27. Timing is Everything

Icould barely believe how this night had turned out. Everything about it had just been so incredible, like a celebration of love, and it had quickly turned into an engagement party.

I was engaged.

I swear, I wondered if I would ever get used to hearing it… thinking it… realizing it. It felt like such a contrast to what we had been through lately, and well, this…

This was definitely the rainbow beaming through the storm that was Jared and I. But no matter what we had been through, our love for each other was a constant. Even when Jared had been his own biggest enemy. Now, though… well, we felt truly destined for each other and for the first time, I found myself looking forward to the future.

Starting with the sight of Jared coming back down the stairs, after they had all had their ‘whiskey drinking man time'. A drink I ended up tasting from his lips the second he got close enough to kiss me.

"Hey, fiancé," I teased, making him beam down at me, that smile of his making me want to melt. Of course, the look of him in a suit was another reason to form a puddle on the floor, which meant that we both ended up saying the same thing at the same time.

"Ready to leave?"

"Ready to leave?"

Of course we both ended up grinning at this, but for me it ended with a blush as he growled down at me,

"Fucking made for me." Then he took my hand in his and told me, "Come on, beautiful, let's get out of here."

After a wink from him, we were soon saying goodbye to everyone. Something that took a while because there were quite a few people to get through. But when it came to my parents, I couldn't help but question if the boys had gotten Dad drunk or not. The tender way he was looking at my mom, was as if someone had told him he had just won the life lottery and my mom had been the one to pick the numbers. As if he lived and breathed with her as the only reason for both.

It was beautiful.

Which was why I felt hesitant to say goodbye just yet, being content to just watch them for a moment. Of course, Jared was just finishing saying bye to those on his council, including his brother, when I felt his arms surround me from behind.

"He loves her dearly," he told me, obviously knowing where my thoughts were as my mom laughed with her sister. But then I noticed again how much weight she had lost and the dark circles under her eyes, whereas there hadn't been any before.

"He told you that?" I asked without looking back at him.

"Let's just say that I believe he is a man who would do anything for the woman he loves, and I can certainty relate to the sentiment." At that I turned in his arms so I could beam up at him.

"Since when did you turn into such a romantic, eh?" I asked smirking.

"Always been one, babe, you just missed all the signs." I had to laugh at that.

"Oh, is that right?"

"Did I make you steak and share my beer with you?" he teased, making my lips twitch as I fought the grin.

"Yes, but I fail to see…" He quickly cut me off, now leaning in close and telling me,

"Those are my big guns, Red… never cooked for a chick before." At this my mouth dropped, making him comment,

"And now she gets it."

After this he didn't wait for me to respond before walking us over to say goodnight to my parents. But then my mom started talking about us setting a date, making me laugh,

"We aren't in any rush, Mom."

"Speak for yourself," Jared grumbled, making me laugh.

"Well as long as you don't leave it too long, I want to see my baby…" She stopped herself suddenly as she started to get teary, and I quickly hugged her to me.

"Oh, Mom."

"I love you, my beautiful girl, always remember that," she told me, gripping on tight, and I couldn't help but feel myself getting emotional along with her.

"I love you too, Mom," I told her, squeezing her just as tight and frowning when I felt her ribs through her dress. But now was not the time to say anything, I would talk to her soon about my worries. I didn't want to taint this night for her. I wanted her to be happy. So when she pulled back to smile at me, I knew I had done the right thing.

"My precious wild child," she said, cupping a hand to my cheek and smiling at me like I was her world.

A world that I wished she could be a part of, because that was the hardest part about what the future held in store for me.

Time.

"She looked tired,"I told Jared once we were in the car making our way back to the cabin. My mom's face was on my mind but Jared simply took my hand in his and brought it to his lips while steering one handed like he usually did.

"It was a long day."

"It was the best day," I told him, making him grin back at me.

His suit jacket was already slung over the back seat, and his tie loose around his neck. As for me, I had kicked off the silver heels as soon as I got in the car, moaning in pleasure when I did and prompting him to comment,

"That's not helping."

I had given him a cheeky wink in return, making him speed up his driving and causing me to burst out laughing. But that had been about thirty minutes ago. Now, my mind was elsewhere.

"Don't worry, babe, I am sure your mum will be fine, most likely just needs rest after her cruise." I released a sigh and nodded, knowing he was right, that I needed to stop worrying. So, I decided to ask something that I really wanted to know since he had mentioned it.

"So, you never cooked for a girl before, huh?"

He chuckled and said, "I wondered how long it would take you to ask."

My unimpressed look said it all before I told him, "No one likes a know-it-all."

"You love me and want my cock?" he asked, making me choke on a cough before I said,

"Jeez, blunt much?"

"Answer the question, babe."

"Yes, I love you and clearly, I enjoy everything that comes with that… including your cock," I said, waving my ring finger at him, making him grin at the sight.

"Then don't give a shit about the world likin' me." I raised a skeptical brow at him, making him chuckle again, informing me,

"Last time I checked, wasn't in a popularity contest, sweetheart."

"Well, lucky for you, you're hot, so we slap a bit of tape over that mouth of yours and take your shirt off, then we could make a fortune and start collecting trophies." At this he burst out laughing, now kissing my hand again.

"Thanks, Red, but only one girl I wanna take my clothes off for."

"Xena the Warrior Princess?" I teased, making him grant me a playfully wry look.

"Okay not a fan… what about Wonder Woman?"

"Not really into chicks with whips, babe," he replied, making me giggle.

"Oh wait, I've got it… Marge Simpson!"

"I think I like my woman with a bit more dimension than that, plus the whole blue hair and green dress thing is another hard limit for me… clashes." I burst out laughing at that.

"Okay fine, you win with that one. But have you seriously not cooked for a woman before? Not even…?" I didn't say her name but then again, I didn't have to.

"Not to sound like some chauvinistic pig here, but it was a different time back then. Only started to learn how to cook decades later." This was understandable, but then he added after thinking about it,

"Cooked for my council, and yeah, Smidge is a chick but I never dated her, so it doesn't count in my book." I grinned at that.

"So, you and Smidge never even…" At this he shot me a look of horror and said,

"No! No way." My look must have said it all as I frowned at him.

"Don't get me wrong, Red, Smidge is a great girl, but she is more like a sister to me and well, seeing as she's in love with my best friend and he is in love with her, then it is, and always has been the friend-zone for us both."

I wanted to ask why Marcus and Smidge never got it on, but I found myself asking something else instead.

"And Orth, did he feel the same way?"

"Oh right, I know where this is coming from," he said, ignoring the question and making his own assumptions. One that ended up being true, when he added,

"1799, right?"

"Okay, fine, you got me. Yes, Smidge happened to mention about your brother but come on, you can't blame me for being curious about what happened there."

"Can't blame you for a lot of things, babe, but still, that's not exactly my story to tell."

"What? Not even to your wife to be?" I added with a flutter of my lashes, running my fingertip along my cleavage, making his eyes glow with the kind of heat I knew was born from arousal. And once again…

He put his foot down.

"You know, I think you're only supposed to carry me over the threshold once we are actually married," I teased as he carried me inside the cabin, with my shoes dangling from my fingers. But instead of stopping once inside, he took me straight up the stairs and I couldn't help but grin.

"My oh my, someone is eager, aren't they?" I commented, making him growl,

"Beautiful dress, babe, but I have spent the night counting down the minutes until I could get you out of it."

He placed me on my feet once we were in the bedroom and I couldn't help but continue our banter.

"It is a beautiful dress, but I am sorry to say… I don't think it will fit you, Beastman." He chuckled before commenting,

"My funny girl." Then he ran the backs of his knuckles down my cheek, before ordering in a stern tone,

"Turn around."

This sent a shiver down my spine because I loved it when he was bossy like this. Something I had certainly missed this last week. So, I did as he asked and turned around. It didn't take a genius to know what he was about to do.

However, the moment he leaned in and whispered like some sexual promise,

"Now hold still."

I nodded, doing as I was told and getting the sexual thrill from doing so. But then I felt something smooth and cool run across my shoulder, making me ask,

"What is that?"

His reply came in the form of another sexual growl, before bringing his arm around and showing me the black claws that had replaced his human nails.

"I don't have the patience this dress requires," he rumbled against my shoulder, now kissing me there before going back to his task at hand.

It was no time at all before I heard material being cut and felt the top part of my dress loosen, meaning my shuddered breath was taken with more ease now my body was free to do so.

However, just as it was being pulled down me, something unexpecting happened.

I growled… or should I say, my stomach did, making him chuckle.

"Well, that was adorable," he commented, making me groan with embarrassment. But then I felt his hands on my naked back, rubbing away the strain the heavy dress had put on my skin.

"As much as I want to fucking ravish you, I am afraid it will have to wait."

"What?! Why?!" I complained and, again, it made him chuckle.

"Got to feed my woman,"he whispered at my ear, making my head fall back against him and curse,

"Stupid body ruining everything." He laughed at this and told me,

"We have all the time in the world, Ella."

The second he said this, I was foolish enough to trust him.

Because shortly after, I would realize just how…

Wrong he was.