Sea Haven 02 - Spirit Bound

showed him more than anything how very fucked up his trainers had made him.
    “That sounds like fun,” he said, because she was waiting for a response.
    Without looking away from him she smoothed away his seed with the cloth and it was the sexiest thing he’d ever witness. In spite of being sated minutes earlier his cock jerked hard. He nearly groaned aloud. Who was he trying to kid? He needed a lifetime to sate the craving she’d set up in his body. He nearly took the cloth away from her, hating to see the evidence of his possession wiped away. He forced himself to stay quiet, without protest as she dressed.
    “I’m hungry all of a sudden,” she announced with a small grin. “Do you feel like eating?”
    “Sure, although we’re down here, you may as well give me a quick rundown of the place. You can’t really see anything of the downstairs from outside so I was surprised with so many windows. I expected these rooms to be more like a basement.” He wanted to see the entire layout of the house. Windows made things difficult for security, but her gardens provided thick screens, at least during this time of year.
    She flashed a pleased smile. “Painting requires a great deal of light. I’m a conservator of painting as well as an artist. Both require light, just as creating kaleidoscopes does. I like to be surrounded by color and all of the gardens are different. I mix the flowers with taller grasses and shrubs to help give myself the feeling of protection.”
    He didn’t need to ask her why she felt in need of protection; she’d told him. He put his arm around her waist and leaned down to kiss her. If there was the smallest hesitation on her part, he ignored it. There was going to be a lot of kissing because, truthfully, he could kiss her forever and never be tired of it.
    “Let’s get you something to eat, Judith. You can open doors for me along the way and give me the big tour another time.”
    She wrapped her arms around his neck and held him to her. “I can’t believe I haven’t known you all my life. This feels brand-new, and yet as comfortable as an old shoe. It’s a little scary how much it feels so right being with you.”
    Behind her back, Stefan lifted his hand to inspect his fist, scarred and calloused with training and fights. Part of him expected his flesh to be transparent. He hadn’t been real since he was a boy and now, his blood flowed hot and his mind contemplated a life in this home with this woman, a daring dream. He didn’t deserve a woman like Judith. There wasn’t much good in him, but he’d fight to his last breath for her and he’d do whatever it took to make her happy.
    “I know it has to feel like the devil showed up at your door and maybe he has. I just know this is right, Judith.”
    She pressed kisses along his jaw and then stepped back. “Come on, before we start something all over again.”
    “I’m willing.”
    She laughed. “Me too, but unfortunately, I had to ask Airiana to work in my store for me and she has something she’s doing so if we’re going to eat, we have to eat now and I’m truly starving. Besides”—she sent him another mischievous smirk—“I want to see just how good a cook you really are.”
    Stefan let her take his hand and lead him toward the door. He inhaled deeply and took in their combined scents. The room smelled like both of them now, sin and sex. He was the sin and she was the sex. Smiling to himself, he followed her out the door into the hall. Directly across from the kaleidoscope studio was another door. She pushed it open and stepped back.
    “I have this smaller bedroom down here just in case I stay up all night, which is often, and I just crash down here.”
    “Another bedroom for us,” he murmured appreciatively and was rewarded with her laughter.
    The room next to the bedroom was another bathroom and shower, no tub this time, but the room itself was spacious. He was beginning to realize Judith liked everything as open as possible. She closed that door and moved on to the next door, which was quite a bit down the hallway, on the same side as the kaleidoscope studio.
    “This is where I both paint and do my conservator’s work.”
    Stefan stepped inside before she could close the door. There was Judith in this room as well, he could feel her. This studio was very organized, a complete contrast to the happy chaos of the adjoining room. Once again, the double French doors led out to a garden and banks of windows invited