22. Alex

Chapter 22

Alex

" M orning, beautiful," I whisper, kissing Jaclyn's shoulder. Waking up next to her has to be one of my top three favorite things I've experienced in my whole life. Her sweet hum as my lips touch her gets me every damn time.

"Morning." Her reply is groggy as she shifts to face me. "What time is it?"

"Nine."

She lets out a long yawn, slinging her leg over me but quickly retreats. "No!"

I rush to sit up. "What's wrong?"

"I'm so sorry!" Jaclyn grabs every stitch of fabric within arm's reach and wraps it around herself.

"What are you…" I follow her glance to my leg, which has a small smear of blood across it. "Get back here. "

"No!" she shrieks. "I did that to you. I'm so sorry, Alex, I'm going to—" As she moves off the bed, I snatch her by the waist and pull her back to me. "Alex! We are not having sex. In fact, I'm going to move to the middle of nowhere, never to be heard from again."

I toss her onto her back, and she tries to hold back her laughter. "It's fine."

"It's not fine. Oh, shit! The housekeepers!"

What is her obsession with what hotel staff thinks?

"...will think you were a virgin bride. I know, super embarrassing. But I'm sure your approval rating will skyrocket if it gets out." I pull down the comforter and lick small circles around one of her nipples before grazing it with my teeth.

"This isn't funny," she giggles, wriggling under my touch as I blow cold air on her now-wet skin.

Ripping the comforter down, I kiss her stomach, sighing, "Sorry, little one. I really did try to make it happen. For fuck's sake, your mother is so full of my cum she should be knocked up with twins by now. Alas, this is where we part ways." She lets out a full laugh, and I look up at her while still talking to her belly. "So, we're going to hop in the shower, then strip the bed. And I'll make sure she's taken care of, no matter what."

"Alex," she breathes, her laughter ceasing, with a combination of relief and a hint of longing .

"Come on, my little wife, let me make good on my promises."

I slide off the bed and offer my hand. Jaclyn doesn't take it. Instead, she strips away the soiled comforter, keeping it wrapped tightly around her, and rushes to the bathroom. Thankfully, the villa doesn't have locks on any inside doors, and I'm able to follow her. As she turns the knob for the shower, I wrap my arm around her, splaying my hand across her belly and pulling her back flush with my chest.

"May I join you?" I ask playfully, the steam quickly filling the bathroom.

"Yes, but?—"

I guide her into the shower, scalding hot water pouring down on me. I can't help hissing as it pelts my shoulders. "Do you always have it this hot?"

"You just told a non-existent child that you were going to take care of me. This is taking care of me. I need a hot shower, cozy pajamas, and probably at least two re-watches of Pride and Prejudice . Oh, and don't think you can get away with the short movie, either. We're doing the ridiculously long series, where he exits the lake in a wet tunic."

I laugh as I pull her closer, then press her against the shower wall. "Wet tunic?"

"Think you're up for it?" She winks, but I don't care if she's joking. I'll happily watch a wet, swamp man on repeat if that's what she wants.

Gripping her chin with my thumb and forefinger, I bring her lips within a breath of mine. "Other than a Regency romance marathon, what else can I do to serve you?"

"I don't want to have someone serve me." Sinking down to her knees, she looks up with doe eyes, biting her lip. "I know you'll take care of me. So, let me take care of you."

Jaclyn slides her tongue along my shaft, making my cock impossibly hard. She's a damn siren, and in the span of less than a week, fucking owns me. As she takes all of me in her mouth, the only words I exhale are expletives. She licks and sucks until I hit the back of her throat, and she lightly gags. I grip her damp hair and pull back an inch, her eyes sparking with mischief. Reaching behind her head, her hand envelops mine, and she forces her mouth further onto me.

My cock hits the back of her throat again, and I groan, "Fuck, princess, you're so fucking beautiful on your knees taking all of me."

As she moans around my throbbing cock, it takes everything in me not to piston into her mouth. Sliding up and down my length, she massages my balls, and I have to brace myself on the wall behind her to keep my balance.

"I'm supposed to be taking care of you ," I remind her, but she doesn't slow her pace. Her eyes are red with a mix of tears and the shower water, and I instinctively growl, "That's enough. "

I'm not the man-slut the media paints me as; I rarely sleep with the women I go out with. The last woman I was with before Jaclyn was over six months ago, and I'm like a damn teenager about to come from a two minute blowjob. Since our first night, I've always made sure she's taken care of before me, and once I'm inside her, I almost always beat her to climax.

Not today.

Hollowing her cheeks and relaxing her throat, she massages her tongue along my length, refusing to relinquish control. With a fistful of her wet hair, I force her mouth off me. Worry flashes in her eyes. She stands, seemingly out of fear, and it pierces my heart. I don't think my brother has it in him to hurt her; I need her to know I never would. I brush the damp hair off her shoulder, kissing the sensitive spot between her neck and shoulder.

"You want me to come, princess? Earn it with that perfect pussy of yours. When you're on your knees for me, it's only because I've already taken care of you," I assure her, keeping my voice soft.

"You don't have to." A heavy breath leaves her lungs, and I take her face in my hands and tilt to the left, leaning in until the right of my nose is brushing hers.

She's branded on my soul, and I'll never escape it.

"I don't have to do anything. But, fuck, Jaclyn… You have to know how much I want you. And right now, I want all of you." Pulling back an inch, her enchanting blue eyes soften as the hot water pelts my back, shielding her from it.

We share a breath for a brief moment until her fingers tangle in my hair, pulling me closer until our lips are almost touching. I relish her soft curves as my hand slides up her leg, hiking it over my hip. Her eyes close, and a soft whimper escapes her as she whispers, "What happens after ‘right now?'"

Fuck answering with words. I lick the seam of her lips, and her gasp allows me to taste her. She's no longer my brother's, and I want her to admit it, to show me that she's mine as much as I'm hers. Our moans mingle with the steam of the shower as it envelops us, and as I line myself up with her, no part of me gives a shit if we make a mess.

"We don't stop until you come," I growl against her lips.

"But I'm?—"

I press an inch inside her. "I don't fucking care. You're going to come all over my cock, then I'm going to take care of your every need, every want… and every desire." I push in another inch, and her sweet whimpers spur me on. "You know I'm not going to be able to let you go when this is over." My cock throbs as I shove the rest of the way into her tight pussy. She gasps, and our shared breath makes me smile. "If anyone should be on their knees, it should be me. Let me take care of you the way you deserve."

A strangled sob passes her lips as they melt against mine. "I can't go back to him. "

"Even if you do, you'll always be mine." I thrust hard and deep inside her. "Only. Mine."

I've never felt this kind of incessant need before. Obsession, if I'm being honest. We've talked it into the ground, and as much as I hate to admit it out loud, she'll inevitably have to play the perfect wife role for my brother. The thought sours my stomach each and every time I consider it.

There is no way out of this hell where my heart isn't shattered into a thousand pieces when we're back home.

He wins. I lose her.

But not now. In this perfect moment, I get to keep the woman I'm falling head-over-heels in love with.

As I continue to thrust in and out of her, Jaclyn's kisses are equally as desperate as mine. The devil on my shoulder is pushing me to claim every inch of her, despite knowing how wrong it is to ruin her. I selfishly want the ghost of my cock to haunt her when I can't touch her again. I don't believe in soulmates or love at first sight, but it's only fair that she feels the same ache I'll have in my chest. Jaclyn owns a piece of me, and when this is over, she'll leave a hole in my heart that I'll be forced to live with for the rest of my life.

Between kisses, she whispers, "I'm yours, Alex."

It pierces me in a way I never thought it could. I can't help myself, gripping the front of her throat and deepening our kiss, needing to brand every part of her as I promised. As she kisses me back harder, I chuckle against her lips, "Do you need more, princess?"

"Please," she breathes, her fingers sinking into my back.

"Please, what?"

Jaclyn pulls back, and there's a gentle understanding between us as she looks between my eyes. Every time I'm inside her, it becomes harder and harder to imagine life without her. She should be afraid of me, of whatever is happening between us, and run the other fucking direction. Instead, this impossibly brilliant woman is offering herself to me.

Me.

Her real husband.

I don't care what the fucking burned marriage certificate says. I stood up there, promising myself to her. She's my wife.

As her breath quickens, I press our bodies closer until we're fused together, pushing my cock deeper, and continue the same pace. She's almost there, but it's not enough. For a brief moment, she tenses, and I slow down, then build her back up.

Reaching between us, I circle her swollen clit, and I swallow her euphoric moans with my lips sealed on hers. As her pussy tightens around me again, her warmth coats my cock, and she cries out as she comes. Satisfaction fills me as my name passes her lips. The sound steals part of my soul every time. I thrust one final time and hold, never wanting to pull out of her.

Taking Jaclyn's face in my hands and kissing her deeply, I speak against her lips. "You did so fucking well, my little wife. We'll spend the rest of the day watching your swamp man. But, first, I need one more from you."

A fter breakfast and lunch in bed, and watching several hours of her favorite Regency romance, we fell asleep in each other's arms.

I wake to my phone vibrating on the bedside table and the bright orange glow of the summer sunset filling the room. Jaclyn snuggles closer as I kiss her forehead, whispering, "One second, I need to check my phone." Pulling my arm out from under her, I reach for it and find two missed calls from Ned.

Fuck.

I rush out of bed and slip on a pair of gym shorts, then leave the room to call him back. Once I'm on the patio, I take a seat on one of the lounge chairs facing the ocean, and I can't help but smile thinking about the first night with her. The way we both gave in, and she burrowed her way into my heart. My trip down memory lane is quickly derailed when I pull up his contact and press call.

"Took you long enough," he grumbles as he picks up.

"Any news? "

He huffs a laugh. "Your brother is out. He's staying at your place, and the media coverage is in your favor. I don't think it'll be for long—the Gallaghers don't trust Chris. The accident has been taken care of, but I'm more worried about how your brother will react seeing the photos that were leaked of you with Ms. Taylor in paradise."

"It's Mrs. Blake, and I'm supposed to pretend to like her," I defend. Glancing back at the villa to ensure Jaclyn isn't eavesdropping, I lie, "It's all for the cameras, or all of this will blow up in our faces."

"You were never supposed to marry her, but everything seems to be going according to the new plan. Between the clean-up and the story about your accident, you'll still have work to do when you're back. Also, the Gallaghers want to meet with you."

Mickey owns one of the biggest casinos on the East Coast; his brother, Finn, is the CEO of Gallagher Whiskey. Both are fronts for their less-than-savory business practices behind closed doors. The last thing I need is to be even more in debt to them, but I knew the risk when I ran for office. If I could, I'd wash my hands of all of it. "Of course. As soon as I'm back in D.C.."

"See you then, Mr. Blake."

He hangs up, and I stuff my phone into my pocket. As I wring my hands, I stare at the crashing waves for a moment, the solitude abruptly ending with the sliding glass door opening. Wrapped in a light blue silk robe, Jaclyn sits next to me, taking one of my hands and interlacing our fingers. While I adore ‘fun Jaclyn,' ‘sweet, affectionate Jaclyn' takes my breath away. Coupled with how she instantly calms me with her presence… The trouble I'm in with the Gallaghers doesn't hold a candle to how much trouble I'm in falling for this angel of a woman.

"Everything ok?" she quietly asks, squeezing tighter and resting her head on my shoulder.

"It is now." I kiss the top of her head, breathing in her citrusy shampoo.

As she sighs into me, it's as if we've been each other's person for years, not days. "Do we have to go home? Can't we just stay here?"

"How are you going to change the world if you're here with me?" As much as I love the idea of staying, I have to protect her from the fallout, the consequences of my brother's actions, and possibly the Gallaghers.

"I'm sure we'd find a way."

"I'm sure you would." I offer her an earnest smile. "What do you say: In ten years, I steal you away, and we renew our vows right here on this beach?"

"You don't think it'd be suspicious, escaping D.C., just the two of us?"

I lay back on the lounge chair, and she sits between my legs, with the back of her head resting on my chest. Wrapping my arms around her, I breathe her in. "I'm sure you'd have a clever solution, being President and all."

"You're ridiculous. Why wouldn't you be the one in the Oval?"

"You know I don't want it. But you? You were born for it. So, what are we thinking? Lavender flowers again?" I quip.

"Absolutely not!" She shudders. "I hated the wedding."

"Hated it?"

"Well, I didn't hate it." Turning her head to look up at me, she adds, "I got to pretend to marry you."

"I wasn't pretending" I admit.

Jaclyn adjusts to get comfortable. "I don't think I was either."

"Then, why did you hate it?"

"I would've preferred blue but was warned that it would end up a political statement. Actually, your mother insisted on lavender as an alternative."

"Are you serious?" I laugh, pulling her tighter.

"So, if I get to choose, I want a blue rose bouquet, ranging from dark navy to pastel. Since we'll be the only ones seeing it, no one would be upset."

"Can we have live music? I was so confused why there was canned music for the ceremony when there was a small orchestral ensemble at the reception. "

"Right?" Jaclyn playfully swats at my chest. "That was my mother. She insisted the acoustics were off, but I still would've preferred live musicians."

For the next hour, until she drifts off in my arms, we watch the purple and red fade from the sky as we plan our vow renewal that will never happen, but I allow myself to pretend all the same.