Page 29 of Bride of Choice

“What that? Rek hears tinsy, tinesy voices. What say? Thinks I hear? What that an ecched-o,” the idiot went on, pausing in his butt wiggle dance.

My hand lifted, smacking heavily over that thick rump I’d playfully bitten on more than one occasion. I’d plead the fifth, my boot had a mind of its own, I thought as I lifted it and shoved it into that wriggling booty. “You’re a boob-boobs. However your deranged ass meant that. You shut up.”

With a soft growl as he flew forward, caught himself, then spun around just in time to get a good look at my finger as my hand lifted to wave it at him, he caught the tip of my digit, nipped it, then kissed the spot before I could pull my hand back.

“You can’t… do that,” I mumbled stupidly as he reclaimed me, sweeping me off my feet, quite literally, yet again.

“Rek do whatever Rek want,” he countered. He had that smirky smile on his face I both loved and hated. He knew he was getting to me.

To quote my cousin, shittle sticks.

“Tell me something I don’t know,” I shot back.

“Rek loves him’s Jojo-mine.”

While we’d been bickering, my dedicated pain in the ass had taken a bit of a detour to Rosa’s place, toting me off towards a wooded area nearby. Bushes and trees, as far as the eye can see.

Did he just- He can’t- “Don’t say it if you don’t mean it. You shouldn’t flap crap out of your trap if it’s garbage. If you have to force it, it’s probably crap. You can’t just Band-Aid a boo-boo by saying you love me. It doesn’t work that way- Hey, are you even listening to me?” I replied slowly, absently, as I got a good look around. “Where the hell are we, muck mouth? Where did you-”

“My Jojo talks too much. Always talkies. Talk-talk-talk,” he mocked in a perfect imitation of my annoyed voice. Giving up trying to get me to comply, he adjusted his hold on me and would have continued on like that but I got loud. He’d put me the hell down or I’d be letting the world know where we’d toddled off to.

“Hey, screw you, butt turd!” I railed, glad of it when he dipped as if to set me on my feet.

It was not to be, and my hobbling, wobbly escape was thwarted.

“Mine,” he rumbled out, setting me on my feet to pick me right back up, using my surprise to deftly arrange us so he was between my legs, gripping my knees, hefting me up.

Snarling, in my face, he pressed my back into a tree until the bark bit at me, even through my snow jacket. “Loves you,” he bit out, baring his teeth at me, making sure I understood, crystal clear— he said it, he fucking meant it.

When I glared at him, just sat there all trussed up, nowhere to go, and gave him a death glare right back, his chest began to rumble with his discontent.

“S’posed say it back,” he rumbled out harshly.

Nipping at his nose, smirking when he jerked back, I snorted as I informed him, “You expect me to just give in, just like that?” My hand lifted and I snapped it in right in his smarmy face. “After all of your bull?! I don’t have to do shit!”

Wary of this being yet another attempt on his part to force me into doing what he wanted, some crazy scheme, a trick to get me to comply, I held firm.

“Rek pretties says it,” he huffed out finally. “My Jojo say she wants, but Rek knowed. Rek knowed.”

“You don’t know smack, Jack,” I quipped, turning my cheek as I crossed my arms. It was more of a protective gesture, hugging my middle for dear life, resisting the urge to give in. I adored him like this, all Let me fucking love you, bitch. It’s what I’ve wanted, been dying for the turdlet to admit, isn’t it?

And yet the self-consciousness bubbling up inside me only seemed to grow, the harder, harsher, he insisted he loved me. Didn’t I want him to mean it and hold firm, not toss it at me to get what he wants?

Did he mean it? Truly? I mean, I knew he did, but did he in the all the ways he should? Was I overanalyzing this? Beating that dead-

Warm fingers gripped my jaw, forcing me to meet that glowing green gaze.

“Jojo-mine. Only Rek’s,” he purred.

“Joanie is Joanie’s. Joanie will do as she pleases and Rek can go fu-”

His hand tightened. Leaning in, he nuzzled my face as he effectively muffled my curses. Those nuzzles soon turned to kisses and he began peppering them down the exposed side of my throat as his fingers digging into my throat loosened. A soft gasp escaped me as he hit just the right spot. “Mine,” he persisted, as I slowly melted, trembling in place, at his onslaught.

“I’ll never be your perfect female,” I reminded him, struggling not to fall under his spell. “Perish the thought, you big boob.”

A soft rumble found its way up his throat, vibrating his chest. Sharp teeth carefully nipped at my sensitive flesh, making me jump.

My hands had unfolded at some point from their crossed position, I couldn’t quite recall when, and were now gripping thick biceps tight.

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