Page 73 of The Boy With The Sharp Teeth
Knowingexactly who she was referring to, he shook his head. "I very highly doubtit."
Tablingthe rest of her questions for another day, she snuggled up closer to him. Aftera while, she spoke. “Later, once I get my mind around all of this, will you letme ask you more questions about the witch, demons, and other things I thoughtonly existed in movies?”
Hisgrip around her tightened, and she breathed in his scent. "You're going tobe my wife, there is nothing you cannot ask me."
~*~
"Andwhy would getting married at the courthouse be the end of the world?"
Sincethe day he asked her to marry him, they had spent nearly two weeks subtlydebating back and forth on where their wedding would be held but most importantlywhen. Until they decided, Sana refused to contact her parents to announce hernews.
Exasperated,she turned from where she stood at the kitchen counter, carefully combining onebottle of olive oil into another, and looked at him.
"Zach,"Sana half groaned, and half whined his name. "We talked about this. Oncewe decide on a date—that is not something absurd like next week orsomething." She gave him a warning look to which he at least had thecourtesy to look chastised by before continuing. "Then you and I will findsome time in our schedules and go up to Seattle and spend some time with myparents. You reintroducing yourself and then properly informing my parents ofour intentions."
"Yes,we can do that, sweetheart. That's fine," he said cajolingly as he wrappedhis arms around her waist and kissed the back of her neck. "I just thinkwe could also just pop over to the courthouse just you and me and get the deedofficially done, and then we can put on the required show for both of ourfamilies."
"No,we can't,” she shook her head adamantly and turned around in his arms to facehim. “Firstly, because you and I sneaking to the courthouse in this town won'tbe much use. Everyone will know by lunch that we're married. And nooo,"she held up her hand to him as he opened his mouth to argue. "I won’tsneak off to Gaulding or any other town to do it either. You know your familyand not to mention my parents would be absolutely devastated if you took even aportion of the process away from them like that. Weddings, in both of ourcultures," she waved a hand back and forth between them, "Are a verybig deal, Zach, we can't do that." Zach's shoulders slumped as he leanedon the counter and nodded at her words. "Besides, why must we rush?"she asked.
Zachpinned her with a steady stare. "Because I don’t want you changing yourmind," he admitted in a rush of air. "I just got you back. I dreamedof you for all of those years. I stared up at the sky and stars and wondered ifyou were doing the same. I wondered if you were thinking of me too? Or if I wasjust some teenage fling to be remembered as you laughed and reminisced withgirlfriends."
Seeingthe vulnerability in his eyes, she allowed herself to melt against his strongframe. "I tried not to think of you, to be honest,” she said in a smallvoice against his chest. “It hurt too much. But as much as I tried, my thoughtswould eventually work themselves back to you in some way or another. It's funnyyou say that, though," she gave a soft laugh. "I always just assumedthe same about you. I knew for sure you had moved on with your life or worsewith someone else."
"Never,"he vowed. "I will love you in this life and the next. From the moment Isaw you, I knew you were mine. I knew no one else could make my soul come alivethe way you make it." He held her close as he spoke. "There is aconnection between us, something the Creator must have made. It was all I hadto go by when I was away from you. I had to have faith in it and know you wouldbe right here, in my arms, where you belong one day."
Itfelt like a flower was blooming in her chest from the beauty of his words.
"Ilove you." Tugging him by the shirt, she pulled him across the kitchen,forgetting about her task, and stopped once her backside hit the sturdy tableof the breakfast booth. Giving her a knowing look, he grabbed her waist andhoisted her up onto the table, and stepped into her open legs.
"Thisdoes not mean I am consenting to the courthouse marriage Zachariah Waatese,”she said warningly, “a wedding is a huge thing for Indian families, and Irefuse to take that away from my mother."
Mischiefgleamed in his eyes. "Hey, weddings are a big thing for us Indianstoo."
Sana’sface twisted in distaste. "Ooh, you know I hate that!" She swatted athim, but he was too fast, backing away just in time to avoid her hits.
Helaughed, dodging her. "Fine, fine First Nation People, indigenous people,or even Indians, it’s all the same."
"No,it is not, and you know it!"
Helaughed harder. "I cannot wait until you try to explain to our child theirproper label in society."
Shehit him.
Chapter 15
"Dinnerlast night was great." Elijah let out a sound of contentment as he threwhis arms up and out to the side as he walked.
Sanasmiled. "It was, I had so much fun."
Theimpromptu gathering had been held at their house. When she had opened her eyesthat morning, their bedroom had been cast in a hazy gray darkness. From thebed, she could hear the dripping wet sounds of the rain falling from the roofand imagined the soaked ground covered in an array of orange and brown soddenleaves. The wind was no doubt cold and biting, doing its best to add to thedreariness of the wet fall day, but Sana had smiled. Tucked underneath thecovers, she had felt the pulsing heat of Zach's long naked body stretched outbeside her, and she couldn't help but feel elated. The surge of gratitude thatovertook her was so strong, she could feel the threatening sting of tears.Laying there like that, so serene, so normal, had somehow gone beyond anyexpectation she had ever dreamed of for her life. Unable to keep the feeling toherself, she had turned and kissed Zach and watched as sleep gave way to hissenses and his golden eyes opened and looked at her. She had laughed softlywhen she kissed him again, and a note of confusion graced his features beforethe hunger for more settled within his gaze. He spent the rest of that morninggrunting her name as she rode him in tears of happiness. She told him as sheleaned over him, watching her hair curtain around his face, that she was readyto tell his and her family of their intentions for a spring wedding. His eyeshad rolled back as the pleasure of her words and the rocking of her hipsbrought forth another rolling climax through them both.
Laterthat day, after a few calls, their dining room was filled with smiling,dark-haired Waatese members as they laughed and chorused the news of theirengagement. Sana's heart swelled as she recalled Sandra and Lana's near tearfulsmiles as they began to throw out ideas for the wedding celebration. Zach hadstood off to the side with the other men, Kevin, Darrius, Adam, Elijah, andmore, as they all let the women and girls crowd around the table using every availablechair in the house. Masculine energy vibrated from them as they relaxed andtalked. Flashes of sharp teeth here and there and the bright gleam ofunnaturally golden eyes were little details she was able to realize andappreciate, unlike before. Knowing that she knew this family's ancient secretalready made her feel a part of them.
"Ihope you and Zach start coming over to the family dinners," Elijahinterrupted her reverie. "We hold them once a month."
"Didn'tZach go before?"
"Heused to, back before he left for the military, but when he came back, he nevershowed up. He would just have dinner with his mom and Adam on Sundays," heinformed her, giving her a meaningful look. “I asked my parents once why didn'the show up anymore, and mom said it's because he was waiting for you."
