Lily squealed for good measure, as did Sophie, who’d walked in during Wyatt’s proposal, but her screech actually held merit.
Maggie, who fell into her chair again, bore the expression that Charley would etch into her mind. Someone else had impressed Maggie Reynolds more than she could herself.
“Okay, Chase, go ahead and come back,” Cael said.
The little mouse turned his nose up to Charley, pointed it to Cael, and returned to Charley.
“He wants his clothes.” Maggie chuckled.
“Oh!” Charley leaned down to the little mouse. “Forgot that part twice now, didn’t ya?” She tapped him on his head with her fingertip.
“C’mon, mouse-boy.” James picked up the Chase-mouse and his clothes. “We’ll be right back.”
They disappeared around the corner, and two minutes later, Chase returned in Chase form, held in James’s arms, one eye half open, the other closed.
“He’s already out, isn’t he?” Charley asked from within the circle of Wyatt’s arms.
A double transformation, by an untrained little boy, in the space of less than ten minutes had to mean complete exhaustion.
James nodded and laid Chase in Sophie’s lap on the couch.
Chase’s eyes fluttered as he leaned against Sophie. “That… was… so… cool.” He dropped into deep sleep.
“Yes, it was,” Charley whispered.
“Celebratory lunch!” Lily called and moved into the kitchen. “Twenty minutes!”
“After Chase wakes up, we need to finish our preparations,” Charley said.
“I agree. But a quick break would be nice, too.” Wyatt leaned down and nuzzled her ear. “Let’s take it together.”
Charley glanced around the room. “We’re going up to the balcony for a minute.”
No one looked at her. Sophie rested with Chase, Stuart at her side. Maggie must have lost herself in thought, with her head in her hands. James and Cael averted their eyes at Charley’s glance.
She smiled at their wordless offer. “You get nineteen minutes,” Charley whispered to Wyatt. “Because Lily is not very nice to people who come late to a party.”
They walked until they reached the living room door and Charley sprinted up the stairs, two at a time, Wyatt in her wake. The whoosh of a shirt as Wyatt pulled his off along with a snap from his belt came two steps later. She passed through her door and kicked it shut behind them.
From behind her, Wyatt pulled her into his arms and tossed her on her ivory, down-covered bed. She landed in mid-undress, her shirt halfway over her head, laughter bouncing through the room.
Topless, Wyatt pounced on her. He stripped the rest of her T-shirt off her and threw it to the floor exposing her breasts. He ravaged the pale skin with his hands, and coaxed Charley into a frenzy that made her nerves sizzle.
“You taste like strawberry.” Wyatt’s groan matched that of Charley’s need.
Her hands sought the softness of his hair and the strength of muscles in his shoulders. She reached for his jeans-an inch too far away. Her nails raked up his sides and elicited both a moan and a chuckle. He slid up her body until his face loomed over hers, raised up on his elbows, and tangled his lips with hers.
Charley slid her hands between them. She traced a lazy finger around his belly button until she slipped a hand between skin and jeans.
His groan preceded her tug.
Trapped beneath the heat of Wyatt’s body, Charley left him to bite and pull at her as she maneuvered him out of his clothes.
“I want you.” Wyatt said it against her lips. “I’ve always wanted you.”
“You can have me. All of me.”
Charley drew her hands back to Wyatt’s face. His rough stubble had yet to be shaved. He slipped inside her depths with an ease that could only come from two who were meant to be together.
Wyatt circled with his hips, pushed faster as Charley’s body trembled. She matched his groan with a sigh as he drove himself in and out. He filled her in so many ways, touched her deep within. She inhaled his scent-male mixed with a spice she’d call his own.
Their lips remained riveted to each other as they stared into each other’s eyes. Charley arched to take him deeper. He speared her with desire and love. She matched his cadence faster than their hearts beat as they drove each toward the peak of pleasure.
“Wyatt-” Charley gripped his shoulders.
Their lips caressed, pressed and released.
“Tell me.” His breath caught on a gasp, and he repeated his demand with each thrust until she gave him what she knew he craved.
“I love you.”
He pushed her to the edge. Her body tensed with the onslaught, hips pressed against each other as her nails dug into his shoulders.
She stretched out the sensations, let them build and torment her until she wanted to scream.
“Tell me again.” He breathed in once-his eyes fixed on hers. “Tell me again.” The muscles in his arms bunched.
“I-”
“Tell me!” In that command, they both exploded in a fit of passion.
“-love you.” Charley’s slow smile grew with her reach above her head.
Wyatt laid his cheek against her breasts. He continued a slow slide despite the shiver that wracked her body. He’d brought her a level of happiness she’d never experienced before.
He shifted to Charley’s side, pulling her against his body, and wrapped his arms around her.
She reached with her left hand into the air where the aquamarine stone glistened on her third finger.
Wyatt touched the stone. “It’s unique.”
“It’s beautiful.” Charley angled it to hit the lights. It sparkled as she turned it right and left.
“I bought it for you to go with the necklace.” Wyatt fingered the chain she wore around her neck, exposed without clothes to hide it.
“I had to take it off when I found out it was you who’d called us… in case… well… you know.” She pulled the ring closer as he nodded against her. “But otherwise, I’ve worn it forever.”
“I had it that night.” Wyatt’s tone took on a more serious note.
“That night, that night?” Charley turned into him. “Oh, god, Wyatt. I didn’t know. If only-”
“No ‘if onlys’, Charley. Nothing more than todays and tomorrows. My Mom brought that to me. I hadn’t forgotten about it, but Lily made me promise never to give it to anyone else.” His hand caressed her side as he spoke.
“There are still things, though-”
“Yeah, I figured as much. Can we delay them until after we get the bastards who kidnapped my new favorite- uh, what do I call him?”
“Nephew is what Cael and James use, though I think James will use ‘son’ now.” Charley laid her lips against Wyatt’s again.
“I do have a question.” His lips traced a path from her shoulder back to her lips. “Chase reminded me that Sunday is… well… your last day.”
“Yeah, and?” Charley asked as if it were an everyday question.
“So that gives me what? Only two days to live through every possible fantasy with you?”
Charley laughed, smiling against his lips. “Seriously?” She giggled as he dawdled fingertips against her skin, sending a rush of goose bumps along her arm.
“Oh yeah. I have a few ideas, and since you owe me a few years, I’m going to make use of them.” He smiled back at her.
