Forever Wicked

Chapter Four

The door shut behind Jason, enclosing Gia in his bedroom by herself. His words hung in the silent room and reverberated through her body. His sudden absence made her feel ridiculously alone, but having him gone didn’t stop her body from throbbing for what only he could give her. With her breasts bare and her pussy exposed, she couldn’t not be aware of her naked vulnerability. Nor could she seem to pry her heart from her throat.

What the hell was going on?

As a police officer, the idea of being restrained in a man’s bedroom somewhat against her will should bother her. But Jason had relegated her to a desk because he didn’t want her hurt or killed hunting down Tony’s killer. Her husband would never physically harm her. On the other hand, he would very likely make her heart bleed—as if she hadn’t already been suffering since their separation.

If he hadn’t aroused her just now with the purpose of wringing every bit of his money’s worth from her body, then why had he touched her? To prove he could rev up her libido? Or something entirely different? Everything about his behavior in the last twenty-four hours confused her. She’d assumed that he wanted a divorce and that he sought to make her pay with her body before he paid in cash. Now…she wasn’t sure. If he’d brought her here merely to use her before he began legally shedding her, why would he insist he’d been faithful? Or speak her married name so emphatically, like he meant to underscore the fact that, at least on paper, she was still his wife.

Once, she’d believed that he loved her. He’d never said the words, but what he lacked in verbal affection he’d more than made up for in a hundred other ways, like his romantic, over-the-top proposal. Like remembering that she loved stargazer lilies and having huge bouquets stuffed with them at their last-minute wedding.

Like having chocolate mousse for her tonight?

Gia closed her eyes. Why couldn’t everything be different? The night she and Jason had married, she’d been on top of the world. He’d been the most dashing groom. Somehow, in less than twenty-four hours, he’d seen to every detail of their elegant ceremony. He’d even had a selection of insanely beautiful wedding dresses delivered to her door so she could pick one and have it hemmed or tucked as needed.

That night, she’d been Cinderella at the ball, swept into his glittering world for an enchanted evening, fooling herself into imagining that she belonged beside him. Her phone ringing with the news of Tony’s murder had been her clock striking midnight. Reality had ripped her from fantasy. Suddenly, she’d realized that her brother was gone forever, her parents didn’t know she had a husband, and she had a mountain of responsibilities that weren’t going to go away simply because she’d been foolish enough to marry a man she couldn’t keep.

When she’d forced herself to let go of Jason mentally, Gia had been sure he would forget her within a month or two. Six at most. But nearly a year later, he seemed resistant to the idea of releasing her for good.

Was it possible he still cared?

Gia glanced at the clock. He’d only been gone ten minutes. Somehow, it felt like a week. But that wasn’t new. For unending months after their marriage, being away from Jason hadn’t been a mere ache, but a plague—a ceaseless yearning that had hounded her days and haunted her nights. After just a little taste of him tonight, the need thrumming inside her, demanding to be close to him was twenty times worse.

What was she going to do about their marriage? As much as she still had feelings for him, she didn’t see how she could toss aside her common sense again. But even if the two of them living happily ever after was a fantasy, the thought of letting him go again made her heart constrict.

The door opened, abruptly ending her thoughts. Automatically, she curled her legs up to her chest to hide as much of her nudity as possible.

Jason quirked a brow. “Lower them.”

He stood stock-still until she complied, flattening them on the bed once more and revealing her breasts.

“Spread them,” he demanded.

She dug deep to tamp down anger—and the even more insidious arousal. No way could she let him know. Already, she’d begged him. Stupid move. Jason had so much command over her. Tipping her hand and revealing how much she wanted her husband would only give him more.

Still, she couldn’t stop her trembling as she parted her thighs. His stare immediately dropped to her sex, and his eyes gleamed with satisfaction. She stung with both desire and shame.

“Excellent. More mousse?” he asked, sauntering to the nightstand and taking the crystal dish in hand.

The chocolate was scrumptious. Since Jason could usually take or leave anything sugary, she suspected he’d had someone whip up the dessert for her. The surprising gesture was sweet—a word few associated with him. But Gia had seen that side of him before and knew it existed. Yes, he’d been an ass tonight, but she had expected as much. He was angry and hurt, and she bore most of the guilt for their faltering marriage. Throwing his thoughtfulness in his face now would only be juvenile.

“Yes, please.”

He relaxed, as if pleasantly surprised that she hadn’t rebuffed him. Then again, after months of rejection, why should he have expected anything else from her? Guilt gnawed at Gia again.

“Open up.” Jason sat on the edge of the bed and spooned up some of the mousse, then brought the heaping chocolate toward her mouth.

Willingly, she opened for him, cradling all the goodness on her tongue while he fed her. The independent woman in her probably shouldn’t like this, but why lie? Sometimes, he could be so attentive, even tender, that she simply melted.

In silence, he lifted one bite after the other onto her tongue until she’d swallowed the last of it. Gia couldn’t contain the happy little sigh that escaped her throat. “Thank you. That was incredible.”

Jason brushed a piece of hair away from her face. “You’re welcome. How are your hands and wrists?”

Though she was still cuffed, everything was surprisingly comfortable. “I’m all right, except I don’t know why you left the room with me restrained. I wasn’t going anywhere.”

“You weren’t,” he confirmed. “But that orgasm you pleaded for earlier is mine. I’ve waited nearly a year for it. I wasn’t going to let you take it from me by your own hand.”

“I wouldn’t have.”

He shrugged. “I wasn’t taking chances. Are you still hungry?”

“Tonight’s dinner was more than I usually eat in three days. I’m stuffed.”

His lips tightened. “You’ve lost weight.”

“I can’t eat when I’m stressed.”

Jason didn’t comment directly, he just reached over to uncuff her wrist on the far side of the bed. His chest hovered near hers, their faces inches apart. Gia couldn’t deny how much she craved his kiss again.

Instead, he stared, silent and inscrutable, as if trying to see down to her soul. His sharp blue eyes enthralled her. Stubble covered his strong jaw. His broad shoulders eclipsed so much of the room beyond. God knew he was good in bed. Maybe she could resist if she didn’t love him.

Finally, he popped a latch, and her left cuff sprang free. Jason eased back and released the other, then began massaging her shoulders. “Do they ache?”

Gia wasn’t dumb enough to lie. Besides, she deeply suspected that her wrists would be in those same cuffs again in the very near future.

“A bit.”

“Come with me.” He peeled off her shoes and helped her to her feet.

Swallowing down her questions, she trailed him to the massive bathroom as he began running the tub. As the water turned warm, he eased the stopper down and added a bit of some exotic bath oil with a hint of coconut and musk before turning to her.

At the gravity of his stare, she swallowed. With fingertips skimming her shoulders, he slid the baby-doll nightie down her arms and off her body. When she stood bare before him, raw lust seared his face. That expression said he wanted to lower her to the floor and fuck her right that second. Gia wanted to let him.

He held out his hand, looking her up and down. “Get in.”

It didn’t once occur to Gia not to comply. She closed her eyes in delight as the warm water enveloped her feet and lapped at her ankles.

Since she’d moved in with Mila and the kids, the little house’s only bathtub was on the other side of the place, and Gia hated to intrude in the children’s space. She’d missed the luxury of being immersed in warm, fragrant water.

“Sit back.” Jason helped ease her down into the water.

Though she usually liked to wait until the tub filled to avoid the cold surface against her skin, she didn’t argue. But when she lay back, Gia was shocked to realize the entire surface of the tub was comfortably warm.

“The back is heated?”

He smiled faintly. “Yes. It’s also an air tub with colored LED lighting. The towels are heating now. So is the floor.”

Wow. She never even stopped to consider such luxuries. Money had always been tight in her family. Now it was a downright issue. She’d better enjoy all this pampering while she could, but it was far more special because Jason shared the luxury with her. In her stupid heart, he did it because, despite his anger, he still wanted to take care of her.

“Thank you.” She settled back again and closed her eyes.

“You’re welcome,” he murmured.

He ran his fingers through her hair. Another touch she’d always loved. And he remembered. Gia moaned as he gently rubbed at her scalp, brushed his hands over her temples, applied the perfect pressure to the back of her stiff neck. He touched her as if they didn’t have a care between them. It would be so sinfully easy to slip again into the fantasy of being Jason’s fairy-tale soul mate.

Once upon a time, she’d fallen hard for him. It had nothing to do with his money and everything to do with the very personal way he cared for her. Insistent, yes. Hands on, definitely. But she’d never felt more adored in her life than she did with Jason.

“Relax,” he whispered.

Her eyes slid shut. “You’re making it impossible to do anything else.”

“Excellent.” He gathered her hair in his hands and clipped it atop her head.

Then she smelled something new, a blend of lavender, rosemary, chamomile, and a few other scents she couldn’t identify. Suddenly, his big hands covered her shoulders and began kneading, working the oil down her arms, then back up to her neck. She gave a low groan and melted against him.

“Jason,” she whispered.

He bent and brushed his lips against her ear. “You like that.”

“Hmm…” she breathed. “Yes.”

When Gia had first arrived, she’d been sure that he would immediately force her into bed. Not physically. After all, she’d agreed to give him her body at any time in any way he wanted until their anniversary. But instead of ordering her surrender, he seemed intent on coaxing it from her. And he was doing a damn fine job.

“Still sore?” He massaged the tense muscles and tendons of her shoulders and arms, dissolving her accumulated stress with every gentle dig of his fingers.

“No.”

“Good.”

Jason dipped his hands in her bath water, rinsing them. Then he caressed his way up her hips, her waist. Gia’s breath caught and held as his fingertips traced a path over her damp skin until he cradled her breasts in his hands.

“These are perfect,” he murmured, thumbing his way toward her nipples.

They beaded in anticipation of his touch, tightening, lengthening. He captured them in his grip. She eased her head back against the rim of the tub and drew in a shaking breath before exhaling in an aroused rush. Why did he always turn her inside out?

He slid his cheek against hers, the stubble prickly soft. The slight abrasion of his skin added another layer of texture to his possession. His woodsy-musky scent surrounded her and reminded her of the hundreds of times he’d driven her to ecstasy with seeming ease. Now she was on his turf, playing by his terms…and heading for his bed again. For a blissful moment, she didn’t regret it.

The last eleven and a half months had been so devastating, so stressful and terrible. Temporarily dropping all the crushing responsibilities for finding Tony’s killer while juggling her small niece and nephew was such a wonderful, guilty relief. Giving Jason anything but her body wasn’t smart, but Gia didn’t think she could hide the fact that she still cared.

When Jason released her nipples then clamped down on them again, she arched into his hands, reveling in the way he cradled her in his grip. Pleasure clouded her thoughts, as if she’d consumed a whole bottle of wine. Tomorrow she would care that she’d given in too easily. Tomorrow she might even resent him for being so able to unravel her restraint.

Tonight, she just didn’t care.

He buried his nose in her neck and inhaled. “God, I’ve missed your smell. For a month after we left Vegas, I sniffed the nightgown you wore on our wedding night. It made me hard and hungry to fuck you every damn time. Just like I am right now.”

“You’re trying to seduce me.” She couldn’t seem to make her voice sound accusing.

“I don’t have any plans to stop at trying. You’re my wife, at least until the twenty-fourth. That’s how I intend to treat you. I’m going to strip you, bind you, penetrate and possess you every chance I get.”

She didn’t doubt him. Jason might be motivated by revenge or a need to work through whatever residual emotions he had, and he might want to be indifferent to her in every way except sexually, but she sensed he wasn’t.

“Stand.” He grabbed a towel from the nearby rack.

As she complied with a shiver, he wrapped the warm terrycloth around her, tucking it between her breasts. Dizzy and off balance, Gia swayed closer. Her chest met his. As Jason wrapped his arms around her, she grasped his shoulders and eased her head back. She couldn’t help but stare into his eyes. They didn’t look crystal cold now, but a hot, dark blue. His jaw clenched. His nostrils flared. Desire tightened his face.

It might be the stupidest thing she’d ever done, but Gia lifted her face, stood on her tiptoes, and brought her mouth toward his. Jason met her halfway, his lips crashing over hers.

He held her tight and sank deep, as if he could inhale her all at once. The inexplicable need to be close to him, along with a sense of rightness, stunned her.

Gia opened herself to him and took the aggression of his kiss. It had been such a long time, and she wanted him, craved the sense of safety and care he inevitably gave her. She’d done far too much damage to their relationship to expect much more than lust in return, and she should probably use this time to work Jason from her system, in case he was doing the same. Problem was, she didn’t want that at all.

The last year had proven that she didn’t always get what she wanted.

Shoving the confusing tangle of her thoughts aside, Gia drowned in his scent, his taste. He made her body ache—and her heart yearn. Lost in him, she gave herself over.

Suddenly, Jason tore away, drew in a breath, repositioned to get deeper, fisted her towel, and devoured her once again. Gia couldn’t stop herself. Desperate for more, she stumbled over the rim of the tub and pressed her body to his.

Her husband lurched back against the bathroom counter, and she finally felt every inch of his hardness—chest, abs, thighs, as well as that cock she remembered filling her so perfectly. Gia whimpered as she curled her tongue around his, begging because she couldn’t bother to part from him long enough to speak the words.

With a growl, Jason yanked back, panting. He scanned her expression for a long second with a curse before he lifted her and turned, plopping her on the counter. He ripped the corner of the towel from between her breasts. The terrycloth fell away, exposing her entirely. He remained fully clothed, and she felt so vulnerable under his hot stare. Determination stamped itself all over his face. He meant to have her now.

Gia’s nipples peaked. Her stomach knotted with excitement as her blood fired hot and her pussy clenched. If he walked away from her again, she swore she’d shrivel up or go insane, so she did the one thing she knew would inflame him.

She lowered her gaze, noticing the big bulge beneath his fly, and spread her legs for him. “Take me.”

Jason clenched his teeth. It would be so easy to do that.

But instinct told him that he had to decide whether he merely wanted his pound of flesh…or to keep his wife by his side forever.

If he let Gia into his life again, he would have to remove feeling from their arrangement or risk her hurting him once more. But if he took her to bed now only to watch her slip through his fingers again later, then what?

At the thought, Jason was torn between leaving the room once more until he could be rational or fucking her absolutely senseless.

“Damn it,” he muttered.

How had she crawled under his skin again so quickly? Or had he ever truly stopped caring? Jason knew the answer. It wasn’t a comfort.

So he had to find some way to induce her to stay, figure out what she wanted and give it to her, no matter the cost.

His entire life, he had wondered why his father had been stupid enough to marry Samantha, knowing she cared about his money far more than him. Sadly, Jason understood now.

“Spell it out for me,” he insisted, clasping her face in his hands and spearing her gaze with his own. “Who am I and what do you want from me? Exactly. I won’t have any more miscommunication between us.”

“I want you inside me, Mr. Denning.” Gia’s voice trembled.

She gave a shit about what happened here. If nothing but nerves caused her shaky tones, she wouldn’t have sounded so damn steady when they’d argued earlier.

“We’re not sceneing right now. Try again.”

“J-Jason…”

He shook his head. “Who am I to you? Just some guy you want to fuck?”

She recoiled, shock raising her brows and dropping her jaw. “No. We might not have had an ideal first year or even a honeymoon, but legally we’re still married.”

“But I’ve never had the chance to truly be your husband, so where does that leave us?”

Gia tried to back away. “I thought you wanted sex.”

Jason held firm. “I didn’t ask what you thought I wanted. You’re avoiding my question.”

Her expression looked a bit guilty. “You’re my husband.”

“That’s right. And…?”

The way Gia squirmed in his grasp told him that she wasn’t ready to admit any feelings she might be having for him. Oh, she was willing to cede her body. Jason meant to use it to bind her to him. Once he’d managed that, he would work like hell to capture at least a corner of her heart. If that didn’t work…well, he had more money.

“Spit it out. What do you want from me? Does tonight mean anything or do you just have a fire that needs putting out?”

“No,” she insisted. “Why are you making everything between us sound so ugly?”

“I’m simply making sure I understand what you’re begging for.”

Her lips tightened. She leaned back against the mirror with a huff and grabbed for her towel to gather it around her body. He slammed his hands down on either side of her hips, pinning the terrycloth to the counter.

“Let me have it,” she insisted.

“Answer me.”

She gave him a little growl. “You’re the one who demanded we spend this time together. What do you want?”

“For you to stop hiding from me and be honest.”

Gia crossed her arms over her naked breasts. “What do you want me to say? I’ve never stopped wanting you. Fine. There’s the truth, but I like you much better when you’re nice.”

“Nice?” Jason turned her words over in his head. “What the hell does that mean?”

“You know, like when you helped me into the bath and rubbed my shoulders, unlike when you accused me of being horny or desperate for just any man.”

“Did you like it when I kissed you and shoved my fingers up your cunt?”

A little flush dashed up her cheeks. “You know I did.”

Her admission wasn’t loud, but he heard it. And he understood. Gia opened to him every time he treated her like a treasured lover. Was there any chance she actually still cared?

The thought revved him far more than it should.

“Put your arms around me.”

It took her a long moment to release the grip on her biceps. Finally, she did and scooted closer, raising her arms to him slowly until she clasped them behind his neck.

“Good.”

Her body heat rose and her scent swirled all around him. Hell, just having her here made him rabid with the need to claim her now. He should probably stop, get control of himself and the situation, regroup and plan. All he really wanted to do was consume her in a blistering conflagration so she never considered leaving him again.

Jason covered her lips with his own once more. He gave up anything that resembled careful consideration and seized her mouth with a scorching kiss, stroking deep, feeling her lips mold to his kiss. Gia’s breath caught, and she grabbed at his hair. Desire pinged from her body to his and back, revving with enough charge to power Dallas on a sweltering day.

Gathering her thighs in his desperate grip, he pulled them wide and dragged her closer until his aching fly rested against her pussy. Jason cursed the zipper separating them. Why the hell hadn’t he taken his clothes off, too?

Dragging in a determined huff, he broke away and pulled at his shirt, not really caring how he got the damn thing off. As he tugged, some of the buttons pinged onto the floor, but BFD. Claiming his wife again was far more important.

His jeans fell victim next to his blazing need to be inside Gia. He ripped at the snap and yanked down the zipper, then shoved them off until he, too, stood naked and needy.

Some part of him really hated wanting her so much. That voice screeching in his head sounded like his father—calculating and remote. But he wondered how he’d last another hour without her, much less the rest of his life. Jason had never been good at forming attachments, but with Gia it had just…happened.

Fuck, these feelings were so foreign. Even if they gave her too much power, he wanted to be inside her in the next sixty seconds or less.

Jason reached into the bathroom cabinet and grabbed a condom. “Tell me again you want this.”

Gia nodded. “I do.”

“Tell me you want me.”

Her gaze clung to him as her face softened. “I haven’t wanted anyone else since I met you.”

At her trembling admission, his cock ached even more. If he hadn’t had the same experience, he probably would have bowed to his inner cynic and assumed she was lying. But he knew firsthand how true those words could be.

“No regrets afterward,” he warned.

Hesitation flitted across her expression. It bothered Jason. Worried him, even.

Finally, she shook her head. “No. I’m not going to feel whole until I’m with you again, at least this once.”

Once, my ass. After he took her, there’d be no letting her go again. But no way was he going to argue when he could be immersing himself inside the slickest, hottest heaven he’d ever lost himself in.

“I won’t hold back.” He tore into the foil and rolled the condom down his aching cock.

“I wouldn’t want you to.”

And I won’t let go. For better or worse…until death do us part.

The silent vow made, Jason swiped a pair of fingers through Gia’s folds. She moaned, and her wet heat put all his worries to rest. His wife was every bit as ready as he felt, and later he would touch her at will, delight in seeing her flush and pant and whimper for the orgasms he vowed to give her. He’d also take her properly in the bed he intended to share with her for the rest of their lives. Right now, he needed to make her his again.

Jason clasped her thighs and dragged her ass to the very edge of the counter. He was damn thankful that he was tall and had long legs. And then he didn’t think anything at all as he wrapped his hand around his cock and guided it to her swollen, weeping cunt.

As soon as he buried the head inside Gia’s sweltering opening, he clutched her hips, fused his stare to hers, and began to tunnel inside. She gripped him like hot silk and made his eyes cross as pleasure instantly blazed through his body.

As he pushed deeper, she tensed and gasped. Jason gritted his teeth. It had been nearly a year for both of them. Of course she was tight. He fought the urge to shove his way balls deep and pound at her pussy. Damn it, he didn’t want to be wearing this condom. Taking her bare and feeling her walls clench down on him in climax before he spilled his seed deep inside her, hoping she would swell with their child…

Hell, he had to stop thinking that before he lost all self-control. He’d waited way too long to be inside Gia again to rush this.

Slow strokes, easy pumps back and forth. She gripped his shoulders, her eyes widening with every inch he managed to work inside her.

“Gia.” His voice sounded like he’d honed it with sandpaper. “Take all of me.”

Fighting to get inside her, the friction of her tight flesh all over his... Fuck, it was unraveling him.

“I’m trying.” She nearly cried the words.

“Deep breath. In…yes. Now let it out.” Amazingly, she relaxed around him, and he sank a little farther, over halfway in.

“Jason,” she keened.

He grabbed her hips tighter, his fingers biting. “I know,” he panted. “Another deep breath. We’re so good together. Once you let me in, I’m going to fuck you deep and make you feel so good. Just let me…yeah. Like that,” he groaned as he slid completely inside her. “Oh, baby.”

Gia grabbed his shoulders and mewled, moving in perfect rhythm underneath him.

“You feel so damn good. I couldn’t think about anything all day but you.” He caressed her lush ass and withdrew in a torturously slow stroke.

“I imagined this,” she moaned. “I fantasized about us.”

Her pleading expression fueled his urge to thrust deep once more. His need to spur her climax drove him to action. Once he finished, he intended to do it again and again until they were sated and spent and smiling.

Determined, he shoved deep inside her once more. This time, submerging was as easy as diving into a warm pool of water.

“Please.” Her nails bit into him. “It feels so...”

“Perfect. Yeah.” He thrust a fist in Gia’s silky dark hair and fastened his mouth to hers, drinking her in and filling her every way he could.

Her whimper made him harder. His balls tightened and his heart twisted. He did his level best to undo her one relentless thrust at a time. Her spice filled his nostrils. She made love the way she lived life, with caring and honesty—throwing her whole self into it. Her pussy clung to him, as if she couldn’t bear for him to leave her for even a moment. The sensations had him flirting with orgasm. And with every thrust, he only craved her more.

Gia tore her lips from his with a gasp. “Faster. Harder!”

Normally, he didn’t take orders well from anyone, especially a submissive. But tonight, he couldn’t disagree. “Hold on.”

Jason slammed back inside her, deeper than he could ever remember being. His cock prodded her cervix. Her nails clawed his back. She cried out in pleasure. He set up a merciless rhythm, chasing their pleasure until his heart pounded in his ears and his legs trembled. Fuck, he wasn’t going to last, and he had to make sure that she didn’t either.

Jason slid his hand between them, fingertips circling her clit. Gia tightened and clawed at him, her cunt clamping down. She blinked up and held her breath, silently begging, every muscle braced in anticipation. Then she wailed out her climax. The sound bounced off the tile walls and floors, ringing in his ears. He wanted more of that.

“Come for me, baby. Yes…” he groaned as she sucked him deeper. “So. Fucking. Good.”

As her peak stretched on, unrestrained and beautiful, his spine tingled, his balls tightened. Jason’s self-control broke.

He wanted to be the man who gave her more pleasure than she’d ever known, the person she turned to when she needed someone to laugh with, someone’s hand to hold, someone to share her tears. Whatever it took, whatever energy he had to expend or money he had to burn, he would be that man for her.

With a last long stroke, Jason centered his world entirely on Gia and let go. Her scent filled him. Her flesh surrounded him. His heart beat with hers as he shouted her name in a hoarse groan and gave her everything.