34. Murray #2
“Forde has a problem with those.” Cammie shot him a sharp look before she clapped her hands to distract everyone. “Now presents!”
“I thought we were having cake?” Angus whined. “You can’t bring out a cake and then just leave it. Cake feels sad until it’s in your tummy.”
Quinn’s, as well as everyone else’s, shoulders shook with their constrained laughter.
“Angus, you really need to stop anthropomorphizing baked goods,” Taran teased, bending down to press an affectionate kiss to the top of his head.
“What does anthromorizing mean?” Angus wrinkled his nose in confusion.
“Anthropomorphizing. It means to attribute human characteristics to things that aren’t human.”
“Nah.” Her soon-to-be stepson turned back to the cake. “I can tell it wants me to eat it. If that makes it human, I don’t know what else to tell you.”
London magnanimously cut Angus the first piece.
“Now presents!” Kelly hurried over to the pile on the dining table and rushed back into the kitchen with hers in hand. “Happy birthday, London.”
London’s expression was amazed and maybe even a little shy as she took the gift from Kelly.
She was delighted with the card and book and hugged my daughter hard, whispering something in her ear.
Kelly’s cheeks turned red, but whatever London said it made my daughter smile as she stepped back to let everyone else hand over their gifts.
I waited until London had opened everything from everyone else, and then I’d quietly taken her hand to lead her out onto the deck for privacy. Akiva opened her eyes, flicking us a somewhat annoyed look at disrupting her peace, so I led London farther down the balcony.
The sound of the sea whooshing gently in the background was the perfect soundtrack to the moment.
It had been a dry, clear day, and the sun hung low, casting a golden glow across London’s face.
It caught the flecks of gold in her turquoise eyes, and she placed a hand above them to shield them from the blinding sun.
I took hold of her waist, turning her ever so slightly so her back was to the sun entirely.
“Thank you for my party.” Her plump lips twitched and then she looked past my shoulder to check something. Seemingly satisfied with whatever she found, London pressed her body into mine, my blood instantly heating. “I can’t wait to be alone with you tonight so I can thank you properly.”
Those words were enough to send all that hot blood southward. I groaned and eased her gently away. “Please don’t. I think it might be inappropriate if I walk back in there with a stiffy.”
London burst out laughing, bowing her head against my chest. Love expanded so big in my heart, it almost felt uncontainable. Smoothing a hand over her hair, I pressed a kiss to the top of her head and whispered, “I have a gift for you. I wanted you to open it in private.”
Her head popped back up comically fast, and I couldn’t help but steal a quick kiss. I loved how flushed the encounter left her, despite how brief it had been.
Reaching into my back pocket, I pulled out the velvet ring box.
London’s lips parted in shock.
“It feels a bit of a travesty that you never got a proper engagement ring.”
Her breath hitched, her gaze flying to mine. “Murray … are you sure?”
Heart racing hard, I opened the box, watching her expression light up. “We’re married, London. We can take our relationship as slow as you need, but we are still legally married. And my wife deserves an engagement ring.”
Something I now recognized as desire softened her features. “It kind of turns me on when you call me your wife.”
Well, that was a very good sign indeed. “Does it now?” I murmured, pleased as fuck as I took out the ring and guided it onto her finger just above her wedding band. It fit perfectly. “Do you like it?”
For a moment, my heart stopped as London shook her head.
“I love it.” She brushed a finger over the center. “It’s unique and beautiful and—”
“Ethically sourced,” I couldn’t help but joke.
London let out a huff of laughter. “Well, that’s good because it looks antique.”
“It’s not. But I’m glad you love it.”
Her gaze roamed my face. “You’re so good to me, Murray Shaw.”
“You make it easy, Mrs. Shaw.”
London’s breath caught again and she laughed softly, rolling her eyes. “Seriously, why is that so hot?”
I chuckled before swooping down to steal her laughter from her lips. It was another quick, intense embrace because I didn’t want Kelly to catch us. London cupped my face, her thumb brushing over my mouth. “Thank you.”
“Happy birthday, a ghràidh.”
That night, hours after our guests had gone and Kelly was sound asleep in her bed, I waited on top of mine, ears straining for the creak of floorboards.
London didn’t knock this time. She tiptoed in, closing the door behind her, her hair loose down her back. She wore a silky robe thing I’d never seen before. The vibrant teal fabric made her hair glow copper in the low light of my bedside lamps.
Her hot gaze blazed as she took me in.
I’d gone for expedience and was completely naked.
“Guess we’re both feeling a little impatient tonight,” London whispered, untying the robe and shrugging it off with one roll of her shoulders to reveal she was also completely naked.
Grinning, I reached for her, pulling her warm, soft body over mine.
We kissed until my lips felt swollen and I thought I might explode with the need to be inside her tight, wet heat.
Rolling her gently, I pulled back to check her expression, making sure she was all right with being beneath me.
In answer, London spread her thighs open to let me between them, her hands smoothing around my back, her nails scratching lightly over my skin, making me shiver with want.
I kissed her softly, gently, before reaching over to the bedside table for a condom. Holding her gaze while I donned protection, I watched the way her stunning eyes flared with something like awe, and it made me wonder if everything I felt for her was plain to see in mine.
Seeking another, deeper, hungrier kiss, I reached between us, sliding my fingers into her heat to find her already wet.
I wanted her soaked like last night. I kissed her as I rubbed my thumb over her clit, relentless in my pursuit of her orgasm.
London’s nails dug into my back as she moaned and mewled into my mouth.
She made me so fucking hard it was outrageous.
The sound of her release was muffled by my kiss, and I impatiently grabbed my dick, guiding it to her hot, drenched entrance. Her inner muscles were tight but slick as she welcomed me in, squeezing around me as her back arched beneath me.
London reached for my arse, riding me from below, and I gritted my teeth against the need to fuck her. Instead, I braced over her, gripping her hip to slow her undulations, watching her carefully so I didn’t overstep as I attempted to lead the pace.
Her lips parted on a gasp, but her lids lowered over her eyes, expression suffused with nothing but desire as she relaxed beneath me, allowing me to take over.
While I dared not say three little words for fear of pushing too hard too fast, I could show her the words.
I held her hot eyes with mine and made love to my wife.
I watched every minute flicker of change in London’s countenance and saw her eyes widen ever so slightly when she realized what was happening.
Her fingernails dug into my back, her gasps grew louder, her chest heaving, and I felt her tight pussy squeeze around me in reaction as I moved in slow but deep thrusts inside her.
When she shattered, her cries filled the air for a mere second before I covered her mouth to catch them. London’s cries turned to helpless moans as she grabbed at my nape, sucking on my tongue, and causing my climax to take me by surprise.
I broke the kiss, the words almost tumbling out of me before I stifled them with a groan of utter bliss as my hips shuddered against hers.