Page 22 of Marked By Blaze

“Eight minutes.”

She rolls her eyes at me before her hands drop to hem of my shirt. She pulls it up my body, gently urging me to raise my arms and let her slide it off my shoulders. Ingrid sucks in a sharp breath as her eyes skim over my tattooed chest. When I’m not out in the field taking care of business, I work out, mostly training with the guys, and watching her eyes flash with desire makes it all worth it.

“Like what you see?”

The flush on her cheeks deepens, but she shamelessly brings her hands to my chest, running those delicate fingers over my tattooed skin with awe in her eyes. “Your tattoos…they’re beautiful. And your chest, it's so firm...and hard.”

“It's not the only thing that's hard.”

She smiles, biting into her lip to try to hide her reaction. Her eyes shift to the top of my shoulder where one of those Viper fuckers got lucky with a swipe of his pocketknife before I disarmed him and showed him the error of his ways. “There's a bit of bleeding,” she whispers, running a feathery touch over the wound. “It doesn’t look deep enough to need stitches though. But eight minutes is not enough time to properly clean and bandage it.”

“Six minutes.”

“You can’t be serious. I need more time than that.”

“Time you are wasting by trying to negotiate with me.”

“Fine,” she says with an eye roll, but I spot a smile forming before her attention turns back to my shoulder. “Does it hurt?”

“I've had worse,” I say without thinking, cursing internally when his eyes widen in horror. “I meant to say it's fine. It doesn't hurt at all.”

Hell, the hits I took from Axel in the ring hurt worse than this. He packs as hell of a punch. It’s true that I’ve had worse and could have easily ignored this as well, but I’ve never had anyone want to take care of me—worry about me in this way. Like most of my Steel Rebel brothers, I was brought up in a crime ridden neighborhood without any family that gave a damn and made some shit decisions before finding a family that suited me. Despite the club being that family, barely anyone would bat an eye at a wound like this. Most of us nursed worse injuries than this on our own before we were old enough to even know that wasn’t normal for most kids.

But I don’t worry her with any of this. It’s clear she doesn’t believe me when I tell her that the wound doesn’t hurt but decides not to push the issue. “Okay, wait here while I get some antibacterial cream. It should help prevent an infection.”

Ingrid pushes back and heads to the bathroom. My eyes drop to that perfect ass, and I want to tear away those panties and touch her in all ways I've dreamed up in the time we were apart. I get up and follow her. The bathroom is softly lit, and the warm glow highlights her features, making her look ethereal.

I watch her as she searches through the cabinet, and when she finds the antibacterial cream, she turns to me with a gentle smile, one that robs me of my breath. “Found it. You didn't have to follow me in here.”

“Oh, but I did.” My eyes trail her naked thighs and up to the nipples pushing against the soft material of her bra then to her blushing face.

“Stop, I still have a couple of minutes left,” she argues, grabbing my arm and nudging me down on the toilet seat. “It might sting a bit,” she warns as she applies the cream, her fingers cool against my heated skin. “Did this happen when Saint sent you out?”

I smirk. “How do you know I went out? Did you ask around for me?”

She ducks her head, avoiding my gaze. “Jade did; she was hoping... I was hoping you'd be around to give me a ride home.”

“Is that so?” I ask, pleased by her words. I wrap an arm around her and pull her closer to me. There are barely any clothes separating us, only little articles of clothing blocking me from claiming her virginity and finally making her mine. I’ve waited an entire week, panting after her like a lost puppy. What’s three more minutes? “Were you disappointed that I wasn't there to give you a ride home?”

She's quiet for a while, running her feathery touch over my skin. “I thought you were done,” she whispers, her touch moving to my back, getting firmer as she kneads my muscles, and goddamn, it feels amazing. “I can be…difficult to like. After that night at the cookout... Most guys wouldn't stick around waiting on someone who freaks out and runs off—”

“Your time is up,” I growl, lifting her with a single arm. She shrieks, dropping the cream as I carry her back to the bedroom. “I'm about to show you that I'm not most men. There is no amount of running or hiding that'll keep me away.” She gasps when I toss her on the bed. “Now, if you truly want this, strip for me.”

Her eyes flare with need, and she doesn’t protest my words as she gets up on her knees and tugs down her bra straps. There is a visible tremble in her fingers as she reaches behind herselfand unhooks the snap of her bra before taking it off to reveal her sexy tits, pale with pink nipples that pebble under my lustful gaze. Her panties go next, and I watch with bated breath as she peels them down her thighs. The flush on her face deepens as she drops the pair next to her bra, leaving her completely nude for my hungry gaze.

I take a mental picture of her, and it’s a wonder I am still standing and not on my knees from just how weak she leaves me.

“Y-your turn,” she breathes. “I…I want to see all of you too.”

I unbuckle my belt, then yank hard at the button and zipper of my jeans. Those beautiful eyes stay on mine as I shove down my jeans along with my boxer briefs, sending my hard veiny cock bobbing out, the crown red and angry. She glances down at my erection, sucking in a sharp breath at the size.

Her eyelids flutter with more than just nerves as I climb on bed and move toward her. “See how fucking hard I am for you, angel?” I rasp, running a hand along the curves of her hips and urging her on her back. “This is what you do to me, Ingrid.”

“It’s… Is it supposed to be that big?” she asks, glancing down at my cock, thick and heavy against her thigh. There is a strong, animalistic urge to slam into her and take that precious little gift she’s kept for me, but I push it down. I have never been with a virgin before, and the last thing I want is to hurt the woman I love. Later, when the size of my dick doesn’t scare her, I will give into my baser needs.

But for now, I’ll be gentle. Even if it kills me, at least I’ll die a happy man.

“I’ll take care of you,” I say, running a hand up her thighs and cupping her tit, grinning when she arches into my touch. I strum her sensitive nipple with my thumb, and her mouth opensin a silent moan. “You’ll be wet and begging for my cock when I finally fuck you.”

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