Chapter 6

CHAPTER SIX

JAMIE

“Hurry.” And I’m not surprised by the urgency in Eden’s tone. We’ve been open about spending time together, but Lance doesn’t play around, so when he said to be back for dinner, I know that gave us seventy-five minutes.

Over the past few weeks, I’ve been balancing wanting Eden all to myself and knowing that her dad is trying his best to change his opinion of me.

“How did you find this place?” I ask her, panning the flashlight around the dugout. Eden might call it a cave, but I can tell it was man-made a few generations back. More than likely by men with something to hide.

“Remember the part where I don’t have any friends? I’ve explored every inch of this land. Dad shored up the old blind for me to use, but I wanted to keep this to myself, so over the years I’ve just brought things that won’t be missed out here,” Eden responds, and I pull her into my arms, needing to erase the loneliness that is so embedded in her she doesn’t even notice it.

“Thank you for trusting me with this,” I murmur as I lower myself down to a makeshift bed and sit with my back to the rock wall. Tugging her hand has her straddling my lap, and I groan as she teases my lips with hers before looking away long enough to turn off the flashlight.

There’s just enough daylight to see the blush on her cheeks as she pulls her T-shirt over her head and shyly looks at me for my reaction. I cup each of her firm breasts, circling her nipples with my thumbs, raising my hips to press my erection up against her.

“You are playing with fire, Eden,” I growl out, wrapping one arm around her to pull her tightly to my chest; enjoying the chills that sweep through her body when I lightly kiss her neck.

“I thought you said I could trust you?” Eden’s hands slowly map out my chest over my shirt as they make their way down to the hem. “I want to feel your body against mine again.”

“The men in my family all treat their women the same way. We draw them in, use them up, and throw them away,” I answer slowly and honestly, loving how Eden looks at me like I’m her favorite drug.

Our eyes are locked together and I pull her hands behind her back, forcing her to arch her pebbled nipples out. Sucking each of them in turn, her breath comes in short bursts and I move my lips back up to her mouth as I enjoy the feel of her grinding herself against my cock.

“That’s not my plan,” I whisper against her lips.

She lets out a loud sigh and lays her head against my chest, pulling one of her hands free to trace my collarbone with her finger. “I don’t know if I should be insulted I can’t get you to make love to me or thrilled you’re making plans.”

“I’m going to take a page out of your dad’s playbook and keep you all to myself, Eden,” I respond, hungrily kissing her. “Will you exchange one prison for another?”

“Prison?”

“Will you marry me?” I whisper the question against her lips, lightly kissing her as she gasps in surprise. Digging in my pocket, I pull out the ring I’ve been carrying around. “I’ll never cheat on you. I won’t lie to you. I’ll make sure you’re happy every single day of your life, Eden.”

“I need you to promise me one more thing,” she says, lifting my shirt up and tracing my old scar. “I need you to promise you won’t get shot again. Because I don’t want to live without you, Jamie.”

“I’ll do my best,” I say, worried about the one thing I can’t control.

The End

The full length/extended version of this story will be available in late 2025.