Round 39

W illiam loved me.

And with that thought playing over and over in my mind, I wrapped myself around him, as tightly as physics would allow, before dipping my tongue into the divot of that dimple and exploring the deep groove. I gasped as he scooped me into his arms as though I weighed nothing at all.

“Where are we going?” I asked, and finally took in the empty apartment, the abandoned candles on the counter. “Where is everyone?”

“Not here. I don’t know where they’ve gone, and to be honest, I don’t care.” He walked us to my bedroom. “I think we’re ready for the next round.” He shot me a sexy grin.

“We are?” I curled my arms around his neck and licked whatever part of him was closest. “What’s the next round? Sex? Marriage? Are we having a baby?” I teased.

This elicited a low chuckle, his chest vibrating around me as he gently set me on the bed. “If I could marry you tonight, I would, but I can’t. Do you know what I am very capable of doing with you right now?”

I bit down on my lip, buzzing with excitement. “What changed? What makes us ready?” I grabbed a handful of his shirt, pulling his lips to mine.

William climbed on top of me. A small moan escaped me as I spiraled in delight under his weight, his body pressed against mine.

“So much…” He lifted his head and gazed into my eyes. “But mostly, I wanted you to know the truth. It started feeling like a lie. This isn’t just some fling for me… I wanted you to be sure of me, of us.”

Reaching out, I stroked his strong jaw. “Beyond any doubt.”

His mouth dropped to my neck, lighting me up everywhere he touched. “Why do hobbits wear so much clothing?” he growled.

I giggled, helping him unwrap and unbutton every item. He moved backward to stare at me, that smile bringing me more joy than anything. “You are so beautiful,” he said, before pulling off his shirt in one quick motion.

Moving toward me, his gaze intent on my lips, he froze and pushed my hair away from my face. “Rose, I just… I want you to know it’s been months since I’ve been with anyone in any way. I swear. Since the second we kissed. Before then, actually. Since the second I realized I may have a shot with you.”

“Not even Stacey?”

He pulled a face of disgust that had me bursting into a fit of giggles.

“I’m sorry for doubting you. Shaun mentioned she came over, and I was… scared,” I admitted. “Being loved by you, exclusively, seems too good to be true.”

“Don’t be sorry.” He kissed my nose. “I’ll be sure to love you in a way that’ll leave no room for doubt.”

“I love you too,” I said, my hands finding the button on his jeans.

Now it was my turn to stare. I’d seen him bare-chested once before, but having his body so close, knowing it was mine to touch, left me breathless.

I gasped as he lifted me and flipped me onto my back before proving that no dream I’ve had of him would ever live up to the real thing.

“William,” I breathed out his name until I completely unraveled. The light blurred above me, and my limbs became weightless.

Not finished with me yet, William kissed his way across my body before eventually moving back to my mouth. He kissed every part of me and made sure that I knew, beyond any doubt, that he loved all of it.

And then I was lost in the high of what lovemaking should feel like, of being loved by William. My hands pressing into his strong back, his hot mouth on my neck, his fingers finding mine and holding on as though letting go meant losing me.

In that moment, I knew, again and again and again, that I would love this man forever. And he would love me. And eventually, we collapsed in a tangle of limbs, damp with sweat and excitement.

“Rose.” His breath was hot against my neck. “I can’t believe you chose me.”

I turned, weakness overwhelming my senses, and kissed one corner of his mouth. “Of course I did.” I left another kiss on the opposite corner. “And I’ll choose you every time.” I pressed my full mouth against his.

He smiled against my lips, and I had a feeling he was resisting making a Pokémon joke.

I closed my eyes, enjoying the way my body felt, the looseness of my muscles, the heat between us. “If you’d told me you were my Gandalf, we could have saved a lot of time.”

His pouty lips landed on mine once again. “I’m not the same person I was back then… I wanted you to love me as I am now.”

“I do.”

“Finally.”

I turned onto my side and faced him, laying my hand on the back of his neck and playing with the dark hair at the nape. “What made you come here tonight? Why not last night? Why the wait?”

He hesitated before answering. “I’ve had to stop myself every day for the last few days. Every night. Every time I picked up my phone. But I wanted to have all the tools I needed for this round because, if you didn’t love me, I was going to fight for you—beg for you. Rose, I needed to prove to you that I never meant to mess things up for you, and I didn’t want to arrive with empty promises.” His large hands traced my curves with such intent it made me blush.

“I resigned,” I blurted out. “It wasn’t because of what you did. I hated it there. You didn’t cost me my job. Shaun had it mixed up.”

William smiled, his expression loving, and I couldn’t get enough of it. If I could bottle his smile, I would be able to solve all the world’s problems.

“Why do you keep saying you’ll ruin everything?” I asked.

“You’ll meet the guy who can explain that to you at the wedding.” He blew out a breath. “I’m the product of one of my dad’s affairs. His punishment for committing adultery. At least that’s what he says.” William’s voice softened. “He said my presence ruined things—everything.”

The tremble of his mouth had my heart aching, and I wished I could take away some of his pain. I ran the back of my hand over his cheek. “Your dad sounds awful.”

Taking my hand in his, he kissed my fingertips. “Depends on who you ask, I guess.”

“I’m gonna trip him tomorrow.”

William grinned.

“He’s tall like you and Shaun, I suppose?”

He nodded.

“Good. The taller they are, the harder they fall. He won’t even see me coming.”

William laughed and pulled me close, and I curled into the shape of him.

“Maybe I should come to the wedding, even if it’s only to see that.”

I met his gaze once more, wanting him to look at me and believe me. “Before the game presentation, you also said you weren’t good enough, and when you said it, I almost laughed at how ridiculous and incorrect it was. Because, William, you are the absolute best thing that has ever happened to me.”

A soft breath escaped him and he leaned forward and kissed me. “Seeing as how I’ve ended up with you, I have to believe I’m worth something.”

I melted against his lips. “Shaun would love for you to come. He hasn’t filled the role of best man, either.” I pulled away from the kiss and met his gaze with my own. “I’m not trying to pressure you.”

“I want to be there for Shaun, and Neema. I want to see you in that dress.” William sighed. It was as though I could see the gears turning in his mind. “I can’t hide from him forever, I guess. I’ll come on one condition.”

“What?”

He kissed my nose. “That we do this again and again and again, and the morning before the wedding for some extra courage.”

“I’m ready as soon as you are.” I curled toward him.

William tugged the blanket up, covering us before wrapping an arm around my waist as if he were an extension of me. It felt that way. It felt like…

Home—something I’d never had.