Chapter 12 #2
"Just two nights," he told her regretfully.
"Since we won't be going on our honeymoon yet.
" He put her on the bed and bent to remove her boots.
"I have some cattle coming in and with the approach of the cold weather, we have some fences that need mending.
But tonight," he looked up at her, "I promise you that tonight and tomorrow night I'm all yours.
" He rubbed his hands up over her insteps.
Scooting between her thighs, he unhooked the waistband of her slacks and pulled the zipper down.
"Wait." Before he could take off her top, she laid a hand on his.
"What?"
"I brought a case."
"I know you did. What..."
"I need time to prepare."
Understanding dawned and had him smiling. "How can I say no to that. Need a hand?"
"Absolutely not. Be prepared to be amazed."
"I already am," he told her huskily. Rising, he stepped back and watched as she grabbed her case and headed for the bathroom and had the distinct pleasure of staring and admiring his wife's sexy ass clad in black lace panties.
Shaking his head and anticipating the night ahead, he uncorked the bottle of wine and filled the two glasses.
The light from the candles caught the platinum gold of his simple band and had him staring at it, the jolt going to his heart.
He was a married man, he thought in wonder.
He was thirty-five years old and was finally married to a wonderful woman.
One who was now preparing to make his heart race.
Chuckling softly, he finished pouring the wine and used the knife that had been left on the table to cut two slices of cake.
His instructions had been very specific.
He wanted everything to be perfect, and they had been followed to the letter.
The room had a cozy glow about it both from the candles and the light from the fire.
He had chosen this cottage because of how new it was.
It had three bedrooms and two baths and a stunning view of the lake with the pergola shrouded in twisty vines and long-blooming pink, white, and yellow roses.
It occurred to him that while he was waiting for her to appear, he should get undressed.
He was just putting on a robe over his nakedness when she opened the door. In anticipation, he turned towards the room.
"Close your eyes," she instructed.
"Really? Baby..."
"The more you argue is the longer it's going to take," she warned from her place in the bathroom. Sighing softly, he did as he was told.
"Eyes closed?"
"Yes. And if you're not out here in-"
"Open them."
His lids lifted. And he realized he wasn't the least bit prepared for what he saw.
Desire was like molten lava inside him as he stared at her.
The skimpy lace was an intriguing mix of stark black and white.
The top was almost non-existent, making him wonder why whoever came up with the design even bothered.
It was just something barely covering her lush breasts.
There was a deep plunging opening in the center that reached her navel.
The sides were cut high and clung to her sex lovingly.
He finally lifted his head and belatedly discovered that she had gotten rid of the ponytail.
Her thick curls which had been ruthlessly brushed back tumbled in a series of curls over her left shoulder.
She had removed her makeup leaving her face fresh and enchantingly bare.
"What do you think?" she asked huskily. She had seen the banked fire smoldering in the depths of his emerald eyes.
"I think it's a pity that I'm going to have to tear it off you." His voice was thick and unrecognizable. "But I will have the memories inside my head."
When he started to reach for her, she took his hands and drew him to the bed.
"It was a lovely ceremony."
She wanted to talk, now? While his desire was raging out of control?
Forcing himself to be led, he sat next to her.
"It was," he agreed.
Lacing her fingers through his, she lifted their hands and stared at their rings.
"The vows meant something." She raised her head to look at him.
"When I first saw you at that party, I told myself that there was no way I would ever get involved with you.
I knew who you were of course and you were with some brunette. "
"You were also with someone." His lips curved in memory.
"Brian. He was always my date when I found myself unattached."
"You refused to dance with me at first."
"I tried to resist, told myself I could, but I was fooling myself."
"I was dazzled from the very first time by your beauty.
" Loosening the grip of her fingers on his, he lifted his hands to slide up and down her soft skin.
She smelled like a cross between heaven and something highly exotic.
And he wanted to bury himself deep inside her.
"And I knew I wanted you. You balked at the idea of leaving with me. "
"Of course I did. I wasn't a skank," she retorted and made him laugh.
"You made it plain that you were not the type of woman to be taken in by money."
"You offered to take me to Paris."
"And you frostily told me that you'd been to Paris and if that's the best I can do, I should just go and try that tired line on someone else.
" He was sliding off the skimpy bosom of her gown, his breath strangling inside his throat at the sight of her bared breasts with their puckered nipples.
"I knew I had to try harder." His voice dropped to almost a whisper as he cupped and weighed the flesh in his palms. "The first time I held you in my arms, I knew that once would never be enough.
" He peeled the flimsy material off her and tossed it aside. His hands drifted to her flat stomach.
"Now you're all mine." He was already as hard as steel. Letting go of her, he shrugged out of his robe and reached for the glasses of wine, handing one to her.
"A toast."
"To us."
"To you, darling," he corrected huskily. "The one and only woman I've ever loved. The woman who makes it all worthwhile."
"To you, my husband, the most beautiful man I've ever seen."
They drank and put the glasses away.
"Later," he promised, when she glanced at the cake. "Right now, I just want to touch you." He laid her back on the soft pillows and eased in next to her. "You were the most beautiful bride I had ever seen. You almost knocked me on my ass when you came walking in."
"You cleaned up well yourself. You even got a haircut."
"Just a little bit off the front and sides.
I wanted to look presentable for you." His fingers skimmed over her ribs, loving the fact that he could make her tremble.
"I feared that you would have changed your mind about coming to me at the chapel.
" His lips brushed over the silky skin of her cheek.
"I told myself that I would hunt you down if you left. "
"I cannot believe you would think that." She slid her hands up and down his chest, cherishing the feel of the dark hairs covering the flesh. "I'm hooked. And now we're joined together in holy matrimony."
"My wife," he whispered against her lips before using his tongue to trace the fascinating outline of the lush bottom one.
"My love." He nibbled, feeling the familiar jolt of electricity at the taste and texture of her.
Her scent filled his nostrils and every part of him.
"My heart and soul." His hand cradled her throat as he lifted her chin so he could have his fill of her mouth.
She moved into him, hands sliding over his chest and around his neck. "Bryson," she breathed, parting her lips so he could taste her tongue. "Bryson."
"My sweet." She was intoxicating, that was what he had thought, when he first kissed her that night in the garden and knew that he had to have more.
Plunging his tongue in, he deepened the kiss, his hands drifting down her back and to her firm buttocks.
Bringing her closer to him, he allowed her to feel his raging desire and how much he already wanted her.
She melted in his arms, his fiery kisses already sending heat streaking through her body.
She surrendered completely, her arms wrapping around his muscled body as if she could forge them together.
"Wait," he gasped when she nudged his thighs open with her knees. "Just give me a minute." The rest of the words were cut off with a groan when she reached down to cup him.
"I can't wait," she told him achingly. "It has to be now."
"I don't want to hurt you," he rasped harshly.
"You won't."
"In that case." She laughed when he flipped her onto her back and covered her body with his.
He cupped her face, fingers caressing her cheeks gently.
He was swollen and aching for her, but he wanted to create memories of his wedding night that they would remember until they were old and gray.
He wanted a hundred years with her and even that would not be enough.
He had wasted months being angry and disillusioned when she left him.
He had gone after her, yes, but had turned away in acute jealousy when he saw her with another man.
"I adore you," he told her now. "I always will. I promise that I will be there for everything good and bad. The vows we exchanged mean a hell of a lot to me."
"I know." She pushed back the tangle of hair from his forehead. "Bind us together physically, darling."
His eyes darkened at that. He had planned the whole seduction deal, but this first time was going to be fast and without finesse.
He was quite certain his wife would not mind in the least. He planned on making it up to her later on.
They had all night and the next day. With that in mind, he bent his head and captured her delicious mouth, tormenting himself as he sipped from her.
Reaching between them, he entered her smoothly, gliding in slowly, bearing in mind that she had recently been through an ordeal.
When she sheathed him, all thoughts of care and nerves vanished.
She was already wet, her tightness enveloping him like a tight fist. His body shuddered once, twice as he drove into her, the thrusts increasing.
The climax came shortly, slamming through their bodies with the power of a sledgehammer, leaving them breathless and shaken.