Page 63 of What About Now

I swallow hard. “Is that what you want?” I know that’s what I said, but beyond some touching and kissing, that’s as far as we’ve let things go.

“A promise is a promise.” She looks down at the island. “I guess this is similar to your tattoo table.” She smiles.

I can’t help it. I toss my head back in laughter. I love this side of her. The side that’s open and not afraid to tell me what she wants, because all I want is her.

“That was the only option at the time. We have better choices here.” I lift her into my arms, bridal style, and carry her to our room.

“Why are you always carrying me?” she asks.

“You’re my queen,” I tell her.

“I don’t know what to say when you talk like that,” she confesses. Her tone is light, and she sounds happy.

“There is nothing to say. It’s a fact. This is me, Brogan. This is me showing you that you’re the most important person in my life.” It’s more than I’ve said about my feelings for her. Feelings that are so fucking big. My chest feels full, so full it could burst, but I can’t tell her that. Not yet. Soon. Soon, I’ll tell her that she holds every piece of me in the palm of her soft hands.

“You kiss me,” I tell her.

A smile tugs at her lips. “I do like kissing you.”

“Bring me those lips,” I tell her, setting her down on the bed, and kissing her with everything I have. I bury my hands in her hair, holding her close. I can never get her close enough. I hope that never changes: my need for her. This time, it’s my wife who takes the kiss deeper. Her tongue slides against mine, and my cock throbs for her. She whimpers when I bite down on her bottom lip, and I pull away to catch my breath.

“Wait, wasn’t there supposed to be less clothing in this promise?” she asks, her voice raspy with desire.

“You trying to get me naked, wife?” I tease. Her cheeks turn a light shade of pink. I step back and stand, pulling my shirt over my head. “You better get started,” I tell her.

“Okay.” She nods and climbs to her feet. She starts with her leggings and pulls them over her thighs. Next, she reaches for the hem of her sweater when her eyes find mine.

“I know I should offer to turn around, but I can’t seem to make myself do it. You’re fucking gorgeous and mine. I’m going to watch as you reveal that tight little body to me.”

She hesitates, but eventually, she slowly raises her sweater over her head and tosses it on the floor. She’s left in nothing but a light pink bra and panty set. She looks every bit the innocent she is, and something inside me roars to life that it’s me. I’m theman she’s baring herself to. I’m the man who gets to hold her while she sleeps at night.

I’m the only one.

Possessiveness like I’ve never felt roars through my veins. “Beautiful,” I say, reaching for the waistband of my jeans and stripping out of them and my boxer briefs all in one go. My hard cock bounces against my abs and captures her attention.

“Can I…?” she asks, her voice trailing off.

I step closer and push her hair back out of her eyes. She’s staring at my chest, so I carefully place my index finger under her chin and lift her gaze to mine. “Don’t ask, sweetheart. Just take. I’m your husband. You have all rights to me anytime you want.”

“But if you don’t want it.”

My lips twitch. “I want it. I want you any way that I can get you. Take what you want, Brogan.”

“That’s scary.”

“Then tell me what you want, and I’ll give it to you.”

“I want what you said.” She rests her forehead against my chest, and I’m certain she’s staring down at my cock, which jerks being this close to her.

“Say the words, baby. I don’t want to have any miscommunications between us.”

“S-Stripped naked, and the rest.”

“What’s the rest?” I ask her, partly because I just want to hear her say the words and the other to make sure this is what she wants. I’d never forgive myself if I pushed her too far, too fast.

“Tasting every inch of me.” Her voice is so low that I barely hear her. She reaches behind her back and unhooks her bra. There’s a tremble in her hands as she slides one strap, then the other over her shoulders and lets the material fall to the floor between us.

“On the bed,” I tell her. My voice is gravelly and deep with desire.

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