by J. H. Croix
“Gage.”
He turned away from the window, his eyes immediately on her. His expression was guarded.
“Are you okay?” She forced herself to speak, even though she was nervous.
He nodded sharply. “Are you?”
She held his gaze, willing her nerves to settle, as she stood and approached him. “I’m fine. Thank you for everything today. If it wasn’t for you and Aidan, I don’t know if we’d ever have found out what happened.”
She stepped in front of him and gasped when he tugged her close, engulfing her in a tight embrace. She tucked her head into his shoulder and just held on. She could feel his heartbeat, beating in time with hers. Tension hummed in his body, his muscles were taut, his breathing labored. She pulled back and glanced up. His smoky eyes met hers. He loosened his hold and stroked a hand up her back. “You don’t need to thank me,” he said, his voice gravelly.
“Are you sure you’re okay?”
His shoulders rose and fell with a deep breath. “Yeah. Sorry if I seem tense. It took everything I had not to beat Kent senseless. The only thing holding me back was knowing it wouldn’t do you any good for me to be sitting in jail alongside him. Not to mention, I knew Aidan wouldn’t let me do anything stupid, and he’s strong enough to stop me if he had to,” he said wryly.
Marley’s pulse ricocheted wildly when Gage looked back down at her. He cleared his throat. “I’m used to being in control. When it comes to you, not so much. I love you, you know.”
His words, gruff with a tinge of vulnerability, seared through her. Her heart swelled and tears filled her eyes. His somber, austere expression softened as he brought a hand around and stroked his thumb across the tear that rolled down her cheek. She tried to speak, but no words came out. Joy crashed through her in a wave. She reached up, cupping his face in her hands, and smiled through her tears. “I love you too…I’ve been wondering what to do about that.” Shyness followed her words. Her hands slid down his cheeks, coming to rest on his chest. His heart thudded against her palm.
Gage’s mouth quirked in small smile. “Well, that’s good to know. I, uh, don’t have too much experience with this kind of thing. I figured since I almost lost my mind over you today, I might as well get over myself and tell you how I felt.”
She bit her lip as she studied him. This man, so strong, so sexy and so handsome, had stolen her heart. Seeing him look vulnerable tugged at her deep inside. She curled her hand around the back of his neck and pulled him down to meet her for a kiss.
***
Marley caught her bottom lip with her teeth, and Gage thought he might explode. He wasn’t sure how declarations of love were supposed to go, but all he wanted right now was to bury himself so deep inside of her, he forgot where she began and he ended. He’d spent the entire afternoon on edge, barely able to keep himself sane. When he saw Kent pinning Marley to the wall, rage had almost blinded him. It had taken every ounce of willpower he had to remember he needed to keep it together for Marley. He was relieved beyond measure Aidan had been present because he’d known he could count on Aidan to make sure things didn’t go too far.
He was so proud of Marley. She’d kept it together through everything today. He looked down at her. Her forest green eyes were bright with tears. He hadn’t counted on her telling him she loved him, but when she said the words, his heart felt like it was going to explode. When she tugged him down for a kiss, he let go.
He dove into the warm sweetness of her mouth, delving and stroking, savoring the wild tangle with her tongue. He laced a hand in her hair while the other stroked down her back and cupped her lush bottom, pulling her against his arousal. She gasped in his mouth, and he tore his lips free, pausing for a moment to look at her. Her eyes were pools of heat, her lips kiss-swollen, and her cheeks flushed. Lust surged inside, tightening its hold on him. He traced her mouth with his thumb. Her breath came out in gasp, and he was lost. He wanted to taste every inch of her. He molded his mouth over hers again for a deep, hot kiss before nipping her earlobe, savoring the shiver that followed. He tore at her blouse as his lips traveled down the side of her neck and traced the edge of her collarbone. When a button caught, he tore at the fabric, swearing until it gave, the button tearing out and bouncing against the wall.
Her lacy black bra awaited him. Glimpses of her pink nipples teased him through the lace. He closed his mouth over one, groaning against her when she arched into him and whispered his name. He teased her nipples until the lace was drenched and they were hard and pebbled. Shoving her blouse off of her shoulders, he finally flicked the clasp between her breasts. The coil of longing tightened inside when her full breasts tumbled free. He cupped them in his hands, rolling her nipples in his fingers. Her breath was ragged as she arched into his hands. He took a step back and she followed, shoving his shirt up. He reached behind his head, lifting it off in one move.
Marley stepped closer and ran her hands up his chest before dragging them back down to stroke his arousal. He was so hard, he could have come right then and there, but he latched onto his control, his breath hissing through his teeth when she unbuttoned his fly and curled a palm around his cock. He walked backwards until his knees bumped against the bed. Sitting, he pulled her between his legs and drew a nipple into his mouth again. He toyed with the other as he sucked and nipped, alternating between them until she was gasping and writhing against him. Lust drummed through him and longing lashed at him as he paused to look at her. Her auburn hair was rumpled, her lips kiss swollen, and her skin dewy. He traced the paths of freckles dotting her skin and almost lost it when her breath hitched.
Gage tore at her jeans and shoved them down around her ankles. Marley kicked them out of the way and stood bare before him save her black lace panties. He’d come to know that while she tended to dress practically, she had a penchant for black lace, which nearly drove him mad. He cupped her mound with his palm and then stroked his thumb across the lace, his cock tightening at the moisture. He moved swiftly, lifting her and turning so she lay before him. Her breasts rose and fell with her ragged breathing. Hooking a finger over the edge of her thong, he dragged it off. He tugged on her knees until her bottom rested against the edge of the bed.
She pushed herself up and began to shove his jeans down.
“Not yet,” he said, his voice breaking.
Marley paused and looked up at him, the bare longing in her gaze nearly breaking his control. He knelt between her knees and placed a palm between her breasts. She started to protest and then he stroked a finger through her folds, drenched with her desire. She arched and cried out, falling back against the bed. He set out to memorize every inch of the center of her, tracing her folds with his finger and then stroking in and out of her channel, which throbbed around his touch. She writhed and flexed against his hand and cried out again when he brought his mouth to her. She brought him to the very edge of his control when she arched into his mouth. He forced himself to hold on because he meant for her to climb higher than she ever had. He kept up a relentless pace of strokes, his fingers and tongue delving into her channel, coasting over her clit until she pleaded with him. When he felt her begin to convulse around his fingers, he dragged his tongue across her clit and brought it into his mouth with just enough suction that she screamed and came apart against his mouth. He slowed his stroking until her hips relaxed.
Only then did he stand. She lay before him—rosy, scattered with freckles and flushed all over. She leaned up on her elbows and met his eyes, hers dark with passion. Holding her gaze, he shoved his jeans down, stepping out of them as he knelt on the bed.
***
Marley felt the mattress give under Gage’s weight when his knee came down on the bed. His smoky gaze held her. He’d just brought her to a mind-shattering climax, leaving her almost limp in the aftermath. But when she’d looked up to find him standing and shoving his jeans down, desire kept beating its drum. He stood bare before her, his body sheer perfection—hard, bronzed muscle. When he lean
ed forward, she moved swiftly, shimmying out from under him, shoving him down and straddling him. In the tangle, she rested atop, her wet center astride his hard shaft. His breath came in sharply when he met her eyes. Though she was desperate to feel him inside of her, she forced herself to hold still and began to roll her hips back and forth slowly. The feel of him against her almost brought her to another orgasm, but she held on.
Gage brought a hand up, curling it around her neck and slowly pulling her forward. His lips caught hers in a searing kiss, breaking away when he slid his hand between them and poised his cock to rest in her folds. He held her by the hip in his iron grip.
“Marley…”
She dragged her eyes open to meet his gaze.
“Now,” he whispered fiercely.
He surged into her, driving deeply. She cried out, pleasure rippling through her as he filled her and stretched her. He loosened his grip and she began to move, sliding up and down the length of him. They fell into a rhythm, his hand curled on her hip as she rode him. She rolled up and down the length of him, savoring how he filled and stretched her. His breathing became more ragged, his hips rising to meet hers. Everything blurred, but the feel of him inside her. She raced toward the edge, pleasure spiking higher and higher with each driving thrust. She forced herself to hold on until she felt him arch more deeply into her, driving to the hilt. The delicious pressure broke free and she came apart, shuddering around him as he cried out. His arms came around her and he pulled her down against his chest. She was wrung through and fell against him.
She felt the beat of his heart against her. She tucked her head in the crook of his shoulder. His palm stroked in slow circles on her back as their breathing slowed. After several long moments, she lifted her head. His eyes opened. With a hint of a grin, he smoothed her hair with his hand. “All I meant to do was tell you I love you.”
Chapter 21
Gage walked through the kitchen at the lodge and couldn’t hold back his smile. It was Christmas Eve. Though the kitchen was empty at the moment with Delia and her crew done until the day after Christmas, the room was scented with holiday cooking and baking. Gage pushed through the door into the restaurant and ran smack into Garrett, Becca’s twin brother and the last of his family members to arrive.
“Damn glad you made it,” Gage said, giving Garrett a swift hug before stepping back.
Garrett met his eyes and smiled wryly. “My flight was late, but I’m here. Place looks great,” Garrett commented as he looked around the restaurant. Garrett stood shoulder to shoulder with Gage. He shared his twin sister’s glossy dark hair though he kept his cropped close to his head. His sharp blue eyes landed on Gage. “Sorry I missed you when you stopped by last week. Didn’t know you were coming to Seattle.”
Gage shrugged. “It wasn’t exactly a visiting trip. I stopped by your place on my way back to the airport, figuring I’d chance it.” Gage hadn’t expected Garrett to be home, seeing as Garrett took the idea of being a workaholic way too seriously. He was a high-flying lawyer, specializing in corporate law, and worked at a relentless pace. Gage was pleased Garrett managed to stop working long enough to come up to Last Frontier Lodge for the holidays. If Gage’s guess was right, Garrett heard an earful from Becca and their mother about it.
“Did you already find your room?” Gage asked.
“Yup. Becca showed me.”
Gage looked past Garrett to the far side of the restaurant by the windows. Becca and Jessa had arranged several tables together for a family dinner. Becca was deep in conversation with their mother, Jill. Jessa was filling wineglasses. Sawyer, his youngest brother, was in the midst of a game of cards with their father, Gage Sr. Gage had invited Marley and her parents, along with Don’s family, over for a shared dinner. He was keyed up about her meeting his whole family. Collectively, they were a handful, tending toward boisterous. He was relieved she’d had some time to get to know Becca and Jessa first.
He hooked his arm over Garrett’s shoulder. “Come on, let’s eat.”
As they made their way across the room, Gage glanced out the windows and saw Marley walking up the stairs to the back deck. Garrett followed his gaze and glanced at Gage, his blue eyes tinged with amusement. “That must be Marley. According to Becca, you’re in love. Gotta say, I thought she must be joking, but with the way you look at her, I’m reconsidering.”
Gage shrugged. “Becca’s right.”
Garrett’s brows hitched and his eyes widened. “Wow. And here I considered you my role model, above all that messy relationship business.”
Gage chuckled. “I’ve discovered all it takes is the right woman.” He broke away from Garrett and strode to the door by the deck. Delia had kept the housekeeping staff busy decorating this week and bells jingled when he opened the door. Sleigh bells and spruce wreaths were affixed to every door. Gage and Don had chipped in and spent an entire afternoon on ladders hanging holiday lights on the lodge. A gorgeous spruce tree had been decorated at the front outside. It had taken Becca and Jessa an entire afternoon to decorate it while they wrangled assistance from Gage and Don for the upper portions of the tree. The inside of the lodge was filled with clusters of greenery, red ribbons, and mistletoe hanging in archways.
He waited as Marley walked across the deck in the wispy light of dusk. The sun had fallen behind the mountains already, faint streaks of red and gold arcing across the sky. Marley’s boots crunched in the thin layer of snow on the deck. A gust of wind caught her hair and swirled it behind her. When she reached the door, she was smiling. Gage tugged her into his arms and kissed her, her lips warming under his. He forgot they had an audience and lost himself in the feel of her in his arms.
The sound of a throat clearing broke him out of his haze and he pulled away. Marley was flushed when he gripped her hand and tugged her inside. When he turned, he found Sawyer standing nearby. Sawyer grinned when he met Gage’s eyes. “Figured somebody had to get your attention.”
Looking at Sawyer was like looking at a younger version of himself. Sawyer shared his brown hair and gray eyes. Since he’d followed Gage into the Navy and also become a Navy SEAL, he was in impeccable physical condition.
Sawyer turned his attention to Marley. “You must be Marley. Very nice to meet you,” Sawyer said, leaning over to kiss Marley on the cheek, a teasing glint in his eyes.
Marley flushed. “Nice to meet you too.”
“Watch out for him,” Gage commented. “Sawyer is a relentless flirt.”
Sawyer’s grin deepened. He shrugged unabashedly. “No need to worry. Anyone that can steal Gage’s heart isn’t possibly going to let me steal her away.”
Marley glanced between them. Gage tugged her to his side. “Come on, let me introduce you to the rest of my family.”
***
Marley looked around the room and sighed. Gage’s entire family was there, along with her parents, Lacey, and the Peters family. Gage’s mother, Jill, had orchestrated a full dinner. Marley had enough wine that she floated in a soft warmth. Gage had hardly left her side tonight and sat with her now, his arm draped across the back of her chair, his fingers absently toying with her hair. He was in the midst of mediating a friendly debate between Garrett and Becca over the merits of lawyers. Marley found it fascinating that they were twins who’d both become lawyers and yet had taken almost opposing career paths with Garrett catering to the wealthy corporate world, while Becca was passionate about working with underprivileged clients.
She glanced around the table and saw Delia flush. When she followed Delia’s gaze, Marley found it led straight Garrett who appeared momentarily distracted. He said something to Gage and then his eyes bounced to Delia, his blue gaze curious.
After dinner was finished and most of the guests had left, Marley wiped her hands on a towel and made her way out of the kitchen. Gage stood beside his mother, leaning against the wall by the archway leading from the restaurant out to the reception area. His mother reached up and gave him a kiss on
the cheek, handing him something that Gage immediately slipped in his pocket. Jill stepped away and walked past him into the other room.
Marley made her way to Gage’s side, curiosity pecking at her thoughts. He lifted his head when he heard her approach, his gray gaze darkening. He didn’t move, but held a hand out and tugged her to him, immediately fitting his mouth over hers in a scorching kiss. Her pulse skittered, heat unfurling inside. The air shimmered between them, alive with the electric current that buzzed to life whenever she was near him.
When he pulled away, his eyes stayed on her, intent and somber at once. He appeared to be considering something. “What is it?” she asked.
He cleared his throat. “I’ve been thinking…” He paused and shook his head sharply. “In case you haven’t noticed, I’m not too poetic. Here goes…” He slid his hand into his pocket. He held still for a moment, his eyes bearing into hers. Marley could barely breathe as the heat of his gaze seared into her. Flutters built in her core, her heart pounding in anticipation.
He opened his hand. She gasped. A beautiful ring sat glittering on his palm. “I meant to get a box for it, but I didn’t have time today. I asked my mom to bring it up with her. It’s my grandmother’s wedding ring.” He took a breath, his eyes usually so confident, holding a glimmer of vulnerability. “I love you. I can’t imagine life without you, so I figure I might as well try to make it official as soon as I can. Will you marry me?”
Marley gasped at the wave of joy that crested inside. Tears pricked her eyes. Gage waited, his gaze never breaking from hers. She finally managed to gather herself enough to answer. “Yes, yes!” She threw her arms around him. Gage reflexively caught her in his strong embrace, lifting her against him.