Page 156 of Carnal Urges

His smile is amused. “Roughly translated, ‘Welcome home, my queen.’”

“Really? How fantastic. Can you tell all the guys to call me that?”

“No.”

“Okay. I’ll have Kieran tell them for me.”

He chuckles, then takes my hand and tugs me along, headed for the master bedroom. Just to tease him, I yawn. “I think I’ll take a nice long bath before bed.”

“You can take it after.”

I ask innocently, “After what?”

He throws me a smoldering look. “After I show you why you want to be my wife.”

Pushing open the bedroom door, he pulls me inside, then kicks the door shut behind him. He doesn’t bother with any other explanation, he simply grabs me and kisses me, hard.

I break away, breathlessly laughing. “Did someone miss me?”

Holding my head in his hands, he says gruffly, “Aye. You and that smart mouth and that perfect arse of yours. I almost went bloody mad. I never want to be apart from you that long again.”

My heart pounds with happiness. I look up into his beautiful blue eyes, so full of adoration, and can’t help the stupid smile that takes over my face. “I think that can be arranged… sir.”

His lids lower. A muscle flexes in his jaw. He licks his lips then kisses me again, holding my head as I wrap my arms around his waist. He drinks deep from my mouth, making a masculine sound of pleasure in his throat.

When the kiss ends, we’re both breathing raggedly.

“I have a homecoming present for you,” he whispers.

“Oh, good. How many carats is it?”

He cocks a brow. “How many carats do you want for your ring?”

“I wasn’t talking about a ring. There are plenty of other pieces of jewelry besides rings.” I smile sweetly. “Like tiaras, for instance. Have you seen the one the Duchess of Cambridge wore for her wedding to Prince William?”

He’s trying not to smile, but not managing it. “Aye.”

“Like that. Only bigger.”

“So a crown.”

“Now you’re getting the picture.”

“I knew from the second I laid eyes on you that you were high-maintenance. Come over here.”

Taking my hand again, he leads me over to the bed. Then he stands silently, watching my face as I look at the carefully lined-up display on the silk duvet cover.

A flush of heat blooming over my chest, I say faintly, “That’s quite the collection.”

He slides his hand slowly up my spine and grips the back of my neck. Bending close to my ear, he says, “Choose your favorite.”

My nipples tighten. My mouth goes dry. Between my legs, a pulse of heat blooms to match the one heating my upper body.Oh god. I’m going to pass out.

I don’t want to miss all the fun, though, so I force myself to take slow breaths as I look over the whips, floggers, riding crops, and paddles lined up from one edge of the mattress to the other.

I point at one in red-and-black leather with a braided handle and long leather tassels dangling from the end.

Massaging my neck, Declan makes a low sound of approval. “I like that one, too. Take off your clothes.”