“Beautiful.” Ryan’s verdict. “You’ll need to wear your hair up.”
Julia glanced in the mirror, agreeing with his assessment. She pulled on another skimpy bathing suit number in red and black that came with a long matching skirt.
“Perfect,” Ryan said, his eyes skimming her body. A hot sensation prickled in the wake of his gaze, edgy heat making her shift her weight from foot to foot. “Come and shower with me.”
She took a few seconds to comprehend. An instinctive rebuttal sprang to mind, but that wasn’t the word that emerged. She removed the last costume. “Yes.”
Ryan rolled off the bed and extended his hand. When she took it, his fingers threaded through hers, filling her with warmth. He led her to the bathroom and turned on the shower without releasing her hand. Tugging her to him, he pressed a soft kiss on her lips. “Thank you for giving me this second chance. I won’t let you down.”
Julia nodded. She wanted him so much, needed him to drive away the loneliness and the chill that had encased her for months now.
A sense of wonder filled Ryan when she settled against him, naked, chest to chest, with warm water pouring down over their heads. It was home and every part of him rejoiced at having his wife in his arms again. He kissed her cheek and sucked at the juncture of her neck and shoulder. Touching her was like sticking his finger in a light bulb socket, or at least how he imagined that experience.
His wife.
The woman who’d spoiled him for all others.
He skimmed his hand down her back and cupped her bottom, drawing her against his straining erection. From zero to go in half a second. Her tongue darted out to lick along the tail of his dragon tatt, over one pectoral muscle before settling against his nipple. Pleasure snared him, dragging another groan to the surface. Urgency thrummed through his body now, and Julia seemed just as caught in the writhing emotions as he. He lifted her and her legs curled around his waist. Still the water poured over them. He sucked roughly on one breast, and she jerked, almost ripping out a handful of hair when he tried to reposition his mouth to her other breast.
“Ryan,” she whispered hoarsely, full of silent pleading.
Hell, he didn’t want to wait either.
Angling his body, he pressed her against the wall.
“Cold,” she muttered.
“Won’t be soon.” He gripped his cock, positioned himself at her entrance and let gravity impale her more deeply. Ryan gritted his teeth, the snug warmth of her almost doing him in. His balls pulled tight. His pulse raced, his heart threatening to beat right out of his chest as Julia’s pussy flexed around his shaft and took him inside her. “Okay?” he demanded.
“No! Wait,” she said. “Condom.”
“Shit.” He stilled, grunting as he squeezed her against the wall. It took everything in him, but he withdrew and set her on her feet, maintaining his grip on her shoulders. “Sorry. I didn’t think.” He’d presumed she was still on the Pill. She had taken them when they first married. He leaned down, then pressed his forehead against hers while catching his breath. A child was strangely appealing, but he didn’t voice his thoughts, not when Julia hadn’t seemed happy at the idea. “Turn around. Let me wash your back.”
She bit her lip and turned to present her back. He grabbed a bottle of body wash and squirted some on a bath buddy. Seconds later, his hand was covered with lather.
“I said I was sorry. There’s no need to give me the silent treatment.”
“I’m not.” She turned in his arms, a strange expression on her face. “I’m just as much to blame.” She took the buddy off him and indicated he should turn around.
Ryan turned, sighing, sorry the mood had passed. “Are you still going to let me make love to you?” He winced at his bluntness.
“I have condoms in the bedroom.”
His breath caught. “Why?”
“I bought them a few months ago when I decided I should have sex with someone to forget you.”
“Ouch.” Her words hurt, but given his lack of communication, he didn’t blame her. “And did you find a man?” She’d implied she hadn’t had sex for months, but perhaps he’d misunderstood.
“No. You done?” The defensive note told him not to push.
He washed the last of the soap away. “Yeah, I’m done.”
After toweling off, he padded to her bedroom. While he was waiting for her, he pulled back the covers, desire simmering inside him at the idea of touching her again, despite his confused feelings. From the deep recesses of his mind he pulled an image of her naked, stroking scented body butter on her legs, one at a time. He recalled the slow caress of her hands, smoothing across her skin. It was so real—a true memory. He grinned, absently fondling his cock.
“Having sex with you doesn’t mean I’m agreeing to continue our marriage,” she said abruptly as she entered the bedroom.
“What does it mean?” Ryan didn’t understand the brittle edge to her voice, the pain she was trying to hide.
