Can't Walk Away

by Molly McLain

  The music faded a bit and the announcer asked the crowd to give the riders a little more appreciation as they took a break and got ready for the second half the show.

  “Look for Jenny and the guys.” Mark nudged her arm and pointed upward toward the big four-sided monitor in the middle of the arena’s ceiling. Shots of the audience flashed by, but it was too hard to see any actual faces. Until she saw her own. She stood there for the longest second of her life, simply staring. Impossibly, the crowd seemed to go even crazier and that’s when she noticed Mark on the screen, too, grinning down at her.

  “Kiss!” the crowd chanted. “Kiss! Kiss! Kiss!”

  “Are they saying...?”

  Mark nodded, a big goofy grin on his face. She grinned too, because this was officially the craziest, most awesome night of her life.

  She hopped up into his arms, legs going around his waist and her hands in his hair. Then she kissed the hell out of him. Blood rushed in her ears and she lost herself in the moment and the sound of thousands of people cheering her on. She crushed her mouth to his over and over again until they were both breathless. Mark had to reach for the railing to keep them both upright, and she laughed.

  “Well, you sure got into that.” He spoke loudly over the noise, still holding her in his arms.

  “You set that up too, didn’t you? I haven’t seen anyone else do that tonight.”

  “I might’ve known about it, but the plan was for me to kiss you. Not the other way around.”

  “You complaining, Sheriff?”

  He shook his head, his blue eyes shining. “Not a bit. Damn, I love you.”

  “Mark!”

  They both turned toward the floor where the rider on the cobalt bike had pulled up. His helmet hung over his handlebars and his dark blond hair stood up on all ends. He gave a thumbs-up and pointed toward the woman who’d shown them to their VIP seats.

  “Bria will let you onto the floor. Come get some pictures with the guys,” he hollered before he took off on one wheel.

  “Is he serious?” No one else was going down to the floor, but Bria seemed to be waiting for them. Impatiently, but she was waiting.

  “Yep. Come on, pretty girl. Let’s get you some autographs.”

  ***

  Ally soaked up every second of the high fives and even hugs from every rider who’d seen her molest him on the jumbo-tron. Colton must’ve given them some kind of heads up because they’d all gone out of their way to treat her like the VIP she was. Autographs covered every inch of free space on her Moto-X t-shirt and he’d snapped at least fifty pictures of her posing with the guys. Colton even let her climb on his bike. He’d offered her a ride, but Mark shot that down before she could answer on her own. They shared a private smile, because while he’d told Colton about their wedding plans, he hadn’t shared the baby news. He’d let his mom tell his aunt Penny about that. The two women could gush over it and Penny could complain about her lack of grandchildren. Anne would love every second of having one up on her sister.

  The second half of the show was just as high energy as the first and, by the time they got back to the hotel, Ally was dragging. Jenny, too, for that matter, so he saw them both to their room, taking care to thoroughly kiss his soon-to-be wife goodnight while Jenny grabbed a shower.

  “Thank you for tonight,” Ally murmured against his lips, her kisses soft and tender. “You’re right—it was epic. Way better in person than on TV.”

  “I thought you’d enjoy it.” He slipped his hands into her back pockets and rocked them from side to side, soaking up her heat and sweet scent since he’d have to go without it tonight. All it took was two deep breaths for his dick to recognize his woman. “So no chance you’d reconsider the sleeping arrangements, huh?”

  She shook her head, her cheek against his chest. “Nope. We’ve made it this long without giving in, I think we can make it one more day.”

  “Yeah, but we’ve slept in the same bed at least. I friggin’ love waking up with you next to me.”

  “It’s only one night, handsome. You can do it, I know you can.” She pinched his side and rocked her hips into his. “You forget to leave your gun at home, Sheriff.”

  He groaned, stepping backwards out of the room and openly adjusting his swelling cock. “I’m leaving now before I decide to kidnap you.”

  She giggled. “I love you, and I can’t wait for tomorrow night.”

  Pausing at the door, he grinned. “Enjoy your last day of being single, babe, because this time tomorrow, you’re all mine.”

  She blew him a kiss and he let himself out when Jenny’s shower shut off.

  He was tired and should’ve gone straight to his room, but the guys had invited him down to the bar for a nightcap and since the original purpose of this trip was to catch up and spend some time together, he slapped his face a couple times in the elevator and punched the button for the lobby.

  “I can’t believe you turned our weekend into a fucking love fest.” Sean jacked him in the shoulder when he slid onto a barstool a few minutes later. “I mean, don’t get me wrong, she’s hot and I kinda wanna shank you in a dark alley so I can have her for myself, but really, man? Really?”

  The grin on his buddy’s face belied his contemptuous words. “If I recall correctly, your knife skills blow, so all you’d do is piss me off,” Mark muttered and poured himself a beer from the pitcher in the middle of the table.

  Russ snorted. “Save the smack talk for drill next weekend. Y’all can go at each other as hard as you want then. Morton’s arranged another fight night with the Corp unit, so you know the ring will be out and rocking.”

  Mark shook his head. “I’m too fucking old for that shit. The young punks like Jake can have all that BS, far as I’m concerned.”

  Jake leaned back in his seat and grinned. “Fuck yeah. It’s been a year since I kicked me some Marine ass.”

  “Speaking of Marine assholes, I ran into Brody Nelson in the john at the stadium. Man, I hate that fucking dude,” Sean snarled.

  Usually the case when a man walked in on his sister bouncing on said dude’s cock. “I just saw him a couple month’s back in River Bend. He seems decent enough,” Mark replied.

  “When his pants are on anyway.” Russ winked at Sean and Sean put his boot to the other man’s stool, shoving it over with one push. Russ landed on his feet, but the stool did not. Thankfully, the bartender was a big teddy bear looking type who didn’t appear to let much rile him up. He merely raised an eyebrow and went back to work while Russ threatened Sean with great bodily harm.

  An hour later, they finished up another pitcher and called it a night. Mark detoured through the row of shops off the lobby, because going to bed alone still didn’t appeal. Most of the stores were closed for the night, but a couple remained open. One in particular caught his attention and he hesitated outside the door. Apparently long enough for the clerk to notice him. She crooked her finger at him from her perch behind the counter and, with a quick glance to make sure none of the guys saw him, he ducked inside.

  “You look lonely,” the attractive woman said, her gaze running from his face to his feet and back. “I’ve got exactly what you need.”

  ***

  Ally lay in bed until well after midnight, her mind going in every direction, rehashing the plan for tomorrow and praying there wasn’t anything she forgot. She had her dress, she had her something old, new, borrowed, and blue, and she had the ring she’d picked out for Mark tucked into the secret compartment of her luggage. Right next to her wedding lingerie. Pretty soon she wouldn’t be able to pull off sexy, so she’d felt no shame splurging on a satin and lace set she knew would drive Mark wild.

  Naturally, her train of thought wandered to the image of him sprawled out over the big bed in his room. She let him leave with an erection and, if she had to guess, he took it to hand as soon as the suite door closed behind him. A surge of heat pooled between her legs and she squeezed her thighs together against the ache. The vision of him touching h
imself, his hand sliding up and down his thick shaft, wasn’t an easy one to push from her mind, though. Every time she closed her eyes, she saw him leaning up against the shower wall, his face straining and his breath hitching as he brought himself to the edge. It wasn’t hard to conjure up exactly what he sounded like, the little grunts, the raspy intake and exhale of each breath, because she heard those exact sounds from behind the bathroom just yesterday.

  She smiled. Poor Mark. He’d gone and made this silly no sex rule and it had come around to bite him squarely in the ass.

  She rolled over and eyed the clock...and then the key card beside it.

  It took her less than sixty seconds to climb out of bed and shrug into her robe, decision made.

  They wouldn’t have sex, but she had another idea she was pretty sure he’d get on board with.

  His suite was just down the hall and around the corner from the one she and Jenny shared and she hesitated for only a moment before sliding the card into his door and stepping inside.

  A small lamp glowed in the living room and the doors to the bedroom were wide open. Another light—from the bathroom?—cast over the bed. The unmessed, completely empty bed.

  She tip-toed closer and held her breath when she heard the first groan. By the time the second one came, she stood right outside the bathroom door, no doubt in her mind what she’d find if she pushed the door open.

  So she did just that—immediately after she let her robe slide to the floor.

  He was bare-chested, but still wearing his jeans. Jeans that hung half off his hips, while he leaned one hand against the sink, the other working expertly over his cock. The muscles in his back bunched and released with every twist of his wrist, but he never so much as flinched when he looked up the mirror and locked his gaze on hers.

  His light eyes looked impossibly darker, his nostrils flaring with every ragged breath he took, but he didn’t stop stroking himself. God, she didn’t want him to.

  “Look what you do to me,” he ground out. “Every fucking day, because I can’t get you out of my head.” Twist, stroke, squeeze, tug...

  Jesus. “You think about me when you do that?”

  “Hell yes, I do.”

  “Tell me.” She took a tentative step closer, not wanting him to stop. At least not yet.

  His smile was feral and almost snarling in the reflection. “Lately it’s been those pretty tits of yours and the way I can make you come just by sucking on them.” He shifted his stance, gripped harder, and a shudder ran down his back.

  “These?” One after the other, she dropped the thin straps of her cotton pajama top, revealing her breasts to him. Her nipples were already tight and bright pink in the mirror.

  “Ah, fuck yeah. Touch them for me, baby.”

  She stopped a few feet behind him, her palms cupping the soft, swollen mounds while her fingers teased the buds into aching little points. She moaned and bit her bottom lip, never taking her eyes off of his.

  “You wearing panties beneath those shorts, Ally?”

  She shook her head and yet another curtain of arousal fell over his dark expression.

  “You came to my room in the middle of the night without panties covering that sweet little pussy?”

  “I didn’t think about it.” But she was now and heat filled her cheeks.

  “What were you thinking about then?” His hand slowed and she closed the distance between them.

  “This.” Sliding between him and the sink, she dropped to her knees and opened wide, capturing his red, bobbling cock between her lips. Slicking her wet tongue down the thick length, she didn’t stop until he hit the back of her throat.

  His hands flew to her head, guiding her back off, even as his fingers pushed in and tightened around the strands of her hair. He hissed and twitched when she ran her tongue back up, then swirled it around his wide, flared head. He tasted salty, which didn’t surprise her, given how hard he’d been going at getting himself off. He was already so close.

  “Spread your legs, babe. I wanna smell how hot you are for me.”

  Her eyes fluttered closed, because the things this man said? Sweet mercy. So she did as he told her, knowing it’d bring more of his wicked tongue.

  “Ah, pretty girl, look how fucking wet you are. You’ve ruined your shorts, haven’t you?” He snugged his hold on her hair and began fucking her mouth without shame. In turn, she gave him all of her tongue and lips—teeth too, because when it came to this particular act, he preferred it rough and raw. So did she. “Fuck, I’m gonna explode. I know you like to taste it, babe, but I really wanna come all over those gorgeous tits of yours. Will you let me do that? Just this once?”

  She opened her eyes, locked them on his, and watched as he shuddered and he gave himself over to the persuasive grip of her mouth, hips pumping.

  “Tomorrow night, I’m gonna be so fucking deep inside you, but right now...” He pulled out, fisted his cock, and groaned. “Right now I need this...” One pump, two... “Ah, Ally...babe...” Hot jets of seed pulsed from the end of his cock, marking a little more of her chest with every thrust.

  So. Freaking. Sexy.

  Eyes glazed, he released his cock and gripped both hands against the sink, sucking in breath after breath. The angle brought his dampened erection right to her lips and she couldn’t resist licking every last bit of stickiness from his shaft. He didn’t watch, just let her do her thing and, when she was done, she pushed up between his arms and bit her bottom lip.

  A lopsided grin curved at his mouth as he eyed the wetness still clinging to her breasts. “You are a very bad girl, Ally Barrett, sneaking into a man’s hotel room in the middle of the night and sucking him off like that.”

  “Ah, but you’re a very bad boy, taking matters into your own hands when you’ve got an almost-wife with an insatiable craving for your cum.” She whispered the last words right beside his ear. Her effort to unhinge him a little further proved successful when he shivered from head to toe.

  Mission accomplished.

  She reached up and patted his cheek. “I hear you have a big day ahead of you, Sheriff. You should probably get some rest.”

  “Wait, you’re leaving? After all that?”

  “Your rules, sweetie.” She winked and went about cleaning herself up.

  When she walked out of the bathroom a couple minutes later, he was still standing there. Still hard. And still the sexiest, most amazing man she’d ever met.

  Tomorrow, he’d be hers forever.

  Chapter Twenty

  “Dude, you’re shaking like you’re fifteen and buying your first box of rubbers. Second thoughts or what?”

  Not a chance. Mark single-finger saluted Sean and picked the dropped cuff link from the suite floor. His third attempt went much smoother and, taking a deep breath, he turned his attention to his tie.

  Ally had wanted to go casual, but Jenny had dropped a not-so-subtle hint that Ally had fallen in love with a not-so-casual dress and he didn’t want to ruin their pictures by looking like a bum. He also wanted to look good for her because she deserved nothing less.

  “Thirty minutes ‘til the ball and chain, man.” Jake ducked into the bedroom, clapped him on the shoulder, and squeezed. All three of his friends had managed to pull together respectable attire, too. He suspected they’d hit up a shop in the lobby and he felt a little guilty that they’d spent their gambling money on monkey clothes. But they cleaned up nice and Ally would appreciate that.

  His phone vibrated on the dresser beside the mirror and he swiped it up, momentarily forgetting the tie. His damn hands wouldn’t cooperate anyhow. A message from his cousin Tony popped up on the screen: Wish I could be there, man. Kiss the bride for me, eh? ;)

  Fuck that. Only if I can kiss Nicole when you get married.

  When there was no response, he went back to work on the tie and managed to get the job done rather impressively, if he might say so himself. Then his phone went off again.

  I bought the ring.

  Hol
y shit, already? Nicole was great for Tony, but she’d only been back in his life for a few days. He wasn’t going to rain on Tony’s parade though. If he wanted to propose, that was his decision. Maybe he’d sit on the ring for a while like Mark had.

  Yeah? he typed back instead of busting Tony’s chops.

  Yep. Funny thing. I ran into Pam Fletcher outside the jewelry store. She said it was deja vu to a similar situation with you.

  Mark grinned. Only difference was that while Pam had seen him, he hadn’t seen Pam when he’d made his discreet visit to the store and ducked out a short time later, pleased as hell to have found exactly what he was looking for on his first attempt. When it was meant to be, it meant to be.

  She’ll keep it quiet, he replied. Pam’s good with secrets.

  Apparently. Congrats, man. Fucking happy for you and Ally.

  Thanks. See you in a few days.

  He looked up to see Sean and Jake both smirking at him. “What?”

  “Whipped. W-h-i-p-p-e-d.” Jake laughed.

  “I wasn’t texting Ally.” She’d cut him off at noon, telling him it’d build the anticipation if they didn’t talk again until they said their vows.

  “But you were texting about her, I bet. You’ve got that love-fucked look on your face again.” Sean winked. “It’s okay, man. You’re getting laid tonight and that’s more than the three of us can say.”

  Russ hollered from the living room. “Speak for yourself, asshole!”

  The shuttle to the chapel went much the same, with his buddies taking stab after stab at each other. Mark didn’t mind, because it kept his mind off how slowly traffic moved. Their wedding reservation was for seven o’clock, which was perfect, because they could catch dinner with the group and then go off and spend New Year’s Eve alone. With any luck, they’d ring in the New Year consummating their marriage.