Page 7

7

Salem

I buried my nose into Rome’s back and inhaled deeply as the wind rushed by us. He’d come to get me from the kitchen to go for a ride. This had become one of my favorite things to do over the past couple of weeks. Rome seemed to want me alone more and more lately. Nina had teased that he didn’t like sharing me with anyone. I didn’t mind. I loved having him all to myself.

We hadn’t been on the road long before I realized he was taking us to his property. That meant a longer time on his bike and away from everyone else. Smiling, I lifted my head and tightened my arms around his waist. I felt his abs flex as he glanced back at me and grinned.

I realized that you never forgot. You simply missed something so strongly that you shut it away in your memories in order to cope without it. Rome’s smile broke open all those feelings. Allowing me to have them again.

My insecurities had faded until there weren’t any left. Rome made sure that there was no room for them. How could there be when he looked at me the way he did? His need to always have me close, to be touching me in some way, reassured me that I wasn’t alone in this. He felt it too. He wanted me just as much as I did him.

The bike rumbled to a stop, and I looked around the land, surprised to see the grass freshly cut and the limbs that had fallen gone. It was one large, open field now. Had he removed trees too? It seemed bigger.

When he cut the engine, I began unbuckling my helmet, ready to get off and stretch my legs. With the grass so short, I wasn’t intimidated by walking around.

Rome climbed off and took my helmet, then held his hand out for me.

“You cleaned it up,” I said. “And did you cut some trees?”

He nodded. “Yeah. There are a few more I want to cut, too, but the guys I hired had a bigger job they had to focus on before coming back to take out the last of mine. I’m not in a rush,” he explained, then added, “Not yet at least.”

I wondered what he meant by that last part, but didn’t ask. When I was off the bike, he didn’t let go of my hand, but tugged me closer to him instead. His eyes were hidden beneath the dark tint of his sunglasses, and I wanted to reach up and take them off.

“This is better,” he murmured before pressing a kiss to my lips.

“What is?”

“It’s quiet here,” he said. “Peaceful. Just us.”

My lips stretched into a smile, and he brushed his along my jawline.

“I can see what you mean. It has its appeal.”

He chuckled and nipped at my earlobe. “It does,” he agreed, then straightened up and nodded his head toward the farthest tree line. “Come on. I want to show you something.”

Happy to go anywhere with him, I fell into step beside him as he threaded his fingers through mine, and we walked out to the trees.

“Are these the ones you are going to take down?” I asked him.

“Yeah. They’re the ones blocking the view.”

The view? Of what?

I glanced up at him, and although I couldn’t see his eyes, there was a smirk on his lips.

When we reached the trees, he squeezed my hand. “I’ll protect you from any wildlife, I swear,” he assured me.

“You’d better,” I replied, although my curiosity was winning out over my fear.

“Come on, crocodile hunter.” His voice was thick with amusement.

“Ha-ha,” I replied and stepped into the trees behind him.

We walked through three layers of trees, and although he was in front of me, blocking some of it, I could see the blue water peeking through along the line of brush, and I gasped.

“Oh my,” I breathed as we came out onto a sandy, beach-like shore of a lake. The sun glistened on the water, and seagulls perched on a pier across the way from us. “I didn’t realize you were so close to water. This is lovely.”

“It’s what sold me on the location. My idea was to build a house overlooking the lake,” he said.

“This would be an incredible scene to sit out on the balcony and drink your coffee to,” I mused. “I can’t believe you waited so long to start building.” I tilted my head back and looked up at him. “Assuming that’s what you’re doing. I mean, with the clearing of the trees and everything.”

He shrugged. “Depends.”

Frowning, I waited for him to say more, but he just continued to stare down at me.

“Depends on what?” I finally asked.

“On if you like it here or not.”

I pointed at my chest. “Me? It’s gonna be your house.”

He turned around to face me then. “I don’t want a house if you’re not there.”

Oh.

Oh!

I licked my lips nervously as my stomach went off in a case of the butterflies. We’d talked a lot the past two weeks, and we had also had sex a lot. But we hadn’t talked about the future. Mostly the now and working through the past.

“Is that where you see us going with things,” I said, unsure of what to say. I wanted to throw myself in his arms, say YES , and then kiss him senseless, but I refrained.

He moved his sunglasses to his head, and those pale green eyes stared down at me with a determined gleam. “That’s where I’m going. I was hoping you were there with me. I’ve already lost eighteen years. I don’t want to lose a day more.”

My heart might burst, but it would be worth it. I felt my eyes burn, and a small laugh bubbled out of me. I didn’t mean to laugh, but when you were this happy, it was hard to contain it. “That’s where I’d like it to go too.”

His expression softened as he cupped my face with his hand. “No matter what happens, you’re it for me. You’ll always come first. I swear it.”

Did he think I was worried about the club coming before me? I understood that they’d become his family, and I wasn’t planning on ever coming between him and the Judgment.

“I want you to trust me again,” he continued. “I need to know you believe me and know that I’d never do anything to hurt you. I’m not the messed-up kid anymore. I’m a man who will fight for you.”

I did trust him. It might not be wise to trust him so soon, but even back then, had he explained and apologized, I’d have forgiven him. I loved him that much, and I wouldn’t be able to love someone the way I did him if I didn’t trust him.

“I do,” I replied.

He inhaled, causing his nostrils to flare, then let out a breath. “Good. Because I swear, you’re the center of every decision I make from now on.”

I smiled. “Don’t worry about me getting jealous over the club. If that’s what this is about. I won’t do that. I know it’s important to you.”

“Not as important as you.”

I wasn’t going to push this. I just nodded. “Okay.”

His hands went to my waist and tugged me closer to him. He didn’t say anything more as he bent his head, and his lips covered mine. The sunlight felt warmer, the sounds of the water rippling in the breeze were clearer, and my world was perfect. All because of Rome. He made it that way.

There was a hunger to his kiss, as if he couldn’t get enough of my taste. His hands gripped me tighter and pressed me against him. A deep growl was followed by his hands sliding down over my butt and jerking me up until my tiptoes barely brushed the ground.

“We’d better take this back to the clearing,” he said in a husky voice. “Don’t want to give the neighbors a show.”

He put me back down, clasped my hand, and began to stalk purposefully back through the trees. All the sensitive areas of my body were alert with anticipation. The primal glint in Rome’s eyes excited me, and thinking about him wanting me so bad that he was going to take me out here, in the open, where someone could drive up and catch us, made me shiver.

We were almost to the bike when he stopped and turned to me before reaching for the hem of my tank top and pulling it up and over my head. His eyes flared hotly, staring down at my breasts.

“Take off your bra.” His deep voice sounded like a command.

I reached around back and unhooked it, then let it fall down my arms before dropping it to the grass.

“Now the bottoms.” His voice was a little softer.

Unsnapping the shorts, I trembled slightly, but not from nerves. The desperate way he watched me made my knees weak. I’d do anything he asked as long as he was looking at me that way. I felt beautiful and sexy. He wasn’t sure I would do it by the way his eyes sparked with surprise when I started to push the shorts down, which made me grin.

To tease him, I hesitated at my panties, and his eyes flew from them up to my face in question, but he caught me grinning, and a dark smile curled his lips.

“You can do it, or I will, but the panties are coming off,” he warned me.

“I’m the only one undressing. Seems a little unfair.”

He cocked an eyebrow at me, then slipped his leather vest off and tossed it to the ground in front of me. “Put that on when you’ve got the panties off,” he said, then pulled his shirt over his head, letting it fall to the ground beside him.

I removed my panties while listening to the zipper on his jeans, then picked up his vest before straightening. He paused to watch me.

“Put it on. I want you naked and in my cut when I fuck you,” he said in a gravelly voice. “You’ve got no idea how many times I got off, thinking about you like that. Bent over with your hands on my bike while I sank into you.”

A tingle went straight to my core at the image he’d put in my mind, and I slipped the vest on, keeping my eyes on him the entire time. The muscles in his neck flexed, and the veins stood out. I wanted to go run my fingers over them.

“Mmm,” he hummed, looking pleased, then pushed his jeans and boxer briefs down at the same time.

I bit my bottom lip at the sight of his bare erection. The metal in the tip caught the sun. When he kicked off his boots and pants, he moved toward me. His hard, sculpted thighs were the same golden brown as the rest of him. How had he gotten that part of his legs so tan? I’d not thought about it before now. Seeing him in this much light though had me wondering.

“Go to my bike. Put your palms on the seat and spread your legs,” he said as he reached me.

His eyes, slowly traveling down my body, sent goose bumps all over me even though there was no chill in the air. Turning, I walked to the bike and did as he’d said, then glanced back at him over my shoulder.

The possessive expression reminded me of a predator who had found their prey.

“Fuck, that looks good,” he murmured and closed the space between us as his gaze stayed locked on my back. “I wanna fuck you hard, Angel Face.”

I let out a shaky breath, not sure what that meant. I thought we had fucked hard already. But I nodded.

“Okay.” My voice sounded breathy.

His hand drew back, and a loud smack made me yelp as his hand connected with my right butt cheek.

“Jesus, that’s beautiful.”

The pleasure in his tone turned the sting into a jolt of pleasure between my legs. My entire body trembled while his fingers brushed the tender skin.

“My handprint on your perfect skin.”

A whimper escaped my lips, and his eyes snapped up to meet mine.

He tilted his head as a sinister glint appeared in his eyes. “You ready for my cock?”

“Yes,” I replied, sounding as needy as I felt.

He reached up and grabbed my hair, then fisted it in his hand, pulling my head back slightly with a tug. “Have you ever been taken rough, baby?” he asked me as his swollen, thick head pressed against my entrance.

I wasn’t sure I had. Not what he meant at least. Because I’d only had sex with him and Eamon, and…well, sex with Eamon had never been rough.

“I don’t think so.” My voice was just above a whisper.

“Good,” he replied, sounding pleased.

He slipped a hand between my legs, and I cried out as his finger brushed over my clit.

“That’s a soaking wet pussy,” he said as he continued to play with it. “My cock is gonna slip in easy.”

I bit down on my bottom lip as anticipation rippled through me. I was so close to coming by this alone that if he kept talking, I was sure that I would.

Closing my eyes as he pulled my head back further, I held my breath. His fingers dug into my hip just before he thrust into me. I had to grab on to the seat to keep from going forward from the impact.

“Rome!” I screamed out his name, finally filled with him.

“That’s it,” he grunted. “Take my cock and squeeze it.”

I was already there, about to hit a powerful climax.

“Rome,” I panted, listening to the slapping of our bodies as he pulled back and then slammed into me.

“That’s my cunt, the only fucking cunt I want. Yeah, fuck.” He rasped out the words.

He let go of my hip, and his hand slid under the leather to press against my bare back. His piercing was hitting its mark with an almost-brutal force, but I seemed to crave it because I was spiraling close to bliss.

“Mine,” he said, and that was all it took.

I heard my voice crying out his name as my body shook and ecstasy consumed me.

“Mine! Mine!” he shouted. “Fuck, baby! That’s it! FUCK! Oh goddamn, yeah. Squirt on my dick. AH FUCK!”

My head fell forward as he released my hair, and his arm wrapped around me, bringing my back against his chest as his body shuddered. I moaned as his release flooded deep inside me. One of his hands grabbed my breast and squeezed.

We stood there, breathing heavily. Sated. Owned.

“That was so much better than my imagination,” he muttered close to my ear, causing me to giggle. He nuzzled closer and groaned, “Did I hurt you?”

I started to shake my head and stopped. “I’m not sure yet. How bad of a mark did you leave on my butt?” I asked, smiling.

His hand covered the sensitive spot. “It’s not bad. At least not as bad as what I want to do to it.” He brushed my hair back over my shoulder and placed a kiss on my neck. “I was asking about your pussy. Did I break it?”

I shook my head. “No, but I’m pretty sure they don’t break.”

“Mmm,” was his only response.

I arched my neck as he continued to kiss me and fondle my breasts.

“You keep this up, and I’m going to be ready for another round.”

“Good. That’s the idea,” he replied, then gently bit the curve of my neck.

“We could go back to the club and continue this in your room,” I suggested.

“I’d rather have you here. Away from everyone else. In the spot where we’re gonna build our house. As soon as you tell me what house you want.”

I stilled, then turned my head to meet his eyes.

He kissed the tip of my nose. “Don’t look so surprised, Angel Face. It’s always been you. I bought the land, but never built on it because I’d lost the only woman I wanted to build a house with. But you’re here now. You’re mine. We’re too old to waste time. I’m ready to have the life we missed out on.”