“I had the furthest to run,” she said softly. “That night we were looking through those books must have triggered a memory. My mind was trying to remind me of my past. A past that I don’t belong to any more than I belong here.”
She stood straight, standing on the top step, looking down at him. “You thought I was a young, innocent woman, that I’ve never touched alcohol. You don’t know that I was sold for pocket change. I’ve done things that make me sick. How can I belong anywhere when I know how disgusting I am?”
“Lily, look at that house behind you. I built that house for you—every room, this porch, these steps, for you, for us and the children we will have.” His passion-filled voice showed strength enough to help her bear the burden of her past.
“I love you. When I say it, I don’t say it lightly. I say it because when I look at you, I see an angel who God let slip through his fingers to leave behind just for me.
“Lily, you belong. You belong to me. You will always belong to me.” Shade walked up the steps, sweeping her up into his arms. “Always.”
He took her to the front door of their house, carrying her inside and slamming the door behind them. Reaching beside the door, he balanced her while he flipped on the lights.
Lily stared around the living room filled with furniture. “When did you do this?” she asked, seeing the furniture they had just picked out the day before.
“While you were in church tonight. The brothers and I busted our balls getting this done while you were gone.”
“How did you get the furniture delivered so fast?” She was amazed at how well they had done, matching the house with the furniture.
“I threatened Leonard, but I also gave him a big tip,” Shade said ruefully.
“We did good,” Lily said, trying to wiggle down so she could look closer at her kitchen. “Let me down; I want to see the kitchen,” Lily said, exasperated.
“Later. I’m going to show you the bedroom first.” His wicked grin melted her heart.
Shade packed her upstairs to the bedroom where the door was already open. Shade carried her through, setting her down in their new bedroom. All of his bedroom furniture had been moved inside and there were candles set in various places throughout the room, giving it a soft glow. The bed was made up with the covers pulled down. On the bed was the present she had bought Shade yesterday.
“Beth made me promise to have it on the bed waiting for you.”
“What time is it?” Lily asked.
“Eleven-thirty.”
“That’s close enough. I think it’s time I gave you your Christmas present.”
Lily went to the bed, picking the package up, and then headed toward the bathroom.
“Wait. I thought you were going to let me open it?”
“I will. Give me ten minutes.” Lily disappeared into the bathroom.
This bathroom was even better than the one in the basement, if that was possible. Instead of one rain showerhead, it had two, and the bench was longer and wider with a black marble that she could see her reflection in. She showered and blow-dried her hair before she opened the package, taking the contents out. Getting dressed took only a few minutes. She nervously looked at herself in the mirror, took a deep breath for courage, and opened the bathroom door.
Shade was already lying on the bed waiting for her. His different-colored tats were highlighted in the candlelight.
“That is the best present I’ve ever had. Come here and let me open it.” His intense blue eyes didn’t lift from the gift she had bought.
Lily slid into the bed next to him, self-conscious that he was naked.
“Come here.” Shade put his hand behind her neck, drawing her closer to him. The white lace corset she was wearing had no straps, hugging her breasts in sweetheart cups that pushed her full breasts up and showed how tiny her waist was in comparison to her flared hips. The lace ended just above the tiny white lace panties.
His mouth went to her breasts, grazing against the top.
“I don’t get a kiss?” Shade lifted his head, his lips giving her a brief, hard kiss before returning to her breasts.
Lily burst out laughing, her fear and nervousness disappearing. “You can’t do better than that?” she teased.
“Angel, these breasts are… I’m trying to think of a word that’s good enough to describe them.” His hand went to the tiny hooks that went down the lace corset, unfastening them. When he’d finished, he spread the corset apart. “Fucking magnificent.” His hand pushed one globe up, finding the tip with his lips. He sucked just the tip of the nipple into his mouth before releasing it. His hand then went to the other breast, grasping it before he lowered his mouth to the tip, sucking it into his mouth then releasing it. “Fucking gorgeous.”
“I take it you’re a breast man.”
“All men are breast men,” he replied, looking at her breasts in awe.
Lily lay down on the bed, stretching before her arms reached out to him. Shade bent down, his mouth covering hers, giving her the kiss she’d desired. She needed that kiss from him to show her it was Shade and no one else in their wedding bed; the nightmares of her past weren’t present now.
He parted her lips with his tongue, seducing her with the wildness of his taste and the gentle glide of his against her own. His mouth then went to her neck, exploring her flesh with tiny flicks of his tongue while his hand slid up her thigh, gliding straight to her pussy, finding her nub and rubbing it with strokes that were already close to making her climax.
“Shade, I need you.” One of her legs rubbed against his as she tried to tell him what she needed.
“You’re not hot enough yet.” Shade’s mouth moved to her breast again, taking her nipple back into his mouth.
“Yes, I am.” Lily heartily disagreed with him. If he kept rubbing her pussy, she was going to come before he’d even entered her.
Then understanding dawned on her, what he was trying to tell her. She was just lying there, letting him have sex with her. He wanted her to make love with him.
Her hands left his shoulders, exploring every inch of his skin, discovering his body; how he trembled when her lips grazed the flesh at the b
ase of his throat, how his lean body had stone-hard muscles.
As her teeth grazed his nipples, she learned how his body felt when he shifted to lay between her thighs. Her palms slid along his ribcage, circling his waist to hold him tighter as he slid his cock deep within her. Lily memorized how her breasts felt when she arched them against his chest, then when he crushed them beneath his chest.
She didn’t want to forget any moment from her wedding night, so when her monsters tried to threaten her, it would be Shade’s touch—his kiss, his image—that would drive every hurtful memory away until all that was left was him and this night. Their wedding night. Their first time.
Lily turned her head to whisper in his ear, “I love you, John Hunter.”
“Lily, I didn’t know a man could love a woman as much as I love you. I don’t deserve you, but I’m never going to let you go. I couldn’t survive without you in my life. I wouldn’t want to.”
His mouth covered hers as his thrusts increased, carrying them both into a climax that gave as much as it took. It gave them a way to express their love and took a part of their soul as it receded, crashing the two into one, forever entwined.
* * *
Shade rolled over, pulling Lily onto his chest.
“That was beautiful,” Lily said, nuzzling his neck.
“Did you enjoy it?”
“Yes, I never expected… Yes, I enjoyed it a lot.” She laughed against his neck.
“Good. That was for you. This time is for me,” Shade said, sitting up.
“What are you doing?” Lily asked curiously.
Shade slid out of the bed, picking her up and carrying her into the bathroom. There were three steps that led down into the massive shower. Shade turned the water and music on, and the water began to pulse to the music.
“Oh, heck no,” Lily said, giggling as she tried to get out of the shower. “I just blow-dried my hair.”
“I’ll help you when we get out, if I’m not too tired.” Shade’s hand went into her already-wet hair, turning her mouth up to his. His hand was already going for the lotions on the side of the shower.