arms of the woman I love and who loves me, for the first time in over two decades.
When I finally lift my head again, she smiles up into my eyes, her beautiful blue ones twinkling at me. “Welcome back, Viking,” she murmurs.
“I think I died and went to heaven, goddess,” I admit, and she grins, shaking her head.
“I think you mean Valhalla.” She giggles, and she strokes her fingers down my beard. “So… now that you have no more excuses, will you please finally put us both out of our misery? I’m afraid your cock is going to crack and shatter if he gets any harder, and that would not make my newly working pussy very happy,” she states, and I can’t help it; I bury my face between her breasts, and I laugh. I laugh so hard my stomach hurts, and I know, I just know, everything I’ve worked for was to lead me to this woman, to this moment.
Chapter 15
Astrid
With his laser-blue eyes still dancing with laughter, he pushes off the mattress on either side of my body and lifts to his knees. I watch him over my nakedness and through my parted thighs as he reaches behind his neck, his Thor arms rippling and bulging, as he tugs the white T-shirt off over his head.
My heart thunders in my chest, the roller coaster of emotions making me feel lightheaded, and I’m suddenly nervous as he looks down my body like he’s about to eat me alive. But there’s something behind that look, something swirled in with the obvious lust, something I’ve never seen directed at me before… except from this gorgeous man who’s tugging down his pajama pants to spring his cock free.
It’s true love I see in his eyes—protectiveness, trust, and worship—and as he tosses his clothes to the side, now as naked as me, it solidifies my reasoning that what I feel for him is the same, because it’s the exact look I feel pouring from my own.
Even so, seeing his massive erection that bobs between my legs, I tremble with worry that has me remembering I’ve never had sex without it being painful before.
He returns to his position above me, his elbows coming down on either side of my head, and he looks down into my eyes. He must sense my sudden apprehension, because his face softens. “I’m going to take care of you, Astrid,” he says low, his voice so deep it sends goose bumps skittering over my flesh. “I’m going to erase all the bad memories you have and replace them with good, just like you asked.” He kisses me gently on the lips, and I nod against him.
“I…” I swallow, embarrassed by the thought that crossed my mind, and I shake my head, deciding not to worry about it, because I know he’d never put me in harm’s way.
“What is it, goddess?” he prompts, his startlingly blue eyes imploring.
My cheeks turn hot, but I know he won’t drop it until I speak. “I um… I have an IUD—um, birth control. And I got tested during my well woman checkup right after I moved in. I’m all clean, and I’ve never been with anyone besides… um. Yeah. I’m sorry. This is so awkward. I don’t know how people usually bring this up and we never talked about it before, but I just wanted you to know that although I’m unhealthy in a lot of ways, that’s not one of them, and—”
“Astrid,” he cuts off my miserable rambling, and he sifts his fingers through the hair at my temples. “That’s very responsible of you. Thank you for telling me.” He keeps his eyes on mine. “Club Alias rules require us to be tested frequently. Even so, I haven’t been with anyone since before I met you. Once you opened that apartment door, that was it for me. I saw you and wanted you from that very moment, and no one else would do.”
My breath comes out in a whoosh, a knot inside me I didn’t even realize was there coming loose, and I nod. “Will… will you please make love to me, nothing between us? I want you to wash everything from before us away.” My voice trembles from so many emotions.
“There’s nothing in the world I want more, baby,” he whispers, and his lips come down on mine.
He shifts on his elbow, and my heart starts to pound hard once again at what’s to come as his big, rough hand slides down