“I didn’t mean to startle you.” Bradley said in a soothing voice. He pulled her close to his body. “I was just hoping for a few moments to talk with you. I saw the spark in your eye earlier, before it was cut short by Jonas.”
He wrapped her in his arms as he continued talking.
“No, there was…” She started. She just stared at him and itched to slap his smug looking face. Looking over his shoulder, she was hoping Jonas would walk down the hall and save her from his cousin, but apparently, he was still stuck in his office with his grandfather.
“It’s ok; you don’t have to hide it from me. I will not tell anyone. It will be our secret.” He finished as he leaned in to kiss her. Before his lips could touch her, she pushed him back by his shoulders. She made a disgusted looking face, but the man ignored her signals that she was not interested in him and she wondered what in the world was wrong with him.
“No….I don't know what you...” she started again. Bradley was trying to pull her close again. Remembering what the stranger on the train had told her, she brought her knee up into his groin when he tried to kiss her again. Bradley exhaled in pain as his eyes crossed. He let go of her and grabbed his groin as she gave his shoulder a shove and he fell over against the wall.
Straightening her clothes, she eyed the man on the floor. A smile crossed her face as she watched him groan and wither on the floor.
“Next time I say no, you had better listen.” She turned and started walking into her room and turned back once to look at the man who was still groaning on the floor in the hallway. Only then did she notice her future husband and grandfather at the end of the hall.
Mr. Elderwood, who never showed anything on his face, had a broad grin. He was eyeing Misty in a new light and seemed to like what he saw. Jonas was outright laughing at his cousin’s current condition. He too, looked at Misty with a new sight. He gave her a nod of acknowledgement when their eyes met.
“Gentleman,” Misty said as she walked into her bedroom and shut the door. She leaned against it and took a deep breath as she sighed in relief. Only then did she realize her hands were shaking from the encounter. Letting her body slide down the door in relief. A giggle escaped her as she hit the floor and sat there and covered her face with her hands. The next few days might not be as stressful as she had feared.
On the other hand, maybe they would be worse. She did not know but she didn't know if she wanted to laugh or cry over all of this.
The next morning at breakfast, Bradley was conspicuously absent. Which made the meal rather enjoyable, since she didn’t have to deal with him or his looks. Today was a busy day, and she did not have time to mess with him. She was getting married tomorrow and she had preparations to make, and to mentally prepare for the rest of her life. Jonas had not cared much about the details of the wedding and allowed her to have a lot of leeway with decision-making.
Chapter 5
Getting Married
The wedding was a simple affair, the way Misty had wanted it. The family was in attendance, as well as some of Jonas's business associates and some of the people from the city and church. It was held at the small church a few miles from their house and the grandfather watched the pastor do the service and marry them. The kids were tugging on their clothes, hating the extra fancy trappings that were required for the few hours before they could go back home and get out of the itchy neck clothes and dresses with scratchy lace.
Misty smiled at them, hugging the children, and accepted congratulations from all the onlookers as they finished the wedding and the reception. She would be relieved to get back home too.
“Ready to go home?” Jonas asked her as he hooked his arm through hers. He pressed a kiss to her fingers and then let her arm drop back down to his side and laced his fingers through hers.
He was looking forward to their wedding night. He had been able to be patient once, to hold himself off from burying himself deep in her body when that was all he wanted to do. But he was going to do it tonight.
When he took her home, he carried over the threshold.
“You didn't need to do that,” Misty whispered to him and thought he was going to put her down. When he carried her all the way upstairs to his bedroom, she wrapped her arms around his neck.
“I know I didn't need too, I wanted too,” he told her. When he opened the door, candles were lit and a fire was going in the fireplace. It had started to snow outside. She shivered because the room was a little chilly but she appreciated the fireplace heating up the room.
She slid down his body as he let her down and started taking off her wrap and coat, then her dress.
“You are beautiful Misty, I know I haven't been the best husband so far, but now that we are actually married, I promise I will try to pay more attention to you, and give you what you deserve. Thank you for accepting my family without reservations, you have a good heart,” Jonas told her as he worked on the lace and buttons on her dress.
Misty nodded, not quite trusting herself to speak. All she could picture was his hands on her body again, the way she had felt the night she had bought herself to that explosive feeling and hoping that he would take her there again. He got her completely naked and then removed his own clothes. Touching her softly they didn't need any more words.
Backing her up to the bed, he gently pushed her so she landed on her butt. Kneeling between her legs he looked up at her and pressed kisses to her belly. He wanted her to know pleasure before he took her, to make sure that tonight's experience was not horrible for her. He had her lay back on the bed and buried his face between her legs. Touching her, pressing kisses on her belly, and working his way lower as his hands gripped her thighs.
Misty moaned as his lips and tongue found her sensitive spot in the hair on her mound. He teased her lips as his teeth and tongue explored every inch of her flesh. Spreading her legs wider to give him better access she put her hands in his hair, she touched his scalp with her fingertips and pushed his head harder against her groin. She liked what he was doing and encouraged him with her little cries of pleasure. She did not know exactly what he was doing to her, but her hips starting arching up against his lips and mouth, and she was grinding her body against him.
So close to the edge, his tongue found just the right spot and her brain exploded in a flurry of bright colors behind her eyes. She let out a lusty moan, her body tensed as her legs shook, and her toes curled up.
Breathing heavy, she shivered on the bed as Jonas pushed her further up on the bed and climbed on top of her, he was erect and excited. He was ready for her, but he waited for her body to relax again, he needed her relaxed to take his size. When she leaned against him and started pressing kisses to his shoulder, she smiled at him.
“Are you ready for the rest?” He asked her gently as he stroked her belly with his fingertips. When she nodded at him, he claimed her mouth with his and spread her legs. Pulling himself up so he settled between her thighs, he pressed his cock to the opening of her heat. He pulled back long enough to look at her, he hesitated for a split second, wondering if he should warn her to try not to tense up so it would not hurt, but then decided it was best to just take her.
Thrusting himself deep inside her, he felt her hymen tear and she cried out in shock and pain. He did not move his hips until he felt her relax around him. He pressed kisses to her cheeks, and lips trying to distract her as her body adjusted to his size. He waited until she started pressing her groin up against him on her own and then slid himself out and thrust back in. He could feel her contract around him and it had him groaning into her mouth as he kissed her.
He moved his body on top of her and could feel the veins popping out in his neck as he tensed. He was close, she felt so good and it had been so long since he had been with a woman. He felt himself go over the edge to his release and he shook as he jerked inside of her body as she squeezed him. He continued to move his hips inside of her a few more times before he collapsed on top of her. He was breathing hard.
&
nbsp; “Can we do it again?” Misty asked him after a few minutes as she traced her fingers on his skin, and nibbled on his shoulders.
“You aren't too sore?”
Misty shook her head and touched his stomach. “No, I think I could handle doing it again. I liked the way you make me feel.”
“It's supposed to feel good between us. If you don't feel good a man's doing it wrong,” he told her and then leaned over her and started kissing her again. They did not talk for the rest of the evening, instead he spent the whole night making love to her and showing her all the different ways he could make her body ache and shiver and feel good.
When they awoke in the morning, they went down for breakfast. Jonas's grandfather and Bradley were both waiting for them at the breakfast table.
“Kids have been up for a while, they already ate. It's just us right now,” Bradley said, acting as if nothing weird had happened between everyone. Jonas arched a brow at his cousin but did not say a word as he sat down and was served his coffee and breakfast.
“When are you two leaving?” Jonas finally asked his grandfather.
“After we sign the rest of the business paperwork.” His grandfather nodded at Bradley and then stood up and wiped his mouth with his napkin. Dropping the napkin on the table, he walked away, leaving Jonas to eat with Misty. Bradley followed their grandfather out of the room and shot a dirty look at Jonas as he left.
“I think he still hasn't forgiven you,” Jonas said casually as he sipped his coffee.
“Well, that's not my fault,” Misty said shrugging. “He should have kept his dirty paws to himself.”
“You impress me Misty, I never would have thought you had that in you,” He said and reached across the table and patted her hand. “You made me proud.”
“I have a feeling it's not over. He doesn't strike me as the type of man to just walk away after an offense like that, watch your back Jonas,” Misty warned him. Something about the way he had looked at them had unsettled her. She did not know what it meant, but she could tell he had been thinking something bad.
“I'm not worried, they are leaving in a couple days after Christmas, and then it will just be us,” Jonas told her, trying to reassure her.
“I hope you're right Jonas,” Misty said and then picked at her food. She had tried to find him the perfect gift, but she did not know what to get him. She had tried to ask the housekeeper, but the woman just shrugged and told her to ask Jonas what he needed or wanted. She had tried to broach the subject with Jonas but he said he did not need anything. Therefore, she had settled for getting him a new journal and a pen set.
“Bradley's all bark and no bite don't worry about him,” Jonas said and dismissed his cousin, thinking it was over.
Chapter 6
Revenge
Misty enjoyed the rest of her holiday. Jonas had gotten her a new bonnet and some gloves. She appreciated that he even remembered to get her anything and he'd shown the right amount of gratitude over the journal and pens that she didn't feel completely stupid getting them for him.
“Misty, I have one more present for you,” Jonas told her as he walked her outside.
“What is it?” She asked him, looking curious as he led her to the back of the house to the barn.
“I know you haven't had time to go horseback riding, or learn how to ride, so I bought you a mare. She's a gentle old soul who's perfect for a beginner,” Jonas told her as he took her into the barn and stood in front of a small black horse that was lazily eating some hay out of a container attached to the barn wall.
“She's pretty,” Misty said and reached out to touch the horse gently. She petted the horse for a moment and then turned to look at Jonas. Their eyes met and he was looking at her hungrily and she gulped as he pressed her against the wall and kissed her hard. She touched him through his clothes and loosened his necktie and the buttons on his jacket so she could get her hands under his shirt to touch his skin.
Jonas hiked up her skirt, found her sweet spot, and started stroking her until his fingers were dripping with her excitement. Pushing her skirts even further up he pulled himself out of his pants and took her right there against the wall of the barn.
Misty's back was pressed into the wood and had one leg over Jonas's arm as he stood there, thrusting inside of her, their mouths melded together in a wild passionate kiss. It did not take long; she bit his lower lip gently and then screamed his name into his mouth as he made her cum. Her climax set him over the edge and he nearly collapsed against her, taking them both down to the ground.
After a few moments of catching their breath, they pulled apart and separated their clothes. Misty turned and swore she saw a shadow by the opening of the barn door, but it was as gone as soon as she turned her head to identify what she thought she saw.
“Everything okay?” Jonas asked her and helped her pull her skirts back down and dusted her off.
“Yes, that was... something else,” Misty said, blushing slightly. If someone had seen them, she let out a giggle. She was his wife, there was nothing wrong with a romantic interlude in the barn.
“When you're ready for lessons, you'll get them. But she's yours. Brush her, take the time to get acquainted with her. She needs a name,” Jonas told her and pressed a kiss to her temple and put his arm around her shoulders as they resumed looking at the horse.
“She reminds me of a Betty,” Misty said and grinned. “Betty the black horse.”
“I like it.” Jonas told her and then invited her to go on a walk to stretch their legs out before returning to the house.
They were silent for a while, their fingers laced together as they just walked. Misty appreciated that she could talk to him almost as much as they could just exist in each other's company without having to try to fill awkward silence with conversation. It was comfortable to just be around him. She enjoyed that.
As they headed back, she realized that she wanted a family with him. Her own family, not just raising the babies he'd already had, but having their own.
“I want a baby,” Misty told him, blurting it out before she could stop herself. “I mean, not today obviously, but down the road, I would like to have a baby with you Jonas. I know you already have children, but you're such a wonderful father and…”
Trailing off, Misty realized the house was on fire. Smoke was coming from the roof and she stopped talking as she looked at what was in front of them. Picking up her skirts, she started to run to the house, Jonas was fast on her heels.
The housekeeper, her son and his children were already outside, but his grandfather and Bradley were still missing.
“I need to go inside and search for my grandfather and Bradley. Stay back, keep the children safe,” Jonas barked at them as he took off his jacket and kissed Misty before going into the house to find his missing family members.
Misty stumbled back, shocked at the fire. Everything she owned was inside of his house, everything he and his family had worked for was in that house. It was the middle of winter, she didn't understand how something like this could happen. How did nobody notice the fire?
She nodded at the children and told them to stay put as she walked around the house to see if she could find Bradley or the eldest Elderwood hoping they'd gotten out before any damage. She knew inhaling smoke could be deadly, and she worried for Jonas.
Never seeing it coming, a lightening pain struck her on the back of the head and she whirled around and caught site of an evil smirk right before she blacked out and fell to the ground.
Chapter 7
Kidnapped
Bradley splashed water in Misty's face to revive her. She had her wrists tied above her head to a bedpost and she was laying on a bed she didn't' recognize. She had a splitting headache and she was looking at a man she despised standing next to the bed who was holding a cup.
“Awake now?” He finally asked her, looking down at her.
“What did you do?” Misty asked him, suddenly realizing he must have started the fire. There's
no way it could have been an accident. “Is Jonas okay, what about your grandfather?”
“Everyone is fine, relax. It was a superficial fire. I started it in the attic, and set it up in a way to get attention, but it was localized to one small area. By the time I even got you off the property, they'd gotten it mostly put out before too much damage had been done. No one was hurt, relax,” Bradley said and shook his head. “I am not a killer, and I wouldn't destroy the family home I'm hoping to live in someday.”
“You realize you're never going to get Jonas's job, or the family business?” Misty asked him, feeling incredulous at his audacity. “And you probably just cost yourself any family relationships you ever had with either of them if you harm me?”
ROMANCE: Badass Boss (Billionaire Alpha Bad Boy Romance) (Western Mail Order Bride Calendar Contemporary) Page 22