Drake Sisters 07 - Hidden Currents

for loving me the way I am. You’ve made me feel far more loved than anyone ever has in my life. You make me feel . . .†He choked out the last word, but no matter how stupid it made him feel trying to articulate emotions, she deserved it. “Worthy.â€
    She was silent a long time. He felt the breath running through her body, he was so tuned to her. She felt soft and warm draped over him, a living blanket that was everything good in the world to him. His fingers slid through her scalp, trying to massage, to give her pleasure rather than declare possession.
    â€œYou’re everything to me, Jackson,†El e said eventual y, pressing her lips against his bel y. “ Everything. And you’re more worthy than any man I know. I was loving you with everything in me.â€
    â€œI know you were, baby. I felt it.â€
    â€œIt wasn’t about proving something to Stavros or to myself.†She pushed up onto her elbows to look at him. “I feel so much better, Jackson. I was so afraid he’d taken everything from me, but he couldn’t take away the love I feel for you or the way I need to express it.â€
    His gaze drifted over her face. God, he loved her. “You have to expect to have trouble, El e, with this—with us. Trauma is a strange thing so once in a while you may knock me on my ass again, and if it happens, it wil be okay.â€
    â€œAnd you might have a nightmare. I’l put the weapons under my side of the mattress.†She grinned at him.
    A slow smiled answered hers and then he nodded. “It only matters to me that you love me enough that you not only want to bring me pleasure, but that you enjoy it.â€
    A slow, mischievous smile curved her mouth. “I really enjoy the way you say my name.â€
    â€œDo you, now? How about hearing it for the rest of your life?†His hands tightened in her hair, stroked little caresses over her scalp. “Let’s get married, El e. Now. Right away. Invite the whole damn vil age. No wedding plans, just tel everyone it’s a vil age event and we want them to come and celebrate with us. Whoever shows up, it’s al good.â€
    She stared into his eyes for a long moment. “This isn’t an impulse thing? An afterglow from great sex?â€
    â€œThis is me wanting you to be my wife. Now. I don’t want to wait. Let’s just make it official. We can get a license and be married right away.
    And fuck Gratsos. Let’s get married on the beach.â€
    She laughed. “You’re so crazy, Jackson. You don’t even like people around, yet you’re going to invite the entire vil age?â€
    He turned on his hip, propping up his head to better see her expression. “You and your sisters are a huge part of Sea Haven. I know your older sisters want a big white wedding, but we’re beach people. Thisâ€â€”he waved his hand to encompass his house and hers as wel as the beach and the sea—“this is who we are. The vil age worked to get you home, praying, lighting candles, doing everything they could think of to try to help find you.
    Let’s not hide, baby. Let’s throw it in his face and be happy.â€
    â€œI don’t know the first thing about planning something like that.â€
    He grinned at her. “That’s the best part. We don’t need to plan it. We just need to cal one person.â€
    Her eyes widened. “You’re going to cal Inez?â€
    â€œThe moment you say yes to me.â€
    â€œIf you cal her, Jackson, you’l never be able to back out, you know that, don’t you?â€
    He wrapped his arms around her, rol ed over, pinning her down just long enough to give her a kiss, before releasing her and rol ing to the other side of the carpet. “I’l give you the first phone cal . Tel Sarah and then I cal Inez.â€
    â€œThey’l al come over.â€
    He shrugged. “They wil anyway. And I want to see Abbey and make certain she’s al right. So go cal .†He leaned over her and bit her luscious butt. He wanted her sisters over because he was going to make certain Kate tried to help heal El e’s talent. They were going to need her at ful strength.
    â€œOw!†El e rubbed her bottom and glared at him. “Fine, I’l cal her. You can go make us something to eat.â€
    â€œI just fed you, greedy little thing.†He brushed a