Ed Sheeran’s ‘Give Me Love’ plays quietly, a soft background noise in our bedroom, the tones calm and relaxing. Ava’s lids peel open gradually, blinking as they do, her pupils shrinking before my eyes as she becomes accustomed to the morning light. I know the second she finds me straddling her waist, because she smiles. And that smile falls the moment she tries to reach for me.
Because she can’t move her hands.
Her eyes dart up to the headboard, where her wrists are securely shackled. A few jerks of her arms later, she returns her eyes to me. I raise my eyebrows. Her mouth drops open.
‘Morning, baby,’ I chirp, resting my palms on the insides of her upper arms, pushing them into the bed.
‘Oh, no you did not,’ she sputters, having a little futile wriggle beneath me.
‘Oh, yes I did.’ I lower my face, slowly getting closer and closer to her lips. She stills. ‘Remember what your last words to me were last night?’
Her eyes slightly widen, and I know, I just know she’s going to deny it. She shakes her head mildly, a smile tickling her lips. Oh, she knows damn well.
‘Have it your way.’ I sigh loudly, dropping my head until my chin meets my chest. ‘I’ll start at three,’ I warn her, my voice loaded with the craving consuming me. ‘And when I get to zero, baby—’
‘What? Are you going to force me to marry you again?’ The cocky edge to her tone is thrilling.
‘Three,’ I begin, not blessing her with an answer as I rise to sit up straight on her waist.
‘Jesse . . .’ she says slowly, cockiness fading and concern creeping forward.
‘Two.’ I hold my fingers up and lazily lower them to her stomach.
She stills, hard as steel. ‘No.’
I walk my fingers south, purposely slowly, prolonging her anticipation. ‘Do you remember what you said?’
Her lips press firmly together, my stubborn little temptress.
‘No?’ My fingertips reach her tickle spot and stops. ‘Fine by me. One.’
‘Jesse.’ She exhales my name and then quickly sucks in air and holds her breath, ready for it.
‘Zero, baby,’ I whisper, removing my hands from her hip and falling forward onto her, catching her mouth and startling her with a smouldering, hot, consuming kiss. Though I catch the surprise in her eyes, she falls straight into it, matching the deepness, plunging her tongue far and wide. There’s not a piece of my mouth she’s not finding.
‘Marry me,’ I say softly into her mouth.
I feel her smile around my lips. ‘You’ve married me twice already.’
I pull back, a little scowl escaping. ‘Is that a no?’
‘I didn’t say no.’ She looks up at the cuffs, pulling a bit. ‘Release me.’
I have no idea why I bow to her order so easily, especially since she hasn’t technically said yes, but I find myself doing exactly that, reaching up and freeing her, leaving the cuffs dangling from the bed. She sits up and pushes me to my back, now straddling me. And then she takes my arms in turn and cuffs me to the bed. And I let her.
It’s official. I’m crazy.
‘What are you doing?’ I ask as I watch her spread her body the length of mine, looking up at me as she starts to lazily pepper light kisses across my torso. My head drops back, a rough moan spilling free, my eyes closing in bliss. This could be a trick. She could be leading me into a false sense of security. But right now, with her mouth gliding across my flesh, the warmth of her licks and bites leaving fire in their wake, I couldn’t give a fucking shit.
I don’t fight the restraints. I don’t lose my mind that I can’t touch her. I don’t worry about the potential of her trying to extract information from me. I’m lost. A slave to her worshipping mouth. Every nerve ending alive, every vein pumping with hot blood.
‘This is the Truth Fuck, yes?’ she asks, her voice husky and low as she kisses her way up my body, onto my chin, and then my mouth. A wave of panic comes over me. There’s no expression on her face, just pure, potent lust.
‘Yes . . . ohhhh . . .’ I choke on my groan, her hips grinding into my groin. ‘Shit, Ava.’
Rising a little, she frees my cock from where it’s pinned to my lower stomach, and it pings up, the tip brushing over her entrance. I jerk. She jerks. And then she lowers herself onto me, taking all of me on one slow plunge. I clench my teeth, breathing through my nose, as she starts to work her way up into a mind-blowing rhythm. I stare up into her eyes, brown eyes that are spilling desire all over me. She’s killing me over and over with each and every swivel of her hips, her palms resting on my chest. I find the will to break eye contact, my gaze falling to her breasts as they bounce lightly, and then to her stomach, where evidence of her pregnancy with the twins looks back at me.
Beautiful. Every inch of her is beautiful.
Falling forward, she encases my head with her arms, her face a fraction from mine. Her pace never falters. My pleasure never dips, remaining consistent, taking more of my breath with each grind.
‘You want some truths, Jesse Ward?’ she murmurs, weaving her fingers through my hair.
I just nod, ignoring the ache developing in my arms and focusing on easing the ache in my cock that’s being stroked by her warm walls.
‘I do love you.’ She kisses me and alters the swing of her hips, turning it into more of a soft rock. That move, those words. It’s my undoing, and it’s Ava’s, too. ‘Together,’ she orders softly around our busy mouths, and with that word, I tip the edge and tumble with her, maintaining our kiss the whole time we’re riding the waves of pleasure together until our kiss slows to a stop, as well as our moving bodies. Though her constricting walls and my pulsing cock go on for far longer. I feel the release of her muscles when she sighs, her body melting over mine. ‘Marry me,’ she breathes, turning her lips onto my cheek.
If there was ever a moment in my life that I could bottle and store away for ever, this would be it. Because she’s just told me she’s all in.
‘You can’t ask me that when I’m handcuffed to the bed,’ I whisper, feeling her immediately move and release me. The second my hands are my own again, I flip her to her back and crowd her.
‘Marry me?’ she repeats.
‘Stupid fucking question.’
And I kiss her.