Page 16 of Deserving Maisy
She shrugged. “I guess he’s excited?” Understatement of the century. The sooner he got her married, the sooner the countdown to him getting millions of dollars started.
“Are things…all right between you two?” Jack asked gently.
Maisy stilled. She had no idea how to answer that. She couldn’t be honest and tell her soon-to-be husband that she hated her brother. That he was an awful human being.
“It’s just that I’ve noticed he doesn’t exactly treat you with care. I must’ve really hurt you if you chose to come back here to live with him.”
Maisy felt tears spring to her eyes. She hated that Jack thought he’d done something to alienate her.
“Don’t cry,” Jack begged. “I can handle anything but that. I’m sorry, this is our re-wedding day. I’ll back off. But you should know…I want out of here. I want to get a place just for us. I don’t like how he talks to you sometimes, and while he’s family, it’s not cool. I need to see about getting a replacement ID and accessing our bank account and talking to my landlord about lease deposits and getting a replacement cell phone.”
His words made her tears stop as she stared at him. Ofcoursehe’d want to do those things. Anyone who was renting an apartment that had burned down would do the same. But the issue was that hehadno bank account, therewasno landlord, and she had no idea where his previous cell phone had gone. Not to mention identification. Jack Smith didn’t exist, and he would find that out pretty quickly once he started trying to re-claim his nonexistent life.
“Breathe,Stellina. I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to stress you out today of all days.” Then he smiled. “I have to say, I like waking up to you touching me.”
Maisy swallowed hard.
“I won’t push, but tonight…I’d really like to make love with my wife. Though it sucks, because I don’t remember what you like.”
“What I like?” she whispered.
Jack grinned. “Yeah. Do you like it hard and fast? Slow and easy? How sensitive is your clit? Can you come with nipple play or do you need more stimulation? I don’t know what your favorite position is, or whether you like to be in control, or if you like it when I’m more dominant.”
Maisy squirmed against him, and he chuckled.
“I kind of feel like one of those men of old…desperately wanting his woman but having to wait until his wedding night to uncover all her secrets. But this time, I feel likeI’mthe virgin. It’ll be like our first time all over again—and I can’t wait.”
Maisy hadn’t allowed herself to think too much aboutthispart of the ruse her brother had foisted on them. Yes, she’d been sleeping at Jack’s side since her brother had dragged him home, but she’d blocked out the sex part of being married, assuming she could come up with some reason to put it off. Now she realized how foolish she’d been. Again. Ofcourseshe couldn’t put off sex with her husband for months.
He wanted to make love tonight. And it would be their first time together, but she couldn’t exactly tell him that.
“Stellina? I’m sorry, did I shock you?”
She forced herself to breathe. The only thing shocking about what he’d said was how much she wanted it. She could feel how wet she was between her legs. “No,” she lied.
“Liar,” he accused gently.
It took everything in Maisy not to flinch at that word.
He leaned up, keeping her hand trapped under his shirt as he moved closer and closer. Maisy’s eyes closed at the last second and she lowered her head, meeting him halfway. She needed his kiss more than she realized.
The second his lips touched hers, she felt as if she’d come home.
He’d kissed her before, several times now, but they’d all been chaste touches. This kiss was completely different. His tongue traced the seam of her lips, and she opened to him immediately.
He surged inside, taking control, and all Maisy could do was hold on and moan as he took her mouth like a man possessed. He nipped, sucked, and explored every inch of her mouth. Her nipples were hard under her shirt and her fingernails dug into his chest as he devoured her.
When he pulled back, they were both breathing hard, and all Maisy could do was stare at him.
“I’m not letting you go again,” Jack said, the words sounding like a vow. “Whatever happened between us is in the past. From this day forward, it’s us against the world. I won’t let you down, and I’ll always be your champion. Thank you for giving me a chance to make things right. This time, I promise to be the husband you deserve.”
His words sounded like something straight out of a movie. Like…marriage vows. The pesky tears sprang to her eyes again. He wouldn’t be saying those things if he knew everything was a lie. That they’d known each other for less than a week. That her brother had kidnapped him to force him into marriage. That he’d planned on torturing them both if either of them resisted.
“I promise that I’ll do right by you,” Maisy told him in a low, husky voice. “That I’ll do what I can to support you and keep you safe.”
“That’s my job,” Jack said with a small smile as he ran a hand over her hair. “To keep you safe, that is.”
Maisy closed her eyes and lowered her head to his shoulder. This man. He was killing her.
