Page 38 of Wolf
A bittersweet sense of sadness comes over me, and my fingertips slide over my earring as I picture what my parents might be like if they were with us. They’d love Thorne, I think, or at least would love how happy he makes me. I wish they could be here to meet their grandchild. I wish my baby could have a bond with them like I do with Grams. Maybe out here, in the middle of paradise, they’re looking down on all of us, happy about the way my life has turned out sofar.
I look across the shoreline. My heart starts to race again when I see Thorne guiding the boat over to the small wooden dock on the beach. He waves when he sees me step out on the porch, and raises the two pineapples he bought from the market on the main island a few miles away. I can’t hold back the smile that plays on my lips. It’s a little thing, but I adore that he always remembers my favorites. I love him somuch.
Thorne ties up the boat, and brings over the two laden baskets of meat and produce he purchased. He stops at the bottom of the porch steps and just stands there. His relaxed smile brightens his gray eyes, which look deep blue so close to thewater.
“How was your morning?” he asks from the bottom of the steps. “And how was it for ourbaby?”
“Pretty quiet for both of us,” I answer, and meet him on the stairs, wrapping my arms around his neck when I’m a step from the bottom. “You left before I wokeup.”
His beard brushes along the side of my face as he nods. “Yeah, I wanted to beat the morning rush at the fruit stand and get back to yousooner.”
“Oh, you did? And why is that?” I ask in a throatywhisper.
“Give me a second and I’ll show you,sexy.”
I’m not sure how he does it with his hands full, but he picks me up and carries me inside. He maneuvers the baskets onto the kitchen counter of our open concept home, then moves across the room, lowering me to sit on the edge of the dining table. My fingers run through the back of his hair, pulling me closer, and he plants a long, rough kiss on my lips, stealing my breath. I wrap my legs around his hips and lean into his torso. My baby bump is starting to take up more room between us. I don’t think I can ever be too close. I’m sure I’ll never have enough ofhim.
“I missed you,” I confess when he pullsaway.
“Me too, babe. And you knowwhat?”
“What?” Iask.
“I love it when you grind your sweet little body on me,” he whispers. “I love you, LittleRed.”
“I love you too,” I answer. “So much.” My heart is bare all of a sudden in the midst of this sensual moment, but I know he can handle it. He enjoys that side of me, and I’m so glad to have a man like him. He appreciates my love of knives and guns, my stubborn, fighting spirit, and that I’m a tomboy as much as I am the soft, mushy bits. That is me. And as he drags off my clothes and makes wild love to me right on this table, I can only see us getting closer and closer in our own perfect weapons-loving, rough and tumble happily everafter.
TheEND