The following words out of her mouth were not planned. At all. They came by surprise in a wash of emotions and severe love. “I love you, grumpy.”
No anxiousness came in his silence. She stroked the arm he held around the front of her body, euphoric and peaceful. “You don’t have to say anything. I only wanted you to know I love you.” Lawless’ lips pressed to the side of her head, held there.
The words in return weren’t needed. They would have been freaking toe-curling, exceptional. She couldn’t lie about that, hearing he might love her back, that would be cloud nine, but she felt how much he cared for her. His actions were more than enough.
In that moment of peace, his breath fanning against her cheek, she wished they’d been doing this for years, but she couldn’t regret the time it took them to get here either. Lawless was right; that manipulative puppet master had given her time to grow up, to build her independence. However much she missed him, she’d learned there was a life outside of him.
It just so happened she wanted her life to be him.
And now she had that choice, to know there were other things out there if she wanted them.
She only wanted him.
Now she had to hope he wanted to keep her forever.
Or Angela would have to get down and dirty and lock him in his sex shed until he re-evaluated his decisions.
Chuckling at the direction of her thoughts, her laughter died when she felt him pulling out of her body. “Ughn, wish I could keep you inside me.”
Lawless grunted and nipped her ear. “Shouldn’t say filthy shit like that to a dirty bastard because I’ll make it happen.”
She whipped her head around. “Do you mean it?”
Angela’s slumbering desire rushed to the surface again in answer to his smirk. She’d hit the sex jackpot.
Behind her, Lawless went down to his haunches after fixing his clothes, and then she felt his mouth skimming against the back of her thighs. He kissed her ass cheek before sinking teeth into it. When he rose again, he’d pulled up her pants.
“You can let go of the tree now,” he said, amused, and Angela detached herself, turned, and fell into his chest, arms banded around his broad body.
“That was wild. Thank you.”
“Don’t have to thank me for any fucks I give you, angel. My pleasure. Did you get everything you need from this place? Ready to go home?”
“Yes.” He’d exorcised the ghosts she’d been holding onto. Now she had a fresh memory to replace the bad, and she was so grateful to Lawless. On the walk back across to his cabin, she tentatively slipped her hand into his. Trying to give affection to a notorious affection avoider was similar to stroking a tiger. You never knew if you’d get your hand bitten off. He didn’t pull back, but he sent a withering glance her way. She beamed back at him.
“Forest sex makes me hungry. I’m ready for breakfast.”
Turned out, Angela didn’t have to do a thing when they reached home. Lawless sent her upstairs to the hot bath he’d run for her to soak where he’d made her sore.His words.
When she came down dressed for a lunchtime shift at the bar, there was an array of foods on the kitchen island. Also, steamy coffee and a stack of gifts. “For me?”
He arched a brow. “I don’t see anyone else turning twenty-one today.”
“I love presents.” She grinned at him, and without standing on ceremony, she dived in, tearing into gift bags to see what was inside and taking chunks of hot croissants in greedy bites.
Love rushed through her veins, uncovering what he’d bought for her. To see gifts at all surprised Angela. On previous birthdays, he usually dumped a bunch of credit on her amazon account.
The white Baguette Fendi purse nearly made her eyeballs bulge out of her skull. The thing was this season and hellishly expensive. Like, have to sell a lung and part of her liver pricy. “Oh, my god, Lawless. This is too much.” She petted the leather, smelling it.
Lawless’ fiery eyes watched her from across the kitchen. He was propped against the counter, coffee in hand, the cat asleep on his feet.
She discovered he’d also bought her white Fendi clothes.
She nearly died seeing the ski jacket, ski pants, and lycra pullover.
These were all items she’d lusted over for months.
She hated to waste money on expensive things, especially with school costing so much. Each textbook felt like she was buying a mansion. So assuaging her costly tastes, Angela added items to digital wish lists.