Arranged: An Array Series (Book #1)(86)

He halted. “Noted. Are you done, my darling?”

My nostrils flared. “No, I’m not done. I’m not your mistress. You just can’t waltz around—”

Garrett seized my arm and pulled me toward him, his eyes narrowed. “Mistress? Avie Barlow, I know damn well that no man on this green Earth would be able to boss you the hell around.”

I yanked at my arm, but he wouldn’t let go, his fingers squeezing me to stay put as he continued. “What makes you think I’m even stupid enough for that challenge?” I blew a piece of hair off my face in frustration, and he raised a brow. “I’m waiting.”

“You know how I feel about being controlled. I want my freedom, and I’ll be damned if some rich, entitled man comes along, takes my virginity, and thinks he can stroll around, making my decisions.”

He sank his body closer to mine, forcing me to lie down.

“Entitled?” he repeated with a growl. “My entitled ass has worked for everything I have. I worked for those lands and made my own army to protect your small, perfect ass.”

“Don’t chastise me, then compliment me, you daft idiot.”

Releasing my arm, he hovered over me, placing both arms on either side of my body. “This idiot is going to make you feel daft in about two minutes, when I lick every inch of your pussy with my mouth.” I rolled my eyes. “Don’t believe me, sweetheart?”

He reached down and began untying my riding pants.

“You can’t just—”

“I’ll do whatever I want until you tell me ‘no’,” he muttered, as I gasped, hearing a rip.

He bent over my ear, and his tongue licked my lobe before he took it between his teeth. His calloused hands slid down my thighs, bringing my pants to my knees. My breathing hitched, my body melting against his. Suddenly wanting to be rid of my trousers, I pulled each leg out of them. His hot breath tickled a sensitive part of my neck.

As he trailed his lips down my stomach, I laced my hands in his hair, pulling at it lightly. Shards of pleasure rippled through my body as his lips brushed my inner thigh. I didn’t know how sensitive that part of me was until now, especially as he inched closer to my pussy.

I didn’t know how much I craved sex until last night. With this man. And it was scary as hell how my body surrendered with just the proximity of him. Moving away my undergarments, he licked, as I crumpled the sheets around me, the friction of his mouth both wicked and sexy.

A moan escaped me, which made him intensify his actions. As he kissed my clit, sucking the sensitive nub into his mouth, his name fell off my dry lips. While the thought of him being inside me was amazing, this was a close second.

Feeling the pleasure beginning to build in my body, I ground myself against him. A fog of ecstasy hit me, and I squeezed my legs together, pinning Garrett’s head. Breathing heavily, I came back down to Earth. He peered up, smiling—that wolfish smile that gave me butterflies.

“You are perfect,” Garrett confessed, his eyes glossy.

Heat covered my cheeks. Coming up my body, Garrett leveled himself with my face and kissed me, and I tasted myself on his lips. He rested his forehead against mine.

“Marry me, Avie. I need you with me always.”

I froze.

Did he just…

My breathing became ragged, as sweat beaded on my forehead. The new orgasm must have made me senseless because I never imagined hearing those words. Ever. Especially out of his mouth.

“Don’t say you have to think about it,” he continued. “We were meant for each other, you and I.” He studied my face, his eyes soft. “Is this all just me?”

“No,” I replied.

He watched me; his face eased, but just a little. “Why are you hesitating then?”

I opened my mouth, wanting to speak the words I had been feeling. The fear. The uncertainty. The freedom within my grasp.

I looked at his chest. “I just…I don’t want to be tied down right now, to anything.”

He clutched my shoulder. “I was afraid of that myself,” he admitted. “But being with you wouldn’t be a burden at all.” He rubbed his nose against mine. “Especially if I get you like this every night.”

I chuckled. “I can’t argue with that.”

“Then I think we’ve made our decisions.” He moved off me and lay on his side, draping his arm around my waist.

“No, you made your decision,” I tittered, shaking my head.

He pulled me closer to him. “Woman, I just proposed to you.”

“And so kindly mentioned sex every night, for your benefit.”

“My Lady, I will benefit you like I just did, every night, if you just say ‘yes’ to me.”

I peered up at him, his blue eyes soft and relaxed. “You’ve never spoken about marriage, Garr,” I pointed out. “Why now?”

“Because I want to get you out of here,” he said. “I want to be the one who shows you the world.” He raked his hand through his hand and paused. “And most importantly, I want to be the one who saves you from this world.”

His eyes darkened. “You’ve possessed me, body and soul, and I find myself not wanting to be free from you.” He sighed. “And it scares the shit out of me.”

I closed my gaping jaw. Not recognizing the man lying next to me, I couldn’t think of anything to say. Garrett was an effective, intense man, and knowing it must have taken every ounce of courage to let me into his thoughts made me care for him more.