I stroked her thighs with my palms, loving her soft skin on mine.
“Don’t let what my father said get in your head. He’s an arse, and you would never try to trap me with a child. That’s not how it is between us.”
She trailed her fingers through the streaks of my release, and damn if the sight didn’t make me twitch.
Then I felt it. All the things I wanted to tell her bubbled up and boiled over. “I know things haven’t gone the way I promised they would, but I need you to know there’s no one in this world I want more than you. Every day, every minute, every hour. I want to wake up thinking about you. I can’t even brush my damn teeth without wondering what you’re doing. Even if we weren’t married, I would feel the same. I would want you. It broke my heart when you wanted to stop seeing me, and I think all along, this harebrained scheme I had to get out of my contract was really just an excuse. A way for me to be with you.”
She reached up and brushed her fingers across my cheekbone. “All you had to do was be this. This kind, caring version of Taylor, the one I met on our first date. That’s all I needed.”
“I was stupid, but I’m not gonna do that ever again. I don’t want to lose you. I don’t want to let you go. I want you to be mine. Permanently. I... I love you, Becca. I will love you until the very last breath leaves my lungs.”
Her eyes widened at my admission, and for a terrible moment she let it hang there, unanswered. But then she gripped my face and pulled my lips to hers. Her tongue delved into my mouth, and she kissed me like I’d never been kissed before. When we broke apart, she nodded, a bright smile on her beautiful face.
“I love you too.”
17
BECCA
Somehow,waking up with Taylor wrapped around me this morning was the most perfect thing I had ever felt. Had I really gone all this time without him because I was being stubborn and afraid? I’d wasted so much time letting fear keep me from having what I wanted. He snuggled into me, layering kisses along my shoulder, then did that little biting thing I liked so much where his teeth scraped along my neck.
“Good morning,” he murmured against my skin.
“Good morning. Are you ready for the wedding?”
He let out a happy little noise. “Now that I have you for real, I couldn’t be more ready to show my family how much I love you.”
He rolled me over and tried to kiss me, but I turned my face away. “No!”
“Why not?”
“Morning breath.”
“I don’t care.”
“Well, I do. Hold that thought.”
I got up, went into the bathroom, and brushed my teeth. Then, since I was in there, I gave my hair a little finger comb and made sure I didn’t look like a bridge troll before coming back out. He sat up, smirking.
“Well, if you’re going to brush your teeth, I guess I have to do mine.”
“I appreciate your consideration,” I said with a laugh.
As he took care of his business, I made myself a cup of coffee and sat by the window so I could stare out at the little town. It was early, but people were already milling around. Shops were opening, the sun shining in the blue sky.
Taylor came out of the bathroom naked and unashamed. Of course he wasn’t ashamed; he was absolutely beautiful.
“It looks like it’s gonna be a nice day.”
“Too bad I’m gonna keep you in bed for most of it.”
I grinned. “Is that a promise?”
“Aye, lass. I guaran-fucking-tee it. I have months to make up for.”
He leaned over me, careful of the coffee mug, bracing his hands on either side of the chair, and kissed me long and deep until I was breathless and my eyes fluttered.
“Now back in the bed with you, wife. We have nowhere to be until this afternoon, and I don’t want to waste any more time.”