Chapter 26
It took a great deal of concentration to remember to close her mouth as Maggie watched Ramit swim towards them. How had she forgotten all those rippling muscles? Or the power that emanated from him constantly?
Keeping her hand on Nadia, she watched with fascination as Ramit emerged from the water, shaking his head like a puppy to shake off the water from his hair.
Puppy. Maggie mentally snorted at the description. There was nothing puppy-like about Ramit. He was more like a wolf. A predator. He swam closer, then abruptly stood up, the water dripping down over all of those amazing muscles.
He sat down next to them, close enough to feel the heat emanating from him. Was steam coming from his body?
Ridiculous, Maggie told herself and tried to focus on Nadia.
It took her a moment to tamp down on the jealousy when their baby daughter giggled and wiggled with delight at the sight of her daddy. Then Ramit carefully lifted her out of the floating swan, kissing the only part of her belly that was accessible underneath the life preserver.
Nadia’s tiny hands gripped Ramit’s face and he held her close, allowing her to explore. Another wave of jealousy hit Maggie. She wanted to explore. She wanted to rediscover every part of this man that had haunted her dreams almost every night for the past year.
“Maggie?”
Maggie jerked, blinking as she lifted her eyes to his. “Yes?”
“I asked if you and Nadia had eaten breakfast.”
Maggie tried to remember, but her brain had short circuited as soon as he’d emerged from the dressing room clad in the relatively tight bathing shorts.
“Yes,” she replied, not sure if that was true. Then she smiled at their daughter and tickled the bottom of her foot. “Nadia isn’t patient when it comes to breakfast.” She laughed when Nadia jerked away. “Or any meal, for that matter.”
Ramit chuckled as well, then cradled Nadia closer. “Would you mind if I took her into slightly deeper water?”
Maggie swallowed, quietly pleased that he’d ask permission. “Ramit, she’s your daughter, too. You don’t need to ask me for permission to do anything with her.” She grinned. “Especially when it comes to changing her diaper.”
He snorted. “I guarantee that I’ll pass that task off to the nanny,” he told her as they all moved into deeper water. The swirling water fascinated Nadia. It was apparent that she wasn’t certain if she liked it, but Ramit held her closer, giving her the security that she needed in order to enjoy the new sensation.
“And miss out on such a wonderful bonding opportunity?” she teased.
He chuckled, shaking his head. “Without any remorse.” He kissed Nadia’s cheek. “Changing my daughter’s diaper isn’t something I’ll ever miss doing.” He twirled her around, smiling at the delight in her eyes. “But I really love moments like this,” he admitted and leaned forward, kissing Maggie lightly before pulling away.
Maggie was so stunned by the sudden caress, she wasn’t sure that it had happened for a long moment. When she looked up at him, it was to find him watching her, gauging her response. Abruptly, she dropped her fingers that had been touching her still-tingling lips.
“It’s still there, isn’t it?” he asked, his voice husky with desire.
“What?” she asked, her voice too breathless.
“I feel it too, Maggie. I won’t deny that I want you. Badly. But I’ll wait until you are ready.”
And with that, he focused on Nadia and her delight at splashing.
Maggie moved further away from Ramit, watching him as she tried to figure out what was going on in her head. She and Nadia had been at the palace for three days. It had been delightful and she had to admit that she enjoyed having “staff”. Having been one all of her life, it was difficult to shift roles, and she made sure to thank the palace servants for everything. Being the “hired help” usually meant that they were invisible to the people that served them.
“What are you thinking about?” he asked, floating back to the shallow end.
Maggie followed, looking at the water as her fingers trailed through the ripples. “You,” she replied with honesty.
He looked down at her, Nadia still in his arms. But the little lady was getting cranky, tired of being wet and probably hungry.
“That’s progress,” he replied, handing Nadia to Maggie.
She looked at him curiously, then moved over to one of the chairs, putting Nadia down and taking off her flotation devices, then the adorable bathing suit. With deft movements, she changed Nadia’s diaper, then smiled gratefully at the servant who appeared with clean clothes.
“Why don’t you let Nadia’s nanny put her down for a nap while we talk?”
Maggie sighed and lifted Nadia into her arms. “I need to feed her. And change.” She mentally sifted through the activities in her day, looking for another reason to avoid a private conversation with Ramit.
“Okay, then how about if we talk after you put her down for her nap?”
Maggie bit her lip, then nodded, realizing that she couldn’t avoid the conversation forever.
“Fine.I’ll…find you.”
He smiled and shook his head. “I’ll be around.”
He turned and went into the dressing room, giving her space and a moment to breathe. It was difficult, because Nadia was so impatient, but it was enough to give her a bit of equilibrium.
She carried Nadia into the dressing room with her, and changed back into her clothes quickly. It felt good to be dry, but Nadia was furious now. Maggie didn’t leave the dressing room. Instead, she sat down in one of the comfortable chairs and adjusted her clothing, giving Nadia what she needed. When her daughter quieted down, Maggie looked around. The dressing room of this palace was larger than her living room back in Philadelphia. And the furniture was better, more comfortable. Plus, there was a pitcher of fresh water with cucumber slices and ice, as well as crystal glasses.
She could get used to this. It was incredibly nice not having to cook for herself. Or even go shopping for the ingredients! Ever since she’d stepped into the palace next to Ramit, her every wish was taken care of. If she wanted macaroni and cheese for dinner, it appeared on the table. If she wanted grapes or strawberries for breakfast, a bowl of, not just green or red grapes appeared on the table, but a variety of grapes in different shapes, sizes, and colors. She hadn’t heard of moon-drop grapes before, but apparently, they were a thing. Long, finger-like purple grapes that were deliciously sweet. Oh, and cotton candy grapes? Yup – those were always included. And they really did taste exactly like cotton candy. Her favorite were the champagne flavored grapes, but all of the incredible possibilities made her feel very…spoiled.
“Maggie.”
The soft voice startled her and she looked up, right into the eyes of Ramit as he stood in the doorway.
She glanced down at Nadia and realized that she’d fallen asleep. “How long was I in here?” she asked, shifting to quickly hide herself.
“A while,” he replied. “Why don’t you give Nadia to her nanny? Ezbel will stay with her until she wakes up and bring her back to you, unless you’d like more time alone.”
Maggie stood and smiled to the kind, experienced nanny who was hovering behind Ramit. “Thank you,” she told the woman as she transferred the infant into the other woman’s arms.
A moment later, Maggie stood in front of Ramit, self-consciously fingering the skirt of the sundress that had magically appeared in her closet this morning.
“Do you hate me?”
That abrupt question brought her eyes up to his. “No!” she blurted. She might hate the man, but she didn’t want him hurt. And to be honest, she didn’t hate him. Not anymore. It was hard to hate a man who loved their daughter so intensely.
“Good.” He moved closer, his tall form towering over her.“Are you no longer attracted to me?”
Oh, that was a tougher question. She glanced at his shoulders and chest, remembering the water from the pool highlighting those muscles. She didn’t want to be attracted to him. Maggie wished that she was immune to all of…him. But no matter how many times she thought about the past, about the expression on his face when he’d watched her be assaulted, Maggie couldn’t deny that the attraction was still there. Still powerful. Maybe more powerful, if she were being perfectly honest with herself. A man who had so much tenderness for his tiny, infant daughter…a man who gave her everything she hadn’t even thought to ask for…that kind of a man was hard to resist.
“No need to answer that,” he replied with a chuckle, then took her hand and led her outside. He gestured to one of the cushioned chairs set under a pergola that had an overhead fan that circulated the slowly warming air. “Why don’t we talk here? You probably know by now that the summer months here in Ditra get pretty hot.”
She snorted. “Yep. That was evident as soon as we stepped off the plane.”
He nodded, watching her carefully. There was a long silence, then he said, “You’re using Nadia as an excuse to avoid me, Maggie.” He ran a hand over his jawline. “I understand it though. You’ve gone through so much, events that I could have, should have, protected you, and I didn’t.” He leaned forward. “I was an ass, but Nadia…you can’t hide behind her for long.”
Maggie thought about it for a moment, then sighed and nodded. “You’re right,” she sighed and looked at the sparkling pool, the flowers blossoming in the gardens, at the lemonade someone had brought out. Maggie’s eyes drifted anywhere but at him. In the end, she had no choice. She lowered her lashes, staring at her linked hands in her lap. “I’m terrified of you, Ramit.”
Ramit leaned forward, his own hands dangling between his knees. “Can you tell me why?”
Maggie fiddled with the folds on her dress, then sighed and looked directly at him. “Because last year, when we were first together, I…fell for you pretty hard.”
Ramit shifted his body, looking at her intently. “And that’s a problem?”
Ignoring the fold on her dress, she lifted her eyes and looked directly into his. “Yes. Because when I realized that you’d li…that I was wrong about you,” she quickly corrected, “I was devastated. The pain I felt, the feeling of betrayal that hit me when I realized that you were ‘one of them’ as we call the wealthy club members, was difficult to recover from.”
“Maggie, I honestly didn’t realize you thought I was…” He paused, smiling slightly. “Normal? Is that your word?”
“Average,” she replied with a twisted smile. “I’ve been thinking a lot about our few days together.” She sighed and looked out at the distance. “You didn’t try to deceive me.” She looked at him again. “However, that merely reinforces the fact that I don’t really know who you are.”
He lifted his hands, spreading them out wide. “I’m eager to let you get to know me now. No subterfuge from either of us.” He leaned forward slightly. “And no hiding.” When Ramit leaned back again, he asked, “Does that sound fair?”
She considered that for a moment, then nodded her head. “Yes. That sounds…very fair.”
He nodded. “It’s not like I can hide who I am to the world or to you this time around. We’re already married.”
She laughed, then looked down at the diamond ring and platinum wedding band on her finger. “That’s a good point.”
“You don’t like the ring?” he asked.
She chuckled, rubbing her finger over the diamond, still amazed at the way it sparkled in the sunshine.
“I know that I should be embarrassed by the enormous diamond.” Her thumb brushed against the stone as her lips twisted slightly. “I should be humble and say that I’d prefer something smaller.”
“But you like it, don’t you?” There was intense satisfaction in his tone now.
She smiled and nodded. “Yeah. Coming from a background where we didn’t always have food, and I definitely didn’t have jewelry,” her lips twisted again, “the ring is nice.” She looked at him. “We lived in a trailer, Ramit. Growing up, I was so poor, we didn’t even have a real home. Just one of those pre-fab places, and not the nice ones. The ceiling leaked when it rained. The oven didn’t work so we used a microwave. The door didn’t lock, but,” she laughed, “no one would bother breaking into the trailer because our neighbors knew there was nothing worth stealing.”
“I’m sorry that your childhood was so rough, Maggie.”
She shrugged. “My childhood plus my experiences with the members at the club, the way that the wealthy men were so entitled, obnoxious, amoral and unethical adds to my whole distrust of wealthy people, Ramit.” She looked off into the distance, not sure what else to say. So when she looked at him this time, there was sincerity in her gaze. “I hope that helps you to understand why I’m so untrusting of rich people.”
He covered her hands with his. “Maggie, you are one of those rich people now.”
That statement startled her so much that she jumped. “I’m…” she stopped, then looked down at the ring on her finger. As much as she wanted to deny his assertion, the ring, her outfit, her surroundings all pointed to the opposite. “That’s…frightening.”
He considered her for a moment, his head tilting, but he pulled his touch away. “You’re worried that your morals and ethics are going to change now that you have unlimited wealth?”
Her eyes widened, her mouth falling open in horror. “No! Absolutely not!” She stared at him, but he merely lifted a dark eyebrow. “I’m not wealthy, Ramit!” She huffed a bit. “I’m just a waitress with a baby. Nothing more.”
He laughed, his eyes twinkling and Maggie knew that she wasn’t going to like whatever he said next.
“I set up a bank account for you. And one for Nadia. I’ve changed my will so that both of you will never want for anything for the rest of your lives if anything happens to me.”
Maggie stared at him, too stunned for words. She opened her mouth to say something, then shook her head. For a long moment, they simply stared at each other. That’s when her manners kicked in and she very primly said, “That’s…very generous of you.”
Ramit laughed again, shaking his head at her obvious dislike of his wealth. Her wealth now. “You’re my wife, Maggie. It’s not generous, it’s necessary.”
Maggie sighed, nervously twisting the ring on her finger. “Ramit, it’s going to take time to get used to all of this,” she explained, gesturing to the pool and the expansive sitting area. Well, the whole palace, actually. “And I hate to sound ungrateful, but…,” she paused, looking into his eyes. “Actually, I’m painfully bored. I don’t have to cook or clean. My primary job is to take care of Nadia and that doesn’t take up all of my time. I don’t have anything to look forward to, nothing to anticipate other than her next feeding.”
“What would you like to do?” Ramit asked, leaning back in his chair and watching her carefully.
That question startled her and she paused. After several moments, she shook her head. “I don’t know,” she replied. After a huff, she pushed her hair out of her eyes and slumped down slightly in the chair. “I’ve never had the opportunity to explore some of my latent interests.”
He shrugged and smiled at her. “Well, now you do. So, if you could do anything, what would your dream job be? What does your heart say?”
She laughed and leaned back as well, trying to imitate his casual demeanor. “I don’t know. Can I get back to you on that?”
He shrugged one of those impressive shoulders. “Sure. You can take all the time in the world.” He then grinned. “And in the meantime, I’m going to pamper you.”
Despite her frugal soul, Maggie loved the sound of that and blushed at his intent gaze. “No one has ever pampered me.”
His expression was startled, then he asked, “You’ve never had boyfriends who wanted to…?” He stopped his question at her amused expression.
Her jaw tightened at his question. “I’ve had two boyfriends over the years. They were both so sweet at first, but as soon as I became emotionally involved, they stopped trying. Worse than that, they started lashing out at me when they were angry or drunk.” She sniffed. “And yet, they were more than happy to accept the services I offered as their just due.”
“What services?” he asked, his tone suddenly angry and he leaned forward, tense and ready to battle those past romantic partners.
She rolled her eyes. “Not what you think.” Then looked at him with mock primness. “And don’t ever assume that again, Your Highness,” she teased, not angry for some reason. She should be offended. Maggie supposed that she should at least be irritated that, again, he was assuming the worst of her. But somehow, his jealousy and outrage on her behalf felt…sweet. “You’ve obviously had lovers in your past, Ramit. It’s the same as me.”
“You could try to be jealous of my past lovers,” he grumbled at her smiling expression.
“Don’t you dare tell me anything about the women in your past,” she warned him, her tone still teasing, but Ramit knew that she was serious. “If I ever meet one of them, I might just have to scratch their eyes out!”
Ramit’s satisfied expression soothed the green monster inside of her.
“I’m serious!” she warned him.
He lifted his hands. “No other lovers in my life, Maggie. That position is all yours.”
Lover?Goodness, that sounded delectable.
But she was mad at him. Right?
Yes. She was angry with him. He’d deserted her, assumed the worst and left her to deal with the consequences of their brief affair.
And yet, he’d also been incredibly sweet over the past week. He hadn’t pressured her for anything more than occasional conversations. Plus, those conversations had given her insight into the man. Not a full picture, she thought. But glimpses. And those snapshots felt…really nice.
Still, she wasn’t going to dive right back into a sexual relationship with the man. Sex made one vulnerable and she was sick of feeling vulnerable!
When she looked at him this time, her chin rose up slightly, defying the nearly tangible sexual tension between them. “Maybe we should get to know one another more thoroughly before we jump in bed this time around.”
He shrugged. “You’re in charge, love. Just know that I desire you very much.”
Maggie felt her cheeks heat up and she looked away. He was just so…raw! So willing to put his desires front and center. There was no hiding anything with Ramit.
“You don’t want my desire?” he asked softly.
Her head snapped up and her mouth fell open. “What?”
“You looked away when I mentioned my attraction to you. Is that not something that you want from me?” He moved closer, taking her hands in his. “Be honest Maggie. If you don’t want me, then say so openly. There have been too many secrets between us. We need everything out in the open.”
He was right. She stared at their tangled fingers, trying to decide what she truly wanted. For so much of her life, she’d ignored her desires, either because she couldn’t afford them or she didn’t think she deserved them. Now, here was a man who was blatantly telling her that he wanted her. And she felt…aroused every time he was near. And anger. There was resentment too. But also an undeniable awareness of him as a man.
Did she want him? Yes. Did she believe that she deserved him?
Wasn’t that a loaded question!
After a long, tense silence, she nodded. “I want you, Ramit,” she finally replied, her innate honestly not allowing her to prevaricate. “And yes, I’m thrilled that you still want me.”
“However?” he prompted when she fell silent again.
She flashed him a smile, but it was quickly gone as the weight of their conversation pulled her back to the present. She looked at his large, tanned hands. Taking a deep breath, she opened herself up to him. “Ramit, I appreciate that you want me now . But what happens if you…change your mind in the future? What happens to me and Nadia? I would be devastated if I got used to this,” she said, waving her hand to encompass the pool and the palace, just as he’d done moments ago. “If I get used to this, used to your attention, but then you grow tired of me?”
He moved closer to her, his fingers tightening on her hands. “Maggie, are you under the impression that you are not lovely enough, fascinating enough, enticing enough to hold my attention over the long term?”
She bit her lip, debating how honest she could be with him. “Yes,” she finally blurted out. “Yes, that’s exactly what I’m saying.” She closed her eyes briefly, then continued. “Ramit, you’re…handsome and amazing and…” she let her eyes move over his shoulders and chest. “And every part of you stimulates my senses in ways that overwhelm me. You terrify me! But I will grow old. My body is different than what it was a year ago. It’s gone through a massive trauma.” She blinked back tears now. “What if you…don’t like what you see?”
He moved closer, pulling her onto his lap this time. “Maggie, there has been no one over the past year. Not a single woman caught my eye.” He kissed her softly. “If I can say that when you aren’t around to entice me, consider what that means for my feelings towards you when you are around to tempt me.”
She stared up at him. Finally, she said, “Is that true?” And she could feel her resistance melting. Maggie tried to revive her resistance, but Ramit…he was charming and handsome and…and she’d missed him so terribly over the past year!
He shifted her bottom, his hands gripping her hips. “Can’t you feel how much I want you, Maggie?”
The hardness pressing against her thigh was real and heady. “Yes!” she finally whispered.
“And are you in doubt about what that means?”
She might have laughed, but her mind was too focused on that part of him pressing against her leg. “No!” she breathed back, licking her lips.
Her eyes dropped to his mouth. “This is what happened last time. We…”
He stopped her with a kiss. It was soft at first. But when she didn’t pull away, he deepened the kiss, his hands tangling in her hair as he gently tugged her head towards his. “Maggie!” he groaned, kissing her again and again until her head spun. Maggie clung to him, shifting against him in an effort to feel more of him, to feel all of him!
The rush of desire was both familiar and terrifying. But also undeniable. She shifted on his lap, letting her hands move slowly over his arms and shoulders. With a moan, she relaxed against him, gasping when he, stood up, carrying her in his arms. Maggie wasn’t sure where they were going. All she knew was a heady, intense happiness now that she was back in his arms. Maybe she should protest, tell Ramit that she needed more time. But she didn’t. Only time would tell her if she was being a fool. For now, she’d trust him because there was nothing else she could do. Ramit was her husband now. And for some silly reason, that meant something to her.
He carried her into her bedroom and laid her down on the bed. Without hesitation, he stripped her sundress off, his hands caressing her skin as he explored every part of her. “You’re beautiful, Maggie!” he hissed, then stood back and stripped off his clothes.
She reached for him, but he grabbed her hands. “No, it’s been too damn long since I’ve held you in my arms. I can’t take it this time.” He kissed her, absorbing her moan of frustration into his mouth.
His mouth moved to her neck, her breasts, kissing and teasing, making her cry out as her hips shifted against his. She tried to push him back against the mattress so she could take control, but he wouldn’t allow it.
Both of them were frantic with need now. Since he’d pinned her hands, she could only lift her head to kiss him, taste him with her mouth. But Ramit moved lower, teasing her nipples, then moving lower. And lower still! She gasped when his tongue teased those pink folds. She wanted to close her legs because the pleasure was so intense. But his broad shoulders were there, blocking her efforts.
“Don’t hide from me, Maggie!” he groaned, then released her hands so that he could spread her wide, pressing one hand down on her stomach as he laved and teased, sucked that nub into his mouth.
Her fingers tangled in his hair, holding him in place as her hips lifted and rolled to give him better access. There were no thoughts of stretch marks or pregnancy weight now. Every part of her was focused on his mouth and that tongue doing delicious things to her body until…she cried out, arching her back as her first orgasm swept over her.
Ramit didn’t relent until she tried to pull away. And only then did he soothe her body, pulling back just enough to prolong pleasure.
When he lifted up and looked down at her, he realized that he didn’t have a condom. “We can’t…!”
“My purse!” she gasped, pointing to her leather purse that was still sitting on the bedside table.
“You have condoms?” he inquired.
She smiled up at him, still floating with the endorphins from her climax. “I never make the same mistake twice,” she admitted.
He chuckled and shoved off the bed. He pushed through the contents of her purse, coming up with a condom. “You’re smart,” he told her, then pulled her back into his arms. He lifted her against his chest, then handed the condom to her. “I remember the last time you were on top. It was hot!”
She smiled, then fumbled with the foil package. It took longer than she would have liked, and in the end, he had to take over, but eventually, the condom was on and he lifted her hips until she hovered over the tip of his erection.
“Are you sure, Maggie?” he asked.
She laughed, bracing her hands on his chest. “This isn’t the best time to ask that question.”
“I’ll stop if you aren’t completely sure,” he assured her.
In response, she gripped his wrists and pulled his hands away. Then slowly, gasping with every inch of him that she accepted into her body, lowered herself down onto his shaft. When he was fully embedded inside of her, she closed her eyes, savoring the pleasure of being fully connected to him again.
“It’s been too long,” she whispered.
He flipped her over onto her back and took control. “Too long,” he agreed, then surged into her. Over and over, he stroked her body from the inside, shifting his hips so that every stroke rubbed against that nub.
She shuddered when he sped up, gripping his shoulders as her legs wrapped around his waist, pulling him deeper into her body. It felt so good. “Don’t stop!” she gasped, moving her hands from his shoulders to his hair, tangling her finger in the dark, soft tresses.
He leaned his head towards her fingers, wanting more of her touch. When he shifted his hips, she gasped and tugged at his hair
“Damn Maggie, I love it when you do that!”
He shifted again and she tugged harder. He groaned as she lifted her hips, needing more!
Both of them scrambled, writhing together on the bed as they tried to give each other pleasure while taking it for themselves. In the end, their climax washed over them at the same time.
When he collapsed on top of her, their breathing was hard, fast. For a long time, Maggie was content to simply stroke his hair as she stared up at the ceiling, shocked at how good it still was.
But then, Ramit rolled over, causing Maggie to gasp.
“Don’t move!” she whispered, still straining to catch her breath.
He laughed, then swatted her bottom. “You’re the one that’s moving.”
She laughed back then shivered, her body still shimmering from the insanity of her climax. It had been so intense. So overwhelming. So beautiful that she didn’t have words to describe her happiness at this moment.
For several minutes, they stayed intertwined, trying to catch their breath and to reconcile what had just happened.
Finally, Ramit said, “I know that you don’t completely trust me yet. I didn’t mean for this to happen so soon, Maggie.”
She lifted her head from his chest and looked at him, a small smile curving her lips. “Neither did I.” She stroked his cheek, enjoying the roughness from his beard. “It happened just like this the first time too.” She kissed him. “At least this time, we remembered protection.”
He chuckled, sliding his hands over her back. “It feels good, holding you like this.”
“I agree,” she sighed, kissing his chest.
“Any chance we could get to know each other while also doing this again?”
She laughed and slid off him. Maggie looked around for her clothes, but they were on the far side of the room. “How about if we take it one moment at a time?” she offered, smiling at him over her shoulder.
“That’s not a no, so I’ll take it.”
Maggie laughed and stood up, then hurried to the bathroom where she knew the cleaning staff stored her robe. Instead of getting dressed, she slipped into the shower, feeling Ramit step in behind her. As they showered, Maggie asked him, “How do you have so much time off?”
He explained about his morning meetings and how he’d ordered his assistant to ease up on his schedule for the next few weeks. “I don’t normally have this much free time during the day,” he admitted, his hands resting on her hips. “But I wanted to get to know you and Nadia.”
Maggie tipped her head. “Why aren’t you mad at me for not telling you about Nadia?”
He sighed, rubbing a hand over the back of his neck. “I was, at first. Livid, actually.”
“What changed?”
He stared at her for a long moment, then said, “My security team doesn’t know where Mathis is.”
She considered that for a moment, then gasped, understanding coming to her in a flash. “That’s why you wanted me to come here so badly! Your comments about someone trying to get to me…that wasn’t just talk, that was a real threat!”
“Yes.”
She didn’t say anything for a long time, the only sounds were the water splashing over both of them. Finally, Maggie nodded. “Thank you!” she whispered, then wrapped her arms around his waist, resting her cheek against his chest.
“Thank you for coming with me. For trusting me.”