Page 107 of One Kind Soul

How perfect Christian Henley was.

“I love you so much, Christian.” Seeing that ring on her finger wiped away years of her sister’s bullying. She was enough.

“I love you, Nicole.” He dropped a kiss on her bejeweled finger then pulled her in close to capture her mouth in a kiss that left no doubt he was the man she wanted to spend the rest of her life with.

And the man she wanted to spend the night making love to.

“I think we ought to exercise before we eat that dessert you mentioned.” Nicole took Christian’s hand and tugged him toward the door.

“Exercise?” His brows lowered in confusion, but when she pulled at his bowtie, his mouth immediately curved up in a sexy grin. “Oh. Exercise.” He peeled off his jacket as he followed her into the beach house. After draping the jacket on a dining room chair, he started on the buttons of his dress shirt as he stalked toward her.

She led him down the hallway as she slid the thin straps of her dress off her shoulders. Letting the dress coast down her body and pool at her feet, she stepped out of it and entered the bedroom.

By the time Christian came in, he had everything off and so did she. Except for that fabulous engagement ring which she admired as she kneeled on the bed. She was never taking that off.

“I love the look on your face right now.” Christian eased her down to her back and climbed over her. “Something like awe mixed with passion.”

“I can’t believe we’re getting married,” she said. “And I’m certainly feeling the desire right now.” She glided her hand along his exposed abs, but honestly, her gaze was on the way that diamond collected the light from the bedside lamp and twinkled.

“We’re going to be so happy together.” Christian leaned down and dropped kisses along her throat and between her breasts. “If Landon and Aliza and Tessa and Donovan have taught me anything, it’s that meeting the right person changes everything. I’m so glad meeting you has changed everything for me.”

“Meeting you has changed everything for me too.” She arched into his touch as he coasted his hands over her curves, kissing the terrain as he passed.

When they made love tonight—as an engaged couple—all their promises to each other solidified. The best years of their lives were ahead and Nicole couldn’t wait to get started on that life.

About an hour later, they were outside on a single lounge chair, tangled up in a light blanket with each other under the stars. Nicole’s entire body felt as weightless as a feather. Christian had seen to her every need and more and she hoped she’d done the same for him.

“You mentioned a dessert.” She ran her leg up and down his.

He gave her a squeeze. “Oh, you remembered that?”

“You were a huge distraction.” She wiggled next to him. “But yes, I do recall the word dessert being tossed around earlier this evening.”

“C’mon then.” He scooched up to sitting—allowing Nicole a prime display of his bunched abs—then stood, pulling her to her feet as well.

In the kitchen, Christian presented her with a beautiful chocolate cake with white frosting and a life-sized sugar orchid on it. It tasted as wonderful as it looked, especially because Nicole enjoyed it with her fiancé.

Fiancé. That word brought her so much joy and the word husband was sure to do the same.

When they’d scraped the last crumbs from their plates, they cleaned up from dinner and dessert. Washing the few dishes they’d used wasn’t supposed to be so much fun, but there they were, wiping soap bubbles on each other and stealing kisses in between scrubbing and drying.

“If you’re going to make every chore feel like a game,” Christian said, “farm chores are about to get a whole lot more interesting.”

“I’ll do what I can,” Nicole said, “but mucking stalls might be a tough one to perk up.”

“I think you’re up to the challenge, Nixen.” He unplugged the drain and squeezed out the wash cloth, draping it over the faucet to dry.

She slid her arms up to hook her hands on the back of his neck. Glancing at the clock on the microwave, she said, “We have several hours to kill before we leave Hawaii for Vermont.” She pressed her lips to his. “How will we manage to pass the time?” Her hand traveled down his chest, over his abs, and found that rock-solid arousal straining against his boxers.

A low growl vibrated in his throat then he swept her up in a fireman’s carry, toting her down the hallway while she squealed and laughed in his hold.

“Put me down, Chrissy!”

“Okey-dokey.” He flopped her onto the bed where her body bounced against the mattress.

He got on the bed next to her, making sure to do so as non-gracefully as possible so the bed bounced some more. “A quick game of checkers? Maybe you’ll let me win now that we’re engaged?”

Nicole grinned, but shook her head. “I will give you special attention in all areas, Fiancé, except when it comes to checkers.”