Chapter 31 – James
JAMES
Astrange tickling feeling jolts me out of sleep.
My eyes snap open, and my brain whirls as I realize I'm not in my bed. It takes me another moment to put the pieces together. A warm breeze, drifting through a thin white curtain. A mattress that’s softer than my own.
Soft auburn hair, tickling my nose and arm.
I'm in Greece, and my wife is curled up against me in my bed.
I must've been so exhausted, I drifted off before my usual nighttime routine. Normally, I don't have quite so much difficulty adjusting to a new place when I travel. Work takes me across the globe, and I’ve never woken up confused about where I am.
No, it must be the sensation of sharing a bed with another person.
As a rule, I don't have women sleep over.
Before this, the last person I shared a bed with was Ryan, when an impromptu trip to Las Vegas with the boys forced us to bunk in a single hotel room.
Ryan and I got off lucky in the rock-paper-scissors tournament for sleeping locations.
Beau and Nate got stuck on a rickety pull-out couch, while poor Luke was stuck curled up on a pile of towels on the floor.
Maura is a much more pleasant bed partner than Ryan. She smells better, for one. The faint scent of her jasmine perfume makes me want to bury my face in her neck. She also doesn’t hog the bed like Ryan. Maura lies flat on her back, one hand laid gently against her pillow.
No, I’m the one who invaded her space. Sometime in the night, I rolled over and wrapped my arm around her waist, snuggling my face against her hair.
It puts me in a good position to gaze down at her.
In sleep, her face is more relaxed than I’ve ever seen it, her brow smooth, her full lips parted gently.
I wouldn’t call Maura a tense person, but seeing her now, it’s clear there’s some heaviness she carries with her in her waking hours.
I wonder what it is, and if she’d tell me if I asked her.
I don’t know how long I spend gazing at her before her eyes flutter open. Her caramel eyes meet mine, and they crinkle at the edges in amusement.
“Good morning,” she says sleepily. “How long have you been staring at me?”
I nuzzle against her neck, giving into the urge to inhale her perfume. “Since about midnight.”
She giggles. “Keeping watch in case I attacked?”
“Of course. I know how dangerous you are.” I press little kisses against her soft skin, relishing in her sigh.
“I'm not dangerous enough to keep you from hogging in the bed,” she teases. “You didn’t have enough space on your side?”
“I'm a tall man. I need my space. In fact, I might have taken the whole bed if it wasn't for you drooling on your pillow.”
She smacks my arm playfully. “I do not! I can’t believe you’re spreading these lies before you’ve even said good morning.”
I close the space between us, pressing my lips to hers and lazily tasting her.
It feels beyond decadent to have her like this, first thing in the morning, before checking my email or going to the gym or doing any other work tasks.
Instead, I get to feel my wife’s soft, hot mouth under mine, her gentle fingers weaving into my hair.
I pull away just long enough to murmur, “Good morning.”
“Good morning,” Maura replies breathlessly, just before she yanks me back down to kiss me again. Her tongue strokes mine hungrily, and her hands tear at the buttons of the dress shirt I fell asleep in. After I shrug it off, her urgency vanishes as her hands trace my chest.
“You’re beautiful,” she whispers. “Like a statue.”
The strange compliment sends a shiver of pleasure through me. She’s looking at me through her artist’s eyes, and it feels more than someone just admiring my looks. She runs her fingers over the lines of my muscles like she wishes she’d drawn them.
I bring one of those hands to my mouth, kissing over her knuckles. I take the tip of one slender finger into my mouth and suck gently.
“Not half as beautiful as you,” I mutter. “God, Maura, you have the softest fucking skin.”
The breeze wafts through the curtain, drawing goosebumps on Maura’s skin as I brush my lips up her inner arm.
Her hips squirm toward nothing as I map the inner line of her arm with my lips and tongue.
When I reach her pajama sleeve, I move back up to her neck.
She throws her head back for me, an inherent gesture of trust. I growl my approval as my hands track downward over her torso.
“Open for me, wife,” I murmur, pressing my hand against her closed thighs.
Maura obeys, spreading her legs for my exploring fingers. She gazes up at me through lust-addled eyes, like one simple order from me was enough to make her desperate. She lifts her hips to help me pull off her shorts and panties, and I groan when I find her dripping.
“Already so wet for me,” I mutter. My fingers trace over every inch and spread her wetness all over her. Her hips grind against my hand, telling me how much she likes it. Every little sigh and whimper she lets out makes my heart thud a little faster.
“Do you ever dream about this, Maura?” I whisper. “My hand on your cunt, making you come?”
“Yes,” she whispers. Her thighs close tighter around my hand.
My cock throbs at her answer. “You do?”
Her eyes meet mine, darkened with lust. “All the time.”
Fuck, does she even know how hot that is? Does she have any idea how much it turns me on to know my wife lies in the bedroom across the hall, dreaming about my hands on her?
Maura shudders as I bring my fingers to her clit, circling it purposefully. “Do you—” she gasps. “Do you dream about me?”
I shake my head. “I don’t dream.”
Hurt flashes across her face, and I curse myself. Of course, she’d want to hear I dream about her, too. I cradle her face in my hand.
“I may not dream, but I fantasize about you,” I swear.
“All the fucking time. When I’m at my desk, I can’t stop imagining you.
Worshiping you and defiling you. Fuck, if you knew the things I think about when you traipse around in your little pajama shorts, you’d never come back to the apartment again. ”
Maura’s eyes flit shut. Her legs tremble, and I recognize the strained expression she gets right before she comes.
Leaning against her ear, I whisper, “I’m going to do it all, wife. I’m going to live out every fucking fantasy you let me.”
My words drag her over the edge, and she whines my name as she comes against my fingers. I can’t stop the satisfied grin that spreads across my face.
I could have this every morning.
The thought stops me in my tracks. We might be on vacation, but there’s no reason to stop sleeping together.
There’s nothing stopping me from tugging Maura back into my bed after a baby-making appointment, insisting she sleep curled up against me.
I doubt she'd decline. Then I could wake her in the mornings with my fingers or my tongue.
I want that. I want that too goddamn much, but I’m smart enough to know I can’t have it. Maura doesn’t want to be my wife, not in the traditional way. Friendship and companionship is the most I can hope for—she’s made that clear enough.
So have I.
I shove the wanting to the back of my mind and focus on what I can have. My wife is blinking up at me with a satisfied smile, waiting for me to take her.
After I shove off my pants, I move to hover over her, carefully bracing my weight on my arms. I’m strangely aware of how easy it would be to crush her under my weight. Lining up my cock, I sink slowly into her molten heat.
“Fuck, Maura,” I groan. “You take my cock so goddamn well. It’s like you were made for this.”
Her hands crawl up my back. “Sometimes, I think I might be,” she confesses.
I fuck into her with long, languid strokes, feeling no need to bury myself all the way. It’s enough to have my wife’s legs wrapped around my waist, her caramel eyes warm on mine, the Grecian sun turning her pale skin a pearly gold.
She slides her own hand down to her clit, taking her pleasure.
I soak in the sight of her pretty lips parted in want.
She takes a shuddering gasp as I hit the right spot inside her, and my balls tighten.
The second she comes, she’s going to take me with her.
The pleasure curling up my spine is too much to bear for much longer.
Maura takes a sharp breath, and I duck my head to swallow her cries as her orgasm sweeps over her. Her pussy milks out my own orgasm, and I shudder as I spill every drop deep inside her.
The housekeeper has laid out an absurd spread of pastries, eggs, sausages, and fruit juices on the villa terrace.
Maura nibbles on some kind of twisted bread as she gazes at the whitewashed buildings and the blue sea on the horizon.
I can practically see her brain processing it all, dividing it into colors and textures, transforming it into a painting in her studio.
I pull out my phone. Work emails might be able to wait, but I’ve been ignoring the group chat with the guys, and if I don’t answer soon, they might send out a search party.
Not a metaphorical one, either. Nate has been known to send local security operatives to check on us all if we’re MIA without an explanation.
Quickly, I discover that I’m not the only one out of town.
Luke
Where is everyone? I’m bored and lonely
Nate
Security conference in Quebec.
Ryan
VIVA LAS VEGAS, BABY! Killing it at a tournament.
Beau
Restaurant supply store in Scarborough.
Luke
That’s so far!
Beau
It’s a thirty-minute drive, tops.
Luke
Is that an invite to come see you??
Beau
Sure, if picking out new glassware for Terrace sounds like a fun afternoon.
Luke
…on second thought, I might just stay home.
Unless James wants to save me from death by boredom??
Nate
He’s in Greece on his honeymoon.
James
It’s not a honeymoon. It’s a business trip with a short stop by the Greek islands.
Ryan
Dude, you’re in a villa, looking at the ocean, hanging with your hot wife right after your wedding. That’s a honeymoon.
James
Contract marriages don’t have honeymoons.
Ryan
Then how come you’re on one?
Beau
Luke, you’re the manners expert. Do contract marriages have honeymoons?
Luke
Contract marriages haven’t been a thing in so long, they’re no longer covered in etiquette classes.
Luke
That said, James is on a honeymoon.
James
I am not.
Ryan
Stop texting us and go stare at your hot wife.
James
I’m multitasking.
Luke
I hate being the single one.
Beau
What am I, chopped liver?
Luke
I need a girlfriend.
Nate
Last I checked, you have many female companions.
Luke
Are you calling me a slut?
Nate
Yes.
Luke
Fair enough.
“You know, there’s a whole sea out there if you want to look at it,” Maura says, interrupting my thoughts.
I put my phone back in my pocket. “Sorry. Answering texts from the guys.”
“What are they saying?”
“That Luke’s a slut.”
She nods. “Yes, I think I heard Brinley mention that.”
“Have you had a chance to look at today’s schedule?” I ask, sipping my orange juice.
“Why don’t you tell me all about it?” She bats her eyes playfully. “I know schedule talk is basically dirty talk for you.”
I chuckle and pull out my tablet. “We have another hour to shower and get ready. Then I thought we’d visit the Greek porphyry supplier’s quarry.”
Her smile widens. “We get to go to the actual quarry? Not just a storeroom?”
“I made a few calls.” I ignore the swell of pride in my chest at the way her eyes light up. “It's a bit of a hike to get there, but the scenery is beautiful.”
“A hike?” Maura’s smile grows tight. “What kind of a hike? Is it hard?”
“They told me the terrain is uneven. It’ll be moderately difficult.
” It’s impossible to miss the flicker of concern across Maura’s face.
Shit, I just assumed the hike wouldn’t be a problem.
I should have asked her—I have no idea if Maura even likes hiking.
Her pale skin suggests she’d rather spend time inside. “Are you up for it?”
There’s a flash of white teeth as Maura nips her lower lip. “I don’t know if you’ve noticed but I’m not exactly athletic, husband.”
She laughs hollowly. “But I’m sure I can handle it as long as you don’t mind going a little slow for me.”
“Of course, I don’t. We can go at whatever pace you’re most comfortable.”
Worry settles in my stomach. Maybe this wasn’t the best idea. It’s supposed to be pretty hot out and if she isn’t used to longer periods of exertion…
“I can call it off, if you prefer.” I try to make my tone sound casual. “I’m sure the supplier can bring samples to the villa or give us a tour over Zoom. We could relax by the pool all day instead.”
Say yes.
She shakes her head vigorously. “Absolutely not. There's no way I'm missing seeing the quarry in person. We’re going.”
My stomach twists and I’m not sure why I’m suddenly so nervous about this. I try to shake it off.
“You’re sure?”
“Definitely. In fact, I'm going to get changed right now. Good thing you reminded me to pack those comfy shoes, huh?” She winks playfully before striding back inside the villa.
I sigh. I'm probably just worrying about nothing. I'll keep a close eye on her during the hike, and hopefully, the whole day will go according to plan.