His eyes darkened. “You’ve possessed me, body and soul, and I find myself not wanting to be free from you.” He sighed. “And it scares the shit out of me.”
I closed my gaping jaw. Not recognizing the man lying next to me, I couldn’t think of anything to say. Garrett was an effective, intense man, and knowing it must have taken every ounce of courage to let me into his thoughts made me care for him more.
“I have John looking for homes; something for you to pick out, close to your father and not too far from George,” he continued, playing with strands of my hair.
“But you wanted to leave Telliva. I can’t make you stay here. It’s too much.”
“You make me want to stay. If I have you, I don’t need anything else. I don’t want anything else but this.” He laid his hand over my heart. “I want to possess you like you’ve done me.”
I swallowed. I’d never had someone openly tell me how much they needed me before.
Glancing up at him, I said, “But your father…”
He shook his head. “We’ll travel for a year; you’ve been dreaming about it your whole life.”
“He will hunt us down, catch us, and hang us by our toes,” I warn.
Garrett chuckled. “I’m a predator, not prey, my love. I can keep his men at bay. We’d travel for a year straight. But after that”—he kissed my neck—“I get my year of you being in our bed.” Another kiss. “Begging you to give me a child.”
“I’m impressed.” I breathed, lacing my hand through his thick hair, as he used his tongue against my skin.
“I want to hear you say yes. I want you to be my wife.”
“I haven’t gotten to thin—”
He began sucking on my neck, bringing chills down to my center.
“I’m not letting you out of this bed until I hear you agree,” he quipped. “I will devour you for hours. Do you want to test my stamina, sweet Avie?”
A smile graced my lips. “It’d be fun to watch you try.”
He hummed. “I will take you to the brink and back down, repeatedly, until you can’t stand it.”
“Such a romantic sentiment to the woman you want to be your sex wife,” I teased.
Garrett brought his head up from my neck and looked at me. “I’ve never wanted someone so much in my life. I’ll make you the happiest woman alive.”
I knew being with him would be marvelous; it would be an adventure I’d never anticipated. It was spontaneous and mysterious, and I wanted it all with him.
Wrapping my hand around the back of his neck, I brought his head down, placing soft kisses on his mouth, wanting him more than before.
“Say yes,” he breathed against my lips.
I nodded. “Yes.”
He pulled away. “You’re serious?”
“I am.”
“You can’t back out, Avie. I’m serious about all—”
“I said yes.”
He smiled, and my heart filled with something I wasn’t used to—hope. Pure, natural hope.
He kissed my temple. “You’ve made me the happiest man in the world. Nothing will keep us apart.”
Garrett
Chapter 32
Torture.
That’s what it’s been, these two weeks away from Ava, here in Wellerent. The townspeople were in disarray, miserable, and dispirited. I’d arrived days after most of their homes were burned down, livestock stolen, and they were left with nothing. A similar scene of the last town I’d seen pillaged played out in front of me.
I had tents made up, and my men were rebuilding homes while I was having some of my own livestock being brought in from Aruna. My men trained both men and women in basic steps of defending and fighting for themselves.
It wasn’t going well.
These were farmers and mothers; they’d never touched a knife in their lives, unless it was for cooking or hunting. Most of them looked at me with weary eyes, like I had lost my damn mind for even thinking of the idea. I honestly didn’t know what else to do, or how to stop it from happening again. I felt responsible, not being able to find the men accountable for this. This should have been over years ago.
Picking up my axe, I swung down on the wood we were using to make lumber. My body hadn’t worked this hard in a while. My muscles ached, and my back throbbed from being hunched, but it was worth it. These people needed our help, and I was going to do anything I could to rebuild their town.
“My Lord.”
Peering over my shoulder, I watched as one of my men marched toward me, a letter in his hand. My shoulders immediately tensed. I’d had enough letters and reports to last me a lifetime. He briskly handed it over to me, then turned on his heel, going back to whatever it was he was doing. The red seal flaunted that it was from the palace; the cream and gold paper taunting me to open it. Ripping the imprimatur, I forced myself to skim the contents.
To my handsome fiancé,
The castle is still boring; nothing new to report here. I wish I had some exciting or funny story to tell you, but I have none. Just that I miss you. Never thought I’d miss your ongoing chastising and annoying nature, but I do.
Evelyn has been enjoying your mother’s company immensely and all the lavish parties that she is throwing. She has been planning to take some of the Arunian dresses home with her, which I have highly suggested her not do. Her mother would die of shock.
Come home safe.
Love,
Avie
P.S. Papa is going to send some supplies to Wellerent to help.
Smiling, I folded the note and deposited it into my pocket. She had a heart of gold, and I was falling hard for the beauty. I wrote her every night, like an obsessed adolescent. Every decision I made now had her in mind. It was nerve-wracking—I was going to have a wife.
Holy shit.
I never thought I’d say those words. Never imagined asking a woman to be my soulmate and partner through life.
Hell. No woman caught my attention like Ava did. Plain and simple.
Piling up my cut wood, I thought about all the places I could take her. I’d start in Aruna, show her my home and the culture. Then maybe Vunmia; the country was full of mountains and rivers, covered mainly in white with all the snow.
“Cranfield.” John’s voice beckoned behind me, the sound of it solemn and cold. When I turned around, he looked at me with pity in his eyes. He was frowning, his eyelids drooping from lack of sleep.
“What?” I said anxiously, my gaze locking in on the letter in his hand.
Of all the fucking things in his hands right now.
John took a step closer, fidgeting, and his knuckles were white from holding it so tightly.
“John,” I said, furrowing my brows. “What is it?”
He didn’t answer me. I’d never seen him speechless in the whole decade I’d known him. As he held out the letter, I hesitated before taking it. One of the townswomen came to bring me my lunch, but John shooed her away.
I opened the blasted letter quickly, while John shifted his weight back and forth, his presence making me uneasy. Skimming the letter, my breath caught, and my throat closed. I re-read the words over again. I opened my mouth to speak, but couldn’t form any words.
I dropped to my knees and buried my face in my hands. I had failed.
Ava
Chapter 33
“People actually do this for fun?” Lucy sniffed as she placed another losing card on the table. She’d been complaining ever since she lost the first round, and I chuckled at her impatience.
And I thought I was a sore loser at times.
As I watched Eve study her cards, a clap of thunder boomed through my bedroom. All four of us jumped, while Miranda let out a small shriek. Eve placed a comforting hand on her shoulder and giggled.
The rain had been pelting my bedroom window for hours, but I welcomed it. The cool summer rain was made for cozy days like this. Curled up with a good book, a simple game of cards with friends, or snuggled up to one’s lover.
Eve placed down a King of Desire and looked at me with a grin. Rolling my eyes at her, I waited for Miranda, who fumbled around with her cards.
“Does a Queen of Fools beat a King of Desire?” Miranda asked softly.
Lucy scoffed. “You’re not supposed to name off your cards.”
I smiled at her. “Any Queen beats a King.”