Chapter Fourteen
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
Two years later
P HOEBE PEEKED OUT through the window even though Edo had challenged her not to. Fairy lights were festooned over the interior courtyard while several tables adorned with linen, fine china, floral arrangements and sparkling crystal glasses were set out in rows. It was Phoebe’s twenty-fifth birthday and details guy Edo had turned party planner extraordinaire.
Last year they’d celebrated with quiet contentment—remaining holed up, getting to know their baby and just indulging in the joy of being together. But this year, Edo had gone all out to give Phoebe her first proper birthday party. She’d been busy with a client most of the week, and hadn’t kept track of all the preparations, but the sumptuousness and generosity didn’t surprise her. Isabella had helped, of course, enjoying the chance to go big.
Their guests milled downstairs as the musicians played and their staff offered them delicate nibbles. Edo’s olives of course. And his wine. Bethan and Elodie were there, several of their staff, even George, her former boss. He was in remission and enjoying his retirement and had brought his wife and grandchildren over for a family holiday.
Edo was still ridiculously protective but gradually becoming more relaxed. He now even allowed their security to follow at a more discreet distance. Working with a counsellor, processing the losses, the trauma, of his youth had helped. Phoebe sometimes went too, supporting him when he asked. Just as he supported her—with balance. And with dreams.
Much of the time they were here at the estate, loving family life. Edo had stepped back some from his work, while her business was thriving—she’d even taken on two employees, which was good, given she too now wanted to pull back her hours.
She went to the mirror to put in her diamond earrings and give herself a final check.
‘You look stunning.’ An awed whisper came from the other side of the room.
She turned. The tenderness in his expression melted her heart. She was wearing the lace dress she’d worn at their wedding and yes, she’d hoped he’d react to it.
‘Phoebe.’ He stalked straight to her, hauled her into his arms and kissed her hard. He didn’t react. He combusted. Phoebe simply melted against him. Again.
‘Happy birthday my love,’ he growled before kissing her again. ‘I have something for you.’
She didn’t need anything more than him right here with her. But Edo pulled a chain from his pocket.
‘You’re spoiling me.’ She gazed at the beautiful locket dangling between them.
‘You deserve to be spoilt.’
‘Everyone does.’
‘Maybe.’ He shrugged. ‘But you most especially do.’
She smiled. He was as intense as ever but now he didn’t hide a thing about how he felt. He expressed it all and she loved him all the more for it.
‘Alessio is downstairs keeping Elodie and Bethan busy,’ he said.
Her friends doted on her feisty, fast-on-his feet son. So did Edo. Alessio Dante Benedetti had changed their lives. She opened the heavy locket and saw the picture of him—and Edo. Her husband. Her son. Her family . ‘Put it on for me?’ she asked shakily.
She turned and held up her hair so he could fix the chain around her neck. She watched his beautiful face in the mirror.
‘It’s a good thing there’s room for another photo…’ she murmured.
He glanced up to meet her gaze. His face flushed and his eyes gleamed.
‘We need another photo?’ He swept his hands down her sides and around to settle on her lower belly.
She leaned back against him. ‘You know already.’
‘I do pay very close attention to your body.’ He nipped her earlobe the way they both loved, stirring her blood with such ease.
‘You can read it like a book?’ She watched his reflection with misty eyes. ‘Play it like an instrument?’
‘My beautiful snowdrop is blossoming again,’ he muttered huskily.
‘The first brother or sister for Alessio.’ She shivered as he caressed her.
‘First of several,’ he agreed hungrily.
She chuckled in delight and then moaned with reluctant rejection. ‘Edo, we have guests…’
‘But we can steal a few moments before going down there.’
‘Is that all you need?’ she teased archly.
‘It’s all you need,’ he countered with a grin. ‘I can wait ’til later.’
She shimmied back against him. She didn’t want him to wait until later. She wanted to have all of him now. She always did, always would. With a chuckle, he turned her to face him and teased her with the unstoppable, passionate recklessness they’d always shared. He carried her to her bed, lifted her skirt and used his tongue till she burst like fireworks. While she was still recovering her breath, he took her with tender possessiveness and did indeed play her like an instrument—making her vibrate and hum with pure pleasure again, before with a growl he succumbed to their passion too.
‘I’ve dreamed of having you in this dress since our wedding day,’ he rasped.
‘Edo!’ She sobbed against him as he rocked hard into her.
‘I’m here now…’ He growled. ‘Here always.’
Deeply, irrevocably. He was hers . And she was his—the one he was building a whole family with, the one he wanted . And he told her, showed her, like this. Every. Single. Day.
Long minutes later, she turned back to the mirror and caught sight of her flushed reflection. ‘I have to redo my make-up,’ she squeaked, overcome with embarrassment.
‘You’re perfect as you are,’ Edo said softly as he tucked in his shirt and rubbed his own flushed face. ‘What does it matter if it’s obvious to everyone how much you are loved?’
Her tears rose again. It didn’t matter at all —they had passion. They had love. They had each other. And it was everything.
* * * * *
Read on for an extract from HER ACCIDENTAL SPANISH HEIR by Caitlin Crews