CHAPTER 27
Nash
All my wishes had come true.
It was the first thought that came into my head the next morning. Her sweet scent of chamomile and lavender was around me; her weight poured across my chest and abdomen. I could hear her soft breathing, feel her gentle heartbeat against my chest.
I was on my back, propped up by a mountain of pillows.
My arms wrapped around her tiny body, holding it close.
Opening my eyes, I found a swath of brilliant platinum hair fanned across my neck.
Her knees fell on either side of my middle, legs straddling my stomach.
We were chest to chest; her head against my heart.
Her fingers coiled in my hair, holding tight. Her other hand gripped the front of my shirt, right above my left nipple, with similar ferocity to how she’d slept the night before. She was pulling the cotton tight, looking desperate to hold on.
It was fucking heaven.
This girl’s craving for human connection was so intense that her body found it for her while she slept.
Nothing could make me move right now, despite the very hard and almost painful growing concern south of my waistline.
Luckily, her tiny body was small enough to stay in the Northern Hemisphere at the moment.
I felt her ribcage expand and contract with her steady breathing, relishing the feel of having her so close. I wanted her so much it hurt. There’s nothing I wouldn’t do in order to keep her. She was here now; we were together, and if she wanted me, I’d be here forever.
Her story was beautiful. Her heart, her fight—all of it.
She was the answer to my mystery, the entire reason I was so drawn to PERL.
I’d seen a soul screaming out for mine through her art.
I’d felt it in the echo of her brushstrokes, and the colors she painted as though a trail of clues, just for me to see and interpret.
It all felt like a cosmic wink. I was fortified by the idea that I was her chosen guardian, and I would do anything to protect her brilliant and complex mind. The world was full of so many colors she’d never know, but I would show them to her.
One thing I was certain of, however, was that in order to get there, she would need to know my truth.
We weren’t about to build our relationship on a shaky foundation.
I needed to tell her one way or another about Blue, and soon.
I had a strong feeling that I was on the verge of understanding the meaning of life, and Sybil was the answer.
The auction was this Friday, and I wanted to invite her. I knew that being out in public like that was tough, but maybe she’d come if she knew we’d be there with her? Whether or not she knew about the auction, I’d mention it and hope for the best.
She stirred on my chest, halting my thinking.
Wiggling and pushing her hips into my stomach, I grunted, once again falling victim to the problem south of the border.
Her hair slid across my neck, causing my skin to erupt with goosebumps as she tilted her head up, eyes finding mine before she pressed them closed in a wince.
She grumbled. “Not again.”
The vibrations rippled down my body, an unstoppable ache pulsing through me. My hands followed the curve of her ribs to her sides, hips, and down her thighs until I hooked my fingers behind her knees. I wanted to hold her here, in this moment. Today, she wouldn’t be running away from me.
I chuckled. “I can’t say I hate this.”
She glared, looking up through her eyelashes.
“What?” I protested with a shrug. “I mean, you seem comfortable and well rested.” I motioned to Bill, who was lying across her side of the bed. “He seems comfortable and rested, hogging the bed.”
She laughed as her hand slid from my hair, delighting me with a chill when she set it beside her other hand on my pectorals. Her forehead fell against me, another grumble torturing me with sensation.
Even though she was covered in loose, comfortable clothes, it didn’t lessen the impact. I felt every inch of her body against mine so intensely; she may as well have been bare.
“Sorry,” she mumbled.
Her muffled whisper made me laugh, returning the rumble as her body shook with mine. “Let’s just agree that this is the new normal,” I said.
She looked up, chin resting on my sternum, eyes large and round and cute with sleep.
I smirked. “Did you sleep well?”
She was assessing my face, but nodded.
“Me too, so I don’t see a reason to stop. Do you?”
She shook her head.
“Good. Then it’s settled. We are two perfectly comfortable and consenting adults. We get to decide what feels right—and I don’t know about you, but this feels pretty damn good.”
There was a glimpse of a smile on her coral lips before she tried to look away, but I stopped her, my hand catching her chin.
I brought her clear blue gaze back to mine, letting it hold there.
My fingers brushed back past her ear, threading into her long hair and cradling the back of her head, tugging gently at the roots of her hair.
I wondered how she felt about seeing her world in black and white. So many things were suddenly obvious—her black and white dog, her black and white wardrobe. It made sense that she’d leave color out of her life. I wanted to know if it bothered her, but my questions would have to wait.
Testing her boundaries, I placed my other hand on the small of her back, fingers skimming just under the hem of her sweatshirt, touching bare skin. She didn’t flinch, didn’t even blink. I let my thumb move up and down her spine in a small, soothing gesture. Still, she challenged my steady gaze.
With one hand in her hair and the other on her back, I rolled us sideways. She squealed. Bill jumped up, escaping the bed. I hovered over her on my elbows, my hips now pressed into the mattress between her legs.
She pressed her core up into my stomach, a subtle but bold move. It’s as if she was testing the waters, seeking friction with hesitant pressure, or maybe just acting on a whim.
She was bold.
Her cheeks flamed, eyes on mine. Lifting my hand from the pillow, I let my thumb brush down the bridge of her nose. Her eyes fluttered closed. My thumb continued to her lips, tracing them. They softened, then parted, her breath escaping.
There was no stopping what I did next, no stopping her when I dropped my thumb and our lips met.
She accepted the kiss with ready enthusiasm; it took me off guard for a moment.
Her inexperience wasn’t hindering the impact, but heightening it.
I fit my lips to hers, guiding her as she followed my lead.
When her mouth relaxed, and I traced the line of her lips with my tongue, she opened for me.
I teased my tongue against hers, a sensual dance as she mirrored the motion. A little moan escaped. My breath hitched, consumed by the sudden, overwhelming intensity.
My core pushed into her, and her back arched. My hand tucked under her spine and pulled her against me. The room hummed with unspoken words of patience and understanding—and the channeled energy of the Montana Man.
Her hands latched onto my lower back, seeking purchase and slipping under the hem of my untucked shirt. They skated their way up my back, her nails digging in. My body rolled into her at the sting of pain, unable to help it.
She gasped when she felt my hardness against her. Her grip on my shoulder blades tightened, trying to bring herself closer as our breathing hit a crescendo. I knew I needed to stop, but it all felt so perfect.
With reluctance and a hearty dose of self-control, I pulled away. Her taste lingered on my swollen lips, and I wanted more of her, but this had to be enough for now or I’d never stop.
I forced myself to ignore the way she looked at me—half-hooded eyes wanting more. Her body rose and fell, her heartbeat against my chest like a hummingbird. Kissing her nose, I pushed myself up, forcing more distance between us.
“I’ll get us coffee,” I whispered, brushing my thumb across her cheek.
She blinked a few times, thoroughly dazed. “Coffee sounds good,” she whispered, breathless.
I kept my gaze on her, backing toward the door and adjusting my pants. I caught her smirking at the act and found it adorably confident of her to do so.
She was such a puzzle, so demure yet so eager at the same time. It was driving me crazy. Every inch of me begged to jump back into bed and see what else I could get away with. What other sounds and emotions could I coax from her?
Reaching the door, still ajar as I’d left it last night, I squeezed the cool metallic handle, whistling to Bill as he followed me out. I closed the door behind me, then shut my eyes and forced out a breath.
This was unbelievable, and I wanted so badly to savor every moment. Sybil was it for me, and the certainty of that was final.