Chapter 174 Autumn’s POV
Chapter 174 Autumn’s POV
The shock of his lips crashing against mine sent a violent wave of heat through my body. My mind went completely blank, but as his arms wrapped around my waist pulling me against his hard chest, the bells in my head began to ring out too loudly. No... I can't do this... I'm supposed to be running away from the chaos, not diving straight into it.
My hands went straight against his chest, my fingers curled into the thick wool of his sweater. I pushed and tugged, fighting against him in the kiss but his muscles were tough, completely unaffected by my panicked state. "Jared," I gasped, managing to cut away from the kiss, "wait. We can't—I... I mean I can't."
With a small strength in me, I pushed him harshly, trembling from the cold, shock and fear. My breathing was ragged, soft gasps escaping my lips each second I shivered, "stop... please..." I muttered softly but he didn't let me go. Jared loosened his grip enough to let me breathe, his hands sliding up to cup my face as his thumbs stroke my cheekbones softly, wiping a tear I hadn't even realized had fallen from my eyes.
"Why are you fighting this, Autumn?" His voice was a soft low whisper but it sent a warm vibration through my skin settling heavily on my chest, "why are you always fighting me? Let yourself be caught for once and let all the exhaustion fall."
I stared up at him, my hands still resting against the steady thump of his heart. The physical distance between us was barely an inch but it felt like shaky bridge I was terrified to cross, "because if I let you catch me," I whispered, my voice cracking as each word let my lips, "I don't know if I'll be ever be able to stand on my own. I came here to clear my head, by getting away from everything that was suffocating me. I can't—"
I let out a sharp inhale, "we can't do anything, I don't think I'll be able to survive something like this." Shortly after, a heavy silence fell over the gardens. Jared said nothing, just the mixture of our soft breaths that echoed softly around the garden.
He kept stroking my chin, his eyes saying all the words his lips won't be able to describe, I was fighting hard to keep the last thread of resistance in place but each time he looked deep into my eyes, the thread was slowly snapping.
As he stared at my lips then back into my eyes, the exhaustion of guarding my own heart, constantly running from my desires while building up walls finally crashed down on me. I couldn't fight it anymore, that undeniable chemistry that had been simmering dangerously between us for weeks.
His fingers were still on waist, pressing softly against my tensed muscles that were finally melting. Instead of pushing him away like my mind wanted, my hands slid upward as my fingers tangled into his slightly damped hair pulling him closer to me.
A small defeated sound escaped my lips as he instantly swallowed me the second he leaned down and captured my lips again. The kiss seemed instantly, turning from something desperate into a heart wrenching consuming fire. He held so delicately as his tongue sweet across my lower lip, demanding entrance.
It felt like I had no control of my own body as I yielded completely, parting my lips and letting him take everything. The sharp intoxicating taste of rich tobacco and mint flooded my senses. I felt my world spin dizzily, and the only thing keeping me balanced to the earth was the possessive grip of his hands pulling my hips.
He slowly backed me up, our steps clumsy as we rushed over the path. I didn't care where we were going or if anyone in the massive mansion could see us, what mattered was that he didn't stop touching me.
My hands roamed all over his broad shoulders, pulling him closer, desperate to pull his heat to calm the chill of the night. We finally stumbled off the main path, as we made our way into the mansion. He kicked the door shut behind us, the dull thud echoing through the quiet room.
The darkness inside was softened by the moonlight filtering through into the room, "Autumn," he groaned against my neck, he trailed his wet lips down my throat sending a hot sensation over his body. His hands were everywhere and possessive, he swept the heavy cardigan off my shoulders, letting it drop on the floor.
"Jared," I breathed, my head falling back completely as his mouth found the sensitive point at the base of my neck. My legs gave out, he caught me effortlessly, sweeping me up into his strong arms without breaking a sweat.
He carried me into his room, dropping me on his king sized bed, but followed me instantly as his heavy weight pressed me down into the soft fabric of his bed. The oversized clothes felt restrictive but Jared's hands stripped away the layers of fabric with urgency, his predatory eyes never leaving mine.
When the moonlight finally shone over my bare skin, his breath hitched as he stared at me then made me feel like the most ethereal being on earth, "you are incredibly beautiful," he whispered, his voice thick and raspy. I reached up for the hem of his sweater, pulling it over his head and tossing it carelessly into the shadows.
He was bare, his features made him look like a Greek god, he went back to each part of my body. Every desperate touch, every bruising kiss... we completely lost track of time in his room. I surrendered completely to the rhythm of his body, the deep groans and loud moans that vibrated in his chest.
When we finally came, it felt like a total collision of our body, mind and soul. He stared at me with doe eyes, heavy breathing as he placed a soft kiss on my lips, linking my fingers with his, "you're safe now."