He turned his head to gaze at me. “No.”

“I feel like I should be mortified.”

His big body started shaking my body when he started laughing.

Then his big body covered mine since he pulled me down to the bed with him on top of me.

And he was still shaking with laughter.

“So, apparently, the dolphins will keep us company when I join with my wife,” he remarked.

“Apparently,” I mumbled.

He was still laughing, his eyes warm and dancing.

I loved to see that in his gaze.

Nevertheless, I rolled my own eyes.

When I rolled them back, he was no longer laughing, and he’d lifted his hand to tangle it in the curls by the side of my head.

“It was not the splendor I had hoped, my love. It went too fast. But next time—”

I felt my eyes narrow. “What words are these you say?”

He closed his mouth.

“I will never forget it,” I vowed.

His expression gentled. “Ha-Lah.”

“Never, not in my life.”

“My Ha-Lah,” he whispered.

“You are more beautiful out of clothes than in them,” I declared.

At that, my husband grinned an arrogant grin.

“Though next time, I would like to maybe get my hand around what is mine before you flip me on my back and take over,” I shared.

“I’ll remind you that you did not protest that maneuver in the slightest, wife.”

“I’d had my breath knocked out of me.”

His laughter this time was audible, and he forced through it, “Liar.”

“It’s true!” I kept lying.

“My queen commanded me to take her. She did not command me to let her grab hold of my cock.”

“You’re too handsome and your body is too pleasing. We’ll never go slowly if you take your clothes off.”

“Shall I get dressed?” he offered.

“No,” I snapped.

He kissed me, light, but wet, doing it through a smile, and I liked all that very much.

Especially the smile.

Well, no, especially the kiss.

Actually, both equally.

I did not like it when he stopped, therefore I frowned at him.

He was not frowning at me, he was gazing at me tenderly.

“Now, my queen, do you doubt you please me in all ways?” he asked quietly.

It was my turn to feel warm and good humored and tender.

And arrogant.

And powerful.

And everything.

I did not gloat.

I said, “Thank you for the splendor, my husband.”

He appeared perplexed.

“Do you think we’re done?” he queried.

“We aren’t?”

“Very much no.”

I stretched out under him.

His eyes flared.

And I lied yet again, “But I feel most lethargic.”

“That’s all right,” he replied, then he buried his face in my neck, and under my ear, he whispered, “I’ll do all the work.”

He ran his teeth down my neck.

And then he did as he promised.

58

The Final Choice

Queen Mercy