“Not that. Not yet.” I contradict my earlier actions by pulling her against me, but fuck, I can’t help myself. She’s practically naked under my shirt, and kissing her makes my blood race. Hell, just fucking looking at her turns me on.
“But it’s been almost a year since you touched me that way. I’m eighteen. I’m ready, Tyler. I want to take the next step.” She rolls her hips forward to accentuate her point.
“Princess,” I chastise, my voice husky with desire. “You know that I want our first time together to be on our wedding night.”
“But—”
“No, Princess. You know I will do anything you want. I’ll turn the fucking world into hell for you. I’ll make friends with that little shit who follows you around with his eyes full of hearts for you. But not this. Let me do this right for you, for us. I want our first time together to be special, not in your dorm room or your ensuite bathroom or even my apartment. You’re not just some girl I’m sneaking around with. You’re my future, the one and only love of my life—my endgame.”
Chapter 53
A Birthday Gift
SHADOW
Six Years Ago
Except for a few cars, the courthouse parking lot in Territory Five is nearly empty. I offer Peaches my elbow as I escort her down the stairs to her car.
Initially, Peaches was assigned a lawyer, a pompous jerk around the same age as my brother, Troy, who gave zero shits about her case. He spoke to her once, barely listened to her side of the story, and left her sitting in containment for a week. Without consulting his client, he pushed for a hearing, pleaded guilty on her behalf, and requested she be placed under house arrest until the trial. He did nothing after that because both the client and victim were insignificant in his eyes, and the case wasn’t going to put him on the map.
If Jessica hadn’t asked me to investigate her case a few months after that night, no one would know that he abandoned Peaches or that her case was lost to the system. At Jessica’s request, and because I was pissed that her lawyer left her without any guidance or support, I became Peaches’s lawyer.
Sol walks ahead and climbs into the driver seat to drive her home to their territory.
I open the passenger door for her. I guess Sol forgot how to be a gentleman.
Before she gets in, she pulls me into a hug and kisses me on the cheek. “I don’t know how I will ever repay you,” she says, swiping her thumb across my cheek to remove her red lipstick.
“You don’t have to.”
She holds up her hand before I can continue. “Well, if there ever comes a time and you think of something, please don’t hesitate to ask. I’m a free woman because of you.” Her big green eyes fill with unshed tears.
I give her a simple nod and help her into the passenger seat. I tap the roof of the car, getting Sol’s attention. Jessica was right. He really needs some kind of hearing aid. Smiling to myself, I pull out my phone and send a quick message to my dad, letting him know I’ll be in his office within a couple of hours.
Jessica deserves more than a text message, and I want to hear her voice. A quick glance at my watch tells me she’s probably still in training and won’t have a break for another thirty minutes or so.
I leave her a voice message. “Hey, Princess. Just wanted to let you know that Peaches is a free woman. I have a couple of errands to run before I meet with my dad for a debriefing, and then I will be heading over to you for dinner tonight. Can’t wait to see my birthday girl. I love you. Oh, and Judge Alpha Harris sends his regards. Love you, Princess. See you soon.” I smile down at my phone before I pocket it.
This is going to be a great day. I won my first case, and it’s Jessica’s birthday. I plan to sneak into her room after her little dinner gathering for our own private celebration. I just need to find the right gift. I tap my finger on the steering wheel. I’ve been searching for the perfect gift, but nothing holds any significantmeaning. What does one get for a girlfriend who dresses like a boy, fights like a man, and doesn’t value material things? If she wants something, she buys it herself, using her own money that she earned.
A smile crests my lips as I replay the conversation we had in her dorm room in the early morning hours, followed by our intense makeout session in my apartment. Even after everything I said, she was just too tempting not to kiss, not to touch. I wonder, if I returned there now, would the living room still smell like her? Like a mixture of lavender and honey and the scent of her arousal. I internally groan at the memory of her beautiful face—her eyes closed, lips parted, and the electricity that grazed my skin from her palms when she came on my fingers.
A breathy laugh escapes me as my mind shifts to the first conversation we had on that very couch, not that I would ever admit it to my brothers. I guess watching all those porn videos wasn’t a complete waste of time. I was able to satisfy her and still keep my oath of saving our first time for our wedding day. I never knew it could be this way. I can’t wait to do it again and again.
A faint chuckle erupts in the back of my mind.Maybe if you let me take over, I can show you a thing or two.
That would be a hard no.
A few minutes later, I park at the mall. Teenagers and college-age kids linger around everywhere. Has summer break already started?
I spot a jewelry store and decide to start there. A teenage couple stands a few feet in front of the display window having what seemed to be a bit of a disagreement. The girl, not much older than Jessica, is everything my girl isn’t. She wears designer clothing, jewelry that probably costs a small fortune, designer shoes, and a handbag. Her makeup makes her look older, andher fake lashes are so long I swear, if she stands any closer to the kid in front of her, she will poke his damn eyes out.
“You know I can’t afford it. Hell, I could barely afford to put gas in my dad’s car just to come here and see you,” the boy says.
The girl sneers. “Then, I guess you don’t love me as much as you claim to.”
The boy looks like he’s out of this girl’s league, in faded jeans, a cotton t-shirt, and worn shoes. His hair is long and messy, like he just rolled out of bed. Despite his disheveled appearance, something about the kid grabs my attention.
