Temporary Wife

by Aria Ford

  “Why?” I sounded desperate. Even I noticed that. But I had to ask.

  “Because,” she said, then sighed, clearly frustrated. “It’s the kids. Can’t you see? They…like me too much.”

  She looked genuinely distressed. I burst out laughing.

  “Emma, forgive me,” I said between chuckles. “But I really don’t see how that is a reason for leaving. If they didn’t like you at all, then maybe there would be grounds. But they adore you. You have to stay. I’m asking you to stay.”

  Emma stared at me. Something in her eyes changed from sadness to a kind of cold resolve.

  “You’re asking?” she said, and there was an edge of scorn to the words.

  “Yes,” I said, feeling confused. Why had she suddenly changed so much, so quickly? What had I done wrong?

  Emma leaned back, removing her hands from my grasp. I let her. I had no idea at all what was going on. “You think you can ask me to stay. Have you absolutely no idea what you are doing to me?” She sounded furious.

  She tried to stand, but I stood too.

  “Emma, please.”

  “No! No please!” she was shouting now, her hair whipping about her face as she made a gesture to her side, vehement and angry. She had stood and she was halfway to the door, addressing me from there, eyes flashing. “You think you can confuse me, treat me two different ways on two different days, when it suits you. You think you can keep me guessing, play with me, when all the while you love someone else?”

  I felt as if he had just walked into a sheet of glass I hadn’t known was there. I staggered, and sat down, holding the table.

  “Love someone else? Emma? What are you talking about?”

  To my surprise, all the anger seemed to drain out of Emma. She sat down on a chair by the door, shoulders shaking. I realized, with some alarm, that she cried.

  “Emma?”

  “I’m…I’m sorry,” she said between gasps. “Now I really do have to leave!” she chuckled, but it was somehow a sad sound. “Now I’ve told you and…and now I really have screwed up.”

  “Emma!” I found myself laughing, feeling strangely lighthearted. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

  She stared at me. “You mean…you mean you don’t mind if some crazy woman bursts in on you and confesses that she’s falling for you?”

  I stared. “You what?”

  She flushed pink. It was spectacular. I grinned at her. She shook her head vigorously.

  “Oh, now look what I’ve gone and said,” she said, looking everywhere except at me. She shook her head, hands twisting the skirt she wore. Her long hair bounced on her shoulders.

  “What?” I asked, more gently this time.

  She still would not meet my gaze. “I…How could I have said that?”

  “What?” I asked gently. I knew, but a little part of me—a naughty part—wanted to hear her say it again.

  She looked up at me. Those beautiful eyes met mine. She didn’t say it—then again, she didn’t need to. The love was written in her eyes.

  I looked into hers, and my heart started to beat faster. I moved closer and, keeping her gaze, sat down on the low table so that I could look into her eyes.

  “You don’t need to feel bad about saying that,” I said gently. “I feel the same way.”

  “Oh…” Emma’s hand flew to her cheek. She looked confused, then delighted. That did it. I leaned forward and, gently, kissed her lips.

  She made a little sighing sound and leaned against me. I felt my loins tense and I breathed in, letting the scent of her wash over me. She smelled of flowers and freshness and I felt my heart thumping as I held her against me. I had slid off the table now and half-knelt before her.

  We broke the kiss, and I looked into her eyes. I reached up and stroked her soft, shiny hair. It was something I had wanted to do for ages. She smiled, and I had to kiss her again.

  Her lips parted sweetly under my tongue, their moist warmth closing around me. I was in heaven, my tongue sliding and gliding over hers. My heart pounded, and I had never felt such a tenderness, such a depth of wonder in a single kiss. I had loved Ada with all my heart, respected her with my mind. But this was another level of closeness, and it surprised me.

  I was also gasping when we broke the next kiss.

  “Should we…”

  I hadn’t finished the sentence when she grinned. It took my breath away, the naughtiness in that smile.

  She nodded. I felt my throat tighten with wanting. We stood tentatively and kissed again. Then, laughing shakily, we walked out of the room and into the hallway.

  Heading upstairs to my bedroom.

  Chapter 8

  Emma

  I followed Alexander with a pounding heart. I could barely believe it was true. That this was really happening to me. Can it be true? Am I really going up the stairs with the sexiest man alive?

  We kissed in the doorway again and I felt my heart thumping and a wetness begin between my legs as he drew me against him. His mouth was sweet and he slid his tongue over mine with a practiced ease that made me feel as if I would melt.

  He stopped, gently stroking my hair. I sighed and we embraced, nestled close in one another’s arms. I could feel his erection pressing against me and the feeling excited me. I moved against him and he pressed against me, our bodies moving in a natural rhythm that made me ache with longing.

  He opened the door and we half-fell in, our arms wrapped around each other.

  “Whoops!” he said, grinning at me.

  I giggled and wrapped my arms around him. We stood in the middle of the room and our mouths devoured each other. Then he went to switch on the light and draw the curtains.

  I glanced around. The room was decorated with the best of everything, but it was plain and striking: white walls and carpet and bedspread and yellow-wood furniture. Everything was of the most amazing quality, but understated.

  Then I had no time, for he was upon me. His arms wrapped around me and, lifting me, he carried me gently to the bed.

  “Alexander! No! Put me down!” I giggled, keeping my voice a soft whisper just in case the rest of the household heard it. He grinned and kissed me.

  Then he laid me gently on the bed. I drew him into my arms. His body against mine was hard and warm and I could feel the heat of his skin through the cotton of his shirt. I ran my hands down his back, marveling at the muscles that corded it.

  His lips found my throat and I closed my eyes. He kissed it, lapping it in little teasing moves that sent fire chasing down to my abdomen. I leaned against the wall and he moved in closer, tongue making patterns on my skin. I was panting now, my eyes closed, head thrown back. I never wanted him to stop kissing me, stop doing all these wonderful things.

  He moved lower and I reached to unbutton my shirt. He looked into my eyes.

  “No,” he said softly.

  “No?”

  “Tonight I am doing everything.”

  I let out a shuddering breath but did not protest as, slowly, tenderly, he reached up to my collar.

  I closed my eyes as his hands slowly unbuttoned the shirt, fumbling a little in a way that made me smile because it was so genuine. I wriggled as he unfastened the last one, moving so that the shirt slid down to my arms. He sighed, sitting back to look at me.

  “You are so beautiful,” he said.

  I felt as if I might cry. “Thank you,” I said, my throat closing up. It had been a long, long time since anyone had said that. His saying it meant the world to me.

  He reached forward then and his hand found my breast. He cupped it, his fingers muscled and tightening on my flesh in a way that made me shudder with wanting. He squeezed me again, his thumb stroking the skin that showed over the material. Then he broke the earnest concentration with which he had been looking down and looked up.

  “Turn around.”

  I nodded, obeying. I lay on my tummy as he worked on the clasp. My legs were bent, my knees and feet on the satiny carpet, my bottom facing
into the room. He unfastened the clasp and stroked a hand down my back, giving my buttocks a playful nip.

  I giggled, and he laughed. “Nice.”

  I felt my heart pound. “Thanks,” I whispered.

  “A pleasure. In the truest sense of the word.”

  I giggled, breathless with delight, and he laughed. “I want to see the front of you though.”

  I rolled obediently onto my back and he gazed at where the bra was starting to slide loose. Obeying his wishes, I had not taken it off. He reached out and slowly unhooked it from my arm, gazing at my chest with focused intensity. I shivered as he took it off, then sat back and just looked at me. He stroked my skin and I bit my lip as his hand played over my breasts.

  “Such soft skin,” he whispered. I smiled. His touch grew more exploratory, his fingers gently plucking at my nipples. I felt them tense up and I bit my lip, loving the way his touch made me tingle all over.

  I had my eyes closed when he bent down to kiss me. His mouth moved to my breast. First, he licked the skin, his tongue making warm paths over my skin, soft and wonderful. Then he reached the nipple. He took it into his mouth, sucking in a way that was rough enough for me to feel it, but gentle enough to never hurt me. Only to excite me to a level of madness.

  “Alex…” I whispered. He chuckled. He licked a path to the other breast and did the same, then moved lower. His tongue made rougher circles as he reached the waist of my skirt and his hand searched for the zipper. I smiled, raising my body so he could reach behind me. He chuckled and lowered it. Then he drew back my skirt.

  He stared down at the space between my legs, standing there with my skirt in his hands while I lay back on his bed. I felt my heart pounding and guessed I was wet.

  Then he came forward and pulled down my satin panties, wriggling them over my knees and off my feet. I giggled as he lifted my leg to draw them off. He smiled. His eyes were still looking elsewhere, watching what he exposed as he took off the underwear.

  Now I was nude. He sat down beside me on the bed and looked at me. His hand danced lightly over my skin. His fingers tickled and I smiled.

  “It’s funny,” he said in that beautiful, musical tone, “isn’t it?”

  “Funny?” I asked, trying to sound cross. I laughed, though, and he smiled slowly.

  “Strange,” he corrected. “It’s strange that, from the moment I met you, I wanted this.”

  “Me too,” I whispered.

  He stared at me. “No!”

  “Yes,” I whispered. I had really disliked him at first—or I had thought it was—but actually it was the intensity of emotion that he aroused that I disliked. True dislike felt more like wanting to avoid someone, yet this was mainly a fear of embarrassing myself.

  “I thought you couldn’t stand me!” he said, still laughing.

  “I thought so too!”

  Then we were collapsed on the bed together and his body pressed against mine. I could feel his erection against me and we moved against one another, his cock finding my place of greatest pleasure even through his pants.

  I couldn’t bear it anymore. I had to feel him inside me. I sat up.

  “What?” he laughed, staring at me.

  “Yes,” I said. I reached up and began to unbutton his shirt.

  “I did say this was my night,” he whispered.

  “I know,” I said, not stopping. He laughed. He let me undo the first two, then gently moved my hand away.

  “No,” he said, kissing my arm.

  I nodded and let him undress himself, which was good. He did it much faster than I would have done. Then he came to lie beside me.

  I wrapped my arms around him and pulled his body toward mine. He chuckled throatily and wrapped his arms around me, pulling me against him too. His mouth covered mine and he gave me a passionate kiss. Then he moved against me as we had done, our bodies connecting in an amazing rhythm that made waves of longing flow up through me.

  I made little noises in my throat, little panting sounds of longing. He smiled and reached down, his hand sliding between my legs. He gently fingered me, his warm, sure hands sliding in the wetness. His index finger slid inside me and I felt my heart stop.

  “Okay?”

  “Yes.”

  He chuckled.

  Then he was moving across, pushing me on to my back so that his whole body lay on mine. He rose up and very gently slid inside me.

  Chapter 9

  Alex

  I have never felt anything like I did when I undressed Emma. She was so beautiful. And the way she was too—engaging, funny, unsure, but certainly far from shy. No one else had tried to take my shirt off, for a start.

  I did not want to stop looking at her, stop exploring her body slowly, but the moment I felt the slick moistness between her legs I knew I had to be inside of her.

  I slid in, feeling a sudden mix of relief and amazement as I entered her. She was so warm, wet and clinging. It made me feel so satisfied, and so complete. I drew back and then entered her again. She made a small sound and her lips parted the way they had on that first day she was here, when I had wanted to kiss her so badly and had thought it impossible.

  My mind surged back to the present moment as we started to move together. I felt waves of motion pass through me, and as I thrust into her so deeply, I wondered if it hurt.

  “Okay?”

  She grinned. “Wonderful.”

  I laughed. Then my mind moved from everything but moving against her, feeling the sense of pressure and pleasure rise in me and rise and rise as I entered her and entered her, pounding and pounding.

  My body started shaking, then, and I lost all sense except of how I was moving and thrusting and the orgasm was building and building and threatening to overwhelm me.

  I was growling with pleasure, my arms wrapped around her, trying desperately to hold back until she came too.

  “Oh!”

  She let out a little noise, and then another, and another, rising in sound and intensity, until, finally, with a wild shout she collapsed on the pillows, glossy with perspiration.

  I could let go now, and I did, my body pushing into hers, and pushing…

  I could not quite believe it when it came. I had never felt an orgasm that did what this one did. I was gasping and I still could not stop. Finally, completely spent, I lay down.

  “Whew,” I whispered. I could feel myself pumping weakly inside of her. She smiled, holding me close. She kissed me and her lips were soft and tender. I kissed her, letting my tongue slide between those sweet, moist lips.

  We lay together for what felt like a long time. Then I rolled off her, my body sliding out of hers.

  “I’ll get something,” I said, heading to the bathroom to fetch a towel.

  I tenderly wiped her thighs, then the bedspread. Then I lay down beside her.

  We looked at each other, eyes wide with wonder. I smiled and we kissed again.

  My hand stroked that silky hair and she nestled close to me. When she snuggled into my encircling arm I thought my heart might break. We lay like that for a long while. Then I felt wanting begin to rise inside again. I could smell the scent of her muskiness and I felt a need to explore it.

  Rolling over, I kissed her and then moved my mouth lower. She sighed as I nuzzled her neck, then moved lower. I kissed the soft skin of her breasts and then slid my body so I was between her legs. I looked up at her. Her eyes flew open as I touched her there.

  I smiled. She looked amazed, but nodded.

  Then I bent lower.

  This close, the smell of her womanhood was sweet and almost floral. I slid a finger over the soft skin of her labia, amazed at the wetness there. They were sticky and slick and it felt so very good. I heard her gasp as I put a finger inside her, and the sound aroused me even as the feeling of her did.

  I took her clitoris between my teeth, making gentle little nibbles and she gasped aloud. She was sobbing now, and I heard her sighing my name. Nothing could have fired me to greater efforts. I lic
ked her, making my tongue move faster and faster against her clitoris. She was gasping, bouncing up and down and I smiled, pushing my chin against her so that I could take more of her between my lips.

  She was shrieking and I could feel my own cock hardening painfully beneath me even as I licked her. She was starting to shudder and I wanted to make her come, so I continued. My tongue flicked against her and flicked and flicked…

  She gave a sudden cry and I felt wetness flowing out of her. I smiled. I could not have felt prouder if I tried.

  Giving her a last nip, I slid up to lie beside her. I took her warm body in my arms and pulled her against me and we lay like that while I kissed her, feeling my cock probing between her legs, straining as if with its own mind to be inside.

  I slid onto my knees again, entering her. She gasped aloud.

  This time, we did it slowly. Gently. Penetrating her was the sweetest thing, my body and hers so aligned that it felt effortless and wonderful to be inside her.

  When we lay together afterward, I took her into my arms and held her close. She cuddled beside me and we lay together, bodies completely satisfied.

  I think I dozed, then. Feeling so content and wonderful, I couldn’t help it. I woke to feel her turning sideways. She pressed her bottom up against me and I turned onto my side, loving the way it felt to have her body so close to me.

  We lay like that, my arm around her chest, my other arm somewhere at her waist, her buttocks pressing into my waist, and as we lay there, I stroked her hair. She made a little sound, a laugh.

  “Mm?”

  She turned around a little, her eyes looking into mine.

  “This is nice.”

  I felt myself glow. For all my reputation, I had not felt so affirmed in all my days.

  “It is,” I agreed.

  We lay like that until we slept and we slept until the dawn woke us. We woke up together as light shone through a window and somewhere out in the garden beyond, the birds sang.

  Chapter 10

  Emma

  I woke up the next morning feeling wonderful. I felt the light filter onto my eyelids and felt a warm arm, holding me tight. I lay there for a few moments, just thinking about the previous night and savoring the wonderful memories of all that had happened.