When his racing pulse slowed and the lightheaded ecstasy faded, he beamed down and pressed his palms to either side of her face. Eyes still closed, she grinned.
Verakko planted a soft kiss to one eyelid, then the other, then her nose, and finally to her lips.
“I was going to say I love you,” she panted, her face still flushed with exertion.
“I know.” He nuzzled against her neck again, grinning like a fool at the mark visible on her tanned flesh. His insides always roared in argument whenever he healed the dark marks.
She placed her palms over his and smirked. “Oh, you know, do you?”
He withdrew from her and collapsed onto his back, pulling her to rest atop him as he did.
He rolled his eyes. “Yes, you’re always telling me. On and on. ‘I love you’ this, ‘I can’t live without you’ that…”
Lily giggled and sprinkled soft kisses along his jaw.
“I suppose…” He sighed. “If you really wanted to, you could tell me again.”
She laughed and braced his face in her hands the same way he had. “Verakko, look at me,” she said, imitating his deep voice.
The corners of his mouth twitched.
“Now, open up to me,” she continued in that deep tone.
“I sound nothing like that.”
She raised her brows at him until he nodded, pretending to open his mind up to her nonexistent sway.
She shuffled up his body until her face was directly above his, her glittering hair falling in waves over her shoulder. Her eyes grew serious. “Verakko, I love you more every single day.”
Despite his jesting, his heart swelled, making his chest tight. He nodded, throat too clogged to voice the right words. She grinned wickedly, knowing just how deeply her words affected him.
She tsked, shaking her head in mock dismay, even while tenderly running her thumbs along his jawline. “Ruled by emotions. That’s what you are.”
His rumbling chuckle was replaced by a rattling purr as his life, his mate, his mivassi, leaned down and kissed him again.
