BigBadDare (12 page)

“Jessica?” I jumped when the nurse came up behind me and spoke my name. “Go on in. He's awake and asking for you.”

Excitement. Joy. A dash of unease.

My muscles bunched tight as I followed her to Garrett's room. I held my breath, forced myself to take close, steady steps.

Part of me knew I'd never see him quite the same way with the new developments between us. Yet, no matter how I saw him, I knew he'd be magnificent.

“I'll leave you two alone,” Nurse Rach said softly.

Garrett was propped up on a big pillow. His color was definitely better, returning to the bright, warm hue I knew so well. Most of all, the fire blazed in his eyes.

“Jessie! You don't how good it is to see your beautiful face.”

“Oh, I think I do.” I smiled, taking a step forward.

Then I broke into a full on speed walk. I was at his side in a split second, grasping his hand, half-laughing and half-sobbing when he actually gripped my fingers back.

“How're you feeling?”

“Alright. Nothing that won't pass. I trust the work these guys do.” He tipped his head down, eyeing the closed up scar just beneath his blanket.

I pulled up the closest chair, never letting go of his hand. For several long seconds, we just stared at each other, as if neither of us could really believe we were looking at the other – safe, happy, and sound.

“Have they said when you'll be able to go?” I asked. Naturally, I hoped for sooner, rather than later.

“Couple more days,” he said bluntly. Then his fingers tightened on mine, clasping my hand in his with surprising strength. “I need to ask you something.”

I stared, waiting, wondering.

“I had the strangest dream. There was a terrible heat. Weakness. A few words I remember mumbling to you when I was stretched out on the floor at the Red Widow. Then darkness.”

“Sounds like a pretty accurate description of things to me.”

“No, there's something else. You came to me. Told me you were going to have a baby...ours.” His eyes narrowed, as if expecting me to jump or laugh. “That can't be true, can it?”

He knew. Before I said a single word, his fingers tightened more, searching, stroking my hand for sweet control. Amazing how he could rule and coax the truth out of me from a hospital bed.

My Sir. My King.

“Don't cry, beautiful,” he whispered. “I want this. I told you I did. I'm just amazed it's really happening. Who said submission can't create miracles?”

I shrugged, too dumbfounded to speak. All I wanted to do was lean in and kiss his lips. Uncertain hospital protocols held me back.

“Kiss me now,” he said, dashing my worries.

And I did. I didn't dare say no to the man who read my mind, my flesh, my soul.

We kissed long and deep. His lips were softer than usual, but the same powerful energy rippled behind them. I realized it wasn't just his hard, handsome jaw that always put such lightning into his lips.

It was his heart, the core of who he was.

That made me tear up and sniffle even more. My stupid breakdown ruined our kiss after a few long seconds, and I pulled away.

So good. So good to taste those lips again!

“Don't cry,” he commanded a second time. “Soon as I get out of here and on my feet again, we're gonna celebrate this momentous occasion the best way I know how.”

I forced myself to look at him again. I wasn't going to turn down a little celebration. In fact, it made me laugh, giddy after everything we'd suffered this past week.

“Yeah? How's that, Sir?”

“You'll see. I've got the perfect surprise.” His fiery eyes had a mischievous swirl, glowing like the northern lights.

The nurse came in and interrupted us. She leaned and whispered to my ear.

I pressed my lips to his hand one last time before shuffling off, still feeling his hard eyes on my back, until I was out of sight.

His fire followed me. After I feared I'd never see those eyes again, I welcomed their heat, and nourished the fire in my heart.

Ten long days. Garrett listened to the doctor's orders and stayed on bed rest. Mostly.

I fed him bone broth, cherry juice, and iron pills to rebuild his lost blood. His color improved a little more each day, and so did his energy.

“Let's go check out the shop,” he said on day ten, hugging a huge gray blanket around his gorgeous body as he sat on the sofa. “I'm fucking beat being cooped up in here for another day.”

“You sure? Doc said no long trips for a full two weeks.”

“I think I can handle a little drive.” Sir rose, casting off the blanket, exposing his big, strokeable body in all its glory, clad in nothing but tight maroon boxers.

For the first time in a small eternity, my lust flared. No, he didn't look sick. Not with those hulking muscles and
Let's-Go-Now
eyes.

“Tell me you're not gonna say no to this.” I laughed at his words.

“How could I?
Sir,
” I added. “Except you can't go out like that...”

“Then help me dress.”

Was he serious? His hard expression was an emphatic 'yes.'

I went into the bedroom to retrieve his shirt, jeans, socks, and shoes. I started at the bottom, gingerly rolling the jeans up his hips, reluctantly closing them snug.

Working my way up, I had a wonderful view of his tattoos, especially that dark, protective sun sign on his chest. I stared at it as he lifted his arms, slid the shirt on over his shoulders, and then buttoned it upward, one by one.

His socks and shoes were last. Sir stared down at me, approval twinkling in his eyes.

I'd dressed him in record time. It hadn't been too difficult.

It might just be my new favorite thing,
I thought, beaming inside.

“Come on,” he growled. “I'm starving to go outside and get some fresh air.”

“What's here that's so important?” I said, taking his hand as he led me into the tattoo shop.

“Give me one more minute. You'll see it then,” Garrett said. His voice contained that same mysterious tone he'd used every time I'd asked him about our 'celebration' since the hospital room.

“Come on in. Close the door behind you.” He had his back turned to me, facing the cabinets and cupboards in the back room where he did his work.

“Uh, okay,” I said. Even a well behaved submissive's patience could wear thin after awhile.

“Lay down. Take off your shirt. I promise I'll be gentle.”

I froze. What the hell was he talking about? This wasn't the place or time for sex, submission.

“I know, I know,” he said, a smile so wide on his lips it formed small crinkles around his eyes. “It's a surprise. I'll come out with it: I want to give you that tattoo, Jessie. If you're willing to test your fears.

Part one of several gifts I want to give you today. My way of saying thanks for saving my life.”

His voice hit me deep.

Sweet. Seductive. And truly appreciative.

Damn. Saying no to him is like driving a dagger into myself.
My eyes went to his side, remembering the pinkish scar beneath his shirt.
Well, maybe not quite so painful.

“You know I don't enjoy inflicting serious pain, Princess. But here, today, it's the only way I can mark you as mine. The last way I really need to. This is about love.”

I softened. “One condition: you trace a G in the middle of that snake on my back. Make me remember
who
I belong to. Now and forever.”

He smiled and nodded. In a flash, my shirt was off, and I lay on the table. He came to my side, all his tools ready.

I didn't even flinch as he wiped my skin clean and numbed the area where he'd leave his stamp.

Garrett started slow, tracing its outline on my skin. I winced when I first felt the needle, but it wasn't nearly as bad as I thought. Not a quarter as bad as the sting I got from being spanked into submission on his table.

Nothing like facing Michael either.
I fought back a shudder at the memory.

Being with him had taught me how to zone out, how to go into myself. I found my happy place and went there, resting quietly as he flourished the snake's tail, filling its body with a decadent, dark ink.

“You doing okay, baby?” He asked, leaning close to my ear.

“Keep going.”

It only took about an hour. If it weren't for the soft drone of the tattoo gun coming to a sudden stop, I wouldn't have known it was over.

Garrett reached his hands to my waist and pulled me up. I turned, saw the pleasant glint in his eyes, and melted.

“I'm so proud of you, Jessie. The hard part's all over.” He looked up, and I drowned myself in the warmth streaming from his face.

“Hard part? What's next?” I asked. It had been a long time since I'd been so flushed and flustered.

He didn't say a word. I watched Sir get up and go to the top cabinet above his ink table. He pulled a black box out a little bigger than his hand and walked back to me.

“Open it,” he whispered, pushing the light cube into my hands. “This is one of the few times I really need to kneel at your side.”

His words startled me. I looked at him funny, wrinkling my nose in amusement. Okay, now I
really
had to find out what the hell was in this box.

I tore into it, a thin membrane of cardboard and a strap of purple tape. I reached in and pulled out a small loop of leather.

I'd seen them on submissives wandering around the Red Widow before. He'd gotten me a collar.

I turned it over in my hands, awed and breathless at the sight. Halfway along the side, a small stylized G. was inscribed in bright gold on the black leather surface.

G for Garrett. His.

“Keep going. Turn it over,” he urged.

I listened. Near the front, where a normal collar might attach a dog tag, something else was already hanging there.

My fingers spasmed. I gasped, and nearly dropped the thing on the floor. Thankfully, I caught it just in time. Letting that beautiful collar slam on the floor with the delicate ring attached would've been a crime.

Garrett reached in, drawing the gold ring with the diamond from its loop. His face had never been so intense, striking me deep, penetrating my soul.

“I'm an old fashioned kinda guy when it comes to this, so I'll ask you a simple question.” He took my hand, held the ring out, a simple push away from gliding onto my finger. “Will you, Jessie? Will you be my sub and my wife?”

The world stopped. The soft burn in my shoulder from the new tattoo spread outward, forming a fast moving wildfire that tore across my body. I was too hot, too shocked, to say anything.

Then I caught his eyes. His gaze expanded further from his face, swallowing me up, a vast and loving sea fate had kept warm for me since birth, just waiting.

Until now.

Holy shit. Don't lose your words. Say something to him! Say it!

For once, that nagging little voice in my head made me do the right thing. I swung, gripping his forearm, squeezing it as hard as I possibly could.

“Yes!” I whispered. Part steam. All love.

Garrett pushed the ring on. Naturally, it was a perfect fit, and then he moved to do my collar as I collapsed across his shoulder.

“I always knew you were better than every other sub,” he said in a low, heavy voice. “That's because you're so much more than them. And now, you're all mine.”

I lost myself in him, resting my head against his shoulder. Time slipped away. We might have lost many minutes or hours holding that embrace.

He abruptly jerked up.

“What is it?” I said, surprise ringing in my voice.

“You didn't even see your tattoo yet!” Garrett reached for the small mirror on the table next to us.

I saw it then, a dark ink symbol of infinity engraved in my back. In the center of the serpent's loop was a neat cursive G.

It was identical to the one engraved on my new collar.

“Take it all off for me, Princess. Everything except that ring and collar.”

Garrett sat on the edge of the bed in our room, looking me up and down. It had been almost two weeks since we'd made love, since I've served him with my flesh.

I clenched and tightened. He really shouldn't have been doing this yet, but perfect doctor's orders weren't going to stop either of us.

Slowly, I began to undress, peeling off my long sleeved shirt and jeans. The shirt skirting across my back reminded me how tender my newly marked spot was. I secretly hoped he'd lay me down on my stomach and drive into me from behind.

“Come closer. You know how much I like to do this part.”

Oh, yes. I knew.

Garrett tugged me close, between his arms, unclasping my bra. The cups popped off and fell to the ground. Then his fingers slid beneath the waistband around my hips, jerking my panties to my calves.

“Step out of them and sit, baby. There's one – no, two – more things I need to set us up.”

I smiled. The old curiosity flickered through me, mingling with my lust. His heavy footsteps padded on the floor behind me.

I stared at my hot, needy flesh, the slit between my legs already hot and wet and empty. It needed him
bad.

There was a sound like a window opening. A gentle, chilly draft blew in, and I realized he really
had
opened the window.

“Huh?” I turned to face him, just as he sank on the bed next to me.

At first, it looked like he was carrying really long burgundy socks. But the strips of fabric in his hands were too thin for that, not shaped to cling to a person's feet.

“It's okay. One more test for you today, my little sub. The window is open. I want you to pretend it isn't.”

I blushed. He knew how loud I got when we really went at it, especially if he was going to warm me up slowly, gradually stirring an explosive climax.

“But...the neighbor's out there smoking half the time. He'll hear everything!” I'd only been there a couple weeks, but I quickly picked up on the pattern in our building and the people who lived there.

Sir smiled, firm and irresistible. “That's the point.”

I shook, starting to protest. I'd do it for him if he made me, but I wouldn't be able to enjoy it. No fricking way.

“Hold still. Let's put this on.” He drew my hands together, pushing my wrists out.