Chapter Thirteen #2
‘You wanted mine,’ she countered. ‘But not only did I want your body, you were kind. You went out of your way to help me. You gave me water. A hat. A ride on your boat even when it wasn’t your job. Even when you really didn’t want to.’
‘Oh, I wanted to.’
‘Because you’re kind.’
He paused. ‘Only to you.’
‘That’s good enough for me.’ She cocked her head as his lips twisted. ‘And not quite true. You were nice to those trainees. You let me see you that day, Ares. And I wanted you just for you.’
‘Bethan.’ His voice cracked. ‘I love you.’
Each time he said it, that pile of stones inside her grew—becoming a foundation on which all hope, all future could be built. And she realised that he needed it too—that rock of certainty inside. He’d never had it and she could gladly give him that.
‘I share your dream, Ares,’ she admitted in a heartfelt tumble of truth. ‘I want to share life—everything—with you. And I will until I die. Because I love you too. So much.’
But instead of matching her smile, his expression crumpled.
‘I’ve been so stupid. I should have come after you when you left me back then.
God, I’ve wasted so much time.’ He dropped his head into his hands.
‘I didn’t understand how much you meant to me until after I brought you back to Greece and we actually communicated beyond the bedroom. I’ve been blind and stubborn.’
‘I’ve been every bit as stubborn.’ She nudged his chin so he met her eyes again.
‘And maybe I needed that time, Ares,’ she whispered.
‘I needed to figure myself out. Needed to grieve properly and grow as a person so I could be an equal partner for you. Because you’re crazy strong and capable.
It took so much to push all that hurt down and hold it together all on your own for so long.
But you don’t have to any more. I’m here.
I can handle it. I can handle you. And I know you can handle me.
So you can let me in now. This is our time—we’re together, right when we’re meant to be. ’
‘You’re too generous.’ He reached for her but was stopped by the snap of the seat belt again. He muttered a curse. ‘Can I please unfasten your seat belt now?’
She’d completely forgotten they were driving. Shocked, she looked out of the window and saw, not only had they stopped, but they were parked in a garage.
‘Where are we?’ She peered forward but couldn’t see much in the dimness. ‘Where’s the driver?’
‘Probably inside the house.’
‘What house?’ But she knew already. ‘You’ve bought a house here in London?’
‘I’ll show it to you soon.’ He nodded, releasing his seat belt. ‘We can move if you don’t like it, but I wanted a base so I can...maybe take you to dinner.’
‘You want to take me to dinner?’ A small chuckle escaped.
He pushed the button on her seat belt. ‘Every night.’
His hands were firm on her waist and he pulled her close in a smooth, powerful move. His lips were on hers and their tears, their tongues mingled. It was messy and beautiful and dark and safe. So safe. The kisses deepened and slowly, so slowly, Bethan believed.
‘Bethan, darling. You’re so beautiful. I’m so sorry. Can we start over?’
For a moment she rested her forehead on his shoulder and he gently combed her hair back with his fingers.
‘Dinner, you say?’ she murmured.
‘To start. I guess maybe we should take it slower this time.’
‘Should we?’ Bethan wriggled—basically crawled onto his lap. ‘Not that much slower.’
She needed to be close to him. Needed to love him. She just needed him.
His arms swept about her. ‘Damn, Bethan,’ he groaned as she wrapped herself around him. ‘The last couple of weeks have been the roughest of my life and there have been some rough ones.’
‘Me too,’ she whispered.
‘I’ve missed you so much,’ he muttered.
Bethan wasn’t taking anything slow now. She dug into his jeans pocket. Chuckling when she found the protection. ‘You were confident,’ she teased as she drew it out.
‘Hopeful. Desperate, actually. Love you so much.’
She was every bit as desperate. Aching and impatient, they kissed and fumbled clothing aside just enough to prepare him, to bare her. Gasping, she sank onto him as he filled her in that way that only he could. This was everything and so overwhelming her tears streamed.
‘I thought I’d never have this again. Never have you again,’ she sobbed.
‘I know. I’m here now. I’ll always be here for you,’ he crooned, holding her closer, soothing her with whispers of love as he took her back to slow—so slow they were barely moving.
‘I love you. I love you. I love you.’ Tenderly sealed together as he whispered it over and over, turning tears to happiness to pure truth.
Inexorably the compulsion to ride him faster grew.
His touches became teases and ultimately exquisite torture as he devoured her.
His face flushed as he cupped her breasts, scraped his teeth over one nipple then licked the other.
He spread his hands wide over her hips to help her rise and fall on him.
She loved how much he enjoyed her softness—as she loved the powerful hardness of him.
They worked together, rubbing in the best possible way.
‘You’re the best thing ever to walk into my life.’ He nuzzled her neck. ‘I couldn’t comprehend it at the time. Couldn’t believe it. You bring everything I never thought I could have. Could never admit that I even wanted. You’re absolutely everything to me.’
She heard the tremble in his voice, felt him shaking beneath her, knew just how much he needed her. Not just to know, but to believe. He needed that same foundation as she. So she wrapped her arms and legs about him even more tightly.
‘I’m not going to let you go,’ she whispered fiercely. ‘Never. You’re mine, Ares. You’ll always be mine.’
‘Yes.’ He clutched her hard as ecstasy overwhelmed them both. ‘Yes.’
Slowly the warm silence morphed—from breathless, to content, to utterly dreamy. She lifted her head and smiled at him. The tired strain around his eyes had evaporated. He was her gorgeous, vital Ares again. And he smiled back.
‘Afternoon sex suits you,’ she chuckled.
‘Making love with you—any time and every time—suits me.’ He kissed her. ‘I’m giving you fair warning, Bethan.’
‘Warning for what?’
‘Believing in a full and happy future isn’t a fantasy.
We can have what your parents and grandparents had—a happy, loving marriage.
So I’m warning you that I’m going to ask you to marry me again.
I love you and I want to spend the rest of my life with you—in Athens, here in London, at the villa—wherever work or whim takes us.
I want to be with you, build a family, have everything—the downs as well as the ups—we’ll face them together, no? ’
He was offering her everything with the confidence that came, not from holding secrets and shame back, but from sharing all their feelings and fears.
‘Sounds like paradise to me.’ She melted.
He smiled at her again—happiness glinting with renewed desire. ‘I know you need time, but I will ask and I will keep asking for as long as it takes...’
‘Ares.’ She cupped his face between her palms, her smile tremulous and her heart soaring. ‘When have I ever been able to say anything other than yes to you?’