by Cara North
How the hell had he done this?
"Jack.” She gently shook him. He grumbled and stirred the hand on her thigh she had not realized was there. “Jack!"
"Huh? What, what, what is it?” He awoke with a start, sitting up immediately, knocking her off of his chest in the process. “What's wrong?"
"Where did you get this?” She drew her brows in together and gave him a serious look. Though, she could not help appreciate his sleep rumpled hair sticking straight up and pointing in all directions, or his massive chest, and blinking eyes. He looked better in the morning than he had last night.
"Jesus, woman, I thought something was wrong.” Jack scrubbed his big hands over his face then looked at her. “You don't like it?"
"I.” She was not sure what she wanted to hear, but his question certainly was not what she expected. His eyes were tracing her body, over her belly then up to her breasts. She tugged at the sheet and covered her stomach. “That's a question. You can't answer a question with another question."
"I got it at the jewelry shop on the fifth floor. Do you like it?” He lay back down and closed his eyes.
"I.” She looked at it. This was her ring, on her finger. It looked right. It felt right, but she had no idea if he could afford it.
"If you don't like it, we can exchange it. I told the woman the diamond would be too small for you.” Jack made a huffing sound then turned away from her.
She looked at the line of his back. He reached back to pull the sheets over him, and she noticed the platinum band on his finger. “You just have a plain band."
"I won't be able to wear it when I work; plus I'm not a very ... stylish man.” His voice dripped with aggravation. He tugged the sheets up to his shoulder.
"Why didn't you just buy me a band, too?” She twisted the ring and did not want to like it. They were not really married. Well, they were legally married, but they were not in love. Still, it seemed perfect for her. Simple, yet elegant.
"Bethany, if you don't like it, we will take it back. I made sure I could exchange it when I bought it. The woman convinced me that based on the butterfly ring you would be a woman with simple taste, but quality was important. Something big would make you feel flashy and something too small would be insulting, but apparently she was wrong, so give me another half hour to sleep, and we will rectify the situation pronto.” Jack pulled the covers even higher. Only his short brown hair stuck out above them. He was cranky and rightfully so.
She realized how much thought the man had put into the ring, and her heart hurt. Jack may not love her, but he sure made more effort than any other man had. Her father had never put much thought into anything he had ever given her. He would just hand her money and send her on her way. Her mother would take her shopping, and they would both fill up on stuff, lots of stuff, but it never filled the void. Douglas purchased the gaudiest piece of jewelry she had ever seen. It impressed her mother and father, but it also let her know just how unimportant what she wanted was to him.
The woman in the store was exactly right. The butterfly ring was the only ring she ever wore because she picked it out herself on her sixteenth birthday. It was simple and sweet, but it would hold its shape for a lifetime. Bethany looked around the room. The tray with the strawberries and champagne was gone. Her clothes were not on the floor or in the chair. Jack had cleaned up the place. He even cleaned her up! She did not feel all sticky, and she did not smell like sex either. She knew she slept hard, but damn!
"Jack?” She touched his shoulder and stroked his arm. “I love the ring."
"It took you long enough to decide.” He shrugged.
"Jack."
His growling and grumbling made her laugh. He rolled to his back and looked at her. His face was serious, almost angry.
"You look so cute in the morning. Do you always wake up in a bad mood?” she teased. It was like pulling a tiger's tail; she wondered if he would snap at her.
He opened his mouth then shut it.
"Thank you.” She leaned over and kissed him on his lips.
It was a fleeting kiss, one that was over before it started and only seemed to fuel his anger more. Again, she laughed.
"Where are my clothes? I have to go to my room and talk to my girlfriends.” Bethany slipped out of the bed, stretched, and turned to face him again.
Jack realized he just tented the sheets, but damn she stirred him. He had put a lot of time and effort into a ring for a woman he doubted would wear it past three months time. “I'll go with you."
"I don't think it's a good idea.” She put up a hand as if to halt him.
"Are you bailing out on me?” He felt the vise-like grip on his chest as he realized this woman could easily walk out on him today and never look back. He could get divorce papers in the mail a day or year from now, and there was nothing he could do about it. If she did not live with him in Montana for three consecutive months, his inheritance would not be released. But more than his original goal of getting his inheritance, he wanted to spend more time with her. The thought of another man ever touching her the way he did last night made him nuts.
"No. But I need to go see them, so they don't think I got kidnapped.” She rolled her eyes, and he imagined that these “friends” of hers were not that important to her. “And I need to explain to them what happened last night."
"You tell them about me making you pass out, and they may all try to marry me.” He winked with a confidence he knew he did not have right then.
"I'll be sure to leave out the important details and just tell them we are married.” She rubbed her arms. She seemed to chill easily, and that detail worried him. It was the main reason his mother had no interest in the ranch. She never wanted to be in Montana. She was from Florida and hated the winters. He started thinking back to watching the weather channel and wondered what winter was like in Kentucky.
"We still need to talk about the important details of being married.” He got out of the bed and walked to the closet. “I hung your clothes in here, figured you wouldn't want that Ann lady's skirt all wrinkled on the floor."
Bethany smiled at his back. He had no idea how he knew when she was looking at him, but he felt it, like a touch.
"You're doing it again,” he said in a low voice.
"What?” Bethany squeaked out.
"Eating me up with your eyes. I can feel it.” He bent over and heard her gasp. He grabbed his duffle bag and pulled out fresh clothes. Turning back to Bethany, it took all of his strength to walk past her and not pick her up and throw her back in bed to have his way with her. Her nipples were tight from the chill in the air or her arousal, maybe a combination of the two, and they beckoned him to suck on them.
"I don't know what you're talking about.” Bethany straightened herself, and with the same air she put on in the elevator the night before, she strode to the closet and pulled out her clothes.
Bethany realized Jack was dressed in two seconds. He was brooding about as though she were trying to leave him. It comforted her to know he wanted her around but also made her worried about his reasons for getting married. Was she going to walk into some strange ordeal or Twilight Zone situation?
As she pulled on her skirt, she realized she would be going without the panties until she got to her stuff. Her bra was nowhere to be found either, and since Jack was in the bathroom, she decided to pull the sweater on and go without it as well. Her Coach wristlet was on the dresser, and her butterfly ring was on top of it. She slid the ring on her right hand and then held out both hands to look at them.
The diamond sparkled, and the light revealed its brilliance. Bethany sighed. He did do a good job at getting her ring.
"You ready?"
The male voice behind her startled her, and she jumped. The last thing she needed was for him to think it meant more to her than it did to him.
"Yes.” She slipped the wristlet on her wrist and turned. He looked like he was every bit as intent on going as she was. If her friends blew her cover and told
him she was engaged, he would bolt on her for sure. “You're staying here, right?"
"Hell no.” Jack looked at her like she was crazy.
"Um, I think it would be best if..."
"No, it wouldn't."
"Yes, it would,” Bethany bit out.
"I'm going. You can either walk with me, or I'll walk behind you, but I'm going either way.” Jack crossed his arms practically daring her to tell him no one more time. She thought about it. His brows drew tight, his jaw was set, and she decided not to test him.
"Well, don't say I didn't give you the opportunity to stay behind.” She started toward the door. This was going to be ugly. Three women awaited her, and they were all going to be shocked to realize she had no plans of going back to Kentucky. “And besides, you can help me carry my stuff."
"Your stuff?” Jack held the door for her.
"Yes, unless you plan on dumping me already?” Bethany hoped the comment did not reveal how much truth was in the statement. If he did not live in Las Vegas, she did not care. As a matter-of-fact, she would be satisfied if they could run away to Mexico or Canada. The farther she was from her family, the better she would feel.
"Nope. You're safe on my end for at least three months,” he said.
She took a minute to respond as she worked it over in her mind. Three months was a good time frame. She could get a lot set up in her new name by then. She was a thirty year old runaway. Jack just did not know he was helping her, and she was not about to tell him. “Then, three months it is."
He walked behind her anyways. His brothers were going to have a field day with this. He needed to get her out of Las Vegas and into Montana as soon as possible. He smiled, knowing his older brothers were going to pitch a fit over marrying a woman he didn't know, but he couldn't help it. He liked her; he liked following her, too, watching the sway of her hips. She walked with a confidence most men did not have, and it turned him on. She was so ... independent. He got the creeps just thinking about her independence. Would she be able to settle on a ranch? Not every woman could handle the life, much less the weather.
Turning his mind to better things, he watched the skirt sway back and forth as she strutted to the elevator. The length hit her calves when she walked. The shoes patted against her heels, making little clicking sounds with each step. The tangle of curls had been finger combed but still looked wild and bed rumpled to his mind.
"You're doing it now,” she said as they approached the gold elevators.
"What?"
"Eating me up with your eyes.” She looked at him through the reflection in the gold elevator doors.
"You caught me.” He smiled as the doors opened. They stepped inside. He wrapped her in his arms once she pressed the button for her floor.
The simple gesture eased them both a little bit. Bethany relaxed against him as they waited for the elevator to get to the next floor. Jack squeezed tightly then released as the elevator dinged, and the doors opened. It was crowded this morning, unlike last night. As another couple filed off, a woman stepped on. They were left with only two others in the large space.
His hold tightened, and his thumb stroked the side of her breast. Bethany inhaled sharply. Her face heated from the touch in front of strangers.
"They aren't paying attention,” Jack whispered in her ear and stroked more boldly down the side of her breast. “You're not wearing a bra, and your nipples are calling out to me."
Three months with Jack and she would never be able to survive without him. She felt the heat between her legs and hoped she did not get so wet it dripped. The wish was futile when he continued talking to her. The man should wear a muzzle. His voice was so dangerously seductive it should be outlawed.
"I bought you panties, but I never heard the dresser drawer open, so I assumed you went commando.” He nipped her earlobe. “I wish I could drop to my knees, crawl under that skirt, and..."
She whimpered a little louder than either of them expected, and the other people finally took notice. The guy in the back cleared his throat, and the woman smiled and played with her necklace nervously.
The elevator stopped, and the doors opened.
Bethany stepped forward, and Jack followed. “This your floor?"
"No.” She turned and grabbed him. She pulled him down into her kiss almost bringing them both off balance. It was outrageous, insane, but she needed to taste him, to feel his body right then and there.
Jack picked her up, moved a couple steps forward regaining balance, and set her back down. He kissed her. Speaking in their newfound language, he asked what she wanted, and Bethany answered. He pulled his head back and looked down the hall both ways.
"If we get caught, we will be arrested,” he said while pulling her farther down the hall to a vending machine area. He looked around the ceiling, making sure there were no security cameras.
"Then, do it fast.” Bethany reached for the button on his jeans.
"No. Just you.” He bent down and lifted the skirt. He ducked underneath and urged her legs wide.
She could not believe how careless she was being. Arrested? Her father would kill her and Jack, but as Jack's fingers soothed the savage beast, all the fear of getting caught turned to an aphrodisiac. Suddenly, she wished he were fucking her against the wall and not just stroking her with his tongue and fingers.
"Oh yes, Jack, yes,” she whispered encouragement and placed a foot on his thigh to give him better access. Her hand pressed against the back of his head through the skirt. Her back pressed against the wall, and she needed every bit of its support to remain standing. Jack made quick work of satisfying her. “I'm going to come, Jack. God, I wish it were on your cock."
Bethany ground her hips against him and pulled at his head, forcing his lips tighter against her clit as his fingers fucked her hole over and over. He almost lost it when she started telling him how she liked it. The urge to stand up and take her against the wall was almost too powerful to resist, but then she started coming, and he resigned to enjoying her release.
She slumped against the wall. He placed her foot back on the floor and came out from under the skirt. “Feel better?"
"You're an animal.” She smiled down at the man who was on his knees before her wiping her juices from his face.
"Yes, apparently I just can't control myself.” He stood and kissed her. He pressed his erection between her legs letting her know just how much control he had exercised on her behalf. “We need to go, or I really am going to get us arrested."
"How?” she teased. This was a whole new side of her. One she liked. One she could not control. She did not want to control it.
"Don't tempt me, Bethany. I'd love to pull your skirt up and pound into you, but we have to get your stuff, tell your roommates...” He waved his hand in the air and looked at the ceiling.
It was all the time she needed to move. She quickly peaked around the corner of their hide out and did not see anyone coming or going down either side of the hallway. She turned, facing the wall and lifted the skirt over her hips. “Do it, Jack. You know you want to. I want you to."
With her ass in the air offered up to him, how could he say no? Jack stepped out, checked the hall, looked around the vending area one more time for security cameras, then finding none, released his dick.
"Quick, Bethany. This has to be quick.” He slid the head of his cock over her opening then pressed in. She still gasped as if it were her first time. “Talk to me, Bethany. Tell me you like it."
"Yes, Jack. I like it. I love your big cock.” She braced against the wall as Jack moaned. He liked it when she talked to him, huh? “Fuck me, Jack. Give me every inch of your big ... thick..."
Jack spent before she could finish saying cock. He pounded into her hard and fast. He called her name on a groan. It was the first time she actually felt the throbbing of his cock as he released, the first time she was not coming with him. The burst of semen shot out, and she realized he was not wearing a condom. Slow jerks signaled the end of his rele
ase. Slowly, he pulled out.
"Better?” she asked and straightened her skirt. He looked dazed but satisfied and more relaxed than earlier.
"I feel a lot better.” By rote, he tucked his cock back into his jeans and fastened them. Coming out of the haze, he smiled.
"I'm on birth control. I was going to tell you last night, but I didn't get the chance.” She stepped closer and then patted him on his chest. She was not familiar with intimacy. Her parents were like two robots together. It was awkward to be with him in between the wild sex they were sharing. “My room is on the next floor down. Think we can make it there without having sex on the stairs?"
"I make no promises.” He laughed a hearty laugh that she enjoyed hearing. He followed her out of their hiding spot. As they neared the stairwell, the elevator dinged and a whole family filed off. “Glad we finished before they got here."
Bethany chuckled as they started through the stairwell door.
* * * *
"Where the hell have you been?"
"What the fuck is going on here?"
"Your mother has been blowing up both phones, Bethany. Where have you been?"
The three women merged on her at once. Jack sidestepped the group and went into the bathroom. He thought he had gone unnoticed as they all continued to squeak and squawk in high-pitched, angry voices back and forth, but as the bathroom door opened, he realized they just had not gotten to him yet.
Standing there, cock in hand, taking a leak, he never felt so exposed in his life. The four women clustered in the doorway and collectively gasped.
"Jack!” Bethany shouted as if he could stop midstream.
"Who the hell are you?” the short African American woman crossed her arms and asked as she gave him the once over, twice.
"That's a big dick.” The blonde nodded as though she alone made the observation.
"Jesus, Katie!” The Spanish looking woman elbowed her friend.
With no other option, Jack shook his member, tucked it into his jeans, and faced the audience. Holding his left hand up, he curled all fingers but one, the one with the ring on it. “Can I wash my hands alone, or do you need to call a press conference?"