Fighter's Heart

Scene 34

Jase

I am the fucking champion. But better than that, I feel like a man who's worthy of Lena. Maybe it's the adrenaline talking. Shit, maybe it's just the caveman part of me that wanted to vanquish her ex, but I'm on top of the world, and all I care about is that Lena keeps looking at me this way every day for the rest of our lives.

Fuck, she's perfect, and her eyes say everything her words haven't. She wants me. She's proud of me. She loves me.

"Lena," I rasp, smoothing a battered hand around the sweet curve of her face. "I know what you did for me."

Her lips part, but no sound emerges. I want to kiss them. I want to claim those pouty red lips in front of everyone here, but I need to talk to her first.

"This was all for you," I tell her, willing her to understand. "I won for you."

Her eyes widen, and her tongue darts out to wet her lips. My cup is suddenly too tight at my groin. I bend so my mouth hovers above hers.

"I love you," I whisper. "And I want to be with you. I'm sorry for pushing you away. I promise, if you give me another chance, I'll never let you out of my sight again."

"Jase, I—"

"Wait a sec." I hold a finger to her lips. I need to finish this properly. But she licks my finger and heat lashes through me. My cup situation changes from uncomfortable to downright painful, and I drop my hand away. "You also gotta know that if you say yes to me, that's it. I'll destroy any other man who dares touch you." I hear the steel in my voice, and know she does too. Does it make me a Neanderthal? Fuck, yeah. Do I care? Not a bit. This is my woman, and I'll challenge anyone who says otherwise. Except for her, of course.

Her lips lift, her palms cup my face, and then she kisses me. Hell, yes. Hell, yes. Finally, I can own her lips like I've been dying to ever since I first touched her. Love and adrenaline fuel me, and I hoist her up. She wraps her legs around me but our mouths don't separate. Our tongues tangle, and I'm drunk on the taste of her. The smell of her. The urge to fuck and mark and claim.

Supporting her weight with one arm, I wave to the crowd with the other and carry her back down the aisle, out to my changing room, where I lock the door and back her against it. Bracing an arm above her head, I lean down and slide my tongue over her swollen lips. Her eyes are glazed, and she's panting. Her fingers trail down my abs, and I shudder at her touch.

"I love you," I tell her again. "I'd conquer the world for you. Whatever you had to do to make Erin back down, I'll make it up to you, I swear."

"I love you too." She half moans, half whispers, and my eyes automatically search hers for the truth. Finding it, I press myself against her and rock. Then, cursing, I rip off the damned cup and toss it aside.

She giggles. "Problem?"

"None at all." I rest my cheek on the top of her head, holding her close. "I'm gonna spend every day trying to be worthy of you."

Her palms slide up to rest over my heart. "You already are. As for Erin, we can talk about it later. There are other things I'd rather be doing now."

I'm not worthy of her—no one is—but it's sweet that she believes it, and I'm totally down for her suggestion. My cock stiffens, straining to get to her, and she must feel it because she eases a hand between us and wraps her fingers around it, ripping a groan from me.

"I want you in me," she murmurs, pumping her hand.

My hips buck. I'm already so close. God, if she keeps that up I'm going to snap like an animal. "No, baby. We need to take it slow this time."

However hard this is—pun fully intended—I'm determined to do it right. But then she takes my hand with her free one and shoves it under the hem of her dress.

"Fuck." She's not wearing panties, and she's soaked.

"Forget about slow," she says, riding my hand as I slip fingers through her slickness. "Take me how you want."

I nuzzle her neck, dropping kisses along her collarbone. "You sure?"

She lifts my face so we're looking each other in the eye. "One hundred percent."

Thank God.

I ruck up that teasing little skirt, shove my shorts down and sink into her. Balls deep. She gasps and tightens around me. She's just as turned on as I am. Maybe more. I could get used to this. Thrusting in and out, I strum her clit with my thumb, loving the way she whimpers and cries out. She feels so good. So. Damn. Hot.

Desperation creeps over me. I slam into her, and her back arches, her fingernails digging into my shoulders. I push harder, faster, driving her wild, and then she's breaking apart in my arms and I'm holding her together and spilling every-fucking-thing I have into her. My thighs shake, my cock jerks, and I growl her name. Our foreheads press together and we stare into each other's eyes.

I love her.

I love this woman. My Lena.

She chuckles breathlessly. "When can we do that again?"

I capture her lips. "Any time you want, baby."