by Lia Slater
“Look at me, Naomi.” He was closer now. A side-glance showed her he was moving in.
Only she wanted an explanation. Something. She stepped back, once and again. And again and again until he had her backed against the floor-to-ceiling window. All of Denver could look up and see her slinking into herself, a mountain of a man hovering over her.
“Jude, you can’t...” What? She couldn’t think with him this close.
He pressed into her and combed his hand into her hair, holding her face. Something dropped to the floor as he reached up with his other hand and tipped her chin up, forcing her to make eye contact.
“I won’t. I’m sorry I left you alone.” His expression surprised her. Warmth and tenderness radiated from his green eyes and exuded from every crinkle and tiny wrinkle on his face.
“You look... happy,” she said.
“You look shocked.” He chuckled—such a sweet sound. Then his lids lowered over his eyes and his expression transformed. “Also highly kissable.”
“Yeah?” All her frustration dissipated as she leaned into him, instantly craving his taste.
He dipped his head and took her mouth.
She parted her lips, flicking her tongue against his lips. Yep, she was easy. At least when it came to Jude.
He grinned against her mouth briefly before returning the favor, only with a raw passion. His tongue was thorough, skilled and hungry. Chemistry couldn’t define this strong attraction. Nothing could.
She kicked off her sandals and hitched her leg up his, trusting him to keep her balance stable.
Always trusting him.
Her hands ran up his chest, appreciating the dips and cords of his muscles. Higher, she gripped his powerful shoulders and held on. She felt him yanking his shorts off in quick jerks until they fell to the floor.
And then he lifted her, palming her ass and hoisting her up the window. She fully wrapped her legs around his hips, clenching her thighs to hold him close. Anyone with a cheap pair of binoculars could get an eyeful if they so wished.
But she couldn’t seem to give a damn as his cock found her entrance and pushed inside. She was wet and ready for him. For Jude. Only Jude.
“Naomi,” he murmured against her neck, licking her throat. Then sucking hard, more than likely marking her—as if he weren’t in his right mind.
She liked that she had the power to turn safe, reserved Jude into a passionate lover—the same man who’d undoubtedly regret and profusely apologize for giving her a hickey.
Encouraging him, she tilted her head, baring her skin. His lips skimmed her neckline to her shoulder, tasting and kissing.
At the same time, he jutted his pelvis upward, driving his shaft into her, grazing a new delicious area... so deep his balls brushed her ass.
Her five senses were alive and well.
“So much better than chocolate,” she murmured, her own mind fuzzy with lust.
“No chocolate. Just me.”
“Perfect.” To confirm, she went in for another kiss, not able to get enough of him.
Her head spun and her body buzzed. She’d barely noticed when they sank to the soft wool rug in a heap of eager need. Jude’s body covered hers as he drove deep inside of her.
Her legs entwined around his. She moaned as he shifted his hips forward again and again. His hand on her ass squeezed her flesh and lifted her to meet his thrusts.
She kissed his jaw, his chin, his lips, tasting his salty skin, ingesting all that was him. Her hands roamed over his broad back... over his puckered scars. Muscles bunched under her fingertips.
God, her core was on fire—her pussy full with his pounding cock and so wet her juices dripped down her crevice. The cadence built up a sweet pressure.
His groans vibrated in his chest, pressed up against her breasts. Her nipples beaded tight against his solid torso.
She arched up as the rush of climax crashed over her. The wave pulsed low and hard, rushing through her, quaking her to her toes. Her fingers dug into his back, her cries muted as she crushed her mouth to his shoulder.
“You... fuck... so...good,” came muffled from her lips.
“Ahh...” Jude drove in twice more.
Naomi studied him as his eyes rolled shut, his full lips pressed tight, and he shuddered, coming hard. The same wave seemed to roll over him, hot and thorough. Then his body slackened, his weight smoldering her body.
She didn’t know how the man managed to look sexy when he reached orgasm. But he did. She smiled and kissed his jaw, then his lips.
He returned the favor with a lazy grin and carefully rolled to his back, taking her with him.
Naomi laughed, her mind and body relaxed, deeply satiated. She cuddled up to him, loving how she fit in the crook of his arm.
Several silent minutes passed as they lay there, spreading soft, sweet kisses over each other.
“Naomi?”
“I’m still here,” she joked. She couldn’t help it. He made her giddy.
“I have something for you.” The serious tone to his voice sedated her. He moved her onto her side and reached to grab something.
Whatever he’d been holding earlier, she remembered. The thing that he’d dropped in the heat of the moment.
“What is—?” She started to speak, then lost her voice when she saw he held a small velvety black box... the kind that would normally hold a pair of earrings or a ring.
He propped up on one elbow and held the box with one hand, showing it to her.
A ring. Oh, wow.
“You’ve probably only heard awful things about my mother.”
His mother? Curiosity over the contents of the box dimmed as she leaned in closer. Jude rarely spoke of the woman who’d molded him into the man he was today. The box could wait.
“I want to know more about her,” she said. About you.
“There were times when she wasn’t that bad. Times when she was trying to be a mom, trying to be sober.” He gripped the box. “She gave this to me during one of those times. She said it had belonged to my grandmother.”
“An heirloom. Do you remember your grandparents?”
He shook his head. “They died when I was an infant. But apparently, they were deeply in love. Soul mates, my mother said. And they’d been good parents to my mom... which is why, I guess, she took it so hard when they died. She couldn’t handle it.” He paused, looking down.
Naomi had to wonder how he’d felt when his only parent had passed. Did he miss her, even though she wasn’t the mother he’d deserved?
“My mom told me she’d always tried to find a love like her parents shared, but that didn’t happen. She said she’d never been lucky in love or life.”
“Jude, she was blessed. She had you.”
He gave her a half grin that seemed more happy than sad.
Naomi sighed with relief. “What did she give you?”
“My grandmother’s wedding ring. She said if I ever find my soul mate, I should give her this.”
“Oh.” Warm light settled over Naomi’s body—a strange, soothing warmth that took her by surprise.
“Marry me, Naomi.” He opened the box and a beautiful, antique diamond and blue sapphire ring rested in the silk crevice.
“Wow.” Naomi sat up and ran her fingertips over the edges of the gems. “I don’t know—”
“If this is too soon, say so.”
Too soon? If anything, this love was meant to be. But...
“Jude, aren’t you forgetting something?”
His brows bunched as he glanced around. “I’ve never done this before. Give me a clue. Oh, shit. Wait.” In an instant, he stood and swooped her up in his arms. He set her on the couch and kneeled on one knee before her. “Naomi, will you be my wife?”
She swallowed hard, trying not to be upset. “Do you love me, Jude? That’s all I need to know.”
His face stiffened and paled. “I haven’t told you that yet, have I?”
“Not yet.”
“Hell.” He rubbed
his hand over his jaw. “I need to begin again. I’ve gone over this scenario in my head so many times. You’d think I’d get it right.”
“What scenario?”
“Asking you to marry me. I need to start over. Give me another chance.”
Naomi laughed, happy and relieved he’d thought of proposing to her before this day. He wasn’t simply caught up in the moment. This wasn’t just lust.
“No way are we starting over,” she said. “We’ve waited too long already. But I’m not agreeing to marry you until you say you love me.” She leaned in for a kiss. “And I want you to say it again and again,” she whispered sensually, mimicking his earlier request.
“Well, then.” He grinned and picked up the ring from the box. “I love you, Naomi Hill.” He slid the ring on her finger and kissed it. “I love you. I love you. I love you. Will you marry me? Please.”
Tears stung her eyes. Her throat clogged with overwhelming emotion. Could she do this again? Get married and give a man all her heart?
“God, yes.” As long as it was the man before her.
He laughed and sat beside her, drawing her onto his lap. “You make me so happy, Naomi. You know that, right?”
“I know more about you than you realize.” She tapped his nose with her finger. “You may be the genius, but I’m pretty observant. Especially when it comes to you.” Mr. Hot Ass and Swagger.
“You think so, huh?”
“Try me. Tell me something about you I don’t know.”
His grin faded into something much more serious. “Did you know I used to come home from having dinner with you and Davis and all I could think about was what my life would be like if I had a woman like you? Did you know I used to invite myself over so I could see you? A glimpse and I was happy.”
“Jude, this isn’t funny.”
“I’m not joking. Baby, I’ve been in love with you since high school. No woman has ever compared to you. And all along, I thought you’d never love me back. I’d give anything to have Davis back alive and healthy, but damn it if I wouldn’t fight for you.”
Air crowded her lungs as she listened. Tears blurred her eyes.
He brushed his fingers along her cheek. “Will you stay the night?”
“Tonight, yes. I warn you now—you won’t ever get rid of me.”
He cocked a half smile. “Threaten me some more.”
A giddy giggle bubbled out. “Jude, I’m going to be your wife… within months, not years. And I’m going to get pregnant, huge probably, with your baby. Our baby. Then you’re going to have to trade in this bachelor pad and you’ll be forced to move to suburbia. Maybe even have a white picket fence. How’s that? Am I scaring you yet?”
“Not even close. What about marrying me next weekend? How’s that for scary?” He lifted a brow, daring her.
“Next weekend?” She hadn’t expected that.
“I think I’ve waited long enough to be with the love of my life. I promise I won’t let you down.”
“I know you won’t. Never.” She quickly processed the amount of work it would take to prepare for a wedding in a week. Wedding dress. Cake. Invitations. All the details she’d anguished about before her first wedding. No way she’d accomplish it all in a week.
Jude’s hand drifted down her arm and curved over her breast. His thumb brushed her nipple, once and again. “We could elope. Have you ever been to Fiji?”
“Nuh-uh.” Her mind was dizzy again from his touch.
“Beautiful.” He leaned in and licked her nipple, then drew her into his mouth, sucking hard enough for her to squirm but not quite painful enough to pull away.
“Jude, you’re distracting me.” She shifted on his lap, giving him better positioning. With his mouth on her flesh, heat flashed down her nerves, straight to her center. She wanted him again. So soon.
He released her and breezed his lips over her collarbone, along her neckline. “Barcelona? Paris? Thailand?” He lightly bit her earlobe. “Just tell me where you’d like to go and I’ll take you. We’ll find someone to marry us. Doesn’t matter where or who.”
A moan purred up her throat. “I didn’t know you were so adventurous.”
“Do you like it?”
“Love it. Love everything about you.” And it was a given her second wedding would be the complete opposite of her first.
“Enough to marry me next weekend?” He pulled back to look at her, a hesitant grin on his lips. “Hawaii. Greece. New Zealand. Tell me, Naomi. I’ll make plans. You don’t have to worry about anything unless you want to.”
“Barcelona,” she said, before he could doubt how much she loved him. And, well, a honeymoon in Barcelona would be a dream. “But I want to say our vows here with our close friends and family there. Just a small ceremony before the adventure. What do you think?”
She expected him to object. He didn’t have family and she suspected he would feel uncomfortable with so many eyes staring on. An introvert to the core.
“Anything you want.” His smile broadened and a rare dimple indented his cheek. “Damn, do you know how happy you make me? How happy you’ve always made me?”
She laughed, her heart full. Who knew Millie’s spontaneous, made-up game would end this way? Naomi would have to thank her… tomorrow.
“Now I know,” she said, kissing his cheek and lifting her engagement ring for them both to see. “Soul mates?”
“Soul mates.”
~ * ~
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Lia Slater thinks the world would be a better place if everyone read romance novels. There’s so much to learn from the storylines. Love. Loyalty. Confidence. Passion. Desire. Conflicts would be resolved with happy endings. And, of course, the sex would be mind-boggling.
Lia is well on her way to helping the world become a better place by writing steamy romance with heart-throbbing emotion.
In the mood for another “second chance at love” story? Try “Off Limits” by Lia Slater.
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Find more of her works at: http://liaslater.com/ or www.facebook.com/LiaSlater
