He smiled up at her, and those amazing dimples appeared. They still made her heart speed up.
“I feel it is necessary to remind you of my place in your life. When we started this journey, I knelt before you and professed my desire to be a servant leader in our family. That means I am willing to do any task that will better us as a pair, any task that will serve you and show you my love.” He slipped the shoes from her feet and then took off her socks. His hands were firm and steady as he rolled up her jeans. Her skin warmed under his touch, and she saw his smile as he noticed her reaction to him.
His fingertips ran down her calves, causing her to shiver. Costin picked up her right foot and propped it on his thigh. Then he took the washcloth and dipped it into the water. Sally didn’t think she could love him more than she already did. She was wrong.
“Do you remember me whispering in your ear the night we were bonded and married? The things I said to you when we joined as one for the first time?”
She nodded her head slowly, trying to figure out where he was going with this.
“You are the air I breathe, the food I eat, the water that quenches my thirst, Sally mine.”
Sally swallowed hard as she realized he was repeating the words he’d said in their bedroom after their bonding ceremony and wedding. His hands were moving up her calf, just as he had done the first time he washed her feet, always pushing the limits.
“You are what I have waited for, what I have so desperately needed, and what I could never deserve. Every whispered promise, every confession, every longing, hope, and dream I have shared with you from that night until this morning. Those are my vows to you, my love. All you need to know is that I am yours, unequivocally, and you are mine.”
He set her right foot down and picked up the left one, again resting it on his thigh, and began the process all over again.
“What I would add to those words that I shared with you the night I made you mine in every way is this.” He looked her straight in the eyes, practically daring her to look away. “Every trial we have faced since that night has only made me more determined to make sure you remain with me always. I want you with me, Sally, because I know I will choose to love you even when you think I shouldn’t. I want you as my mate—my wife—because I know when I screw up and get it wrong, you will choose to love me. You are my true mate, my best friend, my beloved. Bond or not, I would choose you even if true mates did not exist.”
Pausing, he dried off each leg and foot, then rolled her jeans back into place. He tenderly put her socks and shoes back on her feet. But instead of standing, he pushed her legs apart and walked on his knees until he was in between them with his hands firmly gripping her hips.
“I’m going to ask you to do something for me, and I am going to do the same thing for you.”
“Okay,” she said hesitantly.
“I want you to write down the things that you need from me. How can I serve you? How can I meet your needs? What are the things I can do to help you get past the thoughts that are telling you that you don’t deserve me? I, in turn, am going to write down the things I need from you. The actions that will meet my needs, make me feel loved and respected. Are you willing to do that?”
“Is it fair of me to ask for those things?”
His brow rose. “Absolutely. I’m your mate. Your needs before mine. Your desires before mine. You come first. That’s how this works.”
“And I do the same for you? Your needs come first, and your desires before mine?” Sally asked, beginning to feel a tiny sliver of hope.
“Yes,” he answered and then leaned forward and pressed his lips to hers. With the bond more open than it had been in days, Sally felt Costin’s emotions flood her as he pressed closer and parted his lips. Warmth filled her blood, chasing out the chill from the top of her head to the tips of her toes. He reached up with one of his hands and wrapped it around her neck, his palm resting on his bite mark.
Sally’s breath rushed from her lungs as she spread her lips and felt the warmth of his mouth and savored his familiar taste. It felt so good to just accept the love Costin was offering. For this brief moment, she was able to see that maybe, just maybe, there was a light at the end of the incredibly long, dark tunnel.
“I hate to break up this beautiful, heartwarming moment.” Jen’s voice filled the silence that had enveloped them. Sally pulled back from the kiss, though she didn’t want it to end, and turned her head to look at Jen.
“But you two have a plane to catch. So less sexy time and more packy time.”
Jacque stepped around Jen and glanced at the blonde. “That was lame. Again.”
Sally’s lips turned up slightly. “I have to agree with her, Jen. That was lame with a capital L.” Then she frowned. “You mentioned a plane at our door this morning. What do you mean we have a plane to catch?”
Jen smiled, and it reminded Sally of the way Joker smiled at Batman—creepy. “We’re shipping you and dimples back to Coldspring.”
Chapter Four
“I can’t take my eyes off of her. I know I’m probably smothering her, but I don’t know how else to be. My precious Sally had considered leaving this world. I feel like a failure as a mate. How can I get her to understand that no matter what she’s been through, I will be by her side? How do I get her to believe she is needed, wanted, and so incredibly loved, not just by me, but by her entire pack? How do I make sure she never feels that way again?” ~Costin
Costin wrapped his arms around his mate, standing behind her, and pulled her tightly against his chest. They had packed their bags and made it to the airport with time to spare, and now they were standing at their gate waiting to board an international flight. His wolf was restless as his eyes continually scanned the surrounding area. Every male that looked in their direction dropped their eyes immediately, though they didn’t understand why. It was instinctual even for a human to recognize when someone was more dominant than themselves.