Page 218 of Beyond the Blue Horizon
“One hundred?” I arched a brow.
Theo chuckled as he started up the wooden stairs. “No point in denying it.”
“I don’t really mind.” I rested my head on his shoulder.
Swathed in comfort.
Euphoria distinct.
Body sated in a way that it’d never been.
I didn’t think I could walk if I tried.
He pressed a kiss to my temple and breathed, “Good, because you’re going to be getting a whole lot of me from here on out.”
“I think I can get on board with this plan.”
“Ah, sounds like I rated better than a one star.”
“A solid three, maybe?” I did my best at hiking an indifferent shoulder.
Theo’s chest quaked with his low, rumbly laughter. “Looks like I’m going to have to put in some extra practice so I can boost up that rating.”
“Practice would be good. Lots and lots of practice.” I curled my arms tighter around his neck, trying to hide my grin against his neck, though I was sure that he could feel the force of it.
When we hit the top landing, I peeked out so I could inspect this portion of his house.
There was a large loft that overlooked the bottom floor and had that same incredible view of the lake. The pristine, placid waters a striking, still blue, the vast expanse kissed in rays of fading pinks as the sun sagged behind the mountains.
There were two doors at the back side of the loft that I assumed were bedrooms, and Theo continued walking down a short hall that had a railing on one side to double doors at the end of it.
He maneuvered to the side so he could press down on the latch and tossed it open, letting us into a rambling room.
A huge bed sat on the left side of the wall and faced another set of tall windows on the opposite side. The windows bracketed a smaller version of the same style of fireplace that was downstairs. On one side of the windows was a collapsible slidingdoor that led to an upper patio that appeared to hang over the side of the lake.
“This is absolutely gorgeous, Theo.” Awe wisped out of me. I tore my attention from the view and peeked up at him. “I don’t know how you leave it.”
He almost shrugged. “Starts to feel like prison walls when you get no rest behind it.”
He said it bluntly. As if it were a normal piece of who he was.
“Because you don’t sleep well?” I remembered him mentioning it before.
“Yeah. The little bit I do, I only toss in nightmares.”
Sorrow palpitated my spirit. I wished with everything I had that I could reach out and erase the pain that shone in his eyes.
Then he squeezed me a little closer and his voice dropped in the admission. “Until the night I spent with you, Pipes. Best sleep I had in years.”
My chest clutched, and I scratched my fingers through his short beard. I lifted my face to him so he could see me clearly. “I like that. I like that I can be a little bit of a comfort to you, the way you’ve been to me.”
“It’s us together, baby,” he murmured at my temple, then he shifted me around and set me on my feet. I was snuggled in the fluffy, oversized brown blanket while Theo was completely bare.
The designs etched on his flesh were shrouded in the shadows that began to fill his room. The man the darkest night, and still, I felt like I was standing in the brightest light.
“Need to handle this.” With a grin, he gestured at his cock before he turned and strolled for the big double doors that sat open to a large bathroom as if he hadn’t left me completely quaking, knees weak as he gave me a glorious view of his backside.
Sinewy muscle bunched and strained with hinged strength as he moved.
