Chapter 23 #2
A couple of seconds tick by where he looks at the floor boards, but he finally straightens his spine, elongating his bare torso and leveling his green eyes, which are darker than I’ve ever seen them, on mine.
“Molly, I bought a ring for you because we’re supposed to have rings, but I bought that exact one because it reminded me of your eyes when the sun lights them up.
I got mine tattooed on so I don’t have to worry about metal touching my skin, and no matter why we got married, I didn’t do it to get divorced.
So it being permanent’s not really a big deal to me.
” He waves his arms out before he gets to the crescendo.
“And I want to have sex with you because I want to. It’s all I’ve been able to think about today.
Not because we’re supposed to. If that were the reason, we would’ve fucked on the first night.
You know that day we came close? Did you have a hard time then?
Were you questioning if I wanted to then? ” He steps closer to me.
“No,” I say in a soft whisper. Looking at him is too much, so I turn and place my hands on the rail and take in the meadow with its swaying tree branches and colorful flowers.
“I didn’t use words then,” he says, even closer now.
“No,” I concede a little louder this time. “You didn’t.”
An eternity passes, and then his hands come up to rest on either side of mine on the rail.
His breath mingles with the soft breeze on my neck, confusing me as to which is which, and I close my eyes against the burst of goosebumps down my shoulders.
His warm lips meet the smooth span of skin right behind my ear, which tugs something down low in my belly.
He locks his body in closer to mine, and I feel his hardness through his shorts, nestling against my ass.
A lump forms in my throat along with the ribbon of desire unfurling inside me as Wolf rubs the stubble of his jaw against my cheek.
These small acts of intimacy are next to foreign, and I close my eyes, letting out a shuddery breath as I try to take it all in. But I let my guard down too soon.
Wolf whirls me around and presses my back against the rail as his mouth crushes down on mine. His lips meld against mine, taking only a pass or two before swiping his tongue between them, eagerly invading my mouth.
The breath I had been about to take gets trapped in my throat, stifled into a feral whimper. My hands find his firm but smooth chest, and my head tilts instinctively to let him in deeper.
His mouth moves hungrily against mine before softly breaking away. “Do you believe me now?” he asks between pants, his lips still a breath from mine.
“Yes.” The word comes out with no question.
“Then tonight, we’re getting in bed with each other naked,” he growls out with finality.
It’s to the point and spares all the finesse. But sometimes, finesse is overrated.
I weave my damp hair into a loose braid and spend several moments deliberating on whether to put my night shirt on, stay in the towel, put on a robe… None of those options seem to have any point, but at the same time, I don’t feel ready to walk out completely naked in front of Wolf.
Finally deciding to just leave the towel on, I open the door and step out, letting what’s left of the flowery steam coast out ahead of me.
And standing in front of the balcony near the foot of the bed stands Wolf—completely naked.
He’s gazing out the window on the other side of the two-story living room.
I’m in awe, not just of the sight of him but the entire scene.
The room is mostly dark, but the moonlight from outside perfectly outlines the form of his naked body.
Every contour is smooth, yet every ridge exposed and more majestic than the mountains.
In tandem with all this is the glowing light from the candles he’s lit and placed on each side table of the bed.
The warm and gentle light casts his skin in captivating lights and shadows.
He lit candles. The realization makes a hummingbird beat its wings in my chest. And his glorious form is standing in my room—our room—waiting for me to come to him. I’m almost inclined to think that what’s happening isn’t real for me. That I’m just a guest in someone else’s life for a night.
As if he heard my thought in his head, Wolf turns slightly, the glance in his eyes dark but welcoming. “Come here,” he whispers warmly and holds his hand out.
Gripping my fingers together, I worry my beautiful new ring around my finger as I tread across the plush carpet toward him then place my hand in his outstretched one.
“Nervous?” he asks gently.
I nod, nibbling on my bottom lip and look up at him. “A little.”
“Me too.”
“I don’t want to do this wrong.”
“Neither do I,” he admits. “But if it goes the same way it almost did that day we released the cat, I don’t think we can get it wrong.”