Building From Ashes

Carwyn dove in deep, seduced by her burning lips as they moved against his own. He was already aroused almost painfully when she arched her hips against his. “Brigid, we should probably—”

“Were you serious about the sheep?”

He snorted. “What? No. I don’t have random livestock handy, I’m afraid.”

“Too bad. I do want to get married, and tonight is as good a time as any.”

Carwyn said, “Very funny.”

“Do you think I’m joking?” He blinked as she began to tug at the T-shirt covering his torso. “I want to marry you, Carwyn. Why wait?”

She laid burning lips over the scars on his chest. It was getting harder and harder to think straight. “Brigid… wait.”

“Why?” She pulled away, suddenly blinking back tears. “I thought I was going to lose you,” she whispered. “Those months I didn’t get any news, I thought I would lose you, and you would be gone, and I’d never get the chance to tell you.” She kissed his lips, a tinge of desperation flavoring them. “I’d never get the chance to show you that I love you. I knew a year ago, and I didn’t tell you then. I don’t even remember why.”

“Brigid…” He reached up a hand to stroke along her cheek, soothing her. There were still tears in her eyes.

“And the collar? I don’t care about it anymore. I’ll marry you, Carwyn. We’ll figure it out. I walked in my house this morning and you were here. And it was right. And I want to see you there every night and every day. If that means that we have to be married privately, we’ll do it. If that means we have to move somewhere—”

“Brigid.” He put a hand over her lips and smiled. “I would never hide you. And also… I—I’m not exactly a priest anymore.”

She halted. Blinked. “Wha—what?”

“I’m not a priest. I’ve left the priesthood. The pope even gave me his blessing.”

She was frowning. “But… when did you…”

“I knew before I went to Rome that I was leaving the church.”

Suddenly, confusion turned to something else. “You knew in March?”

“Um…” Did he not mention that to her? Right. He’d forgotten about that. Well, this would be interesting.

“In March?”

That probably wasn’t the best way to tell her. Still… she was rather stunning when she was angry. He could feel the heat coming off her skin.

“March! I put up with months of guilt and mental anguish over violating the tenets of my childhood faith—”

“Well—”

“And you already knew?”

Yep. Madder by the minute. How did one distract a righteously angry woman?

“You knew you were leaving and—”

Carwyn grabbed her and kissed her, fully expecting her to injure him in some way. Really, though, it would be worth it. He was aching for her. He dove into her mouth, hoping that would keep her from berating him more. She tried to speak, but finally gave a groan and surrendered to it. Mouth. Hands. Her legs tangled up in his as he rolled over and pressed her into the bed.

Finally, he pulled away, panting. The anger in her eyes was gone, replaced by an edgy hunger that mirrored his own. Oh, he wanted her. A thousand years of desire began to curl in his belly. “I should have told you that I was considering it months ago, but I was being stupid and stubborn, and I wanted you to choose me as I was. I should have told you, Brigid.”

She rolled him onto his back, straddling him, and the heat built on her skin wherever he touched. Her neck. The small of her back. He sat up and slid shaking hands along the soft hair at the nape of her neck as she said, “I should have told you I loved you. Loving you was never a sin. I was scared of so much more than that. It was just an excuse.”

“I think I knew that,” he said. His heart pounded as his fingers dug into the soft flesh of her thighs. “But I’m still glad you said it. Brigid, I’m… impulsive.”

“I know.”

“Stubborn.”

“We won’t be bored.”

He couldn’t stop the laugh. “I’m crazy in love with you.”

A gorgeous smile spread over her face. “I know that, too.”

“You deserve—”

“You.” She pressed her lips to his in a lingering kiss. “I deserve you. For all eternity, I deserve you.”

He smiled. “You really want to marry me?”

Her eyes met his with wicked light. “Oh yes.”

“Right now?”

“Now.”

“I… suppose I can agree to that.” Carwyn rolled her under his body, pushing her hands over her head as she arched back into the bed and he began to lick and nibble along her skin. He didn’t care about witnesses. Brigid would be his before God, and that was all he desired.

She was his. He was hers. That was all, and it was everything.

“Marry us, Carwyn,” she whispered into the dark room. “There’s no reason to wait.”

He chuckled and let his fingers push her T-shirt up, revealing a belly button pierced with a thin gold ring. Carwyn licked his lips and bent his head, tugging on the decadent gold and closing his mouth over the flesh to suck as her shivering energy leapt in excitement. “Well, I don’t know.” His tongue played with the ring as she moaned. “You haven’t spent much time courting me, Brigid.”