Marriage Without Love & More Than a Convenient Marriage?

“That’s a joke,” he hurried to assure her. “I’m saying there were no swimmers. I’m good. Shooting blanks.”

She snorted, then sobered and cocked her head in concern. “You’re sure it doesn’t bother you? I really was fully prepared to have my tubes tied.”

He tried to wave away the same worries he’d been trying to alleviate for weeks, but she kept her anxious expression.

He sighed. “I’d make ten more just like Androu if we could. We both would, right? He’s perfect,” he said, moving to take her arms in a warm but firm grasp of insistence. “But if we want more children, we can find another way. You can’t risk another pregnancy.”

“Exactly why I should have been the one having the permanent procedure. What if someday—”

“Are you going somewhere?” he challenged lightly. “I’m not. Therefore, my getting fixed is a solution for both of us. You’ve been through enough. And this was not a big moral struggle for me. I’m happy to take responsibility for protecting you.”

She pouted a little. “Well, thank you then. I do appreciate it.”

He caressed from the base of her throat to under her chin, coaxing her to tilt her head up so he could see those pillowy lips pursed so erotically.

“There was some self-serving to it, you know,” he admitted, voice thickening with the many weeks of abstinence they’d observed. Now there’d never be any worries for either of them, no matter when or where they came together. And hell, if he hadn’t inflicted pain down there to distract himself, he probably would have lost his mind waiting for this moment. “How did your appointment go?” he belatedly asked, reminding himself not to let the engine rev too high and fast.

“Oh.” Her lashes swooped and her mouth widened into a sensual smile of invitation. “All clear to resume normal activities.”

“If you can call how we make each other feel ‘normal.’” He backed her toward the desk. “I was just thinking I haven’t been spending enough quality time in here.”

Her breath caught in the most delightful way, and even though she stiffened in surprise when her hips met the edge of his desk, she melted with reception just as quickly, hitching herself to sit on it. Her hand curled around to the back of his neck and she leaned her other hand onto the surface of his desk, watching without protest as he began unbuttoning her top.

“We do have a nice new bed downstairs that hasn’t been used for one of its intended purposes, you know,” she reminded in a sultry voice.

“I am quite aware,” he countered dryly as he bared her chest and released her bra. Her breasts were bigger, pale and lightly veined, the nipples dark and stiff with excitement. “God, you’re beautiful.”

“They’re kind of majestic, aren’t they?” She arched a little.

“They kind of are,” he agreed with awe, tracing lightly before he bent to touch careful kisses around her nipples.

“Gideon?”

Her tone made him raise his head. “What’s wrong?”

“I know we should savor this because it’s been a really long time and we kind of started over with our marriage so this is a bit of a honeymoon moment, but I’ve really missed making love with you. I thought about walking in here naked. I don’t want to wait.”

Ever willing to accommodate, he stripped her pants off without another word, taking her ice-blue undies with them. Spreading her knees, he only bothered to open his jeans and shove them down as far as necessary, before he carefully pushed inside her.

Adara gasped at the pinch and friction of not being quite ready, but his hot, firm thickness was the connection she’d been longing for. With a moan, she twined her legs around him and forced his entry, drawing a deep hiss from him.

They fought a light battle, him trying to slow her down, her urging him as deep into her as she could take before she sprawled back on his desk and let him have his way with her.

It was raw and quick and powerful, over in minutes, but they were shaking in each other’s arms as they caught their breath. Her vision sparkled and she felt as if she radiated ecstasy.

“You okay?” he murmured as he kissed her neck. “That was pretty primal.”

“That was an appetizer,” she said, languidly kissing him and using her tongue. Her fingertips traced the damp line through his shirt down his spine. “Now you can take me downstairs and show me your best moves.”

“You’re sounding pretty bossy there, Mrs. Vozaras.” He straightened and gently disengaged so he could hitch up his jeans and scoop her off the desk into a cradle against his chest.

“Only a problem if we want different things, and I don’t think that’s true.”

He cocked his head in agreement. “You’re so right. Monitor,” he prompted, dipping his still-weak knees so she could grab it off the corner of the desk.

She craned her neck over his shoulder as he carried her through the door. “You gonna leave my clothes on the floor like that?”

“Do I look stupid? We’re on the clock. He could wake up any second.”