Page 136 of Priceless

“You can’t only paint me,” I told him. “You have lots of other things to design and paint.”

“The design teams have been begging me to let some things drop off my plate. Maybe now’s the time I do, and only make paintings of you.” Micah ran a wet hand through my hair and leaned over me so I could see his eyes even in the darkness. Stretched out beside me so the water washed over us together.

“Micah—”

“I haven’t had nearly enough time to savor you, princess.” He tangled our legs so I couldn’t escape. Not that I wanted to. “I know I get caught in my own head.”

I smiled at that. He did. But I understood it. Because I did it too. I’d be looking at an arrangement of flowers or imagining one, and when I came back to myself, I’d have been staring at the wall for an hour watching a movie in my own mind.

“But I promise you that when I’m with you, I’m with you. Nothing else is in my head.”

“I’ve never doubted that.” It was the truth. He was softer than Cameron and Everett. Softer didn’t mean less powerful. He was simply quieter. When he was passionate about something, it meant everything. I would never forget his face on our wedding night when he discovered how much pain I’d been in. It was like it had been his pain.

He’d taken care of me ever since. Always making sure I was okay. Always checking to see what I needed. I loved him for it, and I hoped he loved doing it. Because it was clear to me it wasn’t only because of the corset, Frank, or even Laura. Taking care of people was part of who he was at his core.

“I’m glad,” he said. “But I’m telling you because I don’t want you to think I have better things to do right now. The only thing in front of me is you. And I plan on taking every advantage.”

He shifted so he was over me, pressing me into the sand, fully skin on skin. I reveled in the feeling of being surrounded by him and the ocean and all the pretty blues. The waves reached my waist now, but I felt them creeping upward.

When he sat back, I couldn’t quite see his eyes anymore, but I felt them. “You’re already a masterpiece, princess. But I’m going to make you my masterpiece too.”

He did.

Micah painted my skin with glowing handprints and filigree designs. He used the waves to spatter me with starlight and turn it into swirls. There were pictures, but I stopped worrying about them, and just enjoyed him and the waves and the stars above me.

As the moon rose higher and the sky turned brighter, I could see more of him. Everything above the water was lined with silver, everything below lined with blue.

If someone had told me a month ago that I’d be lying on a beach, naked, with my excruciatingly hot husband, and letting him take fully nude pictures of me, I would have laughed in that person’s face. But here I was. And all I wanted was for this to last. The peace and safety I felt, because I knew that Micah only wanted to make me beautiful. And it didn’t matter what anyone else thought.

“Come here.”

He helped me to my feet and pulled me deeper into the water. Deeper, until the water was around my breasts, making them float. The first time I ever went skinny dipping, it was a horrifying and comical realization that boobs floated. Now, every movement laced them with that electric glow, and Micah couldn’t keep his eyes off them.

Even when he lifted me, and wrapped my legs around him. I didn’t mind this. No worries and no weight. Just the two of us and no words needed.

I wasn’t sure if he kissed me or I kissed him, only that we were kissing each other and if we kept going like this, I would never need air. Micah kissed differently than my other husbands. He kissed me slowly. Pulled my tongue into his mouth so he could explore every part of mine. Stole my breath and gave me back his. Deepened it until I wasn’t sure where we separated or which way was up from down.

Micah held me to him, never letting me back off or ease up, just kissing me like he would do it until the world ended. And maybe a bit longer, even then.

It felt like he was memorizing every part of me. If my husband wanted to make me in sculpture, he would be able to do it from memory by the time the night was over.

I gasped when we finally broke apart. I leaned my head against his, hauling in breath even though I would rather be breathing everything that was this man.

This Alpha.

“Are you all right?”

“I’m so good.” I managed a laugh. Down below my ass, I felt his cock, hard. I teased him. “Are you all right?”

“I’ve been thinking about your mouth all fucking day.”

“Really?”

He laughed low, sparking heat deep in my gut. “Absolutely. The fantasies I have, Ocean.”

“What are they?”

“Hmm, I don’t know if you’re ready for them.”

---