Worth the Scandal (Worth It 1)

Standing, he went to the bassinet, setting Charlotte back inside. “I’ll be back in a moment, princess. I need to talk to your stubborn mother first.”

Tessa waited as he approached where she sat. He knelt before her on both knees and took hold of her hands, bringing them to his mouth where he pressed a soft kiss to her knuckles. “I’m begging for your forgiveness, Tessa. What I did, what I said to you that night, it was wrong. I should’ve listened to you. But I was so hurt, so angry, I couldn’t think straight, let alone listen to reason.”

Her hands trembled in his grip and he squeezed them tighter, a faint smile curving his lips. “Once you were gone, I felt like a piece of me was missing. Not because I missed your organizational skills and how you kept me on task.” His smile grew and she offered a shaky one in return. “I realized how much I needed you. I’d had feelings for you long before the trip to Europe, Tessa.”

“You did?” she squeaked. She couldn’t believe it.

“I orchestrated the excuse that I needed you to come with me.” He kissed her knuckles again, his lips lingering this time, wicked shivers cascading all over her skin. “I knew it was wrong, taking it further with an employee but I couldn’t help it. I was half in love with you by the time the plane landed in Italy.”

“That’s because you saw me in my bra,” she murmured, her cheeks burning at the embarrassing memory.

His eyes smoldered as they studied her face. “That was a bonus.”

Charlotte started to kick and fuss in her bassinet. Tessa started to get up but Alex held onto her hands, keeping her in place. “She can wait for a few minutes. I need to tell you that I love you first.”

“Oh, Alex.” Tessa shook her head, the tears spilling freely again. “Are you sure?”

“I’ve never been surer of anything my entire life.” He leaned in close so their foreheads were pressed together. “I love you. It’s not because of Charlotte either. She just makes me love you more.”

Unable to take anymore she threw herself at him, circling her arms around his neck. Her every dream was coming true. Only hours before she was ready to run because Alex had discovered her and now he’d confessed the one thing she’d wanted to hear from him more than anything else in the world.

He loved her. He wanted her to be his wife.

Alex wrapped his hands around her waist and pulled her away from him so their gazes met. “I need to hear how you feel, Tessa. I need to hear you say the words.”

She smiled though her lips trembled. “I love you, Alex. I’ve loved you for what felt like forever. That’s why it hurt so much, your rejection of me. I wanted to curl up into a ball and die that night.”

He smoothed the still damp hair away from her face, his fingers drifting down her temple, across her cheek. “I’ll spend a lifetime trying to earn your forgiveness, working my hardest to drive that memory out of your thoughts forever.”

“We’ll create new memories.” He dragged his thumb across her lower lip and she sucked in a harsh breath. “The three of us together.”

“The three of us.” The baby still fussed and they both turned at the same moment to watch the little bassinet rock back and forth. “She’s hungry?”

“Yes, she’s always hungry.” Tessa smiled and shook her head. “She’s too big for that thing. That’s why it’s rocking, you know.”

“She’s strong like her mama.” He kissed her cheek, shifted so his lips hovered above hers for a tantalizing moment before he finally claimed her mouth for his own.

She moaned softly, resting her hands on his chest, her fingers curling into the fine fabric of his shirt. She wanted him naked. She wanted to feel him skin on skin, his mouth and hands bringing her absolute pleasure.

The baby wailed and they broke apart from each other, the smile on Alex’s face irresistible. She’d never seem him look so happy before. “I should feed her.”

“I’ll bring her to you.”

“Alex.” She rested her hand on his cheek and he stilled, his serious gaze meeting hers. “I love you.”

His eyes warmed to a mellow blue and he pressed a soft, lingering kiss to her lips. “I love you too.”

He’d never felt more content.

Watching with fascination the woman he loved breastfeed their baby. After stripping down to his boxer briefs and climbing into the bed, he’d made Tessa take off her sweater and pants as well, surprised to see she hadn’t worn a bra beneath. A rare and unusual occurrence, she’d warned him. Breastfeeding meant industrial-style bras to support her abundant chest.

Alex didn’t mind. Now that he had her back in his life, none of the little stuff mattered. She loved him. She agreed to be his wife.

He was a lucky son of a bitch.

Charlotte was a greedy little eater, sucking noisily at her mother’s breast. He sat next to Tessa in the bed, his arm circled around her shoulders, his other hand resting on top of his daughter’s head, stroking her downy soft hair. He stroked her pudgy cheek and she broke away from Tessa’s nipple, gazing up at him with he swore a flare of irritation in her smoky blue eyes.

“You’ve interrupted her,” Tessa chastised, amusement lacing her voice. “She doesn’t like to be disturbed while she’s eating.”

“Maybe I’m jealous,” he murmured after Charlotte found her mother’s nipple and started to nurse again. “I haven’t had you all to myself in far too long.”

Craning her head, Tessa kissed him. “She’s almost finished. This is normally her time to sleep for at least four to five hours straight.”

“Mmm, sounds promising.”

Finally, his daughter fell asleep at her mother’s breast, her rosebud lips parted and he swore she snored. Tessa gathered her into her arms and settled her carefully in the bassinet before heading back to the bed. Beautiful and uninhibited in her womanly body, clad only in simple black panties, he pulled her close the moment she climbed under the covers with him.

Her warmth, her vitality seeped into him, rejuvenating him, making him feel complete. They kissed, he wound his tongue around hers as he skimmed his hand all over her soft skin, his fingers sliding beneath her panties to grip her plump ass. She squirmed against him, brushing her sex against his straining cock and he knew he wasn’t capable of a long, drawn out lovemaking session.

It was going to be quick, dirty and satisfying.

Flipping her onto her back, he kissed his way down her lush body, lingering on her breasts, down her stomach, easing his fingers into her tight, hot wetness. She writhed beneath him, arching her body into his hand, her head thrown back, already lost in her ecstasy as he brought her to climax.

It was easy, so easy between them. And beautiful—achingly beautiful. She touched him everywhere and he thought his skin might catch on fire, he was so hot. She gripped his cock with sure fingers, stroking him, driving him higher and higher until finally he withdrew and grabbed the single condom he’d found in his travel bag earlier.

“I’m going too fast but I won’t last much longer,” he muttered as he slipped the condom on and then positioned himself so he was poised at her entry. “I need you too much.”

She smiled, the look of hazy satisfaction still in her eyes, all over her face. “We have the rest of our lives together, Alex.”

With a groan he pushed inside her and stilled, savoring the wet velvety hot grip of her. She felt amazing. Being inside her was like…being home.

So incredibly corny but true, he couldn’t deny it. Didn’t want to deny it.

He was too much in love with her to worry about thinking like a sap.

Tessa felt too good. With only a few thrusts he was coming, spilling everything inside her. All the love, all the yearning, all the pent up emotions he’d kept locked up tight in his heart all these years. His release left him depleted, exhausted and he fell to his side beside her after he disposed of the condom, slipping his arm around her waist and hauling her close, her back to his front.

She stroked his arm and shifted against him, her backside rubbing against his groin and causing his cock to stir halfheartedly. He groaned close to her ear. “Give me a few minutes before we start that again.”

Tessa giggled. “I’m too tired.”

“Hmm, I bet I could get you in the mood.” He trailed his fingers across her breasts, felt her distended nipples and he chuckled.

“Too sleepy. We can do that later.” She snuggled closer.

“Tessa?” She felt so amazing in his arms. He couldn’t get over the fact that he had her with him. That it wasn’t a dream.

“Yes?”

“Do you know?” He paused and cleared his throat. “Do you know what night it was that we conceived Charlotte?”

“It was the night we, um, had sex on your desk.” She pressed her face against his arm, her voice filled with embarrassment.

Realization dawned. He hadn’t used a condom, had taken her like some sort of uncontrollable savage overcome with lust. “I’m an irresponsible ass.”

“I enjoyed it. The way you pushed me onto the desk…” A shiver moved through her.

He chuckled and she pinched his arm, causing him to yelp. “Why did you do that?”