The Marked Men Series Books 1–6: Rule, Jet, Rome, Nash, Rowdy, Asa. Jay Crownover
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clicked and Ayden came sweeping through in all her long-legged, dark-haired glory. She took one look at me and Shaw and grinned.
“Hallelujah! It’s about time you two idiots figured out that you were made for each other.”
Shaw laughed and shook her head. She gave me another brief kiss and moved away. “Tonight. I promise it’ll be worth the wait.”
I agreed under protest. I still wanted to make out, but she clearly wouldn’t be swayed, and I had to admit my curiosity was piqued as to what kind of gift she wanted to give me in private. I went home and took a shower—a freezing-cold one—and got ready for the night. I didn’t want to drink too much because there was no way I was letting booze inhibit my reunion with my girl. I had never given much credence to the idea that being with someone you cared about made sex so much better, but it was true.
The guys took me to the Buckhorn Exchange so we could gnaw on giant pieces of wild game like cavemen and act like a bunch of jackasses. Now that things were back on track with Shaw, I felt lighter and happier than I had in months, and they could tell. They all gave me shit about my chronic bad mood and advanced levels of dickheadedness, but I could tell they were relieved and grateful that I was back where I needed to be. Dinner was fun, but I was ready to get on with the night so I could take Shaw home and have some proper make-up sex to cement this as the best birthday ever.
The bar was packed wall-to-wall with people wishing me a happy birthday. Even Uncle Phil had come out for the occasion. I accepted pats on the back and hugs as I looked for a particular blond head in the crowd. It took some skill to avoid shot after shot getting shoved in my direction but I managed to do it. I caught sight of a shimmer of white and black near the stage. Shaw was posted up front with Ayden and Cora and it irked me to no end that Jet was already at the table getting his flirt on with the beautiful brunette. Ignoring everyone else calling my name and clamoring for my attention, I scooped my girl up, even though she was in really tall heels and, for once, closer in height to me, and sealed my mouth over hers. I didn’t care that she muttered a startled protest. I wanted a kiss and it was my birthday, so I was getting a damn kiss from this girl who was my world.
She wiggled a little until she could get her hands in my hair and I made sure it was worth her while as I stroked across her yielding tongue with my own. She gave a little moan and I moved a hand to her ass, pressing as hard into her as I could until I became aware of the roar of catcalls and applause surrounding us. I lifted my head, which left us both breathless and panting, and was greeted by a standing ovation from the bar. I shared a shocked look with Shaw and we simultaneously burst out laughing. I took a brief bow and she curtsied, making everyone else laugh along with us. She pressed back up against me to give me another kiss that turned my head to mush. The combination of a few beers, her soft mouth, and that ridiculously short dress was enough to have me cutting out of my own party early. We hung out long enough for Jet to get onstage and sing “Happy Birthday” to me and for me to instruct Nash to maintain a low profile when he came home. I grabbed whatever gifts I had been given and hustled Shaw out the door well before midnight.
We held hands in the truck on the way home and made small talk about what we had been up to during our time apart. I was glad to hear that she had pretty much been doing the same things I had, and that she was handling the situation with Gabe in a professional and no-nonsense matter. She was amazing and I was truly lucky to have her as mine.
When I let her into the apartment I was ready to just drag her to the bedroom and have my way with her, but she kicked off her sexy heels and padded to the kitchen to grab us a couple drinks. I was anxious and aroused but I didn’t want to push her, so I followed her to the couch and took the beer she handed me. She sat facing me and reached out to put her hands in my hair. It felt nice but there were plenty of other places I wanted her hands, so I asked her, “Why are you always playing with my hair?”
“Because you change it so much and it always feels different. This is the first time it’s all natural and I can’t believe how soft it is.”
“I thought you liked the hawk?”
“I do. I like it however it is, but when it’s normal like this it makes you look more approachable.”
She seemed nervous, which was weird. This was an area we had never had any issues with before so I wasn’t sure what to do to put her at ease. I clicked the neck of my beer against hers and gave her a lopsided grin. “Happy birthday to me.”
She smiled back and shifted so that her hair slid forward. “So, I need to tell you something before you get your present.”
Her tone was pretty serious so my mind immediately went to all the worst possibilities: there had been someone else while we were apart, Gabe had hurt her worse than anyone knew and she wasn’t ready for intimacy yet, she didn’t really want to be in a relationship with me, she was moving to Peru. It took every single ounce of self-control I had not to freak out and ruin whatever progress we’d made today.
“Alrighty, hit me with it.”
“It’s kind of embarrassing.”
“Shaw, I’m dying here. Just talk to me.” She put her beer down and scooted closer to me on the couch, which pulled the hem of her dress tantalizingly up her pale thighs. If she didn’t spit it out soon, I was taking her to bed regardless and we could just hash it out in the morning. She put a hand on either side of my face and pulled me down so that we were literally eye to eye.
“All that stuff about being nice and trying to be someone different to make being together easier applies to the bedroom, too, right?”
I felt my eyebrows shoot up and I tugged on her tiny waist until she was straddling my lap. “What are you getting at, Casper? Just spit it out.”
She made a face and I saw her skin heat to a pretty shade of hot pink. “Nice Rule, the Rule that goes with this hair, is boring in bed. I don’t like him. I just want normal Rule back and everything that comes with him. It’s been a while so I just wanted to make sure we’re on the same page.”
I barked out a laugh and gave her a squeeze while working my hands up under the material of her dress to get a handful of her very bitable ass. “I can’t decide if I should be thrilled or insulted.”
She leaned forward so that our mouths were almost touching. “I just want you.”
I grunted in response and decided the time for talk was over. She gave a squeal of surprise when I climbed to my feet with her still in my arms. She shifted her legs so she was wrapped around my waist and twined her arms around my neck in a loose hold.
“The present-giving can take place in the bedroom, I assume?” She didn’t answer but instead started to kiss all along the side of my neck. It made my blood thunder in my ears and I wasn’t sure I was going to make it to the bed when her sharp little teeth clamped down on my ear and she started whispering every dirty thing I ever wanted to hear. I kicked the door shut with the heel of my boot and kissed her all the way down to the black comforter on my bed. Her legs parted and I found myself cradled in the only place I wanted to be ever again. I hooked a finger in her very tiny panties and stripped them off. Had I known how little she was wearing under that short dress, I wouldn’t have made it even halfway through the party. We both groaned at the first press of skin on skin as she grabbed the back of my T-shirt and pulled it over my head. We still had on enough clothes that I could kiss her and rub against her with delicious friction, while winding us both up to the point we were panting and straining against each other in the most enjoyable way. I was glad she didn’t want it soft and gentle, glad she could take whatever I threw at her, because it had been too long and I felt like the top of my head was going to come off. I made a guttural noise of protest when she maneuvered free and pushed me over onto my back. Knowing she was naked under her dress had me itching to get my hands on everything that was damp and achy, but she had other ideas.
She was messing with my belt buckle and telling me to take my boots off, but apparently I was too slow to comply because she had it all handled and I was spread out below her in nothing but my birthday suit in no time flat. She turned her back to me and asked me to undo the zipper that ran from her shoulder