Chapter Fifteen
U sually, Liam enjoyed Thanksgiving. He enjoyed this one too, but good God, wouldn’t it ever be over? He couldn’t remember another Thanksgiving that dragged on as long as this one had. Of course he hadn’t previously had his wife waiting to make love with him for the first time.
He stuck close to her through most of the day, which was both a curse and a blessing. He’d always thought she was pretty but today she looked especially beautiful. And tempting. He could wait, though. He’d already waited almost three weeks. Another few hours shouldn’t be too hard.
Except that it was.
“Damn, Liam, have you heard anything I said?”
Liam managed to drag his gaze away from Val to look at Logan. He started to say of course but since he hadn’t heard a thing Logan was saying he figured he might as well own it. “No. What were you talking about?”
“You’ve been watching Val like you want to eat her alive.”
That was a pretty apt description. He shrugged and said, “So?”
“You look at her like I look at Cici.”
“So?” he repeated.
“I wasn’t sure how you felt about her before this. At first I didn’t know how you got her pregnant when I didn’t even know you were involved. But I guess Cici was right.”
“Right about what?”
“She thinks one of the reasons you two didn’t work out—”
“Besides the fact that she was in love with you almost from the first?”
Logan’s smile was pure satisfaction. “Yeah, besides that. Cici thinks you had a thing for Val but for some reason you weren’t acting on it.”
To some degree Cici was right. Oh, not that his feelings for Val had anything to do with why he and Cici didn’t work out. But because Liam had spent the last few years, especially since Caroline dumped him, trying not to think of Val as a desirable woman. He’d succeeded most of the time.
But now they were married, and he had every right in the world to think about her as a beautiful, desirable woman. Thank God they were finally on the same page about when to make love. He changed the subject.
“Have you talked to Mom about Clint?”
“No, but I don’t think it’s a good sign that he isn’t here.”
“Me neither. I’m going to have a talk with her later and find out what’s going on with the two of them.”
“Yeah, now that you’re married, and you hired a bunch of help, she can’t use that as an excuse anymore, can she?”
“Nope, but I’m sure she’ll think of something. Maybe she doesn’t really want to marry him. Maybe she just went along with him and now once it’s imminent she’s changed her mind.”
“Dinner’s ready,” Maureen said.
They all filed into the dining room. The sideboard was piled high with turkey, ham, corn bread dressing, gravy, green bean casserole, and all sorts of other side dishes. Everyone had brought a dish so Maureen and Velma didn’t have to cook everything. Velma had left early that morning to go to her married daughter’s house for the holiday but she’d also made several desserts and other dishes the day before.
His mother had gotten out the good china and crystal and set the table with them. The table looked really pretty, but the few times his mom used the good stuff meant he and his brothers had to hand-wash and dry the dishes. Not his favorite part, but it made his mom happy so he didn’t complain. Much.
Liam told Val to save him a place next to her. As one of the last to get his food it was a while before he made it to his place. Once everyone was seated his mother asked them to hold hands as she said the blessing. Then everyone dug in and started talking at once.
“Aren’t you going to have some wine?” Val asked him. “I don’t mind.”
“No. I don’t really like wine so it’s not hard for me to turn it down. Has anyone asked you why you aren’t drinking?” he asked her in a low voice.
“No,” she answered just as quietly. “I don’t usually drink much so I don’t think it’s that noticeable when I don’t. My latest experience with drinking more than usual hasn’t made me anxious to repeat it. Besides feeling bad, there were other factors,” she said, glancing down at her stomach.
He reached for her hand. “A couple of good things resulted, though.”
“Like what?”
“Our little secret,” he said, looking at her stomach. From what he’d seen she wasn’t showing at all. Of course, he hadn’t seen her naked. Yet.
Her expression changed. Softened. “I’m glad you think it’s a good thing.”
“I do. For one thing, it led to us getting married.” He kept his voice low and since they were surrounded on one side by Cici and the other by Connor, he wasn’t too worried about being overheard. Besides, the noise level was pretty high.
“Do you mean that?”
“Yes. I wouldn’t have said it if I didn’t.” He brought her hand to his mouth and kissed her knuckles.
She blushed. “Liam, we’re in public.”
“We’re married. Still newlyweds. I get to do that.” He smiled at her. “I’d rather kiss your mouth but then I’d have an even harder time not dragging you off right now and having my way with you.”
“Are you sure you’re ready?”
Was she kidding? Hmm. Apparently not. “Val, I’ve been ready since we started talking about getting married.”
*
It was Thanksgiving night and everyone who didn’t belong at the ranch had finally left. Liam had gone to check on the animals. Val offered but he wouldn’t let her. So here she was waiting for him, in the bathroom with her flannel pants and T-shirt in one hand and the beautiful—and sexy—nightgown Letty had given her as a wedding present.
She knew exactly what she looked like in her regular jammies. So she tried on the nightie, still unsure she had the guts to wear it. There was now a full-length mirror on the back of the bathroom door that Liam had put in for her when she first moved in. Sexy, yet tasteful, the red satin nightie had thin straps holding up lacy cups covering her breasts. And while it did cover her breasts, it was very low-cut, showing off a cleavage that was taking some getting used to. Below the lace was more red satin, which fell to just below her butt and her bikini panties.
She heard the bedroom door open and close. This was dumb. You’d have thought she was a virgin, instead of far from it. But in a way she felt like one. Because this would be her first time with Liam, the man she’d loved for most of her life.
Liam knocked on the bathroom door. “Val, are you all right? You’re not sick, are you?”
“No, I’m fine. I’ll be out in a minute.” Grow some backbone, she told herself. Liam had made it clear what he wanted, and since that was what she wanted too there was no reason to delay. She opened the door and stepped out. Liam had his back to her, having already taken off his boots, socks, and shirt.
“What did—” He turned around, broke off, and simply stood there, staring at her. “Wow,” he said after a long, charged moment.
“Is it…too much?”
He smiled that slow, sexy smile she loved so much and stepped closer. “No, it’s perfect.” He reached out, slipped a finger beneath one of the straps and slid it down over her shoulder. “In case you wondered,” he said softly, “the horses are fine. I washed up at the barn.”
“I, um, wasn’t wondering.”
“Good.” He tucked a finger beneath the other strap and sent it over her shoulder as well.
The lacy cups were fitted to her breasts and stayed up. Her heart pounded; her gaze caught by his. He slid one hand behind her back and pulled her close. His other covered one breast, his fingers circling the nipple through the lace. It beaded immediately. He bent his head and kissed her, slowly, deeply, his tongue dipping inside, exploring her mouth.
After a long, long kiss, Liam raised his head. “I feel like I’ve been waiting for this for months. Maybe even years.”
She had been waiting years, but she didn’t tell him that. Instead she put her hands on his chest and slid them over his lovely muscles. God, she’d wanted to do this forever.
“You are so pretty. No, beautiful.” He pulled down the lacy cups of her nightie. Sucked in a breath and said, “Damn beautiful.”
She smiled but her breath caught when he covered her breasts with his hands and plucked at the nipples, stiffening them. His lips trailed down her neck to her breasts. He captured one of her nipples in his mouth. She gave a strangled groan as he sucked, swirled his tongue over it, then moved to the other one while fondling the one that was already wet. Gripping his hair with one hand and his shoulder with the other, she thought her legs were going to buckle, but Liam scooped her up and carried her to the bed before they did.
Setting her down beside it, he reached for the hem of her nightie. She stayed his hands. “You first.”
“Same time.”
She nodded and drew the nightgown up and over her head, leaving her clad in a pair of red bikini panties. Liam watched her as he unbuckled his belt, undid the button of his jeans, and slid the zipper down slowly, over a large erection. He shucked off his jeans and underwear in one motion. Before long he was naked, and she was as good as. But apparently he didn’t think so. He sat on the edge of the bed and put his hands on her hips to pull her in front of him. He pushed her panties down her legs, helping her step out of them.
“I wanted to go slow but I’m not sure I can,” he said, his voice deep and husky.
“Then don’t,” she said, stroking her hand down his cock, then back up. He groaned and, smiling, she did it again. He slipped a hand between her legs, fondling her before he sank a finger inside her.
“You’re wet for me.” His fingers continued to play over her sensitive flesh and when she widened her stance, he thrust another finger inside her.
“Yes.” Her head fell back and she moaned. He removed his fingers and she protested. “Liam.”
He played with her, his fingers and hands touching, learning, arousing. And he kissed her, first her mouth, then moving to each breast and sucking on them before returning to her mouth.
Finally, when she craved release so badly she nearly begged, he put his hands on her hips and pulled her forward. “Now, Val.”
She felt a thrill as he helped position her above his cock. Arms around his neck, she sank down on him slowly, feeling every inch of him, thick, hot, and filling her. He urged her up, almost pulling out entirely, but then slamming her back down. He did it again, his thumb rubbing her clit, driving her higher with each thrust. Her body tightened, her nerve endings fired, as her orgasm built until she exploded with a cry that he muffled as he kissed her. He continued to rock with her, growing impossibly bigger before he came inside her in an endless rush.
He lay back on the bed, bringing her with him to lay on his chest. He stroked her hair and kissed the corner of her mouth. She couldn’t help smiling, wondering how he could be so sweet and so sexy at the same time.
“Are you okay?”
She raised her head and looked at him. “Better than okay. I’m wonderful.”
“You certainly are.”
She smiled and before long they made love again. Val didn’t think she’d ever had a more perfect night.