Page 27 of Always Alchemy

My heart is, impossibly, swelling even more at her generosity of spirit. ‘But I want it to be equitable between the three of us,’ I protest. ‘I don’t ever, ever want you to feel less than.’

‘Exactly,’ Dex says. ‘It changes the balance of the relationship.’

But she’s shaking her head. ‘That’s the whole point. It makes itmorebalanced, not less—it’s a step towards making sure you guys have all the rights you should have. It’s just a piece of paper, like you said. You get covered, and then we all make our vows together in the way that matters.’

When we hesitate, she presses on. ‘Seriously. People fought hard for this. Take your rights. And if you think there’s the slightest chance I’ll ever stand for being a third wheel, you’re deluded.’

I laugh, and Dex grins with a face full of tears. ‘We’d never, ever be that delusional.’

‘I suppose you have a point,’ I muse. ‘About the legal side of it. I hadn’t thought of that.’ I hadn’t allowed myself to think about it, I suppose, because I was looking for an equitable solution for the three of us, but she’s right.

‘You’re welcome,’ Darcy says, blowing me a kiss. ‘At least we’ve got one fine strategic brain among the three of us.’

8

LAID BARE

GEN

Anton Wolff is a sight to behold.

I can tell by the slow, rhythmical rise and fall of his bare chest that he’s drifted off to sleep as he dries off.

It’s no surprise he’s tired. He’s just completed fifty lengths in his pool. That’s after having spent most of last night fucking me six ways till Sunday.

It’s also no surprise that Anton’s swimming technique is on a par with his technique in all other aspects of his life. That is powerful, borderline aggressive, flawlessly executed, and, obviously, sexy as fuck.

I’m happy he’s dozing. It gives me a chance to obsess over his perfect physicality in a way I can never, ever get enough of. Although I could spend the rest of my life obsessing over him, and it still wouldn’t be enough.

Two years on, I know that much to be true.

Sometimes, it feels as though Anton will never stop unravelling me. Stripping me bare. Unveiling yet new layersof vulnerability and, yes, emotion in me. And I know I’ll find the courage to take those steps.

To let him.

Because in this man’s hands, in hisarms, I lose my fear. His fearlessness is as infectious as his passion. His light surrounds me like a blazing sun.

He dazzles me.

And when he does, I am freed from my demons and insecurities and from the past walls I built for myself.

They lie in a pile of rubble at my feet, because Anton and I are finally aligned on one front.

Neither of us wants there to be a single thing between us.

I raise myself up onto one elbow on the daybed we’re sharing. It’s actually the same bed he bent me over and fucked me on that very first evening, when I finally gave into this insane pull between us.

How far we’ve come since that animosity, that game of cat and mouse.

These days, the mouse rolls over every single time for her husband.

As I gaze down at him, I smile to myself. And yeah, my smile is smug as fuck. Because there is no one on the planet like this man, and, by some unfathomable miracle, he’s all mine.

Those long, thick lashes of his flutter slightly as he sleeps, the late afternoon sun casting shadows over his cheeks. His dark hair is still damp and raked messily off his face. He has his arms up and crossed behind his head in a cradle. In repose, that obscenely handsome, expressive face of his is more peaceful, his features less craggy. The double laughter lines I love so much are visible.

The dimples are not.

His lips are full and sensual. His skin is tanned and golden. I suspect he’ll still be tanned in the middle of winter, although our annual trip to his place in Mustique will help.

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