The Marriage (Darkest Lies Trilogy Book 3), Bethany-Kris [books for 8th graders txt] 📗

Karine fumbled with her words, staring at herself and the unfamiliar reflection that stared back. She wasn’t used to seeing that smile, those clear eyes, or the happiness. The necklace was really just a bonus.

A beautiful one, sure.

Roman stood tall behind her, then placed his hands on her shoulders.

“I do. It’s perfect, and made for you,” he said. “Look at you.”

She did.

Again.

She—and the necklace—looked better with him behind her. The whole world looked better through that view.

*

Karine finally understood what it felt like to be walking on clouds by the time they had returned to the hotel room, and Roman decided to run her a bath. She couldn’t close her eyes without seeing the piles and piles of bags and boxes from department stores all over Vegas. She could make her own store in the hotel closet, if she wanted. How were they going to travel back with all of it?

She didn’t ask.

When he said shop, he meant shop.

Karine hadn’t been ready.

“Did you have a good day?” Roman asked.

She sat on the edge of the marble bathtub, while Roman slipped the straps of her dress down her arms.

“I had an amazing day,” she replied, looking up at him. “But I’m tired, too.”

His rumbly chuckles had Karine laughing, too. When it was just him and her, alone like this, when she was happy, his smiles held pride. She had figured out a while ago that there was a small piece of Roman he kept well hidden from everyone—insecurity was his own monster to beat, but she seriously doubted he showed that vulnerability to anyone.

Except her.

The dress slipped down to her waist, revealing her small breasts. He came around to stand in front of her, staring without shame. She still had the necklace on, and had no intention of taking it off. Oh, someday.

Not today.

Scooping her hand into his, he helped her up the steps that led into the bathtub. As she sank into hot, bubbly water, Karine asked, “Are you getting in with me?”

The tub was big enough for it.

And she wanted him.

Roman didn’t bother to reply. The lavender scent of the bubbles filled her every breath and immediately relaxed her muscles while she enjoyed the sight of him stripping from his clothes piece by piece. The man really was a sight—sin in the flesh. Impressive in size, dark hair dusting the most tempting places on his body, and his gaze locked on her.

Yeah.

How could she not stare?

“I just don’t know if I deserve all of this,” she said, running her fingers over the necklace but meaning much more overall.

Roman’s clothes had come off and now all her attention was on his cock. He wasn’t hard—yet—but the size of him still made her mouth water.

She wore his ring now. The weight of it was not substantial, but she felt it constantly even so. He possessed her. Happily his. The very fact that they belonged to each other turned her on.

“You do deserve it all, Karine, and much more. I’m working on it,” he said.

“I know you are.”

Even if he didn’t tell her everything. Even if she thought he was too used to her not asking questions. Karine did think he had the best of intentions.

Before he joined her in the bath, he kneeled down and grabbed her chin, tilting her face up so he could kiss her again. Holding her there, he pressed two harder kisses to her lips before saying, “And don’t ever doubt whether you deserve my love and attention, or the gifts I give you. I want to spoil you, and I will. As often and with whatever I like. For the rest of our lives.”

She couldn’t fathom why he loved her like he did—but she was done trying to figure it out. It wasn’t a terrible thing to live with the fact that this man loved her unconditionally.

Roman sunk ungraciously into the tub, splashing water everywhere and making her giggle.

He grabbed her by her hips, pulling her into his lap where he rocked her sensitive clit against his growing erection under the water. When his words were husky in his throat, and his cock hard to the touch, she lowered herself over him, taking inch by glorious inch of him slowly until she was tight and deep and settled.

A grunt fell from Roman’s lips when she tried to stay steady—if only for a second, she wanted to feel him stretching her open—and she had to give him what he needed instead. Her breasts bounced lightly as she rode him, the ropes of diamonds now wet against her chest catching the light around them.

Glazed, dark eyes appraised her.

Loved her.

She used her palm to swipe away some foam on his beard, and he caught her hand with his. Kissing the side of her palm, he yanked her closer and kept her hand immobile as he worked her body faster and harder against his. His wicked words made her crazy. Every praise that left his lips took her higher.

She had control on top of him.

Except he took it away, too.

Made her wild.

The water splashed over the edge of the tub the closer she came. She sank into him, taking the kiss he rained down on her without warning until her lungs burned and all she could do was whine against the seam of his mouth for mercy. The orgasm finally swept through, the current so violent she thought she was drowning.

Could you drown on air?

Either way, he fucked her through it.

She was tender and raw while he finished, but every final stroke of his cock reminded her of exactly who she belonged to. The man she chose.

A man she loved.

Roman groaned when he shot into her, holding a trembling Karine tight to his cock as he filled her with hot spurts. His pulsing cock made her shiver.

She pressed her eyes together, her cheek pressed to his chest, and then felt him release her arm. When she looked up again, Roman was staring at her, smiling. Sly, and