Bounced Read online

  I’ve never forced a woman to do anything. I’ve never had to. My job is to ice bad situations, and sometimes that means protecting women from guys who aren’t like me.

  But who’s going to protect my little actuary from me?

  “You’ll be begging me to fuck you before this night is over,” I tell her. She hasn’t responded to my crack about getting married yet. Maybe this will do it.

  “You like to shock me.”

  “Yes.”

  “Why?”

  A certainty moves through my chest. “Because you want to be shocked. That’s why you’re here tonight. You’re not having a mid-life crisis. You’re ready to grow up.”

  She rolls her eyes. “I’ve been grown-up for a long time, Mr. Anvil.”

  “You’ve been mature for a long time. I can see that. You don’t have that teenage girl vibe around you. But you’re aching to be treated like a real woman.”

  “Right. I’m going to call an Uber and go home now.”

  I step into her, blocking her against the desk, but I don’t touch her. “Nothing wrong with wanting to be a woman. You’re ready. I can feel it. Feel you in my blood.”

  She swallows hard. “That’s not why I’m here. And you’re scaring me.”

  “I’m not scaring you, angel. Your own desires are scaring you because they’re new. Once you give in to them, you’ll be changed. That scares the shit out of you.” I lean down and smell the skin of her throat. Mine. “But you’re not scared of me. We both know I’m not going to hurt you.”

  “How could I know that? You’re like a wild animal compared to the boys I’m usually around.”

  Her pulse is going crazy, and I want to lick it. I want to taste every part of her. “I am a wild animal. But you can tame me.”

  “I doubt that very much.”

  “I want you to try.”

  “Is that why I’m still here? Why you didn’t let me go? You want me to try to tame you?”

  “You’re here because you want to risk something tonight and still be safe. I’m the only man in this world who can make that happen for you. You can be as crazy as fuck. Do whatever you need to do, and I’ll make sure you’re safe. I’m the best risk averse choice you’ve ever made.”

  She can’t read me yet. She doesn’t know she’s got all the control here. I’m already a fucking puppet for this woman. “So you want to be my bodyguard?”

  “I won’t let you out of my sight.” I gently put my nose on that tender part under her ear but don’t kiss her. “I’ll be your actuary tonight, baby. I’ll manage your risk.”

  She gives me a timid laugh. “This is crazy. I’m not having sex with you. If that’s what you’re after…”

  “You saving it for marriage?” I ask

  She tilts that proud little chin up and scoots away from me a bit. “Maybe I am.”

  “Then you’ll be having sex with me before the night is through.”

  CHAPTER THREE

  ..................

  SARAH

  MY LIFE IS OFFICIALLY OUT of control. My bodyguard let me have exactly one beer. And not in a bar. I got to drink it in his truck under his watchful eye about two hours ago. So I’m not drunk. I can’t explain what is going on in my head, and I can’t blame booze.

  I think I’m drunk on him.

  But when the officiant asks him if he takes me for better or worse, we both pause and look at each other like we just woke up from the world’s strangest dream.

  I guess a part of me thought I’d call his bluff at some point before now. He’s taken me to several casinos and bars. He fed me a huge meal. He hasn’t so much as kissed me. So when he suggested our next stop should be a 24-hour chapel, I laughed and said, “Sure. Why not?”

  I’ve enjoyed living this one night free of worry. I can’t explain it. Anvil makes me feel safe and shook up at the same time. Nothing, and I mean nothing, can hurt me. People clear a path for him wherever we go. He looks like we just left Thunderdome. He’s a head taller than every other bouncer we’ve come across, and they haven’t even carded me.

  I have zero clue why he wants to hang out with me, though. I’ve seen the way women prettier than me look at him. Yeah, the scar, patch, and tattoos are scary, but in that primal way that makes us want what we shouldn’t. He could have any of those women, probably at the same time. But he doesn’t look at them. He looks at me. When I’m talking to him, he looks at me like I’m the smartest, most interesting person in the world. I don’t get it.

  While I am smart, I am not captivating. I understand that my chosen profession is not really exciting. But he kept asking me questions all night. But Anvil, he’s the one with the good stories and exciting life. He’s traveled so much. He was in the Army. He’s got tales of adventure and anecdotes about funny and frightening bar fights.

  And now we’re in the chapel. The organist is smoking cigarettes. The officiant smells like wine coolers. Twelve hours ago, I ate a Hot Pocket while doing homework and now I’m getting married to a man I hardly know. But I said yes.

  What kind of actuary am I going to be? This is more than risky.

  “I do,” Anvil says, and I feel relieved and inexplicably angry that he didn’t cave in this game of chicken.

  “You’re insane,” I whisper.

  “You may kiss the bride,” says the officiant. The organist starts and my husband…oh my God…my husband…smiles at me with the most devilish grin.

  This will be our first kiss.

  “Well, Mrs. Melvin Cartwright, I guess it’s time to make this official.”

  His gaze moves to my mouth, and my lips part automatically, like he’d just said, “Open Sesame.” His big callused hand cups the curve of my jaw. Gently, so gently. He leans down so he’s an inch from my other ear and smells my skin like he did back at Billy’s. I’m dying now. He’s drawing this out so much. I’m about to just yell for him to kiss me already.

  Then he claims my mouth. Finally. He brings his other hand up to hold my face, and I grasp his strong wrists so I don’t fall over. His tongue sweeps into my mouth, and I moan. My skin tightens over my body, every nerve waiting for more touch, more sensation. But he doesn’t go deeper. I try to angle my head to get more of him into me, but he holds us there in this sweet, sweet moment.

  Oh my God, I’m married.

  He leans his forehead on mine and looks into my eyes. I think it just hit him too. We’re like two insane people inhabiting the bodies of normally rational people. Then he pulls me into his body, the shelter of his arms, and he holds me.

  I didn’t know. I never thought I could feel this way. I know I shouldn’t fall for him. This isn’t real. It’s going to cost us an attorney fee tomorrow to figure out the best way to undo it. It’s just my night of being rash. Of throwing caution into the wind.

  But it feels good. It feels like the most real thing I’ve ever felt.

  We’re alone in the chapel now. The employees have gone out to get ready for the next insane couple.

  He pulls back a little to look at me like he’s looking through my skin and can see my darkest thoughts and my deepest longings. “I know, baby girl,” he says. “Me too.”

  “Now what?” I ask, even though I know the answer. It’s all been leading up to what comes next. I see that now.

  “First, we get pancakes. Because I always celebrate the best things that happen to me with pancakes.”

  Okay, that wasn’t what I thought he was going to say.

  “Then I’m taking you home, and I’m going to fuck you hard and long and deep.”

  I inhale a shocked breath.

  “I’m big everywhere, Mrs. Cartwright. We’re gonna have to work to make it all fit in your virgin pussy. But you’ll take all of me inside you, and you’ll be mine.”

  I should be recoiling in horror. But I like what he’s saying. I like the way he’s saying it. The way he’s looking at me like he’s hungry for me.

  For his wife.

  “Are you wet? Are you thinking about my
cock right now? Wondering how big it is? If I’m exaggerating?”

  I nod. Well, I wanted to feel like I was alive and not just managing my life. Whatever happens tomorrow, I might as well give this night all the enthusiasm it’s due. “I’m wet. I want you. I want you so much…I didn’t know I could…” I drift off because I really don’t know.

  He saves me, stepping in when I get lost in my own words. “Woman, you are making me so hard right now. I’m going to make this so good for you. You’ll be glad you waited for your wedding night, I promise.”

  “But first, pancakes,” I say.

  He smiles and I hear organ music that isn’t playing. See fireworks that aren’t exploding. I don’t think he smiles very often. I feel like I just got a new super power that I can make him smile like that.

  “First pancakes. Then you come all over my cock.”

  CHAPTER FOUR

  ..................

  ANVIL

  I SWEEP MY BRIDE INTO my arms at the threshold of my apartment so I can carry her in. It’s cheesy as fuck, but this whole crazy night calls for it.

  I’m married. What the hell? I don’t know what I was thinking. I mean, yeah, I know I’ve been thinking with my dick all night. But if you’d have told me when I woke up this morning that I’d be somebody’s husband before I went back to sleep tonight, I’d have beat you into thinking straight.

  It’s not sane, what I’ve done. This girl had plans. She’s going somewhere in life and she doesn’t need a bouncer holding her back. But she’s my kind of trouble. And when she said she was saving herself for marriage, well, my brain disengaged from my dick.

  At least, I’m blaming this on my dick.

  I want to take her right to the bedroom and drop her in the center of my bed. But she’s been getting quieter the closer we got to home, so I know her brain has started chattering at her. She’s probably running graphs and pie charts and statistics in her head about how insane this is. What we’ve done. The Bouncer and the Actuary doesn’t exactly sound like one of the Harlequin books my mom always had in her purse when I was a kid.

  Mom. Hell. She’s going to love Sarah. But first, she’s going to kill me for getting married without her. And I don’t know anything about Sarah’s family, but I’m guessing this isn’t going to be their favorite news either. Funny how none of that occurred to me while I stood in front of her and promised her my future.

  I ease her onto her feet. She immediately wraps her arms around herself. She’s stiff and uncomfortable. That’s not how I want this to go.

  “Baby, what’s wrong?”

  Her eyebrows reach for her forehead. “What’s wrong? What isn’t wrong? What did we do? What are we doing?”

  “We’ll figure it out as we go,” I promise.

  “That’s not how I work, Anvil.” She lets go of her middle and starts pacing. “I don’t do this. I plan things out, each step. I don’t elope with strangers. I don’t go home with strangers. I don’t have sex with strangers. This is not who I am. I don’t even know how I caught your interest, but I think you’re going to be pretty disappointed when you figure out that the last few hours are not the real me.”

  “Stop,” I warn. And she shuts up and looks at me.

  “Nobody forced you to say I do, baby. You were right there with me. It’s crazy, I’ll give you that. But telling me that it isn’t you is a lie. Maybe you only detour from your plans once in a while, but it’s still you. And now that you’re married, you don’t have to worry about getting crazy and eloping with strangers again.”

  She barks out a little laugh. “You’re crazy.”

  I take her hand and lead her to the couch. “Yeah, probably. But if you’re worried about it, you’re the first time I’ve eloped with a stranger, too. I’ve never gotten close to an altar before, baby. I never thought I would get married.”

  “So why me? I saw the way women look at you. I’m sure I’m not your type.”

  I trace patterns on her hand and arm with my fingers. “I don’t have a lot of words for you.” She relaxes a little. “I’m not good at romance. I saw you, and then you were all I could see.”

  “Oh,” she breathes out like she’s a little surprised. “That’s actually very romantic.”

  “Why’d you pick me? We both know I’m not your type.”

  She brings one of my hands into her small ones. I’m like a fucking giant near her. I don’t know how I ever got her to leave Billy’s with me, much less back to my house as my wife. She’s very serious now, studying my hand, stroking hers over it. Like she’s learning me. “I’m probably not much better at words than you are. I was starting to feel so restless and uneasy. I know I need organization and plans to feel good and safe. But I think I’m going too far. Or I was. I wasn’t living life, I was living a plan. I needed to shake things up. And then you came in, and I felt a different kind of restless and a different kind of safe. Like—I don’t know—like finally it was starting.”

  “What was starting?”

  She shrugs. “I don’t know. It’s crazy. I feel like I have stage fright, I’m nervous. But it’s a good kind of nervous. Like I’m doing something big.”

  Yeah. She’ll be doing something big pretty soon. But I don’t tell her that.

  “If we were smart, we’d stop this right now,” she says, and all the air is sucked from the room, from my lungs. “It will be easier to annul if I go home and we let a lawyer fix this.”

  She dares to meet my eyes. I can’t tell what she wants me to say or do.

  “Is that what you want?”

  “It’s the smart thing to do. The way of less risk.”

  “I didn’t ask that. I asked what you want.” I’m not a guy of tenderness and patience. I give what I deem to be justice at the time and take what I deem to be mine when I want it. She’s a virgin. Inexperienced. She was looking for a beer tonight, and I’ve changed everything.

  I pull her across me so she’s straddling my lap. She gives a little mew and her eyes get real big and round. I pull her arms behind her, grasping both wrists in one hand so she has to lean forward to balance. She can feel my cock beneath her. No way she can’t. It’s hard as stone with her this close…and growing.

  “Do you want to forget this night? Chalk it up to some crazy memory you have of college?” My other hand goes behind her neck, grasping her nape and pulling her face closer to me. “Or do you want to know how it feels to be my woman? Do you want my cock deep inside you? Do you want me to claim you? Make you come?” She squirms as she blushes, and the friction of her on my cock is delicious and painful at the same time. There’s little space between our faces now. She can see the scar up close, but it’s the intensity in my eye that’s causing her to shiver. “You need to decide, baby. I want to make you my wife. But you have to think like a woman, not a girl. You ready for that?”

  “I don’t know.”

  So I let go. She makes a whimper in the back of her throat as I sit all the way back against the couch cushion. She has to catch herself with her hands on my chest, the angle sliding her pussy against my cock again. Christ.

  “Wait, don’t…don’t let go. Don’t give up on me,” she pleads. She rolls her hips and gasps. Yeah, I feel it too. Like a million volts of electricity arcing between us wherever we touch. “I’m just nervous. I don’t know what to do or how to act. I don’t even know where to put my hands.”

  “You don’t need to be experienced as long as you’re enthusiastic,” I say. I slide my hand to the center of her back and push her onto my chest. Her head is resting above my heart. “But I’m not playing games. Either you want this or you don’t.”

  She lifts her head. “I want this.”

  “Tell me more,” I say. “Once we start, I can’t pull back. Not with you. I know it already. I won’t take what’s not mine, angel, but once you give yourself to me, I’m taking it all. I won’t stop. I won’t ever stop. You’ll be taking my cock any way I give it to you, wherever and whenever.”

  “I can
’t tell if you’re trying to warn me off you or seduce me,” she says.

  “You’re still on my fucking lap, so I think you like it when I tell you what I want to do to you.”

  She nods her head a little, her cheeks stained pink. “I think maybe I do.”

  “Then tell me so I understand. What do you want, Sarah Cartwright?”

  She places a soft kiss on my chest above my heart that almost kills me. “I want you. I want this. Make me yours. Wife me, Anvil.”

  CHAPTER FIVE

  ..................

  SARAH

  THE NOISE HE MAKES IS a feral growl and it ignites something inside me that I’ve never felt before. Never knew I could feel.

  I’m still trying to process what I just said, what I just gave him permission…no, invitation…to do to me when he yanks me up to his mouth. I thirst for him, opening my mouth to drink him in. I’m completely flattened against his hard muscles, and he squeezes me like he’s trying to push me into and under his skin as his mouth takes mine. His tongue begins basically fucking my mouth, and I’m trapped in his arms as if I were tied up and I love it. I give in to the dominance of his kiss. The dominance of him. He’s so hard and hot and strong, he becomes my entire world.