Chapter 31 #2
“With way too much whipped cream,” Gideon confirmed. “Although you’ll have to let me know what ‘way too much’ means.”
My heart swelled so big it was hard to breathe. I stood on shaking legs, my eyes already filling with tears. “My perfect day,” I whispered.
“There’s a nice walking trail that starts just behind the cottage,” Gideon said.
“I was thinking we could check it out once we’ve eaten.
And I fished that out of the garbage.” He nodded to the countertop, where my sketchbook waited.
“But we can head over to Ellsworth and get you a new one. That one’s a little stained with old matchaaah. ”
Gideon grunted as I slammed into him, my arms wrapped like a vise around his neck as I peppered his face with kisses. “I”—kiss—“love”—kiss—“you”—kiss.
His laugh sent shivers down to my toes, and then the kissing got hotter, and he had to flick the burner off before hauling me up so I was sitting on the edge of the counter.
As I lifted my hips to help him get my pajama bottoms off, I gave him a smirk.
“This wasn’t part of the perfect day,” I noted.
“I’m reading between the lines,” he said with a grin, and then used his mouth for purposes other than talking.
We ate pancakes, walked through the forest, and then I sketched wedding dresses in the sunshine with my head in Gideon’s lap while he read a book. We ate a home-cooked dinner, then curled up on the couch to watch a movie together. Gideon was never farther than arm’s reach.
“Thank you,” I murmured when we finally made it to bed.
Gideon smiled, pulling me closer. He kissed me languorously, thoroughly, and reminded me how much he loved me. That things progressed beyond kisses was inevitable. I could never resist Gideon, and he showed me just how much he enjoyed giving me pleasure.
When I was panting to recover from my second orgasm of the evening, I wrapped my arms around Gideon’s shoulders and squeezed my thighs against his hips. He settled his weight a little more heavily on top of me, a soft smile tugging at his lips.
“Is my wife not satisfied with my performance so far?” he teased in a low rumble.
I flushed, hips rocking. “Maybe just—just a little more,” I said between breaths. Gideon’s smile was wicked and bright, and then he met the movement of my hips with his own. I gasped. Spread my knees.
And our eyes met.
Swallowing thickly, I dipped my chin. “I want to try again,” I whispered.
Gideon let out a shaky exhale. “You’re sure?”
“Yes.” My smile was a trembling, happy thing.
“I don’t want to hurt you,” he said, tracing my jaw with his nose. “I don’t want you to feel like you have to do this for me.”
“I don’t feel that way,” I answered, and I knew it for the truth. “I want to do it for me.”
His breath gusted out, warming my neck and shoulder. His hips made small, jerky movements as he rocked against me, and I began to squirm. Gideon, as usual, would not be rushed. He took his time with me, his eyes dark, his focus on me.
When I was wet and begging, he pushed inside. I clung to him, shaking, as tears leaked out of my eyes. Gideon stopped.
“Happy tears,” I panted.
“They better be,” he growled.
I laughed, rocking against him, then locked my ankles behind his back. He groaned out his pleasure, burying his face in my neck. His body was all ragged tension and desperate need. Mine was its perfect mirror.
In the silence of the cottage, ensconced in the safety of the forest and my husband’s arms, I let go of my doubts and insecurities. I trusted my body. I trusted Gideon.
He rolled his hips and drew a gasp from my lips. “Oh,” I said. “Oh, wow.”
“So deep, babe,” he rasped, teeth closing on my earlobe. “I’m so deep inside you.”
“Uh-huh,” I replied, drawing a huff of laughter from him.
On stiff arms, his body trembling with the force of holding back, Gideon pulled away to look in my eyes. “You’ll stop me the minute it hurts.”
I smiled as my heart crowded out my lungs. “I love you so much,” I whispered.
“Baby,” he replied, teetering on the edge of control, “you got no fuckin’ idea.”
My laugh turned into a gasp which turned into a moan. I hadn’t known it could be this good—and I suspected this was just the beginning.
GIDEON
It was hard to let Sadie out of my sight, those first few weeks after the kidnapping and the fire.
I followed her to the city and acted as her bodyguard whenever she’d allow it.
I bit my lip every time she went out on her own to meet her client or to work on the dresses that would re-launch her business.
But she always came back, and I managed.
Soon enough, we were heading back to Marswood Harbor. I watched Sadie’s face as we left the city, searching for signs of regret. Would she really want to move to a tiny town on the coast of Maine? Could she really be happy there, with me?
When we crossed state lines and entered Maine, Sadie let out a sigh. Her shoulders eased, and a smile spread over her beautiful lips. “Feels good to be home,” she said, and I reached over to tangle my fingers in hers.
Throat tight, all I could do was nod.
It was Sunday, so we went straight to Grandma Mars’s house for family lunch. Sadie glowed in the warm welcome that my family—our family—gave her, and I could hardly believe that she was really mine.
“Gideon.”
I turned to see my grandmother beckoning from the hallway. I followed her to her study, where a document folder waited on her desk. “What’s this?” I asked, suspicious.
Grandma Mars smiled, and it wasn’t the sharklike smirk I knew so well. This one was softer. Happier. “Your wedding present,” she said simply. “Congratulations.” She kissed me on the cheek and left me to read the documents on my own.
It took me a while to understand. I had to read through the pages twice to be sure.
Then I rocked back on my heels and let out a disbelieving huff.
My grandmother was surrendering the leverage she’d had over me, once and for all: She was selling me her share of Marswood Security—for just a dollar.