“I know you don’t, Hubby,” I teased, pressing a kiss to his cheekbone, maintaining the pressure on his shoulders. “I’m walking, talking evidence of how much you love solving other people’s problems.”
Henry tilted his head to look up at me, green eyes bright and intent on my face. “You are the furthest thing from a problem, Catnip. But you did get one thing right: I?—”
“Okay, I’m going to go before I end up intruding on something I really don’t need to be witnessing,” Lucian interrupted dryly. “You know I’m just a phone call away, Bax, if you need anything at all … although I have a feeling that all your needs are being more than met by your wife.”
“Okay, Pervy Pookie!” I snarked. “Stop making dirty comments about Henry’s needs! We’ll talk to you later, okay?”
“Pervy Pookie!” Liv crowed delightedly in the background. “Damn right he is!”
I snorted, Henry blushed, and Lucian, after letting out a bemused grunt, added in a low voice, “Try not to dwell today, Bax. Ri’s right—you’ve done everything you can, and you aren’t responsible for Atlas’s dickwad behaviour.”
Henry mumbled a goodbye, his head lolling back against my chest as soon as he hung up the phone.
“You really are meeting all my needs, Catnip,” he murmured, lifting my hand from his shoulder and pressing a kiss to my palm. “I wonder if on some level I knew that would be the case when I came up with the crazy plan to marry you.”
Tears sprung to my eyes. Why was I so emotional lately?
Oh, could it be that you’re in love, perhaps?
I wanted so badly to confess that to him. But it felt like the wrong time. I wanted there to be no lies left lurking between us when I told him this most important truth.
So I kissed him instead, pouring all the unsaid things into him that way. He met all the needs I’d never known I had—the ones where I was an equal, where I could expect support, and comfort, and understanding, and where I wanted to give those things in return.
He kissed me back fervently, his tongue swiping against my lips, seeking entry that was wholeheartedly given. He rolled us until I was under him, his thumbs caressing my face, his body a warm, comforting weight over me.
Safe.
And aroused. It was impossible not to be when he kissed me with so much longing. And when his erection was pulsing insistently against my hip.
I adjusted my legs, giving him space to sink his body between them, to line up his hardness with the aching parts of me. “I need you, Henry,” I whispered against his warm lips, reaching between us to tug at his pyjama bottoms, swiping my thumb over the hot tip of him.
“And you know I’m always happy to meet your needs too, Catnip,” he rasped, hooking his fingers into my panties, his lips finding mine again, possessing my mouth with heated desire.
A knock sounded on the door.
“Rise and shine, almost-an-island-owner!”
Henry groaned into my mouth before breaking our kiss, resting his forehead against mine. “It’s River,” he mumbled. “He’s starting the site assessment today.”
“Ugh. Can we not just tell him to wait until we’re done?” I whined, only half joking. But my stomach growled, betraying me.
“Breakfast time.” Henry planted one last, chaste kiss to my mouth before climbing off me, tucking his impressive cock back into his pants.
I made a whimpering noise of protest, and Henry grinned. “I promised River we’d spend his first day on the island together so he can talk me through his process.” He took my hands and helped me to my feet. “But once that’s done, I’m all yours for the entire evening … and I plan to take care of you very thoroughly.”
I pouted, eyeing his bulge meaningfully. “Wouldn’t you rathermetake care ofyou… right now? You can hardly go out there pitching a tent—you’ll give the poor man an inferiority complex!”
Henry’s choke of laughter turned to a soft groan when I went to my knees, freeing him from his pyjamas once more. “I bet I can get you off in less than three minutes,” I challenged, gripping him and stroking.
“I have no wish to lose money, so I won’t be taking you up on … oh … fuck!” His hand tangled in my hair as I took him into my mouth, humming around him.
I managed it in two.
I sat on my old bed, in the room that had been mine before I’d moved into Henry’s. The box in my lap felt like it weighed a tonne. The item inside it … and the explanation behind it, was the last barrier of dishonesty between us.
I wanted forever with Henry. But forever meant him understanding my past … and how putting it behind us might not be as simple as a partner visa. Sure, the visa was an extra layer of safety, but my family wasn’t above using less than legal means to get what they wanted.
Lifting the string of gold coins out of the box, I ran my thumb over the cold, heavy metal. It was a gaudy, sickening reminder that I’d been bought and paid for. With my tuition, with my allowance while studying in Australia.
