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Scarlett

Vince already had the shower running when Scarlett stepped into the room. He was setting out towels while Mateo stepped into the shower to test the water.

“Hot, as you prefer,” Mateo announced, taking her hand and helping her under the spray.

Though she should have, she was too exhausted to feel exposed or ashamed in front of Vince.

Mateo had her sit between his legs, while Vince soaped her from top to bottom.

His hands were gentle but efficient, probably feeling the fatigue plaguing her body.

Mateo cleaned her hair and massaged her scalp before conditioning and rinsing it.

Once she felt sufficiently washed, Vince wrapped her in a warm, fluffy towel and carried her to the bed.

“I’m sorry,” she whispered when she couldn’t find the energy to dry herself off.

Vince happily took over the job. “There is no need, Scarlett.”

When he helped her into a fresh shirt of his, Ezra stepped into the room, applying a pad to a pair of underwear and handing them over to Vince to help her into.

“Do you want me to braid your hair?” Ezra asked, leaning down to kiss her temple.

“Yes, just something easy though.”

Sitting behind her, Ezra combed through her hair and secured it into a simple three-strand braid. The second he was done; she crawled under Vince’s covers and closed her eyes. Vince softly kissed her hair and cuddled up with her, his warmth seeping through her skin and easing her sore muscles.

“Good thing she has no class tomorrow,” Ezra laughed. “Sleep tight, princess.” Then with one last kiss, she heard him and Mateo leave the room.

Scarlett woke up to hot chocolate and pancakes in bed, with Vince’s strong, thick arms still wrapping her in a cocoon of love.

Although she was hungry—and the delicious smell of her breakfast only made it worse—she nuzzled closer to the hard body beside her.

She didn’t want to separate from him, already having the feeling she’d been neglecting him recently.

“I can feel the wheels turning in your head.” Vince’s voice was soft and deep. Scarlett wasn’t sure what it was, but he always had something so calm and centring about him.

“Do you feel left out at times?”

“No. Have I given you reason to believe I do?”

“You haven’t. I just feel like I haven’t really talked with you in days.”

“I don’t need many words to feel fulfilled in our relationship.”

“But we haven’t spent much time together either.”

“We have breakfast and dinner together almost every day. You wish me a good day before leaving the house, and always greet me with a kiss when you return. There has not been one day I was not showered with your love.”

“I feel that Ezra and Mateo are louder in expressing their needs and wants. That’s why I’ve been drawn to spend more time with them alone.”

“Scarlett, there is no need to worry about me. I can and will voice when I feel set aside. I have told you before and will reassure you as often as you need, this—what we have—is perfect.”

She let his words sink in, counting the thumps of his heartbeat against her ear. “You might have to remind me in a few weeks again.”

“I’ll gladly do so.”

She slowly sat up and reached for the breakfast tray, settling it on the covers before her. “What are our plans this weekend?”

“I believe Mateo wants to call his family and announce our mating ceremony. He believes they might invite us over to get to know you.”

“Have you met them?”

“Briefly over the years, during which they have been very nice.”

“Why do I feel so nervous though? I know they get along, but what if they don’t like me?”

“You are a wonderful woman, why would they not approve of you?”

“Well, when you say it like that all my worry just washes away.” Scarlett laughed and fed him a piece of her pancake while sipping on her hot chocolate. “I’m sure they’ll be sweet and all, but maybe they expected differently for their son.”

“And even if they did, Mateo chose you. You make him the happiest man on earth—besides us—and that is all that matters.” Once her plate was empty, Vince set it aside and laid his head on her lap, guiding her hand to comb through his hair.

She rested her head back against the headboard and soaked up her quiet mate’s caresses as he drew lazy shapes over her legs.

Though he’d said he didn’t mind, she couldn’t help but feel that she had in fact neglected him lately.

Ezra and Mateo could be so demanding that she often felt as if Vince didn’t get the attention he deserved.

She matched him touch for touch, spoiling him as much as she could.

She couldn’t wait for the moment she finally could immerse herself in his love.

Once Scarlett felt ready to brave the outside world, the two of them ventured downstairs and just as Vince had predicted, they’d be spending the next day with Mateo’s family. Vince and Ezra were invited as well, though Ezra didn’t seem too keen on it.

She spent the day with Vince in the barn, a sketchbook on her lap as she sat on a rocking chair.

It was a quiet day, with Ezra and Mateo only checking on her to see if her drink needed to be refilled.

Vince was completely enthralled in his project with only the occasional grunt filling the air when he adjusted his body or was displeased with his own handiwork.

She lost herself in a sketch of him, his shoulders spreading wide while she filled in every individual hair on his naked chest. She’d never dared to draw any of them without clothes, but she couldn’t help herself and placed his jeans low on his hips, much lower than publicly acceptable.

“Scarlett,” he hummed, voice hoarse from not having spoken in hours. “What are you drawing?”

His hands had stilled and only when she looked up from the paper, did she feel the heat flooding to her face. “You.”

“Show me,” he demanded rather roughly, as if he already knew this wasn’t her average sketch.

Feeling self-conscious about what she’d done, she pressed the book to her chest. Vince’s brows fused, and his pupils blew wide with lust. “I can see your thighs pressing together and your breathing changed. Now show me what you have been drawing for the past few hours.”

“Don’t be upset.”

He gave a quick nod, and his eyes widened as Scarlett revealed her drawing.

His gaze lingered on himself for a moment, before he reached behind himself and tugged his shirt off.

As he strode across the room, he created the picture-perfect image of himself.

He sank to his knees before her and forced her knees apart.

“God, Scarlett,” he groaned, mouthing over her inner thighs, his hands pushing her dress up as he went. “You are going to be the death of me.”

Vince grunted and Scarlett gasped, his fingers ripping the lace, too impatient to take her panties off properly.

He latched onto her clit, sucking and licking her, his finger dipping into her and curling to stroke her sweet spot.

Her head rolled back and her hips arched into him as he curled his hand under her hips and hauled her onto his mouth.

She locked her legs around his neck, unwilling to let him go before he made her come all over his face.

Vince’s tongue twirled around her clit and his fingers fucked her until every muscle in her body was on fire.

Her head spun, dizzy with her impending climax.

She latched a hand in Vince’s hair urging him to go faster.

Then she fell over the edge, begging him to stop.

But his tongue was relentless, flicking against her until she could barely breathe.

He robbed her of all her senses before he sat back on his heels and watched her body twitch.

“Is that how you see me?” When she stared at him, confused, he took the sketchbook and pointed at the drawing of him. “I’ve never seen myself as very attractive, but this…” He trailed off and stared down at the paper.

She slipped off the chair and into his lap, kissing his nose. “I find you breathtaking. This sketch doesn’t do your true self justice.”

“Can I keep it?”

“Of course. And if you like, it can be our little secret.”

She kissed his forehead again, running soothing fingers through his hair and watching as he saw himself through her eyes. When he looked back up, his eyes shone with unshed tears.

“Oh, Vince,” she hushed and cupped his face. “Oh, my sweet gentle giant.”

That made him chuckle. He set the sketchbook aside before his tears fell, caught by her thumbs. “I didn’t know.”

“You are perfect, Vince. I love all of you, head to toe.”

He leaned his forehead against hers and seemed to drink in her words. “I love you too, sweet perfect Scarlett.”