“But knowing you, you made sure you covered the extra in the premiums for her.”
I laughed and nodded, giving her the palms out. “I did, but it was only for a few months. I started teaching in Lake Pendle right after Christmas. I felt like I was back on firm footing again, which was a relief. I’m still glad it happened. It set me on a new path that I needed to find, but couldn’t when I was afraid to give up the stability I had.”
“I’m glad you found your way to Lake Pendle, Bishop Halla,” she whispered. “So very glad.”
“Your face smiling back at me is the reason I did. You’re the reason I went through all of that because if I hadn’t, I wouldn’t be sitting here tonight. When I say you’re mine, what I mean is, I’m yours for as long as you’ll have me. It’s not to be possessive or creepy. It’s because I know what it’s like to be alone and scared. To feel like you don’t mean anything to the people you should mean the most to in this world. When you’re with me, you’re the most important person to me. No one takes precedence over your safety or happiness. Do you understand?”
She stroked my face, her hand warm on my cheek. “That’s not true, Bishop. There is one person who is more important than me. Athena is, and I would expect nothing less. If she calls and needs you, I’d help you pack to get to her, just like today. If she calls and needs money, I’ll go to the bank to transfer it. I am always going to be second place to her—”
My head was shaking before she finished. “No.”
“Yes,” she said softly, her smile gentle. “I wouldn’t accept it any other way, Bishop. If we’re going to make this marriage last, then we have to agree on that. I don’t care if she’s eighteen or thirty-eight. If she needs you, you will go to her, no matter what. Do you understand me?” she asked, emphasizing the words to make her point.
“Yes, Mrs. Halla,” I whispered, kissing her again, my tongue warring with hers to taste her strength and adamance for myself.
“Mmm,” she moaned against my lips. “Speaking of being a bride, I got your wedding gift. You should open it.”
“Oh, really, Mrs. Halla?” I asked, raising a brow. “It will have to wait now until we get home. I am madly curious, though.”
She pointed at the box in the corner. “You don’t have to wait. I brought it with us.”
I stared at the giant box and tipped my head. “I wondered what that was when I brought it in. I thought it was something you needed for the bakery.”
She grinned and motioned for me to open it. I slid the box over by the bed and ripped the tape off the top, letting the flaps fall open. I stared into the box with curiosity. “What is it?” I asked, lifting it out.
She patted for me to set it on the bed, so I laid it in the middle and sat by her. Her hand rested on it, and she swallowed. I could tell she was suddenly unsure of herself. “After we made love the first time, and I discovered your secret sexy side, I felt bad.”
“Oh, sweetart, no,” I said immediately. “You fucking blew my mind that night. I don’t know what you’d have to feel bad about.”
“My leg,” she said, sweeping her hand at it. “It will keep us from doing more adventurous things in our sex life. One of us will always have to move it around, and I can’t hold myself up on it. This was my solution.”
“It’s sex furniture,” I said, the light finally coming on. “Absolutely brilliant. Why didn’t I think of that?”
“You like it?” she asked, my approval important to her. “I was worried you wouldn’t.”
“I fucking love it,” I growled, my lips on hers, pushing her back into the bed. “I fucking love you and love fucking you.”
Her laughter rolled through me, and I loved every second of it. “You missed part of the gift. Check the box.”
I buried my nose in her neck for a moment and nipped at it before I stood, my boxers tented with desire for her. “I’ll check the box, but then we’re using that pillow.” I reached into the box and pulled out a cuff with a long strap on it. “What is this?”
“It’s um, for moving my leg out of the way. You can either hold it or fix it to the bed, so it stays where you put it.”
I gazed at the strap in my hand before I threw it back into the box, my head shaking. I dropped to my knees by the side of the bed and moved the sheet aside, stroking her tiny, abused, twisted limb. “I will never attach a device like that to this precious leg, tart. Do I like to fuck funky? Absolutely.”
“That’s why I bought it,” she said, forcing the words out. “I want you to be happy, and I’ll do whatever is necessary to assure that.”
I climbed over her and positioned the ramp to the other side of me, then sat, my hand caressing her breast over her pajama top. “Listen to me, tart. I am happy, but I won’t stay that way if you think you have to put yourself at risk to keep me that way. Your leg is far too fragile to do something that will make it worse. If we need to move your leg to accomplish
