Chapter Sixteen

**Bastion's POV**
Thank the Moon Goddess she said yes.
Even after having sex on a daily basis for the past month, I still felt like a starved castaway that stumbled upon a five course meal. And I wanted to taste every little piece, savor every little dip of her beautiful body.
I couldn't fathom why she felt so insecure with herself all of a sudden. So she had lost some weight, big deal. So had I. We had been through some shit. She was still every bit as stunning as the day I left and my body was eager to agree with me.
I stood back up slowly, trailing hot kisses up her body and between her swollen breasts, making her tremble.
Fuck, I missed her.
Once I reached her mouth, I dove in with all I had. I had to show her how much I needed and wanted her.
I deepened the kiss, pressing her heavenly body against mine so I could feel her, breathing in her enticing scent at the same time. It was different, so incredibly different without the mate bond, but I didn't care. Even without the physical jolt of electricity, my mind was still shooting endorphins throughout my body and my blood was still pumping blood straight to my dick.
A soft moan escaped her lips and I thought I might combust. *My baby*. Her moan was so sweet and honest, unlike- *No*. I didn't want to compare this to Annalise. What she did was vile and contemptuous, only for the pleasure of hurting my mate.
What I was doing with Aria was out of adoration and love, and I wouldn't let it be tainted by thinking about that bitch for a single second.
I pulled away, gripping my loose t-shirt and quickly discarding it on the floor. I followed swiftly with my sweats and glanced up to see her eyes blackened with lust.
So she also wanted me. That was a huge relief.
I gripped her hand gingerly and tugged her into the shower after me.
"Watch your eyes, baby." I warned with a grin, holding her close. She giggled, resting her forehead against my chest as I reached for the controls. Within seconds, a rain shower dropped on us from above, making her body give a brief jolt in surprise.
I chuckled, lifting my face into the warm trickle. It was cleansing me on a physical *and* spiritual level to be holding my girl in our shower. Shit, I had forgotten how much I missed having a shower. I'd been bathing with a rag and a sink for a month and this felt unreal.
I shook the water from my eyes and looked down to see Aria's big emerald gaze fixated on me. I flashed her a dimply smile which she returned bashfully. It was like stepping into a time machine, like I was falling in love with her all over again.
I must've stared at her for ages, because by the time she spoke, my fingers were starting to soak water in their tips, making them wrinkle.
"Can I wash you?" She asked timidly.
I was at a loss for words, seeing as she had never done that before, but I nodded anyway.
My head cocked curiously, honing in on each of her movements. I wanted to memorize every moment with her, even if she was just squeezing body wash onto a loofah.
Gods, she was beautiful.
She peered up at me from under her soaked lashes, approaching me gracefully before placing the sud covered ball onto my abdomen. The familiar scent of my soap surrounded us, making me feel a million times more at ease, but her hesitant strokes awoke my senses.
I could see so clearly, and I loved it.
She washed me, worshipping every square inch of me with her touch just as I had before I left for her. I tried to wait patiently, only lightly caressing her now and then as she worked her way around me, making her shiver and me smirk.
As much as I wanted to pounce on her, I knew that this was just as important for us, just as necessary for our healing.
She finished with my cock, which unfortunately showed my more feral desires, but I didn't let her spend much time there before picking up her pink bottle of shampoo from the built in shelving. I turned her around by the shoulders, squeezing a generous amount of the stuff into my palm and lathering it.
Her hair had grown like crazy since I'd last seen her. It reached the bottom of her ass at this point.
I ran my fingertips over and through her strands, my heart warming when I heard her hum in contentment.
"I love you." I whispered huskily into her ear once her angelic locks were rinsed.
"I love you, Bastion. So much."
I smiled against her hair before reaching for her Dove body wash and coating my fingers.
"I hope you don't mind if I skip the loofah." I saw her smirk from the corner of my eye, taking that as her not minding.
My arms circled around her delicate frame from behind and made sweet contact with her flat stomach, massaging gentle patterns into her silky skin. The higher I climbed, the more shallow her breath got, spurring me on.
I lifted my hands until they were barely hovering over her perfect breasts, but she arched her back to push them into me.
A low growl escaped me and I cupped them fully. They barely fit in my hands anymore, and I hoped Aria didn't mind feeling my hard cock pressed into her back, because fuck, she was sexy.
At that point, the suds were rinsed away, leaving only skin on skin. I circled her perked nipples with my fingers, pulling on them occasionally and making her moan into the cascades.
"Turn around, baby." I urged, not waiting for her to do as I said, but rotating her myself.
Then, I latched onto her left breast with force, making her yelp. *What the fuck?* I jerked my head back when I felt something sweet shoot to the back of my throat.
She must've found my confusion amusing, because she immediately fell into a fit of giggles.
"Is that...?" I began, trying not to let my smile show through.
"My milk. You got to taste it before the twins." She said between breaths, her arms wrapped around her stomach to try to contain herself. I ran my hand through my drenched hair, showing my ears.
"Well, fuck. I mean, it's not bad. I can take a little from the other side so they're even if you want." I teased, making her face scrunch up and her laughter stop.
"Don't you dare." She threatened as I stalked towards her. She lifted one arm between us and the other attempted to cover her massive chest, which didn't even work in the slightest.
I smirked, taking confident strides towards her smiling form.
"Come on, baby. You drink from me all the time. It's only fair."
She sucked in her bottom lip, raising her brows in a challenge as she backed towards the shower wall, plotting her escape.
I lunged for her, but she used her haste to place herself behind me, giggling like mad and warming my entire soul. Damn vampires and their speed.
"If you want milk, get some from the kitchen." She demanded, feigning indignation.
"But yours tastes so much better." I sniggered, watching her face flush as I turned to her.
I held my hands up in surrender after seeing her adorable glare.
"Come here, I just want to kiss you." I begged, pouting my bottom lip. Her features softened, but she remained suspiciously hesitant.
"My lips, right?" She clarified. I bit the inside of my cheek, nodding my head as she stepped forward into my open arms.
As soon as she was there, I picked her up so her legs were resting atop my hips. My mouth latched to hers almost aggressively and we kissed each other passionately, her breasts being pressed into my neck and collarbone.
"Fucking hell, Aria, I want you." I growled against her moistened and swollen lips.
She whimpered in response, her hands twisting around my head as I ran nibbles down her neck. I bent over, using the wall for support so I could lower my baby onto the wide shower seat. Her grip loosened as soon as her back found the flat heated surface of the tile, and I raised myself.
Seeing her spread out like that, panting and flustered, was enough to drive me crazy with lust, but just as I was about to crawl over her, both of our noses sniffed the air.
She lifted herself up on her elbows, raising her brows and licking her lips.
I decided to give her the pass, partly because I was starving too, and that bacon smelled fucking unbelievable.
"Finish showering, baby. We can finish this later." I winked, helping her to a sitting position as she breathed a sigh of relief.
"Thank you. I'm starving." I leaned down to give her a quick kiss on the lips, then the forehead.
"Just don't use haste. I don't want you slipping and cracking your head open." I gave her a pointed look so she knew I was serious. She giggled.
"Then you'd better save some for me." She countered.
I exited the bathroom with a fluffy white towel wrapped around my waist and another draped around my shoulders that I used to run over my unruly dark hair. I really needed to get it cut.
Rory seemed surprised to see me, shifting on the sofa and setting down his book.
"Oh, you're already done. Did you have a nice reunion?" His smirk was suggesting more than a kiss or two, and I was quick to correct him.
"We didn't have sex if that's what you're asking." He cocked his head, so I pointed towards the cart beside him filled with delicious smelling food. "We got distracted." I explained with a shrug, making him chuckle and shake his head.
"I should've known."
I gave him a big beaming grin before heading to the dressing room and donning a pair of my jeans that threatened to slide down without my belt at full draw and a loose black shirt. I was used to my clothes hugging me tightly, and this new jig just reminded me of how much weight I'd lost.
I also managed to grab a pair of lacy underwear with leggings and a top for my Queen. I didn't include a bra, because I was almost certain that none of them would fit her anymore.
I was surprised to see that she seemed to be listening to my advice, and was still finishing her shower. Rory tucked his book into our built in shelf, turning to me with a kind smile.
"Would you like to borrow some of mine?" He asked, gesturing to my attire. I scoffed.
"Thanks, man, but I can't pull your look off."
He gave a responding shrug and I crossed go the breakfast trolley, piling food onto my plate and making sure to leave plenty for Aria. Seeing the individually packaged bottles of milk had me chuckling, and I grabbed one for ironies sake before planting myself on the other side of our couch from Rory.
"Hey, Bastion?"
I moved my gaze to his, still munching on my bacon aggressively.
"Hm?" He glanced to the bathroom door, before lowering his voice to speak to me.
"Do you... Want to get your mating bond back?" My eyes widened and my back stiffened. Why would he even ask?
"Of course, but it's not possible. Once it's broken, it's broken. It's permanent."
He looked deep in thought, allowing himself to fall back against the couch just as Aria opened the door. Her hair was dried and she held a small towel around her chest as she padded towards the dressing room.
She glanced shyly in our direction, then at the cart of food with a look I could only describe as hunger-fueled lust.