Fighting Fate (Fighting #7)(109)
My stomach tumbles at the threat in his words. I know exactly what he’ll do to convince me, and having Kill’s hands and mouth all over my body gives me a moment of pause. “So you’re saying this is a win-win for me.”
Finally, the corner of his mouth lifts in a half smile. “Can’t deny the birthday girl.” He pulls his T-shirt up over his head, and my mouth goes dry. No matter how many times I’ve seen him naked, I always get the butterflies as if it’s the first. His pecs contract as he balls up his shirt and tosses it to my beach bag. And he’s worried about me? Kill’s body is like a dinner bell to the female gender, calling not only eyes but shameless flirting, which he’s great at ignoring.
I turn my back on him and pull the drawstring on the cute linen shorts I bought while shopping with Fleur in Paris last week.
I wanted to hate her—I really did—but she’s one of those girls who’s impossible to dislike. I mean unless she’s kissing the love of my life, which she hasn’t done since Kill and I became official. She’s funny, and I get the feeling that if we lived closer we’d be great friends. And for a girl who hangs out with dudes all day, she has amazing taste in clothes.
With a little wiggle, I push the shorts down over my hips, and the rumble of a growl sounds at my back. I shake my head and do a quick knee bend to snag the fabric from the sand rather than an at-the-waist bend that’ll only irritate Killian more.
“So?” I turn and toss my shorts on the lounger then prop my hands on my hips and strike a pose. “What do you think?”
I already know what he thinks. He made it clear when I showed him the suit in the privacy of our room, but I’m hoping that, however indecent he felt my uber-expensive designer suit was then, he’s seeing now it’s not as bad as he thought.
It has a black triangle top with gold band embellishments at the ties. The bottoms are also black, but at the back, gold beads make a triangle pattern right above where the fabric disappears between the cheeks of my overly-toned and spray-tanned ass.
“Fuck, Ax!” He grabs a nearby towel that’s been rolled and placed on each lounger. With a quick whip of his wrist, he shakes it out and places it over his hips. “You’re killing me,” he says through clenched teeth.
I shake my head at my incredibly protective, gorgeous, and sexy fiancé then put a knee to the lounger and crawl between his legs, pressing my body to his sun-warmed chest to rest my head on his shoulder. “Thank you.”
He tosses one side of the long towel over my ass, making me laugh. “You thank me like I had a choice.” His voice sounds less tense, and his arms slide around me. “You were gonna do it anyway.”
“Yeah.” I sigh and nuzzle his throat. “But that’s not what I’m thanking you for.”
“It’s just money, Ax. It’s your birthday, baby.” He kisses the top of my head. “You deserve so much more. I plan on showing you just how much more for as long as we live.”
I hum against his collarbone and kiss him there until he shivers. “I loved you when we were poor, Kill. As much as I’ve enjoyed these last ten days, I’d have loved them just as much if we were backpacking and sleeping in hostels.”
“Is that right?” He’s skeptical, rightly so. I’ve really been enjoying this life of luxury. Who wouldn’t?
“Well, yeah.” I peek up at him. “But even still, that’s not what I was thanking you for.”
He doesn’t ask for more but sets those whiskey-colored eyes on mine, asking the silent question.
“Thank you for never giving up on me.”
“Ax—”
I press my finger to his lips. “I’m serious. I was looking so hard for something, and you were there offering it to me for all those years. You stood by while I dated other guys. I…” I think of all the epic f*ckups he had to stand by and witness, all the times I took my anger out on him just because he was available, made him pay for the sins of every man who walked away with a piece of my heart. “I don’t know if I would’ve been strong enough to have done the same—to have been there while you burned through countless women. How did you do it? I wasn’t always nice to you, and you never gave up on me.”
He hooks my chin and brings my lips to his. “Because I love you.”
“Is it that simple?”
“Nothing between us has ever been simple, but the choice to be there for you was. It still is.”
I understand that now because I love Killian and have let go of all my hang-ups, all the voices that were telling me I wasn’t what he needed or what he deserved. But the choice to stand by him through everything life brings—his fighting, the traveling, the press, the rumors, the women—is simple. I’ll never leave his side, no matter what.
Pushing up to my elbows, I tilt my head to sink into a delicious kiss that has my toes curling as I rub myself against him. “I can’t wait for the rest of our lives, Killian. I’m going to make you so happy.” I dip in for another soft kiss, speaking against his lips. “Make it so you never regret choosing me.”
He smiles against my lips. “Love your determination, but that’s not necessary. I’ve got the sexiest woman alive stretched out against me. Her love, her loyalty, that’s all I need—just you.” He runs the tip of his tongue along my lower lip. “Now behave, or I’ll slip that tiny piece of fabric between your legs to the side and we’ll show the people of St. Tropez just how free with our bodies we can be.”