She was Sól, the sun goddess, come to life.
And he was the ravenous wolf in pursuit.
Down, boy,he lectured himself sternly.
“I hope you don’t mind, but I got tired of waiting,” she said lightly. “Are you ready?”
Hell, yes.
Enchanted by her initiative, he responded by entering her chamber, closing the door behind him. Being in the room caused a brief twinge of unease. While he’d had Caroline’s belongings removed, the space still bore her fingerprint in the muted palette and fragile furnishings.
He cleared his throat. “Are you comfortable in here? Feel free to make any changes you wish.”
“Thank you. I shall.” She tilted her head. “Speaking of which, do I have leave to make adjustments to the rest of the house as well?”
Wry amusement filled him.Give the chit an inch.
He liked her exuberant feminine energy. He’d wanted an equal partner, and that was clearly what he was getting. The opportunity to hand off pesky domestic concerns to his better half was, in truth, a dream come true.
“Change anything you want,” he said with satisfaction. “This is your home now.”
“Carte blanche is a splendid way to start our marriage.”
Unable to resist her teasing, he caught her chin, gazing into her vivid eyes.
“The fun is yet to begin,” he murmured. “Do you know how exquisite you are?”
“If I say yes, will you think me immodest?”
He smiled slowly, enjoying their banter. “I happen to value honesty over modesty.” He trailed a finger along her shoulder and felt her shiver. “Nervous, my dear?”
With a charming blush, she nodded. “But I find myself equally…well…”
“Yes?”
“Curious.” Her eyes shone with sensual innocence.
Christ, this woman was made for him. He could not have designed a wife more perfectly suited to his desires. Excitement dissolved the rest of his tension.
Everything will be all right. Fiona and I both want a convenient marriage. We both want…this.
He slid his fingers into her luxuriant hair, savoring the silken texture and her vibrant interest.
“Then allow me to assuage your curiosity,” he said.
Bending his head, he kissed her.
Hawk’s kiss was glorious. It sparked the tinder of Fiona’s desire, heat sweeping through her. Everything about him felt right: his taste of whisky and male, the way he cradled her head for his kiss, the bold and proprietary sweep of his tongue.
My husband. He’s mine,she thought with possessive wonder.
Alone in her new bedchamber, she’d felt torn between nerves and anticipation; the latter had won out. For better or worse, she’d pledged herself to Hawk, and tonight they would embark on their first adventure in the marital bower.
She had a good idea of what to expect on her wedding night. As an Angel, she’d witnessed considerably more of life than the average debutante. Mama had also sat her down and blushingly explained married love, using phrases such as “surrendering to crashing waves of fulfilment” and “souls becoming one on an ecstatic plane” until Fi had begged her to stop.
In the end, it was the advice of Fi’s friends that had stuck with her.
“Trust your instincts,”Livy had said.“Do what feels right in the moment.”
