by Layla Hagen
I came home with no less than four products for my hair and three for body care. The vendor had patiently explained how and when to use each, but I forgot all about it by the time I brought everything into Tess’s bathroom.
Holy hell. How was I going to make it through tonight if I was already such a nervous mess?
Come on, Josie. You’re a lawyer. You can still recite two hundred laws you learned six years ago. You will not be defeated by a freaking hair care program.
I figured it out eventually. The oil needed to be applied one hour before washing my hair. Conditioner and the second oil came before the mask.
The body care collection was easier to figure out. The first step was dry brushing. I was particularly looking forward to that. I’d seen so many ads and celebrity endorsements swearing by the benefits of dry brushing: smoother skin, better circulation, and my favorite—improved appearance of cellulite. I wondered if it was true, or just another fad. No time like the present to test it. After rubbing oil on my scalp, I brushed my thighs and bum with a lot of dedication before jumping in the shower and finishing the hair program.
I was so proud of myself for doing all this. So proud. Until I stepped out of the shower and felt my thighs and buttocks itch. I glanced in the mirror. What the actual hell?
I had scratched myself all over the back of my thighs and my ass. I applied the hydrating oil I’d bought with one hand, googling “is it normal to scratch yourself during dry brushing” with the other.
Of course, it wasn’t. It took a special talent. That was why I never bothered. I was clumsy. But I persisted with my efforts, curling my lashes with an eye-curler before applying mascara. Deciding on my outfit took ten minutes. I was ready and dressed by five-fifty. Talk about being punctual. I was—
The doorbell rang, and just like that, everything returned with a vengeance: the butterflies, the sweaty palms. More than ever, I wasn’t sure how I’d make it through tonight. But in order to start it, I had to open that door.
He was wearing a tux. Hot damn. That was my kryptonite. How was I supposed to not say yes to anything he demanded? And judging by that smoldering look, he planned to demand a lot. He was also wearing a shirt that required cuff links. Hmm... really? He knew I loved cuff links. If I didn’t know better, I’d say he was out to seduce me. Who was I kidding? He totally was. And I wasn’t sure I could resist him.
My heart, which had already felt twice its size, just seemed to keep growing.
He didn’t say anything at first, just slowly raked his gaze over me. My body reacted as if he’d trailed kisses everywhere. I could barely withstand the simmering heat.
“Fuck, you’re beautiful.”
I chuckled, twirling around, pretending to be showing off. Instead, I was steeling myself, hoping his gaze wouldn’t smolder as much when I faced him.
Nope. No such luck. If anything, he’d turned the heat up. We both laughed. His hand shook slightly. Was he as overcome with emotion as I was?
I stole a glance at him, focusing on the pure joy in his eyes, but then my gaze landed on his lips. They looked so kissable. So, so kissable.
He drew in a sharp breath. Damn. He’d seen me looking. I carefully avoided his eyes, focusing instead on his outstretched hand.
The second our fingers touched, my skin sizzled. He didn’t miss it. I was too caught off guard to be able to hide it. And just like that, the air around us thickened with tension. He flashed me a sinful smile that turned downright smug when he caught me looking at his cuff links.
Yeah, he was definitely wearing them on purpose. He drew his thumb slowly up and down my hand.
“Ready?” When I didn’t reply right away, he leaned in slightly. He was so close. So, so close. His cheek was nearly touching mine. I could feel the warmth of his skin, the five o’clock shadow on his face. He moved his hand from the top of my hand up my arm, finally resting it on my waist. I sucked in a breath, completely overwhelmed by his masculine charm. When the corner of his mouth touched mine, heat speared through me. I needed more of his touch, of him.
I couldn’t help but lean in, searching more of his warmth. He grinned.
“Careful, friend. You might fool me into thinking you want more than my friendship if you keep at this.”
I’d asked for this, hadn’t I?
“Stop looking at me like that,” I said.
“How?”
“Like you want to undress me.”
“You look gorgeous. You can’t fault me.”
“I totally can. And I am.”
Chapter Thirty-Three
Josie
On the way to the venue, I tried to steel myself against his charm, because I wanted to have a long and honest conversation with him before succumbing to said charm... but it was pointless. The man deserved a medal for his tenacity. Every smile, every touch set me on edge. By the time we arrived, I was already a basket case.
The room was large, but nothing like the ballroom where the galas took place. There were several round tables spread throughout it and an open bar in the corner. Waiters served drinks at the tables, but guests could also get their own.
We mingled with the other guests, exchanging pleasantries and making small talk before sitting at our table. It was a grand event to celebrate the opening of a public institution, but I supposed it was to be expected because it had been built entirely through private donations.
The room fell silent when the host went to the front of the room with a microphone in his hand.
“Ladies and gentlemen, thank you so much for joining us here. It’s a great night. After a year and a half of hard work, we’re finally at the finish line. This wouldn’t have been possible without the help and contribution of a lot of people, so brace yourselves while I thank everyone. Christina and Alex, thank you for taking on the immense task of organizing everything. You kept us all on schedule, and that was no easy feat.”
Christina and Alex, who sat opposite us, laughed as everyone clapped. The host went on to thank so many people that I was reminded of Oscar speeches.
“And last but not least, a huge thank-you to the man of the hour: Hunter Caldwell. It goes without saying that without your contribution, this wouldn’t be possible at all. We have a surprise for you. We had a hell of a time keeping this from you, giving how involved you’ve been, but we did it. We decided on a last-minute name change for the school. It’ll be named after you and your father. After all, he was a pillar for us back in the day.”
I felt Hunter stiffen next to me. I touched my hand to his under the table, interlacing our fingers, squeezing them lightly. He didn’t react at first, but then he squeezed them back.
He nodded at the host, but only managed a tight smile. When the host stepped down from the stage, the chatter began again. Since the servers had cleared the plates, the guests started mingling again. We rose from the table with the others. Those closest to us wanted a word with Hunter.
He was still tense. I laced my arm with his. “I’m staying right here with you.”
Some of the tension left his body. He glanced at me, giving me a smile just as strained as he’d given the host.
The situation did not improve over the next half hour.
Holy hell! Everyone wanted to congratulate him, talk about his dad. I mean, obviously, the naming of the building was a cause for celebration. Hunter had worked hard to clean up his father’s reputation, and this was proof he’d succeeded in making people remember the good parts too, not just the sad ones.
But I knew my husband better than anyone else. He didn’t like to talk about these things. It made him melancholic and broody.
I had to get him out of here before broody turned into moody and the evening’s vibe changed from celebratory to melancholic.
When he started to tug at his bowtie, as if it was strangling him, I knew I had to do something.
“Christina, sorry to interrupt you, but I need to talk to my husband alone for a few minutes.”
“Of course.”
I steered us toward the exit of the room, walking quickly enough to make it clear we were heading somewhere with a purpose, not just mingling. It worked. No one stopped us.
Out on the foyer, I noticed a window looking into a small courtyard. I led us through the door next to it.
“What’s wrong?” Hunter asked the second we were outside.
“Nothing. You just looked like you wanted to get out of there.”
He laughed, and finally, finally, the tension seeped from his shoulders.
“You messed this up.” I reached to his tie, rearranging it. “Here, let me fix it for you. Better?”
“Yes. This was a pleasant surprise. I’m happy about it. I don’t know why I’m so worked up. I’m an idiot.”
“No, you’re not. Everyone has their own way of dealing with things. You internalize them.”
“That’s just a more polite way of saying I’m an idiot.”
“Not at all. You’re broody. I happen to find it sexy.”
He gave me a wide, beautiful smile. I breathed out in relief. It was the first heartfelt smile since the speech.
“You do?”
“Yes.”
“What else do you find sexy about me?”
I attempted to take my hands away from his tie, but he clasped my wrists, keeping them in place. I splayed my fingers on the sides of his neck instead.
“Your flirty side, your swoon-worthy side. Although that one is just irresistible.”
“And yet, you’ve been resisting me just fine.”
His tone was playful, but his gaze was determined. He placed his palms over the backs of my hands, pressing them against his neck, stepping forward until we were but an inch apart.
“Thank you for being at my side tonight, Josie. I needed you. How did you know?”
I always wanted to be at his side. I wanted to be there for him no matter what he needed. Not as his best friend, but as his wife.
“Because I love you. And I’ve been afraid, and silly. I’ve been a lawyer for so long and have always wanted to be one, so it felt as if some part of me was just ripped away. I got lost in my head, and then when I realized how unhappy you were, it just... made me doubt that I could be more than your best friend, that I could make you happy as your wife.”
I’d realized that he was trying to fix things for me because it was in his nature to make those he cared about happy.
“Don’t be afraid, okay? I love taking care of you, making you happy. I admit, I don’t always know how to go about it, but I’m learning. I’ll be a happy man to keep learning all my life. I love you, Josie. I always will. Don’t doubt that. We’re both stubborn and passionate about what we believe in. We’re bound to clash. But that doesn’t mean we don’t belong together, or that we can’t be happy together. That’s what makes us work. We challenge, push each other. I can’t promise you that we won’t clash, but I do promise you that I will love you for the rest of our lives, Josie.”
“I love you, husband.”
He kissed me, hard and unapologetically. I went on my toes, deepening the kiss. I’d never need anything more than this. How did I think we didn’t belong together? I’d been a fool.
He moved his hands down to my waist, and then to my ass, pressing me against him. He wanted me, and I was too caught up in his charm to resist him.
Except... we were in public.
“Someone can walk in on us. Or, you know... see us through that window.”
“I can’t stop kissing you.”
“Then you better take me home and have your wicked way with me.”
He looked me straight in the eyes, touching my face, resting his thumb on my jaw.
“Our home?” he asked.
“Yes. Let’s go home.”
“Whatever you want. I aim to make my wife happy.” His smile gave way to a grin.
I grinned right back. “So you don’t want the same?”
“Right now, I can’t think past how much I need you.”
“Lucky I don’t lose my head so easily... even with all your sexy charm.”
His grin turned wolfish. “Is that a challenge?”
“Not really, but feel free to take it as one and prove me wrong.”
“It’ll be my pleasure, wife.”
I was so wrapped up in Hunter on the way home that I didn’t register anything during the car ride other than him. We sat in the back. He had an arm around my waist, holding me so close to him that I could straddle him if I wanted. That would give the driver a show. I sat next to him, kissing his cheek, his jaw, inhaling the delicious scent of his cologne.
We climbed out of the car the second it came to a stop, hurrying toward the building.
After unlocking the door, he scooped me up in his arms. I giggled, bracing my palms on his shoulders.
“What are you doing?”
“Getting you past the threshold. I want this to be a fresh start for us, Josie,” he murmured. My heart seemed to grow in size tenfold. I drew the tip of my nose up and down his neck, resting it in the crook, just as I’d done on our wedding night, only then, I’d been afraid of my own feelings. Now, I wasn’t afraid anymore.
He carried me to the master bedroom, setting me down near the bed, caressing my face, my shoulders, as if he couldn’t stop touching me. He kissed my mouth ferociously before descending to my neck. His fingers shook slightly as he lowered my zipper. Every kiss felt like a promise; every touch somehow deepened our bond. My skin sizzled everywhere he trailed his mouth, everywhere his fingers marked me. I shivered when my dress fell to the floor. I was standing in front of him wearing nothing but tiny panties. The dress had had sewn-in cups, so I had no bra on.
He drew in a sharp breath, touching the valley between my breasts before lowering his hand, drawing small circles around my navel.
“I love you, babe,” he whispered, watching me with so much warmth and happiness that I almost teared up. Hooking his thumbs into the sides of my panties, he drew them down my legs. He kissed his way back up, placing my right leg over his shoulder, teasing my inner thigh. I gasped at the first stroke of his tongue over my center. My knees gave in a little, but he held my hips in place, sustaining me, keeping me right where he wanted while he slowly tortured me with his mouth.
“Ohhhhh....”
Pleasure pulsed through me, lighting me up, driving me closer and closer to the edge, until every muscle was tight with tension.
“Hunter... please, I need....”
“I know what you need,” he whispered against my tender flesh. Pleasure shot through me, and I almost buckled. “And I’ll make you come so hard, babe.”
He didn’t relent—not the iron grip on my thighs, nor the lashes of his tongue.
I came apart at the seams, holding on to his shoulders, crying out his name. And yet, he wasn’t done with me. He was going to give me no reprieve... and I was completely on board with that. I gave him a wicked smile as I removed his shirt, taking my sweet time feeling up those gorgeous muscles, kissing down his chest as I reached for the zipper of his pants. I intended to return the slow torture, to take my time until I drove him crazy, but when I went on my tiptoes, kissing just under his Adam’s apple, he let out a low and delicious sound—somewhere between a hum and a growl—and I completely forgot about my plan. I wanted him right now. He planted small kisses on my shoulders as I pushed his pants down.
“You should walk around commando,” I murmured.
Hunter chuckled. “What?”
I smiled sheepishly. “Umm... didn’t mean to say that out loud. Would just make all this more convenient.”
He smirked, pushing down his boxers at lightning speed while I admired... the view.
“Or you can do that,” I conceded.
“So impatient, huh?”
He pulled me closer, strumming his fingers upward on my rib cage, touching my neck, resting his thumbs on the corners of my mouth. And that look in his eyes... heavens, I wanted him to look at me like that every day. As if I was the
most precious thing in the world.
We tumbled on the mattress, laughing, and then Hunter rolled us over until I was on top. His cock was trapped between us, and I slid up and down his length without taking him in, just drinking in his reactions, even as the ache inside me grew and deepened.
“Fuck, Josie.”
He gripped my hips, lowering me onto him in one swift move, filling me up completely until I cried out his name. I attempted to move, but he didn’t relent his grip on me. He was in charge again.
“I just want to stay like this, connected to you. To feel that you’re mine. That you’ll always be mine,” he said.
“I promise I will.”
He lifted his head from the pillow, and I met him halfway, swiping my tongue over his lips before kissing him. He started moving beneath me with slow, undulating motions that simply made me fall apart. With every thrust, he gave me more pleasure, demanded my surrender. My orgasm built so damn slowly. He never broke eye contact, never looked away, and I couldn’t either. Didn’t want to. He let go of one of my hips only to bring his hand between us, pressing his thumb against my clit, gently at first, and then without mercy.
Everything was magnified: the sensation of having him inside me, filling me up... The sound of our bodies pushing against each other with more urgency. My entire body was on edge. This was too intense. So much pleasure. Too much. My inner muscles clenched.
“Look at me,” he rasped. He trapped my gaze with his. I’d never felt so adored and loved.
Feeling him widen inside me while his thumb circled my clit sent me over the edge. I came apart so hard that my vision faded for a few seconds. All I could do was ride the wave of pleasure, feel him come apart just as hard. When he loosened his grip on my hips, I lost my balance, toppling over him.
“I’ve got you,” he whispered, laughing. I laughed too, even as I hid my face in his neck.
I tried to slide off him, but he hooked an arm firmly over my back, trapping me.
“Stay here. I want to feel you close.”
I smiled against his neck. “My husband’s a tyrant.”
