Three weeks later
Angel got off the phone with her parents. They were happy for her and Creed but didn’t like that they wouldn’t see her for another five months. Her time at the cliffs wasn’t boring though. Gali and Renna visited her a few times a week while Creed went flying with his scout friends. The time she spent with him made her happier than she’d ever been. She liked to think of it as their honeymoon.
The door opened and Creed walked into their bedroom. He’d spent a few hours with one of his friends in the training room. She sniffed. “You smell really good.”
“I worked up quite a sweat fighting.”
“You were fighting?”
“Sparring. Delbius thinks I’ve grown a bit rusty being a guardian. I proved him wrong. Let me take a shower and we’ll have lunch together.”
“I’ll make us something.”
“I’ll hurry. I’m starving.”
“Sandwiches then. They’re fast.” She headed toward the door.
“I love you, Angel.”
She spun at his words and found him still standing in the same spot, watching her. Amusement sparked in his eyes. A slow smile spread on his lips.
“Did you just say what I thought you did?”
“I love you, Angel.”
She rushed at him. He caught her and pulled her into his arms, lifting her off her feet. She wrapped her arms and legs around his body. He was sweaty but she didn’t care. He’d said the three words she had wanted to hear the most, and he’d done it out of the blue.
“I. Love. You.” He brushed his mouth over hers. “I finally figured out I’ve felt it for a long time, but today it hit me, what all these feelings inside mean.”
“What happened today? I mean, well…you know what I mean.”
“I ran into Lord Aveoth. He asked if I’d still like to be guardian to your pack once the five months are up, but he made it clear it’s my choice. I’m part of the clan now, instead of in service to it.”
“That’s amazing!” She was thrilled. “What made him do that? I thought he was going to give you your freedom in ten years?”
“He made it an official law first thing this morning that no children are to be given in service to the clan. He freed me and the others who were sworn to duty when Lord Abotorus was the clan lord. It was as though a burden had been lifted from my shoulders, and it just hit me how much I love you. I have denied it for so long because I couldn’t dare to dream of being with you.”
“I love you too, and I’ve known how you feel. I’ve seen it in the way you look at me and when we touch. I’m glad to hear the actual words though.”
“You’ve been so patient with me.”
“I have been. I think you should reward me by carrying me into the shower with you and showing me how much you love me.”
He turned with her in his arms. “You’re just happy you don’t have to train me to have great sex with you.”
“I could pretend you’re bad in bed though so we can spend a few days there.”
“That sounds like a plan.” He sat her on the bathroom counter and backed away. He reached up and tapped his jaw. “What’s next? I forgot.”
She laughed and slid off the edge, standing. “Get naked.”
“Oh, that’s right. Then we talk about the weather to get aroused. Sunny days turn me on. How about you, baby? Are you a sunshine person or dark clouds?”
She loved that he played with her now. “I’m into any weather that’s around when you are.” She began to strip off her clothes. “As long as we’re not wearing clothes.”
He turned on the water. “Hot rainstorm it is.”
“I like it when you make me wet.”
He laughed. “I’ve got us covered then.”
She climbed into the stall first, since she had fewer things on than he had to remove, and held out her arms. “Hurry up.”
“We have forever.”
“We’re still making up for time lost.”
He stepped into the shower and pinned her against the wall. “In that case, I need to tell you how much I love you all the time.”
Angel grinned. “I think I prefer you showing me. Stop talking and get to it.”
He slid his hand into her hair and cupped her ass with his other hand, kissing her. “I can do that.”