“I love it,” I answered honestly.
He put his hands on my shoulders, admiring the necklace. “In the South Pacific, it's legend that a tooth from a man-eating shark will bring the owner a prosperous and long life, free of any evil, especially that of the sea.” He shrugged like what he was giving me was nothing special, but the thought was beautiful. “It will keep you safe in the water.”
“Thank you,” I whispered, lifting my eyes to reach his. He beamed at my thanks and I kissed his cheek. I played with the tooth in my fingers, unsure if I wanted to tell him that lemon sharks weren't man-eaters.
“What?” he asked, frowning slightly. I wondered if he could read my mind.
“Lemon sharks...” I took a deep breath. “They don't eat people.”
“You said one bit you.” His face split into a grin and he bounced on his toes with glee. He had been anticipating this. “So, while technically it's more of a woman-eater, I'm pretty sure it still counts.”
I giggled. “Then it really is perfect. Thank you.”
I stood up on the tips of my toes to kiss him. I had meant it to be sweet and full of thanks, but as soon as my lips touched his, I wanted so much more. I wanted him.
He cupped my face in his hands, drawing back and smiling
. There was sunshine and warmth in those blue eyes, and I couldn't look away. With gentle fingers, he brushed a strand of hair from my face, tucking it neatly behind my ear.
“I love you, Izzy.”
My world spun in happy circles. I was giddy and lightheaded and about to float through the ceiling with joy. “Really?” I asked, my breath catching in my throat.
He caressed my cheek with his finger. “Yes, really. There was supposed to be flowers and candles...” He frowned slightly at himself. “I meant to tell you in a far more romantic way, but-”
“I love you too, Noah,” I said, cutting him off. His face shifted into an ecstatic grin. I loved the way his eyes lit up as he looked at me. I raised my lips to his and we shared a breath before kissing again. “This is more than romantic enough for me.”
He wrapped his strong arms around me and picked me up, spinning me in a circle. My feet swung out in a wide arc, our laughter and kisses mingling as we spun. I couldn't believe how fast this was all happening, but in my heart I knew it was all true. Loving Noah was simple and easy. It felt right, like he was always supposed to be a part of my life. Like the universe had meant for us to be together and had just waited until the timing was right. I was happier than I had ever been in my entire life when I was with him. This was what life was all about.
Chapter 15
Instead of setting me down, he scooped me up in his arms, carrying me to the bedroom like a fair maiden. He held me gently as if I were a delicate flower, his strong shoulders and biceps not even struggling with my weight. His knees bumped against the big bed, but he didn't set me down. He just kissed me more, holding me close to him.
I wiggled for escape, and he reluctantly released his hold on me with one arm so I was kneeling on the bed, our heads at the same height. He nipped at my lower lip, growling with want. The sound sent an electrical current through me. That noise had the unique ability to send me into a shudder just a millimeter below orgasm.
Not taking my eyes off him, I reached for the hem of my dress, lifting it smoothly overhead. Just before the fabric cleared my eyes, he captured my arms in his. I struggled to free myself, but his grasp was too strong. I couldn't see through the blindfold of my dress, my arms stuck in its straps.
All my senses seemed to heighten with the loss of my sight. His tongue was wet and hot on my skin as he teased my sensitive flesh and then blew cool air on the wetness he left behind. I shivered, more with want than cold. Noah's breathing was ragged with longing; his every jagged breath made my body ache to soothe his.
“You're all mine now,” he growled as I struggled slightly to pull the fabric off my eyes. He strengthened his control over my arms by wrapping the dress tighter. There was no way I was going to escape my cloth confinement.
He kissed me, his lips soft at first, as the two of us melted together like butter. One hand trailed down my outstretched arms, down the curve of my neck, down to the stretch of skin exposed out the side of my swim-top, down to my hip where he undid one of the string ties of my bottoms. The fabric sagged away, barely still covering my nether regions as it clung to my other hip. His fingers gently caressed my bare hipbone. I moaned softly, wanting more.
His hand left my hip, and went to the swimsuit tie at the nape of my neck, and gave it a gentle tug. The top fell forward, exposing me to his gaze. I shifted my weight on the bed, waiting as he looked his fill, my arms still tangled up in the air. He took my left breast into his mouth, making me gasp with the surge of pleasure.
My nipple hardened under his warm, teasing tongue. It was like I had guitar strings running through my body and he was using my hardened nipple as a pick to strum them. I arched my back to give him better access, and he bit down lightly. It wasn't enough to cause pain, but just enough to make my core heat like a furnace.
“Lay back,” he commanded. Even if I had wanted to resist, his voice left no room for argument. Happy to give him complete control, I surrendered my body willingly.
I fell to the bed, his arms guiding me down as my own were still tangled above my head. Once I was flat, he grabbed my hips and pulled me toward him so that my ass was just hanging off the edge of the bed.
“No peeking.” That commanding, powerful tone again. Without even meaning to, my arms froze. I wouldn't have lifted that dress off my eyes if I heard a marching band go by. But then again, I was so captivated by Noah that I probably wouldn’t have heard a marching band at all. I shivered with anticipation as I contemplated the wonderful things he was going to do to my body.
His strong hands started their caress at my shoulders and worked their way down. Down the swell of my breasts, the curve of my waist and out to the flare of my hips. His touch gave me the most delicious goosebumps. With a quick tug, he released the second tie on my swim bottoms and pulled them away.
I bit my lip, feeling his gaze on me. I wished I could see his face, see what he was thinking. A hand went to each of my thighs and pushed them wide as he wedged his broad shoulders between them. One finger traced the line between my legs that must have been right at his eye level. The promise of what those fingers could do made me squirm with anticipation.
“So wet...” he whispered. I could hear the smile in his voice mixed in with sheer desire. My stomach tightened with want.