Embarrassed at the divine comparison, I shake my head. “You don’t have to exaggerate.” Though, I appreciate the compliment. It’s better than what he could’ve said.

  “I’m not prone to hyperbole.” He nips at my ear causing me to yelp in shock, hand batting playfully at his arm.

  “You do know the way to a librarian’s heart using a word like that.” We both pause, realizing what I implied. Hearts. Love. He’s probably not ready for such a serious confession even with all his talk of possession and being his. Those are just words—sex talk meant to hype my desire.

  But Finn’s gaze softens before he kisses me softly. “As long as I’m on the right track...”

  Okay... Maybe we’re not so far off from heartfelt declarations, after all.

  “If you’re ready, we can keep going. Or we can stop. It’s up to you.” His constant concern adds to the growing list of reasons I’m starting to fall for this man. Respectful and kind with a penchant for filthy talk, how could I not?

  “Keep going. I want all of you.”

  Passion darkens his expression, and his thumb grazes my bottom lip. “And you’ll have me. Every fucking inch.” My breath stutters at the growled promise before his head lowers to my breasts, tongue flicking the distended buds. Trapping him against my chest with desperate hands, I urge him to take more, arching my back as an enticing offer, and he takes the bait, sucking hard on the sensitive tip.

  “This what you want, baby? Me nursing at your tits while I fuck you?”

  “God, yes...”

  His erection grinds against my leg before he nestles it within my folds. The mushroom head stretching my untried flesh. Maybe I should’ve used all those toys Ella and Saoirse got me as gag gifts. That might have been smart. Then I could have avoided the slight burning sensation as he gingerly shifts forward.

  “Fuck, Abby. You’re so tight. You doing alright? Need me to take it slower?” Sweat drips down his temple at how controlled his movements are, the toll of his efforts obvious.

  “No, I don’t think drawing this part out will change the facts.” I struggle to string together a cohesive thought. “Don’t stop. Eventually, it’ll get better.” Please, let me be right.

  He mumbles under his breath. “If I have any say, it will.” Determination sets in on his face as a hand returns to my clit, building my pleasure again as a distraction from his thick cock moving ahead. The suction on my breast increases while he kneads my clit in rough succession. And it pays off as my body relaxes, loosening its grip and allowing Finn to slide deep.

  A long exhale wafts over my cheeks at the blazing sensation before he draws back to plunge to the hilt again. The powerful rhythm slams me against the fluffy blankets and pillows cocooning us, and my mouth opens on a silent cry, eyes closing at the overload of emotions and physical contact.

  This is how a man savagely claims his woman. It’s in all the books I read. And now I have firsthand knowledge of how it feels to be full of lust, love, and his hard cock.

  Another climax shatters my composure as the coarse fingering of my clit combines with the searing thrust of his hips to become an explosion of sparks.

  “Finn!” His name flies from my lips in a whimper of fear—needing his reassurance, his grounding presence to anchor me to this moment.

  “Don’t worry, Abby-mine. I’m here; I’ve got you.” He grunts the words out before his own body shudders in pleasure, a roar of release gushing between my thighs. Collapsing to the side, a strong arm wraps around my waist, tugging me close. “In a second, I’ll grab a warm, clean cloth to clean us up.”

  “But you need a moment to recover?” I joke raggedly, smoothing a hand over the black ink covering his muscles. “Same.”

  Finn laps at my shoulder where his head nuzzles the exposed skin before kissing the spot. “Damn, you’re too sweet. My cock’s still regaining strength after fucking you, yet I can’t get enough.”

  “You won’t hear me complaining. I literally have decades to make up for.” And if he’s willing, I’m up for the challenge.

  “A woman after my own heart.” Finn chuckles and laces his fingers with mine. “We’ll have a hell of a time making up for lost time.”

  You can bet on it.

  CHAPTER NINE

  FINN

  A man like me has no right to be so happy, yet here I am fucking bursting with contentment and joy because I got the girl. Damn, my girl. We have filled the past week with conversations—serious and light-hearted—and fun outings. Not to mention the sex.

  So. Much. Fucking.

  But instead of spurring a waning of interest, my need for Abby keeps rising higher and higher. I don’t think I’ll ever be able to satisfy the well of need living inside me.

  “And that’s the last of the finishing touches. What do you think?” Abby agreed to let me draw another design on her other wrist this afternoon. This time I decided on a thicker, more intricate wristband suited for a Norse goddess—strong and beautiful, just like her.

  “You’ve outdone yourself.” She traces the outer edges, careful not to smudge the ink. “Now, I kind of wish I had a matching one for my other wrist.”

  “Next time,” I promise, already imagining unique designs. Hell, I have a notebook chock full of Abby; ideas are never from mind when it comes to her. She’s become my muse.

  “I’ll hold you to that.” She smiles and leans forward to peck my cheek in a soft kiss. The ease of which astounds me. A week ago, I was getting her off without a hint of touching due to her hesitancy, and now? She fucking kissed me in public. My girl’s brave and grown in confidence; something I love and take pride in helping her accomplish.

  “Looks like you took the bet, after all.” A snide voice breaks the intimate moment, and my blood freezes at the familiar arrival. Fucking Michael. What’s he doing here?

  I specifically check the books to make sure he’s never around when Abby is, so she doesn’t have to deal with his bullshit. Especially after she disclosed more about their brief relationship.

  “What’s he talking about?” Abby asks, her gaze darting between us.

  “Didn’t he tell you? I bet Finn that you wouldn’t let him touch you. Guess I was wrong, huh?” His arrogant swagger pisses me off—not to mention the distress he’s causing my girl.

  “That’s not true. I mean it is, but I didn’t—”

  She jerks her arm away from me and struggles out of the leather chair. “All of this was based on a bet?” Hurt clouds her features as my heart sinks to my gut at seeing her pain. “It was all a lie? God, Finn. We...” The words stutter to a halt, but their meaning is clear. We made love. She gave her virginity to me, and I betrayed her. Except I didn’t.

  “No, what we have is very real. Let me explain—”

  A sharp hand raises to stop me. “Not now. Not like this.” She motions to the small crowd of onlookers, staring curiously at the minor altercation. “We can talk later after I’ve had a moment to process through this.”

  Grabbing her purse, Abby tries to leave, but Michael blocks her way. “Come on now. Don’t be mad. You should thank me for pushing Finn to take you on; we both know you needed help.”

  That’s it.

  Fury rages in my body, and my fist clenches before slamming into the bastard’s face. Normally, I don’t make a habit of assaulting customers, but Michael’s pushed too far by insulting Abby.

  “Finn!”

  “What the fuck, man!”

  Multiple exclamations of reprimand bombard me, but I don’t care. He got what’s been coming to him for weeks now. Abby grabs my stinging hand and gently prods the knuckles. “Are you alright? What were you thinking?”

  “No one speaks to you like that,” I growl.

  “So, you were defending my honor?” She rolls her eyes, a huff of exasperation hitting the back of my hand. Satisfied with what she sees, Abby lets me go. “It doesn’t look like you’re too badly injured, and don’t think I’ve forgotten this whole ‘bet’ debacle. I’ll let you clean up this mess.”

  Sidestepping a whining Michael, she leaves, and I focus on controlling the damage I created. There will be plenty of time to grovel and beg for forgiveness from her later.

  “You’re going to pay for that; someone call the cops!” Michael shouts, gesturing wildly.

  “There’s no need to bring in the police, Mike. Just relax.” Kyle tries calming him down. “You came in here with guns blazing and asking for trouble.”

  “Seriously? You’re siding with him?”

  “He’s my boss, and on the right side of things here, though his choice of retaliation is questionable.” Yeah, probably shouldn’t have decked him, but I don’t feel too badly about it. It was worth it to hear the crunch of his nose under my fist.

  “I’ll comp the rest of your tattoo.” The grating concession slices down my throat. “But after that, you’re not welcome here.” I shoot Kyle an apologetic look, but he shrugs, knowing it’s for the best.

  Now, to figure out how to explain this clusterfuck to Abby without losing her forever.

  CHAPTER TEN

  ABIGAIL

  A bet.

  The only reason Finn pursued me.

  The notion stings, though I don’t find it as easy to believe as I did earlier. Or even if I’d found out a week ago. While our relationship might’ve started on false pretenses, I can’t pretend that everything else hasn’t felt genuine.

  Finn has been nothing but caring and sweet—much more than I would’ve expected based on his rough looks. But as I like to warn library patrons: never judge a book by its cover. And this is exactly why. He’d upended all of my preconceived ideas about what a tatted and bearded man would be like, and despite the comparisons in looks, he’s no Jax Teller from Sons of Anarchy.

  Perhaps there’s a reasonable explanation for everything. It’s not like Michael is a reliable source. Even with the knowledge of this bet, I trust Finn infinitely more. I may even love him as crazy as it sounds.

  Then what are you doing sitting here?

  Grabbing my coat, I zip it up before pausing. “This is nuts,” I say aloud to my empty living room. This isn’t a movie; I can’t just drive to Finn’s house and profess my love for him. Can I?

  Pulling out my phone, I pace the room while I send a video message to Ella and Saoirse, explaining the situation. “Am I crazy? Should I wait to hear his side of the story?”

  Immediately, Ella replies with a slight scream as Gavin laughs in the background. “Do it! Oh my gosh, it’ll be so romantic. You’ve always lived vicariously through books; now you can have your own fairytale ending!” Saoirse seconds the verdict with a block of thumbs up emojis. I should have guessed they’d be on board.

  “Okay, I guess I’m doing this. Wish me luck.” I end the message and scurry out to my car. The only thing that would make tonight perfect is if it started snowing. And if it was still Christmas. But I’ll take love in January over none at all.

  The streets lie deserted, though my route gets stalled at every red light. Finally, I park in Finn's driveway and wait for him to get home from the tattoo parlor. A lone porch light provides a bit of brightness to the otherwise dark night, and I settle on the top step leading to the front door. Rubbing gloved hands together, it’d be smarter to wait in my car instead of the cold weather, but how romantic is it to sit in your vehicle?

  I want Finn to see me front and center when he arrives. If I were really bold, I’d run into his arms like the movies, but I’ll skip that tradition. Booted feet stomp the concrete in more warming efforts, and I check the time. He should get home soon; we initially made plans tonight because his last client appointment wouldn’t run super late.

  What if he got arrested? The intrusive thought pushes forward. What if Michael pressed charges? It wouldn’t be above him to do such a thing.

  Before I can spiral down that rabbit hole, though, headlights flash and blind me for a second. The loud engine gets cut, and Finn jumps out of the car as I rise to my feet.

  “Abby? What are you doing here? Are you okay?”

  His concern kindles a fire in my belly that heats me from the inside out. No way this man agreed to some stupid bet to hurt me. He cares too much.

  “I’m fine. I just needed to see you.” Meeting him in the middle of the lawn, I wring my hands, sudden nerves tangling my tongue. “I’ve thought about what happened today, and while I still want to hear your story, it doesn’t affect the way I feel about you. Unless, of course, this really was all a hoax...” I kind of laugh hysterically but try to rein it in. “But I don’t think it was or is. You wouldn’t hurt me intentionally; I truly believe that. You’re the only man I’ve ever felt comfortable around, and that counts for a lot in my book.”

  Finn moves closer, arms circling my waist. “You have no idea how much that means to me, baby. Michael offered the bet weeks ago, but I turned him down because I don’t play silly games. Especially not with the woman I’m falling in love with.”

  My eyes widen in surprise at the declaration. Well, damn. He beat me to it. “Noble of you. And I’m falling for you, too. We’re kind of the fast and furious, aren’t we?” I joke. The speed with which we jumped into bed to in love is lightning quick but perfect in my eyes.

  “What can we say? We know what we want.”

  “You know what else I want?” One of his eyebrows raises in question. “For you to take me out of this cold and make love to me.”

  A playful grin peeks out of his bearded face before he tugs me towards the front door. “Whatever my lady commands.”

  EPILOGUE ONE

  FINN

  ONE YEAR LATER

  “Are you sure you want to do this? It’s unnecessary.” Abby’s worried voice sounds above the buzzing of the tattoo machine as Kyle continues working on my latest addition.

  “Positive, baby. I want your permanent mark on me.” Scrolling script that reads ‘Abby-mine’ is going across my heart in an uncharacteristically sentimental gesture. But what can I say? My woman made me soft, and I’m not mad about it.

  She bites her bottom lip, eyes following the motions of Kyle’s hand. Squeezing the sweaty hand in mine for comfort, I try again to allay her fears. “Don’t worry; you’re not losing me. This is forever.” I stroke the diamond ring on her finger as a reminder.

  Three months after her birthday, I proposed to Abby, and we eloped the next month. Our entire relationship has run fast and hot, so we didn’t see the wisdom in planning an elaborate wedding months in advance. Now, Abby’s officially mine—tied to me for good.

  “I know...” A soft smile loosens some of the tension on her face as she returns the hard squeeze. “I just like to worry.”

  “Why don’t you focus that energy on next month’s party?” In honor of her best friend’s pregnancy, she’d agreed to host a baby shower at our place. Something I hoped we’d be having for ourselves soon. For all our speed, everyone expected us to get pregnant right away, but we both agreed it’d be nice to relax with just the two of us for the time being.

  Though the look in my girl’s eyes when talking about the baby stuff lets me know that time is ending. And hell, if I won’t enjoy trying to knock her up.

  “You’re right. There’s a lot to prepare.” She starts rattling off a list of things to do, and I sink back into my seat—glad I succeeded in getting her mind off the tattoo. Her sweet voice calms me, and my hand itches to draw her. Again. By now, I’ve worn out numerous pencils and filled copious notebooks of her—clothed and nude.

  But it’s never enough. Never will be because I adore my Abby-mine.

  She’s my heart. My life.

  EPILOGUE TWO

  ABIGAIL

  TEN YEARS LATER

  Screaming children clamber around the backyard while the men tend to the grill. Ella, Saoirse, and I are enjoying our minor break from the chaos by sipping ice cold margaritas by the pool at Ella and Gavin’s house.

  “Can you believe this is our life? Adorable kids, though they can be little gremlins and hot fucking husbands. Like damn. The Tees & Jeans Club did good.” Saoirse raises her glass in salute. And I couldn’t agree more.

  At times, the road was bumpy, but we all made it—intact and in love.

  “We sure did.” Ella shields her eyes as she watches Gavin flip a couple of burger patties. “And we didn’t have to change who we were to accomplish it. Our promise from all those years ago remains true.”

  “Well, we changed a little,” I amend, thinking back to when the idea of a man touching me sent anxiety raging through my body. So glad I got past that. My hungry eyes travel over Finn—shirtless and in swim shorts, all of his tattoos on display.

  “But that was naturally evolving as we grew up. We never compromised our values, though.”

  “True.” Even though I came close when I dated Michael, I can’t regret that decision too much since it led me to my husband. Otherwise, I’m not sure Finn and I ever would have met, and that would have been devastating.

  He’s the kind of man I always wished for and read about but never really expected to find in real life. But he proved me wrong and exceeded those expectations. Passionate and protective, I’ve never had a moment’s doubt about his love for me.

  As if aware we’re talking about them, all three guys glance over at us before Finn walks over with a bottle of water. “Remember to drink this, baby. The way you’re downing the tequila, I don’t want you to get a headache.”

  “I’ll be fine, but thank you.” Sitting up from the lounge chair, I tilt my head to receive a quick kiss from him. Yum.

  “You guys are too cute even if you make the oddest looking couple.”

  I laugh because it’s true. Everyone always stares at the tatted hulk beside me in my cardigans and glasses. But who cares?

  Opposites attract, right?

  And we form one combustible combination of love and desire that I wouldn’t trade for anything in the world.

 

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