Kendall sighed and rolled her eyes.“Fine.Be careful about my leg.”
She leaned her other knee out, beckoning me close.She was bare naked, her skin flushed pink.I was hard for her, and I simply needed her.
I eased my weight over her, smoothing her tangled hair away from her forehead.As I settled into the cradle of her hips, notching myself at her entrance, I whispered, “Look at me.”
When her lashes lifted, our eyes locked as I sank home, filling her in a slow, deep thrust.The moment felt shimmering and electric.My heart was pounding, each beat reverberating.
This moment with her was something I’d never experienced with anyone else.The way my physical desire was woven like threads with my emotions.As I filled her in slow nudges, I watched as she bit her lip and felt the song of her body when she tightened and began to tremble and clench around me.
Moments later, she was crying my name as I reached between us to tease her.I knew her now, and I knew her body, and I savored that knowledge.I followed her over that edge, spinning in the current as my release broke through me, her name like a prayer.
Later, we lay together, just talking.She asked questions about the trip and filled me in on the antics of various animals in the rescue program.She leaned her head back, studying me for a few beats.
“What?”I prompted.
“Maybe you should just stay here all the time.”
I chuckled.“That’s what I’ve been doing.But I was thinking…” Pausing, I took an unsteady breath.“Maybe we find a place on the property out at Heartfire Falls.There are a few options.”
“Yeah?”
“You’d like that?”
“I just want to be with you all the time,” she whispered.
ChapterForty-Nine
Kendall
I looked across the table at Jude.He was holding my hand, sipping his coffee, and talking casually with Graham.As I looked around Firehouse Café, I realized everything in my life finally felt like it had fallen into place.
It wasn’t perfect—because life never would be—butthismoment with my best friend felt as close to perfect as possible.He’d brought me to my knees in the shower this morning and then carefully dabbed around the stitches on my leg when we were toweling off, insisting that I needed to be careful.He told me he loved me.Again.I’d never get tired of hearing those words from him.Now, we were simply having coffee.
Tommy had called with an update on how Travis did last night.The mundane details of the morning felt so profoundly good.
“Have a good one,” Graham was saying.He waved as he stepped back, catching his wife’s hand as they left the café.
Jude’s gaze met mine across the table.After a few beats, while we smiled at each other and I felt almost goofy about it, he tipped his head to the side, his eyes sobering.“Can we just get to the point?”he asked.
“What point?”
“The point when we just go ahead and get married.”
I almost choked on the swallow of coffee I’d just taken.
“Are you serious?”I sputtered.
“Absolutely.I know exactly who and what I want.Is there any doubt in your mind?”
I shook my head slowly as joy rose in a cacophony inside, like a flock of birds taking flight and calling to each other.“No.There’s not.”I took a shaky breath, letting it out in a gust.“Are we talking like a ceremony, or something else?”
“I’m thinking we go get our marriage license and take care of the whole thing at the courthouse,” Jude said flatly.
“Today?”I squeaked.“Is that even possible?”
Janet overheard us and squealed.“You can get your license today and get married as soon as the three-day waiting period is over.I would like to be one of your witnesses.You need two,” she said.
As if caught in a rushing current of water, we were walking together down to the small courthouse.Janet was practically bouncing with glee.She’d called Maggie to agree to be the other witness.
