“Yeah, I can do that.”
We worked together in comfortable silence as she barricaded the two doorways, and I got the fire going. The warmth was immediate.
“Get over here, Laney. Put my clothes on before you freeze.”
“G-good call.” She shivered as she approached the fire. “I-I’ll go change in the bathroom.”
“Nonsense.” I waved her off. “You’re cold. Change here.”
She blinked. “This doesn’t… but you’ll…”
“See you?” I arched a brow. “I’ve licked every part of you. Bit, teased, sucked all of it too. I can turn around if it makes you more comfortable, but this is silly.”
“We’re not together though.”
“Have you made up your mind, then?” I tensed. I wasn’t prepared for her answer, and I didn’t mean to blurt out my question. I should be patient. Wait her out. Let her decide, but I couldn’t fathom not knowing. She didn’t want to put a sweatshirt on in front of me. That fucking hurt.
“Connor…” Her eyes watered. “I’m scared.”
My heart broke for her.
“Honey, I am too, okay? I’m barely hanging on right now at the thought of this being our last night in our place. I almost lost it upstairs not seeing your pile of books on the nightstand. I’m fucking terrified.”
Tears spilled from her eyes, and I cupped her face, wiping them away with my thumbs.
“I vowed to take care of you for the rest of my life, and I’m the reason you’re crying. So trust me when I say, I’m more scared about losing you than anything in my life.”
She shivered, her lips trembling as I ran my hands down her arms.
“Let’s get you warmed up. We don’t have to talk if you don’t want to, but I’m still your husband. Let me take care of you a little longer.”
She nodded and turned around, lifting her hair and exposing the zipper on the back of her dress. I ran a finger over the seam, wishing like hell I could kiss her. She trusted me to take care of her, and I couldn’t blow it. Not when this felt like a win.
“My f-fingers are shaking too badly. Not sure I can undo it,” she said.
“That’s okay, I can.” My own fingers shook as I tried and failed to get the zipper to work. It took three tries before I pulled it down. The fabric fell, exposing her bare back. I clenched my teeth together, fighting the burst of lust at seeing her skin.
“There, it’s undone,” I barked out.
“Thank you.” She let the dress drop, leaving her in only a pair of red panties and a strapless bra that left nothing to the imagination. They were outlined in lace, and my mouth fucking watered. My wife was stunning. Everything about her waslovely, and it physically killed me to have her a foot away and not touch her.
She slid the hoodie on and pulled up the shorts I had given her earlier. My clothes engulfed her, and she looked so cute that I wished I could take a picture. But this moment wasn’t mine to steal.
“Thanks for the clothes.” She picked up the dress, avoiding my eyes as she set it on the couch. “Do you have socks I could borrow too?”
“Of course. Fuck, sorry.” I scolded myself. “Let me—”
“I can get them.”
“No, stay here.” I jogged toward the stairs, the emotions I had tamped down all evening threatening to burst. Laney always told me I needed a healthy outlet to deal with my emotions, but keeping busy was my outlet. I didn’t think I needed more than that. But it was clear this put me at a disadvantage because I was seconds away from screaming.
Laney couldn’t even look at me, and it destroyed me.
CHAPTER SEVEN
LANEY
Damn, this was hard. I was home, but not really. I was scared but also felt safe with Connor. I loved him so much, yet still felt like I needed to leave. I couldn’t stop shivering, and I had no way to tell if it was the blizzard, the power going out, or being around him.
