Chapter 9

9

* H enry’s POV*

I try not to breathe as Isla shifts through the gears on the way back to the Manor House. Her scent is everywhere, ripping through the car on the wind, wrapping its fingers around my cock and tugging, forcing me to shift in my seat uncomfortably.

"You okay?" She looks over at me, those green eyes sparkling.

"No. No, I'm not." I clutch the handle on the door as she whips into the driveway, tires squealing.

"The offer still stands, you know," she says as she gets out and slams the door. I unfold myself from the seat, using the car to hide behind as I tuck my cock into the waistband of my sweatpants.

"I meant what I said, Isla. Not yet."

"You're right. It probably wouldn't be good anyway."

I walk around the car, chuckling when she juts her chin out stubbornly. I cage her between my arms, bending down to whisper in her ear. "You know it would be fucking amazing, Red."

She lifts an eyebrow at the nickname. "Prove it."

Fuck. I'm not a strong enough man to deny her, to deny that wildness that draws me like a moth to a flame. I step back, undressing her with my eyes. My cock twitches at the way her nipples harden under my gaze.

"Please," she whispers, her voice cracking. She crosses her legs, trying to ease the ache between them.

"How long has it been since you've been satisfied in bed?"

"A really fucking long time."

"When?"

"Probably never, if I'm being honest."

I growl my disapproval. "If we do this, we're not touching under our clothes until I know you’re not going to rip my heart out of my chest and eat it for dinner. Understand?"

"Do what?" she asks, her rosebud lips dropping open in surprise.

I give in to the primal desire roaring through me, dropping to my knees and burying my face between her legs, breathing her in.

"Henry!" she shrieks, struggling in my grip.

"Do you want me to stop?" I ask, jerking down the front of her sweatpants and dragging my tongue along the seam of her shorts.

"Yes," she groans, angling her hips to give me better access.

I jerk back and look up at her. "You want me to stop?"

"No! God, please don't stop, Henry."

Fuck. Hearing her say my name like that makes me want to throw her over my shoulder, haul her up to my room, rip those shorts off, and show her what it means to be worshipped. Her fingers thread through my hair, pulling me closer. I slide my tongue along her slit, tasting her through the fabric. I hum my approval, teasing her clit with my teeth before fitting my lips over her and sucking hard.

"Henryyyy."

Her moan goes straight to my balls, drawing them up tight. I stand before I embarrass myself, pushing my thigh between her legs and maneuvering her hips until her heat is nestled against me. I hold her gaze as I tilt her hips, rocking her back and forth. She whimpers, taking over the movement, her thighs squeezing mine in a vise grip.

"Good girl," I whisper, pushing her hair back from her face. I want to kiss her so fucking badly, but it's a terrible idea. I'll never be able to think of anything else. Color high on her cheeks, teeth lodged in her bottom lip, she looks up at me, the emotion in her eyes punching me in the gut.

"Kiss me, Henry. I won't bite," she whispers, her eyes fluttering closed.

"I don't believe that for a second," I rasp, control slipping through my fingers like sand. I press my thumb against her bottom lip, tugging it down, wrestling with the feral need pulsing through my veins. What's the point in life if not for this feeling? For giving in to the moments that feel like fate crashing down on your head? She opens her eyes, shining emerald pools dragging me under, stealing the breath from my lungs and snapping the last frayed threads of restraint.

"I won't ask again,” she whispers.

That's the only push I need. I don't want to live in a world where she's not asking me to kiss her. I cup her face, tracing the delicate sweep of her cheekbones before dipping down to press my lips against hers. Sparks bloom behind my eyelids as she strains up to meet me, her lips soft and sweet against mine. I growl, deepening the kiss as I slide my hands down her back to her ass, pulling her tighter against my leg. She whimpers, relaxing into my hands and letting me take over. She practically climbs my body, wrapping one arm around my neck to support her weight. I slick my tongue over her lips as I rock her against my upper thigh, her torso rubbing against my cock, with every tremor of her body.

She reaches her free hand between us, sliding her hand over the length of my cock. I can feel the heat of her palm through my sweatpants. Jesus.

"Isla." I want to beg her to stop, but the lie refuses to leave my mouth.

"Come with me. Please, Henry."

"It'll get everywhere." I gasp as she wraps her fingers around me, dragging them up and down my length in the same rhythm I'm keeping with her hips. She twists and reaches into the car, snatching up her purse. I hold her steady as she rifles through it, the triumph in her eyes when she holds up a condom making me laugh. "Now you don't have to be worried about the mess." I almost die inside when she rips it open with her teeth. "I won't touch you. Only the condom," she promises, leaning back to make space between us. She pulls down on the waistband of my shorts and sweatpants, letting my cock swing free. "Holy fucking hell, Henry. You should be proud of that thing." I grunt as she unrolls the condom down my shaft, barely holding it together.

"I said over our clothes, Isla," I say, trying to regain control.

She looks down at my cock, desire blazing in her eyes. "A condom is kind of like clothes. A cock coat." I choke on my reply as she wraps her fingers around me again. "The offer still stands, you know. You can take me down to the cottage, strip me naked, and bury that magnificent cock of yours deep in my pussy. Feel my heat clench around you as we come."

Jesus save me. This woman is going to absolutely wreck me.

"Not fucking yet," I growl, pulling her up, massaging her ass as I drag her pussy up and down my thigh until her eyes glaze over. She jerks me off in the same rhythm, her small hand working overtime. I capture her lips with mine, our tongues tangling in a war neither one of us will win. Her body tenses, back bowing. She moans into my mouth, and that's all it takes to break me. I thrust into her hand, holding her pussy tight to my leg as we fracture into a million pieces, the world around us fading into nothingness. She starts shaking as she comes down, a body-wracking tremor that has her teeth knocking together. I pull up my pants and swing her into my arms, taking her inside and straight to my room. I don't dare let her go as I turn on the shower, keeping her warm while waiting for the water to warm up.

"What are you doing?" she asks, struggling against my grip.

"Let me take care of you, Isla."

"I can take care of myself."

"I know, but you can let someone else do it every once in a while."

She sighs. "Okay." Resting her head against my shoulder, she closes her eyes, a small smile on her lips. I marvel at the reddish- blond of her eyelashes and how they sweep over her cheek. "Why are you staring at me?" she asks, eyes still closed.

‘Because my soul is telling me you're the one person I've been searching for my entire life, and I'm scared that if I blink you'll disappear,' I want to say, but instead I say, "You look like an extremely well-satisfied woodland fairy come to claw out my heart with hidden razor-sharp talons."

I startle when she opens her eyes, emotion roiling in their depths. "Why do you think you're not good enough for me?"

"I don't–"

"Don't lie to me, Henry. You're implying that I'll break your heart because you’re not deserving of me sticking around to figure this out. It's not fucking true. If I dig my claws into you, it'll be because I think you're worth the incredible amount of fear and uncertainty that comes with it. Understand?"

I nod to appease her, but I'll never agree with her. I set her on her feet once the shower is billowing steam, making sure she’s steady before loosening my grip.

"Do you need any help?"

"I've got it from here. Will you run down to the cottage and grab my boots and the outfit sitting on my bed?"

"Sure." I grip her waist, leaning in to kiss her cheek. She turns her head at the last second, her lips brushing against mine.

"Thank you, Henry."

"For what?"

"For making me feel alive again."

I close the door behind me, trying not to imagine her stripping off those skin-tight shorts as I walk down to the cottage. I duck through the doorway, and after a quick trip to the bathroom to clean up, I go straight to her bedroom, smiling at the outfit laid out on her bed–black leather shorts, an old cut-up band T-shirt, a black vest, and fishnets. The fact that I'm going to have to work with her for hours while she's wearing that has equal amounts of dread and excitement flooding my system. I fold everything into a neat pile, realizing she didn't lay out a bra or underwear. I open several drawers, rifling through them until I find what I'm looking for. My fingers brush something hard when I grab a pair of underwear, and I shuffle the pile aside to find a royal blue vibrator. I stare at it, images of her using it flashing through my mind like a movie. I act on my impulse and grab it along with the bra and underwear. I hide it in the pile of clothes and walk back to the house, pulling it out when I’m safely inside the bedroom. I'm cradling it in my hand when she walks out of the bathroom, causing her to stop dead in her tracks.

"I don't know if I feel like my privacy was seriously violated or if this turns me on," she admits, using a second towel to squeeze the water from her hair.

"I was looking for your underthings, and my fingers brushed against it. I could have just not said anything, but that seemed dishonest."

"So you brought it up here?” She laughs. “Why?"

"Because I want to watch the next time you use it," I say honestly.

"Fucking hell," she whispers, swallowing hard.

"If that's not something you're interested in, you can take it back to the cottage with you," I say, holding it out to her.

"Absolutely not. What's the fun in that? I don't want anything quite as much as I want you to watch me come.”

I toss it into my nightstand drawer and scrub my hands over my face. I don't know how to do this. How to be this close to someone that burns hotter than the sun. I'll combust before I even enter her atmosphere.

"Breathe, big guy." She pats my shoulder, her eyes sparkling. “Go on and take a shower while I get dressed. We have just enough time to stop at the café before heading to the pub.” I pull her hand off my shoulder and kiss her knuckles before disappearing into the bathroom. I turn the water as cold as it will go and spend the entire time thinking about what it would be like to wake up next to her every morning.