Page 126 of Feels Like Love
I laughed. “Okay. Sure. Set it up.”
She leaned in and lowered her voice. “Did you give Bennett his birthday gift yet?”
Everyone seemed louder all of a sudden, or maybe I was just more withdrawn. I rolled my lip into my mouth and shook my head.
“Don’t chicken out now.” She smirked.
After the last of the guests had gone and River was tucked in bed with Toodles, Bennett and I finally made our way down the hall to our bedroom. All evening, I’d been glancing at my hand, still trying to wrap my head around the fact that I was engaged. Me! Wren Beaudin. Miss Unlucky in Love. For so long, I’d believed I was doomed to end up alone. But Bennett had shown me the meaning of trust and unconditional love. And I was excited for the future.
I brushed my teeth and changed then returned to the bedroom. Bennett was already in bed, sitting against the headboard, book in hand. With his carved chest and golden hair, he looked like an angel or a god. And he was all mine.
“Hey, baby,” he said, peering at me from above the pages. I could feel his eyes on me as I plugged in my phone.
“Did you have a good birthday?” I asked.
He closed the book and set it aside. “The best.” He crooked his finger, beckoning me to him. “Come ’ere.” His eyes were dark pools of mischief.
“In a minute.”
He frowned, and I nearly laughed at his expression. “I still have to give you your present.”
“You already gave me a present.”
“Yeah. That was the PG-family present,” I said, referring to the cookbook and baking supplies River and I had given him. “Now I want to give you yourrealpresent.”
He quirked an eyebrow. “Oh. I’m definitely intrigued.”
“Close your eyes.” Bennett was still watching me from where he reclined on the bed, and I narrowed my eyes at him. “Bennett, if you want your present, I suggest you close your eyes.”
“Okay. Okay,” he sighed. “I can follow instructions.”
“Good.” I headed toward the closet then returned with the box. My hands trembled slightly when I set it on his lap, nerves and excitement making me dizzy. “Now open.”
He glanced down at the box and untied the ribbon before tearing off the lid. He tossed the tissue paper aside and stilled when he came to the leather-bound book.
“What’s this?” He grinned, setting the box aside. “A scrapbook?”
“Not quite,” I said, though I’d have to put that on my list of ideas for Christmas. River would love to help with something like that.
Bennett opened the cover and stared down at the photo. He swallowed hard, Adam’s apple bobbing. He turned to the next page, eyes darkening. Then the next. But still, he didn’t say anything. Image after image of me dressed in lingerie. Whipped cream covering my nipples. Me pretending to lick some off my finger.
Finally, I couldn’t take it any longer. “Do you like it?”
He set the book aside. “Are you kidding?” He reached out and pulled me onto his lap, fusing his lips to mine. “I fucking love it. Those pictures of you are…incredible. You look so sexy and confident. And I’m so proud of you for doing it.”
I enjoyed the warmth of his skin and the heat of his gaze. “As you once told me, sometimes it takes someone else to show us who we really are. You helped me find that confidence.”
“I never would’ve anticipated it would turn into something like this.” He grinned. “What’s next?”
“A couples shoot,” I teased.
“Fuck yes.” He arched his hips, his erection grazing my center.
I ground against him, needing more friction. More of him. “I was talking about engagement photos, but if you want to do a couples boudoir shoot, I’m game.”
“Okay. But I’m totally going to be hard the entire time.”
I laughed, kissing his cheek. His neck. His chest. “That’s okay. We’ll make sure you’re covered with a sheet. Oh, and I sort of lined up a wedding planner and a venue.”
