“That’s when he found us,” Lily cut in. “We had just landed, or crashed, really.”
Thane asked, “What about Ramoth?”
Saxon sighed. “I took care of the body. Ashes to ashes for him now.” Thane nodded. “Rest, brother. Let your dragon use the anti-toxin to finish healing you.”
Thane closed his eyes. Lily laid his hand on the bed, but his grip suddenly tightened on hers. She looked at him. His one eye was open. “I love you, Lily.” She kissed his lips.
“I love you, too,” she said. She felt his body relax and fall into slumber.
28
It was the night of the Winter Ball. Thane slipped his tux jacket on and went looking for his wife. He could hear her in the nursery, talking to their daughter. She had her back to him and he got a great view of how the strapless gold dress fit over her abundant curves, flowing to the floor.
He was delighted when she decided to move into the cabin and sell her place in town. She had reworked her job schedule with Tina, allowing her to work from home when possible. He never wanted her out of his sight, but he knew that was a bit overreacting. She insisted on going to the bathroom by herself. God she made him laugh. He loved her. And tonight, he was showing her how much.
“Now, how are my girls?” he said, kissing the back of her neck. She’d picked up her hair into some strange do that left her curls dangling from a top knot.
“Well,” Lily said. “Kelianna is ready to go now that she’s been changed a second time,” she said, looking down at the smiling baby.
Their daughter’s blue eyes and blonde hair were so like Thane’s, it surprised him how little she looked like his mate. Except for the smile, then she was all her mom. Even at two months old, Kelianna managed to turn him to mush with a single look, much like her mother.
She handed him the baby dressed in a soft ivory dress with golden edges to match her mother. “You hold her so I can get my earrings on and we can go.”
Thane’s heart exploded with love every time he looked at his wife and daughter. They were his life. He didn’t know how he ever considered never mating or having children. Now he kicked himself for ever thinking that way.
He sat on the rocker and spoke softly to his child, telling her of the times when he’d been a young dragon, seeing the world change around him. She fell asleep in his arms, her head resting on his arm and her body snuggled up into his chest. He’d never take these moments for granted.
Lily returned to Kelianna’s room and stopped at the entrance, the sight before her filling her with so much emotion, her face hurt from the smile on it.
She’d been right. Thane was an amazing father. He’d given his all for their daughter and her. After he’d killed Ramoth, she’d worried he’d grow distant, but the opposite happened. He introduced her to Saxon and soon the brothers were visiting each other regularly.
That made a big difference in Thane. Once Kelianna was born, he gave himself fully to being a father. Lily had never seen a man more dedicated to his daughter. From getting up at all hours to change her, hold her, feed and talk to her, to making sure Lily herself got enough rest.
At first, she didn’t think it would last, but his dedication grew as time went on. And their love for each other and their child made it easy for her to decide on having more children.
“Maybe we should wait a little bit before we go,” she said and watched him put the baby in the crib. “There’s something I want to tell you.”
He turned to face her, his arms going straight around her waist to pull her close to him. Love filled every cell in her body. It didn’t matter how many days went by, he would always make her feel like they’d just mated for the first time.
“I love you, Lily,” he said.
Though they’d been mated for months, he hadn’t said the words to her. She’d been of the mind frame that he'd show her he loved her than tell her, and boy, had he shown her. Still, it was nice to finally get the words.
“I love you, too, Thane.” She brought her arms up to his neck and pulled his head down for a kiss. She loved the feel of his beard on her face. She couldn’t figure out why, but the damn facial hair made her instantly wet.
He pulled back. “I have something for you,” he said. He opened his hand. On his palm lay a ring bigger than any she’d ever seen. Her gaze shot up to his.
“This was the first payment for my first job. The blue diamond is very old and my mother got it in her head it would make a beautiful ring.” He lifted the halo, cushion-cut blue diamond ring to the light. It sparkled like nothing else. “Before she died, she made it her business to get it changed to a platinum band, saying it would go better than with yellow gold.”
Small white diamonds surrounded the giant rock and made the blue diamond stand out even more.
“It’s beautiful.” She gulped.
“I’ve held on to it. I never really thought it would one day go to someone special,” he said and got down on one knee. “But I’ve found someone who deserves to wear it.”
Her heartbeat thrummed hard in her ears. It wasn’t happening. Nope. No way. She closed her eyes, squeezed them tightly, and then opened them again. He was still on his knee. “Oh god, Thane.”
“Will you marry me, Lily?” he asked softly.
She gasped, unsure she’d heard the words. “What?”
“Marry me, love. I can’t live without you. We’re already mated. I want you to be mine in every way possible.”
Her knees started shaking. Excitement bloomed in her chest. He wanted to marry her. Her. The idea of marriage to him didn’t scare her. She didn’t think she’d want to marry anyone else again, but here she was, already visualizing herself as his wife.
“I don’t know what it is about you, but I can’t say no,” she sputtered, her eyes filling with tears. “Yes, I’ll marry you.”
He slipped the beautiful ring on her finger and it fit. She took that as a sign this was exactly the way they should be: together.
He stood and pulled her into his arms.
“You won’t regret it, love. I’ll make sure of it,” he said with conviction.
They kissed and it was more than just heat and want. It was the feeling of coming home. He was her home, the home she never thought she’d find.
“Oh,” she said between kisses, “I have news for you.”
“What?” He peppered kisses down her neck.
“I’m pregnant.”
He stroked his tongue over her lips and pressed her ass forward to rub his erection on her belly. “I know, love.”
“I figured you did, but I still wanted to tell you. We’re having a boy this time,” she said between kisses.
He rocked into her and her pussy got slicker. “I know that, too.”
She moaned and pulled him out of the nursery and into the hallway, closing the door behind them. “I do know something you don’t.”
“What’s that?” he asked, nibbling on her jaw.
“The ball doesn’t officially start for another two hours and the helicopter is coming to pick us up in an hour and a half.”
He pulled back, his eyes glowing with his dragon. “When did you change the pick-up time?”
“When I realized seeing you in a tux would make me really horny and I wouldn’t want to wait until the end of the night to get you out of your pants,” she whispered and pulled him close.
He lifted her skirt, pushed her underwear to the side and slipped two fingers between her slick folds. A groan left his throat. “Have I told you how fucking smart and beautiful you are today?”
She giggled. “Yes, but you can tell me again, once you figure out how to fuck me in this dress without creasing it.”
He laughed. “Love, I can fuck you without messing up your hair.”
She slid her hands down to his pants and started lowering his zipper. “Then you better get to work, dragon. I want you in me in the next thirty seconds.”
He kissed her again, his lips bruising with how hungry their kiss was.
“Your wish is my command, love. Anything and everything for you.”
The End
Vote Then Read: Volume II Page 315
