He had to protect her.
“Repeat after me,” the balding man of the cloth said to Priscilla. “I, Priscilla King, take thee, Griffin James, to be my lawful wedded husband…”
“I, Priscilla King, take thee, Griffin James.” Staring into his eyes, she leaned close and whispered, “Aka McGruff—”
He laughed.
She grinned.
“Pixie,” he said softly, feeling the stones surrounding the fortress to his heart shift.
Within minutes, he slipped a delicate wedding band on her finger, and then an engagement ring. The center emerald sat among a circle of diamonds. Her gasp of delight warmed him.
Her surprise extended when he handed her a gold ring to place on his finger. His gesture proclaimed, loud and clear, he belonged to her. A fierce pride shook him at the thought.
He cupped her face between his palms and with stunning awe, he gently kissed her lips, making them man and wife.
No matter what happened in the next few months, he could hang onto the fact that, for one brief moment, they were linked together, entwined in time. She, Priscilla King, had accepted him into her life and into her heart. For a very long time, no one else had ever made him feel that wanted.
***
Sensing her nervousness when they entered his house later that night, he said, “I have a surprise for you.”
“Another one?” She shivered. Gingerly, she removed the crown of flowers and placed them on the kitchen counter, and then fluffed her hair.
“You’ll like this one,” he assured her.
“I’ve liked all of them so far.”
He held out his hand to her. With a slight hesitation, she took it. He laced his fingers through her cold ones, realizing she’d begun to tremble. His heart hitched.
But his body hummed with anticipation at the night to come. He wanted her. The ache had grown beyond comprehension. “I don’t bite,” he said softly, pointing out she may be holding his hand while walking to his study, but she kept nearly two feet between them.
She sighed. “I’m scared,” she admitted. “I’ve never been with a man before.”
How could he ease her anxiety? “Well, you’ve already slept with me. First night we met. A little presumptuous of you, too, don’t you think?”
Her gasp, followed by a chuckle and her swatting his arm, convinced him he’d said the right thing. “You are so bad. It wasn’t like that and you know it.”
“That’s my story and I’m sticking to it.”
“Why, Griffin James, you’re trying to be funny.”
“It’s a natural gift.”
They both laughed at the absurdity of that.
“Ready?” he asked, standing in the darkened doorway of his study.
“I think so.”
Griff reached out and flicked on the stark overhead light. He watched her face.
“No way,” she said, putting her hands over her mouth. “A pink chair?”
“And ottoman.”
Rushing to it, she asked, “Is it mine?” She brushed the back of it and looked up at him as he strolled toward her.
“Well, Pixie, it isn’t mine. Pink’s not my color.”
Priscilla went to him, throwing her arms around his neck and hugging him close. “Griff, how did you know? It’s perfect. I love it. Thank you so much.”
Griff held her tightly, picking her up off the floor. He stared into her eyes. Warmth and something more shone there. It was his turn to gasp. “Since you’ll be living here now, I thought you’d need your own chair in my study.”
Tears gathered in her eyes. “You are such a surprise, Mr. James. I’m a little sad to see my McGruff leave, though.”
“Oh, he’s still there.” More than you’ll ever realize.
***
Less than an hour later, Griff lay back against the pile of pillows on his bed. In the bathroom, Priscilla got ready, turning on every knob and gadget in the room, he imagined, as he heard them come on and go off at intervals.
Finally, she opened the door, already having shut the light off. But in the moonlight from the window, he made out her outline in the short, revealing, shimmery nightgown. She scurried across the room and, lifting the covers, jumped into his king-sized bed, clinging to the farthest edge away from him.
“You’re naked?!” she choked out.
“That’s how I always sleep.”
Her soft moan didn’t help his own condition.
Griff closed his eyes and counted to ten, knowing he went against every desire pulsating through his body at the moment. “Lady’s choice.” He wouldn’t pressure her.
“Really? You’d do that for me?”
“Yes,” he said between gritted teeth. His jaw ached with the effort.