Lars pushes me away like I’ve burnt him.
Still in shock, my jaw slack with surprise, I turn to see an angry looking Dane standing there, his chest heaving with each deep breath. He’s wearing all black, and his shirt is ripped at the sleeve and covered in dust.
He never looked sexier.
Throwing down his bag with a thud, he storms forward, his lips tightened to a thin line. Lars steps back and joins the crowd without a word. Dane takes his spot, his gaze hard on mine. I don’t know why he’s angry, it’s not like I wanted Lars to stand in for him.
“Say it again,” he says in a low, firm tone.
“You may now kiss your bride,” my dad says, and then Dane’s lips are on mine. He grips my nape possessively with one hand while the other cups my cheek. The kiss deepens, and the crowd cheers. He sucks on my lower lip before pulling away and staring into my eyes. Then, taking my hand, he leads me out the door he walked in from. When we walk to what I assume is his room, I’m curious. He unlocks the door and leads me in. His room is big, but sparse. It has a bed, a table, a wardrobe and that’s about it. Dane sits down at the end of his bed and pulls me down onto his lap. I end up there on a squeak, my arms holding onto his shoulders for support.
“Wife,” he says, lips kicking up at the corners.
“Husband,” I reply, scanning his face.
“Did you enjoy his kiss?” he asks, leaning forward and speaking softly in my ear. “Because it was the one and only time another man’s lips will ever touch yours.”
My eyebrows rise. “Is what why you ran in here like that? You didn’t want Lars to kiss me, did you?”
I see a muscle tick in his jaw. “I was the only one to taste you. I wanted to keep it that way.”
“You came back early.”
“I know it was important to you,” he murmurs. “It’s my wedding day. I’m only getting married once, so I may as well be present for it.”
I grin. “Romance at its finest.”
He smirks. “Romance isn’t on my mind. All I could think about was how on this night, I finally get to be inside you. I did what I had to and returned in record time. It was a fuckin’ wedding miracle.”
I snort. “Wedding miracle.”
His big hands lower to my bottom and squeeze. “Feeling forward, are we?”
“This is all mine now,” he murmurs. “All mine.”
“Hmmm. I remember you not wanting anything to do with me.”
“A man can change his mind,” he says, flashing this straight white teeth in a smile before leaning forward and kissing my mouth.
“I find myself liking the position I’ve found myself in,” he says against my mouth. “Husband to one of the most beautiful women I’ve ever seen.”
My eyes widen. “You sure changed your tune. What happened to me being a spoilt, pampered—”
He shuts me up with another kiss.
When he finally pulls back, leaving me breathless, he says, “You in that dress. Damn. You look fuckin’ perfect. But now I want to see that dress on the floor.”
The heated look he gives me makes me feel a little unsure. He looks like we wants to eat me alive, hunger and possessiveness staring back at me. No man has seen me naked before.
“Ummm.”
“What?” he asks, tilting his head to the side. “Having a change of mind?”
He looks amused. Jerk.
“No it’s not that, well not exactly,” I try and explain. “It’s just that I’ve never… and you have… and I don’t know…”
Fuck. I was the idiot.
I couldn’t explain how I was feeling. I didn’t even know. I wanted him, but this was my first time after all and I felt vulnerable. Out of control. In this moment, I had to look to Dane for instruction. I had to trust that he would take care of me. It was an alien feeling. I’m about to tell him that maybe we can wait until tomorrow night.
“Dane—”
“Olivia, do you trust me?” he asks in a deep rumble, cupping my cheeks with his palms. “Stop thinking so much. I’d never do anything to hurt you.”
“Dane—”
“You have nothing to be shy about,” he says, leaning his forehead against mine. “Nothing. Will you take off your dress and let me see you?”
The urge to flee the room is suddenly tempting.
But then he kisses me again, until my mind is hazy and I lose all rational thought.
Want and need trumps my shyness.
My indecision flees.
Standing up, I swallow hard before I pull down the straps of the dress, letting it fall to the floor, pooling around my ankles. I avoid looking into Dane’s eyes, instead staring above his head as he takes his fill.
“Look at me,” he demands.
Slowly, I lower my gaze.
Chapter Ten
His eyes stay connected with mine instead of on my bared breasts. To be honest, I don’t know which is worst. I’m standing in nothing but white panties, my dress still around my ankles. I want to kick it away, but instead I’m frozen to my spot.
“Beautiful,” he rumbles, his voice thicker and huskier than usual. He holds out his hand to me, and I place my smaller one in his. As I step out of my dress, I notice him now taking in my body. A hand rests on the small of my back as he whispers, “We don’t have to do this tonight, you know. I’ll wait until you’re ready.”
“I’m ready now,” I blurt out. “Just a little shy is all. No one has ever seen me naked.”
“And no one else will,” he says, standing up and lifting me up in his arms like I weight nothing at all. Laying me down on his white sheets he peppers kisses along my jawline, then uses his tongue down my neck.
Holy shit.
My whole body tingles. I think all he has to do is kiss me on the neck and I’ll be ready for him. Squirming a little, Dane pins me down before licking my nipple. My back arches. When his mouth sucks on me, a whimper leaves my lips. Releasing my nipple with a popping sound, he pays attention to my other breast, kissing around it before sucking. My fingers threading through his thick, dark hair, I close my eyes and concentrate on the sensations. I’ve never felt so good in my life. Pulling his mouth away, he starts kissing my stomach as his fingers continue where his lips left off, teasing my nipples with gentle tugs. When his mouth trails down to the edge of my panties, I open my eyes and look at him. He glances up at me as he slides my panties down, then licks his lips. Was he going to? Oh fuck, he was. Spreading my thighs, he dips his head and licks me.
There.
Holy shit.
His shoulder length hair partially hides his face as he bobs up and down with each taste.
Too many sensations.
“Dane,” I moan.
He ignores me.
“Dane,” I repeat, feeling a sudden urge building inside of me.
“Come for me Olivia,” he says, staring into my eyes before continuing to make magic with his tongue.
Coming?
I was coming?
A wave of pleasure hits me.
Yes, I was coming.
“Shit,” I mutter, moving my hands to grip the bed sheets as I experience my first orgasm.
When I come back to myself, I look at Dane to see him already watching me, a hungry look on his face.
“My turn,” he demands, pulling his clothes off. First his shirt, then his pants. He’s wearing nothing underneath them. I stare at his penis in fascination.
Were they all that big?
“Fuck you’re cute,” he replies, making me realize that I said that out loud.
“Oh.”
Climbing onto the bed, he stares down at me. “No.”
“No what?” I ask breathlessly as he braces himself over me.
“No, they aren’t all this big.”
And then his mouth is on mine, and for this moment, I forget who I am and I become his.
I wake up feeling a little sore, but I don’t mind. Sex is amazing. No, let me correct that, sex with Dane is amazing. He was so gent
le and perfect last night, making sure it didn’t hurt too much and being attentive. He was sweet and considerate. Who knew?
“Morning,” he rumbles into my ear. He was spooning me from behind, our naked bodies so close he may as well have been inside me again.
“Morning Dane,” I reply, smiling to myself.
He rolls me flat on my back so I’m looking at him.
“You look happy,” he says quietly, lip twitching.
“Just basking in the afterglow,” I reply with a flash on a grin.
His lip twitches once more before turning into a full-fledged smile. “My wife likes sex, good to know.”
I roll my eyes at him. “I like food too.”
He barks out a laugh. “Then I guess I better feed you, hmmmm.”
I smile at his playful mood. “Aren’t you glad you came back in time? Otherwise Lars might be in this bed instead of you.”
He nips at my ear lobe. “You’re going to pay for that princess. Lars wouldn’t touch what was mine, he knows better. A chaste kiss was all he was going to get from you.”
He tickles my ribs, so I try and elbow him in the chest. Pushing myself on top of him, I straddle his waist and stare down at the masculine perfection that is Dane.
“You’re mine too, you know,” I state. “I know you didn’t want a wife but now you’re stuck with me.”
His eyes flash with amusement before dropping to my breasts. “That’s suddenly not sounding so bad.”
I cover my breasts with my hands. “Pervert.”
“You weren’t complaining last night,” he replies, chuckling. His shaking body makes me wobble too so I try and slide off him, but he grips my thighs, holding me in place.
“Where do you think you’re going?” he asks, sliding his hands upwards. “Are you sore?”
I shake my head.
“Liar,” he replies. “Why don’t you soak in the bath and I’ll go and get you some breakfast.”
“I’ll have to carry some water up,” I say to myself, thinking that a bath sounds good.
Dane stills. “I’ll get someone to do it. You normally do it yourself?”
I nod. “Yeah, why? What’s the big deal?”
His lips tighten. “My wife doesn’t carry heavy water so she can bathe.”
My eyes narrow. “Yes, actually she does.”
“Well she doesn’t anymore,” he says simply.
I slap at his chest. “Don’t tell me what to do! If I want to carry a bucket of water, I’ll damn well carry a bucket of water!”
**Ten minutes later**
I sit with my arms crossed over my chest as Dane carries the bucket of water, his muscles rippling with the movement. He bucket he’s using is much bigger than the one I would have. Enjoying the view, I hide my grin as he steps aside and motions me to get into the tub.
“I’ll be back with food.”
Fifteen minutes later, I’m sitting in the bath, eating toast and thinking about how much my life has changed with one decision.
I hit the target once more, then glance up at Dane with a smug look.
He grins. “You’re good.”
I arch my eyebrow at him. “Okay, you’re fuckin’ amazing.”
“Much better,” I reply, grinning.
Sam comes up behind me and kisses my cheek, ignoring the threatening look from Dane. “Great shot.”
“I learnt from the best,” I say, winking at him.
I hear Dane mutter something under his breath. “What was that?”
“Nothing,” he says, firing his arrow and hitting a bullseye.
Was there anything he wasn’t good at? I didn’t think so. My face flames when I think about how good he was last night. He’s even amazing in bed. We’d spent three days and nights in bed, today is the first day I’ve ventured out since the wedding, and I feel like everyone is staring at me. They all know what I’ve been up to, and even though I shouldn’t be embarrassed, I kind of was. I was new to this whole thing.
“What’s the blush for?” Sam asks me, directing Dane’s attention to me.
“Oh nothing,” I say quickly. “Just a little warm out here, don’t you think?”
Sam looks at me like I’ve lost my mind, and Dane smirks, his hazel eyes knowing. He’s so observant it drives me crazy sometimes. Nothing gets past him. I felt comfortable with him though. I guess having a man lick every inch of your body does that. We also talked a lot after making love.
Pillow talk.
It was nice.
He was nice.
And he was all mine.
“I’m going for a run, are you coming?” Dane asks, putting down his bow and arrow next to the tree and stepping to me, his arm going around my hips like it was natural to be there.
“No,” I reply. “I promised Regan I’d go and see him. Plus my dad wants to see me.”
Dane nods. “Alright. I’ll see you at dinner.”
He kisses me on the forehead, says bye to Sam then takes off on his jog.
“Fuck he’s hot,” Sam mutters. I elbow him in the chest.
“You coming with me to see Regan? Or have you got shit to do?” I ask my friend.
Sam smiles. “I have shit to do but I also haven’t seen you in days, so I’ll tag along.”
I smile up at him.
I was lucky to have a friend like Sam.
When Gina sits next to me at dinner the next evening, a knowing smile playing on her pouty lips, I wait for her to make a comment. She always does.
“You look happy,” she muses. “Where is Dane? I haven’t seen him since the two of you snuck away after lunch yesterday.”
My cheeks heat. Yeah, we found time after lunch to get reacquainted between the sheets. I can’t seem to get enough of him, and lucky enough for me the feeling is mutual.
“How have you been handling things without him?” I ask, referring to her panic attacks. Dane hasn’t been running off at night, and I haven’t been with her as much—at least not how I was when Dane went away. First Dane helped her, then I did, and now I realize that we haven’t really been there for her recently.
“Lars has been around,” she replies casually, shrugging her slender shoulders. “His show of tough love seems to be working.”
“Tough love?” I ask, curious. Sounds like Lars.
“Instead of holding me or hugging me, he just talks to me in a strong, low tone. His presence seems to help. I don’t know. He kind of yells at me sometimes. Tells me there’s nothing to be scared of and that I’m being ridiculous.”
“So he yells at you to get you to stop having an attack?” I ask, my eyebrows rising.
Gina smirks. “Something like that.”
I wrinkle my nose. “Are you and Lars…?”
She giggles now, a carefree sound. “I can’t let you have all the fun now can I?”
“He doesn’t mind that you…” I trail off, not wanting to bring up the way she chooses to contribute to the community.
“I’m working on it,” is all I get in reply.
Interesting.
When I see Dane enter the room from the corner of my eye, I smile.
But my smile drops when I see the look on his face.
Everything else forgotten, I stand up and walk towards him. “What happened?”
His eyes gentle on me, and I can see the sympathy in them. The sadness.
“It’s your father.”
My dad was dead.
I was upset.
I was devastated.
Dr. James told me it was a heart attack that took him away from me; from everyone.
A heart attack.
The doctor couldn’t even look me in the face when he told me.
He stared at the floor.
I was numb.
Dad was our leader, but to me he was so much more.
He was the only family I had left.
He was the man that looked after me, made sure I had everything I would need. Yes, he was protective, but he was my rock. And how he was gone.
> Dane runs a hand down my bare back, comforting me while I sob into my pillow. I’d taken a bath, and then fallen onto my bed, not knowing what to do with myself. I just felt… numb. I know I didn’t have the luxury of wallowing in self-pity for long, but I was going to take the time I did have to grieve for a man that saved us all. Everyone behind these walls, my dad saved. I was proud of him. I was going to miss him. Every damn day for the rest of my life.
I know Dane is upset too. He looked up to my dad, he respected him. It was now Dane’s turn to lead, not just the men that fought for us, but everyone. Times were changing. I knew how to run the castle, Dane knew how to lead the men. Together, we were going to do this.
We had no choice.
“You need to eat Olivia,” he tells me for the third time. “It’s been a week. You need to get out of bed.”
I roll over onto my back and stare up at him, standing there with a tray of food in his hand. I can see thick, chunky bread with fried eggs. My stomach rumbles on cue. I make myself sit up and scoot back so I’m sitting upright, leaning back against the wall.
“Thanks,” I reply, my voice husky.
He sits down next to me and hands me the food. “I had no idea how much your father had to do on a daily basis until today. Everyone with every problem comes to me and asks how to solve it,” he says, looking frustrated. He runs his hands through his hair, which is loose and at his shoulders.
“I’m sorry,” I say. “I should have been helping you.”
He shakes his head. “You’re hurting. I get it.”
“Tell me what needs to be done.”
I wasn’t usually emotionally weak, but this was my dad.
Dane sighs. “We need to decide what fruit and vegetables to grow that will last the season. The women in the kitchen are asking what meals we want prepared for the week. I’ve sent the men to patrol around the walls, just to see what’s out there. Just to be safe.”
“They aren’t out there?” I ask him, my voice breaking.
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