Chapter 18
Boon unlocked their door and led the way into their home. The first thing he did was kick his boots off to lay haphazardly near the door, then walked over to the sofa and collapsed onto it, his feet crossed at the ankles as he watched his mate.
Angelle glanced down at his boots, then toed her shoes off, leaving them beside Boon’s.
She went straight to the shelves scattered with their books and a few knickknacks and very carefully placed the small figurine Marauder had given her among them.
She double checked that nothing near was off balance and would fall against it, then backed up a few feet and smiled as she admired it.
“You know, it’s just a piece of wood,” Boon said irritatedly.
“But it’s not. It took hours and hours to carve all the minute details into it, I’m sure. And it represents us.”
“I can promise you that Marauder had no idea I’d be coming home with a mate, much less a human one that is smaller and more delicate than most that live in Whispers.”
Angelle shrugged. “Maybe we weren’t his focus when he was inspired to create it, but I think it applies now.”
“So, I’m a beast?” Boon asked, his brows raised in question.
“Not at all. But you’re certainly stronger, more capable, and the stuff of dreams. I’m just me. Beauty and the Beast — so to speak.”
Boon nodded. “My mother used to read that story to my father over and over again. He loved it. In fact, it’s his most prized possession.”
“What is?” Angelle asked.
“My mother’s old copy of Beauty and the Beast.”
“Then it should mean something to you, too.”
Boon focused on the figurine resentfully. “It does, kind of. I just don’t like that Marauder gave it to you.”
Angelle smirked. “Are you jealous?”
“No. I have no reason to be jealous of Marauder. He’s all drama and flair.
I’m not those things at all. I’m a protector.
A provider. Strong and masculine. I don’t get easily rattled and throw a fit when some little dolly I was carving out of wood splinters the wrong way.
I hunt, and I fish, and I fight if necessary, to protect what’s mine. We are not the same.”
“And yet you’re jealous of Marauder.”
“I am not!” he insisted.
Angelle didn’t argue her point, but she crossed her arms over her chest and stared at him.
“Fine!” he finally burst out. “I’m not jealous of him, but I don’t like him gifting my female little trinkets. He has no business trying to impress you.”
“He’s not trying to impress me. He’s trying to welcome me.”
“No he’s not. He’s trying to impress you.”
“Even if he was. Do you think it’s working?”
“You put his little wooden whatever it is on our shelves!”
“Yes, I did. Because to me it’s representative of us, no matter what he thought it might represent originally. And like it or not, it’s mine now. Do not move my beast.”
“So, it’s your beast now?”
“It’s a representation of my beast.”
Boon remained where he was, a slight smirk curving one corner of his lips into what might be the beginnings of a smile. “So, if it’s a representation of your beast, who exactly does it represent?”
“You know very well it represents you. You’re my beast.”
He hopped up off the sofa and had her loosely in his arms, looking down into her eyes as he grinned at her. “So, I’m yours? You’re claiming me?”
“Yes,” Angelle said. “As afraid as I am, I feel the same way you spoke of earlier. I’m more afraid to be without you than anything else I’m feeling. You’re mine. I can’t ignore that.”
He grinned. “Does that make you my beauty?”
“Not hardly. Beauty has not ever been something I had to contend with.”
“I disagree. You’re perfect. Soft, expressive eyes. Pale pink lips. Beautiful brown hair that catches the sun just right and shines like it was polished. Your soul looks through your eyes and it melts me every time your eyes meet mine. I would die for you.”
Angelle smiled up at him as she lifted a hand to caress his jaw. “Please don’t do that. Just when I’ve decided to entrust you with all that I am I’d be sorely disappointed if you died and left me here all alone.”
“I’ll never leave you all alone. I promise you’ll never regret choosing me.”
“I’ll do my best to make sure that you’ll never regret choosing me.”
“Are you breathing?” he asked.
“Yes,” she said, a little confusion clear in her tone.
“Then I don’t regret choosing you.”
Angelle laughed.
“I like that sound.”
“I like the feeling. I don’t usually laugh a lot.”
“You will now. I’ll see to it.”
“Promise?” she asked.
“Promise.” Boon looked down into her eyes, and slowly lowered his head toward her. His intention was to kiss her lips, but to give her plenty of time to let him know if she wasn’t ready.
But Angelle surprised him when she reached up and pulled his head down to quickly smash his lips against hers. “I don’t want to wait anymore. It’s decided. Let’s finalize it.”
“Are you sure?” Boon asked.
“I am,” she said, nodding her head as she answered.
“Once it’s done, I can’t walk away. It’s a one way decision.”
“I know. Let’s do this and take the ‘big thing’ that’s hanging over our shoulders out of the equation so we and everyone else can stop anticipating and questioning. This isn’t a trial anymore. It’s our lives.”
Boon swept her up in his arms and strode toward their bedroom.
He dropped her to the bed, then stopped as a thought occurred to him.
“I’ll be back!” he exclaimed and ran out of the room.
She heard the click of the lock on the front door and almost immediately he was standing beside the bed again.
“Too many family members that think they can just drop by. Had to make sure it was locked.”
“Good idea,” she said as she got to her knees on the bed.
“You have no idea how much you mean to me,” Boon said. “I’m not good at pretty words and wooing behavior. I’m just a simple male. But I’ll do my…”
Angelle shuffled closer to him across the mattress and held a finger to his lips. “Stop telling me what you aren’t. There is nothing I need except you. As you are.”
Boon smiled at her. “Same. You. As you are.”
“You’re sure? I can be kind of boring.”
“I’m sure. We can be boring together.”
“Somehow I don’t think what’s about to happen could ever be described as boring.”
Boon shook his head. “I’m about to make you mine in every sense of the word.”
“Show me.”
He held her face in his hands as he leaned into her, kissing her gently at first, before he released whatever hold he seemed to have been keeping on himself and took them both more deeply into the kiss.
As he kissed her, he unbuttoned her blouse, gently pushing it from her shoulders to fall to the bed behind her.
As soon as Angelle felt the fabric of her blouse slip down her arms to land behind her, her hands went to work on Boon’s shirt. She was so nervous as she fumbled with his buttons that her fingers stumbled as she tried to move from one button to the next.
Boon let go of her long enough to grip the front of his shirt in both hands. He ripped the shirt open, sending buttons pinging around the room.
Angelle laughed, wide-eyed as she glanced around the room for the buttons as they stopped rolling around the floor.
“Wasn’t one of my favorites anyway,” he mumbled as his lips found hers again.
He wrapped an arm around her waist and yanked her body up against his own.
He closed his eyes and an unconscious rumble left him as he savored the feel of her in his arms, her body touching his.
Then his focus was pulled away from the feel of her body in his arms as he realized her hands began fighting with the zipper of his jeans.
He looked down at her slender fingers fighting to free the rest of his body.
He reached down and covered her hand with his, stilling her fingers. “Are you afraid?” he asked.
“Maybe a little, I’m certainly nervous.”
His head canted a little as he considered her.
“But I want this. I want you. It’s just new.”
“I can wait if you’re not ready,” he said.
“That’s nice. But I can’t wait any longer. I’ve waited all my life to be seen. To be appreciated. To be wanted.”
“You are all those things, and loved.”
“Take these off,” she whispered, tugging on the waistband of his jeans.
Boon stepped back and watched her face as her eyes took him in, starting with his eyes and his face, then making their way down his body where they focused hungrily on his hands.
Without any further hesitation, he unzipped his pants and pushed them down his hips.
His hardened arousal bounced free from its confines, standing strong and proud as she memorized every inch of his body.
Boon’s hand went instinctively to cup his heavy scrotum, tugging on it as he kneaded his testicles while stepping out of his pants.
He looked down at himself wondering what she saw when she looked at him. He didn’t have to wonder long.
His body was hard and taut, his skin a soft pale gray color.
The muscles in his body he’d surely been born with rather than having been developed, since they appeared to have been sculpted into place.
His arms were just as thick as his thighs, his hands while large and bearing some scars, were conflicting in their appearance of being strong and yet graceful.
The width of his chest was at odds with the slenderness of his waist, but somehow the eight abdominal muscles clearly outlined between the two seemed to balance his body and make it all work together in what was the single most beautiful body she’d ever seen.
Angelle watched as he gave his scrotum another tug and his cock jumped in response.
That part of him… she had no experience in these kinds of things, but that part of him surely had to set a record of some sort.
Her face skewed up a little, her brows bunching as she stared at that part of him, wondering if there was some sort of record book of such things.
“What’s that look mean?” he asked, his voice gruff with pent up arousal.