With his body’s warmth crushing my backside in a comfortable way, I tilted my head a smidge and yawned. Eyes closed, on the edge between awareness and sleep, I murmured, “And you’re my husband.” I yawned again, snuggling the side of my face into the pillow. “All mine, baby.”
And blessedly sated, I went under, unconsciousness taking hold, and he lifted away from me, the action feeling like a dream itself. His heat was gone for only a moment before it returned next to me as he furrowed his hand under the pillow my head rested on and slid my wedding ring back onto my thumb with a slightly cautious kiss to my damp forehead.
Chapter Eleven
Waking to the sound of an alarm clock buzzing, I yawned. Then I froze when I felt what was, by all accounts, a hot, naked body lying behind me — actually spooning my own naked frame — reach over me and slam their arm down, the thwack of flesh smacking plastic sounding.
The alarm stopped.
Startled, my eyes flying wide open, I viewed my surroundings as I scented the air. The most potent smell was that of the man burrowing his arm back under the black blanket over us and running his warm palm down my arm to my hand and entwining our fingers so that our thumb rings, our wedding rings, rested against each other. It was Ezra, my husband, and slowly the memory of last night filtered through the haze of sleep I lingered in. Sighing softly, I relaxed a smidge, even if still a little apprehensive of what this day after our carnal events of last night might bring, and I snuggled more firmly against his heated body.
He grunted softly, mumbling sleepily, “Don’t wiggle your ass like that or we’ll be in this bed all morning long and people might wonder where the hell we are.”
I stilled, whispering, “Sorry.”
He squeezed my hand, his voice gruff with sleep. “Plus, I have to pee.”
I blinked then chuckled softly. “I married a romantic.”
“A realist, more like.” He sighed. “Hell, now I seriously have to pee.”
Glancing at the time, I then stared at the poor alarm clock, which appeared to be on its last leg, as if it had been in one too many fights with my Vampire husband and had lost most of those battles. “You know, when you have to start duct taping your alarm clock so it’ll stay together, it’s probably time to get a new one.”
“If you can’t duct it…,” he rumbled, stretching behind me, his legs interweaving with mine, the coarse hairs on his legs tickling my smooth skin.
I blinked. “Maybe I could find one for you that’s industrial grade.”
He snorted. “I’d rather not have an alarm clock with Bambi buttons or duck designs or cartoon characters on it.” A pause, then polite words. “But thank you for the thought.”
I scowled at the ugly alarm clock. “I wouldn’t get you one like that, but even if I did, it would be better than that eyesore.”
“I like that eyesore, so don’t even think about it.” He pulled me onto my back and lay on top of me in one swift motion. Remarkable, sleepy green eyes stared down at me, his red and black hair a rumpled mess all over his head. He actually appeared adorable like this as his gaze scanned my face, which I would never tell him since he was a man who prided himself on being tough and cruel, so he would probably take my assessment as a knock to his virile ego. Leisurely, he lifted his hand and placed his index finger on my chin, and he began gliding it down the curve of my jaw, making me want to lean into the touch as he watched his digit’s motion. “And I didn’t mind you so much sleeping in bed with me.” His lashes lifted, granting me better access to his striking eyes as he spoke quietly, “How about you?”
My lips curved, and I told the truth. “For the first time in a long time, I slept like a baby.” I tapped his straight nose softly. “And speaking of which, I need to go check on ours.” And give us both time to cope with what we had done together last night.
His lips twitched. “Are you sure you’re up for the walk of shame?”
Yeah, I knew I would be seeing a few Mysticals out at this pre-dawn hour heading back into their own tents, some with heads raised and grinning while others stared at the ground, wondering what the hell they had been thinking the night before. “I can do it, if they can.”
His wide lips straightened as he stared me in the eyes for a long moment. “We’re good?”
I bit my lip, watching him as closely as he was me. “I think so.”
“I think so, too.” His eyebrows furrowed. “I mean, it was only sex between a married couple.”
Yeah, we both sounded as if we were trying to convince ourselves of this…and we were. “I’d better go. I want to be there before Isa wakes up.” It had definitely been more intense than your everyday, simple sex between a married couple.
We had — if this was a way to explain it — met each other in a flawless unification of connecting bliss, the give and take between us perfectly matched. So no, it hadn’t been your everyday, run of the mill sex.
And we obviously needed time to process this as he nodded once quickly. “I understand.”