Punt: A British Bad Boy Football Romance (35 page)

H
e watched
the happy couple for a few minutes, noticing that Jace could barely keep his hands off Tessa, and he was paying special attention to her stomach. Tessa’s pregnancy was still undetectable, but you would have to be blind to miss the fact that Jace was highly aware of it. Not just aware, but also thrilled. The lucky bastard.

Jasper kicked his feet up onto a chair and sighed. A few months ago, he could have watched this with nothing but admiration for the other male. He’d spent his whole life setting low expectations for himself, starting with the fact that he never believed he’d have the untouchable Madeline Copeland. When he’d reached about twenty five years of age, he’d given up on the idea of having a loyal mate and the kind of large, loving family he’d once thought to have.

He’d channeled those desires and his disappointment into action instead, and had devoted himself to bettering the situation of his pack. Though Maddie was derisive of the Bunker’s current state, in reality things had been much worse under his father’s watch.

He’d worked hard on the pack’s security business, trying to bring in enough money to keep the pack fed. The security jobs paid off exponentially, filling the pack’s coffers, but the long hours and stress added to Jasper’s unstable family life left him little energy for hobbies or flirting.

Hell, when Gwen had seduced and then dated him, he’d been shocked. If the Beta wolf hadn’t flung herself stubbornly into his path, he probably would have been celibate except for a few drunken one-night stands over the years.

He’d never been good enough for the one female he truly wanted, so he’d just said fuck it and given up completely. And up until now, that had worked for him. He’d functioned, at least.

Now here he was, sitting in the shadows at someone else’s mating celebration, wondering what the hell he was going to do when Maddie got the inclination to take off.

And she would take off; of that much Jasper was certain. She’d start feeling stagnant, or like he was weighing her down, or maybe she’d just plain get bored. In any event, he’d wake up one day to a note on her pillow, and a big heap of heartache.

If he let things continue like this, he was going to end up in a world of hurt at her hands. All for the sake of her sense of independence, her pride. He could only wonder how long it would take her to tire of playing house in Alabama. Not long enough for him. It would never be long enough with Maddie, he realized now.

The thought took him by surprise, although perhaps it had been creeping up on him for the last week. He wanted to be with her, like mates should be. He wanted to hear her make that commitment, to admit she was his. He wanted her to say that she needed him, just as he knew he needed her.

So now the question was — could he lay it all on the line in order to have her? It would be the purest gamble, an all or nothing ultimatum. And she might just as easily rebuff him and walk away rather than accept his terms.

But Jasper was no fool. Today he’d seen the kind of happiness that mates could have, and he knew he wouldn’t be satisfied without at least trying to attain that with Maddie. He’d waited almost twenty years just to touch her. How much longer could he wait to claim her completely?

And what would happen if she refused him?

Downing his drink, Jasper pushed down the insecurities lashing at him. He didn’t cross bridges before he got to them, and he sure as hell wouldn’t give up on Maddie before he’d tried to win her over.

After a time, Jasper sought Maddie out again. He found her seated at one of the tables amongst with one of her pack mates, engaged in conversation. She sat with Declan, an unrepentant flirt and frequent target of Jasper’s ire. The hair rose on Jasper’s neck and arms as he watched Maddie laugh at something Declan said, touching his forearm.

Jasper stalked toward them, straining to hear the conversation.

“Well that’s the thing about Prague, love,” Declan was saying, his deeply-inflected Irish accent making his words curl softly in the air. “It’s a city built for sin. Everyone is beautiful, and even the buildings are sexy. It’s all garters and cheap wine after dark.”

“That sounds heavenly,” Maddie purred, tilting her head with a longing sigh.

“Quite the opposite, I’d say,” Declan replied, breaking off as Jasper stepped just in front of them. Looking up at Jasper, Declan smiled.

“Just talking about travel plans,” he said.

“Is that so?” Jasper asked, his eyes drifting to Maddie. He took in the excited flush on her cheeks, the almost-breathless excitement she radiated just hearing about Europe secondhand.

How in the hell could Jasper hope to compete with that kind of wanderlust? He had to show her, mark her as his own some way. Maybe then at least she’d come back to him after her travels ended.

Maddie tipped her head up to look at him, exposing the long column of her throat. She’d caught on to his sudden shift in mood and was trying to figure out how to respond.

“Declan was just telling me about how, um, beautiful Prague is in the spring time,” she explained. Her eyes slid over Jasper’s face, looking for answers he couldn’t give her.

“I heard. You were telling my mate all about garters,” Jasper replied, his words intended for Declan though his eyes never strayed from Maddie’s face.

Maddie blushed, and Declan cleared his throat.

“No offense meant, Jasper,” Declan said, inclining his head in apology.

Jasper cut his gaze to the male for a moment, a muscle jumping in his jaw.

“I’d like to speak with my mate. Alone,” Jasper intoned.

“Of course,” Declan said, standing and fleeing the table.

Maddie still sat, staring up at Jasper like a helpless puppy. Her usual impertinence was nowhere to be seen. A good thing, really; Jasper’s current possessiveness was riding him too hard to take any of her taunting just now.

“What do you want?” she asked, her amethyst eyes large and luminous in the candlelight.

“Everything.”

Maddie swallowed, giving the briefest nod as she peered up at him. She didn’t protest when Jasper pulled her to her feet and grasped her wrist.

“Let’s go somewhere more private,” Jasper commanded, his gaze boring into hers.

“My house?” she asked, her voice tremulous.

Jasper shook his head.

“Too far.”

He bent and swept Maddie up in his arms, heedless of the eyes of their pack mates as he headed toward the Armory. His long strides had them at the door in moments, and he carried her inside. He opened the first hall door he saw, which led into a storage room. The room was filled with dusty furniture and stacks of boxes. Jasper spied an oversized pile of fabric that appeared to be old drapes. He deposited Maddie atop the pile less than gently, pleased at her soft exclamation when she landed. She sunk down, stopping just at hip height.

“Jas—” she started, but Jasper shook his head. He reached down and parted her knees, looking down as he pressed himself against her body. When he looked back up at her, Maddie’s lips were parted, her breathing had grown harsh.

Though the urge to kiss her was overwhelming, Jasper resisted. Instead he drew out the moment, pushing back the dark curtain of her hair from one side of her face and neck. Skimming a hand along her jawline, he pressed his thumb up under her chin and cupped her neck in his large hand. He marveled at how finely made she was, how delicate she seemed under his fingers. His need to mark her, brand her, was tempered by his need to cherish and protect her.

Maddie sucked in a breath, her chest heaving and drawing his attention. He squeezed his fingers around her throat ever so gently, eliciting a breathy gasp from his mate. He looked up to gauge her reaction. Maddie’s eyes were huge and dark, her pupils dilated with excitement.

She needed this as much as he did.

Jasper’s gaze dropped back down to the lovely exposed lines of her collar bone and cleavage, accentuated by the low-cut dress she wore. Without moving the hand about her throat, he brushed the fingers of his other hand over her breast bone, tracing his way down the sweet spot where her breasts pressed together enticingly.

She let out another gasp and shifted a little, urging him onward. He squeezed her throat again, certain to keep his touch gentle but firm. Maddie made a small mewling sound, the scent of arousal radiating from her even through her clothes. Jasper leaned in toward her, breathing in her excitement and exhaling his own in a soft growl.

Releasing her, Jasper pulled the hem of her dress up over her head and stripped the fabric from her body to leave her in lacy white panties and a matching bra. The frippery only reinforced his sense of her feminine vulnerability, but it wasn’t enough for him. He needed her bare before him, and wasted no time in reaching behind her to unhook and remove her bra.

When he pulled the flimsy undergarment away, he watched her rosy nipples contract as they encountered the cool air. Maddie’s hands came up instinctively to cover her breasts, and Jasper growled his displeasure. He pulled off his tie and pulled her arms behind her back, binding her wrists firmly.

He stood up again, surveying his work. Maddie tipped her head back to look up at him, her pose mirroring the moment earlier at the reception when he’d first been overcome with the desire to brand her as his own. Her slim throat was milky white, and he placed his hand against it again, this time gripping gently at the front hollow. He stared at his hand against her flesh, riveted.

“Mine,” he said, breaking his own concentration to look up and meet her eyes. He squeezed her throat once more as emphasis. “Don’t speak. Nod if you understand.”

Maddie nodded, her movements slow and precise. There could be no misunderstanding between them. She belonged to him, and she’d admitted that. Now he would show her the rewards of being his mate.

J
asper’s hands
drifted down to cup the fullness of her naked breasts, admiring their weight and shape. Her nipples were large and tinged with the softest dusky pink, puckered and sensitive when he swept the calluses of his thumbs across the tips. Maddie released a soft sound, and Jasper squeezed each breast with gradually increasing pressure until she cried out again. Only then did he slacken his hold and dip his head to take one pert nipple in his mouth. He rolled his tongue around the tender flesh, waiting until he felt her thigh muscles clench against his own before delivering a stinging flash of teeth.

When she protested, he soothed the sensation away with the silken heat of his mouth once more. Moving to the other breast, he scraped his teeth against the underside to elicit another moan and a shiver of pleasure. This time he bit into her breast harder, causing her whole body to stiffen in alarm. But just as quickly, he moved to flick his tongue back and forth over her nipple. In a heartbeat, her discomfort was forgotten. He did this several more times, impressing his teeth against her pale flesh and then teasing the pain away. By the time he was ready to move on, her flesh was covered with slight traces of red, marks he’d left behind with his attentions. Maddie was rocking her hips unconsciously, trying to press closer.

If she wanted more, he could only give it to her.

Jasper slid his hands to her hips, slipping his thumbs under her panties and pressing them into the hollows of her hip bones. She rolled her hips against him again, needing more. He stripped her panties away in a blink, tossing them aside.

Dropping to his knees, he placed one hand at the juncture of each of her thighs. Gripping her hard, he pulled her closer and relished the loud groan of anticipation that she released. He leaned forward and nuzzled her taut belly, her hip bones, her mons.

He pressed his nose against the silken hairs protecting her slit, blowing a gentle breath against her lips. She gave a frustrated growl, causing Jasper to pull back and look up at her.

“What do you want, Madd?” he asked, snaring her with his gaze.

“Please,” she panted, her hips rocking again. This close, he could practically taste the arousal seeping from her body. It made him impatient, but he refused to hurry. If he was going to possess her, it would be in every way. He’d make her say the words.

“You want… this?” he asked. Leaning forward again, he ran his tongue along her lower lips, slipping it inside for the barest moment before withdrawing again.

“Yes,” she moaned, her eyes closing.

Leaning down, Jasper nipped her inner thigh. She jumped, her eyes snapping open.

“Look at me, Madeline,” he commanded. Her gaze snapped back to his, shocked.

“You have to tell me what you want,” he dictated.

Her breath caught and held, but she didn’t respond right away. He could see the wheels turning, trying to figure out what to say. She was thinking too much, taking away from the moment.

Jasper pressed his mouth to her once more, this time seeking the soft ridge of her clitoris with his tongue. He repressed a groan as the sweet taste of her juices crossed his tongue, coupling with the heat and softness of her pussy. His patience was pushed to the very brink as he felt her respond under his lips and tongue, but he pulled back.

Maddie groaned in protest, and Jasper half-rose to capture her mouth with his own, letting her taste her own arousal on his lips. When he dropped back to his knees, they were both breathing hard.

“What do you want?” he prompted again. This time, she answered.

“Make me come,” she begged.

“How?”

“Suck on me. Lick me,” she breathed, hips rolling desperately. Jasper let the fingers of one hand release her thigh and trail down to her wetness, teasing down the length of her slit before pressing inside her clenched sheath. She cried out, and he withdrew his finger only to introduce a second. Withdrew, and slid his fingers deep this time.

Maddie’s head was thrown back, her whole body arched toward where his fingers were slowly sliding in and out of her body, coaxing her pleasure.

“Maddie,” he whispered.

“Mmmm,” she responded, her hips thrusting to meet his fingers. He slid his fingers all the way into her tight sheath, his palm facing up. Instead of withdrawing again, he began to move his fingers in a ‘come-hither’ motion. Soft movements at first, then harder and harder as she cried out in response.

He could feel Maddie’s muscles tightening, clenching under the deft touch of his fingertips. Jasper bit his lip, concentrating on finding a spongy patch about the size of a quarter. As she grew more and more tense, he pressed his free hand against her lower abdomen and was rewarded by finding his quarry.

He felt her g-spot emerge and swell as her arousal increased under his attentions, and massaged it with his fingertips.

“Fuck!” Maddie cried out, her excitement beginning to peak.

“Who do you belong to?” Jasper growled, fascinated by her enthrallment.

“You! Only you,” she whispered, her words a plea.

“Say it. Say my name,” he insisted.

“Jasper. Jasper!” she shouted, begging for more.

Only then did Jasper lean in and press his mouth to her lips, finding and sucking her clit forcefully. Maddie writhed and called out his name, lost in sensation. She nearly toppled backward off the pile of cloth, and Jasper had to reach around and press her against his face to keep her balanced.

A moment later Maddie came undone, practically thrashing against him as she thrust against his face. She called out his name once, twice, and a final time as she came. He continued to suck at her until she gradually stilled, panting.

Jasper leaned back, withdrawing his fingers. As he did it, Maddie sighed regretfully. Jasper chuckled.

“Don’t worry. There’s more where that came from,” he intoned. Maddie looked down at him, biting her lip.

Jasper stood up, pulling his jacket off and casting it aside. He made short work of his shoes, shirt, and pants as well. He stood before her, naked and fully erect. She looked at his cock with wide, dazed eyes, then looked up at him. She pulled at the tie binding her arms, frowning when she found no purchase. Jasper smirked at her, eyeing the distance between her and the floor.

Without warning he pulled her off the pile of drapes and onto her knees. Jasper grasped his cock as he watched his mate watching him. She was bare before him, completely vulnerable and yet obviously trusting. Her tongue darted out to lick her lips, and Jasper felt himself grow even harder. Holding his cock in one hand, he stepped up to his mate and slid the fingers of his free hand into her hair.

She licked her lips again, looking up at him with sultry eyes. He groaned as he felt a slick pearl of precum escape his cock, beading at the end. Looking down at his mate, he growled at her.

“See what you do to me?” he asked.

Her eyes dropped down to his heavy arousal, then returned to meet his gaze. She took a deep breath, nodding as his fingers tightened against her scalp.

“You are mine. You won’t resist me, will you?” he asked.

She shook her head.

“Good girl. Tilt your head back and open your mouth,” he ordered.

Her chin came up and her lips parted enticingly.

Pressing forward, he brushed the damp tip of his cock against her lips.

“Taste me,” he commanded.

He was rewarded when her tongue darted and slid across his sensitive head, the caress hot and wet and all too brief.

“Open your mouth.”

She obliged, and Jasper groaned as he pressed into the welcoming heat of her mouth. Her tongue worked as he pressed himself further inside in small increments, stopping when she tensed and moving again as she relaxed.

“Tilt your head back more and relax,” he coached. When she did, he slid himself fully into her mouth, the tip of his cock resting in the tightness of her throat.

“Gods. That’s it,” he uttered, slowly starting to withdraw. He looked down at his mate as he did so, watching her to make sure she was comfortable. Her eyes were running up and down the toned length of his body, admiring. She remained still, not struggling against his grip as he pulled almost all the way out of her mouth before beginning the maddening slide back in.

Her mouth was so perfect, so accepting of his cock that he almost spilled into her throat right then and there. Gritting his teeth, he withdrew from her mouth completely before he came like an untried teenager. When Maddie realized that he had finished with her mouth, she let out a small sigh of disappointment.

That little sigh had Jasper harder than he’d ever been in his life, and for a moment he was lost to himself.

“You want more, is that it?” he snarled, grabbing Maddie by the waist and hauling her to her feet.

“You’re damned right,” she spat, making him squeeze her ribs. That mouth of hers. One way or the other, it would be the ruin of him tonight.

He reached down and ripped his tie from where it bound her hands, then turned her to face away from himself. A little push had her lying facedown on the pile of drapes, her perfectly shaped ass sticking up to tempt him further.

Jasper stepped up to her, running a hand over her flank. Suddenly he hauled off and slapped her ass, hard enough to leave a red mark. Maddie squealed in surprise, making Jasper chuckle.