“No.”
He stepped away from her and took her hand. Lacing their fingers together, he led her to the window. Stars peeked through the clouds, and the moon was a half-crescent hanging in the sky.
“It’s beautiful,” she murmured.
He hummed in approval. “It is, but you are far more beautiful than any night sky.”
His vampire inhaled, but he didn’t give her the chance to speak.
“Like the moon that rises every night and the stars that follow its lead, I am drawn to you.” Even when they had been at their most broken, he’d been drawn to her. “You are mine in every way. My wife. My vampire.”
“Ryker—”
He turned to look at her. “Sometimes, I think you could be my ruination.”
Her hand twitched in his, but he wasn’t done.
“If you’re going to ruin me, do it by my side. Remain with me. Let us work this out, and whatever happens, happens.” He traced her wedding ring. “There’s no one I’d rather be ruined by than you.”
For the longest moment, she was a statue, and then her lips tilted up.
Gods above, had there ever been as beautiful of a sight as his wife’s perfect smile?
“You have a way with words, Ry.” She squeezed his hand. “Has anyone ever told you that?”
“A few,” he admitted, his gaze searching hers.
She stepped towards him and lifted her chin.
“I’m drawn to you, too, and I promise I’m not going anywhere,” she murmured. “I don’t think you could get rid of me now, even if you tried.”
“I don’t plan on it.” He wrapped his arms around her and held her close.
He wasn’t sure how much time had passed before Marlowe snorted in his sleep, the sound breaking them out of whatever spell had been cast over them.
Ryker kissed the top of Brynleigh’s head. “So, this meeting…”
She stiffened. “Yeah, we should probably talk about that.” Pulling out of his grasp, she headed to the kitchen and spoke over her shoulder. “Let me grab you a beer. I think you’ll need it when you hear what happened tonight.”
That did not bode well.
Ryker agreed, and Brynleigh returned in a vampiric flash, carrying drinks for them both.
She handed himthe bottle. “Should we sit?”
“Good idea.” He took her hand and led her to the couch, where Marlowe lounged like he owned the entire place. “Down, Marlie.”
The pup hopped off immediately, curling up on the carpet by the front door instead.
Ryker sat, pulling Brynleigh down with him. Their legs brushed against each other, and neither of them pulled away. Thank all the gods.
“Okay.” He slung an arm over her shoulder and twisted a lock of her blonde hair around his finger. “Tell me what happened.”
Slowly, Brynleigh explained everything that she’d learned at the rebel meeting. She paused and answered his questions when they came up, not minding when he grabbed his phone and jotted down several pertinent pieces of information.
When Ryker dragged her closer so their sides lined up from their shoulders to their toes, she didn’t pull away. Instead, she leaned against him and kept speaking.
This was so much better than a single goodnight kiss.