“I’ll think about it,” I laugh, turning and wrapping my arms tighter around him.
“You rarely stare off like that,” he says, softer now.“Wanna tell me what’s going on in that head?”
Of course he reads me.He always does.The thought that’s been chewing at me since our firestorm with The Shark resurfaces.“Nothing huge.I was just wondering if Alan’s gonna win in the end,” I admit.
“This again?”He brushes a thumb over my arm.“You don’t need to stress.The prosecutor has concrete proof.Every witness already came in.Mallory’s people are even getting dragged in as suspects.”
“So you think they’ll get sentenced?”I search his eyes.
“Yup.”
“But your father still looks eager to strip Golden’s evidence apart.”
He chuckles and pulls me closer.“He’s running out of angles.The wiretaps, the witnesses, the transactions.They’re solid.He’s just fishing for sympathy at this point, trying to tug at personal feelings to soften the jury.”
“Yeah, maybe you’re right.”A quiet beat passes.“But maybe your father is right too.We dragged Alan in and threw him into the fire because we wanted revenge.That part makes me feel bad.”The guilt crawls up again, a sharp knot right under my ribs.
“No.Don’t feel bad for doing the right thing.”He buries his face in my shoulder until his hair tickles my neck.“And hey, I saw your socials.People are literally praising you now.Flooding our profiles with congratulations.”
“Yeah, I know…” I murmur, still stunned by how fast the narrative flipped.
“They’re saying I’m the lucky one.Lucky to have a brave, gorgeous wife.”
“Wow.You feeling lucky?”I try not to smile.
“When I’m with you, I feel like I could never run out of luck.”He pinches my nose until I whine, and his dimples appear like always, stupidly irresistible.
“Do you love me?”I ask, staring into his emerald irises.
“Jeez, I married you.Why wouldn’t I love you?”He laughs, playful but earnest.
“I don’t know.Maybe you need me to prove to your dad that you can go against him.”
He cups my face with both hands.Looks at me fully.A smile tugs at his firm jaw.“You’re my proof that I’m a human being with actual feelings.Love, especially.If he can’t see that, let him stay trapped in his own damn ego.”His thumb strokes my cheek.
“Look me in the eye and say that again,” I whisper.
“I love you.”A kiss to my cheek.
I close my eyes to hear him better.
“I love you.”A kiss to my forehead.
“I love you.”His lips find mine.
And God, the way his voice pours straight into my chest—warm and sure.The way his mouth never disappoints.Our breaths tangle as our lips move together, slow at first, then hungry, familiar, desperate, our tongues finding each other like they always do.
I want him more.And more.And more.
He pulls off my tank top until I’m exposed to the night air.I’m not sure if it’s his fingers kneading my breasts that make my hair stand up or the wind blowing down my back that does it.My nipples pucker, and I sigh at the addictive temptation.
“Should we head inside?”I ask between our kisses in a soft whisper.
“Yes, let’s get you warmed up.”He picks me up with my topless body rubbing against his T-shirt.
My arms drape around his neck, and he scoops my thighs and bum with his muscular arms.He walks through the balcony door until we reach the bed, all without releasing the hot, breath-stealing clasp of our lips.
“Laird,” I rasp his name in a pleasing sigh as he trails kisses down my neck, and his hands are busy pulling off my underwear.
