Chapter 37
When she and Henry returned to the hotel, they found London, Gerard, Jacey, Megan, and Levi loitering in the lobby.
“Did she say yes?” Levi demanded.
She exchanged a glance with Henry and extended her left hand. Megan and London pounced, seizing her to study the ring.
“It’s beautiful,” London said, hugging Maia. “We knew Henry was gaga about you, and this would happen eventually, but I’m so glad you’re joining the family.”
“What she said.” Megan embraced Maia. “Have you discussed wedding dates?”
“Not yet,” Maia said. “It will depend on my game schedule. That was my other news. I made the team. They called me while we were walking.”
“Congratulations,” Jacey said, his blue eyes full of happiness.
He and Gerard hugged her, as did Levi.
“Will you still have time to train with us?” Levi asked.
“When I’m at home,” Maia said.
“Yay!”
“Maia and I will discuss wedding dates, but it will be soon,” Henry said.
Maia agreed. As she’d told Henry, life was too short to waste time.
“We should have a celebratory drink,” London said.
“Tomorrow night when we’re at home,” Henry said firmly. “Maia and I want alone time.”
“Why?” Megan asked innocently, but her blue eyes danced with pure devilry.
Henry growled, and Gerard laughed.
“Stop teasing the boy. We’ll meet you for breakfast at eight and need to be at the airport at ten,” Jacey said, chuckling. “Good night, and congratulations.”
Henry took Maia’s hand and whisked her to the elevator and their room.
Finally, he closed the door behind them. “Alone at last.”
Maia felt herself beaming at him. “I’m so happy, Henry.”
“Want a nightcap?” he asked, winking. “I’ll get it while you peek at the info the Black Ferns sent you.”
Maia plucked her phone from her shoulder bag without hesitation, thankful Henry understood she’d want to see the upcoming schedule. “We have a tour of the UK and Ireland,” she said, speed-reading. “I’ll be away most of November and the first two weeks of December.”
Henry handed her a glass of Scottish whisky containing three ice cubes. “We knew that would be a possibility. We can still talk every day.”
A wave of love engulfed her. “Henry, I appreciate your support.” And she meant every word.
Some women who’d attended the training camp didn’t have backing from their partners or families, making playing rugby difficult.
One woman’s partner had given her an ultimatum—him or rugby. She’d chosen rugby.
“We could get married as soon as you get home.” He handed her a glass. “What do you say to a Christmas Eve wedding? A summer wedding with the ceremony outside and our friends and family in attendance.”
Maia didn’t hesitate. “Yes, that gives me time to consult Caroline about a dress before I go, and you can take care of the rest.” She grinned. “What do you think?”
Henry sipped his whisky, not giving her much of a reaction. “I can do that and can consult with you. Megan and London will help.”
“I trust you implicitly,” Maia said. “Surprise me.”
“That’s settled then,” Henry said, drinking the last of his whisky in one mouthful. He set his glass aside and prowled toward her. “Our wedding is on 24th December.”
“It’s a date,” Maia said.
Henry plucked her glass from her hands and set it on the coffee table, still serious but not grumpy. She could see caring combined with anticipation stamped into his features. “We have other things to take care of now.”
“What might they be?” But she’d guessed, and pleasant nerves stirred in the pit of her belly.
“My wolf is out of patience and wants to claim you. It’s the only way you’ll get away on your tour. I don’t mean that to sound like a threat, either. It’s… It’s my primal side. But I don’t want to force this on you either. We can wait until you’re ready. Somehow.”
Maia met his gaze without hesitation. “I adore all of you. I love your human sensibilities and the sharp edges of your wolf. It’s what makes you Henry. You’re not forcing me to do anything since I’m with you one hundred percent.”
Relief swept across his features. His warm breath puffed against her neck before he swept her off her feet and carried her to the bed. He set her in the middle of the mattress and grinned.
“My, Mr. Anderson.” Maia fluttered her eyelashes at him. “What big teeth you have.”
He snorted. “Yes, I’m your big, bad wolf, and don’t forget it.”
“You forgot, handsome. You scrub up well.”
“Thank you. Your little red dress is sexy, but you’ll look better out of it.”
Maia fluttered her lashes again. “Thank you, kind sir. I love you, Henry. You know that, right? I get that occasionally you still wonder if we’re doing the right thing because I’m younger, but think of the adventures we can have together.”
“Starting right now,” Henry said, shrugging off his jacket and setting it aside on a chair.
He sat to slip off his leather boots and socks.
Maia watched with interest when he stood again, unbuttoned his steel gray shirt, and tossed that on top of his jacket.
He yanked on his belt, and it slid free of his black trousers.
Soon, his trousers joined the pile, leaving him in his tight-fitting boxers.
Maia’s brows rose. “Surely, you’re not stopping there?”
“I find my willpower lacking with you.”
“Oh?”
“Tease.” Henry hauled her to the edge of the bed. At his urging, she stood and turned to present her back. Henry’s warm hands slid down her zipper, and he helped her lift the dress over her head.
“Sexy underwear,” he said, running a calloused finger along the shoulder strap of her black bra.
She turned to him, studying the face of the man, the shifter she loved. “You told me that when I was dressing.”
“And unfortunately, we were in a time crunch.”
They exchanged a grin.
“We’re not in a hurry now,” she pointed out.
Henry tilted his head, his brown gaze meeting hers. “My wolf is impatient. He sees this as the start of our official mating. If you have any doubts at all, now is the time to tell me because—”
Maia placed her fingers over his mouth, exasperation giving way to understanding.
Henry had no doubts about her, and London and Megan had told her if you found a mate, that was it.
No divorce. Not if it was a true mating.
“Henry, this is the last time I will say this. I fell for you when I saw you during the school trip to visit your dogs. I didn’t understand then because I was so young.
But after that, I measured every man I met against you.
When I started writing, I used a pen name. Do you know what name I used?”
He shook his head, his gaze still on her.
“Henrietta M. March in salute of you and Middlemarch. You have always been with me, and it was you who drew me back once I secured my rugby contract. I have no doubts. We’re going to explore life and have children in the future.
We’ll grow together and be happy. So happy.
Do you understand?” Maia sucked in a breath, realizing that she hadn’t breathed through that rant.
And it had been a tirade because Henry needed to understand.
He cocked his head. “Henrietta M. March?”
She stomped over to her phone and pulled up her website to show him.
“Huh,” he said. “You told me you wrote fantasy. When I have time to read, I like action thrillers and mysteries. Henrietta March.” When he met her this time, his eyes were more golden than brown. “You’ve always been mine.”
“And now he gets it,” she murmured.
“Maia.” The passion and love in his face and the amber flashes in his eyes stole her breath. “Mine.”
“And now he gets it,” she repeated.
“Yeah, I’ll admit I pushed you from my mind because you scared the hell out of me. I’m a male and can be stubborn—if you haven’t noticed. But once you came back, you made it impossible to ignore you. I wanted to protect you. Still do.”
“I’m fine with that as long as it works both ways.”
Henry nodded and embraced her. His mouth claimed hers, and there was a new relaxed air between them. Henry had asked her to marry him, but he’d still held a niggling doubt about her age. It seemed she’d put his last fears to rest, and happiness spilled from him. The same joy that filled her.
He lifted and resettled with her on the bed without parting their lips.
Tenderness took over until their kiss became more heated.
More passionate. He dispensed with her underwear and his and stroked her arms and hips with his rough hands.
He kissed the curves of her breasts and pushed her legs apart with his muscular thigh.
“Henry.” Maia touched and caressed, her hands wandering as she savored the firmness of his muscles, reveling in their differences.
He held her gaze, and she smiled, spotting his wolf now that she knew he was part of Henry. “I love all of you, Henry. Every part of you. Can I bite you, too?”
Henry shivered, and she took that as a yes. Excitement bloomed in her because she quite liked the idea of claiming him in this way.
He cradled her head and rolled until she sprawled on top of him. Her pulse rate jumped, and she grinned down at him, her hair falling across his face. She leaned low to skim her lips down his neck and purposely nipped the cords. Henry moaned, tensing beneath her.
“You are prodding the wolf, sweetheart,” he said, his voice gravely low.
“Yes,” she agreed, holding back her grin.
This man was everything to her. Strong. Loving.
Protective, yet he knew her well enough to understand she needed her dreams. She gave him more teeth at the spot where his neck met his shoulder, and his entire body shuddered.
His hands tightened on her shoulder and hip.
“Maia,” he said, his voice harsh now.