His arm tightened around her waist, and he kissed her again. Harder. Deeper. The kiss was as wild and untamed as the man giving it. She sighed in pleasure and melted against him. Justice lifted her into his arms and carried her to the bedroom. Anticipation thrummed in her veins as he eased her down his body. She licked her lips, knowing that if he took things further, she wouldn’t stop him.
He skimmed his fingers across her cheek before brushing her bottom lip with his thumb.
“You’re so beautiful,” he murmured.
Her cheeks flushed from the compliment, and she smiled up at him shyly. It had been more than a year since anyone other than Travis had seen her naked, and she was a little anxious. What if he didn’t like the way she looked without her clothes? Yes, he’d seen her earlier, but the towel had covered all of her jiggly parts. It wasn’t like Bliss to feel inadequate, or to second-guess herself, but it was important for Justice to find her as attractive as she found him.
She didn’t have to be psychic to know that he was going to play an important role in her life. He already had, but she knew there was more to come, could feel it in her bones. He reached for her shirt and slowly released the buttons one at a time before easing the garment off her shoulders. It fell to the floor, and she shivered in the cool air. Her nipples pebbled against the cups of her bra and a hunger she’d never felt before burned bright inside her as his heated gazed caressed her body.
Justice touched her reverently, almost as if he were afraid she’d disappear or shatter under his touch. Oh, she would shatter alright, but not in the way he seemed worried about. Not one to play a passive role, she reached for his shirt and pulled it over his head. She’d been aching to get her hands on all those muscles, and she wasn’t going to pass up the opportunity. Her finger skimmed the ridges and plains of his abdomen and watched as his nipples beaded. Good. He was just as turned on as she was.
Her gaze dropped lower and saw the ridge of his cock straining against his zipper. She made quick work of his jeans and shoved them down his hips, anxious to see what he was hiding behind the denim. Her lips parted when she saw him, and her fingers twitched as she reached out a hand. Her fingers skimmed over the hard length of him, drawing a hiss from his lips. His hips flexed as she closed her hand around his shaft and pumped it slowly.
“Bliss, if you want this to go any further, you need to stop touching me.”
She looked up at him and saw the raw need shining in his eyes. No one had ever looked at her like that before. She looked at his shaft again and licked her lips. One little taste wouldn’t hurt, would it? He seemed to read her intentions and gripped her arms, mindful of her bruises.
“Honey, trust me, I want you to suck my cock, but not right now. The first time I come, I want to be inside of you.”
They quickly stripped the rest of the way out of their clothes and fell onto the bed in a tangle of limbs. Their mouths locked together in a heated kiss as their hands explored one another. Justice rolled them so that he lay on top; his hips pressed to hers. She felt the head of his cock brush against her and spread her legs wider.
“I want you, Justice.”
He kissed her neck and nipped her shoulder. “Then you’ll have me.”
He pulled away long enough to roll a condom down his shaft. Protection had been the last thing on her mind, and it warmed her heart that he’d remembered. Even now he was taking care of her. He eased inside of her, taking her slowly and giving her time to adjust to his size. Bliss had never felt so complete, so perfect. He took her gently, his thrusts long and deep, but oh so slow. Heat was building with every stroke and soon she was digging her nails into his shoulders and begging him for more.
Justice kissed her as he pushed both of them to dizzying heights, and then she was falling. She cried out her release as she gripped him tight. Justice groaned in her ear as his heartbeat pounded against her and his cock stilled inside of her. Panting and slick with sweat, she looked up into his eyes and the tenderness shining there nearly took her breath away.
“Stay with me, Bliss. Not just for right now, but stay and be my girlfriend. I know it’s crazy, and we just met, but I’m not ready to let you go.”
“I don’t want to let you go either.”
He kissed her again before disposing of the condom. As he slid back into bed and gathered her in his arms, she smiled and snuggled against him. It amazed her that something so dark and terrible had brought her something so perfect. However long she had with Justice, she was going to cherish every moment.
Epilogue
Bliss fidgeted next to Justice, and he reached out and laced their fingers together. She’d been quiet on the way down to Key West. He hadn’t meant to make her nervous by introducing her to his parents, but he’d called his mother early in the morning to ask a favor. He had something important he wanted to say to Bliss, and he needed his Mom’s help to pull it off. He only hoped he wasn’t about to make a colossal mistake and run her off.
His parents walked down the beach toward them, hand in hand. They looked just as in love today as the day they’d met. If anything, every picture in their house showed a love that grew deeper with every passing year. It was the kind of love that Justice wanted. He’d always been a romantic at heart, and women had taken advantage of that over the years. It had been a long while since he’d been in a serious relationship, but he was ready to go all in with Bliss, if she’d have him.
His mother kissed his cheek and gave him a hug, slipping something into his pocket. “You don’t visit enough.”
“Mom, please.”
She smiled and reached for Bliss, pulling her in for a hug. “And you must be Bliss Dougan, the woman who has captured my son’s attention.”
Bliss blushed. “I…I guess so. I mean, yes, I’m Bliss, but I don’t know about…”
His mom laughed. “Oh, trust me, sweetheart. He’s smitten.”
“I’m James Wild,” his dad said, also hugging Bliss.
She looked a little dazed, and he hoped like hell he wasn’t about to make it worse. This beach was special, but she had no way of knowing that. They were standing in the exact spot where his parents had met and fallen in love, and where his dad had proposed with a ring made from the seaweed that had washed on shore. He didn’t have anything quite so creative, but his grandmother’s ring was burning in his pocket.
He reached for it, fisting it so Bliss couldn’t see what he had.
Justice turned toward her and took her hand. His heart was beating out of control, and he thought he might throw up or pass out at any moment. How the hell had his dad done this after knowing his mom for only one hour? He’d known Bliss for a few days now, and he still felt like he’d lost his mind, but he knew what his heart wanted. It wanted Bliss.
“Things got off to a crazy start for us,” he said. “A villainous ex-boyfriend, who happened to be a dirty cop. A ghost intent on justice. I couldn’t have made all this up if I’d tried. But through it all, there’s one thing I’ve known for certain. I want you in my life, Bliss. I asked you to marry me the other day, and you told me it was insane because we’d just met. I told you about my parents, and how my dad proposed within the hour of meeting my mom.”
Her gaze was curious, but she didn’t seem to have put everything together yet.
“You talk to ghosts. I thought you were crazy, but really, I’m the crazy one. Because I’m crazy in love with you. And don’t tell me it’s too soon, that I’m confusing lust with love. I know what my heart wants, and it wants you, Bliss. Forever.”
He opened his hand and held up his grandmother’s ring.
“My grandfather gave this to my grandmother on the day he proposed to her. They’d known each other a week. I guess you could say that whirlwind romances run in the family, but the important thing is that they last. As far back as my great-great-great grandparents, and even beyond that, no one in my family has ever gotten divorced. When we find the one we’re supposed to love forever, we know right away.”
&nbs
p; Tears gathered in her eyes, but she smiled up at him.
“I guess what I’m trying to say is…Bliss, will you marry me?”
“You’re crazy, you know that?” she asked softly. “Completely and utterly bonkers. But you know what else?”
He shook his head, terrified things weren’t going to turn out the way he’d hoped. If she was calling him crazy, that couldn’t be a good thing.
“You’re also completely and utterly mine. As insane as this relationship may be, I love you too, Justice.”
“Is that a yes?” he asked.
“Yes.” She smiled brilliantly. “It’s a yes.”
He kissed her hard as he slid the ring onto her finger and his parents clapped and cheered. Ugliness would always be in the world, and he would always fight for truth and justice, but for once he wouldn’t have to face the battle alone. He knew his fierce warrior goddess would be by his side. And just maybe, they could fight the evils of the world together.
~ The End ~
Thank you for reading Hard Justice! I hope you enjoyed the story and will take a moment to leave a review. If you’d like to be notified of future releases by Jessica Coulter Smith, and her hotter alias Harley Wylde, be sure to sign up for her newsletter.
About the Author
Award-winning author, Jessica Coulter Smith, has been in love with the written word since she was a child. Her first stories may have been written in crayon, but now she’s a multi-published author of over seventy-five novellas and novels. Romance is an integral part of her world and spills over from her professional life into her personal one. When she went on that first date with her husband, she never expected to hear the words “marry me” pop out of his mouth—and judging by the shocked look on his face, he hadn’t meant to say them either. But, being the hopeless romantic that she is, Jessica said yes, and they’ve been married since 2000.
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