His Possession, He Protects.

Nicklaus could tell she was tensed just by feeling her breath and how she sounded. He stroked her back a little more before moving to her head. 

He ran his hand through her hair, massaging her scalp tenderly. Arissa shut her eyes, lost in the euphoric feeling of his hand in her hair. 

He has been gentle with her for the past few days but each time she meets a new side of his gentleness, her heart drops to the floor from admiration and the butterflies in her stomach increase ten times and fly around rapidly with more energy. 

The massage was the greatest feeling ever but Arissa decided not to get too carried away by it. She raised her face and meet his eyes.

Meeting his eyes, she asked. "Would you have been this way to me if we were not married?" she want to believe her heart was simply being sentimental due to the bond and nothing else. 

"No," Nicklaus answered straight without hesitation and then he frowned, "What way?" he asked.