“I didn’t pack.”
He stopped and stared down at her. She’d stunned him again. “You drove away from D.C. with nothing?”
“Not nothing.” She shrugged, lifting her gaze to meet his eyes. “I had hope. That was really all I needed.”
He scooped her into his arms, gripping her tighter when she squirmed.
“What are you doing? I can walk.” She laughed.
“I’m aware.” He smiled down at her. “But I’m putting you in my truck, and we’re going back to my place.”
She grinned. “Do I get any say in this?”
“Course you do.” He set her down in front of the passenger door of his pickup. “I’m just in a hurry to get you alone so I can love you proper.”
She rose on her toes and kissed him. “I am in need of some proper loving.”
He bent to kiss her and whispered, “You came to the right pirate, love.”
Chapter Thirty-One
Aura stared up at the gorgeous, historic three-story home with iron lace wrapping the porch and finally remembered to close her mouth.
“Wow.” She looked over at Greyson. “I had no idea.”
His hand caressed her lower back as he walked her up the steps to the front door. “At least I know it wasn’t my bank account that wooed you.”
“No, it was definitely your cannon line that did the wooing.” She elbowed him playfully.
“Completely understandable.” He chuckled and opened the door.
Just being with him, talking and laughing, his simple touch on her back. It all felt…right and easy, something she never knew existed. She didn’t know if love was like this for everyone, but for her, this was more than she’d ever dreamed.
She stepped into the foyer and caught herself gaping again.
Straight ahead was a grand staircase, with walnut stairs that matched the hardwood floors and the spindles in the banisters. The 1800s Victorian style suited him.
She walked farther into the room, staring up at the high ceilings, unable to wipe the smile from her face. His living room was adorned with weaponry from every age, hanging on the walls like art instead of in an armory.
“This is amazing.” Her gaze cut to his face. “I think I need the full tour.”
He took her hand, and a ripple of awareness washed over her. This was real. She wasn’t dreaming. And although she’d been certain of her love for this man before she’d cast everything aside and driven to Savannah, there was still so much more to discover about him.
He led her up the stairs and pointed out guest rooms, bathrooms, and finally walked her into a library. She was surrounded by full shelves of books, some old and some new.
She skimmed the spines and looked over her shoulder. “I didn’t realize you were so well read.”
He chuckled. “I passed plenty of time before televisions and motion pictures even existed.”
The wood trim was immaculate. The stained oak bookshelves were carved with the same pattern as the sliding pocket doors. “Did Drake make these for you?”
“Aye.” He nodded. “Our carpenter helped build many of the houses in the historic district.”
She shook her head as the weight of eternity settled on her shoulders again. He’d survived lifetimes with his crew, but he’d been alone, devoted to his work and his weapons.
Like her.
She crossed to him and slid her arms around his waist, closing her eyes. He held her tight and kissed her hair. “What’s wrong?”
“Nothing.” She looked up at him. “I came to Savannah not knowing if you’d already forgotten about me. I’ve never done anything so impulsive in my entire life, but I needed to be near you, even if I never got to be in your arms again.”
He caressed her cheek. “The second you stepped on that ship today, you destroyed any illusion I had that I had locked you out of my heart. In nearly three centuries on this earth, I have never met anyone like you before, and I’ve met plenty of people.”
He stared into her eyes with that look that said she was the most important person in the world. No one had ever looked at her that way.
Her words came directly from her heart, honest and unfiltered. “You’re the last person I think about when I fall asleep and the first when I wake up. I love you, Greyson.”
He bent to kiss her. Passion stole her breath as his tongue explored her mouth. She ran her hands up his chest and around the back of his neck. Her skin flushed with heat, yearning to be even closer.
She broke the kiss, breathless. “You should show me your bedroom.”
His sexy grin curled her toes. “Good idea.” He took her hand and hustled her out of the library and down the hall to a set of large oak double doors. “After you.”
She laughed. “Pretty gentlemanly for a pirate.”
Mischief sparkled in his hazel eyes, and he suddenly bent down, hoisting her up over his shoulder as he opened the door. She wriggled, laughing and smacking his ass as he carried her inside and tossed her down onto the bed.
He lay over her. “Rather be ravaged by a pirate, love?”
“As long as the pirate is you.”
“Only me,” he whispered as he kissed his way down her neck. His breath was hot on her skin. “Since you didn’t bring any other clothes, I probably shouldn’t rip them off.”
“Probably not.” Although just thinking about it turned her on.
He stood and pulled her up with him. Her legs were rubbery, but he braced her with one arm and used the other to lift her top over her head. She did the same to his shirt. His chest was even more chiseled and tan than she remembered.
She looked up into his eyes and raised a brow. “You’ve been working really hard, fixing the Sea Dog.”
He nodded, the hunger in his gaze warming her all over. “There’s not enough hard labor in this world to get you out of my head.”
“Good,” she whispered as she unbuttoned his jeans.
He kissed her, growling against her lips, “I need you naked.”
“You first.” She pushed his pants down, easing his erection free.
There was nothing easy about the way he shoved her pants lower and tugged them free of her legs. His urgency for her had desire coiling, winding her tight.
With one arm around her waist, he carried her up the bed and lay over her, his braids cascading around them. She parted her thighs, and his hips sank closer to her, the tip of him brushing her opening.