Below us, other guests were sitting or lying around on the terrace, laughing and drinking. Others were playing around in the pool. It wasn’t an annoying sound, but it made me glad we had our own private pool to do our own playing. I dropped down into one of the loungers on the balcony, arranging Angel so we were both comfortable.
Like this, even through her jeans and mine, I could feel her heat. It made my dick throb and dig into the zipper of my jeans. My hardness flexed against her softness, making her moan. My fingers bit into her ass to keep from stripping her right then and there. I wasn’t going to fuck my wife on the balcony in the middle of the day when anyone could see us. That was my little brother’s M.O., not mine.
She buried her face in my neck, our hair tangling together as it shielded our faces from the sun. “You realize we haven’t made love in over a week?”
“Trust me, I know.” I gritted my teeth when she nibbled on my ear, making the pain in my dick a kind of excruciating ecstasy. “It’s been hell trying to keep my hands off you.”
Her head lifted, those golden-brown eyes narrowed on me. “Why have you?”
I forced my hands to relax on her ass. “Because I thought it would make tonight even more special. Maybe it won’t be our first time together, but I’m going to make you feel like it is.”
Chapter Eight
Lana
The water felt like heavy rain falling down on me, washing away the chlorine from my skin where we’d goofed off in the pool earlier. Today was turning into an unexpected adventure with Drake. He surprised me at every turn. While I’d been nervous when he’d asked for this do-over, I had to admit that I was enjoying every second of it. As we’d walked down memory lane a little I realized that maybe I needed it just as much as he did.
Not because I still held on to regrets and doubts. I had none of those. I simply needed it because remembering why I’d first fallen in love with Drake Stevenson was making me fall for him all over again.
I took my time in the shower, then got dressed in the black dress he’d packed for me. I hadn’t washed my hair, so I simply ran a brush through it after putting on a little makeup. The only thing missing was shoes, and I didn’t realize that there was a lack of them until after I’d gotten dressed.
Frowning, I walked out of the bathroom. The bedroom was empty so I went into the living room. Empty. The door to the balcony was open, letting a slight breeze blow into the room. Outside, lights twinkled and danced in the growing darkness. Faintly I heard laughter coming from the pool in the courtyard.
“Drake?”
“In here.”
Following the sound of his voice, I headed for the dining room, and stopped when I saw the table set for dinner. Candles were already lit, beautiful china in golden rose was set out, and even a bottle of what looked like sparkling cider was in a bucket of ice on the table. None of this had been there when I’d gone in for my shower. But it was the man standing in the center of the room who had my breath catching in my throat.
Dressed in a black suit, with his jacket hanging open to reveal his shirt untucked and unbuttoned, Drake looked delicious. He’d taken the man bun down before we’d left the house earlier that day, but it was back now. Like me, he was completely barefoot. “I take it we aren’t going out for dinner, then?”
A lopsided grin played at his lips. Fuck, that grin did dangerous things to my heart. For a second I couldn’t catch my breath as he walked toward me. “Well, I have this wife who doesn’t like ostentatious places that would be considered romantic. So I figured I’d treat her to dinner in tonight.”
“G-good idea,” I whispered as he held out his hand. My palm rubbed against his before he clasped his big fingers around it and then pulled me in close. As if by magic, soft jazz music began to play, and I barely noticed when Drake tossed the remote to the stereo that was hidden somewhere in the penthouse.
His free hand went to my waist, and he lifted our joined hands up until they rested over his heart. My heart beat erratically as we started to sway to the music. In all the years we’d been together, the times we had gone dancing were few and far between. It was one of my few pleasures that I didn’t indulge often. Getting to do so now, with my delicious husband’s arms around me as we danced around the room with nothing but candles and moonlight streaming through the windows, was something I would treasure for the rest of my life.
I felt his lips brush over my temple as he hummed along with the song, making his chest vibrate and affecting me in the most primal of ways as my panties became soaked with need for him. The music shifted from one song to another, and everything inside of me melted when I heard our song.
In my opinion, Drake sang “Heaven” a million times better than Bryan Adams, but I was biased like that. He’d sung this song to me in front of thousands of people, live, while millions of people had watched from their living rooms as he had dropped to his knees and asked me to be his wife.
Lifting my head, I stepped up onto tiptoes and kissed him. It was a long, slow kiss, something he’d been avoiding all day, but I needed it. There was only so much romance I could take before I needed him to devour me.
He didn’t hesitate to kiss me back, and I felt his heart trying to jump out of his chest as a growl that seemed to be dragged from his throat filled the room. His tongue thrust forcefully into my mouth, trying to conquer me when he already owned me, body and soul.
The kiss could have gone on all night and I would have been content. But all too soon there was a knock at the door and Drake reluctantly lifted his head. Breathing raggedly, he glanced at the door, then back down at me. “Dinner’s here.”
I licked my lips and tasted him on them. “I’d rather have dessert first, but I guess we shouldn’t let good food go to waste.”
He nodded, pressed a kiss to my forehead, then seemed to force himself to step away and cross to the door. Some guy in a waiter uniform wheeled in a cart loaded with our food. Drake was quick to get rid of him with a generous tip, refusing to let the man set the table for us.
Once the door swung shut behind the man, Drake came back to me. The music was still playing softly in the background, but our earlier spell was broken. Taking my hand, he pulled me over to the table and held the seat out for me. I sat there, watching him with amusement, as he served us. Once he’d set a plate in front of me, I waited until he had taken his seat before taking the metal covering off.
The scent of perfectly cooked steak, roasted potatoes and sautéed green beans filled my nose and for a moment I forgot about the ache between my legs for the ache that was now gnawing at my stomach. Drake lifted his own covering, revealing the exact same thing, only with a monstrous steak instead of my considerably smaller one. I wasn’t sure if I would be able to eat everything on my plate, but I knew Drake would eat all of his plus what I didn’t eat.
“I’ve really enjoyed today,” I told him as I pushed away my plate when I was full.
“I’m glad, Angel.” I bit into my bottom lip and his face darkened. “What’s wrong?”
I took a sip of my water, then shrugged as I replaced the glass. “I really, really enjoyed today. I was hoping we could do this again next year…and every year after that. Maybe this can be the start of a new anniversary for us.”
His silverware hit his plate with a loud clank and he scooted his chair back quickly. Getting to his feet, he came around the table and pulled me into his arms. “Yes,” he whispered fiercely as his head started to lower. “Yes, I’d love that.”
Those were the last words he said for a long time as he slowly devoured my mouth.
I let him have complete control over how fast we went tonight. Knew that this was what he needed because he hadn’t had any control over our first time all those years ago. It surprised me how gentle he was when I could feel how tense his body was. He was holding himself back, treating me with kid gloves as he slowly undressed me in the dying candlelight, while the moon glowed over my skin.
G
oosebumps lifted across my entire body, making me shiver deliciously as he skimmed his fingers down my bare arms. I was only in my panties and bra now, but the matching set that he’d packed me offered little modesty. I pressed my thighs together, trying to relieve the ache that was making my clit pulse in time to my racing heartbeat.
Drake’s lips trailed down my throat, his fingers holding my hips in place when I unconsciously moved closer to him. I was going up in flames, but the burn was a good one. “It was this day all those years ago that I finally admitted to myself that I loved you,” he murmured against my shoulder. “It scared the living hell out of me.” I felt his tongue swirling on my collarbone and couldn’t hold back the moan that escaped. “That’s why I got so drunk that night.”
A thrill went through me at his confession. “Are you still scared?” I teased in a voice shaky with the need he was still building deep inside me.
“Terrified, Angel,” he said with a half grin. He lifted his head, those blue-gray eyes shining with love and so much more. “It’s a good feeling to have, though. I never want to stop feeling it.”
Before I could respond to that, he bent and lifted me effortlessly into his arms. I didn’t cling to him, knowing he would never drop me, but I kept my eyes locked on his face as he carried me through the penthouse and into the bedroom. Sitting me on the edge of the bed, he stepped back and began to undress.
My brain short-circuited a little as I watched him reveal inch by inch of himself. My mouth went dry at the sight of the cut angles that made that yummy V as he unsnapped his pants and pushed them over his hips, leaving him in nothing more than a pair of black boxer briefs. My panties were soaking wet and I shifted uncomfortably, wanting them gone.
Without realizing I was doing it, I reached for him, wanting to take his boxers off, but he caught my hands, holding both in one of his. “You do that and I won’t last, and I need it to last.”
Half pouting, I nodded and sat back farther on the bed, spreading my legs ever so slightly for him so he could see the dampness on my thighs. He inhaled sharply through his nose and dropped to his knees in front of me. I felt the tremor in his fingers as he pushed my thighs farther apart. He clenched his jaw, trying to rein in his quickly slipping control. Part of me wanted him to just let go and make wild, crazy love to me—a week was too damn long to go without an orgasm from this man—but I knew he would regret it as soon as he came up for air later. So I sat there, continuing to let him have full power.
Chapter Nine
Drake
I was shaking like a fucking school boy with his first girl, and wished with everything inside of me that that was the case. I was Angel’s first and only man, and I would have given up everything—everything but our girls—for her to have been my first too. Pushing that thought away, I focused on the here and now, and taking things slow.
This was how I dreamed it had been that night when things had changed from friends to lovers. Tonight, I was making it a reality.
I kissed my way down her body, starting with her neck. Her hands clenched into fists at her side as she arched into my kisses. I knew every inch of her body by heart, but tonight I was memorizing it all over again. Finding the places that made her sigh, whimper, moan and turning her pleasure up by a million.
Her skin was smooth and silky soft. It never failed to fascinate me the contrasts of all her softness to my rough and hard. As my lips trailed down her shoulder, I pulled the straps of her bra down her arms and then filled my hands with her amazing tits as I unhooked the damn thing. I didn’t see the stretch marks that marred her stomach like the stripes of a tiger. All I saw was her flat stomach, the tattoo just above her panties that said ‘Love Me Without Regret’ in black cursive.
I rolled her nipple between my thumb and forefinger, drawling a needy little moan out of her. Her head fell back on her shoulders, her arms straining to keep her upright as she arched into my touch, seeking more. I kissed each globe, circled my tongue around the areola, teasing her with what she wanted, but delaying it until she couldn’t stand it any longer.
“Drake.” Her moan was part whine, begging me to give her my mouth.
Grinning against her flesh, I sucked one diamond-hard nipple into my mouth. Her cry was wild, her hands going to my hair and pulling down the bun I’d put it into earlier. My hair fell around us, curtaining her tits as I sucked her harder, deeper into my mouth. After only a few moments, I switched to the other, licking it until it was dripping wet before sucking it deep, my tongue pressing it against the roof of my mouth just the way I knew she craved.
I wanted to take my time, but I also knew my limits, and there were still so many delicious parts of her I still had left to explore. Slowly, I pulled back enough to start trailing kisses once again. Her stomach muscles clenched and unclenched as I kissed my way toward her navel. I circled it twice, then pushed her onto her back.
As soon as I touched the top of her panties, she lifted her hips, anxious to help me remove the last layer that separated her dripping pussy from my hungry eyes. I took my time sliding the material off, making her whimper in frustration, but she didn’t say a word, didn’t try to rush me more than making those needy little sounds.
Throwing the wet panties over my shoulder, I spread her thighs wider and feasted my eyes on her. Fuck, she was beautiful. Every inch of her. Instinct told me to take her—fuck her—until neither of us knew who we were. I tramped it down. Fucking had no place in this room tonight.
Holding her legs wide apart, I kissed my way down the insides of her right thigh to her knee, then back up her left. Her thighs quivered as more liquid pooled between her legs. Her scent was like a drug, like honey and cream that demanded I eat up every drop.
My tongue stroked over her pussy lips, teasing her, driving her toward that invisible edge. Spreading her lips with my thumb and forefinger, I flicked the tip of my tongue over her clit.
“Fuck,” she moaned, bucking against my face. “Dray, please.”
“Soon,” I promised, and licked her from opening to her clit, then back again. More liquid desire flooded her entrance, and I drank every drop. I did this to her. Even after so many years, I could still make my wife want me this much. I knew I was a lucky man, but having the evidence of it every day was mind-blowing.
“You’re evil,” she muttered half under her breath.
“I love you,” I said, but there was an evil grin on my face.
She let out a shuddery little huff. “I love you…” I thrust two fingers into her, her wetness making a sucking noise as she started to contract around them. “Drake!” she screamed as she came apart for me.
While she was still coming down, I threw off my boxers and leaned over her. Kissing her long and deep, sharing her taste that was still all over my lips, I slid into her scalding heat and stopped. Her inner walls were still convulsing, trying to milk me of my own release. I held on to my control by my fingertips, wanting to make this last all night, knowing it was only going to be a matter of minutes—if not seconds—before I emptied deep inside her.
Soft fingers stroked over my back before her nails sank into my shoulder blades. Her legs wrapped tightly around my waist, clinging to me and refusing to let go. “I want you to come,” she whispered at my ear, making my control start to shatter. “Please.”
“Fuck.” I bit down on her shoulder, no longer able to hold back as my hips started thrusting.
I could tell by her little pants and those damn mewling sounds she always made when she was close that she was headed straight for another orgasm. I wanted to follow her over the edge this time, wanted to be there to catch her when she fell.
“Oh, God,” she whispered. “Oh, God.” Her voice rose more and more as the pleasure built. “Oh, God.” Her spine arched, her hands tangling in my hair and pulling roughly as she fought against the inevitable. “Oh, God. Drake, please. Please. Please.”
“Angel.” Her name left my lips like a vow. Every muscle in my body ten
sed as my release rushed up and spilled deep inside of her.
The sun was shining bright and early the next morning. I groaned, not wanting to be awake yet. The warm, very naked body of my wife was wrapped around me and she sighed softly in her sleep, trying to hide from the sun as well. I cracked an eye open, realized we’d forgotten to shut the blackout drapes, and silently cursed myself.
Then I remembered why I’d forgotten something so small and unimportant and couldn’t help but grin as I pressed a kiss to the top of Angel’s head. Last night, we had set the sheets on fire. Going without making love for a week had made us desperate for each other, and we’d created the memories that I had desperately needed to fill the blank void that had been eating at my sanity.
We had one more day alone before we needed to get back to the girls, and while I was glad for a little more alone time with the beauty tucked in beside me, my heart felt a little hollow being away from the girls. Call us over-protective, but we’d never spent more than a night away from our kids. Normally Bliss or Heavenleigh woke us up each morning, bouncing on our bed and demanding breakfast. Nevaeh would be begging to go to the bookstore for a new stack of thick books to keep her busy. She had three different e-readers, but she would rather have a physical book in her hands. Arella would be running around, wanting to go to one of her cousins’ houses to play or would already be on the phone with one of her aunts or uncles, begging them to come over for the day.
To some people, that might sound like a big dose of crazy and they would want a week away from the madhouse our home was when school was on break. For me—and Angel too—it was paradise.
As if she were reading my mind, Angel lifted her head, a frown wrinkling her brow as it took her a few seconds to realize we weren’t at home. Her bottom lip pouted out and she looked down at me with sad whiskey-brown eyes. “I want cuddles with Bliss.”