I could feel Maddie watching me, and it turned me on knowing she saw what I did for a living, that she might even be aroused because of it. Being a blacksmith was an age-old trade, one I was damn good at, one I busted my ass making perfect. I’d created this business—my business—from the ground up, and used my sweat and blood to make sure it was successful. It had been the only important thing in my life.

Until Maddie became mine.

Now she was the priority, my top concern. And this was the job I’d have: to make sure Maddie was well taken care of and always provided for.

I’ll make sure she is always mine.

I hammered out the metal, smoothing it, making it flat, workable. I grabbed it with the tongs once more, put it in the fire, and watched as the metal heated, glowing. I brought it back out and went to work on it with my hammer again, the bang, bang, bang filling my head. I made sure Maddie stayed a safe distance away but felt pride that she watched, that when I glanced at her, she seemed transfixed.

I don’t know how long I worked, my mind focused on getting this piece right, but once I was done, I took the shaped metal and dipped it in the bucket of water. Steam rose up, a white cloud of completion. I set it aside, put my tools down, and glanced at Maddie. The men who worked for me were off in another part of the building. The bay doors were closed, we were alone, and all I wanted was her. Maybe she saw the way I watched her, or felt the same intense arousal as I did, because she hopped down from the bench she sat on and walked over to me. She’d been a good twenty feet away. Although I would have preferred her to be outside while I worked, safe from anything and everything in the garage, I couldn’t deny it turned me on having her here.

She glanced around, presumably to see if we were alone. I wanted to tell her we were, that even if there were some of my guys lingering too close, I would have told them to fuck off while I took her right over a workbench.

Neither of us said anything, but we didn’t need to. The knowledge of what we both wanted was bouncing between us. I was sweaty, dirty from working all morning, and she was clean, so fucking pristine.

“Fuck me, Deacon. Right here, right now.”

Hearing her be bold, all but demanding what she wanted, had my cock so fucking hard. The length pressed against the zipper of my pants, needing out, needing to be buried in her tight, wet body.

I didn’t waste any time. I was by her in the next second and backing her up so we were behind one of the machines I worked with. I unzipped my pants, helped her out of hers, and pulled her panties aside. I didn’t even bother taking the fuckers off. Once I had her lifted and in my arms, I aligned my dick with her pussy entrance, stared into her eyes, and thrust in deeply. I groaned, she gasped. I wouldn’t last, not with how tight and wet she was.

Over and over I thrust into her, my balls drawing up tightly, her cries of completion filling my head in a matter of seconds. That was all it took for me to come. I pumped three times into her before stilling and getting off, filling her with my seed, making her take it all.

When I was spent and I felt Maddie’s pussy contracting and relaxing around my cock, signaling she’d climaxed, only then did I pull out and set her down. I held her for long seconds, listening to her breathing return to normal, knowing this woman was my everything. I didn’t have to be with her for years to know this, to accept it.

I knew it in my heart.

“Can I pick you up later today?” Truth was, if she let me, I’d pick her up and drop her off every single day. I wanted to be near her, to make sure she was safe, to make sure she had everything she needed. Maybe to some the way I wanted to keep her close was too possessive, maybe not even “manly,” but fuck all that. When I was with Maddie, I felt like a real man. I felt like I had purpose, and making her happy was at the top of that list.

She pulled back, smiled at me, and my heart jumped in my chest. “I’d like that.”

I pulled her in close again, tangled my hand in her hair, and kissed her until she was breathless. Damn, I was so fucking addicted to this woman, and no way in hell was I going to give her up.

* * *

I sat on the stone step and waited for Deacon to pick me up. I’d gotten out of class about twenty minutes early, but instead of calling him, knowing he’d drop whatever he was doing and come to get me, I enjoyed the weather. Students walked by me, some ecstatic about test scores, others bitching about their workload. I glanced down at my bag, feeling all kinds of giddy and stupid, knowing there wasn’t anything that could make me smile the way Deacon did.

I heard his SUV approaching, lifted my head, and saw the dark vehicle pulling up to the curb. I stood, but before I could make it to him, Deacon was out and striding toward me. God, he looked so good, so big and strong. He made the college guys I went to school with seem so…inferior. I smiled, about to tell him how good he looked, or maybe tell him how much I missed him, but before I could say anything, he had me in his arms.

He pulled me in close, and I felt his hand slide down to my ass. I couldn’t help but grin at him. I also didn’t stop him, didn’t care who saw, who watched the man I had fallen for stake his claim. And that’s what he was doing. He was making it known I was his, and I was more than happy with that. I tipped my head back and smiled.

“What has you grinning?” he said in that gruff, masculine voice of his.

“You being all territorial of me. It’s cute.”

He gave my ass a swat, and I rose on my toes, really liking the sting his actions caused.

“I have to be. There are all these young assholes eyeing you. I want them to know you’re mine.”

I rose on my toes and kissed him. His arms tightened on me, and I grinned against his lips. “You’re mine just as much as I’m yours.”

He gave my ass one more swat. “And that’s the damn truth, baby.” He pulled away, and we headed toward the passenger side. But before he opened the door, he leaned in close and whispered in my ear, “When we get back to your place, I’m going to bend you over the kitchen table and fuck you until you know you’re mine.”

I sure as hell wasn’t about to deny that, but instead of submitting—even if I wanted to—I grinned and rose on my toes. “I already know I’m yours, just like you know you’re mine.” The growl he made had tingles racing up my spine.

“Watch it, baby, or I’ll drag you across the seat and fuck you right here, only the tinted windows hiding what we are doing.”

Damn, this man had a way with words. I kissed him then, wanting to get back to my house faster than I ever had before.