Chapter 0353
“No. We won’t.”
As soon as we arrived home, I went to the closet in our bedroom where I’d been keeping the box with all our papers. I pulled out the sex contract and the divorce papers, holding them a moment before turning to Noah, who stood in the doorway.
“Let’s burn them,” I said decisively.
Noah’s eyebrows shot up, but he nodded, following me to the fireplace. We knelt together on the plush rug as I placed the papers in the grate. Noah struck a match, and we watched as the flames consumed the documents that had once symbolized the end of our marriage.
As we watched the papers curl and blacken, Noah’s hand found mine. He intertwined our fingers, gently pulling me closer. Neither of us spoke; we just watched, leaning against each other, as the flames licked at those damning documents.
Staying together. We were staying together. And it felt so, so right. When the last of the papers had finally turned to ash, Noah turned to me. He cupped my cheek gently, his thumb tracing my cheekbone. “I promise,” he said softly, his eyes reflecting the flickering flames, “that I will do right by you and our baby. No more coldness, no more distance. I’m here, fully and completely.” His other hand came to rest on my swollen belly, and I covered it with my own. We pressed our foreheads together, breathing each other in. His scent enveloped me, and I felt almost dizzy with love.
“I love you,” I whispered, the words feeling both new and familiar on my tongue. Instead of responding with words, Noah’s lips met mine in a tender kiss. It was different from our recent passionate, desperate, hungry encounters—this was slow, sweet, full of promise. Full of love and full of history.
When we finally broke apart, Noah scooped me up in his arms, carrying me toward the bed. I laughed, wrapping my arms around his neck, feeling suddenly giddy and lightheaded.
“What are you doing?” I asked, although I had a pretty good idea.
“I’m about to make love to my wife,” he said, his voice husky. “Any objections?”
I pretended to think for a moment, tapping my chin. “Hmm… nope, can’t think of any.”
He laid me gently on the bed, his hands and lips exploring my body with reverence. This wasn’t the frenzied passion of our recent encounters, driven by the terms of a contract and our own need for release. This was something deeper, more intimate. Noah’s touch was gentle, almost worshipful, as he undressed me. His fingers trailed over my bare skin, leaving goosebumps in their wake.
When he climbed between my legs and slipped into me, it felt like coming home after a long time at war.
We moved together beneath the sheets, tongue and lips and teeth grazing each other’s skin. I clung to him as we ground our hips against one another, my legs wrapped firmly around him as if he might slip away. But he didn’t pull away, didn’t once pry his warm body away from mine.
For the first time ever, I felt whole. Complete. This was what it meant to be truly mated, truly in love. The pleasure built slowly, a warm glow that spread through my entire body until I finally splintered on him.
When I did go over that edge, he cupped my face in his hands and peppered gentle kisses across my cheeks and nose. He peaked not long after, soft growls and groans brushing against my ear as he finally let out one last gentle shudder. I tangled my fingers in his hair, listening to his ragged breathing as he slumped on top of me. Even then, in the wake of our heat, he didn’t pull away. I wouldn’t have minded if he just stayed there forever. And the words he uttered next made me want to never let go.
“I love you, Hannah…”