
“Then come. I’m not stopping you.” Biting down on his favorite spot on the back of her nape, he ground into her, making it impossible for her not to find the relief she was begging for.
Her whimpering moans and the contractions on his dick showed she had given in and was coming.
Rider rode her through her climax, and when she would have fallen to the floor, he found one of her nipples and gave a small twist. The pain had her arching back on his cock.
He controlled her every movement, not letting her slip into the afterglow of her orgasm, but building it into another, more satisfying one. Her fingers curled in the carpet as he rocked back and forth, each thrust more forceful than the last.
He felt her second orgasm on his cock at the same time her scream filled the room. When he released her nipple, a third climax had her clawing the carpet to get away.
“Do you want to use your safe word??
??
“No.”
“Are you sure?” He went to her other breast, seeking her nipple. Twisting it, he found another rhythm to wring another climax out of her.
“Yes!” Her screams grew higher in intensity, but she quit trying to claw herself away from the pounding she was taking.
“Do you want me to come?”
“God, yes.”
“What are you going to do to help me with that?”
Her screaming stopped. “What do you want?”
Rider nearly laughed at her worried question.
“The next time I work in the security room, you have to stay naked for two hours.”
“Do I have to stand?” she sulkily countered.
“No, you can sit.”
“I can do that.”
“Then”—Rider pushed her shoulders to the floor while he kept her ass right where he wanted it—“we have a deal.”
He was fucking lucky she had agreed when she had. If she had held out a moment longer, she would have had her wish without having to agree to anything.
Groaning, he sped up, rocking against her hard, frustrated at himself that he couldn’t last longer. He was used to sex marathons and had intended to have to carry her to his bike to take her home. Now he would be lucky if he didn’t have to drag himself down the long flight of steps.
His climax rolled through him like a bomb had detonated inside him, jarring his heart more than he had intended. With Jo, he had to show a part of himself, or she wouldn’t be fooled. She was too caring and tender-hearted not to recognize those qualities were missing from him. The double-edged sword had turned around on him, and she had sliced out another chunk of ice from his stone-cold heart.
Sinking to the floor, he stretched out on the carpet, trying to catch his breath as he pulled Jo to rest beside him. Curling an arm behind his head, he stared up at the ceiling as she snuggled against his side, laying her head on his tattoo. The reminder of the meaning of the tattoo and the promise he had made to himself made a mockery of the feelings that Jo was innocently arousing in the heart that beat under her ear.
“Damn.”
Jo lifted her cheek, propping her chin on the hand that was covering his heart. “What’s wrong?”
“Nothing. Never mind. I lost something, and I can’t find it.”
“Oh.” Settling back against him, she placed her head back on his chest. “We can find it later,” she said, yawning.
“I hope so.” Rider stared up at the ceiling. He hadn’t prayed for so long that he had forgotten how, but he broke that drought tonight. “God, I hope so.”
38
Rider circled his arm around Jo’s shoulders as they went in the front door. Her glorious blue eyes shone with the love that she was unconsciously revealing to him.
“Did you have a good time?” he asked, tightening his grip on her as she almost stumbled tipsily onto the rug in front of the door.
“How couldn’t I have?”
Allowing her to break away from him, he shut the door, then made sure her back was still to him when he signaled to Trip to cut the live feed.
Jo almost caught what he was doing when she spun around, splaying her arms out to her sides as she spun around the room.
“It’s been the best Valentine’s Day ever!”
The giggles escaping her had him smiling as she continued to spin.
“What was the best part?” Rider asked, taking his jacket off. “That Shade had dropped your Big Red off before coming home and it was ice cold, or the two hamburgers Mick fixed you?”
“Those were good, but that’s not why.” She stopped spinning to grab the back of her couch, steadying herself.
“Was it the three cherry vodka shooters Mick gave you?”
“Nope. You’re not even close.” She haughtily placed her hands on her hips, then lost the effect when she kept tilting to the side as if she was about to fall over. “By the way, I don’t know why you didn’t let me have that last shot. It was soooo good!”
“I wonder why?” he mocked, reaching out to keep her from falling over the back of the couch.
“You were being a party pooper, but that’s okay because I love you anyway.” Her hiccup had his smile turning into a full-fledged grin.
“You do?”
“I do. But”—she put a finger over her pursed lips—“don’t tell him.”
“Why not?” Rider rested his tired ass on the back of the couch, crossing his arms over his chest.
“I’m playing hard to get.” Trying to tap her finger against her forehead, she missed, making her ponytail even more lopsided. “I’m being smart. He’s going to break my heart.” Her joy-filled expression turned tearful. “And it’s going to hurt like a motherfucker.”
His smile disappeared. “No, I’m not.”
“You’re not?”
“No, I’m not going to break your heart. I’m going to make you very happy for the rest of your life.”
“You are?”
“I am.” He stared at her fiercely, letting his determination shine through his eyes. This, he would never lie to her about. He was being a son of a bitch about everything concerning her, but with this, he had no intention of being fake.
“That’s good. You know why?”
“Why?”
“Because I love you.” Jo started spinning again.
“I wouldn’t do that. You’re going to make yourself sick.”
“No, I’m not. I can do this all night.”
“You might be able to, but I need to get to sleep. You ready for bed?”
“Do I have to?” She stopped spinning, and she would have fallen to the floor if he hadn’t hastily caught her. “But I haven’t told you what the best part of Valentine’s Day was.”
“What’s the best part?” Taking her shoulders, he frog-marched her to her bedroom. Turning the doorknob, they came to a stop as he looked at what she had done to her bedroom.
“You.”
Her soft, heartfelt reply shook him to his core. Bracing himself against the door, he stared at the unmade bed with a big red bow on top.
“It’s a new mattress. Do you like it?”
“Yes.”
He had seen the mattress delivered earlier, before she had gone to babysit. What he hadn’t been able to see from the camera in the living room was what was spread out on her bed that he had watched her carry in.
Going to the bed, he unfolded a new pair of jeans, clenching the material in his fingers.
“I hope they’re the right size. I looked at the sizes you wear when you were sleeping.”
“They’re the right size.” Setting the jeans down, he reached for the long-sleeved, black and gray thermal shirt. Looking at the tag, he recognized the Pro Club brand, as well as the short-sleeved black T-shirts that were stacked neatly on her bed.
Sitting down on the bed, he reached for the red Teddy bear, staring down at it.
“Do you like them?”
At the uncertainty in her voice, he lifted his head. “Where’re your sheets?”
“I’ll get them—”
“Just tell me where they are?”
“In the bathroom closet.”
He walked by her to go to the bathroom. Finding the sheets, he came back, setting them down to carry his presents to her dresser before making up her bed.
“I can help—”
“I’ll do it. Don’t move.”
“The comforter is in the dryer …”
Retrieving the comforter after putting the sheets on, he spread it over the bed. Removing his clothes, he laid them on the hamper that was by her closet door.
Meanwhile, Jo remained silent as he moved around her bedroom, watching uneasily.
Going to the side of the bed, he held out his hand to her. “Come here,” he ordered starkly.
Obediently, Jo wobbled across the floor to him.
“You want to know how I like my presents?”
Tearfully, Jo nodded.
“I’m going to sho
w you how much I like them.”
He took off her clothes, one article at a time, placing kisses on each curve he exposed. Her hair fell forward when he pulled her jeans down and pressed a kiss to her mound. The springy curls tickled his nose as he swiped his tongue downward to find her clit.
Raising his eyes, he watched for her reaction to see if she was too sore to fuck. When her hips pushed for more, he stood up and pushed her back to the mattress. His lips curled into a predatory smile when she bounced twice. Then Rider slid her jeans all the way off after removing her sneakers.
“I like them so much you’re not going to be able to work tomorrow.”
“Why not?” Jo licked her lips, staring up at him trustingly.
“Because this is the best Valentine’s Day I’ve ever had, and I don’t want it to end.”
The jarring of the lamp on Jo’s nightstand had him rolling over, careful not to wake her. Nabbing the vibrating cell phone, he put it to his ears, coming awake.
“You’re late.” Jewell’s cold voice had him swearing.
“Sorry. I’m on my way.” Disconnecting the call, he dressed in his new clothes then grabbed the rest of his presents before leaving Jo’s bedroom without waking her.
In the kitchen, he wrote a brief note, explaining how he had to go to work and to call when she woke up. Placing the note on her nightstand so she could see it when she awoke, he went outside to his bike, putting his presents in his saddlebags.
At the factory, he took off the necklace before going inside, putting it in his saddlebags with the rest of his presents that he would take to his room after work. He then went to the office, knowing Jewell wanted to yell at him for being late.
After knocking and receiving no answer, he went to the work orders, taking the ones that had been clipped to his name.
He had finished the first order when Shade strolled toward his station with two cups of coffee.
“I figured you could use it,” he said, giving him one.
“Thanks,” Rider said absently while scanning the list on the next order, committing it to memory with one glance.