“Never,” he whispered at her ear, his vow echoing to her soul. “Never, Ella. I’ll always be here.”
Chapter Fifteen
“She asleep?” Sax was waiting in the kitchen, dressed, looking smartly presentable.
He didn’t look as though he spent the last hours helping James fuck Ella into another screaming climax. James had held her in his arms, stroking her body, easing her through the destructive shudders of her orgasm before moving to take her again himself.
After the first violent sensations had eased from her body, neither man had been able to leave her in peace. She responded to each touch, each stroke of their hands as though it were the first time.
“She’s asleep.” James nodded, wishing he were as well. He had never been so exhausted in his life.
“Will she be okay?” Sax glanced back at the hallway that led to her bedroom, a frown shaping his brow.
“She’ll be fine.” James was sure of that. Her sleepily muttered words as she finally gave into her own exhaustion assured him of it.
“Well, you waited long enough for her.” Sax rolled his broad shoulders as he headed for the hallway. “I’m heading home now. I need to sleep.” James followed him to the door and as the other man turned back to him, lifted a brow questioningly.
“I’ll need your help now,” Sax said with a fierce frown. “You and Cole set up Ella’s downfall. I expect your help setting up my woman’s fall.” James grinned. “You have a deal, Sax. Give me a chance to figure out how to get to her, and I’ll let you know.”
Sax nodded. “I’ll be waiting. Impatiently, but waiting.”
He walked out the front door, closing it softly behind him. James sighed deeply, secured the locks and then returned to Ella’s bedroom.
She was in the same position he had left her in, curled up on her side, her auburn hair a cloud of silk around her face, her expression peaceful, serene. Had he ever seen her peaceful or serene before he invaded her life? He shook his head, knowing he hadn’t.
“Is he gone?” she mumbled as he eased into the bed beside her.
Surprised, James stared down at her closed eyes.
“He’s gone.” He pulled her into his arms, tucking the blankets around her again.
Her voice was drowsy, replete, as she snuggled against him. “No more threesomes.” She yawned. “I can’t move.”
He chuckled gently. “Let me know when you need to move and I’ll do it for you,” he assured her.
Silence thickened around them again for long seconds.
“What now?” she asked, her voice even, though he heard the worry in her tone.
“Hmm. Many things.” He smiled against her hair. “But I’m not leaving, Ella. Not now, not ever. You’re mine. You submitted to it, baby. You can’t back out now.” The letter he had left that day was detailed in more than one regard. Submit now, submit for life. The ring that had accompanied it graced her finger, just where it belonged.
“You have a lousy way of proposing, James. I’m going to have to teach you better.
Boy toys are supposed to be more romantic, especially married ones.” Warmth filled her voice, a warmth that gave him hope. Then joy swelled in his chest when she whispered, “Especially the one I love.”
He laughed then, feeling freer, happier than he could ever remember feeling.
“I’ll keep that in mind, baby.” He kissed her lips tenderly, feeling her smile, her exhausted response. “Sleep now. In my arms, Ella. The way it’s supposed to be.”
And they both slept.
Epilogue
He had sworn she would come to him. He wouldn’t spend agonizing months trying to ease her into a relationship she had stated she would never tolerate. So he tried to seduce her into it instead.
After Thomas’s death, he had made himself indispensable to her. He was at the house often, fixing this or that, just talking or watching movies late into the night.
Despite appearances, Terrie was a wary person, well aware of how easily she could be hurt, how weak she was physically. From what he had gathered, his brother had been more of a bastard than he had ever imagined.
“Now that was a beautiful wedding.” Terrie stumbled against him a bit as he helped her into the house.
James and Ella’s wedding ceremony had made her teary eyed, reflective. She had sat in the limo on the way home, quiet, a bit sad, staring out the window as her fingers stroked over the upper swell of one breast that her cream colored dress had revealed.
The action had caused his cock to swell, to harden in agonized need.
“Well, it wasn’t a long one, anyway.” Jesse pulled her to him, leading her to the living room, enjoying her soft weight against his side.
The soft silk of her dress slid against his hands, and when he sat her on the couch, the hem rode just below the crotch of her panties. Cream colored as well, silk. He was betting it was a thong.
“You kissed the bride.” Her surprising comment had his brows lifting in surprise.
He had kissed the bride. Long and deep, to her complete surprise and shocked arousal.
“Yeah, I did.” He knelt at her feet, removing the high-heeled shoes from her small feet.
“That was so decadent,” she bit out. “Kissing her that way, with your tongue. You made her horny.”
He smothered his laughter. “That was the point,” he whispered up at her as he caressed the slight welts on the side of her foot.
She pouted. She had such an intriguing pout, and used it on him often.
“I promise not to kiss Ella again.” His hand stroked her calf as he felt a small tremor work over her body.
“Sax fucked her. He was at the wedding, of course,” she bit out. “I knew she couldn’t hold out. She gave in too easily.”
She sounded angry with Ella, though Jesse knew she was more than happy that her friend had finally found some happiness.
“You, of course, would be much harder to convince?” he asked her, careful to keep his voice even, his hand on her calf comforting rather than arousing.
She leveled a hard look at him. “I am not so easy.” That was sure as hell the truth. He murmured consoling words, though, massaging her foot, well aware of how the heels made her feet ache.
“I’m not your sister.” She jerked her foot from his grasp, staring down at him angrily. “Stop treating me like one.”
“Keep it up and I’ll turn you over my knee and paddle your ass.” He jerked her foot back. “Now what has you so upset? I thought you were happy for Ella.”
“I am.” She was pouting again, watching him darkly.
“Then what’s your problem?” he asked her again.
“You’ve never kissed me like that,” she finally bit out, her cheeks blooming with a flush. “Why haven’t you?”
He pursed his lips. Her breasts were moving quickly beneath her dress, her nipples hard, poking impatiently at the light fabric. He allowed his hand to stroke higher along the inside of her leg.
“Because,” he whispered. “I can never decide where to put my tongue first.” She blinked, confusion filling her expression. “What?” Her question was almost a gasp.
“You heard me.” His hand stroked to her thigh. “Do I take your lips and plunge my tongue into your mouth,
