Page 296 of Vexatious Queen

I was weak and shaking when Nash picked me up.

“She’s mine for the rest of the night,” he declared, but considering everyone was just panting and lying on furniture, they weren’t in any state to argue.

He walked into the bedroom, kicked the door closed, and then headed straight into the bathroom. He sat me down on the counter, then turned the taps on the jacuzzi. I was so wiped that I leaned my head against the wall and closed my eyes. The sound of the running water lulled me into a deeper state of relaxation.

In what seemed like a blink, the water shut off. When I opened my eyes, the bathroom was full of candles. Nash turned off the overhead light and picked me up.

We settled into the gigantic tub with me between his legs and my head on his chest.

“This is incredible,” I said, my voice a little hoarse. He lifted my hand out of the water with his and played with the ring on my finger. “And…thank you.”

“For what?”

“For tonight.” I tilted my head to look up at him, and his dark blue eyes looked black in the candlelight. “I know you really don’t like to share.”

He smirked. “It wasn’t so terrible. I’ve just never been a wait-in-line kind of guy.”

I chuckled. “You? I never would’ve guessed. You seem like the personification of patience.”

Nash smiled wide.

“Well, then you haven’t been paying attention, Princess.” He linked our fingers. “I’m greedy, opinionated, possessive…”

“Don’t forget stubborn,” I added, teasingly.

“Yes, that too. Then there is irritating, overprotective, and it’s hard to believe, but I’ve even been called an asshole a time or two.”

“Nooo, who would say such a hurtful thing?”

“I don’t know some random girl I slept with,” Nash said.

I swatted his arm, and he laughed.

Nash tilted my head toward him and softly kissed my lips. My eyes roamed over his face, and he looked worried, like he was holding something back. Pushing up, I turned around and straddled his lap. I rested my arms on his shoulders and played with his hair.

“What’s going on in that head of yours,” I asked.

“Just thinking.”

“I know that. About what?”

Nash searched my face. “I’ve made some huge mistakes.”

“Yup, but why are you thinking about that right now?”

Nash gripped my hips and slid me closer until we were only an inch apart, my lips hovering over his.

“I hope you know how much I love you. No matter what, everything I do going forward is for us.”

Kissing him, I made sure to let him feel what he meant to me.

“I know. I love you, too. What brought all this up?”

“Because I can’t breathe at the thought of losing you, Princess,” he said, dropping his forehead to mine.

“Why? Did you do something,” I asked, moderately worried now.

“No, I swear.” He chuckled. “I just want you to know that everything I do is for us. Always,” Nash whispered, making my eyes sting. I blinked back the tears.