Page 87 of Claiming Ours
“Oh yes, Kitten. Play. I plan to kiss and touch every inch of your tiny body tonight, inside and out. And I have some ideas for those toys of yours.”
My knees literally went weak at the tsunami of need that flooded my entire body, every cell pulsing with insatiable desire. Thankfully, I was by the island, and I kept myself from falling to the floor by gripping the edge with both hands.
Briefly checking his phone, a soft smile forming at whatever the text said, Memphis stepped in front of the fridge. Bottles rattled in the shelves as the door swung open. A string of grumblings echoed through the small area while he inspectedthe nearly empty appliance. His lips were turned down when he glanced over his shoulder.
“What are the odds that Liam has food that isn’t expired or growing mold?”
I folded both arms over my chest with a fake annoyed huff. “Come on. It’s not that bad.”
“I knew we should’ve gotten stuff for dinner when he grabbed the steaks for the dogs. I didn’t realize it was this dire,” Memphis mumbled. “Okay, let’s go see what Liam has.”
“Wait, let me leave food for BamBam in case he pops by later.” Inside the sparse pantry, I took out the bag of organic beef jerky I bought for BamBam, the rustle of the plastic bag instantly calling the dogs to my side. “You two have already eaten your share.” Both whined at my feet, their tails swishing on the floor where they sat impatiently. I chuckled. “You’re right, you deserve this.” After giving each a piece, which they swallowed whole, I put two pieces in BamBam’s bowl and placed it in the center of the island out of the dogs’ reach. “Okay, now we can go.”
Taking Memphis’s offered hand, we started toward Liam’s place, leaving the dogs behind. A sharp gust of wind whipped through the row of cottages, rustling the few trees along the road. At my first shiver, Memphis tugged me against him, releasing my hand to drape an arm around my shoulders, keeping me sealed to his warm side.
“I can’t imagine how cold it gets in the winter,” he mused. “I’ll have to update my wardrobe if I want to survive.”
I blinked up at him, tucking a few floating hairs behind my ear. “You mean that?”
“Mean what?”
“That you’ll be here through the winter?”
He paused in the middle of the road, the fading sun offering just enough light for me to see the confusion on his face.
“That’s what I planned, but if you don’t want me to, then?—”
Instead of answering with words, I hooked both arms around his neck and jumped, securing my legs around his waist. Burying my face against his neck, I pressed a soft kiss to his warm skin.
“Yes, that’s what I want,” I whispered. “I just didn’t want to assume you’d give up your life in Florida for me. For this.”
His fingers threaded through my hair, curling into a fist at the base of my head, and guided my face away from his skin. “If you’ll have me, Bay, thisisthe life I want, here with you. There isn’t a life I want to live if it’s not with you. I can have my things in Florida shipped here, or hell, they can give it all away. We’ve had too many years apart, of me denying myself the one person who makes my soul happy, to ever leave Anchor Bay.”
“Yes,” I choked out, the swell of emotions making my throat tight. “I want that. I want you here with us.”
“Okay, then.” He pressed a sweet kiss to the tip of my nose. “It’s settled. I’m staying.”
Sighing in utter happiness, I rested my head on his shoulder as he restarted the short walk to Liam’s place. At the front door, Memphis adjusted his hold on me to pound a fist against the solid wood.
Worry wove its way into the earlier happiness when seconds passed without the door opening and Liam snatching me from Memphis’s arms. Again, he knocked, this time with enough force that Ethan would hear it from his place next door if he were ever home.
Before the growing worry could turn to stomach-churning nausea, the thump of heavy footsteps came from inside the cabin. Relief swept through me when the door swung open, revealing a disheveled Liam.
A perfectly adorable, sleepy Liam. I ducked my face against Memphis’s throat to hide the sappy smile that curved my lips.
“What’s wrong?” Liam rasped, rubbing a hand down his face as if to wipe away the sleep. “Is she okay?”
Before Memphis could respond, wide hands gripped my waist and extracted me from his hold. Like I weighed nothing, Liam twirled me around, and this time my limbs wrapped around a thicker frame. Knuckle beneath my chin, Liam tipped my face up, eyes searching mine.
“She’s fine,” Memphis huffed, maneuvering past Liam, who blocked most of the doorway. “It’s eight thirty, and she has nothing but wilted veggies and ketchup in her fridge for dinner.”
“You haven’t fed her yet?” His deep voice vibrated through his chest and against my own, amping up the simmering need Memphis stoked earlier.
“Again, not a zoo animal,” I cut in, resting my face against Liam’s hard chest.
“I passed out after the shower and just woke up,” Memphis grumbled from the kitchen. The sound of the fridge opening reached my ears. “Oh, thank fuck you have food. I’ll check out our protein options, then go from there.”
He continued to mumble under his breath about sides and vegetables while Liam carried me to his living room and sat in an oversized chair, the leather groaning beneath our weight as he settled in. My head rose and fell in cadence with his deep breaths.
