Chapter 23
Chapter Twenty-Three
“I ordered room service.” The startled look in her eyes disappeared at his words, “Hopefully that’s them and not the sheriff.” He prompted her to stand and yelled, “Just a moment,” as she climbed to her feet.
When they were both out of the tub, he wrapped a towel around his waist before handing her the other one that had been brought up with the bath. She hurried behind the door and he waited until she was covered before opening it.
The tray the woman on the other side of the door held was heavy. He gripped it with two hands, pushing the door closed with his foot.
“You know, hiding half-naked behind this door is starting to feel like a bad habit.”
He grinned at Violet’s words and ran his hungry gaze over her half clothed body. The desire to rip the towel covering her away was strong, but he ignored the impulse and carried their food to the table by the window.
She watched him as he set it all out, then sat down when he was finished. They both dug in to the food. She must have been as hungry as he was, because she never said a word as she ate. She did keep stealing glances at him, though, and blushed prettily when their eyes met.
His limbs still felt loose, his mind calm for once. Daring her to climb into the bath with him had been a spur-of-the-moment thing, but he was glad she’d not been too scared to see it through.
Loving her felt so—right. Not much did anymore, but being with Violet did. She made him laugh. Something he hadn’t done in years. Being with her broke his old habits of being bored and listless. Now, he looked forward to each new day. All because of her.
He wasn’t sure what he’d been trying to say in the tub before being interrupted, but now that he could think properly, he had to wonder—could he risk his heart again after everything he’d been through?
Silver Falls wasn’t Durango. Danger didn’t lurk on every street corner. The type of men who rode into town weren’t the criminals that Durango saw on a daily basis. She’d be safe. He’d make sure of it.
“What are you thinking about so hard?” she asked.
He lifted his eyes and smiled. “You.”
She blushed so prettily, her eyes seemed to sparkle. “Are you trying to flatter me?”
He huffed out a laugh. “Is it working?”
She cut into the meat on her plate and grinned. “Maybe.” She took the bite on her fork and chewed, swallowing before asking, “What are you thinking about so hard?”
It seemed as if she was still thinking about what he’d said in that tub, too. “I told you, I’m thinking about you.”
She laid her fork down and raised one eyebrow. “Really? What about me?”
The towel she had wrapped around herself had slipped. The top of her breasts were visible, and his mouth nearly watered at the sight of them.
She was beyond beautiful and he knew she was his for the asking. The real question was, did he take a chance on love one more time?
The answer whispered inside his head an instant later.
He grinned and took another bite of his food and washed it down before saying, “Just wondering if you’ll sleep naked once were properly married or not.”
“No one sleeps naked.”
“I normally do.”
She blinked at him, her mouth opening as if to say something, but closed before opening again. “Wait a minute,” she said. “Did you just say….once we’re properly married?”
He lifted his cup, taking a long drink before nodding his head. “I did.”
She stared at him for a long minute, her eyes darting back and forth to his. “Are you—”
“Asking you to marry me?”
She nodded, her eyes wide.
He pushed his empty plate away and leaned back in his chair. Was he? He crossed his arms over his chest, warmth filling that cold dead place his heart used to lie as he looked at her. “Yeah, I am.”
Before he could get another word out, she squealed and launched herself at him. He barely caught her when she crashed into his chest, his chair rocking back on two legs as she said, “yes, yes, yes,” over and over again while peppering his face with kisses.
Pulling back far enough to see him, she grinned. “Are you sure? I mean, I know you said you didn’t want a wife—”
“That was before you.” He wrapped his arm around her waist, pulling her down to sit on his leg. “I didn’t realize how lonely life was in Silver Falls until you told Edwin we were engaged. Those first few days were hectic, and I hated lying about it, but I’ll admit, I looked forward to everyday.”
He brushed her damp hair over her shoulder, his fingers tracing her collarbone. “My life had been so stagnate. I woke up every morning knowing exactly how the day would play out. It was long and boring and when you told that little white lie to Edwin, that all changed.”
He met her gaze and smiled. “You’ve made me enjoy life again, Violet. I don’t want to miss the rest of it while only watching you enjoy it from afar. I’d rather experience it with you in my life.”
There were tears in her eyes and the sweet smile on her face warmed his heart. “I don’t know if what I feel for you is love or not, but I think it might be. I want you. I want to spend my life with you. To create life with you.”
“Josiah…”
She kissed him so sweetly, his entire body reacted to it.
He wrapped one arm around her waist, the other underneath her legs, and lifted her. The bed was a few short steps away, and he laid her down, breaking the kiss.
She was barely wrapped in the towel now. It took very little tugging to get it out from under her.
Laying there with the sun gleaming through the window, her skin pale, looked luminous. “Spread your legs for me,” he said.
She blushed from head to toe, her skin turning pink at his words, but she did as he said. She spread her legs, baring herself completely to him.
He hardened in an instant. She was pink all over.
He crawled between her splayed legs, kissing his way up her thighs and when he reached her center, he inhaled deeply before kissing the damp curls covering her sex and taking a long lick.
Violet gasped, her fingers digging into his hair. “What are you doing, Josiah?”
Her voice held a small tremble, and he looked up at her, grinning, before licking her clit. “Having dessert.”
Her eyes rolled into the back of her head when he sucked her clit into his mouth, his tongue flicking the little bud as he did.
Violent tingles raced up her limbs, her legs shaking as he licked and sucked at her most intimate flesh, and even though she’d pushed him away before in the tub, she wished she wouldn’t have.
She hadn’t known people did things like this but couldn’t help but moan when she felt his tongue enter her body. Her hips rolled, her fingers in his hair tightening with every delicious swipe of his tongue, and she never wanted him to stop.
Her heart felt close to bursting as his words from earlier were on repeat inside her head. He wanted to marry her! Had asked like she’d always dreamed he would and was now feasting on her as if she were the best thing he’d ever tasted.
A part of her should be embarrassed about what he was doing, but as she looked down the line of her body and saw him look up at her, she felt electrified. The tingles raced harder and her breath caught.
His hands slid up her body to cup her breasts, his fingers plucking and lightly pinching her nipples. Meeting his gaze as he did such wicked things to her, his mouth clamped down over her sex, was all it took for her body to explode in ecstasy.
She cried out his name, her legs shaking as she rode out the tremors, her hips rolling violently against his face.
Long minutes later, or maybe it was hours, she calmed enough he kissed his way up her body, his hardened length dragging up her thigh, before he settled his weight between her legs.
He entered her body so slowly, she felt every inch of him. His groan echoed in the room when he was seated completely, his eyes closing for a moment before he grabbed her leg, pulling it up to drape over his hip.
The push and pull of his hips grew more steady, the sound harsh in the stillness, and when he lowered his upper body to lay against hers, his weight supported on his forearms, she wrapped her arms around his torso and held on.
Their eyes were locked as their bodies moved against each other and somehow, looking into his eyes as he loved her, made it feel more intimate. It was as if they were connected in ways she hadn’t known were possible.
He lowered his head and kissed her, sucking her tongue into his mouth, and she felt it clean to her toes. She clung to him as he moved against her and when they both crashed over, bliss taking them both at the same time, she didn’t think she’d ever been happier.