Page 154 of Code of Heart
She cast a sultry glance over her shoulder, her grin widening when she saw the raw hunger on his face. His body was hard, proud, and unabashedly hers. Her mouth watered at the sight, her desire spiking as she turned back to the table, plating the juiciest fruits she could find before placing them beside him.
Climbing onto his lap, she leaned in and kissed him deeply, her lips tasting faintly of sweet wine and promises.
“You look positively famished,” she teased, her lips brushing his.
“I’m wasting away,” Levi rasped, his voice rough with need as his hands slid up to cup her breasts, thumbs circling her hardened nipples, drawing a soft moan from her lips. “But right now, I’m far more concerned with feeding you.”
Reaching for a piece of ripe pineapple from her plate, he held it to her lips. She laughed softly, biting into it as the juice ran down her chin and spilled onto her chest.
“Damn it,” she gasped between laughs, the liquid trailing over her skin. “You stole my idea.”
Levi growled low against her collarbone, his tongue already following the path of the sweet juice down her chest. “Oh, was that your plan?” he murmured against her skin. “Then allow me to execute it to perfection.”
And god did he execute it…slowly and thoroughly until Aurelia couldn’t bear it any longer, desperate to eliminate what distance remained between them.
Once they had polished off every piece of fruit on the plate, Levi shifted her over him, gripping her hips as he guided her down onto him, inch by glorious inch.
Aurelia’s head fell back, a gasp leaving her lips as she took him fully. She didn’t think she would ever tire of this—of the exquisite fullness, the way his body stretched and completed hers like no one ever had before.
She began to move, slow and unhurried, setting a sensual, torturously sweet rhythm. This time, there was no urgency, no desperate chase toward release. There was only connection, reverence, and love.
Beneath the twinkling lights and under the midnight sky, they took their time reacquainting themselves and their bodies, quietly rewriting their story.
One kiss, one stroke, one whispered promise at a time.
The stars glittered like diamonds against black velvet, casting silver light over the steaming lagoon. After Aurelia collapsed, boneless and satiated against Levi’s chest, hunger eventually won out. They migrated to the edge of the deck, spreading the forgotten picnic across the floor within easy reach of the lagoon’s natural stone shelf, which was a perfect swim-up bar in the hot, soothing water.
Remaining in the water—and completely naked—Aurelia indulged herself in a little of everything, delighted to find a chilled bottle of sparkling grape juice waiting in a bucket of ice. Levi hadn’t forgotten her distaste for alcohol, a small, thoughtful gesture that melted her all over again.
Once their stomachs were satisfied, Levi wasted no time filling her in other ways; this time in the warm, mineral-rich waters. A different, more playful side of Aurelia had emerged when she lured him close…only to dunk him under the surface without warning. His sputtered outrage was met with her laughter—full, bright, and even punctuated by a few unflattering snorts.
She tried to swim away, but Levi was faster. He caught her waist, lifted her like she weighed nothing, and tossed her playfully into the water. This time, it was Aurelia who came up sputtering, and Levi who roared with triumphant laughter, loud enough to scare off any curious critters nearby.
When she tried to dunk him again, his arms wrapped tightly around her again, refusing to let go. What started as a teasingkiss quickly turned into something far more heated as she wrapped her legs around his waist and nipped his lower lip. Before she knew it, her back was pressed against the stone shelf, and Levi was buried inside her all over again.
Now, floating in the warm water, spent and utterly content, Aurelia lay cradled in Levi’s arms. The tension that had gripped her for weeks dissolved under the stars and the security of his embrace. Her fingertips traced lazy circles across his chest, her cheek pressed against his shoulder.
“I have a confession,” Levi murmured, his voice a deep rumble against her ear. His eyes twinkled with mischief.
Her suspicion deepened. “Spit it out.”
“I…recorded the proposal.”
Her brows shot up. “You didwhat?”
“I set up a camera on the roof of the cottage,” he admitted, a sheepish grin forming. “High-quality, top-of-the-line. I wanted us to have a real memory of it, not something that fades or we remember differently for years down the road. I thought maybe we could even pull a few photos from it. Something tangible. A real memory, since…” he trailed off, guilt flashing in his eyes, “…since our actual ceremony was a disaster.”
Something warm settled deep in her chest. “Levi…” she whispered, her throat tight. “That’s…incredibly thoughtful. And sneaky—but wait.” She sat up, her eyes wide with panic. “Was it recording theentiretime we’ve been out here?”
He smirked. “You say that like it’s a bad thing.”
“Levi!” she gasped, scandalized. “Youbetterhave turned it off!”
He laughed, pulling her closer. “Relax, I’m kidding—mostly. I’ll delete everything after the proposal, I promise. I wanted to start capturing our story…on our terms this time.” He hesitated before cheekily adding, “Unless you want to watch everything we did in high definition.”
She couldn’t stop the snort that escaped as she fell deeper in love with this ridiculous, thoughtful man. She kissed him hard and fast, her lips lingering against his. “Thank you,” she whispered.
His arms tightened around her. “Since we’re already baring our souls…” His voice dropped into a serious, almost shy tone. “How many kids do you want?”
