Chapter 66
I walkedout to the back deck of my cabin that faced the gleaming lake. Arrow wasn’t sitting inthe chair like he had been minutes ago when he was talking to someone on the phone.
I glanced toward the pier, and my heart skipped seeing him sitting on the edge fishing.
Smiling, I gripped the two glasses of freshly squeezed lemonade and headed down to join him. It had been a chaotic few days after finding Aimee and escorting her back to her parents. I let Kaylee take a few days off from school to hang out with Aimee. Having Kaylee around Aimee would help her adjust better.
Arrow had one of his CIA friends speak to the local authorities about keeping Aimee’s discovery private and only telling her family and necessary officials. The CIA had told them an undercover agent had rescued Aimee. If the media got wind of it, it would jeopardize the undercover agent’s work at apprehending the human trafficking group.
Aimee would be homeschooled by her mom, which was better for her adjustment. My dad and Rose were in Vietnam, and he was thrilled to hear about Aimee’s return.
Arrow and I needed a break and headed to my lake house. There was still unfinished business to attend to, but we needed a quick respite. I needed to breathe and remind myself that it was okay to pause now and then. I hadn’t realized how stressed I was until I was losing so much hair in the shower.
Stress did several things to the body. I’d also taken this week off work to give my body the recuperation it needed. There was so much to process, and I needed the space to do so.
I wanted to cuddle. To be held. Was that selfish of me?
Besides the danger hovering around us, the emotion I felt for Arrow had intensified exponentially, making it difficult to focus on anything else. These feelings also needed to be addressed and resolved.
I tried to imagine my life without Arrow. I couldn’t. He was everywhere. In the beginning, he’d inserted himself into my life in memorable ways. Now, he was a permanent essential I couldn’t live without. Like the oxygen in the air. Like the water I drank. I needed him in every way.
When I came to Providence, I didn’t want a relationship. Too much distraction and the fear of another failed relationship prevented me from wanting more. But I was wrong. Giving myself a chance with Arrow had saved me. I would’ve continued the sad loop of living without love or joy if it weren”t for him.
Arrow wasn’t only my lover; he was a man who had reached all the way into my soul and patched it up. The wounds on my back no longer carried weight.
My hands shook as I held the glasses of lemonade while studying him. He stared at the gleaming lake, which sparkled like a blanket of diamonds had settled on its surface. I studied his contemplative look. He was so handsome. . . My heart ached just looking at him. His brown hair glistened like copper in the sun. He wore ripped jeans and a gray T-shirt, and I wore khaki capris and an old yellow T-shirt. It was a perfect day in Northern California with unusually warm weather this week, but I’d take it. It was a pleasant break from the New England winter.
When he turned to look at me, those gray eyes sparkled, reflecting the glittering lake. He considered me for a moment, and my heart raced. The intense expression showed something was on his mind. Probably the much-needed conversation we never had. I loved his usual air of danger. But my wolf also had a tender side that I got to see. Right now, he didn’t appear tender.
Was he all mine? This was something I had to find out.
“There’s lemonade if you’re thirsty.” I placed the lemonade down on the wooden planks.
With one hand, he lifted the drink to his lips. “Haven’t had fresh squeezed lemonade in a while.” He placed it down and patted the seat next to him. “Sit.”
“Any bites?” I asked, reaching for the bag of sliced bread I left out earlier.
“Not yet.” He watched me rip off a small portion of the sliced bread, roll it into a tiny ball, and add it to the hook. “You don’t use worms or other live bait?” He gestured to the tackle box.
“No. I’m a simple girl.” I threw out the fishing line. “In my experience, the trout, bass, and sunfish love the bread. Have you tried using it before?”
“Nope. Maybe they just love you.”
What about you? Do you love me?
Ismiled. “Let’s see who catches the first fish.”
I sat beside him with our arms touching. Silence thrummed between us, and it was such a lovely moment.
“Why do you enjoy fishing?” I asked.
He lifted a shoulder. “I fish because I’m not just catching fish.” His eyes were on the gleaming lake. “It teaches me patience. I’m discovering myself while being with myself, you know?”
I bumped my shoulder into him. “You’re so poetic, you know that?”
He let out a soft laugh. “I guess life can be poetic if you learn how to look at it that way. Why do you like fishing?”
No one had ever asked me that question. But then again, I hadn’t gone fishing with many people. I ripped off a small piece of bread and tossed it into the lake, offering free food to the fish.
“Part of it is what you just described. Spending time alone with myself is precious. It’s like having the fish nibble my trouble away. But I often look at my reflection in the water. There are moments when I miss my mom or am sad about life, and I wonder if the water could remove the sadness and change my reflection. You know, like the water could somehow put a smile on my reflection?” A fish nibbled on the bread I’d thrown into the water and disappeared. “But I realized if I wanted to see the smile, I had to change me—the inner me. It had nothing to do with the exterior world. I had to smile to see that reflected in the water. When our perception changes, everything else changes.”
He nodded slowly while staring at the water. “That’s a wise fishing analogy—and you call me a poet?” He bumped shoulders with me as something flickered in his eyes. “Sylvia emailed me saying she didn’t want the car anymore.”
“Really?” A small smile curved my lips.
“She also wished me luck with my new girlfriend.” Amusement gleamed in his eyes. “Know anything about that?
“Maybe she was inspired to be nice after we had a little chat about eyeliner.”
“Do I want to know?”
“It’s best you don’t.” I stared out at the trees across the lake.
“So when are you going to do the pimp roll for me?” He elbowed me.
Here comes the long overdue conversation.
“I’m sure you can do it better than me.” I sighed. “It was so out of my comfort zone, but I did it for a specific reason.”
“A reason you failed to inform me about.” The serious expression matched the tone. “I was so worried about you, but I was also angry and sad.”
The sadness and disappointment in his voice prickled my skin. A bug landed on the lake”s surface, creating a circular ripple as it hopped along.
“I didn’t want to bother you. You were working and?—”
“I want you to bother me about everything and anything. I want to be the first to know.” He swallowed. “Do you know how heartbroken I was to know the woman I love had put herself in danger without telling me? What if something happened to you? I was terrified I could lose you.”
My heart hammered as love erupted like a million butterflies flapping within me.
He secured the fishing rod in the pole holder and gripped my face. “I love you, Tulip, and it makes me feel insignificant when you leave me out.”
Securing my fishing rod to the holder, I placed my hands over his and said, “I love you too, Bullseye.”
My lips crushed to his, and he responded with passion. He angled the kiss, deepening it and thrusting his tongue into my mouth. I’d missed this intimacy the past few weeks. Though we lived together, chaos and stress had reigned supreme in our house. But right now, love was the only thing within us, around us.
So much joy radiated from me, and I wanted to hear him say those words again.
I broke the kiss and beamed. “Say it again.”
“I love you, Vivian.” The words came out slow and meaningful.
I loved how he said the words with my nickname and my real name. “I’ve been waiting to hear you say that.”
“Now you can hear it every day because you’re not leaving my side. Just so you know, I’ve never said it to any woman.” He nudged me onto my back, looking down at me.
Could my heart expand anymore?
“What are you thinking?”
He cupped the side of my face with his hand. “That you’re the most beautiful woman I’ve ever met, and you’re all mine.”
“Come here, my love.” I yanked him down for a kiss.
His hand slipped under my T-shirt and cupped my breast over my bra. “I want you,” he whispered.
“Bed,” I gasped. “Now.”
He smiled, got up, and offered me a hand, pulling me flush against him. “You need to tell me everything from now on.”
I wrapped my arms around his waist. “I’m used to doing things my way—by myself. I never had to tell anyone anything, and it slipped my mind that day.”
“But things have changed now.” He touched my face with tenderness. “That’s how relationships work, Vivian.”
I nodded, understanding that relationships required compromise and communication. “Goes both ways, okay? I also want to know what’s going on with you.”
“That’s a given, Tulip.”
“Sounds like this is going to be a long-term relationship.”
Confusion flickered in his eyes. “Was there any doubt?”
I told him about my hesitation and suspicion based on his past relationships, which I read about online.
“Don’t believe the media. They twist things and make you believe the president is a three-headed alien in disguise.”
I laughed. “I know. But the gossip made me wonder, you know? I didn’t want to get hurt.”
“I’m never going to hurt you, not intentionally. If I have unintentionally, I want to know. Okay?”
I smiled, loving the warmth blossoming in my heart. “I guess I can tell the girls that A Kiss is Not Enoughmission is complete.”
“What’s that about?”
“A James Bond-inspired mission the girls and I created to see if our significant other passes the test.” I kissed his forehead. “This is my version of The World is Not Enough.” I kissed his nose. “But mine is more meaningful to us. You’ve wanted me from the beginning. After one kiss, one duel, and one date, I thought you’d be satisfied and move on.” I dropped a kiss on his cheek, then the other. “But you didn’t go anywhere. And one kiss isn’t enough for me either.” I plopped a sloppy kiss on his lips, making him grin like an adorable idiot.
“I love that mission. The mission for today is Tulipussy, my version of Octopussy.”
A laugh burst out of me. I was surprised there were no ripples on the water because I imagined the fish probably blinked at the sexy statement.
He lifted me, tossing me over his shoulder.
I squealed. “Hey!” I’d never been carried like this. But then again, I’d been experiencing a lot of unforgettable firsts with him. This took second place after the piggyback ride.
Gripping his muscular back, I looked at my fishing line and noticed something yanking at the float. “I got a bite! I caught something! Put me down!” Then I saw the line go still.“No . . .”
“You caught the biggest fish there is—me.” He slapped my ass. “We’ll resume our fishing later.”
Arrow rushed me into the house and straight to the bedroom at lightning speed. The hungry look in his eyes sent my stomach churning. He stripped off his clothes while watching me remove mine. Then his mouth covered mine in a deep kiss. All thoughts escaped me but the taste of him, the feel of him.
I fell back onto the bed, loving his weight on me. His hand skimmed down my rib cage, igniting a trail of heat I’d missed. This connection with him was something I’d cherish forever. He dropped kisses all over my face, my neck, and my breasts. I let out a series of moans, surrendering to his hands, mouth, and tongue.
His fingers traveled to the junction between my legs and found me wet and ready for him. As he slid two fingers into me, he looked at me. The lovein those eyes belonged to a warrior finding his reason for existence. I didn’t know how I knew it, but I did.
My heart quivered, and I released a moan as his fingers glided in and out.
“So perfect.” His fingers pumped into me with an irresistible rhythm that made me yearn for more.
I lifted my hips to a different angle while he sucked my breast. My body was on fire from his fingers and his mouth.
“You’re mine.” He looked up at me.
“And you’re mine,” I gasped.
“Forever and ever.”
A prayer. A promise. The words traveled all the way into my soul.
“Forever and ever,” I repeated.
The statement was a promise of ourselves to each other. I didn’t know I’d teared up until he brushed a stream from my cheek.
“Tears of immense joy,” I said, not wanting him to think it was something else.
“I know.” He kissed me again before moving down my body. “You’re being worshipped today.”
“I want it every day,” I said, absorbing the thrill zipping up and down my body. My legs parted for him almost automatically.
He laughed. “Anything you want, love.”
Arrow looked at my wet center, and he licked his bottom lip.I blushed even though he’d seen me many times. Growling, he lowered his mouth and licked. He took his time with me. And I loved watching him love me. He wasn’t simply pleasuring me; he was genuinely enjoying himself.
Sensations bloomed in me as I writhed under his lips and tongue. He shifted me to the side and lifted my leg to give him access from a different angle.
“You’re fucking perfect,” he crooned as he feasted.
The unexpected change in tempo shoved me closer to the edge. I sensed the impending orgasm building and finally exploding in me.
“Arrow!” I gasped and trembled.
He lifted his head, smirked, and plunged into me. He drove in and out, creating this delicious friction that shattered me even further. My body convulsed. My muscles tightened around his cock.
“You feel so good, baby. You love me fucking you hard?”
“Yes!”
He slammed in harder, deeper. He grunted as his hand caressed the spot where we connected. “I love you so much.”
I wanted to say I loved him too, but another orgasm flooded my brain. I couldn’t muster up a thought, much less a word. The noises coming from me were practically animalistic.
He cried out my name, and I’d never heard anything so beautiful. So possessive. So satisfied.
Liquid heat filled me as he kissed my forehead.“Fucking you is so addicting.”
“Better than wine?” I asked, loving the feel of him still throbbing in me.
“If wine has the power to eliminate a man’s sorrow, then you, my Tulip, have the power to create unimaginable joy.”
I grinned and ruffled his sweat-slick hair. “Where did you learn to talk like that?”
“From having sex with you.” He dropped beside me on the bed. “If you want poetry, then you need to have sex with me three times a day, every day.”
Laughing, I slapped his chest playfully. “We both need to work.”
“I can visit you during your lunch hour. But I think you should visit me in my office. It’s bigger.” He got up and rushed to the bathroom.
I sprawled on the bed, looking up at the ceiling. This lake house had been my home for the last five years. I loved it. But if Arrow and I were going to make the relationship work, I’d want to see him every day.
Should I sell this place? But the private location was perfect. Maybe I could rent it out.
My thoughts vanished when the gorgeous warrior returned with his cock still hard.
“Stay there.” I pointed to him as I got off the bed and dropped to my knees. “Part of A Kiss is Not Enough covers this too.” I licked his length and kissed his crown. It wasn’t enough, so I gripped his cock. The heat transferred into my palm. I loved how he throbbed in my grip like he was begging me to do all kinds of things to him. I stroked him, and he moaned.
He placed a hand on my cheek. “What mission are you on now, Tulip?”
“A Suck is Not Enough.”
He crooned, “Prove it.”