Page 38

January

T he elevator doors open, and just as I’m about to go downstairs in search of her, Scarlett steps out onto the floor of our suite. I got us a hotel room for the night even though the Winter Classic was just in St. Paul because I wanted us to have some alone time.

After the game got over, I was selected for the media panel to discuss our win so I’m arriving to the hotel later than I had planned.

Scarlett has been distant since we talked last night after the family and friends skate, and now that we’ve got uninterrupted time together, I intend to clear the air and finally tell her how I feel.

She’s got her head down, so she startles when I ask, “Scar, where have you been? I’ve been looking for you.”

Her eyes widen as she takes me in, and she wobbles slightly in her heels before steadying herself. “I-I’ve been in the hotel bar. Taking some time to think. I did a lot of thinking.” She nods her head exaggeratedly to herself.

My brows knit in confusion. “Okay. And what were you thinking about, Red?”

“Well, you see, I had an interesting conversation this evening with your father.”

My breath hitches and my hackles raise. “My father? ”

“The one and only. God, I really can’t stand the guy, but he had important business to discuss so he took it upon himself to find me so we could chit chat after the game.” She sways slightly again before quickly regaining her balance.

My fist flexes at my side in frustration. She’s talking in circles and I want answers. Now. “And what is it he wanted to talk to you about?”

“He seems to think we’re not a good fit. I believe he was distraught at the fact that if you marry me, you’d be, and I quote, ‘stuck fathering two bastards.’ I hope you don’t mind, I threw my drink in his face. But apparently that wasn’t enough of a hint for him.”

I would be filled with pride at that fact if I wasn’t internally freaking the fuck out right now. “What did he do?” I bite out the question, but only because I’m frustrated at the audacity of my father.

“He took the liberty of having his PI look into me. He must be good, too, because he not only found out about the stipulation for ownership, but he also found a way around it.”

My stomach sinks as I process her words. “A way around it. What’s that supposed to mean?”

She continues rambling on as if she hadn’t heard me.

“Or, rather, I should say he found out that before my father passed away, he got the majority vote to rule to have that stipulation removed. Though, I’m not sure why my grandfather wasn’t made privy to that information.

Perhaps he got confused because of his dementia, I’m not sure.

But either way, it looks like you’re a free man.

Besides, your father came up with quite the list of reasons why this marriage was only in my favor.

So you should probably listen to him and run before it’s too late. ”

“I’m not running anywhere. You’re not making any sense right now, Scar. Look, you’ve had a bit to drink tonight. Let’s go to bed and we can talk in the morning with clear heads. ”

She laughs but her face is void of any emotion, it’s almost as if she’s going through the motions without feeling right now.

“I’d hardly consider one drink ‘a bit,’ but I don’t need a clear head to know that this marriage was never going to be a mutual convenience.

I was the only person who was really benefiting, and now that I don’t need to be married in order to take over ownership, there’s no reason for you to waste three years of your life. ”

I try desperately to plead with her. “Scarlett. Look at me. Stop this nonsense. None of that matters to me.”

“You’re off the hook, Cap. Now, please, just go. I want to be alone.”

Her words cut me like daggers to the chest and I find myself staggering backward. She reaches behind me to press the elevator call button, and my stomach sinks with dread.

She’s really doing this. She’s pushing me away.

When the doors open, she literally pushes my chest and I stumble back into the elevator and watch in shock as she turns her back on me.

I gaze longingly at her retreating form, cataloging the way my chest aches deeper with each step she takes. The final blow comes when she turns one last time, tears streaming down her face, my bleeding heart in her hand, just as the elevator doors shut.

Fuck this.

Scarlett

I’m walking away from him.

What am I doing? Turn around.

When I dare to take a glance back at Bennett, I’m met with his crestfallen face just as the elevator doors close, and every part of me shatters.

What have I done?

Stumbling, my back hits the wall and I slide down until I’m a pathetic mess on the floor. With my head in my hands, my shoulders shake as the sobs wrack my body.

I’m crying so hard that I don’t notice the elevator doors have opened until Bennett is crouched down in front of me, his chest heaving and a determined glint in his eyes.

“No,” he growls through gritted teeth.

“No?” I question.

“No, fuck that. You don’t get to push me away, not now. Not after everything we’ve been through. And all because of, what, some piece of paper telling us we don’t need to get married?”

I struggle to get to my feet, and he holds his hand out to steady me as he stands to his full height. “This is all too much, Bennett. You should be ecstatic that you no longer have to play pretend. You can move on with your life and find something real.”

“You’re wrong. I’m not ecstatic, if anything you’re breaking my heart, Scarlett.

” His confession nearly has me toppling over, sobering my muddled brain that’s been whirling since his father talked to me.

“Maybe it started out as an obligation—that this is how it had to be between us—but I quickly realized that this is so much more.” Bennett presses me up against the wall, caging me in with his one arm over my head while he grasps my waist with his other, grounding the two of us.

“My love for you is a real, tangible thing that I want to grasp and hold onto for dear life. So, no, maybe we are no longer legally forced to get married for you to take ownership, but that doesn’t mean I want to be with you any less.

For a while now I’ve seen this, this thing between us for what it could be—for what it must be.

I want this, Scarlett. I want you, me, Gemma, and Gunner to be a real family.

I stopped pretending a long time ago, and if you’re honest with yourself, I think you did too.

I love you, Scar, and there’s nothing fake about the way I feel for you. ”

“Bennett,” I gasp before a choked sob escapes as I process his words.

He grasps my face in his hands and I hold on to his wrists for dear life.

My eyes move back and forth as I absorb the sincerity of his declaration.

He loves me. Even with no obligation, with nothing forcing us together, he loves me .

“Fuck, Scar. Stop being so damn scared. Tell me I’m not alone in this. Admit your feelings now that we’re free of any obligations. Please, Red.” His pleading tone breaks me all over again.

Hearing his declaration has me throwing caution to the wind. Loving Bennett doesn’t feel scary anymore because with him I know my heart is safe. And even though I could still lose him, the thought of him never knowing how I feel about him is unfathomable at this point.

“Of course I love you, you big idiot. I’ve loved you silently for months, even when my tortured heart begged me to not be so reckless—to protect myself from this inevitable heartache,” I choke out.

“Then let’s quit the silence. Love me out loud, Scar. Because, fuck, I want to love you so loud the entire world knows how I feel about you. My feelings for you have never been fake, Scarlett.”

My gaze dips to his lips before I train it back on his eyes, and when I do, I can feel the heat of his intense stare. “Okay. Out loud,” I whisper my agreement.

Bennett wastes no time crashing his lips against mine. His kiss is as passionate as it is possessive. He’s not just claiming my lips, but my mind, body and soul as well. I am his and he is mine. There’s no going back after this for either of us .

Without breaking our kiss, he guides me back to our suite and opens the door. Our lips only part as we hastily tear our clothes off and toss them to the floor.

“Come here, baby girl.” His tone is softer than I’m used to hearing him use in the bedroom. It’s sobering and I wonder if I’m going to see a different side of Bennett tonight.

He lifts me onto the bed and gently lays me on my back before settling himself between my spread thighs. When his tongue lazily laps at my clit, I moan so loud it echoes off the walls.

“Shhh,” he murmurs against my swollen clit and my hips shoot off the bed. “You’ve got to be quiet, Red, or we’ll get a noise complaint.”

Struggling to catch my breath, I say, “Let them kick us out. We’ll just pick up where we leave off at home.”

That earns me a chuckle which vibrates against my overly sensitive core.

I curl my fingers through his hair, guiding him to where I want him.

His tongue works me into a frenzy, and when he thrusts his tongue into my pussy while rubbing my clit in slow circles with his thumb, I become untethered from this world as my orgasm pulls me under.

Only after he helps me ride out the aftershocks of my orgasm does he line himself up, slowly thrusting his length inside of me.

Bennett captures my lips, sliding his tongue along my bottom one before gently tugging it between his teeth.

When he bottoms out, he waits for me to adjust, taking his time as he deliciously grinds his hips against mine, brushing my clit in the most mindmelting way.

His piercings have never felt more deliciously pleasurable.

When he finally breaks the kiss, he says, “I love you so fucking much, Scarlett.”

The feel of his full weight on top of me combined with his declaration and intense eye contact is more than I can take, my heart cracks wide open as his love drowns me .

“I love you too, Bennett.”

He suddenly goes still above me. “Fuck, Scar, I got so caught up in the moment that I didn’t put on a condom. I’m so sorry, I’ve never gone without before. I’ll go grab one.”

Bennett moves to pull out, but I hold his hips in place. “It’s okay. I’m fine to go without if you are. I don’t want anything between us. You already know I’ve got an IUD and we’ve both been tested.”

“Are you sure?” he asks, his gaze searching mine for hesitation he won’t find.

“I’ve never been more sure. Now make love to me, Benny,” I plead.

His answering thrust has me sliding up the bed and there’s nothing but devotion and need reflecting in his eyes. The feeling of his piercing without a barrier between us is unlike anything I’ve ever felt. I rock my hips to meet his, watching with rapt fascination as he slowly loses control.

Bennett cups my face, tangling the tips of his fingers in my hair as he rests his forehead against mine.

“Scarlett, baby, you feel so fucking good like this.”

“So good,” I pant. “I’m so close.” Bennett picks up his pace, grinding against my clit in the perfect way. “Right there, don’t stop!”

He continues his pace, only hitting me deeper and deeper until my stomach tightens as my pussy clenches around his length in a vice grip.

With one final thrust, Bennett shatters with me. Warmth fills me as he spills inside me, heightening my climax even further as I feel his cock throb.

My chest heaves as we come down from the high. When Bennett pulls out of me, he doesn’t move at first, instead he places soft kisses along my jawline.

Eventually, he gets off the bed and grabs a towel to clean me up .

I nuzzle against his chest, feeling safe in his warm embrace. A satisfied sigh escapes my lips, and it’s not long before sleep takes me.

I wake the next morning to find Bennett staring at me.

“Are you counting my freckles again?” I mumble, my voice laced with sleep.

“Am I that obvious?”

“You are. But it’s too early for this. Go back to bed,” I groan.

“No, I’ve been sitting here staring at you waiting for you to wake up.”

“What do you need, Benny?” I mutter, peeking at him through one eye.

His serious gaze gives me pause. “Marry me for real.”

“Are you ever going to ask me, or will you just demand it,” I sass back.

“Fine. If it makes you feel better, I’ll ask. Scarlett, will you marry me for real?”

I don’t answer him right away, instead pulling him in for a kiss.

“Yes,” I whisper against his lips. “I’ll marry you for real.”

His hazel eyes have me entranced, I’m completely captivated by my future husband. Bennett’s smile momentarily lights up his face before his lips crash against mine.

He pushes me onto my back and groans when his cock glides against my drenched core. “Fuck, Scar. I’ll never get enough of you.”

“Well then I think it’s a good thing we’re getting married,” I muse.

A devastating smile eclipses his face. “You’re right, you’ll be mine for the rest of our lives.”

“And you’ll be mine,” I remind him.

“Forever.” He leans down to kiss the tip of my nose, then my chin, then my jaw, and the column of my neck.

“Damn, forever sounds good falling from your lips.”

“Come here and let me show you what else these lips can do for you, baby girl.”