A loud sound of crashing pots and pans startled her out of it quickly. She jumped up and ran down the stairs to see what was wrong.
“What happened?”
“Baby, what are you doing down here?” He grabbed her around the waist and carried her over his shoulder back upstairs.
“Put me down,” she shouted and pounded on his back.
“Be quiet.” Gage marched her to her bedroom and closed the door with his foot. Then he unceremoniously dropped her onto the bed while standing over her with a scowl. “Don’t ever run to investigate a noise. I don’t give a fuck what it is. Until this shit passes, I’m not letting you risk getting caught.”
“So what am I supposed to do? Be a prisoner here like I was with my father? Will I be stuck inside this room with no contact with anyone?” she challenged, puffing out her chest.
“You want contact? I can give you contact.” He leaned forward and placed his hands on the bed beside her, trapping her in. The air between the two of them was charged with sexual tension as they stared into each other’s eyes. His body pressed her down into the mattress; their chests both heaved with hunger. Gage’s cock jutted into her stomach, grinding back and forth while his mouth ravaged hers in a deep kiss.
Needing air, Gage pulled back and stood up.
“So is that how you’re going to keep me under lock and key?”
“I’m not going to keep you trapped forever.”
“You don’t know how long it’s going to take.”
“Well, no, but soon, I’ll take the main reason for the sale off the table.” His intent was read loud and clear. He planned to take the two-million-dollar price tag for his own. The vision of that popped in both their heads and they equally groaned and adjusted their heated bodies to the image they created.
“And I’m supposed to trust you?”
“Who the fuck else you got to trust?” She raised her brows at him, waiting for more. “Besides, I’m not just going to leave you in here. I want you ready to protect yourself, should I be out on the pastures.”
“What do you mean?”
“I’m going to teach you some self-defense.”
“Really? Like, you’re not bullshitting me, are you?”
“I’m for real, and if you’re a good girl, I’ll show you how to shoot. Have you ever fired a gun before?”
“No.” Hope closed her eyes, remember the incident with the online self-defense.
“Well, there’s no time to waste, then. First thing in the morning, you and I are going to ride out to a secluded spot on the property and I’m going to teach you to shoot. Now, do me a favor and get some sleep.”
“Um. I kind of have a problem. I don’t have any other clothes. I ditched my old ones, thinking I’d be buying a couple of outfits at the nearest Walmart.”
“Got that. I’ll have clothes delivered by tomorrow night. For tonight, let me get you something to wear.” Gage ran to his bedroom and pulled out his old high school T-shirt and a pair of boxers. He’d grown out of them during his college days, but his mom had packed up a lot of his old things, and he’d had them ready to be sent to Goodwill.
He dropped off the clothes and went to his bathroom to take an icy shower before he lost control.
Chapter Nine
The night had been a long one. Gage fought himself all night. The urge to check up on her every five minutes grew until he caved and stole a peek at three in the morning. She was sound asleep, curled into a ball on the bed. The covers had fallen half off the bed, leaving her legs bared for Gage’s eyes. His shirt had ridden up her body, revealing a pair of white panties and the slight dip of her waist. He itched to slide into bed and encircle his arm around her. He knew they’d fit perfectly together.
“Damn, I’m going to hell,” he groaned, grabbing his cock through his boxers and stroking it to ease the painful ache. Unable to control himself, he crept away from the room and back into his, finally taking himself in his hand until he came with her name on his lips. Moments after coming, he managed to fall asleep.
It was well after seven in the morning when they both started moving around. She waited for him to be the first to leave the room, unsure how she could face him after sneaking into his bedroom at five to stare at all his sexy glory. The man had been asleep, naked, with his cock, thick and hard, pointing up his abs. Hope didn’t know how to pleasure herself, but if she did, she knew she’d come in a heartbeat if he touched her.
“Did you sleep okay?” Gage asked as he made coffee for them. The sound of an approaching vehicle halted their conversation, and Hope stayed in the kitchen to wait out whoever was coming.
According to a text Bill sent Gage, the men were already starting in the far end of the pasture, so they had no reason to come to the house so soon. Gage went to the porch to see it was Alex pulling up. “Hey, what’s up?”
Alex shook his head as he climbed the wide stairs. “Nothing. Came to see what’s going on.”