Page 29 of Sworn to Defend

She pushed his teasing hands aside and ran her hand up his hard length, positioning him at her opening. “Hard and fast, Hunter.”

Those words coming off of her sweet lips shortened his control. In one hard thrust he was inside of her slick channel. He slammed into her over and over again. Her breath was coming fast. His name on her lips. He was glad they were in the bathroom, which offered more privacy than the outside room. He felt her clench around him as she came. He followed her, spiraling over the edge with the image of all the perfection that was her reflected in the mirror. He clenched his teeth as pleasure racked his body. Swore he saw a blinding-white flash as he spilled inside her.

She was limp against him when he scooped her up and brought her to the bed. He set her down to pull back the covers. “Climb in, baby.” He slid in behind her and held her tight.

“Han?” He pulled the comforter around them.

“Yeah?”

“Didn’t use a condom.” He kissed her back right before she started to shift.

She turned in his arms and looked up at him. It was dark but he could still make out the glassy reflection of her eyes.

She reached up and touched his face. Christ, he loved when she did that. Like she was tracing the shape of his cheeks and jaw so she could commit the feel to memory. He hadn’t meant to take her with no protection. It had been frenzied and beautiful, but he hadn’t thought about the condom. Something that he’d never done in his entire life. Now she was quiet, staring up at him with an unreadable expression.

“Hunter. I love you. It might’ve taken me a while to accept, but you’re it for me, and I certainly wouldn’t be upset to see the result of that love shining through our baby’s eyes someday.”

His breath hitched at her admission, and he closed his eyes to let her words settle into his soul. She’d taken a big risk with her heart, something the Hannah he’d known weeks ago never would have done. “Brave, baby,” he murmured. “Opening up to me like that.”

He’d been holding off on the words, thinking she needed more time. “I love you, too. So much that sometimes it hits me square in the gut and it hurts to draw a breath. I didn’t want to scare you away, so I’ve been holding off on telling you, but baby, you have to know I want everything with you. All of it. If we had a child, they would be just as treasured and loved as Collin. I want us to be a family. Live under the same roof.”

She sighed and snuggled in closer.

“I love you, Hannah,” he whispered through the dark.

“I love you, too.”

Chapter Fifteen

Sweat was rolling off of her back and between her breasts. She was no longer used to the Texas heat, and even though it was barely nine o’clock in the morning and she was practically naked in the frayed jean shorts Hunter loved and a tank top, she was ready to dive into a pool of shaved ice. She took her time ascending the white stairs that led to the two large doors of her parents’ estate. Nerves swam in her stomach as she lifted her fist to knock, but Hunter’s hand closed over hers, sending a jolt straight through her.

“Before you knock on that door, are you okay?”

She turned toward him. The backdrop of the bubbling fountain, the centerpiece of the driveway, looked strange behind him. She wanted a home, but not one like this. A place that was cozy and warm and lived in. Much like Hunter’s house. She didn’t want to worry about which throw pillow was strewn where or whether or not she could sit on an antique piece of furniture. She wanted Collin raised in love, comfort, not bound by duties and made to follow a strict social hierarchy.

“I’m more than okay. This isn’t my home anymore, maybe it never really was. But now I know where I belong, where Collin belongs, and that’s with you. There’s nothing my family could say or do to ruin what we have together, and knowing that we’re getting back on a plane in a couple of days to leave this all behind for good is all the reassurance I need.”

He nodded, and her heart swelled at the pride pooling in his eyes. She went up on her toes and kissed him, just as the door opened behind them.

She looked over her shoulder, and a burst of coldness hit her gut at the fury on Regina’s face.

“What are you doing here, Hannah?”

She squeezed Hunter’s hand. “I didn’t know I needed an appointment.” She stepped into Regina’s space so she had no choice but to move back or get plowed into, and she breezed into the foyer.

“The wedding events don’t start until tonight. You can’t come here dressed like that. There’s a film crew on the property to take pictures of Vivienne’s rehearsal dinner gown. Imagine if they caught you in one of the shots wearing shorts and a tank top? Mother would die. Those pictures are going to be all over social media.”

“I want to see Vivienne.”

“Out of the question.” Regina looked between her and Hunter, eyes shrewd. “She’s having her hair and makeup done and I will not tolerate you upsetting her with your antics.” Regina was in one of her typical designer pant suits, not one hair of her sleek, shoulder-length bob out of place.

“What’s going on in here?” Her mother stood at the top of the spiral staircase, staring down, a tight smile on her lips. “Hannah. You’ve brought company.”

Hunter stood beside her, solid and assessing. What must this look like to him coming from a typical family? No one had greeted her with pleasantries. No one rushed down to give her a hug and say welcome home. She pushed the regret aside. At one time she grieved the tight-knit family she should’ve had, but being back at the estate and seeing her mother and sister had a new realization dawning on her. She did have a tight-knit family.

Yeah, she hadn’t gotten them until later on in life, but she had them now and wasn’t going to take that for granted. She’d always had an amazing son and now she’d gained the man at her side. She had three brothers and Collin had three uncles in Ransom, Joker, and Silver. Axe was their honorary grandfather. Brynn, Sam, and Addison were closer to her than her own sisters. Then there was Jacob, who was more like a brother or cousin to Collin and a nephew to her. Sam’s baby would be here soon, too. Another member of their family.

“Mother, this is Hunter. Hunter, my mother and sister Regina.” When her mother’s eyes searched Hunter, a rush of protectiveness surged through her, which was silly seeing as he could more than defend himself. Still, she took a step closer to him.