Page 29 of Daigo

His mother nodded. "I never had that. Never knew what it was to be so loved. Your father-" She swallowed the lump that had lodged itself in her throat. "He was a hard man."

Daigo laughed softly. "That's the understatement of the century. He was often cruel. To both of us."

Crossing the room, he took her hand in his. "We want you to be part of our lives, Mother. It's entirely up to you." He squeezed her hand. "But I will never allow anyone to talk to my wife the way you did. No one gets to hurt her. I hope I'm making myself clear."

She nodded, her throat tight. What it must be like to be loved the way he loved his wife!

"I understand, and I want to apologize to her for what I said and hope we can go on from there."

Leaning down, he kissed her cheek.

"Let's go back to the living room, shall we?"

*****

"You spoke to her." Later that night, after Tammy had settled in her room for the night and he had made slow and tender love to her, she propped her head on her folded hands that rested on his chest and smiled at him dreamily. "She apologized. And really sounded as if she meant it."

He trailed a finger down her nose. "I'm sure she did."

"What did you say to her?"

He merely lifted one thick, dark brow. "Curiosity often kills the cat."

"Well, I'm not a feline, so that won't be happening. Spill."

"Confidential." Tipping her chin up, he kissed her lips. "Tammy seems to be doing all right."

She narrowed her gaze at him and had him grinning.

"You're changing the subject."

"Hmm. Am I?"

"Daigo."

"Shelby-Anne." He said her name in such a mild manner that she wanted to scream.

"You're not going to tell me, are you?"

"Nope." He glanced at the clock on the side table. "It's past midnight. We should get some sleep."

"I'm not tired," she said with a pout.

"In that case." He flipped her over and covered her body in one swift, sure movement. Her eyes popped wide open when he slipped into her, filling her, emptying her brain from everything except the feel of him.

"How do you-" She moaned when he reached between them to toy with an already rigid nipple. "Oh, Daigo," she whispered with a sigh.

"Sensitive?" he murmured.

"Extremely. Don't stop. Please."

"As if I could."

*****

December was bliss. The week after Christmas sped by on wings. Aside from going to dinner and attending a few functions, they stayed home and made love constantly by the fire. His mother had mellowed enough so that when she invited them over for supper on New Year's Eve, they accepted.

Shelby and Daigo ushered in the New Year by flying to New York to spend a couple of days at the Plaza Hotel.