Taken as His Wife Read online

  “You should get used to this, Mrs. Ramone,” he said.

  I smiled over my drink. “I’m trying. It all still feels too fairy-tale to believe.”

  “What’s not to believe?”

  He sunk back against his leather seat, studying me. For as princely as I thought him, Adam wove his business suit like armor. His stare wielded more power than any sword and shield. Sometimes I thought he’d fit the role of villain better. Not cruel, but ambitious and powerful. I couldn’t imagine Prince Charming proposing to his true love over a seven course dinner with an order—I want you to marry me. And no fairy tale ever ended with Charming spreading his princess’s legs and taking what was his by right. But nothing was denied to Adam. Nothing.

  He expected an answer. I flushed, looking away from his eyes before my heart thudded out of my chest and freefell out of the plane.

  “I can’t believe any of this.” I gestured to the first class cabin, the champagne in my hand, and the sparkling ring on my hand. “It feels like a fantasy.”

  “And if I said you were my fantasy?” Adam brushed his chilled glass against my arm. I shivered.

  “We probably shouldn’t talk about that here.”

  “Why?” Adam sipped his drink, ignoring the passing stewardess. “You are my wife. You belong to me now.”

  His voice edged hard. The same roughness that shadowed him last night. I knew I was now his wife, and that we’d be each other’s soul mates, but I never thought I’d become somebody’s possession. But that was exactly how Adam saw it. I was his. His bride. His woman. It stirred within me. My body responded to it, remembering how his passion overwhelmed me. But the little warning in my mind returned. Adam didn’t give me a chance to refuse him.

  I could handle flirting and sultry declarations, but I didn’t know if my body could handle another encounter like I had last night.

  Another fucking.

  “I’m never going to let you out of my reach,” Adam said. His fingers curled over mind. Squeezing. Crushing. “Now that I have you, I won’t let you go.”

  “Don’t be silly. Where am I going to go?”

  “Nowhere.”

  I giggled. “Hopefully I can just get off this plane soon.”

  “You will.” His voice lowered. “Then you won’t leave my bed.”

  I sipped my champagne to give me time to think of something—anything to say. Did husbands and wives talk so candidly about their relationship? About the more intimate parts of the relationship?

  And did husbands wield the implication of sex like a threat?

  “We’re going to Aruba,” I said. “We can’t waste it in bed. Don’t you want to go swimming and eat and go out to dance?”

  “You know what I want.”

  “I do?”

  “Yes.”

  His hand gripped mine. Hard. If I tried, I wouldn’t have been able to pull it away.

  So I didn’t try.

  “I want you,” Adam whispered. “In bed. Naked. Accepting my cock. Like a proper wife.”

  I glanced over my shoulder. First class was spacious, but a few passengers sat near us. Even if they wore headphones, I couldn’t imagine anyone else hearing Adam talk that way. I still couldn’t imagine Adam speaking that way. To me. About me. I shivered again.

  “Charlotte,” Adam said. “We’re married now. And this is our honeymoon. I will fuck you. Often.”

  “I...I know.”

  “Good. Then it shouldn’t embarrass you. We love each other. Sex is a natural way of showing how much.” He tugged me close. I moved stiff, leaning against his shoulder as his arm wove over me. “You should rest, princess. You look tired.”

  I lowered my head. I was tired. The wedding and ceremony and photos and party exhausted me. But Adam’s attentions during the night did something else to me. I didn’t sleep, I was conquered. Taken and subdued and robbed of consciousness. I didn’t know how my body could ache with fatigue but my head could jumble with everything wedding, honeymoon, and husband related. In that moment, returning to Adam’s bed worried me more than the plane’s rumbling turbulence.

  Still, I slept. Not because I needed it, but because Adam wanted it.

  I woke as we landed, grateful for his strong palm enveloping mine as our plane jostled us to the runway. Everything with Adam was a first—my first plane trip, my first real vacation, my first time outside the country. But Adam? He traveled everywhere. Europe, Asia, all over the United States. Owning his own company had perks—most of which included meetings with investors and customers all over the world. Passing from the crowded and stale plane and into the humidity of the tropical paradise didn’t interest him enough to look up from the emails on his cellphone. I almost forgot to collect my carry-on as I snuck another view of the ocean from the windows.

  The sun set when we landed, and the island glowed amber as Adam’s private driver delivered us to the resort. A light breeze tickled through the palm trees, and the air tasted of salt. Though we left home in warm weather, the light sundress I chose for the plane belonged on the resort’s perfect shoreline. Thin and white and perfect for the bride who stopped to dig her toes in warm sand before joining her husband in the hotel.

  A fresh plate of fruit and a chilled bottle of wine awaited our arrival in the suite’s full kitchen. The dining area, living room, and bedroom were larger than the ones in my family’s home. I didn’t know why a hotel suite needed to be so decadent, but Adam reserved only the best room, complete with marble counters and modern art.

  He poured the wine, but I dropped my bags and rushed to the balcony. The ocean stretched before us, and the shore below emptied of people. The resort branded itself as exclusive, and Adam promised most of the beach would remain private. It didn’t matter to me. The sunset gilded the ocean with fabulous golds and dusty oranges. Who could pay attention to the sand when the sea boiled gold from here to forever?

  Adam’s arm slipped over my midsection. He drew me close to his body, my hips against his. I tried to move, but his grip tightened. He liked me leaning over. His other hand touched my leg, rubbing along to the swell of my behind.

  “What do you think?” He asked.

  I stared ahead. The gentle surf wasn’t loud enough to drown out the pounding of my heart.

  “It’s beautiful.” My voice stayed light, despite the twisting of my stomach.

  “I wasn’t talking about the view.”

  “Oh. I’m excited.”

  “As you should be.” He brushed the hair from my neck, lowering his lips and nibbling. “But we’ll have time for the view later. Now there’s something more important to do.”

  Somehow, I didn’t think he meant dinner. I didn’t know why, but my hands curled tight on the railing. It grounded me, kept me thinking clearly as his thick arm encircled my stomach and held me against him. Adam worked out, spending a dedicated hour a day in the gym. He said physical strength translated to professional confidence. The stronger he became, the more respect he earned at work and from others. Well, he had my respect. Not that I had a choice. I was a tidal pool compared to his ocean. Small enough to sink against his strength and get lost in his current.

  There was no reason for me to act this way. To worry how I worried. Adam wanted me. I wanted him too. For as scary as our first time had been, I knew he acted only out of passion. He waited for me, and he finally had a chance to claim me. It was silly to refuse him on a wedding night. Now that we relaxed on our honeymoon in a beautiful resort with no wedding responsibilities hanging over our heads, I imagined our lovemaking would be...different. Sweet and gentle.

  “Come with me.” He pulled me back into the suite, to the marble bathroom and walk-in shower built to accommodate more than one. He smiled, gently cupping my cheek with his hand. “We’re going to take a nice, hot shower and relax.”

  “Together?”

  Adam’s smile grew, but the trembling in my belly returned. I remembered that smile from last night, when he soothed me with commands and laid me under him for
his pleasures.

  “Of course together.” His fingers traced over my shoulders, to the little straps of my sundress. He didn’t give me the option. The first one fell before I realized what happened. “Take this off.”

  The second strap loosened. Adam tugged on the dress. It slipped over my body and pooled at my feet. I didn’t need a bra with it, but I regretted not wearing one. The air conditioning swept through the suite. My nipples instantly budded, presented to him before I even could cover myself. Adam brushed my hands away.

  “Don’t,” Adam said.

  He studied me, rubbing a finger along the hardened tip of my tiny nipple. My breasts were hardly anything, only slight palm-fulls that required a bit of padding to fill my wedding dress. Adam didn’t seem to mind. He gripped my breast, tugging on the nipple until my breath released in a timid squeak. His jaw clenched. Appraising me. Like he discovered just how much pressure I could take from his pinch.

  The answer? Not a lot.

  His eyes trailed down. I twisted, the bikini panties were nothing like the sexy lingerie I wore yesterday. They looked practical. Innocent. Adam stood close, staring into my eyes as he wound his fingers into the waistband. A shimmy over my thighs, and they fell to the ground, revealing my pale mound with the delicate curls.

  Naked.

  It was unlike anything I ever felt before. I imagined being excited by such intimacy with my husband, sharing my body with him and no one else. It was supposed to be special and sexy. But Adam didn’t savor. He hunted. His eyes darkened, and the cadence of his breathing shifted to the gruffness of a pent-up beast. I couldn’t hide. Not while he memorized every part of me, from the trembles of my hands to the little slit between my legs.

  I shifted. It wetted for him. Despite how uncomfortable his silent staring made me, my heat turned slick. Waiting for him—his touch, his tongue, his embrace.

  He never moved from me, inches away from his chest. His hand dragged down over my curves. He didn’t hesitate. Two fingers wound over my wetness, rubbing circles against my clit before attempting to slip inside my tightness.

  “Stop!” I gasped.

  His fingers hardly made it to the first knuckle before the soreness overwhelmed me. I reached for him, grasping his hand with both of mine. I tried to pull away. He didn’t let me. His stare bore into mine, and he slowly removed his fingers under his own power. He rubbed them together, showing me my wetness.

  “What’s wrong?” His voice deepened. “Are you sore?”

  I nodded.

  “Why are you sore?”

  I didn’t think I had to explain. “Because...of last night.”

  That smile returned, a devious, knowing smile. “Because I took your virginity last night?”

  “Yes.”

  “I’m sorry, Charlotte.” His kiss was gentle, but the softness didn’t match the slickness in his voice. “I couldn’t help myself last night. You looked too beautiful, and you tasted too sweet. You don’t know what you do to me. I can’t control myself around you.”

  His pulled me against him, and the hardness in his pants proved his words.

  “I want you again.”

  I looked up, my breath caught in my throat.

  “But...I’m really hurt.”

  “You’re too beautiful.” He drew a lock of hair behind my ear. “How can a man resist?”

  Apparently not easily. He reached past me and flicked the shower on. Hot water streamed from the ceiling, a rain-shower effect for our first time bathing together. Maybe he was trying to be romantic. Adam prided himself on being direct. He didn’t play games, waste time, or mince words. The cutthroat efficiency of a self-made man. The shower meant to relax me. I took a deep breath. I guessed I needed something to untangle my nerves.

  Adam left his suit jacket in the living room. The dress shirt underneath clung to his body in the humidity and the steam of the bathroom. He slowly unbuttoned it, smirking as I couldn’t help but watch the slow trail of his fingers over his exposed chest. Being naked was scary, and Adam removing his clothes declared his intentions, but my husband excited me. His muscles tensed as he twisted to toss his shirt over the sink. Chest. Abs. Everything tight, perfectly sculpted, and brimming with strength. I blushed, more shamed by my reaction to him than my own nakedness.

  I wished I knew how someone so attractive left me trembling. His hands moved to the button of his pants and the monster contained within. Now I looked away. He removed the slacks and boxers. His cock raised between his legs, appearing as thick and hungry as it was last night. I didn’t know how big it actually was, but it felt like more than I could take. Adam held it in one hand, lazily stroking as before nodding towards the shower.

  “Get in, Charlotte.”

  Oh, I wished for a bubble bath. Somewhere where we’d both leisurely soak in warm water, cuddling and laughing as we blew bubbles at each other. That was how it was supposed to be. Bubble bath. Sensual kisses. Gentle caresses.

  Instead, Adam guided me backwards into the shower, until my back struck against the wall, and the hot water flushed my sensitive breasts pink. I collided with the tile, gasping as he sunk over me, mouth claiming a rush of demanding kisses. His tongue rolled over mine, casting goose bumps over my skin. The heat of the water chased them away, but the sensation remained. A crawling, strange awareness. Like something wasn’t right. Like I shouldn’t have groaned against Adam.

  He hadn’t let go of my arms. I stayed pinned against the tile, assaulted by his constant kisses and frantic nips. I hadn’t struggled, but he ground against me, his impossibly hard cock popping against my tummy. He grumbled as touched his chest, palms against his pecs. I didn’t want him to stop, but I needed to breathe. The heat of the shower and swirling steam and his constant kissing twisted the world at my feet. I didn’t want to show any more weakness than I already did. It’d only encourage him more.

  Adam gripped me tight enough to have me wince. His cock edged hard against my skin. I stilled as he closed in on me.

  His breath raked in my ear. “Look at what you do to me. I can’t think when I’m near you. Not when I see you like this. So naked and beautiful.”

  His eyes traced down over my body. Ravenous. As if he didn’t know if he wanted to take me or devour me. His voice stayed low, rumbling over my skin.

  “Touch me,” Adam said. “See how hard you make me?”

  I could see, but I hesitated before reaching for him. His cock jutted out from between his legs, so rigid I thought it’d be obscene. Adam didn’t let me think. He grabbed my hand, fitting my fingers over his shaft. They didn’t fit around him completely, but he didn’t mind. He groaned, throaty, a pleased animalistic sound. His hand guided mine as I stroked him, caressing the cock that took so much from me last night.

  I hadn’t done this before. I knew I would eventually touch him, but something about this felt vulgar. I pleasured the part of him that so easily hurt me. It was also the part of him that drove me to a quivering mass of pleasure. I didn’t know what to think. The confusion blinded me as much as the steam.

  “Good girl,” Adam breathed. His body shielded me from the shower. He loomed over me as his hand yet covered mine as I gripped his cock. “See what happens to me when I’m near you? You make me crazy, Charlotte.”

  “I do?”

  “Of course you do.” Adam seized another kiss, groaning as he forced me to hold him tighter. “You know exactly why too. Never thought my little innocent wife would try to seduce me.”

  “W-what?”

  “Look at you.” Adam’s dark eyes danced. He liked this. His cock throbbed in my hand, as hot as the water. “Your little body. You touching me. I want you. How am I supposed to control myself when you tempt me so damn much?”

  I bit my lip. Me? Seducing Adam? He was the one who took me last night. He leapt on me and forced my virgin slit to accept his cock. He pushed me into the shower. He put my hand on his cock. He showed me how to slowly jerk his shaft. I didn’t ask him for any of it.

  Or
did I?

  I wanted him to take control. He knew that. I also needed him to teach me about sex. Did I somehow...lead him on? Make him think I wanted him to be hard and aggressive and rough with me? Maybe what happened last night was my fault? Adam wouldn’t lie. A man of his strength and dedication always got what he wanted. What if he was too overwhelmed by me to combat his urges?

  And what did that mean for me now?

  My voice trembled. “I didn’t mean—”

  Adam shushed me, kissing my quivering bottom lip. “Hush now, Charlotte. You didn’t do anything wrong. You just don’t understand your body and how it affects me. You have a power over me. I’m only a man. I can only resist you so much, princess.”

  “What can I do?”

  Adam’s jaw tensed. “Pleasure me. Relieve my tension before I can’t stop myself.”

  I tensed. My pussy still swelled shut, raw and sore. I couldn’t take anything inside me, not until it had some time to heal. I tightened my hand.

  “Like this?”

  My motions felt awkward. There was too much of his cock and too little of my hand. Adam grunted.

  “The head is the sensitive part,” he said. “Rub there.”

  The head. I tugged where he said, pulling his skin over the shaft and touching the thick, fleshy part that made him groan. But it wasn’t enough. Adam clenched his teeth and whispered in my ear.

  “Get on your knees.”

  My hand stilled. I held his gaze, slowing my breathing as his thumb ran over my lips. Adam’s voice boiled the water in the shower.

  “I want to feel those lips on my cock,” he said. “Kneel.”

  “But I don’t know how—”

  Adam pushed me against the wall, my head colliding against the tile as he rushed my mouth and tore another kiss from me.

  “Don’t say another fucking word,” he whispered. “Use those lips to pleasure me.”

  I fell to my knees, but not by choice. Adam’s hands urged me down, and flopped onto my behind. He snorted, grabbing my shoulders and positioning me on my knees, not quite eye-level with the monster cock he expected me to taste.