Chapter Twenty-Two
Bari
I wasn’t sure how long I slept, but when I woke, I was wrapped in absolute heaven, ensconced in fluffy covers and completely surrounded by the strong, comforting scent of the Alpha that had been my own for so many years. I sighed, grateful that I’d been allowed to sleep in his bed as my head healed. It wasn’t until the pillow under my cheek moved that I realized I wasn’t alone, which explained the deliciously overpowering Alpha pheromones threatening to drown me.
As desperately as I wanted to remain where I was and soak up the comfort of being held by my husband, the need to pee again was equally desperate. I must have squirmed because the hand resting on the small of my back began to move in slow circles.
“Are you in pain?” Ahearn’s voice was the faintest of whispers.
“No,” I said truthfully. “My headache seems to be gone, but I do need the toilet.”
Ahearn shifted beneath me, easing me to sit up. “Shall I grab the pitcher?”
I considered the option before carefully shaking my head. “I don’t feel dizzy. I think I can walk.”
“Very well.” Ahearn slipped from the bed to stand before me and it was all I could do not to stare. Instead of the boxer shorts he’d worn when he’d shared the train bunk with me, he was gloriously nude and his manhood was full and erect, pressed taut to his belly.
Suddenly, I was dizzy again.
“Bari?” Ahearn sounded amused.
“I’m sorry.” I forced my eyes away and accepted his outstretched hand to assist me to my feet, biting back a moan when he steadied me by pressing his body to my side.
“For what?” Ahearn moved behind me, his body pressed to mine as he gripped my hips.
“What?”
“What are you sorry for?” Ahearn repeated in that amused tone.
“Ah, for staring,” I managed to mumble helplessly as my body responded to the feel of his length against my bottom. “I..the bathroom,” I reminded him, giving up on trying to will my response away.
“Right,” Ahearn agreed, stroking my skin as he pulled his hands from my hips.
In the bathroom, I locked the door and sank down on the toilet, trying to decide if I should bring myself relief or simply force my dick down to be able to pee.
“He doesn’t want me,” I hissed under my breath. “I need to stop hoping.”
After several more minutes of firmly reminding myself that I was misinterpreting the situation, I was finally able to relieve myself. Washing my hands, I drew in a fortifying breath and stepped back into the bedroom, fully expecting that Ahearn would have dressed in my absence.
He had not.
Instead, he was sprawled out in the center of the bed, one large hand lazily stroking his aroused cock. My feet stumbled to a stop immediately after my brain froze. Watching Ahearn pleasure himself had been one of my favorite things from early in our relationship. And when he finished by spraying my face and body with his release before mounting me to go again, marking me as his inside and out? I was trembling at the memory,wantclawing at my gut even as I tried to remind myself that I was misreading the situation.
I had to be.
Tearing my eyes away from Ahearn’s cock, I found his smoldering eyes watching me. He crooked a finger on his free hand, beckoning me closer.
“I..ah…shouldn’t,” I stuttered even as I took one step forward.
“Shouldn’t you?” Ahearn’s words rumbled in his throat, making my heart jump. “Why?”
“I…you..” The language center in my brain was clearly damaged from the fall and my eyes drifted back to his glorious manhood, the fluid leaking from the tip making my mouth water.
“Come here, Bari.” Ahearn squeezed the base of his cock the way he used to when he was trying to prolong our encounters. “You are still my mate, are you not?”
I nodded jerkily. In the legal sense, I was. The divorce papers had been tabled by the council.
“You want to please your Alpha.”
