Page 150 of The Outsider
John grinned. “That can be arranged.”
He scooped me up into his arms, then kissed me before heading inside and up the stairs.
“Don't drop me, Wastelander,” I teased.
He chuckled. “Never.”
He carried me down the hall to our room, kicking the door shut behind him before setting me on our bed. I caught his chin in my hand and pulled him down to kiss me. He sighed and sunk into it, cradling my head.
“How was today?” I asked when we broke apart.
John smiled sweetly at me. “Just the happiest day I can remember.”
One look at him said it was the truth, and my heart melted.
“Me too,” I whispered, feeling almost shy. “It felt like…I’m part of things now. Part of the Valley, of the family. Part of you.”
“Ah, Claire,” John sighed, and he sat on the bed so he could pull me into his arms. “You are. Always have been.”
I nodded, a lump of emotion forming in my throat, and he kissed my forehead.
“You’re the most gorgeous bride there ever was,” he said, sounding a little wistful. “Everyone thought so.”
I giggled. “How could you know?”
“Because I know,” he answered, his voice gruffer, betraying an undercurrent of desire that heated my blood. “Listen to your husband.”
“Or what?” I said, raising an eyebrow.
“Or we’ll have another talk like we had in that shed at the strip mall,” John said with a wolfish grin.
“I don’t seem to remember that one,” I said, innocently cocking my head to one side.
“Let me refresh your memory then, wife,” John growled, and I squealed as he grabbed me and hefted me up over his shoulder.
He stood, gave my backside a light swat, and laughed when I squeaked again.
“I don’t think this is what you’re supposed to do on your wedding night,” I said disapprovingly from my upside-down position as he walked us into the ensuite bathroom.
“No?” he replied, chuckling as he turned on the light. “In that case, why don’t you show me how it’s done?”
John lowered me to the floor, and I gave him my best scowl.
“Yes, I think that’d be best,” I said in an imperious tone.
I faced the vanity mirror and reached for the straps of my dress, lifting them over my shoulders. I reached back to unbutton it, and managed the first one, but the others were more difficult.
“Let me do that,” John murmured, his voice suddenly low and husky.
I closed my eyes as he breathed into my ear and traced down my neck with his open mouth, enjoying the goosebumps it raised on my arms and the feel of his fingers carefully unfastening the remaining buttons. The dress fell to the floor, and I sighed as John slid a finger inside the waistband of my panties, stroking my skin.
“There are so many things I want right now,” he said as he stared at us in the mirror, kissing the shell of my ear and making me shiver.
“Like what?” I whispered, the air thick with tension.
He slowly ran his free hand down the length of my back, caressing my sensitive skin, raising more goosebumps.
“To get on my knees and worship you,” he breathed in my ear, and a pulsing heat began between my thighs. “To give you more pleasure than you can bear. And at the same time, I want to own you. I want to use you in the filthiest ways I can think of and leave you dripping my come so you’ll never forget who you belong to…and that no one will ever need you, want you, love you, like I do.”
