Page 77 of Pretty Broken Promises

I laugh. “Shit man. I’m not going to have a big wedding. Tessa would be mortified having all those people watching her. We’ll probably just have one of the crew get ordained online and do it at Sin and Raven’s or do something morbid and go where I got blown off my ass and almost died.”

“I can’t tell if you’re joking or not anymore,” he says confused.

“Not joking. You should see my immunity deal. It’s not as big as Sin’s but still pretty impressive.”

“Maybe I should just go back to the hotel,” he mumbles just as Sin’s SUV comes around the corner.

“Too late now. It won’t be that bad. I’m pretty sure he won’t kill you. He hasn’t killed anyone in months,” I tease him. I mean, it’s true, but it’s not like Sin ever really wanted to kill anyone. Except maybe Damien, but Lucien was given that honor.

Tessa opens the door when Sin pulls to a stop in front of us. Seeing her beautiful face smiling at me eases the tension in my chest I didn’t even realize was there. It’s amazing how I’m able to keep discovering how much more deeply in love I’ve fallen for her. Now I’m at the point where knowing she’s far away from me fills me with dread.

When we pull into the driveway I all but forget about Kendall. The moment Sin puts the vehicle in park I throw the door open, jump out, and grab Tessa before she climbs out on her own. She squeals as I throw her over my shoulder. Before I run into the house with her I yell back to Sin, “Show Kendall around. We’re going to be busy for a while.”

He shouts back, “Make it a quickie. We’ve got something to talk to you about.”

I swat Tessa on the ass. “You heard the man. We’ve got to make this fast.”

“I don’t think you know how,” she says.

“I do love a challenge.”

My long legs bring us quickly to the room Tessa used when she stayed here. I kick the door closed and set her on her feet. Despite all the talk of hurrying, I don’t rush this. Kissing Tess is one of the greatest pleasures of my life. Then our tongues meet, and my hunger for her takes over.

We’ve always had to fight a battle to be together. From the beginning there’s been something trying to pull us apart. First, it was that I was from the wrong side of the tracks, then it was our parents getting married, and after that it was my pride. Now it’s my team trying to pull us apart. It’s exhausting, but my life has always been a struggle, and I can’t imagine anyone else I’d rather go to battle for.

We tear at each other’s clothes in a frenzy. Her hands pull up on the hem of my T-shirt. I stop kissing her long enough to pull my shirt off. “Yours too,” I rasp.

The bed is mere feet away, but that would require I stop touching her long enough to make it there. The dresser is much closer. There are a few decorations on top, but I sweep them off. They crash to the floor with a loud thump. I lift her up and set her down on the newly empty space. I yank on her jeans and throw them aside. I unbuckle mine and shove them down as far as I need to free my cock.

My hand slams against the wall above her head as I thrust deep inside her tight, wet cunt. “Fuck, Vixen,” I groan into her mouth.

“I need you, Ford.”

“You have me,” I tell her and start to pump my hips between her legs.

Her fingers slip into my hair and pull. The sting makes my balls pull up into my body, and I almost come, but I realize at the last second she’s trying to get my attention. I allow her to guide my head back to look at her.

“I mean, I need you. I hate you being gone every other weekend. If you go pro it will be much worse than this,” she says.

I kiss the corner of her mouth. “You probably don’t need to worry about that, because I’d have to actually play to have a shot at getting drafted.”

Her eyes flick down for a second, then slowly lift back up to mine. “Would you be okay if I traveled with you?”

“Even if we have to pay for it ourselves. I always want you with me,” I reassure her. “You aren’t worried that I’d cheat on you or something, are you? I would never. I have never.”

She shakes her head. “No. I trust you.” Tessa pauses and the significance of what she said, and the fact that we both know she means it, stretches between us. “I really do trust you.”

“Marry me,” I blurt out. This will not be the official story of our engagement, but this is us.

Tessa stares at me speechless for several seconds. I rock into her, finding that spot I know makes her eyes roll into the back of her head. I know her, body, mind, and soul. She’s my other half. “I can make you say yes,” I tease her.

Instead of answering me, she fuses our mouths back together. If I thought we moved with hunger before, we’re both ravenous now. When she finally says the word I need to hear it’s in loud chants. Her nails score down my back, and I follow her over that edge with a long satisfying groan.

With wobbly legs, I manage to lift her and guide us both to the bed, where we collapse in a sweaty tangle of limbs. Her long hair is curling in the front from sweat, and sticking to her skin. I brush it back so I can get an unobstructed look at her doe eyes.

“Will you marry me? I don’t want to live without you, and I’m fucking sick and tired of there always being someone who thinks they can come between us.”

Her lids lower for a moment, then slowly rise to mine again. “Is that the only reason?”

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