He clamped down on the base of his shaft and took a steadying breath. Wouldn’t do any good to lose it now. He had plans for his little princess tonight. He’d make her wait a bit longer, drag out the anticipation while he cooled off.
In the bathroom, Garrett grabbed his shorts and wrestled his wallet from the pocket. He tossed it, along with his key card and change, onto the counter. He wouldn’t need those things tonight. If he had his way, he wouldn’t need that goddamn key card for the next forty-eight hours.
Unless he went for a change of clothes.
He wasn’t leaving Jessa tonight. Hell, he wasn’t leaving Jessa, period. The idea settled over him like a warm blanket.
Not sure when it happened, the mind shift about Jessa. When she’d told him his touch was the one she desired … the moment he sank into her precious heat that first time … maybe the minute he’d answered his phone tonight.
He didn’t give a fuck about the when’s or why’s. How he’d gotten here didn’t really matter, did it?
Jessa was his. Would be his. He didn’t know how yet, but he knew they’d make it work.
It wasn’t like her dad could kill him or anything.
No, he’d just fire his ass and leave him with nothing but a farm and a family to support.
Fuck that. Garrett would find a way for them to be together. Even if that meant going toe-to-toe with her father. TJ liked him, and the feeling was mutual. He could work with that.
All he had to do now was convince Jessa.
With that in mind, he finished collecting their clothes from the wet floor and tossed them into a chair in the bedroom.
Now where was that … ah, yes.
His gaze landed on what he needed. This time he did chuckle. How far would she let him go? How far did he want to go?
Questions he’d never been compelled to explore until her.
So far, their relationship had been about sex. And baseball. Two of his favorite things, yes. But he wanted them to be about more than that, something far more intimate. He wanted her in his life, in his house, in his bed.
He wanted it all.
“Garrett?” Jessa’s voice drifted from the other room, quiet, shaky. Excited.
Beginning right now.
Chapter Fourteen
The wait was killing her. What was taking him so long?
Jessa’s heart thumped. She moved around the couch — a poor barrier against an aroused, determined male — apprehension coiling in her stomach.
“Garrett?” She kept her voice soft, expecting him to jump out at her at any moment.
“Did you think I’d let you get away, princess?” Garrett’s tone, deep and rich, rolled over her as he sauntered into the room.
Her clit was quick to answer, throbbing in response. “What is that?”
He raised his hand.
Oh, God.
The belt from a hotel robe hung from his fist. “After spanking my ass and running away, I figured I’d need some help keeping you where I wanted.” He tilted his head to the side, considering her. “You seemed to enjoy spanking my ass, Jessa. I wonder if I’ll enjoy spanking yours.”
Jessa pressed the heel of her palm into her stomach and bit her lip to keep from coming on the spot. “You told me to run.”
He shook his head. “I gave you the option of a head start if you wanted to run. The decision was yours, baby.” Garrett approached her with slow, deliberate steps. “Are you going to run again?”
Run? She couldn’t even breathe. How the hell was she supposed to run? She shook her head.
One side of his mouth curled up as his gaze darkened. “Give me your hands.”
She hesitated long enough that he took a step back.
“Are you scared?” He studied her. “Because we don’t have —”
“No,” she whispered. The idea of being tied and at his disposal was her undoing. Liquid rushed from between her legs and she squeezed her knees together, embarrassed he’d notice how much she wanted this, him. Jessa thrust her hands out. “Not scared.”
Not verbal either, apparently. She prayed he didn’t need further words, because she didn’t think she had any. Already, her body was prepared for him. More than prepared. It was waving the white flag of surrender.