Chapter 10
Ten
Aaric
I’m lying in bed, face-to-face with my wife. It’s still hard for me to believe this gorgeous woman with the kindest heart is mine. I know she’s hesitant, but I will prove my worth to her every day of the rest of her life.
She’s smiling at me. Her cheeks are rosy. She’s relaxed. Finally.
I know she was afraid I would want to make love to her.
And of course I do. But I would never have sex with her for the first time while she’s so heavily pregnant she couldn’t even enjoy it.
She needs time. In a few months, when she’s fully healed from giving birth, she’ll be much more trusting of me.
I can’t blame her for being mistrustful. How could she not be? It’s been a long time since anyone did right by her, and at no point has a man treated her with dignity and respect.
“Tell me about yourself,” she says, giggling.
It’s funny. We just got married, and though we know the important things, there are a lot of details we have not shared. We have a lifetime to talk about everything under the sun.
“You left for ten years. Where were you?” she continues.
“Well, I was angry at the universe for a while, so there was some lost time.”
Her face sobers. “Right. Of course. I’m sorry. I haven’t asked you much about your parents. I’m so sorry they’re gone. They were the nicest people on Earth. And to find out my dad started that fire…” She shudders. Tears well up in her eyes.
I reach across the distance between us and wipe them away. “Hey, no more tears. Not over that. I’m also sorry about your dad.”
“He was a horrible man. How can you be sorry?”
“He was your father. I bet you had good years growing up before your mother got sick and he started drinking.”
“I guess. I can’t believe he spent all those years shouting verses from the Bible to make me and Rebekah feel bad about ourselves when he himself had killed two people just because they were kind to us girls.” She sniffles. “And I’m so, so, so sorry. I never knew.”
I slide my hand into her hair and stroke my fingers through it. It’s so soft. She has it down tonight. I brushed it out for a long time because it obviously felt good and pleased her. I know she wants to cut it. We’ll take care of that as soon as possible.
“There was no way for you to have known, honey, and you’re not responsible for the actions of your father.
But you’re right. He was a hypocrite. Most of the crap he filled your head with isn’t part of normal religious beliefs.
Certainly, murder or even attempted murder or burning someone’s house down while they’re sleeping would bring the wrath of God to a person long before holding hands with your husband the night before your wedding.
” I wink at her. Hopefully, she’ll see the comparison and relax a bit about her fears that she has sinned.
“You’re right. It’s going to take some time for me to stop feeling like I’m a bad person all the time. But Rebekah reiterated everything you said, and I trust her.” Hannah gasps, eyes wide. “That came out wrong. I didn’t mean to imply I don’t trust you.”
I chuckle. “Honey, I know. Stop worrying about every little thing you think or do or say. You’re not going to upset me.”
“I’ll try.”
“Anyway, to answer your question, I went to college, got my degree, and started working on my parents’ legacy with my brothers. It took us ten years to decide to move back to the mountain and reclaim our lives. Except for Asher. He’s been here longer, living quietly on the land.”
“And then my father threatened you again.”
“Yes, but he never stood a chance. Not this time. We were prepared. When you’re feeling up to it, I’ll show you all the safeguards we’ve put in place around here. The most important thing you need to know is that there’s a safe room in every one of our cabins and the main house.”
Her eyes go wide. “Where?”
“Mine is in the back of the master closet. So is Adam’s. I’ll add your thumbprint to it so you can access it easily in the event you need to hide inside.”
“And why would I need a safe room?”
I shrug. “Lots of reasons. Rebekah went into theirs while your father was outside, ranting and waving around his gun. If anyone ever comes to this property threatening us, I expect you to take the baby and get into the safe room as fast as possible.”
“Okay,” she murmurs.
“It’s also fireproof, so if God forbid there was ever a fire, you would be secure in there. But that’s not likely to happen because we’ve put state-of-the-art sprinkler systems in every building.” I lean back and point toward the spout on the ceiling.
“Oh… That’s what those are? Sprinklers?”
“Yep. An alarm would be blaring, too. You’ll never have to worry about fire here, sunshine.”
“Okay.” She relaxes into the mattress. Suddenly, her face lights up, she smiles, and her palm goes to her tummy. “Oh…” She reaches out and grabs my hand.
Grinning, I settle my fingers against her stomach. I love touching her, but I’m even more excited about the fact that she instinctively reached for me, wanting to share this moment.
The baby is kicking hard. “Doesn’t that hurt?” I ask her.
She giggles. “No. It feels funny. It’s…life-affirming.”
It certainly is. I don’t stop smiling because I can’t. I’m in love with my wife. This moment is precious.
She scoots closer to me. “Will you kiss me?” she asks. Her cheeks heat as though the question is ludicrous, and I might turn her down.
Keeping my palm on her belly, I slide my other hand under her head and close the distance between us. “Was our kiss in front of the judge your first, sunshine?”
“Yes,” she whispers.
I lift my head and angle it to one side. If I’m going to kiss my wife, I’m going to kiss my wife well.
I’m gentle at first, keeping it soft and light before I deepen the pressure against her lips and lick along the seam until she opens for me. She probably has no idea she’s whimpering or that she’s clasping my hand over her belly.
I could kiss her forever, but I eventually ease back, loving the panting breaths coming from her lips.
“Wow,” she murmurs.
Smiling, I nod. “Yeah. I agree.” I’ve kissed women before. It never felt like this. All the more proof that I’ve made the right decision.
“I’m tingling all over,” she admits, and I’m so glad she feels safe enough to talk to me about this.
“Good. That’s the goal. Tell me where it tingles, honey.”
She licks her lips. “My nipples, for one,” she whispers.
“That’s normal. Where else?”
“Between my legs.” Her voice is so soft it’s hard to hear what she’s saying. She’s being so brave.
I slide my hand from her belly to her breast over the top of her shirt, watching her closely. “Would you like me to touch your nipples, honey?”
Her face is bright red. “Yes…”
I cup the swollen globe and graze my thumb over her taut nipple.
Hannah’s eyes roll back, and she moans. It’s the sexiest sound I’ve ever heard. She grabs my wrist, not pushing me away but pressing me against her.
I’m certain her breasts were not nearly this large until recently. Nor were her nipples. But her body is preparing to provide sustenance for another human. The time is near. Her breasts are tight and full. Milk would probably leak out easily if I pinched her nipple.
“Aaric…” she murmurs, arching her chest into my palm.
Kissing her again, I inch closer and continue stroking her nipple and breast. My cock is ridiculously hard, not just from touching her and kissing her, but from all the noises she’s making.
Hannah breaks the kiss and tips her head back, a deep moan filling the room. She’s restless. So fucking responsive. Maybe it’s me; maybe it’s a pregnancy thing.
Her legs rub together, and she grips my wrist tighter. “Can you…” Her soft voice trails off.
“Do you want me to touch your pussy, honey?”
“Yes… Please, yes,” she begs.
I hate to release her breast, but I don’t have three arms, so I must slide that hand down her body. Cupping the back of her thigh, I pull her leg toward me, leaving me enough space to reach between her legs from behind.
When I touch the gusset of her panties, I find them wet.
My wife flinches, and a deep, satisfied groan leaves her lips. I’m barely touching her pussy. The moment I find her clit over the cotton, she gasps. “Aaric!”
“Let it feel good, honey,” I encourage.
“But, but…”
“This is how it’s supposed to feel, sunshine. I promise. Can you feel the pressure building?”
“Uh huh…”
Fuck, she’s precious. Her eyes roll back, but I keep my gaze on her face. I slip my fingers under the elastic of her panties and touch her clit directly.
“Ohhh…”
“That’s it. Let it happen, Hannah. You’re going to orgasm for me. It will feel so good.”
She’s so wet that her arousal easily coats my fingers as I drag them through her folds, repeatedly flicking her clit.
Hannah flattens her palm on my chest and grips with her blunt fingernails.
I ease one finger into her, my jaw tightening. She’s so small. How the hell is this baby going to come out of her? It scares me. She’s practically a virgin. Her one and only experience with sex was probably dry and painful and quick. She has no idea how it should have been.
If that asshole, Jeremy, were alive, I’d hunt him down and kill him on the spot.
Hannah rocks herself against my hand, silently begging for more, so I thrust two fingers into her tight channel and find her G-spot. When I touch her clit again, she cries out. Her entire body goes stiff as she finds her release.
I’ve never seen anything sexier in my life. My wife is having her first orgasm in my arms. Her pussy is milking my fingers as the waves wash through her.
When she finally gives a last shuddering moan, I ease my fingers out of her and cup her bottom. “You’re so gorgeous when you come, sunshine.”
She doesn’t meet my gaze as she drops her head forward and presses her forehead against my chest. “Aaric…” The one word is reverent and filled with emotion.
I stroke her bottom. “That’s how sex is supposed to feel, honey. From now on, that’s what will happen between us when you need that kind of release.”
Not rushing her, I ease my hand up to the small of her back and massage her muscles.
She needs time to process what just happened.
I can’t believe we did that. I hadn’t expected her to crave my touch tonight.
I’m pleased, though. Now she won’t wonder what to expect for the next few months.
She knows how good it will be when we make love.
Eventually, she tips her head back and smiles at me. Her cheeks are rosy, partly from embarrassment and partly from her recent orgasm. “I didn’t know.”
I smile. “Now you do.” I bring my hand from her back to her face and stroke her cheek with my thumb. “I love you, Hannah. I know this is fast, but I’m certain of my feelings. Our lovemaking will always be like that. I will always make sure you enjoy it fully.”
“Except for the addition of the, uh… of your, uh…”
I chuckle. “Except for that.”
She bites her bottom lip and releases it. “Do you need…?”
“Nope. Don’t even think about me, honey. Close your eyes and rest. You need all the sleep you can get in the coming days.”
“Do you really think God will let me survive the birth?”
“Yes, honey. He is not punishing you. You’ve never done anything wrong in your life. What Jeremy did to you was not your fault. Not even a tiny bit. He is the only one to blame.”
“So God punished him for what he did.”
“I don’t honestly believe that, either, Hannah. I think God has better things to do with his time than punish individuals for their wrongdoings. Jeremy just happened to die in battle. And he didn’t happen to be a good person.”
“Okay.”
I think I’m getting through to her. She’s more relaxed on this subject.
“What if Presley shows up? He might come here looking for me.”
“Well, he can’t have you, honey. You’re mine now.” I make my voice light and teasing, but I’m not kidding. She is mine. He’ll never get near her. “If he steps onto the property, Adrian will see him on the cameras. I’ll intercept him before he gets anywhere near you.”
“What if he has a gun?”
“He won’t have it for long, honey. I’m bigger and stronger.”
“He might shoot you.”
“He’ll never get the chance. I promise.”
She inhales deeply. “I love you, too.”
My smile is so wide it’s painful. “Sleep, honey.”