Laura’s expression took on a hurt he hadn’t seen in a long time. Along with being tired——she was misunderstanding everything he said. “I’m not irresponsible, Andy,” she snapped. “I’m capable of looking after my own children.”
Yeah, she had definitely taken it the wrong way. He took a step closer to her, then another step, until he had backed her against the wall. He traced his thumb over her lip, her cheek, sliding his hand into her hair, taking in her startled green eyes. The weariness that had been there a second ago was now replaced with surprise, and he stepped closer still, pressing into her with all his hardness. Her breath caught. He rubbed his nose against hers, his warm breath fluttered across her lips, and her tongue flicked out and over her lower lip. He was so close to her, almost touching her, that she wrapped her arms around his neck, trying to pull herself closer. He started to lift her and was about to strip her right there when the baby squealed. He nearly dropped her, stepping back quickly and glancing at Gabriel, who was still asleep on the bed, his back to them.
“Oh my God. What the hell was I thinking?” he said.
Laura was standing there, dazed, and he wondered if the hint of pink on her cheeks was the start of a blush. She slid her hands through her short hair but didn’t say a word as she stared at him, licking her lower lip again. Did she have no idea what she did to him when she looked at him like that? His eyes went instantly to her lush tongue, and his thoughts went running to images of his own tongue over her sweet lips, tasting her. Her eyes widened as she took in his arousal. He couldn’t hide it, which only added to his agony.
“Andy, the kids…” she started.
“We’re hiring help for the kids so you can get some rest,” he began, stepping toward her again, closer. He knew she understood his meaning. “If I don’t get my wife back soon, well, let me be clear——my mood is unlikely to improve. I want you willing, rested, and an active participant when I have you under me again.” He set his hand around her chin and pulled her closer, nipping her lower lip between his teeth and kissing her deeply before stepping away. “Understand?”
She was out of breath. She swallowed, her cheeks flushed. “Yes.”
“Good,” he said.
Chapter 6
Before she opened her eyes, she could smell him, and her body became aware of his heat beside her in bed. He was all lean, hard—a work of perfection. She loved to wake up in the morning, tucked up against him, skin to skin. She slept with her head on his shoulder, which was hard as a rock, but to her it was the perfect pillow. When he rested his arm around her, his hand on her hip, holding her possessively against him, Laura was positive she had died and gone to heaven. Andy would never let her wear anything to sleep, as he himself always slept naked.
“Good morning, sleepyhead,” Andy whispered as he nuzzled her ear, lifting the hair from the back of her neck and kissing her.
She didn’t want to open her eyes—not yet, anyway. She wanted to lie there and feel all the delicious things he was doing to her body. He was amazing, how he loved her. He could have her doing anything for him. “The kids awake?” she asked. Her voice squeaked as he ran his hand over her stomach and touched her sensitive breasts, jolting her as if with electricity. She had been so exhausted for so long, but now he ignited her desire.
Andy hadn’t found her any help yet, but he’d stepped up to the plate, helping more than he usually did——allowing her to nap and rest. Chelsea and Jeremy had also decided to get their timing down, and they had woken up only once the past night.
“Don’t jinx it. We need to hurry, before they wake up,” he said. He rolled her over on her back and was between her legs. “I can’t wait long. I’m sorry.”
She didn’t want to wait either, and she ran her hand over and down his back. He slid his hand between them to touch her, and she thought she would come off the bed from that simple touch. He rubbed his nose against her, touched her lips with his as he slid inside her slowly, taking care not to hurt her. He held himself above her and watched, his eyes taking on a heat she hadn’t seen in so long. Then he moved.
“Are you okay?” he whispered, his voice close to the edge. She could feel the way he was holding himself back, as he moved again.
“Yes. Oh God, Andy.” Her voice squeaked, and she could feel his strength with every move as she ran her hands over his back and wrapped her legs around his waist. It felt like an eternity since they’d been this close, and the rush didn’t lessen the magic that had always been between them. Maybe because they hadn’t connected this way in so long, Laura lost all ability to reason—caught up in the insanity of the moment. She was about to scream out when she heard one of the babies cry, and Andy exploded inside her, filling her with warmth as she joined him—rushed, hurried, and amazing.
He didn’t stay inside her but pulled out, leaving her feeling cold and empty. She loved it when he lay with her after, staying inside her until she felt all her senses return. Instead, he slid out of bed and walked naked, comfortable with his amazing body, comfortable with who he was. She wondered if he ever questioned for a second who he was and what he needed to do. She openly studied his body, all lean and solid, with dark hair lightly covering the most amazing chest and six-pack abs. Even with the cut of his muscles across his shoulders and back, the man had it all going on.
Laura started to get up, but Andy stopped her, pulling on a pair of jeans. “I’ll get Chelsea before she wakes Jeremy up,” he said. He had just zipped up when Jeremy let out a howl as if he had just realized Chelsea was about to eat without him. Andy added, “Well, why don’t I get both of them?”
Laura smiled as she heard Andy through the baby monitor, listening to how he talked to his babies. He loved them so much, and she beamed, thinking of what an overprotective father he was. He changed the babies’ diapers and brought them in for Laura to nurse in bed as she relaxed—still feeling the effects of Andy loving her. It had been so long, and she had now realized just how much she needed Andy’s closeness, just as much as he needed her.
They still had boxes piled everywhere. It had only been two days since they arrived, and they still had a lot to get through, but the cleaners had transformed the house into something closer to the pictures they’d originally seen. The place had five bedrooms and three bathrooms, with a formal dining room, a bright, spacious kitchen with two built-in ovens and a gas range, and there were three fireplaces throughout the house, with a huge walk-in closet in their master bedroom. However, Laura thought the best feature was the sunken tub in her bathroom—the huge plate-glass window revealing a view of the distant mountains.
“Laura, you should slip into the bath and relax a bit after you finish nursing the kids,” Andy said. He had that very male look of a man who took pride in his woman. Just watching her care for his babies seemed to inflate his ego.
“Did you check on Gabriel, see how he’s doing?” Laura asked as he made no move to leave.
“He’s still warm, but he’s sleeping. I’m going to make some calls—see about getting him a doctor’s appointment.” Andy stepped inside the bedroom and added, “I’ll just grab a quick shower first.”
An hour later, she lounged in the bathtub and listened to Andy in the other room, the babies cooing. When Jeremy started to fuss again, she felt the familiar pull in her breasts. How could he be hungry again? He ate way more than his sister and was packing on the pounds faster than she was.
So much for a break. The water hadn’t even had time to cool, but she drained the tub and quickly dried off, pulling on her robe and striding out to the living room, where boxes were still piled. Andy was wearing a long-sleeved dark shirt tucked into newer blue jeans. He rummaged through one of the open boxes on the table, pulling out papers while holding Jeremy, who had crammed his fist in his mouth and was sucking away. Andy turned her way and did a double take, his eyes flaring as he took in the sight of her. His expression was approving and intimate—at least she thought so, anyway—and he winked.
“You look b
etter,” he said.
“I feel better. Thanks for letting me chill out in the bath for a bit. I feel…refreshed.” She walked up to him and slid her hand over his arm, feeling the cut of his biceps. She loved how he kept himself in shape...really good shape. He was tall, handsome, strong: a man who could take on the world for her and protect her and the children, but only if she trusted him. She’d learned long ago that Andy could be difficult and stubborn, but he’d always do right by her, by Gabriel and their babies. Trust was something he expected and didn’t take lightly, nor did he give it easily. Because everyone had let her down in the past, Laura looked for every reason not to trust him. She wondered, would she ever be able to let that go?
“I’ll take him,” she said. “Not much you can help him with right now.”
Andy leaned down and kissed her. “He’s eating an awful lot again.”
“Well, I’m starting to think he wants to use me as a pacifier. Gabriel still sleeping?” Laura looked around the living room and glimpsed Chelsea, who was in one of the baby swings, fast asleep. Gabriel should have been running around, but he’d been in bed ever since they moved in. Laura couldn’t believe the flu had taken her son down this quickly. She was starting to worry—his fever was still high and he’d barely eaten anything.
“Yeah, he is,” Andy said, sounding worried. “I called Kim and asked for the names of local doctors. She gave me a few, but there’s only one pediatrician in Columbia Falls. The office should be open now.” He glanced at his watch.
“What time is it?” she asked, settling into the corner rocker as the baby latched on to her breast.
“After nine,” Andy said.
“Andy, Gabriel’s never been sick like this before. I’m starting to worry. He won’t eat—he drank a little apple juice with water, but he’s so little, and his face seems thinner. This just isn’t like him.”
“I know, Laura, but kids do get sick. Let me call and we’ll take him in. We’ll have the doctor check these two out as well, since we’re there.”
Andy dialed the phone they had hooked up the day before and then stepped into the kitchen, where she could hear him talking. He reappeared a few minutes later and said, “Okay, they’re going to fit us in at one. It’ll take us a good forty-five minutes to get to town, so we should leave at noon. Then I have to meet a man about some cattle.” He started rummaging through the box, shoving his hand in and lifting papers out.
Laura was still stuck on cows. What the heck was he talking about? “Andy, why are you talking to someone about cattle?”
He gave her a distracted glance. “Oh, I’m going to raise some. I’m thinking forty head to start.”
She stared at his back. He was talking as if this was something they’d agreed on. The fact was that Laura didn’t know the first thing about cows, except that they smelled and made a lot of noise. “Why cows, Andy?”
“What?” he said, as if he didn’t understand.
Andy just did things, and as far as his work went—well, he was wealthy—or rather his family was. Laura had never really understood exactly what it was he did—aside from making deals, and investing and managing his wealth. There had always been a Great Wall between her and his work. She had never asked before, but now she felt she had to.
“Andy, I’ve always stayed out of your work, but I’ve got to ask: What are you doing, and why are you going into the cattle business? I think I should really know, as your wife, if there’s going to be a herd of cows running around the property. You’ve always made these decisions for us…” She stopped when he set down the papers and turned around to face her. For a moment, she wondered if he was about to dismiss her.
“You don’t need to worry about money, Laura,” he said. “I’ll always have enough to provide for you and the kids. You won’t want for anything.”
“I know that, Andy, that’s not what I’m saying. You’ve always looked after us. I wish you would share a little more with me. You don’t share everything, Andy. You never have. With your work, you keep me out of it. I understand you just want to protect us, but by not talking to me about what you’re doing, I feel as if there’s a part of your life you’re still keeping separate from me. Something I’m not a part of.”
There, she had said it. She took a breath, feeling a type of confidence she had never felt before. She wondered what Andy was going to say. What would he do? He was an impossible man to read and when he gave her all of his attention, she felt special and loved. But at times like this, he had an unpredictable, predatory look that would have once made her back away—before she knew him. He dropped a folder and set his hand on his hip. Of course, her eyes went right there. The man was drop-dead gorgeous, sexy, and she remembered what it was like to have those hips settled against her.
“You’re right. I’m sorry,” he said.
Laura couldn’t have been more shocked. Her jaw slackened as her brain scrambled to figure out what to say. She had expected him to do what he always had; tell her not to worry, that he’d take care of everything and she didn’t need to know. What the hell?
“Oh, thank you,” she said.
A hint of amusement brightened his eyes, and she knew he was taking some enjoyment from seeing her rattled and knowing he was responsible for it. He sifted through the rest of the box, one she recognized as being from his office. “Did you come across a big manila envelope with a small tape recorder in it? I swear it was in this box,” he said, distracted again.
“No, I didn’t. Is it important?” she asked. As far as bills, paper, and all that, Andy had always looked after everything.
He seemed to stiffen and kept sifting through the box. When he answered her this time, he didn’t look at her. “Nothing for you to worry about,” he said. “It’s just something I need to keep track of.”
Laura nodded, wondering at the steel wall that seemed to have come down around him. What was it about that envelope that was so important?
Chapter 7
Andy was sitting in one of the two chairs across from the doctor’s desk, Gabriel tucked against him on his lap. The little boy, who worshipped Andy, snuggled against him as if he knew he alone would protect him and would never allow any harm to come his way—and he wouldn’t, ever. He loved Gabriel like he loved his own children.
Andy was still bothered about that tape and the envelope. He was positive he had put it in the box with all his bank papers and investments, as he liked to keep everything together. He’d look again when he got home. That envelope was better than a smoking gun. It was his only protection from what his mother had done, trying to take the babies away and get rid of Laura. He still couldn’t believe the threats his mother had made to set up Laura on some trumped-up crime. Getting her locked away just to be rid of her. His mother was powerful, coming from Eastern bluebloods and a long line of politicians-she was a snake. Andy planned to keep his family as far from her reach as possible. His father, well, who the hell knew where Todd was. Probably off with one of his mistresses. Andy hadn’t spoken to him since marrying Laura instead of a senator’s daughter, as had been planned for him.
Andy glanced over at Laura. Her short hair had a little natural curl and she’d stuck a barrette in each side to hold it back, making her appear a very young twenty-one-year-old, even though she was far older in terms of what she had suffered and endured. She was so damn honest, kind, good and vulnerable. Whether she knew it or not, she did need protecting. The babies were both asleep in their carriers on the floor beside her, the bulky diaper bag at her feet. She smiled at him nervously, fiddling with her fingers and her ring.
She was on edge and had been throughout the exam. All the questions had fallen on her, but that was only after the doctor had asked how old she was. After that, the questions seemed beyond routine. Had she kept his vaccinations up to date? Did she feed him a balanced diet? How long had she ignored his fever and what had taken them so long to seek medical attention? Andy had been stumped for a second until he realized the doctor’s stern li
ne of questioning was more about her age—or so he thought, anyway. When Andy asked the doctor if that was the same line of questioning he used on every parent who walked through his door, the doctor had simply smiled and said it was routine.
To Andy, that response sounded evasive, but once Andy made it clear Laura was his wife, the doctor had seemed to read the writing on the wall. The change in his tone from questioning to respectful was alarming. Then again, this wasn’t North Lakewood and people here didn’t know the Friessen name. Andy was determined to earn a reputation in this community so that when people, like this doctor, spoke to Laura, they would do so with respect.
“Don’t be so nervous,” Andy finally said when Laura started biting the corners of her nails. He always knew when she was pulling away. Something was eating at her and she just didn’t have the experience to know how to hide it from him. He supposed that was something that would come with age, but he hoped Laura would never learn to hide her feelings. Andy just didn’t want that in a woman. He’d grown up with dishonest, polished, skilled women all around him and had realized he didn’t like that one bit. It was refreshing to have a wife as naïve as Laura was.
“Did you hear the way he talked to me?” she said. “It’s been a while since someone has talked down to me like that. I wonder whether he even realized you were there? It pissed me off, Andy, when you had to tell him I was your wife. What was that look you two exchanged?”
Yeah, she was more than rattled—she was upset. He didn’t like seeing her this way, and he didn’t like the expression the doctor had worn, as if Andy had robbed the cradle. “Just setting the record straight,” Andy said. “He won’t talk to you that way again. It was inappropriate—he knows it and I know it. He may not understand what it means to deal with a Friessen.”
Danger Deception Devotion The Firsts Page 36
