It was nice. Normal. Romantic even with the late afternoon sun glittering on the surface of the water.
“You’re doing okay,” she whispers as I kill the engine, relieved as fuck at not finding Ryder here waiting for us.
He had his instructions and I made them as clear as fucking possible, and so far, I think he might just have done as he was told.
“Come on then, I’m not done yet.”
Pushing the door open, I climb out and jog around to her side, trying to be a gentleman and help her out.
She stares up at me like I’ve just grown an extra head, but she humors me and slips her hand into mine so I can pull her out.
“Not sure I like this look on you, Styx.”
“You don’t want me to treat you right?”
“In certain ways,” she confesses.
“But not in others?”
Taking her hips in my hands, I direct her in front of me, pressing the length of my body against her.
Dropping my lips to her exposed neck, I delight in feeling her shudder against me. Kissing down her smooth skin, I then drag my tongue all the way back up before sucking on her earlobe.
“Styx,” she moans.
“Fuck, I love it when you do that.”
Unable to stop myself, I twist my fingers into her hair and tilt her head to give me more access.
“Are you going to invite me in, or are we doing this out here?” she asks, her breathing labored.
“Definitely inside. I’m not sharing you with anyone.”
She tenses at my statement, but doesn’t say anything, and when I encourage her to move forward, she complies until I’ve opened the front door and covered her eyes with my hand.
“What are you—”
“Surprise, Kitty Kat,” I whisper in her ear, making her shudder once more.
Throwing the next door open, I walk her into the middle of the room, astounded at how good it actually looks, before lowering my hand.
Her gasp of shock cuts through the room as I wait somewhat awkwardly to find out what she thinks of my effort.
“How did you—”
“I pulled in a favor,” I admit as she looks around at all the twinkling lights of the candles that litter every surface of my living area and kitchen.
“It’s so…”
“Romantic?” I ask, spinning her around to look at me.
“Y-yeah. You did all this for me?”
“I did, Kitty Kat. I want to show you that I didn’t really mean what I said the other night.” She quirks a brow at me. “Well, not quite the way it came out.” Reaching out, I cup her cheek and stare into her eyes. “I meant what I said, I want to be the one you turn to when you need something, whatever it is. I want to help take the weight you carry around, I want to make you smile, and I want to be the one to make you scream too.”
She sucks her bottom lip into her mouth, her teeth sinking into it.
Wrapping my free hand around her hip, I tug her closer, and she gasps as she feels exactly how much I mean those words.