“I like this too,” she says, tapping on another picture.
“Do you want to choose? Or do you want to send me your favourites and I’ll choose?”
“I’ll send you some links,” she says slowly. “Surprise me.” Her smile is bright and indulgent, and I can’t help myself. I lean down to kiss her again. My hunger for her is insatiable, my beautiful woman, mywife. When I met this brainy firecracker with a smart mouth in an airport lounge, I wanted to kiss her there and then, but never did I imagine I might be holding her, naked and in my bed, like she’s the most precious fucking thing in the world. Never did I imagine that one day I’d call her my wife.
But fuck, does it sound good. And of all the titles I’ve ever held,husbandis by far my favourite.
Chapter forty-one
Ruth
“Come here.” His voiceis a low rumble, his eyes molten metal. It’s thick with emotion, or maybe with something else. “I want to fuck my wife six ways ‘til Sunday.”
After looking at rings, we managed to sleep for a couple of hours before waking up again. Warmth spreads through my limbs as moisture pools at the juncture of my thighs. The effect he has on me, the way just the sound of his voice, the warmth in his tone, the look in his eyes… it’s like nothing I’ve ever known. Nothing I’ve ever even imagined before. It drives me crazy in the best kind of way, and I can’t get enough. It’ll never be enough. I’m so greedy for this man, this hulking Adonis of a cowboy—my husband.
I cross the small room to him and launch myself into his arms. He catches me effortlessly, latching his lips onto mine and immediately pressing against the seam of my mouth with his tongue. I open for him, savouring the rub of our tongues as they slide together. He still tastes like coffee and the bacon we ate for our impromptu celebratory breakfast at a twenty-four hour diner on our way home. He tastes like the earth, the sun, the stars, the sky. He tastes like my heart and soul. Likemine.
He slows the pace of his kiss and here in this moment, I realise this isn’t Everett fucking me, no matter what he said. This is making love.I cling to him, one arm around his shoulders and the other cradling the nape of his neck, holding him to me.
“You’re fucking beautiful, Ruth,” he whispers. “I can’t believe you’re mine.”
“We’re gonna have to tell them, aren’t we?” I stretch my neck to steal a quick kiss, tangling my feet further with Everett’s.
“Yeah, baby girl, we’re gonna tell them. I’m not just callin’ you my wife in secret.” A thrill zings through my veins and settles low in my abdomen, fizzing with warmth. I wonder if it’ll happen every time Everett calls me his wife. Fuck, I hope it does. I hope we never lose this.
“They’re gonna be so pissed.”
“You snuck out at midnight and married a virtual stranger. Of course they’re gonna be pissed. Your brother’s probably gonna kick my ass.”
“You’re not a stranger. And don’t worry about Jay, you can take him.”
“Ruth, baby, have you seen him? He’s got at least three inches and a good fifty pounds on me. He could knock me out with a finger. I’ll go down like a sack of potatoes.”
“Oh honey, I’m sure you’ve got plenty of inches on him.” I slide my legs around his, shifting my hips until I’m lying on top of him, straddling his thighs. I lean down to kiss him again. And again. God, I’m feral for this man—for my husband. For the way he looks at me like I’m the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow. For the way his hands bracket my hips, holding me like some precious jewel. For the way he kisses me like he can’t get enough.
He taps my thigh with a large hand.
“Come on, baby girl. If we’re gonna face the music, we might as well do it now.”
We dress in record time, and by the time we arrive in the kitchen, hand in hand, our friends have already prepared food, and are sat around the breakfast bar.
“Wondered when you might join us!” Katy’s grin is like warm sunshine as she spots us first. Her arms are wrapped around Maisy’s waist as our goddaughter stuffs small triangles of buttered toast into her mouth. “Did you have a good night?”
“We, uh…” I begin, and then trail off. I squeeze Everett’s hand and he leads me deeper into the room, pulling out a stool for me, and then slides onto the one beside me. I catch his eye and nod, before he raises our joined hands to rest on top of the bar.
“We got hitched,” he announces. “This gorgeous woman made an honest man outta me last night.”
A wall of silence faces us as my friends stare at us, open-mouthed. Everett flashes my pink wedding band around the room, before leaning across the breakfast bar to reach for a clean mug and the half-full pot of coffee. Helplessly, I glance at Katy, whose eyes are filling with tears and blinking fast. She offers a watery smile before shaking her head lightly.
I look to my other friends. Cam is rubbing Amie’s back, whispering something in her ear as her face morphs from stony anger to weary betrayal. Lo’s blue eyes just hold sadness.
“Why didn’t you say anything?” Katy asks quietly.
“I didn’t—we didn’t—”
“Don’t be mad at her,” Everett interrupts. “Don’t be mad at Ruth. It was a spur of the moment decision high on excitement at one in the morning. Y’all know she would’ve had you there in a heartbeat.”
“But she didn’t,” Katy whispers. “You didn’t.” She nuzzles her nose into Maisy’s curls.
