Maddy thought it was the most romantic proposal she’d ever heard. “Oh Mike, I do love you, you Neanderthal.”
“Oh, Madeleine,” Mrs Lovett stammered. “Are you sure…”
Mrs Bernard started wide-eyed. “Isn’t this a little soon? We’ve just met Maddy.”
“I met Maddy awhile ago, Mum.” Mike didn’t take his gaze from Maddy. “What you all think doesn’t concern me. As long as Maddy’s happy, that’s the only thing that matters.”
“I-uh.” Mr Lovett cleared his throat. “Maybe you should wait awhile.”
Maddy didn’t even bother to look at her family. Standing up on tip-toe, she gave Mike a deep kiss, sinking into his embrace and losing herself in his scent and strength.
When she finally came up for air, she smiled up into his face. “I love you, Mike.’
“I love you, Maddy.”
“Let’s go home so I can do bad things to you.”
“Hot damn.” Grabbing the box, he practically threw it into the back seat before folding himself into the passenger seat. “Maybe we can stop and neck for a few minutes on the way.”
“Not with that boner,” she replied, getting into the car and ignoring the collective gasp that came from her stunned family.
Putting the car into gear, Maddy gave her family a wave and pulled out of the driveway.
Mike looked at her, his wicked grin almost splitting his face. “Gotcha, Maddy. I’m never going to let you go now.”
“You won’t have to.” She glanced coyly at him. “I know you can’t resist my cooking, so that makes you a keeper.’
His hand landed on her thigh. “I can’t resist you, your curves, your mouth-watering body, your sense of humour, your annoying habit of being so damned independent.” His eyes turned darkly hedonistic. “I think we should go faster.”
“And break the speed limit? Tsk tsk, you should be ashamed of yourself, Mr Lawman.” Heart brimming with happiness, Maddy couldn’t stop smiling.
They pulled up in the driveway of her home and by the time they stumbled into her house, Mike was already pulling the clothes from her. They kissed and undressed while practically falling into her bedroom, and by the time they finally fell onto her bed, both were breathing hard and laughing as he fumbled to pull on a condom.
Maddy’s breath caught as he entered her in smooth thrust. He buried himself up to the hilt inside her and she could only wonder at the sensation of fullness. He felt so right.
Mike stilled, coming up on his elbows to gaze down at her with banked fire in his pale blue eyes. Tenderness vied with carnal lust, and she recognised the other emotion deep within his eyes.
“You really do love me.” Reaching up, she smoothed her hand down his cheek.
“Never doubt it. Ever.” Turning his head, he kissed the palm of her hand and thrust gently, making her gasp before he stilled again. “I love everything about you, Maddy. You are my life.”
So full of emotion she could barely contain her happiness, she said softly, “You make me laugh, Mike Carson. You make me mad. And you make me feel like the most beautiful woman in the world.”
“That’s because you are.” He dropped a kiss onto her forehead. “You are beautiful.” The kiss was dropped next on her nose. “Every luscious bit of you. And you’re all mine.” His kiss captured her mouth and then she was born away on a tide of pure hedonistic lovemaking, so tender yet hot that it wrung her very heart while making her heart pound a mile a minute.
When she finally came down from the shattering heights he’d pushed her over, Maddy wrapped her arms around Mike and tugged him down to her, burying her face in his neck.
Rolling to his side, he ran his hand tenderly up and down her back and waited.
Finally, when she got her breath back, she whispered, “Why did you propose right then, with everyone watching?”
A big, calloused palm smoothed her hair off her face. “Because I wanted no doubt in anyone’s mind that it was you, Maddy Lovett, who I was asking for the honour of marrying me.”
“That’s so sweet.” She squeezed him in pure happiness.
“I know. You owe me kinky sex.”
They both laughed and snuggled closer.
Cradled in his arms, she started to drift off to sleep.
“Maddy?” Mike’s words were a deep rumble in her ear, so familiar and welcoming.
“Oh God, not the talk thing?” She grinned as he laughed, her position against him making her shake with the action.
He smacked her bottom lightly then cupped one generous curve and squeezed. “No, you terrible, unfeeling chit. I had an idea.”
“Do share. So far I like your ideas.”
“Okay.” He paused. “I think we should knock a hole in the wall and put a doorway between your place and mine. Make it ours.”
“I like it.”
“Then Chaz and Yamaha can have the run of the house.”
“I like it.”
“And I can chase you naked through the house.”
She grinned against his chest. “I really like it.”
“And we should elope.”
She went still, and now she could feel a little bit of tension in the big body cradling her so gently. Coming up on one elbow, she looked down at him. Mike met her gaze seriously.
“Really?” she finally asked.
“Yes.”
“No family? No arrangements? No bridal gown or groom suit?”
He looked a little pained. “You always wanted a white wedding, didn’t you?”
She smiled widely. “No, you big lunkhead. I don’t want to be put on parade, I never did. I dreaded the thought of all my critical family trying to take over and not liking anything I did or chose, fighting over details and it turning out to be so damned unpleasant. I like your idea.” Reaching out, she pushed a strand of thick, black hair back off his brow, her ring glinting in the sunlight. “I really do.”
His eyes crinkled at the corners. “You do?”
“Oh yeah. We can get married anywhere.” Her eyes twinkled. “And Chaz can be your best man.”
“Tim might have something to say about that.”
“Family first.”
Mike pulled her down and kissed her. “No, us first.” He looked deeply into her eyes. “Maddy and Mike first. Forever.”
“Forever,” she echoed.
He smiled.
“Along with Chaz and Yamaha, of course,” she added.
Laughter glinted in his eyes. “As long as I have you, you passionate little thing, and those weirdo cats, I’m a very happy and contented man.”
“Little? Me?” She smiled at him.
“You’re my passion, Maddy.” He kissed her tenderly, the laughter fading to be replaced with love. “My little, fiery passion. Always and forever.”
####
Big Girls Lovin’ trilogy
If you missed “Doctor’s Delight”, book 1 of the Big Girls Lovin’ trilogy, it is available now at Smashwords.com!
Biography
Angela Verdenius lives in Australia where she is ruled by her cats, adores reading, and thinks a perfect day is writing and drinking Diet Coke, followed by reading or a good horror movie.
To date, she has written 19 novels, 2 novellas, and several short stories. Her books have won many reviewers’ awards, as well as having been on the Fictionwise best-seller list and winning the Golden Rose Award.
Visit her website at http://www.angelaverdenius.com, and her blog at http://angelaverdenius.blogspot.com/
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