Vow of Honor (Vow Series Book 3)

by Emma Renshaw

  "I can't believe you bought something this cute," I say, unable to look away from the modest, one-story home.

  "I built it," James says.

  "Did you use Hudson's company? Didn’t he say he owns a construction company?" My focus is on the two rocking chairs just to the right of the front door. They’re painted a glossy black to match the door and shutters on the house. I’d love to sit there reading for hours with a cold glass of iced tea on the small wooden table between the chairs.

  "Yeah, his family own it. Hadn't met Hudson yet," James says. "When I say I built it, I mean that I built it myself."

  My head whips around to stare at him. I point at the house then to him and finally my finger settles on the house again. "You built this?"

  "Yep." James’s hands tuck into his pockets and his eyes are trained on his feet. He rocks back slightly, not offering anything else besides the one word answer.

  "By yourself?" I face the house again taking it all in in a new light. James did this. By himself. My eyes take in every detail, each piece of wood, the paint, the flowers, and the garden. The chairs sitting on the front porch. James did this. I turn to face him again resisting the urge to run into his arms and kiss him all over.

  "Yep." He coughs once, clearing his throat. His shoulders are up almost to his ears and every muscle in his body is tensed. After a few moments of silence those gray orbs finally settle on me again. I want to tell him how amazing I think he is. I want to ask him a thousand questions so I can get every minute detail of his build.

  I don’t.

  I hold all that in. He’s still standing there with his body strung so tight. Allowing me to see his house has to be a big step for him, I think that’s all he can offer me right now. Instead I picture James in tight jeans, no shirt, and a tool belt.

  His eyes melt with heat and every ounce of tension leaves his body as he heaves a sigh. "I love when you flush like that. Tell me what you're thinking," he demands.

  So I do. I tell him every dirty detail in my construction worker James fantasy.

  And now we're here, a tangled sweaty mess of limbs in James’s large bed. I'm on my stomach, my body stuck against the cool, dark gray sheets. I collapsed after James finished taking me from behind.

  "You okay?" he asks, standing to take care of the condom and me.

  I grumble something unintelligible, even to me. He's exhausted me. I'm now just this boneless heap, unable to move, still trying to catch my breath. James’s breathing has evened out. Bastard.

  He gets back in bed, jostling me until I'm lying half on him and half on the bed. My cheek is pressed against his naked, muscular chest. It's really the best pillow. I always thought I wanted something soft and fluffy to sleep on, but that was before I found the expanse of James’s rock-hard chest.

  I crane my head to look at his face, keeping my cheek against his chest. "I don't think I'll ever move again."

  "No?" he asks with a smug look.

  "No, I'm like a barnacle now. Permanently attached. My limbs no longer work. I'm just a blob. You'll need to take care of me, feed me and all that."

  James is silent, and I worry I took my joke too far. I open my mouth to tell him I'm joking, I'm not permanently attached, I know this is temporary with an expiration date, and the one way he's taking care of me during that time is with orgasms. But I'm stunned. Dumbfounded. Flabbergasted. And absolutely, completely dazed by his beauty.

  James is smiling.

  And laughing.

  Not a small smile.

  Not a chuckle.

  He's grinning. Fucking grinning.

  And laughing so hard he's clutching his stomach.

  He was the most handsome man I've seen before he did that; now he's on the level of a god or something. A natural wonder of the world. No wonder he doesn't smile and laugh all the time. He'd have a gaggle of women following him constantly. Nuns giving up their virtue. People worshipping him.

  Holy shit.

  And his eyes have turned from a hard gray to a bright silver with happiness shining through. I don't know what to do with myself, outside of wishing my phone were closer so I could whip it out and record this, keep it forever, watching after he's gone. There's no way I would go looking for my phone right now, though. I wouldn't miss this show for anything.

  His smile broadens even more when our eyes connect. My entire body tingles and everything in me is focused on him and only him.

  "Don't worry, sunshine, I've got you," James says through his laughter. I know he's joking about taking care of me while I'm reduced to a mess after epic orgasms, but fireworks start popping in my belly, making my mind think about things it really shouldn't.

  Slowly his laughter and smile die, but his gaze still holds amusement and joy. His lips tug into a sinful smirk, making me wet as he asks a question in his deep, rumbling voice. "Why are you staring at me like that?"

  "You're beautiful."

  His body goes rigid underneath me before relaxing a second later. A large hand cups my cheeks, bringing my face to his. His lips ghost across mine. "Tatum, there's nothing in this world as beautiful as you."

  Chapter 24

  James

  Tatum's phone ringing startles her awake. I've been awake, staring at the ceiling and skimming my fingers along her arms. She moves to get up, but I lock my arms around her, keeping her soft, warm body against mine. My nose skims along her neck, nuzzling and kissing her sensitive skin until she giggles. I murmur in her ear when she tries to move again. "Not yet."

  She bites her lip, stopping the grin from forming across her face. "I always answer," she whispers.

  "This is better." My legs tangle with hers, anchoring her against me even more.

  We’re both still naked, as I had woken up several times in the night with the need to sink into her. She buries her face in my neck, kissing me as I luxuriate in the feel of her silky skin against mine.

  I groan when her phone starts ringing again, and she sighs. "I need to get it."

  Grumbling, I stand from the bed with her. There's no reason to stay in bed if she's not against me. I walk out of the room toward the kitchen, calling over my shoulder. "Want coffee?"

  "Sure," she replies happily. I turnaround watching her dig through her purse when she catches me staring at her.

  She looks up at me, meeting my eyes. Her soft, sweet, sleepy smile goes straight to my dick. It's the same smile she wears when she's completely satisfied.

  I release a breath and continue to the kitchen, turning on the coffee pot before digging in the refrigerator for some food. I'm preparing egg white omelets when Tatum wanders into the kitchen wearing my shirt and rubbing her eyes.

  I walk toward her with a mug of coffee. "Want it?"

  "Yes," she groans, reaching for the cup.

  I set it on the counter before turning toward her adorable, confused face. My hands fall on her hips, sliding down her thighs to where the shirt ends, and slipping underneath. I take the shirt off her and grin. "That's better," I say, picking up the coffee cup and placing it in front of one of the barstools.

  She chuckles, shaking her head, but stays naked—just the way I want her. She moans when she takes a sip of coffee.

  "Everything okay?" I ask, gesturing to the phone in her hand. I turn my back to her to plate each omelet. Setting one in front of her and another in the space next to her, I hop onto the barstool and turn to look at her.

  "Yeah, just my mom."

  We dig into the food, eating mostly in silence. Tatum stares out the large picture window that faces the back of my property. It's nothing but tall grass and small hills for miles. Even though it's early fall, the grass is still a light green.

  "Let's agree to something," she says, still staring out the window.

  "What's that?"

  "Every time we hang out, let's do it here. I'm obsessed with this place. The house, the land, your body."

  The corners of my lips tug slightly, but I cover it with my coffee cup and take a sip. "Deal."r />
  "Oh, and one more thing." She takes a bite of her omelet while staring out the picture window.

  "What is it?" Her face slowly rotates to mine and her cheeks turn pink as her lip quirks on one side.

  "You fuck me right there on the bench seat. You can slip into me from behind, and I can watch the sunset." My fork clatters on my plate when I drop it. A tiny drop of coffee spills onto my hand after it spasms making the mug shake.

  "I've got you," I say, winking at her. She grins, her nose crinkling just a bit before facing the window again.

  "Really, I love it here. It's so quiet." Her eyes close as she turns her head so her ear is facing the window as if she’s listening for any sound. During the day, the only thing she’ll hear is the rustling of the tall grass. We’re too far from the creek running through my property to hear that. At night, the occasional coyote can be heard. I decide not to mention that.

  I wrap a strand of her hair around my finger tugging it until she gives me her attention. "Want to go for a walk?"

  "Naked?" she asks, looking down at each of our bodies. I wouldn’t mind walking with her naked, but I don’t think she’d be up for that.

  "No, we'll get dressed." I unwind my finger from her hair, gliding my hand under her hair up her spine until it settles at the nape of her neck. My thumb strokes along the edge until I feel heartbeat. I stop there, holding that spot, leaning toward her and feeling masculine pride when the beat starts drumming faster.

  Her breath hitches slightly before she begins speaking. "I don't have any shoes for walking through grass, just my heels."

  "Savannah has some clothes here," I say, my gaze dipping down to her puckered nipples. My omelet and coffee are completely forgotten as I focus on the heartbeat under my thumb as the knuckle of my other hand brushes over the tight bud.

  I smile when her pulse starts racing wildly with one simple touch. My smile turns to a frown when she pulls away, placing a hand over her heart. “I can’t think with you doing that.”

  I lean toward her, but her next question halts my movements. "Were y'all ever friends with benefits?"

  I laugh, but cut it off when she raises an eyebrow waiting for my response. "God, no. She's like my little sister. Liam has to go out of town for work occasionally, though it’s rare, but when he does, she stays with me."

  "Why?"

  "Gives Liam peace of mind," I say honestly. After Savannah's run-in with her ex that turned nasty and could've been deadly, Liam doesn't want her alone when he's out of town. Savannah feels safe, but doesn't want Liam to worry, so she comes here.

  "He won't let her stay alone? My best friend, Isabella’s, husband travels constantly, and she stays alone."

  "Not that he won't let her, just makes him more comfortable to know she's with someone who will watch out for her."

  "Why?" Tatum’s arms cross over her chest, completely blocking my view of her still puckered nipples. I heave a sigh, turning back to my breakfast and picking up the fork again to take my last few bites.

  "Not my story to tell. Ready for that walk?" I ask before she can question it anymore.

  A few minutes later, I'm standing by the back door waiting for Tatum. When she comes out of the bathroom, I immediately want to strip her naked again. Her long hair is piled on top of her head, showcasing her long, elegant neck. She's in the same dress as last night but has Converse on her feet. She looks perfect.

  I hold out my hand so I can lace our fingers together. The first couple of minutes of our walk is in silence. The grass is tall, skimming along Tatum's thighs; she doesn't seem to mind, though. Her eyes scan the horizon of the endless blue sky.

  "How many acres do you have?"

  "Thirty-eight."

  "Wow," she mumbles, her thumb rubbing circles on the back of my hand. "I wasn't expecting it to be that much. How long have you lived here?"

  I shrug. "Pretty much since I moved to Texas about ten years ago."

  She stops and stares at me, bringing her free hand up to shield her eyes from the sun. "You're what? Thirty?"

  "Yeah, thirty-one pretty soon."

  "You bought this place when you were twenty?"

  "Yep," I reply, feeling my face flush with this unwanted conversation. I don't like anyone to examine my life too closely.

  "Where did you move from?"

  "Midwest." I scramble for a way to change the subject. I find myself wanting to be honest with her about everything. It scares me. My mind comes up blank for a new topic, though, but I'm saved when Tatum shrieks.

  "What?" I ask, scanning her body. "What happened?"

  "I heard rustling," she says with wide, panicked eyes, looking around her feet.

  "Okay," I say slowly. We are in tall grass, there are going to be noises.

  "Are...are there snakes out here?"

  Oh, shit. I hesitate. "I've seen a couple. This is uninhabited land; I'm sure there's some stuff out here."

  Tatum gets closer to me, scanning the ground around her. Her hands are clutched tightly in my shirt. "I don't like snakes."

  "I can tell." I grin, wrapping an arm around her shoulders. "Don't worry, they're more scared of you than you are of them."

  There's more rustling in the tall blades of grass. Her fingers claw into my chest. "It's a snake. That's a snake. It has to be," she says, whipping her head back and forth, trying to pinpoint the noise.

  "I promise, there's nothing to worry about," I say, urging her to walk again, but she's frozen solid against me.

  "Nothing to worry about?" she hisses, glaring at me. "There are snakes out here! That's something to worry about."

  "Tatum, they are more scared of you."

  "I don't think that's possible," she speaks quietly as her head continues to whip around looking in every direction. Her feet are now on top of mine and she’s slightly shaking.

  "It's not only possible, it's the truth." I keep my voice low and tone even. My hand rubs up and down her back in soothing circles.

  "Nope."

  "Yes,” I say holding back a chuckle.

  "James," she says, her eyes becoming glassy. "No."

  "Sunshine," I say, softly cupping her face. "They are more scared of you, but I promise, if a snake jumps out, I'll protect you."

  She bites her lip, looking up at me with her wide eyes. "Sometimes you make me like you for more than your body," she whispers.

  She sways toward me, lifting on her tiptoes. I bend my head to steal a kiss when the noise gets closer and she shrieks. She climbs my body, her legs wrapping around my waist. Pulling her close, I secure her to me as her arms tighten around my head. She's freaking out as I struggle to breathe through her tight embrace.

  I look down when the noise is right on top of us and am shocked at what’s making the rustling noise.

  Chapter 25

  Tatum

  Gasping, I slide off James’s body and collapse to my knees in front of the tiny, black puppy.

  "Hi," I coo to the puppy, and it wags its little tail so hard, it looks like it's trying to take flight. I pick up the puppy, confirming it's a boy, and bring him to my chest.

  His tiny tongue happily sticks out of his mouth. The black fur is a bit matted in some areas, but curly and soft as silk in others. The paws and legs are so little, even for a puppy. He's definitely not going to be a big dog.

  I'm already so in love with him. I smile, looking up at James. His eyes are big, and he looks confused. He's scanning the area, maybe looking for others. I don't hear anymore rustling, though. I think it's just this little guy.

  "Where'd you come from?" I ask the puppy, raising his face to mine. He squirms excitedly in my hands.

  "Don't think he's going to answer," James mutters.

  "Don't you just love puppies?" I ask, nuzzling this little guy's neck.

  "I don't know. I've never had one."

  "What kind of pet did you have growing up?" I ask curiously. I lean back looking up his tall form and staring into his face.

  "None," James rep
lies, looking at the dog like it's an alien.

  "We need to get him cleaned up," I say, standing, trying to balance while holding the puppy.

  "We do?" James asks. "Shouldn't we go to the shelter or vet or something?"

  "He doesn't have a collar," I say, looking around the land. "Do you have neighbors?"

  "Not for miles," James replies, running a hand over his short hair.

  "I think he's a stray." I can’t stop petting the little guy and he hasn’t stopped wagging his tail happily. By the looks of his fur and the dirt caked on to some areas, it looks like he’s been out here alone for a while.

  "So, what do we do?" James takes a step closer to me watching the pup struggling in my arms. It looks like he’s trying to launch himself at James.

  "First, we'll give him a bath. Then we'll need to go to the pet store for some supplies."

  "Supplies?" James asks dryly.

  "Yes. Dog bed, food, toys, treats, and a collar. There's a vet next door to the pet store. We'll go in, have him scanned for a microchip, but if he's a stray, then we'll need to buy all that stuff."

  "You're going to keep him?"

  I step into his personal space, taking one arm from the puppy and wrapping it around James. "No," I say sweetly, leaning my head against his chest. "My landlord doesn't allow pets of any kind. Even fish."

  "What are you going to do with him, then?" He rubs his hand along my back.

  "You're going to keep him."

  His hand freezes and his entire frame tenses. "Me?" he asks incredulously. "No, not happening."

  "Why not?"

  "I don't know what to do for a dog." He starts to back away, but my fist clutches his shirt.

  "This little guy will be easy." I try to reassure him and coax him into keeping the puppy. He’s too cute and he needs a good home. James would definitely give that to him and I could visit him all the time.

  "Tatum," he says, but stops when he looks at my face. "I don't know if this is a good idea."