Society Rules (38 page)

He brought his eyes down to meet hers. They were wide with uncertainty.

“How can you be sure?” His voice was strained. “Can you know in such a short time?” He shook his head. “
Eternity
, Indie! Did you hear what he said? And the danger. You can’t forget, there will be danger!” Indie caught both of his hands in hers.

“I knew it from the beginning. I knew from the moment of your touch. I will not be without you . . .
ever
! You
have
to know this. You can
see
into my thoughts and find your answer!” She lifted his warm hand and placed it on the side of her face.

“Weren’t you the one who told me to learn to put aside what I believe to be rational? When I asked you how you could have such love for me in an instant? Well, I know what I want; what I need and you . . .” She kissed his palm and met his eyes defiantly. “You
are
going to give it to me. And you’re going to do it
now
!” Indie’s words carried a direct command now.

Jackson moved so that he was on his knees as well, facing her.

In thought, he tried desperately to challenge her authority over him.
But
for
the
fact
that
your
word,
is
my
law!

His face was a perfect picture of this internal battle. Indie could clearly read fear, longing, love and desire, and finally, a grudging acceptance of her words. With that acceptance came hope. He stared into her eyes for a very long time, not speaking, his thoughts slowly becoming focused.

Speaking softly, hesitantly pushing the hair away from Indie’s face, Jackson spoke in a whisper, barely audible. “Then I—I accept your Commitment, Indie. And
most
definitely
give you mine, for eternity!”

“For
eternity
,” she echoed, fervently.

The voice of the Elder encircled them both in warmth, and a feeling of tangible love.

You
are,
by
the
blessing
of
the
Creator,
fully
Committed,
and
Recognized.
Your
union
will
always
be.
Each
of
you
will
share
in
the
others’
triumph
and
sorrow,
until
the
end
of
your
time
in
this
life,
after
which
you
shall
move
on
together
in
the
fulfillment
of
your
future.
I
leave
you
now,
in
the
care
of
one
another.

They were alone. The intensity of the moment made her want to cry. She also experienced an unexplainable sense of loss at the withdrawal of the voice of the Elder.

She shed now, not tears of sadness, but tears for the sudden, overwhelming feeling of total love and acceptance. Indie tried to swallow the lump in her throat . . . the emotions that she couldn’t quite grasp.

She peeked out through her hair to look up at Jackson. Her earlier inexplicable claim to her higher birthright over him, had run off somewhere, and left her feeling uncertain.

This
was her life now.

Her world.

Jackson’s eyes conveyed the same unspoken feeling. As she studied him, taking in the curiously unique color of those eyes, they suddenly darkened with another emotion. One that Indie recognized, and shared instantly.

With a speed and strength that left her gasping and disoriented, Jackson lifted her toward him and brought his lips to hers in a commanding kiss that threatened to ignite the fabric on the bed.

She could feel the need and purpose in his hands, as he brought them up to stroke through her satiny hair, then down the length of her arms, and up again. With a quick motion, he scooped her up and back, pushing Indie deeply into the soft blankets as his hands left a trail of searing heat all over her.

Indie felt his body flatten out on top of hers, as if he were reaching for something. She heard the sound of a drawer opening and Jackson spoke in her ear with an urgent and seductive masculinity.

“There is something I must do first, my love . . . at long last!” She could detect an undertone of held back emotion, as if his excitement could burst through his vocal cords.

For a moment, being the modern-day woman that she was, Indie thought that he was reaching for a condom, and a soft chuckle escaped Jackson’s lips as he picked up on the idea. Before she could respond, she felt something cool and smooth slip over the middle finger of her left hand, to take up residence next to the very place vacated by Indie’s wedding ring, which was now in the bottom of her duffle bag somewhere.

With a gulp of surprise, she lifted her hand to examine what had been placed upon it, and drew in her breath at the beautifully inscripted, sparkling band that now rested with a solid and proud presence on her finger.

As she was still staring at this lovely piece of artwork, she spied Jax moving his hand surreptitiously, and noticed that he was about to shove something onto his own finger, and she stopped him with a shriek and a smack.

His eyes flew open in surprise, and then sparkled mischievously as he handed Indie the slightly larger mate to the ring he’d placed on her hand, without a word.

Indie took the ring in steady hands, and looked Jackson directly in the eye as she carefully slid it home in a gesture that increased her desire for him threefold. This, he also read with no trouble at all, and his own hands trembled as he glanced at the symbol of their Commitment, at rest on his finger after waiting so very long for the honor.

Jackson stretched, full length over her, not allowing his weight to crush her, but the evidence of his need was impossible to ignore, as he allowed his hips to lock naturally into place with hers. She felt him begin to slow, the furious kisses softening, though his breathing was uneven. Indie felt him pull back, and come to rest on her side, as he turned her to face him.

He pulled her very close, and closed his eyes, trying to slow his breaths and regain some control.

“Are you really okay with this?” he asked, reluctantly. In answer, Indie rested her lips on the curve of his neck before kissing her way south. “No,” she murmured against his skin. “Are
you
okay with this?”

Okay?

Jackson’s heart was beating so violently against his ribcage that his brain almost responded with a terrified
“no!”
But his body was busy putting out the “
hell
yes
” vibe, all without his help, and a feeling began to build in him that was all
too
okay.

The feeling was powerful, and dragged itself up through his belly; beautiful, except . . .

“Stop!” he ordered, his voice unsteady, “or this will be over before it starts!” Indie had to laugh, softly against his throat.

“Really, Indie . . .
is
this it?” he persisted. “Are you wanting to continue? It’s okay if you need some time.”

Indie clutched his shoulders impatiently. “Look Jax, it’s a done deal! I’ve made my bed, pardon the pun, and now I fully intend to roll around naked in it!” Jackson looked a little uncomfortable.

“You aren’t . . .
nervous
, are you?” Indie suddenly felt the acknowledgement in her head, and wanted to comfort him immediately. In spite of the cocky statement he’d made to Will earlier about his confidence in his ability to “pleasure” Indie, it had been mostly for effect. He
wasn’t
sure about it.

Not at all.

He was afraid of not living up to her expectations, and afraid of any regrets she may have later.

“I am under the impression that I
have
to be able to make you happy, because I
am
supposed to be perfect for you.” He looked so vulnerable now, so different from the calm, strong and confident man she had seen thus far. Her nurturing instincts kicked in, and she gathered him even more tightly into her arms.

“There is no possible way that you can’t make me happy, because I am already there. The only thing that can improve this moment is to get even closer to you. I
want
you, Jax, in a way I have never felt before in my life.”

He stared at her, uncertainly. Finally, he smiled.

“There’s nothing I want more as well, but truly, you need to take it easy! You’re kind of making me crazy, and I don’t want it to end in like, ten seconds!”

Indie had a short fit of soft laughter. “That’s okay. We get unlimited ‘do-over’s’!”

“Perhaps so,” he acknowledged. “But only one ‘first time,’ and I mean to make it count!” he explained with a little growl.

“I don’t think I’ll fight you about that.” She mused over this sentiment.

She closed her eyes, and began to give herself over to these unfamiliar but wonderful feelings taking over every corner of her body as a slow shift in power occurred; Jackson began to take charge.

There was not an inch of her that he did not give his attention, in his quest to bring her up to his dangerously peaking level of excitement.

His warm hands slid around her body, maneuvering her where he wanted her to lie with ease, his kisses growing more urgent, more intense. As Jackson moved to grip her wrists, he hesitated, and then lifted them suddenly over her head, breathing fire into the shivery, sensitive places around her collarbone, and then slowed again.

“I—I am
trying
to be gentle, Indie . . . .” His voice was incredibly male; raw and raspy.

“Do you feel like being gentle?” Indie moved her head to get to his neck, whispering in to what was apparently quite the sensitive area for Jackson, judging by the sound of air being pulled through his clenched teeth.

“I
want
to be gentle for you. I want to do this the
right
way.”

Indie’s response was spoken in small nips down his neck, and he began quivering all over. “That’s not what I asked. I asked if you
feel
like being gentle.”

His whisper was like satin. “No . . . no I don’t”

“Then maybe, it would be okay if you weren’t . . . so
very
gentle!” Jackson shuddered again as she continued.

“I’m thinking that if you are supposed to be perfect for me, then you need to go with what you want to do, understand? Because guess what? I don’t think I will mind being, um,
ravaged
by you.” She dug in her nails and felt his entire body stiffen.

The idea had suddenly come into her head that maybe, for the first time, she was going to be able to let loose with her full strength. There would be no need to hold back, for fear of hurting someone. She knew that whatever she dished out, Jax could take it.

And the idea that he might meet her with equal enthusiasm!

Oh, she could hardly wait!

“I am not fragile, you know,” she whispered in his ear. “Not physically anyway. I find the idea of you losing a little of your self-control . . . interesting! What do you think about that?” Indie bit down gently on his ear, prompting a very ferocious sound of approval from her mate.

“I think those thoughts are quite . . .
inspiring
!”