Say It’s Forever (Fate #1)

Chapter 6

6

WINTER

I t couldn’t be this easy, could it? What are the chances that the first person I found is willing to help me get my sister back? My father always told me no one ever does anything for free. What does Garrett want? I really don’t have anything to offer him.

“I can’t pay you or anything. All I have is in that bag.” I start to hold up what I have in my hand but jerk it back.

“I’ve already seen your panties, Snow.” I drop my face to his chest to hide the blush that has spread across it.

“I’m being serious. I don’t have anything to offer you in return for helping me. I mean, you’ve gone out of your way and done enough for me already.” There is no way I can let him go through with this. His life would be at risk. The thought of something happening to him because of me does not sit well with me. “You can just take me to the sheriff in town, and they can help me.” I lift my head from his chest to look into his eyes. They’re a gray color, and they remind me of a storm, changing when things intensify. And my last words have them doing exactly that.

“We’re not involving the sheriff. I’ll handle this my way. There are not many people we’re going to be able to trust,” he says, his eyes softening a bit as his hand comes up to cup my cheek once again. I lean into it, loving the comforting feeling. I know by the way he’s staring at me that he’s not going to take no for an answer.

I should just leave and keep him out of this, but his words keep flitting around in my mind about not being able to trust everyone. Joseph and Heaven’s Temple have a far reach. They may keep to the compound, but from what I’ve overheard, there are men in power outside to make sure things stay in order.

It’s crazy how before Garrett, I’d never even thought about trusting a man, and now I’m willing to so easily instill my trust in him in less than twenty-four hours. Be brave , I remind myself.

“Okay. I agree.” Instantly I feel his body relax. “But I have a few conditions.” Speaking freely is all new to me. I would never speak to a man on the compound in this way. Women don’t make demands on men there. Not without suffering consequences, anyway.

“Go on.” Garrett must sense my hesitation.

“If I stay here like you suggested and I let you help me get my sister, then I need to repay you in some way.”

“Snow.” When Garrett says my name, it sounds gruff. I feel his fingers flexing on my back, pushing me closer to him. “You don’t have to do anything. Just stay here.”

Just stay here? That’s part of why I want to pay him back in some way. He’s going to let me stay in his home. I’m not sure for how long, but I have to do my part. Everyone is supposed to chip in. Well, at the compound you are. The women at least.

“I could cook and clean,” I offer. “My sister is a better baker, but I–”

“Snow.” He cuts me off. “How about we worry about that later?”

"But I'd like to do something for you. Is there anything you need? I’m a quick learner.”

“You’re not ready for what I want from you.”

What the heck does that mean? I feel something hard flex against me. I glance down, but I can’t see anything. My body is pressed firmly against Garrett. I’ve never been this close to a man before.

“What is…” I trail off as I realize what it is. I know about sex. You have to have some knowledge especially when dealing with livestock, but I’ll admit that what I know is pretty basic. It actually sounds terrible. My mother told me about what a girl experiences the first time, and it scared the crap out of me. I'm at a loss as to why anyone would want to do that. But as I feel Garrett's manhood press into me, a warmth pools deep inside of me, settling between my thighs.

“Don’t be scared of me, Snow. I’d never do anything you don’t want.”

“I don’t think that,” I admit, licking my lips. I should step back from him, but I don’t. “We’re not married, so it’s not even allowed.”

“You make up your own rules now. Theirs don’t apply to you any longer. Like I said, you can do what you want.”

That realization rains down on me, tilting my world on its side. He’s right. I can do whatever I want. Those rules aren't mine to follow anymore. I no longer belong to Heaven’s Temple. Unless they find me and drag me back . That thought sends a chill through me. I don’t want to live that way any longer. Once Garrett gets Libby out of there, we’ll both be able to live a life making our own choices.

“I know I’m supposed to do something for you, but could I ask you for one thing?” I want to do this for myself. To get to pick this one thing.

“You can ask me any damn thing you want, beautiful.”

“Beautiful?” That makes me smile.

“Surely you know you’re beautiful.”

“I suppose. The prophet did ask for my hand in marriage.” A low growling sound is coming from Garrett.

“You’re not his.”

“I don’t want to be,” I agree. I want to belong to a man that would love me so deeply that he’s never thought of causing me harm or wanting to have another wife. I want to be a man’s whole world, but I don’t think that’s how it works.

With Joseph, though, I was happy there would be other wives. It would be less time I’d have to spend with him, but that was because I didn’t love him. I never would. Now a man like Garrett, I don’t think I could share him, but maybe I can have a taste.

“You won’t.” His words come out with a finality to them. “Now tell me what you wanted to ask for.”

Before I can think too much, I blurt out, "A kiss." The words rush past my lips before I become too shy to ask for it. “Not that you have to kiss me, but–” I stop talking when Garrett brings both his hands to my face, cupping my cheeks. Every time he does this, he makes me feel delicate and precious. It causes butterflies to take flight inside me.

“Going to kiss you.”

I nod my head. He slowly lowers his mouth to mine, making it clear what he is doing but giving me a chance to back out if I want. I don’t. Instead, I close my eyes and feel his lips press to mine.

I wrap my arms around his neck, rising onto my tiptoes to press my lips back against his. Garrett groans against my mouth. A thrill unlike any I have ever had courses through me. His tongue comes out and swipes against my bottom lip, making me gasp.

When my lips part, Garrett’s tongue slips into my mouth. I don’t move. His tongue strokes against mine. It makes a whirl of thoughts flash through my mind. Me with my legs wrapped around Garrett. Him pulling at my clothes as he takes me down onto a bed. One by one, they swirl in my thoughts. I have no idea where they come from. I've never seen anything like it before. My mind creates each on its own. All with Garrett front and center.

“Kiss me back,” Garrett orders before his mouth is right back on mine. Wanting to be close to him, I slide my tongue into his mouth, trying to match what he did. I have no clue what the heck I’m doing. When he lets out another one of those deep, hungry groans, I know I must be doing it right. I moan right back. I couldn’t have stopped the sound if I wanted to.

Garrett manages to deepen the kiss more. He’s kissing me with a wild, untamed, sinful passion. The warmth that flooded my body becomes hotter. My body is now acting on its own accord. Human nature is taking over, my natural instincts drawing me to him.

“Yes,” I moan. I don’t know if it was me that climbed him or he picked me up, but my feet left the floor. I wrap them around him. “Don’t stop,” I say when he takes his mouth from mine, but it doesn’t leave me. His kisses travel across my jaw and down my neck. I let my head drop to the side, allowing him to take what he wants. My fingers sink into his hair as I start to rock my hips.

“Fuck,” Garrett grunts. The next thing I know, I’m back on the couch, and he’s clear across the room, his back to me. I touch my lips, still feeling him there, wondering what I might have done wrong.

“I’m sorry.” I think I took things too far. Oh God, what is wrong with me?

“Don’t apologize,” he says but doesn’t turn around. Tears burn in my eyes. I stand up and rush down the hallway. When I spot a bathroom, I duck inside, shutting the door behind me. I push the lock so that I can have some privacy.

“Snow!” I hear Garrett call after me. On the other side of the door, I see his shadow. “Baby, open the door. I’m fucking sorry.” Did he call me baby?

“You say the F word a lot.” I sniffle.

“You want me to stop?” He sounds so calm now.

"If I asked, would you do that?"

“Yeah.” Garrett says it simply. This man is so strange. But not in a bad way. It's definitely different from what I'm used to. He’s bigger than any male I have ever met. He could probably snap ours in half with one hand, but he’s also the sweetest man I’ve ever met. No man has ever treated me the way he has.

“You’d just let me boss you around?”

“You keep letting me kiss you, and I’ll do anything you ask me.”

I can't help but smile, but my smile falters when I remember why I ran off to the bathroom. “You don’t like my kisses,” I remind him.

“You’ve done lost your mind, beautiful. The problem is I like them too fu–” He corrects himself. “Freaking much.” I put my hand over my mouth to smother a laugh. I don’t want him to think I’m laughing at him, but it’s really adorable.

I pop the lock. I don’t get a chance to open the door. Garrett does. He steps into the bathroom. I step back to make room for him. “Don’t lock me out.”

“Sorry.” I shake my head. “It’s your house. That was rude.”

“No, I just don’t like you locking me out from getting to you.” He lifts me up easily, sitting me on the bathroom counter. His hands come down on either side of me.

“I stopped kissing you because I was about to take more than you’re ready for.” He leans in closer. “You were rubbing your pussy against my cock. I was two seconds from tossing you onto the couch and taking something you believe should be saved for marriage.”

I’m not so sure I believe that anymore. Garrett has me thinking oh so differently.