Gold Dust Widow: The Story of an Outlaw's Revenge

Chapter 27: Clara

Jasper swung me around his body, so his hand could support my buttocks while I wrapped my legs around his waist. I curled my arms around his neck, pulling myself closer to him and deepening our kiss.

I have no idea how he found his way across the street and up the stairs, but suddenly he was kicking our door open and tugging at the neckline of my dress.

With barely a moment of respite, he was pushing me up against the wall, his hands deep under my skirts, his lips tracing rough kisses down my throat.

I could feel my body burning, my heart racing in my chest, my skin flushed and sensitive. I could feel every touch of his calloused fingers, every brush of his soft lips, his rough beard.

Everything I was responded to him, anticipated him. Even my breathing matched his. I could feel his fingers digging into my skin, squeezing and bruising as he tried to be everywhere at once.

His body pushed up against mine, supporting my weight against the wall, his hardness pressed against my core. I squirmed in pleasure, my cheeks flushing.

"Jasper," I gasped when I felt him beginning to tear the dress.

He hummed in response, his lips never leaving my throat, licking and biting his way down.

"It's not my dress," I reminded him.

"Then you take it off," he growled back. I couldn't help the burst of giggle as he released me.

Reaching behind, I pulled at the ties and the dress fell to the floor. Jasper's eyes burned my skin, raking up and down my naked body as I pulled my drawers off.

I stepped out of the pool of clothing towards him. My heart hammered in my chest; I couldn't look away from him.

"You are beautiful Clara," he murmured, moving towards me. He caught me in his arms, his hand sliding around my waist to pull me against him. His other hand came around to stroke my cheek, and then lifted my chin so I could meet his gaze. I could feel my breath was shaky as I looked into his stormy eyes, illuminated only by the silver moonlight.

"I don't ever want to see you hurt again Clara," he mumbled. "I want to protect you. I want to dance with you every night. I want to wake up with you, safe in my arms, every morning for the rest of my life. Clara-"

There was a sudden crack followed by a deafening explosion. The scream was ripped from me as the floorboards beneath our feet groaned and snapped and the whole building shuddered.

Jasper's arms wrapped around me, holding me tight as we were thrown against the side of the wall, his back taking the brunt of the impact. He grunted in pain and locked his arms even tighter against me as we crumbled to the floor. Pain radiated through my body, sharp and stinging.

My ears rung with the sound of the explosion. I blinked trying to understand what had happened. I could smell smoke, heat licked the walls near us, and I could hear Ares barking nearby.

"Clara," Jasper rasped, I could feel him already picking himself up, cradling me against his chest. I head spun as he staggered across the shattered room and grabbed the blue dress.

"What-"

I was interrupted by the sounds shouts in the street below. The window had shattered, cold air rushed into the room, mixing with the smoke.

Jasper was ignoring everything, his hands were holding me up, pulling the dress onto my body, barely tying the stays at the back before he had me over his shoulder.

I was could barely breathed as we burst through the split door and launched into the stairway. Jasper was talking but I couldn't hear him; I could barely make out Ares panting and following behind us.