Page 106 of The Miracle of Love
They stayed wrapped in each other, he atop her and inside her, his muscled arms around her and their bodies damp from exertion.
Her heart beat erratically.
She could feel the pounding of his while they remained enlaced in each other’s arms.
When they had wrung every drop out of each other, he eased himself off her and fell back against the mattress with a deep and resonant laughing groan. “Blessed saints, that was good.”
His grin revealed his pride of conquest.
She could not stop smiling. “Did you really like it?”
“Love, I have never felt so spent. Yes, I liked it. How could I hide it? Do not smile at me that way, you wicked enchantress.”
“How am I smiling?”
“As though you have conquered me and I am your ever obedient jungle cat.”
“You are my leopard, to be precise. But I would not cage you for the world. I like that untamed part of you.”
He kissed her softly. “Grace, you are in my heart. I will share everything I have with you. I will always come home to you.”
She rested her head against his chest, unable to recall when she had ever felt so content.
“Just don’t expect me to invite the rest of the world in.”
“No, Deklan. I never would.” He would not change the essence of himself. This solitary creature is who he would always be, simply no longer perched alone in his high tree. He would allow her to share it…or he would come down, ready to make a life with her.
“I love you so much, Deklan. It is a miracle.”
“A miracle that you love me?” He arched an eyebrow and cast her a deliciously irreverent grin when she glanced up to look at him. “Or that I am still alive after that bout of lovemaking?”
She laughed, knowing he was in jest.
He had all the experience and she had never been loved by anyone until this moment. “I am sure it was tame in comparison to your other…times. Any man with a snake on his rump has to have a streak of wicked.”
He caressed her cheek. “It has never been better than with you. Coupling is not about the act itself, it has no meaning unless with the right partner. Do you know what is the true miracle? Your smile. It is the loveliest thing imaginable and what will always draw me home to you.”
“My smile? That does not sound very low brain of you.”
“Oh, I’ll always have plenty of those mindless urges about you. But my high brain chose you because of your smile. It is pure sunshine and you shone your light into my soul the moment I met you. I did not readThe Book of Loveto discover the right woman for me. I knew it was you. Never a moment’s doubt.”
She pursed her lips, now confused. “Then why did you read it?”
“To learn how to be therightman for you.”
“But you were. You’ve been wonderful to me all along.”
“Because I am in love with you, Grace. But I am also that leopard who wants to hide in his tree, happy to be on his own and answering to no one. I knew this had to change or I would lose you. For you, I will always come down from my perch in the tree. I want to make you happy. And I will, I give you my sacred promise.”
He rolled her under him again. “Do not get mawkishly sentimental and give me your sacred promise in return. I do not need it. I know you will never give me less than every drop of love in your heart. But there is something you can do for me now.”
“Anything, my love. What is it?”
He whispered in her ear.
She gasped and burst out laughing. “Deklan! Seriously? You truly are a naughty man. I do not even want to know where you learn these things.”
“The question is, are you willing to let me teach you?”
