“You two fuckers are dead!” I bellow and I can hear it echo off the walls. That’s when I hear the pounding of footsteps behind me as my security team no doubt got the page.
“Oh shit!” one of the little bitches cries as he’s frozen in place.
“Mr. Grayson?”
I hear the security guard behind me as I walk slowly towards the guys who are wearing shirts that have the logo for the chair rental company on them. I grind my teeth knowing they should have been long gone but must have stayed behind to snoop.
“We’re sorry, mister, we were just—”
“Lost,” the other guy finishes, but he knows I’m not buying it.
“Take the young men into custody. I’ve called the authorities,” Simon says in his cool calm voice. “Just as they were leaving the flowers were delivered and the headcount was miscalculated. These were the two that were unaccounted for.”
“Please arrest us,” one of them calls over my shoulder to Simon as I stalk closer.
“You’re smarter than you look,” I growl low in my chest.
I want to beat on these little shits for breaking into my house and thinking they could take something. I want to turn them into pulp for disrespecting my woman and coming anywhere near her possessions. I want to get out all of my fears and frustrations on them, so that I can feel better.
I grab the closest one by the collar of his shirt and lift him off the ground. His face turns white as a sheet and I toss him over to where the security is standing and he crumples to the ground, moaning.
The other guy stupidly tries to run and I grab him by the scruff of the neck and haul him up in the air. I toss him into a pile with his friend and he hits the other one with his face and I hear a crunch. When security pulls him off the floor, his nose is bloody and I do feel a little better at seeing it.
“Timber.”
The sound of my name on those lips would call me back from the dead. I turn around to see Pippa rushing towards me just as the guards take the proverbial trash out. I wrap her in my arms and hold her close, breathing in her scent. A calm peace washes over me—the effect her touch always has on me.
“Can you handle everything?” I ask Simon, who is looking at the busted door frame.
“Don’t I always?” He smiles at me and I nod.
“Where’s your sister?” I ask as I carry Pippa out of her old bedroom and down the hall to our room.
“She’s checking in with the caterers in the kitchen and going over the seating charts. I came to find you and get ready.”
I bury my face in her neck as I walk into our room and kick the door shut behind us.
“Timber, what the hell just happened?”
“I can’t lose you,” I say as I kiss down her throat and walk towards the bed.
“Lose me?” I can hear the smile in her voice as I put her on her back and start to unbutton her shirt.
“The thought of someone coming in here and trying to take you from me—” I grit my teeth because I can’t finish the sentence. I’m so angry again at just the thought I rip open the front of her shirt. Buttons fly as material rips and the sight of her pink lacy bra covering her breasts does little to calm me.
“Hey.” She cups my cheek and I look into her eyes. “I love you, Timber.”
I still at her words and blink to make sure I heard her right. “What?”
“I said I love you. I should have said it the first time we made love, but I was scared.”
“And you’re not now?” I lean into her touch and move between her legs.
“Never when I’m with you.”
She pulls me down to her and I press my lips to hers. The kiss is gentle at first, but the moment I feel her tongue slide against mine, all bets are off.
“Yes, I love you and yes, I’ll marry you.”
“You will?” My heart swells as I stare into her eyes and see my future before me. It was unknown for so long, but now that I have my Pippa my path is clear.
“I will.” She nods and I kiss her again.
Her body wraps around mine as I reach between us and unbutton her jeans. I push them over her hips and down her legs until I can yank them off of her. She’s not wearing any panties because I still haven’t replaced the ones I got rid of when I moved her in here. As I drag my hand between her legs and her damp slit, I’m thankful I never did.
“Fuck, I need to eat it.” I lick my lips as I move down her body and onto my knees.