Garrett’s Destiny by Anna Blakely

Chapter 9

“Garrett!”

His name echoed off the surrounding walls as Avery’s orgasm hit with a vengeance.

Garrett didn’t immediately stop or pull away. He continued working her body, drawing out every last ounce of pleasure he could.

He wanted to make tonight so good for her she’d forget about every other man from her past. When Avery thought about pleasure, he wanted it to be his face she saw.

I don’t want her to forget me.

Because he sure as hell would never forget her.

“Ohmygod.” Avery panted breathlessly. “That was….I can’t even…it was…”

“The most beautiful thing I’ve ever seen.” Garrett carefully lowered her leg back down and rose to his feet.

The comment wasn’t lip service—no pun intended. It was hands down, the absolute truth.

Sure, he’d had other women. But none had ever reacted to his touch the way Avery had. Like every brush of his hand set her on fire, and damn. What a sight that was to see.

Reaching for his boxers, Garrett pushed them down and kicked them aside. Avery’s sharp intake of air as his cock sprang free made his lips curl.

He’d always been on the larger size but had never been arrogant about it like some guys could be. His generous length and size were all God’s doing, not his.

Even so, it didn’t hurt to see the woman of his dreams staring at him as if he were her favorite dessert.

Speaking of desserts…

Garrett licked his lips, savoring the sweet, musky taste that was all Avery.

Tasting her had been heaven, but feeling her come unglued around him? That made him feel like the king of the fucking world.

She lifted her gaze to his, staring back at him with heavy-lidded eyes and a sated smile. Struck with a sense of peace and satisfaction he’d never experienced before, Garrett realized they could stop right now—with his cock feeling as if it would explode if it didn’t get inside her—and he’d still be a lucky bastard.

Lucky for him, they didn’t stop.

Avery reached for him, her delicate fingers touching him for the first time, and fuuuck. Garrett was lost.

His sharp breath battled with the muted sound of the ship breaking through the ocean’s waves. The ship listed slightly, but not enough to knock them off balance.

What did damn near drop him to his knees was when Avery began moving her fist up and down, stroking him with perfection.

A throaty moan formed in his throat. Garrett closed his eyes—or maybe they rolled in the back of his head, he wasn’t sure—and let her take charge.

“You’re so big,” she whispered in awe. “I’m not very experienced, and I’ve never seen…I mean, I don’t know if it’s going to…”

Ah, hell.

“We’ll fit, sweetheart.” He cupped his hand over hers. “But you keep doing that and I won’t get the chance to prove it to you.”

With a chuckle, Avery’s shoulders relaxed, and her eyes lifted back to his. She didn’t say anything, but with that one, heart stopping look, he knew she was ready.

“Lay back on the bed.”

She did as he asked. “You sure you don’t want me to take my shoes off, first? They might be a little…pokey.”

Pokey?

Garrett smiled and shook his head. God, he loved this woman.

Woah. Not love. It’s way, way too soon for that.

Or was it?

He’d heard women use the term ‘insta-love’ before, but only when referring to sappy romance novels or chick flicks. This was real life with real emotions.

But the problem was he couldn’t quite name what those emotions were because he’d never felt like this before. Not about anyone. And he hadn’t even gotten inside her yet.

“Yet “being the operative word.

Pushing all the rest aside, Garrett looked down at the woman lying before him…and lost his ability to breathe.

Moonlight shone through his balcony window, lighting her up like an angel. With her hair splayed out around her, Avery stared up at him with heady desire.

Letting one leg fall to the side, she offered herself to him in the most precious of ways.

Garrett reached for the unopened condom, using his teeth to rip open the small, foil packet. He held back a wince as he rolled the protection over his throbbing erection, the skin there stretched to its limit by a hunger only this woman had ever created.

“I’m on the pill,” Avery blurted from where she lay. “Mainly to regulate things, because I don’t really date much. And it’s been almost two years since I’ve had sex, so I know I’m clean.” She swallowed hard. “I’m only telling you all this, so you’d know we’re doubly protected. I mean, I know we still need to use the condom for other reasons, just to be safe. But I just thought you should know all that before we…you know.”

“Have sex?” His lips twitched.

Her hair swished along the comforter as she bit her bottom lip and nodded.

She’s nervous.

Her adorable rambling was a dead giveaway to that fact. As for the other…

“That’s good to know.” Garrett climbed onto the bed beside her. “And just so you’re aware, I’m clean, and…it’s been a long time for me, too.”

“Really?” This seemed to shock her.

Tucking some hair behind her ear, he nodded. “Remember when I told you my work keeps me busy? It does, but that’s not the only reason I haven’t been with a woman in a long time.”

“What’s the other reason?”

“I got tired of doing the whole casual thing. Plus, this last job I went on…” Careful, now. “Itdidn’t go as planned. When I finally got back home, I realized how empty my apartment felt, and how badly I wished someone had been there to welcome me home.”

Garrett knew he sounded cheesy as hell, but it was the wholehearted truth.

He still didn’t know what made that op so different from any others he’d been on, but something inside him had changed. It was the whole reason he’d agreed to go on this trip with Colt in the first place.

That first week back, all Garrett had felt was anger and confusion. But once he got here and forced himself to relax, he realized he’d been given a gift.

The gift of clarity.

Though it took him a minute, he truly understood the importance of balance in one’s life.

Work. Family. Fun.

Love.

There was a place for it all if he’d open himself up to it. And the beautiful woman lying next to him made him want that…and more.

The beautiful woman next to you is waiting for you to do something other than talk.

Leaning forward, Garrett put his hand on the curve of Avery’s hip and pressed his lips to hers. “I want to take my time and go slow.” She deserved slow. “But this first time—”

“I don’t want slow, Garrett.” She reached between them and cupped his balls. “I just want you.”

He was on her before he’d taken his next breath.

Bodies flush, the feel of being head-to-toe, skin on skin sent a shot of need spiking through his veins. With his weight balanced on his forearms, he felt Avery’s legs open wide.

He settled himself between them, his weeping tip positioned against her molten core.

Even through the condom’s protective barrier, he could feel how fucking drenched she was. The knowledge that it was all because of him…for him…had Garrett’s hips pushing forward before he even realized he was moving.

Avery closed her eyes, moaning as his swollen crest breached her sensitive flesh. Garret joined her, releasing a guttural sound of pleasure as he worked his way inside, inch by torturous inch.

Jesus, she was tight, and…Holy God…shefelt so very good.

“You okay?” He somehow managed to formulate the words.

He wasn’t even fully seated yet, and already being with her overshadowed all his previous sexual experiences.

Garrett waited, watching closely for her response. The last thing he wanted was to hurt her, but he was big and was going to need to stretch her body a little more to accommodate his size.

“I’m good,” Avery assured him. “But I’ll be even better once you start moving again.”

With a chuckle, Garrett took that as the green light. In one, powerful thrust he broke through her body’s resistance and pushed himself to the hilt.

Mine.

The possessive word flashed through his mind the second he took her. And when Avery tightened her grip and dug those sharp, sexy as fuck heels against his bare ass, Garrett knew that’s exactly what she was.

In the span of a few days, Avery Webb had tunneled her way into his heart. And now, as their bodies moved together in perfect unison, he wanted to hold on tight and never let her go.

I’m never letting go.

Ignoring the meaning behind his silent declaration, Garrett continued thrusting his hips forward and back, moving his rock-hard shaft in and out of her hot, wet heat.

Despite his earlier admission, he started out slow. Or at least he tried to. But she felt so good, and he was already on the edge, his slow, steady pace didn’t last long.

Jesus, he was lost. Drunk from her touch and the way her body felt as it pulled him back in.

The scent of coconuts and vanilla mixed with lust and need, and it was all Garrett could do not to say fuck it and just let go.

She needs to come again.

Granted, he’d already brought her to climax once, and he wasn’t sure if she would be able to get there again. But he was damn sure going to try.

Reaching between them, he shifted positions, tilting her hips up at more of an angle so he’d have better access. He found her clit swollen and ready.

A strangled cry penetrated the walls, Avery’s pelvis shooting off the mattress when he began rubbing it in small, tight circles.

A telltale tingling spread across his lower back. Garrett felt his balls tighten, his climax building at an unforgiving pace.

Determined to get her there a second time, he continued giving her clit the attention it craved. He kept his thrusts steady, his body moving with purpose while forcing his mind to focus.

He wanted to remember everything about this moment.

The room. The way the ocean sounded as they traversed across the open sea.

Most importantly, Garrett wanted to remember everything about how Avery looked as he brought her to climax again.

Every. Fucking. Detail.

The way her brows pushed inward like she was focused on his every move. The tiny ‘O’ her ruby lips formed, allowing her accelerated breaths to move in and out of her overworked lungs.

His gaze lowered to her breasts, their rhythmic sway mesmerizing as they moved back and forth the with each new thrust.

“Please,” Avery pleaded with him. Her inner muscles began rippling around him.

Ah, fuck.

“I’ve got you, sweetheart.” He moved faster, pushing his cock in and out with more force than before.

Garrett could feel his climax racing through him. He needed to get her there…now.

“Come for me, Avery.” He rubbed her clit faster. “Can’t…hold…back…”

“Garrett!”

Avery’s body became a vise as it clamped down on his dick. A rush of hot liquid rushed around him, her muscles contracting around him as her orgasm rolled through her.

“Oh, fuck.” He gave a single, hard thrust. “Ah, God.” Another thrust. “Avery!”

An explosion of pleasure erupted within him. His cock pulsed forcefully as he came harder and longer than he could ever remember.

Not wanting to bring things to an abrupt halt, Garrett continued sliding in and out of her slick heat until he felt her sated body relaxing beneath his.

Reaching between them, he gripped the condom as he reluctantly pulled himself free. Falling onto his back, Garrett closed his eyes and focused on their breathing as they gave themselves a moment to recover.

“Holy shit.” His heart was still kicking the hell out of his ribs.

“I was about to say the same thing.” Avery turned onto her side to face him. “I had no idea it could be like that.”

The comment pissed Garrett off. Not at her, but at the bastards before him who’d clearly done a shit job at giving this woman the pleasure she deserved. But he’d be lying if he didn’t say…

“Me neither.”

Heavy lidded eyes lifted with her smile. “You don’t have to say that on my account. I’m sure a guy like you has had a lot of women. Ones who’ve had a lot more experience than I have.”

Garrett reached over and cupped her cheek. Praying she could see the truth in his eyes, he told her, “Our pasts don’t have a place here, sweetheart. Because they’re just that…the past. But for the record, that was the best, most amazing experience of my existence. And as soon as I recover, I’d love to do it again.”

Tonight. Tomorrow. Next week. Next year.

Her round eyes widened slightly, and her smile grew. Leaning toward him, Avery pressed her lips to his and whispered, “Me, too.”

And they did.

After sharing a late-night pizza to renourish their depleted bodies, they’d gone back to his room for a mind blowing, toe-curling round two. Minutes later and he was here. In the tiny bathroom taking care of his second condom of the night.

Garrett caught a glimpse of himself in the mirror and blinked. Staring back at him was a man he barely recognized. One who was relaxed and…happy.

Because of her.

Back in the day, he was almost as happy and carefree as Colt. But somewhere between his time with the Army and the missions he’d done with Tac-Ops, Garrett had changed.

Killing, nearly being killed… Eventually, that shit took a toll on you.

Not that he regretted the choices he’d made. Not even a little bit. The fact was evil existed, and it needed to be stopped. And if no one signed up for the job, who knew how many innocent lives would be lost.

So no, he felt no remorse for the sacrifices he’d made up to this point. But he’d also come to realize he didn’t have to keep making them. Not all of them, anyway.

The woman lying in his bed was proof of that.

So, why are you still in here when she’s out there?

Tossing the used washrag onto the floor with his other dirty towel, Garrett opened the door and walked back into the room. He started to say something to Avery but stopped himself short when he saw her.

On her side with her arms tucked beneath her chin, the gorgeous woman’s eyes were closed, and her sheet-covered chest was rising and falling at a slow, even pace.

Warmth spread across his chest, and a smile formed on his face as he stepped around the foot of the bed to the other side.

Careful not to wake her, Garrett slid under the covers behind her before reaching an arm around her waist and tucking her sleeping form against him. When he kissed the top of her tousled hair, she mumbled something he couldn’t understand, which made him smile even more.

“Sleep tight, sweetheart.” He pressed his lips to her temple before settling down onto his own pillow.

For the next several minutes, Garrett remained awake. Lying in the silence as the room swayed back and forth with ocean’s growing waves.

He felt more content than he had in…he couldn’t remember how long. But still, his mind wouldn’t let him rest.

Thoughts of a future he wanted so badly he could taste it invaded his mind, and all he could think was…

I can’t lose her.

Part of him believed Avery would understand when he explained about his job and why he hadn’t been completely honest about everything. After all, being a financial software designer, she had to have a sensible, logical thought process. Didn’t she?

Another part of him—a part he hadn’t even realized existed until now—was terrified she’d see his deception as a betrayal and decide she never wanted to see him again.

After the way her sister’s ex had lied to her, Garrett couldn’t help but worry Avery would lump him in the same category the second he told her the truth.

You have to tell her.

Garrett released a quiet sigh. He would tell her. Soon. But for now, he was going to relish in the fact that she was here, in his bed.

Everything else could wait.