Page 36 of Peacock Me Like a Hurricane

I pout, my eyes big and wide. “But you said you liked when I wore your silk.”

He chuckles. “Sodding hell, that's a dangerous weapon you’ve got going on.” He hugs me tightly and sighs. “Christ, I love you. I’d like to spend the next good eternity holding on to you if you don't mind.”

“That works for me, baby.”

He frowns and looks at where he broke a perfectly good vase in his tantrum. “Sorry about that.”

I wave my hand. “It’s replicable; you're not.”

“Can I admit something to you? When I first told you, I was ready to scram, and you told me you understood, I thought you wanted me to go. I thought you didn't want me anymore.”

Shaking my head vehemently, I look into his eyes. “Never. I didn’t want to make you feel you had to stay because of me. I love you and sometimes, if you love things, you have to let them go. When I’m cornered, I get very self-sacrificing.”

His expression is one of pure confusion. “I work on one basic tenet: I go by what I see and hear. So, if I don't know you'd rather not lose me, I wouldn’t assume.”

“I have a nasty habit of putting people I love before me.”

“You really need to work on that, pet.”

“I’m getting better. When it’s important, I say something, even if it’s small.”

“You would have said something to me, then?” He tilts his head and looks at me curiously.

“I did. I told you I was scared.”

“Yes, you did. You really didn't want me to go, did you, baby?”

I look at my hands and shake my head, emotions swelling inside me. “No, I did not.”

He picks me up, carrying me over to the bed. Shucking his shirt, he lays back and grabs my hand. He pulls me down next to him. “I'm not going anywhere, baby. Barring an unfortunate death via Company assignment, you're stuck with me.”

Curling around him, I smile. “Good, because I was gearing up to be inconsolable.”

“Yeah, so was I. On a good day if I go off to lick my wounds, I'm a mess. The thought of losing you was killing me.”

“I don’t know what I would have done. I’m so used to having you now.”

“If I remember correctly: pining, wasting away, knitting…” he jokes with a fond smile.

“That would have been a blanket the size of the Grand bloody Canyon. I mean, once I learned how to do it.”

He reaches out to touch my heart with his, murmuring, “You’re home to me, love. You're where I live now.”

“You’re trying to make me all sappy, you big softy.”

“Just telling you what's inside me.”

Smiling to myself, I lean up and whisper in his ear. “You hunka burning clone, you.”

His entire body goes still, and he leans back. Sapphire eyes practically glow with emotion as he whispers, “Thank you. You rock me, baby. I love you so much.” I give him a shy grin and he cups my face in his hands. “Just so you know, when I'm feeling better? You are never living that down. Right now, I’m feeling too humbled and grateful to tease.”

I mumble into his shoulder. “If it makes you happy, I can deal with the fallout. I wanted to show you—even in a silly way—how much you mean to me.”

“It was perfect.” He reaches for my chin, lifting it gently to look deeply into my eyes. “Mine.” His voice is a husky, roughsound filled with emotion. Leaning in me, he kisses me softly. “Yours forever, my love.” He holds me tightly, then sighs. “I'm spent, baby. But I'm staying right here with you tonight, so don't even think of kicking me out of our bed. I want to fall asleep with you next to me in my shirt.”

“Leaving never crossed my mind.”

“I love you, heart of mine. Sleep with me, be my wonderful dream, and lead me towards a happier dawn.”

---