Chapter 73

CHAPTER 73

RYLEE

" W e should get out of these wet clothes," Simon suggested.

"Oh yeah." I grinned.

"I want you," he said in a husky voice.

"I want you."

As he reached for me, our lips met in a passionate kiss. His hands wandered down my back, leaving a trail of heat through the material of my wet clothes. I reached up and tangled my fingers in his wet hair, craving more of him. He groaned into my mouth and pulled me closer.

"Rylee," he murmured against my lips, his voice full of raw desire. I responded by deepening the kiss.

We undressed each other, peeling away the wet layers. I couldn't believe this man was going to be my husband. I ran my hands over his chilled skin.

"You're freezing," I said.

"Not on the inside," he replied in a thick voice. "I'm hot for you."

The cold air of the room prickled my bare skin but was quickly replaced by Simon's warmth as he pulled me into his arms. His hands roamed my body, making me shiver, not from cold but from anticipation. He walked us backwards until I felt the softness of the bed against the back of my legs.

He gently guided me down onto it, his lips never leaving mine. His kisses were hot and demanding, yet surprisingly gentle. Simon was always so patient with me, always attuned to my needs and desires. A shudder of pleasure went through me as he ran his fingers along the curve of my waist, his touch electrifying.

His mouth moved down to the nape of my neck, his warm breath sending a shiver down my spine. I closed my eyes and lost myself in the sensation, clinging onto him tightly as my world narrowed down to just him and me.

I couldn't help but smile at the pure bliss in his eyes. I traced a finger along his jawline, feeling his stubble against my skin. His beautiful eyes were dark with passion and adoration.

I gently pushed him off me. I climbed over the top of him, pulling the heavy blanket over our naked bodies. I bent down and kissed him before sitting up and straddling him.

"You're beautiful," he murmured.

My hands roamed across his chest. "No, you're beautiful," I countered, feeling him shiver beneath my touch. His hands were on my hips stroking up and down.

As our eyes locked, something warm spread through me, an overwhelming sense of love and contentment that I had only read about in books.

I bent forward to kiss over his chest. His skin was cool beneath my lips. I continued kissing down his stomach.

His breath hitched as my lips traced the lines of his abs, his fingers interlacing with my wet hair. I moved further down, grazing my lips against the sensitive skin on his hipbone before moving up again, trailing kisses along the length of his torso. His eyes were half-closed, watching me with a mix of desire and love so intense it made my heart constrict.

"Rylee," he breathed out as I met him in a searing kiss, our bodies fully intertwined now.

"Yes?" I murmured against his lips. His hands roamed my back, tracing patterns that sent shivers down my spine.

"I love you," he said, locking his eyes with mine.

"I love you too," I whispered back, my voice heavy with emotion.

The words hung in the air between us for a moment, creating an invisible connection that tied our hearts together. I slid down his body once again. My hand reached for his erection and gripped tightly.

He let out a low grunt. My mouth hovered over his cock while I massaged up and down, tugging and teasing.

His breath hitched as I replaced my hand with my mouth. His fingers tangled in my hair, pulling me closer. A shudder ripped through his body.

"Rylee," he groaned.

I continued my ministrations, meeting each of his labored breaths with an increased fervor of my own. His back arched off the bed, seeking more of the pleasure I was willingly giving.

I sucked him into my mouth. My tongue swirled around his full length. With a strangled cry, Simon's hands tightened in my hair, his body tensing beneath me. I could feel every tremor that ran through him, every pulse of his heartbeat. I continued to pleasure him, taking him deeper. His body shuddered with an intensity that left me breathless.

"Rylee," he gasped again, his voice hoarse and strained. I looked up then, meeting his heated gaze. His eyes were dark and filled with raw desire and an intensity that made my own desire roar to life.

Pulling back, I watched him for a moment. Simon was always so composed, but right now he was undone. It was a sight that stirred something deep within me. His breath came in ragged gasps, his chest heaving in time with the frantic beating of his heart.

Suddenly all I wanted was to feel him inside me. To be as close to him as possible.

I moved to straddle him once more, guiding him inside me. A gasp escaped my lips, the sensation of him filling me completely overwhelming. He was hot, hard, and all mine.

I moved slowly at first, adjusting to his size. His eyes were locked on mine, full of wonder and adoration. His hands gripped my hips, guiding me as I slowly rode him.

A moan slipped from my lips as I moved faster, finding a rhythm that made my head spin. Simon groaned beneath me, each sound sending a delicious jolt through me.

His fingers dug into my hips as he met each of my thrusts with his own. The sight of him beneath me, lost in pleasure and looking at me like I was the only thing that mattered in the world, was intoxicating.

Simon reached up to cup my face, pulling me down for a searing kiss. His tongue danced with mine, matching the pace we had set. It was a passionate dance of love and desire that had us both spiraling toward ecstasy.

His hands roamed my body as I rode him, tracing my curves with a gentleness that made my heart flutter. His touch was intoxicating, the feel of his skin against mine sending shivers down my spine.

I could feel the tension building up within me, the sensation overwhelming. Simon watched me, his eyes reflecting both desire and love. I bent down to capture his lips with mine, our tongues dueling in time with the movement of my hips.

I kissed down his jawline to his neck, sucking on his pulse point. He let out a guttural moan, his hands gripping my hips tighter. The feel of him beneath me, hot, hard and wanting was too much. My body started trembling, the pleasure coursing through my veins like molten lava.

Simon lifted his hips slightly meeting me thrust for thrust, pushing deeper into me. A strangled cry escaped my lips as I felt myself spiraling toward an irresistible edge.

With a final gasp, he bucked his hips one last time crying out in pleasure. We both succumbed to the overbearing wave of sensation.

His chest heaved as he tried to regain control of his breaths. His hands moved from my hair to rest on my back, tracing lazy circles that ignited goosebumps on my skin.

"We're doing that again," he murmured against my hair, a satisfied sigh escaping his lips. I laughed softly, my body still trembling with the aftershocks of our intense lovemaking. I nuzzled into his neck, breathing in his familiar scent.

"I would love nothing more," I whispered back, tracing a finger along the line of his collarbone. The steady rhythm of his heartbeat was a comforting melody that lulled me toward the edge of sleep. Neither of us was cold anymore. We had generated our own heat.

Simon shifted underneath me, wrapping an arm around my waist and pulling me closer to him. I sighed contentedly, allowing my eyes to flutter closed. His fingertips danced along the small of my back, sending a shiver down my spine.

"Simon?" I murmured, not bothering to open my eyes.

"Hmm?" he responded, his hand resting on my back.

"I love you," I said again in a hushed whisper like it was a secret just for the two of us to hear.

"And I you, Rylee," he replied softly. His voice was a low hum in the darkness that caused the rhythm of my heart to pick up slightly.

An inexplicable shiver passed through me then, not from cold or fear, but purely from the intimate connection between us. His thumb rubbed soothing circles into the soft skin at my waist as our shared warmth enveloped us. With his strong heartbeat beneath my ear and his soothing whispers in the still air, it felt like we were the only people in existence. We were in our own little cocoon.

"I can't wait to marry you," he said. "You tell me when you want to do it and I'm there. Tomorrow, next week, next year, although, I hope you won't make me wait that long."

Simon's fingers continued their hypnotic dance on my skin, lulling me further into tranquility. "Can I think about it?" I asked quietly.

"Of course," he said. "I want you to be sure."

"Oh, I'm sure I want to marry you, but I want to find out when Mary Ellen is going to get married."

"Understood." He nodded. "I understand she has a date in mind but won't say until after Lauren's wedding."

I laughed. "Your night with the guys sounds like you got filled in on all the gossip."

"I definitely did." He chuckled.

"Speaking of them, I can't wait to tell them! What time is it there?"

"I have no idea," he answered.

"You're right," I sighed. "It can wait. I'll show them the ring when I get home. I want to tell them face to face."

"Good idea," Simon murmured, pressing a soft kiss into my hair. I felt him sigh against me, the warmth of his breath washing over my face. "They're going to be so happy for us."

I hummed in agreement, burying my face deeper into his chest. The scent of him wrapped around me, a mixture of musk and soap. It was undeniably Simon. It was a comforting smell that reminded me of countless nights spent in his arms.

"I can't believe we're engaged," I murmured after a moment, the fluttering excitement returning to my stomach. A small giggle bubbled up from my throat as I pressed my hand against his chest and felt his steady heartbeat, thinking of how that heart now belonged to me.

Simon's chuckle echoed in the dark room, vibrating against my cheek where it rested just above his heart.

"Neither can I," he admitted after a moment, his words muffled by my hair. "But it's the best decision I've ever made. I think I knew it from the moment I saw you behind that bar that night I was going to marry you."

I closed my eyes, sinking further into his warmth. "I feel so lucky," I whispered, the words barely more than a breath against his skin.

Simon's arms tightened around me in response, pulling me even closer to him until there was no space left between our bodies. His warm breath tickled the top of my head as he nestled his face into my hair.

"Marrying you will be my luckiest moment too," he murmured, his voice full of conviction.

I smiled against his chest, warmth spreading through me at his heartfelt words. We lay there silently for a while, just enjoying the comfort and intimacy of each other's presence.

I felt myself drifting off to sleep. I couldn't help but think of what I wanted for my own wedding. I couldn't wait to try on gowns. I had no idea what I wanted as far as a design, but I was going to enjoy the hunt for the perfect dress.