Page 24 of Bred

“He brought me treats.”

A little breathy laugh moved the hair by my ear. “He did.”

I swallowed, trying to squeeze the final question out of my throat before it burned me alive. “You’re mad at me?”

Loren’s hands tightened where he held me. “Only if you’re mad at me. It’s a two-person kind of ordeal.”

Impossibly, I chuckled. “I’m not mad at you. I could never be mad at you.”

Loren nuzzled my neck. “You are everything I’ve ever wanted and didn’t know I could have, wife.”

Warmth, and not just from his body, swept through me. “I missed you.”

“I’m sorry to have left you. I had to get something done.”

Something in his voice made me turn my head. “What was it?”

For a moment there was nothing but the sound of rain on the windows as I waited. “Loren?”

“I met with your grandfather to tear up our contract.”

Fear, sharp and tangy, filled my mouth. “What? Do you not want this?”

Firm, insistent hands rolled me to my back, and I found myself staring up into my husband’s beautiful, dear face. “No, it’s because of how badly I want this. Of how badly I want you, Wren.”

“I don’t understand.” A single tear slipped out, trying to escape down my cheek before his thumb brushed it away.

Loren was so serious, so focused on my face. “Wren, I know you didn’t have a choice in this. I know you came here because you had to. But I want you to stay because you want to. Because you want to build a life here with me.”

His hand floated over my body, brushing carefully over my belly. “I want to have babies and make memories here. With you, forever.”

My body shook, surprise and joy making me quake underneath him. “I’m free?”

“To choose whatever you like.”

A few weeks ago, I would’ve been out that front door, buying a plane ticket out of here as quickly as I could.

But I had never felt like this before. I belonged here. I wanted to learn to ride horses again. I wanted to eat fresh brownies in the middle of the night. I wanted to make beautiful, tall babies with this man. I wanted to raise them here, to know what love and courage looked like. And how power could be wielded in good ways.

“And if I want to stay here?” I swallowed. “With you?”

His lips curled, gaze soft on mine. “Then I will worship you every day for the rest of my life.”

I wrapped my arms around him, my body still shivering at the intensity in his gaze. “I want to stay, Loren. I want to stay with you, forever.”

He kissed me, his mouth so very delicate against my lips. “Thank God.”

For a long moment, there was just those heavenly soft kisses, sweeping me away, holding me, comforting me, loving me.

“I love you, Wren. So very much.”

I couldn’t stop the grin that took over my face by storm. “I love you too, husband.”

CHAPTER TWELVE

LOREN

Shelovedme.Andnot because of some stupid fucking contract. She loved me, and she was choosing me. It felt fucking perfect. And while I was disappointed that we didn’t get pregnant our first round, there wasn’t a single thing I would change about our time together.