beneath. Head to the side, curly strands of dark hair half covered her face, impeding his view. Not that he required the visual, every inch of her body, from the top of her head to the curl of her smallest toe, were indelibly printed within his mind. With eyes closed he would still see her.
His gaze drifted to her mouth, those full lips capable of sending him spiraling to the highest peaks of pleasure or dashing into new depths of despair. Thinking of their conversation last night, he smiled. She'd asked to move the family trip he'd promised to Niagara Falls, up a few months. But summer was the best time to see the views and the pups were out of school. Once he shared the preparations he'd started, the events he’d planned and security he’d sent ahead to insure everything was ready, she hadn't been happy, but accepted his explanation for keeping the same dates.
Moving to the bed, he placed his knee on the mattress and she rolled toward him a bit. Smiling, he traced her upper lip with his fingertip.
She swatted his hand as if it were a pesky bug.
Eager to see what she'd do next, he traced her lower lip with his index finger and grazed the pad of his thumb across the plump center.
She bit him.
Laughing, he left his thumb in place, hoping she'd bite again.
She pushed his thumb from her mouth and rolled over. "Why are you bothering me?" Her question ended on a mournful note.
"Bothering you? Is that what I'm doing?" He lay fully on the bed and pulled her close despite her weak struggles to remain apart.
"Yes. I want to sleep a little longer, the sun's not even up."
"Not all the way, but it's rising, that counts." He pulled her arms around his neck and rested his forehead against hers. "I watched you sleep, you're just as beautiful. So very beautiful."
"Wolfie..." She said his name with so much emotion it reached inside his chest and stroked his heart.
"So if I'm bothering you, it's only because I couldn't take being on the other side of the room without touching you another second. I need to feel you in my arms, you're perfect for me."
"You're perfect for me too." She chuckled. "This is not fair. You've had time to think of all those really cool, panty melting things to say and I can't think past the sleep crowding my mind." She leaned back and stared into his eyes. "But know this, I love you more than life itself. Before you, life was beige, not as bright as it could be. My heart sings with new life since you came into my life."
He laughs. "Are those lyrics from a song?"
She laughed. "Maybe, but for early morning romance, it rocks and you know it."
He kissed her. Initially he meant for it to be just a simple brushing against her lips, almost casual since she had this thing about kissing before brushing her teeth. But her arms tightened behind his neck, drawing him closer. He lost himself in her embrace and deepened the kiss, tasting, teasing, and hopefully tempting her for another round of love-making.
They broke on a gasp, heartbeats racing and still in sync. The top of her head brushed against his chin as she rested on him. Her arms moved to his waist in a comfortable embrace, not as tight as before and he knew this morning would be one of cuddling and comforting. Happy for these quiet moments alone with his mate, his arms tightened around her. "My treasure."
She smiled against his chest. "I like being with you like this, before the kids are awake, or dealing with national problems, or talking to Alphas. Just having you to myself for five, ten, or however long is priceless for me," she whispered.
The sobriety of her words struck a reciprocating chord in him. Some days the kids had projects or school work or sports or dance or something she had to attend, and for the most part he'd rather her do those things than him, but he loved having her to himself like this. "When you say it, it doesn't sound as selfish as when I think it."
She chuckled. "It's totally selfish and that's okay. One day the kids will be