‘Jesus Christ, slow the fuck down,’ Erik demanded from the truck’s passenger seat. ‘The last thing we need is to fucking roll this thing.’
I glanced at the dash, easing my foot off the gas as I registered my speed.
‘It’s been a month,” I muttered. Erik sighed heavily beside me.
‘Ah, young love.’ He shook his head. ‘Look, Ella’s awesome, but you went decades without her. Surely you can live another twenty minutes.’
Barely.
I didn’t dignify him with a response. He’d get it one day.
I’d spent the last month closing out my responsibilities. I’d put my house up for sale, packed all my shit in a truck, and put a down payment on a home in Capricorn Cove.
Our house.
Ella hadn’t been wrong about the older generation looking for a move. We’d been inundated with house offers when word had got around that she was looking to buy. She’d sent me pictures of one with two words—our home. I’d put a deposit on it that day.
I didn’t care that it needed work or that we’d probably need to add additions at some point—the house sat up on a protected little block with views out to the ocean. The front of the massive block was flat, with plenty of space for a yard, entertainment, and even a shed. The back was a mess of trees and brush, but a sloping stair path led down to a private beach—complete with a small pier perfect for docking a little fishing boat.
We’d picked it up for a song and would be moving in this weekend. I had plans to fuck Ella in every room of the house. And that beach? Perfect for a little afternoon delight.
Beside me, Erik opened the manila folder, interrupting my daydream.
‘We’re gonna need to renegotiate this,’ he muttered for the umpteenth time since this trip started. ‘The terms are good, but I think we can do better.’
I ignored my brother, focusing on navigating the tight turns that took us around the coastal road to home. We were in the final stage of negotiations to buy the marina—including the old fish market that would eventually become our new workshop.
‘If we took that old yacht club and overhauled it, got Ella in to run it, we could make some serious buck with weddings and what-not,” Erik muttered, making notes in the margin of a page.
My heart lifted as we turned the last corner, seeing the sign welcoming us to Capricorn Cove.
Home.
Ella.
I forced myself to slow the truck, abiding by the speed limit as I navigated to Ella’s small cottage. We’d be picking up the keys to our new home tomorrow. Tonight was for our reunion.
I pulled in at a motel down the street from Ella’s house.
‘You know, maybe you should let me run this past Ella tonight. I think we could really—’
‘Get the fuck out,” I grunted, ignoring my brother’s protests.
He sighed dramatically. ‘You really can’t keep that girl to yourself. That’s selfish.’
I can today. Just watch me.
He slammed the door shut, calling through the window, ‘don’t be late tomorrow. We need to—’
I drove off, bumping down the road, ignoring his yell. I hadn’t held Ella in a month. A truly unacceptable occurrence.
I pulled the truck into her drive, noting with approval that her car sat ready—packed to the gills with stuff. Boxes sat on her porch, waiting to be loaded by the movers who were coming in the morning.
My truck skidded to a halt, gravel flying under the wheels as it protested. I parked, throwing open the door and quickly locking it, fumbling with the keys in my haste. I jumped the stairs to her porch, pausing to snatch the pinned note off the door.
I’m inside. Come find me.
I pushed through the door, throwing it shut behind me, and stalked down to her bedroom. Boxes lined each room as I passed, her frames and knickknacks, candles, and frills all packed away in preparation for the move. Only boxes and furniture too big to wrap remained, ready for tomorrow.
I found her in the bedroom. The room had been stripped, empty except for the bed. No boxes, no comforts, just a bed still dressed in lavish pillows and white bedclothes. On it, in only a scrap of lace and a smile, lay my beautiful woman.
‘Ella,’ I breathed her name as if it were air.
‘Viking,’ she greeted, a naughty smile on her lips.
I stalked to the bed, hands coming to the hem of my shirt, jerking it over my head and tossing it heedlessly to the side. I paused at the foot, shoving down my pants and underwear, cock springing free as I closed the final distance to her.
My hands grazed her skin, her scent filling my nostrils as my mouth descended.
‘Ella,’ I whispered as my lips touched hers. Our mouths met, hungry and desperate. Wet, hot, and hard, our tongues danced as we kissed, tasting that which we’d missed.
‘Baby,’ I groaned, hands skimming down her sides. ‘I can’t wait.’
‘Then don’t,” she replied, nipping playfully at my jaw.
I let out a feral growl. “Fuck.”
Scooping her into my arms, I seared my lips to hers. Delicious heat spread rapidly throughout my body, pooling in my aching cock.
She tasted like home.
I pulled back, looking down at her exquisite body. “I like lace bras, but god damn if I’m gonna let you keep this one on.”
I snatched her close, and once again, our tongues clashed, and lips grasped as my hands roamed her skin, touching and caressing, driving her passion higher. I suckled at her neck while edging the material down, revealing skin, tracing the curve of her breast through the lace.
I flicked her nipples with my thumbs, grinning as she gasped her pleasure.
“Oh!”
I watched Ella fight for control, her eyes glazed with passion, her lips plump and already swollen from our kisses. Ultimately, she gave up, surrendering to my pull as I easily unlatched her bra and drew it from her, tossing it across the room.
My mouth descended to suckle first one nipple, then the other while her hands gripped my head and her mouth panted words of encouragement.
“Please, Gunnar, please. Oh, please. Yes, like that! Please!”
I drew back. “Underwear off.”
She helped me, lifting her ass to wretch them off, throwing the silky material away. Once gone, she pulled me closer, hands reaching out to grasp my cock. She took me in hand, jerking slowly up and back, teasing my member.
‘Jesus Christ, fuck. Fucking fuck, fuck,” I groaned, fighting the urge to pump into her hands. ‘I’ve missed you, baby. Missed you so fucking much. Love you, Ella. Love you so fucking much.’
I pressed kisses to her mouth, praising her, worshipping her as she fisted me.
‘Can’t wait,’ I panted. For the first time in my life, I was gonna lose control. ‘Need to be in you.’
‘Thank the Gods.’ She squirmed into position. ‘I’ve been dying for you.’
I found her core, sliding fingers through her slick heat, finding her wet and ready.
‘Baby,’ I groaned. ‘You’re so fucking wet for me.’
‘I’ve been wet all day,’ she admitted, red flushing her cheeks. ‘It’s been so hard not to—’
I surged in, both of us gasping as I filled her. Her tight pussy clenched around me like a vice, tight, hot, wet—fucking perfect.
I reached down, lifting her legs, encouraging her to wrap her thighs around me. I needed to be surrounded by her; I needed to glory in her.
We crashed together, two parts of one whole, our bodies meeting again and again in a brutal, glorious ritual.
‘I love you!” she screamed as her body clenched, every part of her thrashing as she tipped over, falling into the chasm of ecstasy. I followed, emptying myself inside her body.
We collapsed, our bodies intertwined, our skin pressed tightly together.
‘Don’t ever leave again,’ she whispered, her legs and arms wrapped tightly around me.
‘Never,’ I promised.
Our bodies cooled; the desire only slightly sated.
‘Where’s Erik?” she finally asked.
‘At the motel. I didn’t want him interrupting.’
She giggled, her beautiful face lighting up. I pressed kisses to her cheeks, ignoring her squeals, enjoying the taste of happiness on her skin.
This is home.
Later, after more lovemaking and a failed attempt at showering that ended with the need for another shower, we headed to the Bronze Horseman in search of food.
In a booth, curled into one another, we ate slowly, discussing the next steps on our journey together.
‘I don’t expect it to take long,’ I told her, referring to the meeting Erik and I had tomorrow to finalize the sale contract for the marina.
‘Well, the council is all for it. I’ve already been fielding calls from local builders eager to get their piece of any new construction.’ She chewed absently on a chip, a small frown furrowing her brows. ‘Actually, that’s one thing you’ve never told me.’
”What’s that?’ I asked, tracing swirls across the delicate skin of her inner wrist.
‘What your company is called.’
‘I haven’t?’
She shook her head.
‘And you never googled me?’
She laughed. ‘Of course not.’
‘I don’t believe you.’
She winked. ‘I never googled you. I never said others hadn’t.’
She picked up another chip. ‘But seriously, I don’t remember us discussing it.’
‘It’s Thor’s Shipbuilding.’
She jerked, a strangled sound coming from her throat. She coughed twice, the blockage clearing. I handed her a glass of water—urging her to breathe.
‘You okay?’ I half-rose, wondering if I’d need to perform a Heimlich maneuver.
‘Yo-you-your company is called Thor’s Shipbuilding?’ Her voice sounded strangled.
I rubbed a hand over her back, frowning. ‘Yeah. Are you sure you don’t need—’
She threw her head back, roaring with laughter. Heads swung our way, tourists and locals alike gaping at Ella as she lost all control.
‘You-you-you’re,’ she gasped, tears running down her face. ‘An ac-act-actual Viking!’
I shrugged, not seeing the humor in the situation. ‘I mean, I wouldn’t say yes but—’
‘Oh my God. I can’t.” She brushed away tears, beaming at me.
‘Is this funny?’
‘All my life, I’ve asked for a God to come and tame these thunder thighs.’ She slapped her beautiful legs, beaming at me. ‘And you arrived. This glorious Viking of a man, ready and willing to plunder my pussy. And best of all? You’re a god of thunder. Thor’s fucking Shipbuilding, if that isn’t a sign, I don’t know what is.’ She started laughing again, her joy contagious.
‘Baby, you can call me whatever you want,” I told her, pulling her close, one hand slipping under the table to cup her center in the dark. She froze, laughter dissipating as desire took over. ‘Just as long as you call me yours.’
She rolled her eyes, groaning. ‘That’s so corny.’
‘But true.’ I withdrew my hand, slipping it into my back pocket to pull a small pouch free. ‘I love you, Ella. I know we’re just starting our lives together, but I want to do this right.’
I handed her the velvet pouch, watching as she pulled the drawstrings open. Tipping the pouch into her palm, she gasped when a ring tumbled out. Princess cut white diamond surrounded a band decorated in Celtic knots with sapphires. She looked up at me, her eyes wide.
‘Marry me.’
Her beautiful eyes filled with tears even as her lips moved to deliver the answer I’d hoped for.
‘Yes.’
We kissed, me sliding the ring on her finger, her sobbing tears of joy.
‘I’m so glad it was here,’ she whispered against my lips.
‘This is the only place it could be. It’s the first place I saw you.’ I nodded over at the bar. ‘I fell in love with a Valkyrie right there.’
‘And I, my Viking,” she sniffed, grinning. ‘I love you, Gunnar.’
‘I love you, baby.’
She tilted her face up, and I obliged her, willingly drowning in her kisses.
She called me her God of Thunder, but she was the one who’d summoned me—changing my world.
Corny? Hell yes.
Did I care? Not at all.
