He ran a finger down the long line of her neck and across one shoulder. Her skin trembled under his touch, and her desire burned the air. "I'm sorry."
"Don't be. I have Savannah on my side, and that's all that matters for now. Time will change their minds. And if it doesn't..." She shrugged.
He let his touch slide down to her waist and across her stomach, pressing her back against him. She felt so good, so right, and all he wanted to do was turn her around and kiss her and make love to her. But there were still things that had to be said. A sigh escaped her lips. It was a sound he felt like echoing.
"Did you tell them we were soul mates?"
"I told them that I loved you. I told them that I didn't want to live without you. I told them that we performed the promising ritual."
"Ah." He brushed a kiss across her neck. She tasted warm and tangy, and far better than he remembered. Far better than she had in any of his dreams. "When did you realize the pretense was real?"
"Not until much later. How about you?"
"From the minute I said the first words. And I wasn't about to stop — or let you stop. I told you, you're mine, and I don't intend to share. Not ever."
"Good." She turned and wrapped her arms around his neck, her green eyes shining wickedly despite her stern expression. "Because neither do I."
He raised a hand to her cheek, brushing his thumb across her ripe lips. "So where does that leave us?"
She raised an eyebrow. "Long term?"
"Long term." Because he knew exactly what they'd be doing short term.
She considered him for a minute, her smile growing and love so evident in her bright eyes that it reflected through every fiber of his being. "I'm thinking at least six children."
He raised his eyebrows, feigning shock. "Six? Good grief, woman, do you want me working night and day to support you all?"
She rolled her eyes. "Oh, okay then. Four."
"A nice even number," he agreed, sliding his fingers down to her rump. "We'll have to buy a bigger house, though. Yours isn't big enough to house us all."
She raised an eyebrow. "You don't want to return to the mansion?"
"You wouldn't be comfortable living there."
"No," she agreed. "I wouldn't. But only because I don't think it's the best environment to bring up a pack of kids."
He cupped her rump and lifted her until he was able to slide deep inside. She felt so good, so wet and warm and ready, that he groaned. God, how he'd missed her. "A pack of kids? I thought we agreed on four?"
"Oh, yeah. So we did."
Her grin was pure cheek as she wrapped her legs around him and pushed him deeper. He groaned, his whole body trembling with the effort to remain still. Which she certainly wasn't.
"You do realize twins run in my family," she continued, rocking her body gently against his.
"You do realize if you keep doing what you're doing, in a matter of moments I'm not going to be able concentrate on anything you're saying."
"You want me to stop?"
"Not really."
"Good, because I wasn't intending to."
"Wicked wench."
"It's the company I keep." Her eyes twinkled at him. "Such a bad, bad man."
"I never thought you'd be the type to fall for a bad man."