Chapter 12 #3
“Oh, my love.” Ellen pulled away to smile into that beloved, worried face. “How could I be mad at you when you single-handedly brought two of my favorite people together?”
Harry looked around the room then back at her, as if seeking understanding from the walls. “I did?”
“Mm.” She twined her arms around his neck, loving the feeling of the strength under her hands, knowing it was both physical and psychological strength.
“It would have been a disaster if they’d hooked up immediately.
Chloe was so uncertain of herself, so lonely.
So damned vulnerable. You were right about that.
And Mike—he was conditioned to having easy, emotionless affairs.
He’s never had to work for a woman. He’s never really gotten to know his women, in any true sense of the term.
It was really smart of you to force him to keep it in his pants.
So…when were you thinking of lifting your ban? ”
“Ah…Never?”
Ellen blinked. “Never? Wow. That would have been hard to work around, because as you saw, Mike took you at your word. I wish I knew this beforehand and could have told Nicole. We went round and round just trying to figure out what was going on. He rarely left her side but he wasn’t making any moves. Drove us nuts.”
“The two of you could have simply minded your own business,” Harry pointed out.
As if. “Not an option. So I guess soon Chloe’s going to be my sister-in-law in all senses.”
Harry jerked. “Whoa. No, absolutely not.” He frowned. “Aren’t you going a little fast?”
“No, not at all.” Ellen kissed her husband.
A peck, then a little deeper. “He’s crazy about her and she’s head over heels.
And instead of having a disastrous affair at the beginning, where he’d dump her abruptly because he couldn’t deal with his feelings and she’d be overwhelmed and bewildered and hurt, they’re in a really good place right now.
Except of course for Russians gunning for her.
But aside from that, they’re really on track.
You did good work, Bolt. Very good work. ”
“That wasn’t my intention. My intention was to cut Mike off for life, but I’ll certainly take the credit.”
Holding his gaze, smiling, Ellen shimmied her shoulders in a move she wouldn’t have been remotely capable of two years ago.
The straps of her nightgown fell from her shoulders, the entire nightgown now resting on the tops of her breasts.
She stood up by the bed, shimmied again, and the nightgown pooled in a silky heap on the floor.
In her brand-new sultry and sexy voice she said, “I think good deeds require a reward, don’t you? ”
She reached down and placed her hand on his groin, in complete and utter faith she’d find him hot and hard as steel. Bingo. Did she know her man or what?
A quick pump of her hand had him hissing in a breath. “I do deserve a reward, don’t I?” he asked, his voice low and rough. “Being so astute and all. So smart at planning this out.”
He pulled her back down on the bed, coming down on top of her. Though he was much taller than she was, they fit perfectly. They always had. They always would.
She felt him pressing against her mound. A wave of heat rose from her groin and she pressed upwards, loving the feel of him. He lengthened and thickened against her.
She loved this. Loved that she knew his body so well and he knew hers. Far from becoming stale, it made their lovemaking infinitely rich and complex. She’d pitied Mike that in his bed-hopping fervor, he’d never know this.
Maybe now he would.
Harry bit her behind the ear, knowing she would break out in goose bumps. She smiled into his shoulder, brought his big hand to her belly.
She bit his earlobe and smiled again at his shudder. She whispered directly into his ear. “I think you deserve another reward, too. An extra special one.”
“Yeah?” he whispered back, interested. “Better than sex? This sounds good. I can’t wait.”
“You’ll have to wait, because it’ll take time.” Ellen pressed her hand over Harry’s lying on her belly. “You’ll get your present some time around St. Valentine’s day. In about eight months.”
Harry’s big body jolted on top of hers as if an electric shock had been applied. He lifted himself up on his forearms, looking her deep in the eyes.
“Ellen.” She nearly cried at the raw emotion in his voice, at what she saw in his eyes. “Another child? Oh, God. Another child?”
She knew what it meant to him. The same that it meant to her. They were without family, had been alone in the world for a very long time. They’d found each other and made Gracie, who filled their lives with joy. Then Chloe had been found. Now another child.
It was almost too much happiness.
Harry collapsed on top of her as if his arms suddenly couldn’t support his weight.
His shoulders shook and she held him tightly, tightly, kissing his ear, his neck, his face.
Anything her mouth could touch. She embraced him with her arms and legs, trying to wrap herself around him and as they kissed, he slipped inside her and they rocked gently together, Harry, Ellen and the child she was carrying.