MATED TO SERIES COLLECTION

18. LARA: A NEW BEGINNING

My legs loosened and slowly slid down his hips. I felt completely satisfied and so tired. Silas wrapped his arms around my waist. A sigh fell from his lips as he pulled out of me and lowered me back to the bed. I watched through half lowered lids as he climbed from the bed and walked into the bathroom. The sound of running water broke the silence. A minute later the water shut off and Silas entered the room again with a washcloth in his hand.

Walking around the bed, he placed his knee on the mattress and leaned forward. He surprised me by leaning forward and using the cloth to wipe between my legs. Silas gave me a wink before straightening and heading toward the bathroom again.

I had just climbed beneath the sheets when he returned. He flicked off the lights before sliding into the bed next to me. I hesitated before moving closer. Silas slipped an arm around my waist and pulled me against his side. With my head resting on his chest I could still hear the erratic beat of his heart. My hand slipped around his hip and up to rest against his chest.

"Are you okay?"

I nodded. "It was amazing."

Silence settled around us. My eyes fluttered closed when his lips brushed against my forehead. I've never felt so content to be in a man's arms before. He turned onto his side and pressed his lips against my forehead again. They slowly trailed down, over my closed eyelids, to the tip of my nose, over my cheek and then finally captured my lips.

The kiss was so different than all the others we had shared before. There was no rush. I was content just laying in bed and kissing him. Even though it was clear that Silas was ready for another go—I could feel his length hardening against my stomach—he made no move to take things further. His hand slid down my back, to my hip and then down my thigh. Silas gripped my leg and guided it up and over his hip.

Slowly he dethatched our lips and rested his forehead against mine. It was hard to see his face clearly since the room was completely dark, but I knew he was staring at me. I pressed my hands against his chest and tugged slightly on the curly hair.

"You haven't answered me yet," Silas said softly.

"What?"

"Marry me Lara."

I swallowed loudly. Tension instantly filled me again. He was dead serious. Silas really wanted to marry me. I sucked in a breath and slowly blew it out as panic hit me. There was so much that could go wrong if we jumped into a marriage. We barely knew each other. Silas has been living away from his real home. All I knew was what I've seen. What if we go back to his home and things change between us? What if he changes?

"Lara?"

I swallowed again. "What if we change?"

"What do you mean?"

"What if I agree but when we get to your home things changes? What if you're not the man you say you are? What if you act differently when—?"

"So many fears," he muttered. "The chances of any of that happening are very, very slim. I have never pretended to be anyone I'm not."

"I can't help but be scared," I whispered. "I've handed my heart over to someone once only to have it ripped apart."

"I'm nothing like those men you've dated before, Lara." He gave my hip a squeeze. "I'm leaving early tomorrow morning. Come with me."

"You can't be serious?" I gasped.

"Why not? You'll get to see that all these fears you're hanging onto is just part of your imagination." He paused briefly. "Let's do this: You come with me and if you feel the same way you feel now in two weeks then I'll let you leave."

"And if I don't?" I asked, tilting my head back.

His breath fanned my lips when he tilted his head toward me. "If you don't then you'll marry me."

"That doesn't sound like a question anymore."

Silas chuckled. "I'll ask you again in two weeks."

***

"Wake up, darling."

I groaned and gripped the sheets to tug them higher up my body again. Cold air brushed my exposed skin, making goose bumps break out across my skin. A whimper fell from my lips but it was quickly captured by a pair of lips. Nice, soft warm lips.

"We need to get going," Silas said after breaking the kiss.

"What time is it?" I groaned.

"Five o'clock. We have a long drive ahead of us."

"I thought we were flying." I slowly turned onto my back and blinked up at him. "It's cold. I still need to pack my things."

"We are flying." He took a seat on the edge of the bed next to me. "We have a two hour drive to the airport. The flight leaves at eight thirty. As for your things, it's already packed—well only your clothes. I don't know what else you want to take."

"It's too cold to get up, Silas."

"Then I guess I'll have to warm you up."

I blinked rapidly when light suddenly filled the room. Once I got used to it, I took him in. His hair was messy and slightly damp and he was already dressed in one of his impressive suits. How was it possible for him to look so good so early in the morning? I bet I looked like shit.

"What are you doing?" I asked when he stood.

He smirked at me as he kicked of his shoes and then shrugged off his jacket and loosened his tie. "Warming you up."

Silas gripped the sheets, lifted them and then dove underneath them. He climbed over my body and instantly lowered his head to capture my lips. I clung to him as a now familiar ache started deep in my stomach. My legs fell apart for him to settle between them.

I moaned when he placed soft open-mouthed kisses down my neck and lower. Within a few minutes I was a squirming mess underneath him. Pleads fell from my lips as his trailed lower over my stomach. I loved the feel of his mouth kissing me down there but I needed to feel him inside me again. Burying my hand in his hair, I tugged on it until he raised his head to look at me.

"I need you," I whispered. "I need you inside me."

Silas gave me an apologetic smile. "We ran out of condoms last night, baby."

My face fell. Of course we had. Silas only had two condoms in his wallet and we used both. I was ready to say to hell with it and demand he take me, but I wasn't ready for the consequences it might have. I licked my lip and then bit down. He pressed a kiss to my bellybutton before moving up until his face hovered above mine.

"We'll pick some up on the way to the airport."

"Okay." I smiled and leaned up to press my lips against his.

Something started vibrating against my leg, making me freeze. A groan fell from Silas's lips. With one last kiss against my lips, he climbed out of bed and pulled his phone from his pocket. Silas glanced down at his phone and sneered.

"Is something wrong?"

He glanced over at me. "Some people just don't understand what no means. Get dressed and pack what else you need."