Light in Mourning

32

“Up and at ’em, wife,” I teased in the hollow of her throat. My warm breath spread across her skin, causing goose bumps to form. She sighed and stretched, a lazy grin spreading across her face before her eyes fluttered open, and she gazed back at me.

“Starting with that already?” One hand cupped my jaw and her thumb swept across my stubbled cheek.

“I like the way it sounds.” I shrugged sheepishly.

“Me too,” she said, all teasing gone from her voice. I dipped my head and placed a soft kiss on her lips, relishing the feel of them beneath mine.

“I need to take you on a honeymoon.” I tugged her bottom lip between my teeth and pulled. Her eyes shut with desire as she wrapped both her legs around my naked hips, the sheets tangled between our bodies.

“Honeymoon?” she murmured as she nibbled on my earlobe.

“We’re going for a sail.”

“Won’t it be cold?” She wrapped her locked ankles around my waist and pulled me tighter against her body. My dick pressed between us, throbbing with need for her as her hips ground circles against mine.

“Forecast looks great the next few days. I’ll take you somewhere warm and tropical as soon as we can swing it, but I want to run away with you right now.”

“What about everyone else?” Her brow furrowed as she referred to our best friends camped out in the house down the beach.

“They’re leaving today anyway. They can lock up the house.” I captured her lips with my own again and swirled my tongue inside her mouth, convincing her with my kiss to say yes.

“Okay,” she murmured before I proceeded to worship my wife with my lips.

“So where we headed, Captain?” She curled up on the bench next to the captain’s chair on the boat.

We’d gotten a little behind schedule—first our glorious lovemaking and then Drew had insisted on brunch before we all left. She’d promised they’d lock the house behind them before they left to go back to Jacksonville. Georgia had hugged her tightly, tears in her eyes. I made a vow to insist that Gavin and Drew and little Bennett come up more often and that we would visit Jacksonville whenever we could.

“North.” I winked at her.

She narrowed her eyes at me. “I got that much. Any particular destination in mind?”

“Nope. We’re just sailing. We’ve only got a few days, though. I thought we’d drop anchor when we’re done for the day, sleep on the boat, then do it all over again the next day.”

“Sounds cold and uncomfortable.” She frowned as she picked at a thread on her sweater.

“I promise you, it will be neither of those things.” I glanced over at her, taking her in. My mind remembered the first day I’d taken her on the boat over a year ago. The day that I’d let her steer and she’d fallen into me. She’d taken me by surprise, and I'd been willing to do anything to be in her presence.

She didn’t know it, didn’t get it—hell, I didn’t get it—but I was happy as fuck she’d let me have her.

Chosen me.

That’s what she’d done.

She’d finally chosen me and I now felt at peace with us. No more worrying that she would run, that I wasn’t worthy. I’d made myself worthy of her, done everything I could to get us here. Waited for her, stopped fucking around, settled myself. Pushed her, but never too far. She was here and I was here and we’d chosen each other and it was the most comforting feeling on Earth.