Cass snickered. “Which circus?”
“Make the damn thing up. You figure out the logistics of it—and the medical insurance.” Alaric was still behind me where I sat shivering. He was wearing his clothes, at least. He wrapped his arms around my smaller frame and pressed me tight against his chest. “Just get out of here. We don’t need your dick in our faces any longer.”
I was so happy my eyes were closed. “Cass? Thank you.”
Alaric grunted. “She is good now, right? She’s blocked from him?”
“Yes, as long as he doesn’t touch her again.” Cass paused. “And this is friendly advice from your seer. You need to have sex with her sooner rather than later.” With those final words, dry leaves crunched under his feet as he stomped away.
Alaric released me to yank his suit jacket off. Sure hands bundled me in the soft, warm fabric. I slipped my hands into the arm holes, only opening my eyes then. He cooed quietly in my ear as I shook inside his hold.
I gasped in shock. “Is Butch all right?”
“Yes, I saw him near the pond. He missed the entire show happening inside.” Eventually, he cleared his throat, musing, “I think we’ve had a pretty memorable wedding, don’t you?”
I choked on a dry laugh. “I actually felt it coming this time. It was different from before. It was me in control of my actions. That bastard just changed me and kept me that way.”
He nodded against my hair, whispering, “Was it the voices or the smells?”
I shuddered. “Both. They were both rotting away in my brain.”
He rocked me back and forth in a gentle sway. “You’re okay now, beauty. You’re okay. I promise. Just keep breathing. Your nose is right now.”
I rested my head back against his shoulder. “Beauty, huh?”
“Oh, yes.” His hands rubbed slowly against my body, a curling flame firing low in my gut. “You’re the beauty to my beast.”
My lips twitched. “I’ve read that fairy tale.”
“I imagine you have. After all, that was the only hobby you listed on your Marriage Match application.”
I chuckled. “You read that?”
“Of course, I did.” He tipped his head and placed his lips against my temple, whispering, “We are a perfect match, don’t you think?”
“So far so good.” I pressed against him harder, enjoying his strength and heat. “Did you know that I think you’re the sexiest man alive?”
He paused in our gentle sway. “Is that bullshit you’re giving me?”
“Nope.” I smiled and tilted my head, resting my forehead against his neck. “I think you’re sexy as hell.”
He bent his hands out from my body, peering down at them. “And my hands?”
“Oh, shut up. You know I love them. I stare at them all the time. How about you fill out one of those forms honestly, and then hand it over.”
He went back to rocking us and rubbing my body. “Legs. I love legs the best.” He dipped his hands under his jacket that was covering me to grip my thighs. “Theseare the sexiest legs I’ve ever seen.”
I giggled, then coughed to hide it. “I already know what your hobby is.”
“What would that be?”
“Hanging out with your friends during your downtime. You love all of them very much, and it shows. I like that about you.”
“And I like that you like them.” He kissed my temple again, his lips lingering as he inhaled deeply. The bear inside him growled quietly, his tone an intimate purr. “Has this ruined our wedding night?”
I whispered, “Give me a few hours. I’ll be better by then—hopefully.” So he was on the same page as me about our wedding night. “Though, you don’t just want to have sex because Cass told you to, right?”
He snickered, and then pressed his lower body against my butt. A thick, raging erection was happening in his pants at that current moment. He grumbled, “What do you think, beauty?”
“I think…,” I squirmed against him, “…I’ll be just fine in a couple of hours.”
Alaric groaned low in his throat. “I hope like hell you are.” My husband lifted me into his arms and stood in one smooth motion. He peered down into my eyes. “First, you need a shower. You have blood all over your feet and hands.”
I choked, not glancing anywhere near them. “That’s a way to romance me.” My brows pinched together, worry gnawing at my throat. “No one died?”
“Not that I could tell. Just broken bones and the like. Nothing a little money thrown their way can’t handle.”
I peered heavenward. “I did say I wanted a rich man. Who knew this is what it would be used for.”
