Chapter 19 #2
She covered his hand with hers but didn’t stop reading.
Sometimes he hated the attention she paid to that e-reader, but other times the books she read put her in an “interesting” mood that benefited him. “What’re you reading?”
“The usual.”
That meant romance. His wife was a sucker for a good romance. “Is it one of those hot and sexy ones?”
“Maybe.”
“Hey, Lin?”
“Yeah?” she asked, but her eyes continued to dart over the screen.
“Do I pay enough attention? To you and to us?”
The e-reader fell to her lap, and her head turned toward him. “What?”
“You heard me. Do I pay enough attention to you?”
“Mac… What is this really about?”
“Answer the question.”
“Yes, of course you do.” She glanced at him. “Do I? Pay enough attention to you?”
“Except for when one of those romance novels gets you by the throat,” he said in a teasing tone.
“You like when my romance novels get me hot and bothered.”
“Yes, I do. I like that very much.”
“Where are these questions coming from?”
“Something Kevin said had me thinking about it. That’s all.”
“What did he say?”
“It’ll make you mad.”
“Tell me anyway.”
“He asked how I’d feel if you suddenly left me for a younger guy.”
“What did you say?”
“I was so shell-shocked by the thought of it that I didn’t say anything. And then he apologized for even suggesting it.”
“Good,” she said. “He should apologize, because that’s never going to happen. Ever. Where would I ever find a younger guy with your stamina?”
He stared at her, momentarily shocked that she would say such a thing.
Then she smiled, her eyes dancing with glee at having shocked him. “What in the world could I ever want that I don’t have right here with you?”
“I don’t know,” he said gruffly. “And that’s what scares me. That maybe there’s something you want that I don’t know about.”
She laid her hand on his cheek. “There’s nothing I want that I don’t have, Mac. I have everything as long as I have you.”
“So there’s no younger guy lurking around the hotel trying to lure you away from me?”
“I couldn’t be lured. What about you with your girlfriends you call ‘sweetheart’ all over the island?”
“You’re my only girlfriend and my only true sweetheart. The others are my friends. Big difference.” He pushed himself up onto his elbow so he was looking down at her. “In more than forty years, I’ve never wanted anyone else. I swear.”
“I know. I haven’t either.”
“Not even kinda?”
“Not even kinda.”
He smiled then, relieved by the affirmation of what he already knew. “That makes us pretty damned lucky.”
“It certainly does.”
“We ought to do something big for our fortieth this winter. Have a blowout or something.”
“The kids will do it, and we’ll act surprised.”
“How do you know that?”
“I’m Voodoo Mama. I know everything.”
“I thought you hated that nickname?”
“I only let them think I hate it. I love that they know they can’t get away with anything with me.”
Amused by her, he said, “You know what else I heard tonight?”
“What’s that?”
“My dad was worried about us getting married so young. Mom had to tell him to leave me alone and let me live my own life.”
“Sounds familiar.”
“Whatever. You’re the one always butting into the kids’ lives.”
That earned him a raised eyebrow that called him out on his bullshit. “All right. Maybe I do my share of butting in, too.”
She busted up laughing, and the only way he could think of to make it stop was to kiss her. When she reached for him, her e-reader slid off her belly and onto the bed between them.
Without breaking the kiss, he put it behind him and then wrapped his arms around her. He kissed her with deep sweeps of his tongue before easing back. “You’d tell me, wouldn’t you?” he asked as he kissed her face and neck.
“Tell you what?”
“If you were unhappy or wanted something.”
“I’d tell you.”
“Promise?”
“Mmm.” She arched her neck, giving him full access. “I promise. Do you promise to do the same?”
“Uh-huh.” He cupped her breast. “But I’ve got everything I want right here. If you’re happy, I’m happy.”
Linda slid a smooth leg up and around his hip. “I could be happier.”
“Do tell.”
“Why tell when I can show?” She freed his erection from his boxers and began to stroke him, just the way he liked it.
He ran his hand up her inner thigh to discover she wasn’t wearing panties under her nightgown. “Sexiest granny ever.”
“It was a good book,” she said, making him chuckle.
Placing his hand over hers, he stopped her from finishing him off. He shifted so he was on top of her, moving carefully so he wouldn’t hurt her because he was so much bigger than she was. As he began to enter her, he said, “Remember the first time we did this and you were afraid I’d break you?”
“I still worry about that sometimes.”
“Nothing to worry about, my love. I’d never break you. Where would I be without you?”
“Mac,” she said on a whisper when he was fully embedded in her.
“What, honey?”
Her fingers combed through his hair as her hips lifted to meet his every stroke. “I love you too much to ever leave you. Don’t worry about that, okay?”
“Okay. Don’t you, either.”
“I won’t. I never have. Not for one second.”
With her assurances soothing him, he gave himself to her completely, thankful for the life they had together and that he’d had the good sense to marry her before someone else beat him to it.