Page 52 of Submit

Another two minutes go by before I’m no longer willing to tolerate his hands everywhere but my skin and I stand up. “I’m good, Cas. Everything’s good.” When he continues pulling and poking at my clothes and accessories, I grip his face between my hands. “We’re wasting precious time.”

He pauses for a beat letting his eyes scan my face like he’s making sure I’m actually okay before he’s undoing my Velcro, buttons, and zippers and rips my shirt over my head. His face grows dark with anger when he sees I have a sports bra on - another gift from Bea since Casper tore my other one to shreds.

“Get it off.Now,”he growls.

Only too happy to oblige, I toss it on the floor as he sinks to his knees, pulling my pants and boots off one foot and then the other. The sight of Casper on his knees in front of me almost undoes me right then and there and I have to place a hand on his shoulder to steady myself.

With my pants off, he rises, leans forward and grabs the back of my thighs, hoisting me to his waist like I weigh less than his kite board. I put my elbows over his shoulders and curl my wrists so I can push my fingers through his hair. His face is level with my chest and I arch my back and thrust my hips into him violently when I feel him trail his tongue from my collarbone upward.

He gently throws me on the bed when we reach the room at the end of the hall and I’m clawing at him like a bird of prey, needing him inside me. “Cas…” It’s all I can get out to convey my need. When he starts walking away from the bed, I briefly think he’s going to leave me like this and tell me to get some rest. If he does, there will be no need for us to discuss the plan for tomorrow because I’ll kill him myself…right fucking now. “Casper, I have a loaded firearmanda knife --”

In less than a second, he’s in my face, pinning my hands over my head on the mattress before I have time to process how fast he moves. “And what would you like to do with them, Princess?” he whispers in my ear.

“Target practice,” I grit out, bucking against him to get any friction I can. Frustratingly, he’s still in control. He laughs at my words and I come unhinged needing this man more than air itself right now. The only part of him I can reach from here is his shoulder so I bite him hard through his shirt and smile when he lets out a hiss.

“I should have known you’d like it rough.” All of the hesitancy, tenderness, and softness have gone from his eyes. In this moment, I see every ounce of the hunter and killer he can be with his passion on full display and I pray I’m never on the receiving end of his fury.

“From you? I’ll take it any way I can get it. For God’s sake, fuck me before I lose my mind.” I’m begging again, harder than ever, and I don’t care at all. In fact, I have a whole new respect for begging.

I’m in nothing but a blue cotton thong which I guess he figured a GPS locatorwasn’tin since they’re still intact. He finally climbs on the bed the rest of the way and straddles me. Sitting back on his heels he pulls his shirt off revealing the tight, toned core everyone admires.

Damn he’s a work of art.

His silver chain is visible and I can finally see the pendant on the end. A silver “A” with a small gem the color of November’s birthstone sits against his heart and I feel my own swell for the man above me.

I trail my fingertips over the ridges of his abs before continuing my assault down toward the buttons on his pants when he stills my fingers. “Casper, I swear to God…”

“Considering the fact that we both might see Him sooner than we think, I’m not going to rush this. It’s been eighteen years for me. You think this is going to last long if we get right to the main show?”

I’m in full terrorist negotiation mode now.

“What if we get off once really fast and then take our time exploring while the second one builds back up?” Sounds completely logical to me until his words steal the air from my lungs.

“Because I can guarantee that I won’t need a build up for the second one. Once I come, I’m chasing the next one immediately. I’ll have you exhausted and spent way before I’m done with you.” His hands are trailing down my body as he talks causing me to writhe under his touch. “Right now, I need to make a phone call. Go take a shower, have a drink, and when I get back, I’m going to release eighteen years-worth of celibacy into your pretty little pussy.”

A shudder jolts through me and I have to actually pause and wonder if I just came from hearing the wordpussycome out of Casper’s mouth. Once I deduce that it was close but didn’t actually happen, I sit up on my elbows. “A phone call? Right now? It can’t wait twenty minutes?” I ask incredulously.

A deliciously wicked grin spreads across his mouth. “A. It’s cute that you think this will be over in twenty minutes and B. the phone call is part of the plan and no, it can’t wait.”

That reminds me. “Aren’t you supposed to be telling me about said plan?”

“I will…when we’re done.” He pushes me back down flat and walks his knees backward on the bed so he can lean down and press his hot mouth to the center of my cotton thong. My eyes roll back in my head while I thread my fingers in his hair and tug lightly. I feel every vibration of his resulting groan. He licks his way up my stomach and flicks his tongue over my left nipple while pinching the right one between his thumb and index finger. My head rolls back on the pillow caught in a state somewhere between ecstasy and agony. “Libby, look at me. Donotget yourself off in the shower. Everything you have belongs to me today.”

I nod and he climbs off the bed.

“I’ll see you in a few.”

There’s an edge to his voice that I don’t like. I figure he’s going to call Will or maybe more guards? I really have no idea so instead of trying to figure it out, I do as he says and I pad into the bathroom.

The hot water, the touch of the wash cloth, the soapy bubbles, everything feels overwhelming on my sensitive skin. Showering helps me relax a small amount so I’m grateful for that. Once it’s over, I don’t bother getting dressed before I make my way the kitchen wearing just a thin white towel, in search of a glass and something strong.

I hear Casper’s voice and I’m not even sure he’s speaking English. I strain to catch some of the words but he’s speaking too quickly and his voice is too muffled through the door.

He’s on the patio so I walk to the window and hold up the bottle of tequila silently asking if he wants a glass too.

He nods.

Thirty minutes later, I’m still standing in the kitchen when he comes in off the porch, types something in his phone and slips it into his pocket.

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