“Don’t wait.” My body imploded. I threw my head back as pleasure rushed through me. “James!”
“Yes... fuck, yes!” He held me tight as warmth filled me.
As we came down, he rolled us again, pulling me against him. “Tell me you’re staying.”
I snuggled close but looked up at him, wondering why he said that. Hadn’t we already determined that?
“I’m not going anywhere.”
“Good.”
I rested my head on his shoulder. “You’re staying too, right?”
“You’re stuck with me, baby.”
CHAPTERTWENTY-SEVEN
James
I cradledReyna against my body. I had no intention of letting her go. Ever. In fact, I wondered how long we could stay here entwined. I'd once heard about a famous musician who stayed in bed with his wife for a month. I wonder if Reyna would be up for that.
I looked down at her resting against me. Her eyes were closed, her face serene. She looked happy. I hoped to hell that she was. Her hand rested over my chest. Could she feel my heart beating for her?
It seemed like our life together was implied based on the conversation we had earlier, and at the same time, I wasn't sure if she was as committed to continuing this marriage as I was. I'd still grant her the divorce if she wanted it. Hell, I'd even suggested it as a way to get rid of the fake history and start anew. But the truth was, I didn't want a divorce. As silly as it was, our marriage kept her tied to me. If we divorced, even with the goal to get married again, there would be a time when she wasn't mine. She said she wouldn’t leave, but she hadn’t said she’d remarry me again if we went through with the divorce. These thoughts filled my brain when I should have been savoring having this amazing woman in my arms again.
"Do you really think we should end our current marriage since it was fake?"
My heart stuttered to a stop in my chest. Is that what she wanted? In asking the question, was she ruminating about our situation like I was? Did I tell her the truth? I realized I had to. I couldn't let my fears dictate how I behaved. If I wanted her heart and soul, I had to make sure I always gave her mine.
"It's not what I want. I said it because I wanted to give you what you wanted."
Her head tilted up, her beautiful eyes staring back at me. "What you said made sense. This whole thing started out as fake. A deception. It doesn't seem like a solid foundation for a future."
My chest tightened as I considered I was going to have to give her the divorce and hope and pray and trust that she would marry me again.
Or maybe I could reframe our history. "Our marriage might've started as a deception to the world, but not necessarily between us." Even as I said the words, I realized how ridiculous they sounded. "What I mean is that even back then, I was drawn to you."
She smirked up at me. "More like you lusted."
I grinned, realizing I had never been in a relationship that had a lightness, a playful teasing to it before. Everything in my life had always been so driven, even in the relationships I'd had with women in the past.
"I'm not going to deny that I lusted for you. Hell, I lust for you now. But it was more than that. I didn't recognize it at the time. In fact, I didn't recognize it until recently, but it was there. There was something different about you. Special."
Her smile was sweet. "Are you saying all that so you'll get lucky?"
"You're lying here in my arms. I think it's safe to say I'm already lucky."
"You sure know how to make a girl swoon."
I waggled my brows. "In a minute, I'll be ready to make you swoon again."
She laughed and then her expression turned more serious. "I don't think we need to get a divorce if you don't want to."
I studied her, thinking I heard hesitancy in her voice. Like she was afraid of my response.
"Good, because the last thing in the world that I want to do is sign those papers. However we started, Reyna, we’re here now because of it. I don't think it taints what we have."
Her smile was brilliant. "I feel the same."