Page 50 of Forever Fallen

“That’s quite a technicality,” he replied gruffly.

“But it’s there nonetheless.”

“You play a mean game, wife…”

“You’re the one bending the rules to suit yourself.”

“How is that?”

“My bedroom door was locked.”

“Yeah, I gotta fix that…” Ryan muttered, sitting up, “… And make sure I have a key to the house andthatdoor. These locks on this place are terrible and awfully flimsy.”

“Nooooooo…” Sophie drawled out laughing, pushing herself upwards and covering herself modestly again. “That is not how this works, husband.”

“You’re right,wife-of-mine,”he said pointedly, his dark eyes full of liquid heat as he gazed her. “I’m giving you fair warning now that someday I am going to make this a real marriage between us – full of emotions, laughter, and joy,” he breathed – and hesitated.

“Then, I’m going to carry you away to one of these rooms and have my wicked way with you until you can’t walk, talk, see-straight, or argue with me ever again,” his voice trembled with untold desires, kindling an awareness that she hadn’t known was there.

It made her stomach clench and ache.

“When our wedding night finally gets here? Your Grammy will be cheering from heaven with pompoms, because I’m gonna love her granddaughter thoroughly that night. You will never forget me when I’m gone, I can promise you that. Do you understand what I’m saying, my beautiful, beloved bride?”

Sophie’s breath caught in her chest as she looked at Ryan wordlessly, stunned by his blunt words and the imagery it caused in her mind.

“Nothing to say, darling?” he asked intimately, his face full of egotistical knowledge and anticipation.

This time, the pet name wasn’t said snidely or teasingly as they had once done when referring to each other. It was full of emotion and tender… as if he meant it.

There was something so intense, so unashamedly intimate about his claims, that reached deep within her, yanking on everything feminine within her.

“… And you know darn well I can do it, too. This between us is alive and smoldering, making me curious just how warm my sweet Sophie burns.”

She swallowed, looking at him owlishly – and rocked to the core – as Ryan got up from where he was lying beside her. Instead, her husband casually took his seat beside her.

“… My ice cream is melted soup now,” she whispered numbly, sitting up.

“Mine too, baby… mine, too,” he smiled, clicking on the remote as the television flared to life, scrolling through the menu automatically. “Oh look, Survivor is on – or would you prefer Jeopardy?”

“Either,” she uttered in a thick voice she barely recognized as he reached over and laced his fingers with hers, smiling and staring forward at the television screen like nothing had happened.

… When everything had.

CHAPTER15

SOPHIE

Shields up… prepare for battle!

Sophie could practically hearthe warning bells going off in her head on a daily basis now that she found out that Ryan was interested in her emotionally and physically. Yeah, that was a game changer… and oh, how it had!

On Monday, she had called her job, given her notice, and explained her situation with needing to live in Yonder… to which they told her to just leave. Ouch, that seriously bruised her ego, but when she looked up as the traumatic statement was uttered by her boss…

Ryan was there.

In boxers.

He was carrying a laundry basket down the stairs, directly in front of his waist and hips, revealingwayyyytoo much bare torso and his legs – and grinning like the Cheshire cat.

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