Chapter 30
Chapter Thirty
T he next nine days marked nine of the most blissful days of Reese’s life.
From the moment she and Michael woke up in the morning until they collapsed into each other’s arms at night, they were inseparable. They shopped, planned meals and cooked together. She thoroughly enjoyed working alongside him every day, both on the set of his show and at the restaurant, where he’d taken her under his wing as an unofficial cook. Under his tutelage, Reese was learning a lot about culinary arts and testing out her newfound skills on his willing customers, who got a kick out of being served by Michael’s sassy apprentice.
After a full day of taping and working at the restaurant, they often snuggled in bed together and read heartfelt emails from viewers who couldn’t get enough of their scorching onscreen chemistry. Reese also heard from many of her patients and colleagues, who were excited about her newfound fame and bragged about her to everyone they knew.
But their sizzling performances didn’t stop when the cameras weren’t rolling. They’d christened nearly every corner of Michael’s penthouse and the restaurant, and had even made love on the set after hours—an erotic, mind-blowing interlude that had them both grinning throughout the next day’s taping. They couldn’t get enough of each other.
One evening they babysat for Marcus and Samara. The sight of Michael laughing and roughhousing with his nephews filled Reese with such acute longing that she had to leave the room to compose herself.
A week ago, her family came to town to attend a taping of the show. Having them in the audience had been a special treat for Reese, but she couldn’t help feeling nervous afterward when Michael treated them all to dinner. Her father had liked Victor, had approved of her relationship with him mainly because he was a fellow doctor. He’d been disappointed when they broke up, and she’d worried that he wouldn’t accept the new man in her life.
Over dinner that night, Michael had charmed the pants off her mother and sister. Not by putting on an act, but simply by being himself. Reese had enjoyed his warm and easy camaraderie with Warrick, had enjoyed learning more about his past life as an engineer.
But most of all, she’d enjoyed watching him win over her dad. By the time dessert arrived, he’d had her father eating out of the palm of his hand, and that meant more to her than she could have ever imagined.
When Michael’s great-grandmother returned from her trip to Ghana, he invited Reese to accompany him to visit her in Savannah. He wanted to introduce her to the beloved family matriarch, and that made her feel honored beyond words.
Marcus and Samara’s twins were staying with their grandparents that weekend, and Manning and Taylor’s sons were on their way to Legoland with Uncle Theo and Aunt Winnie. Eager to take advantage of a childfree weekend, both couples decided to tag along with Michael and Reese.
As luck would have it, Lexi had a speaking engagement in Savannah that same weekend, and Quentin had already cleared his schedule to accompany her. So the original party of two became a spirited party of eight.
When they arrived at Mama Wolf’s sprawling Queen Anne, she was waiting for them on the huge wraparound porch. A spry little woman with a cap of snowy white hair, she squealed ecstatically and threw out her arms. Though she was elderly, she seemed fully capable of sprinting down the porch steps, and probably would have if her great-grandsons hadn’t told her to stay right where she was.
There were hugs and kisses all around, everyone laughing and talking at once. Mama Wolf radiated so much love and warmth that her hug made Reese feel like she’d been wrapped up in a sunbeam.
She smiled glowingly. “I’m so happy to meet you, Reese. Welcome to my home.”
“Thank you so much, Mama Wolf. Is it okay if I call you that?”
“Of course, baby.” Her dark eyes twinkled. “You’re practically one of us now.”
Reese’s cheeks warmed. Michael smiled.
Mama Wolf beamed at everyone. “I’m so glad you all are here. Let’s go inside and have some refreshments while we catch up.”
Standing between Michael and Reese, Mama Wolf tucked an arm through each of theirs and started up the porch steps. “Now tell me about the first time you two met….”
While Mama Wolf slept off jet lag on Saturday night, the four couples went on a private charter cruise along the Savannah River.
Sitting at a large square table under the starry sky, they dined on sizzling wagyu steaks and wild salmon while gliding up the Savannah River, past old plantations and ancient oak trees draped in Spanish moss. Candles flickered in small glass bowls, casting a romantic glow on everyone’s faces as soft music played in the background.
Their laughter and conversation filled the air as they shared stories and cracked jokes. Manning and Quentin had a wicked sense of humor that kept everyone in stitches.
As the meal progressed, the mood became mellow, conversations meandering like a lazy river.
“So, Reese, what do you think of Atlanta?” Lexi asked.
“I think it’s lovely. I’m enjoying it very much.” Thanks in large part to the gorgeous man sitting so close to her she could feel the heat of his body seeping into hers.
Samara swirled the wine in her glass. “Do you think you could ever see yourself living here?”
Taylor snickered. “Real subtle, Sam.”
Laughter rumbled around the table .
“It would depend on a lot of factors.” Reese could feel Michael watching her intently, absorbing her response. “I wouldn’t rule it out.”
“Hmm.” Samara sipped her wine, her eyes glittering over the rim at Michael. He chuckled and winked at her.
“I love living in Hotlanta,” Taylor said. “I’m from Colorado, which, of course, is where Manning and I met in high school.” She grinned sideways at him. “He couldn’t wait to get out of there and move back to Atlanta. Poor baby was so miserable.”
Manning chuckled. “Colorado’s beautiful, but it could never be home.”
“Facts,” Quentin agreed. “There’s nowhere else I’d ever want to live.”
Michael and Marcus agreed.
A companionable silence fell over the table as everyone gazed out over the water, enjoying the beauty and serenity of the Lowcountry.
“This has been such an incredible evening,” Lexi said on a contented sigh. “Thanks for letting me and Quentin tag along as a fifth wheel.”
“No thanks necessary,” Samara said warmly. “You know your company is always welcome.”
“And technically, you’re not a fifth wheel,” Taylor pointed out, gesturing with her mocktail. “We’ve got a nice even number.”
“Well, yes,” Lexi countered, “but we’re the only non-couple at this table. So that makes us the fifth wheel.”
A humorous debate ensued, but Reese was distracted by Michael’s finger sliding down her back to the base of her spine. The brush of his hand against her bare skin had her thighs clenching and her body breaking out in a rush of goose bumps.
She was wearing a backless yellow sundress that clung to her curves, one strap falling off her shoulder. Her melanin was popping, completely mesmerizing Michael. Every time she glanced at him, he was watching her from under his lashes, and every time he bit his bottom lip, she knew he was having dirty thoughts.
He leaned in to murmur in her ear, “You look so fucking gorgeous in that dress.”
She shivered at his words, the heat of his breath tickling her ear. Feeling deliciously naughty, she turned to whisper in his ear, “Don’t you wish you could fuck me in it?”
He shuddered hard, his eyes flaring with raw, dark heat.
When a popular slow song started playing, Manning and Taylor got up and headed to the dance floor located on the bow of the boat. Marcus and Samara followed.
Grinning, Quentin stood and held out his hand to Lexi. “Dance with me.”
She smiled. “Sure, why not?”
Reese watched them go, then turned back to Michael. “Do you want to?—”
“Later.” He grabbed her hand and stood, pulling her up with him. “We’re going exploring.”
He led her belowdeck and down a short hall, tugging her inside a small cabin. He closed the door behind them and pinned her against it, his eyes gleaming as he lowered his zipper with a hiss.
Before she could even catch her breath, he worked her dress up her thighs and ripped off her thong with a stinging snap.
When he lifted her up against the door, she locked her ankles behind his back. He wrapped his hand around her neck and gripped his cock with the other. Then he thrust into her, and she threw back her head with a wild cry.
He began moving slowly against her, then faster. Faster and faster, until she was gasping at the furious power and speed of his thrusts, her walls stretching around his rock-hard girth.
He crushed his mouth to hers, kissing her with a bruising aggression that deprived her of breath. He fucked her deeper, harder, slamming her against the door with every brutal thrust.
She couldn’t move, couldn’t match his strokes, could only grip his upper arms and hold on for dear life.
He was growling her name, his hand squeezing her neck, and it was the most thrillingly animalistic thing ever. He seemed almost possessed, completely lost to his lust, and she would have sworn he was if he hadn’t been staring right into her eyes with a searing focus that burned her from the inside out.
She screamed into his mouth, biting his bottom lip when her body began spasming, thighs shaking from the obliterating strength of her orgasm. The feel of her pulsing and clenching around him drove him wild. His hand tightened around her throat, his other hand gripping her ass. And then he was pounding into her fast and hard, the force of his strokes lifting her up and down the door.
He shouted as he came, his head falling back. She felt his cock throb inside her before he pulled back and slammed in again, locking their bodies together as he came and came and came, pumping her full of scorching semen.
They clung together, gasping into each other’s mouths, his hips grinding slowly. Her thighs were clamped and trembling around him, her heels digging into his ass. Her pussy was so soaking wet she didn’t even feel sore, but she knew tomorrow would be a different story.
Pressing his forehead against hers, he stroked her hair with indescribable tenderness, and she felt herself melting into a puddle.
Slowly his dark eyes opened and stared into hers. His dick was twitching, and she could feel him leaking out of her.
“Sorry,” he murmured.
She gave a breathy laugh. “For almost choking me out? Or for not using a condom?”
Instead of answering, he captured her lips in a slow, lazy kiss, still staring into her eyes. “You’re on birth control, right?”
She nodded. “I have an IUD.”
He kissed his way from her lips to her jaw to her throat, murmuring words she couldn’t decipher.
“Do you think the others heard us?” she whispered.
“Maybe.” He kissed his way back up to her mouth, his tongue sliding inside to stroke hers. “In case it wasn’t obvious, Mama Wolf loves you. Is there anyone who can resist your charms?”
She smiled against his lips. “I hope not.”
Especially not you.