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“Hey, Ridge?” I said after a moment, feeling bold. “Since there isn’t a meteor shower tonight, maybe we should make our own fireworks?”
His grin matched mine as we began yet another passionate dance beneath the stars, creating a storm of our own making that would light up the night.
An hour later, I lay on the forest ground, catching my breath and feeling the sweet warmth of Ridge’s body next to mine. The stars above us twinkled brightly, as if they were trying to outshine the passion we’d just shared. I grinned at the thought.
“Hey, you do realize that now we’ll have to actually plan a wedding, right?” I pointed out. “We’ll need to figure out the perfect date, and heaven forbid the Magpies find out first.”
“God, can you imagine?” Ridge’s deep chuckle echoed through the clearing. “The Magpies would have a field day with this. They’d probably plan the entire wedding for us, whether we wanted them to or not.”
“Ugh, don’t even joke about that. They already started the other day,” I groaned. “I’d rather elope than let those busybodies take over our big day.”
Ridge’s eyes took on a sly glint. “Actually, that doesn’t sound like such a bad idea. Maybe we should just sneak off one weekend and come back married.”
“Ha. If only it were that simple.” I sighed, smiling at the thought. “No, I think we owe it to our pack and friends to do this properly. But maybe we should change the date. With everything else going on, and that dumb rumor about me being pregnant...”
“Who cares about the rumors? Besides, I only want to change the date if it’s to get married sooner, not later. I want to be with you fully and completely, claimed and married, and one hundred percent each other’s.”
I looked into his eyes and saw the sincerity shining there. My hope soared at the thought of being so intimately connected to him. But still, I experienced a twinge of uncertainty.
“Ridge, I love you more than anything, but don’t you think people will talk? If we get married too soon, they’ll think it really is a shotgun wedding.”
His gaze never wavered. “Let them talk. We know the truth. And besides, when have we ever cared about what other people think?”
He had a point. We’d always followed our own path, regardless of what others might say or think. And if getting married sooner felt right to both of us, why should we let baseless gossip stand in the way?
“Okay,” I said with a smile. “Sooner it is. But let’s at least give ourselves enough time to plan something nice, okay? I don’t want to just run off to some courthouse and sign a piece of paper.”
“We’ll find the perfect balance between soon and special. I promise.”
“Good,” I said, satisfied. “Now that that’s settled, can we please go back to celebrating?”
“Absolutely.” Ridge’s expression turned sultry again as he pulled me in for a searing kiss, his hands roaming over my body. In that moment, all thoughts of gossip and wedding dates vanished, replaced by the overwhelming desire to be as close to him as possible.
As our lips met, I knew without a doubt that we were making the right choice, moving forward together despite the challenges life might throw our way.
And as I lost myself once more in Ridge’s embrace, if this was what our future had in store, then maybe—just maybe—we could handle anything.
The moonlight illuminated Ridge’s face as he looked at me with love, lust, and something else. Anticipation. The beat of desire slammed in my ears like a war drum. I wanted him. More than I’d ever wanted anyone or anything in my life.
“Ridge.” My voice was barely audible, even to my own ears. “The claiming thing…I want that, too.”
“Really?” His eyes widened, surprise and desire mingling in their depths.
I thought about Margo and Clawson. They’d been a team since they were pups, and now as adults, they shared an unbreakable bond. That connection was so intense, so deep. I wanted that same level of intimacy with Ridge—the ability to sense his thoughts and emotions without words.
“Seeing Margo and Clawson together, how connected they are...” I trailed off, knowing I didn’t have to explain. Ridge knew them just as well as I did. “That’s what I want for us.”
“God, Tori. You have no idea how much I want that.” The raw, palpable hunger in his words sent a wave of desire through me. It matched the craving that clawed at my insides, desperate for release.
“Then let’s do it.” The words tumbled from my lips before I could think. My gaze locked onto his throat, the spot where our claiming bites would seal our connection forever. I wanted to taste the heat of his blood, feel the rush of claiming him as mine.
“Slow down.” Ridge’s hand cupped my cheek. “It’s going to happen, sweetheart, but we don’t need to rush into it tonight.”
“Why not?” I pouted, but I was torn between disappointment and relief. Part of me was glad for the reprieve—I’d never done anything like this before, and the thought of biting someone, even someone I loved as much as Ridge, still sent a flutter of fear down my spine.
“Because I need you to be sure,” Ridge said softly. “I need to know you’re doing this because you want it, not because you feel like you have to.”
“Ridge, I do want it. More than anything.” My voice trembled with sincerity, but he shook his head.
