He burst out laughing. “That’s my line, woman.”
“You created the monster.” She cut a small piece of the filet. Her expression changed. “Draden. Whoever cooked this, we have to take him home with us. Seriously. Even if we have to kidnap him. Or her. It had better not be a woman. You’ll fall in love with her.”
He took a bite. The meat was so tender it nearly melted in his mouth. “I have to agree, but you don’t have anything to worry about. I could give up food for what you just did.”
She ate in silence for a few minutes. He glared at her. “This is where you give me that same reassurance.”
Amusement lit her eyes and that quirky, sinful mouth of hers curved, bringing out her dimple. “Is that what I’m supposed to do. Let me think about that. This is pretty good. Flavorful. Melt in your mouth. Remember I had to eat those rations for a good portion of the time.”
Her teasing found its way into his heart just the way it always did. He tried to look stern. “I hope your reading included the better elements of BDSM.”
Her eyebrows shot up. “Are there better elements? Of course I read about it. We all did. It was intriguing reading, but if anyone’s tying anyone up … I’ve got the silk.”
He shook his head. “That is not where I was going with it. Think about lying across my lap, my hand on your bottom.”
She took a bite of the prawns. “What would your hand be doing?”
“I have a vivid imagination. I can think of all kinds of things to do with you lying across my lap and your bottom presented to me as a gift.”
She squirmed a little in her chair. “Now that actually sounds intriguing. This is really delicious, Draden. Far better than what I made for you.”
Draden frowned and shook his head. “You made me pancakes this morning, sweetheart. Nothing can ever compare with that.” He waved his fork at her. “Save some room for our wedding cake.”
“I’m thinking more about the present in the closet than the cake,” she admitted. “It isn’t like I ever got presents. Zara smuggled us things, but we didn’t celebrate birthdays or Christmas like other people do. It’s been kind of exciting to think about what you could have gotten for me.”
She leaned toward him, drawing his attention to her full breasts and the jewelry she wore that emphasized the full curves. She looked so beautiful sitting there, her eyes bright, his ring on her finger and his marks on her pale skin.
“Then we’ll hold off on the wedding cake and the rest of the champagne until we’re back in bed. I have plans.”
“Plans?”
He nodded. Sitting there looking at her sweet little body, images poured into his mind. He could eat cake off of her. Paint that frosting everywhere and lick it off. Drink champagne out of her belly button and treat her to the same sensation of bubbles she’d given him. He was suddenly looking forward to going back to bed—soon. He hadn’t thought it possible that after two hard, very explosive releases, he could get hard, but his cock was already trying.
“Um, hon, I’m kind of in your head right now.”
He was entirely unrepentant. “I do have some great ideas, you have to admit.”
“I’d be down for most of that. Putting cake in places it might not come out is not only a little shocking but could be a little scary.”
Her nipples were twin hard peaks. She liked his ideas. Even the scary ones for her. “I’d have fun hunting every last crumb,” he assured. “Are you finished?” He couldn’t wait to show her what he’d gotten her for her wedding present. He didn’t think it topped the pancakes she’d made for him, but then nothing would ever top that when it came to gifts.
“I’ve got an imagination too,” Shylah announced.
That pulled his attention right back to her and made his cock jerk hard. The tablecloth slid over his sensitive groin, causing him to groan softly. Her lashes swept down and then back up, guileless and innocent when he knew she was being anything but.
“You’re not letting me read your mind,” he pointed out. “I’m very interested.”
“I want to give you surprises, Draden. You do things for me, I’m planning on giving you as much as possible because you deserve it.”
She shook him every time. He wasn’t a man used to having a woman want to give him anything. “Just make certain you tell me when you have needs or wants, Shylah. You’re a very nurturing person and I don’t want to ever take advantage of that.”
She burst out laughing, the sound melodious, filling the room with fun. “I’m an assassin, Draden, or have you forgotten? Not too many people would call me nurturing.”
“Then they’d be wrong. That’s exactly what you are.”
Color swept into her face. “You say the nicest things to me, Draden. I don’t always know how to take your compliments, but I really appreciate them because I can tell you’re sincere.”
He reached over and collected her plate. She’d eaten most of the food. He’d eaten all of his. That registered. They’d both eaten. Neither had stomach problems. He took a long look at her body. The remnants of the rash that had been there that morning were gone. His marks were on her body everywhere. Her breasts, her belly, her thighs. No rash. Only him. He fucking loved that he was all over her body more than he could possibly tell her. Hope blossomed again. Maybe Trap wasn’t bullshitting him after all. Maybe they really were fighting off the virus. By now, it should have consumed them—or at least him. He’d been shot full of it.
He let her rinse and stack the dishes while he put everything else away. The champagne and ice bucket were set up by the bed. He put the cake there as well. It was small, but elaborate, the flowers peonies, just as he’d requested. He added more ice to the bucket and placed the flutes close.
Shylah sent him a small smile. She was standing by the closet where he’d stashed his present. She wore her heels and jewelry and nothing else.
“You look so damned hot, I don’t think we’re going to go very long before I’ve got to have you, woman.”
She ran her f
ingers over the rubies that lay on the curve of her breasts. “I’m all for that, because every time I look at you, my mouth waters. I love the way you taste. I love the way you feel inside me when we’re moving together. And I love you in my mouth, heavy on my tongue, my lips sliding over you, feeling the shape and texture of you. So, yeah, I’m really happy you find me hot and want me because I want you the same way.”
There it was. His woman. Laying it out for him. Giving him truth and making him feel like he was the luckiest man on earth. He moved past her to open the closet door, but as he went by, his hands lingered on her breasts, finding her nipples and tugging gently, rolling them for just a moment before he leaned down and drew the left one into his mouth.
She was delicious. That shiver that went through her. The way she cradled his head to her. The way she arched her back, giving him more. He spent a few minutes on her left breast and then gave the same intimate attention to her neglected right one.
He took her hand gently and slid her palm down her belly. He lifted his head and looked into her eyes. She didn’t pull away when he continued the journey between her legs. He used her fingers to circle her clit and then curled them inside of her, dipping deep. When he pulled her hand free, he brought it to his mouth and sucked the liquid from every finger, taking his time, savoring her taste. All the while he looked into her eyes. Watching her watch him.
Her breath turned ragged. Her other hand cupped his balls, fingers gently stroking him as she watched him suck. “You’re so sexy, Draden. Everything about you. I love that you’re so responsive to me.”
His eyebrow shot up. “You do that, baby, not me. Your body’s wet and ready. I can scent your need.”
Her smile went wider. “Like a cat in permanent heat, maybe.”
“I can only hope.”
She bent to kiss his sac, running her tongue over him, her hair brushing his cock and making it swell all over again. He waited until she straightened before kissing her again. The rate we’re going, we’ll never be able to get to the present.