Annabelle cocked her head to the side and studied her a minute. “You know, you really don’t look very pregnant. How far along are you? Have there been any complications?”
“Not quite four months, and nope,” he answered for her. Reilly pressed a hand to her belly, and suddenly, Lucy’s heart filled with something very much like love.
“Had any odd cravings?” Annabelle asked. “Pickles and ice cream, for instance?”
She shook her head. “Nothing weird. Just a lot of morning sickness so far.”
Annabelle cringed. “Hopefully that part will be over soon.” She looked over at Reilly and winked. “And I’ll bet Reilly will keep you well supplied when the cravings do start up.”
She didn’t give Reilly a chance to reply. Lord only knew what the man would say to such a blanket statement. “Why would you say that?”
“I’ve seen your temper, Lucy. You’re not to be fooled with when you’re mad or hungry.”
She laughed. “Oh yeah, I’m so scary to a badass soldier like you.”
Annabelle started to say something, but Reilly spoke up, stopping them both in their tracks. “Lucy will have everything she needs. If she wants ice cream and pickles, she’ll get it.”
Annabelle cleared her throat, and her expression grew serious. “Yeah, I can see she’ll be well taken care of. But Lucy is my sister. Her husband walked all over her, and I won’t see it happen again.”
He smiled. “You can rest assured I’m not David, nor do I intend to repeat his mistakes.”
At that point, Lucy wanted to slap them both on the back of the head. She jerked up off the couch and shook her finger at them. “Get it straight, I don’t need either of you worrying about me and taking care of me. I can take care of myself.” She turned toward Reilly. “And if I want ice cream, I’ll get it myself.”
Annabelle laughed. “Good to see you’re still as mouthy as ever, sis.” She took one last swig of her beer and placed it on the coffee table, then got to her feet. “Thanks for the beer.” She took Lucy in her arms and pulled her in close. “Take care of my nieces or nephews, okay?”
Lucy kissed her cheek and asked, “Will I see you later?”
“Definitely. And I’ll bring Justin.” Annabelle’s smile lit up her face. “You’re going to love him. He’s really great.”
“As long as he treats you like fine china, then we won’t have a problem,” Lucy said, and it was no less than the truth. She wanted to see Annabelle happy and well loved, something neither of them had experienced with their own dad. Annabelle deserved to live happily ever after with the man of her dreams.
After her sister left, Lucy was left alone with Reilly. When their gazes connected, she shivered at the heat reflected in his eyes. “Reilly?”
He stalked her across the room. “Lucy,” he murmured, his voice dancing down her spine. “Do you know that I’m crazy about you? Crazy with desire, with lust, with need for you?”
She shook her head adamantly, continuing to walk backward and away from him. “I thought you were in a rush.”
He was a predator, and stalking his prey was second nature. When Lucy stumbled, Reilly was there, pulling her against his chest. “Nope, plenty of time.” Then his head came down, and his mouth latched on to hers. The kiss started out as a demand but quickly turned into searing heat.
Lucy had it in her to stop him, but her body betrayed her, going pliant against his massive frame. Her hands had a mind of their own as well, skating over the hard strength of his shoulders and back. Lucy moaned as she felt Reilly’s fingers through her shirt and bra drifting over her sensitized nipple. Her mind went blank and her legs quivered. All at once, her feet left the floor as Reilly lifted her into his arms. He never broke the kiss as he went to her bedroom and placed her on the bed. He angled his head and kissed her once more before lifting away. Her lips tingled and felt bereft without his touch. It scared her to think he’d gotten under her skin so fast. But he was tearing at his clothes, then hers, and within seconds, they were both naked. With swift elegance, he came down on the bed so that he lay parallel to her. His large, powerful hands grasped her around the waist, pulling her up and sitting her down on top of him in one smooth motion. At once Lucy felt exposed, and while she hadn’t gained much weight yet, she still felt thicker than she had before.
As if sensing her distress, Reilly murmured, “You’re beautiful, Lucy. Every inch.” She started to say something, anything, but Reilly hushed her with a finger to her kiss-swollen lips. “And being on top gives you the control. Wouldn’t you like that?”
She nodded, unable to speak around the lump in her throat, and felt his arousal pushing at the cleft of her bottom. A little thrill ran through her that she had the ability to bring him to such a state. She moved slightly, just a small wriggling of her hips. She couldn’t tear her gaze away from him. Reilly’s eyes turned to fire in an instant. His teeth gritted with restraint. He seemed determined to let her be the one in charge, but she could see that it cost him. He was such a sexual man, meeting his needs would be a major undertaking. She didn’t know if she had it in her to please him. And still he was letting her do as she wished.
It was time to see what she was made of.
Closing her eyes, Lucy began by moving slowly at first in little circles, enjoying his hard length nestled between her buttocks. Bracing herself on his chest, she rolled her hips back and forth, clenching her thighs around him. Reilly growled. “Fucking hell.”
Lucy moaned as whirls of sensation stimulated the delicate folds of her sex. She opened her eyes again and bent down far enough that her nipples grazed his chest hair. Pleasure rippled through her as the dark curls rasped them to taut peaks. Not able to stop herself, she lowered her mouth to his and licked at his full lower lip. God, no man should have a mouth so sinful, she mused. Her teeth nibbled at the skin, and his hands came up to her arms, crushing her to him. She felt herself spiraling out of control, felt Reilly’s instinctive need to dominate boiling to the surface.
Lucy rose up a fraction of an inch and looked beseechingly into his eyes. “Let me.” As if not trusting himself to speak, he nodded his consent. She smiled, feeling as if she were a woman on the brink of discovering something wonderful.
She lowered her head to his chest, tasting his salty skin, smelling his arousal. Her tongue darted out and laved his nipple; her fingers curled in his chest hair. She couldn’t get enough of him. Now she understood why he’d been so eager their first time. She shimmied down his body and kissed his flat stomach, running her hands over his chest, his arms, needing to touch him everywhere at once. Poised over his manhood, she looked up and saw him watching her, his entire body still and tense. She swept the heavy fall of her black hair back and lowered her head, never taking her gaze off his. She grasped him in her hand and squeezed. Reilly threw his head back and grunted. She let her tongue dart out, not able to resist tasting the tip of his cock. His gaze flew back to hers and feminine triumph surged through her at the pleasure on his face.
He moved then, burrowing both of his large hands in her hair and pulling her head down until Lucy had his entire cock inside the wet heat of her mouth. She sucked in, hollowing her cheeks in an uncertain effort to bring him gratification. Reilly cursed under his breath.
Suddenly, he pulled her upward until she was once again sitting on top of him. “Have mercy, sweetheart. Another second and I would have been unable to stop.”