by Carrie Elks
“He’s almost asleep,” she whispered. Matty was curled up into his usual ball, his thumb firmly latched between his lips. “He looks so peaceful when he’s dozing.”
“He’s perfect,” Richard agreed. “We should definitely make some more of those.”
Her heart beat faster. They’d talked about their future at couples’ therapy, and discussed trying for more children at some point. Knowing she was already thirty, and Richard thirty-three, made her feel a little more concerned. If they wanted a big family—and they both agreed they did—eventually they’d need to make some decisions.
“We definitely should.”
He pulled her back against him, until her spine was molded into his chest. Curling his arms around her waist he dipped his head until his lips brushed against her neck, sucking gently against her skin.
“How about we practice tonight?”
“Mmmm,” Hanna agreed, her eyes squeezed tightly shut as he continued to caress her. “We’ve been practicing a lot, haven’t we?”
“You think we’re ready for the match?” She could feel him smile against her neck.
“I’m ready.”
“I want to make you a permanent signing to my team first.” Richard loosened his hold on her waist, spinning her around to face him. He reached out and cupped her jaw, his fingers caressing the skin behind her ear. “After that we can talk about adding to the offense.”
Hanna laughed. “You’re confusing me with all these analogies here. Are we talking about our family or a football team?”
Richard inclined his head toward hers, capturing her lips between his own. Wrapping his hand around the back of her neck, he pulled her closer, his tongue snaking a hot trail of fire across her mouth.
“I’m not talking about football, Hanna,” he murmured, moving a hand down to cup her behind, his fingers digging into her skin. “I’m talking about us.”
“Us?” She ran her lips along the firm line of his jaw, capturing his earlobe between her teeth, sucking it enough to make him moan.
“I want you to marry me.” He could hardly get the words out between his sighs. “I want you to be Mrs. Richard Larsen, and for Matty to have a whole team of brothers and sisters.”
It was Hanna’s turn to smile, and she pulled back to catch his eye. “You forgot the getting on one knee bit. Not to mention the ring.”
“I have a ring.” Richard’s protest was fast. “I was saving it for the right moment.”
She glanced around Matty’s nursery, noticing he was fast asleep. He was oblivious to the changes taking place between his parents. “Is this the right moment?”
Richard laughed. “I was going to ask you beside the Christmas tree in the hall, at the stroke of midnight. But somehow this seems to be the perfect time and place; just us and our boy.”
“It does,” she agreed. A flash of lightning exploded inside her body. To know he wanted her—not only as the mother of his child, but as his wife—made her want to fling open the windows and shout it out for everybody to hear. In their years of separation she had never thought it could be as good as this. Everything she’d dreamed of was finally within her grasp. It was almost too much to take in.
“So will you?” His voice was more urgent now, causing her to look at him in confusion.
“What?”
He was getting agitated, and she reached out a hand to calm him. Before she could touch his face, he dropped onto one knee, grasping her left hand between his fingers.
“Hanna Vincent, you are the love of my life. You’ve given me the most beautiful child who is the center of my universe. I’d be the luckiest guy in the world if you’d give me yourself.”
Hanna dropped to her knees, too, grasping his face between her hands, kissing him over and again until they were both laughing. “Yes, yes, of course I will. I thought you knew that already.”
His face turned serious again as he took her hand and kissed it, his lips lingering on her palm. “I wanted to make sure. But thank you for saying yes.”
“Thank you for asking,” her eyes twinkled as she leaned forward until their foreheads touched. “I thought you never would.”
TOM AND RUBY arrived at 8 p.m., their faces bright and happy as Hanna and Richard shared their news. An hour later, the party was in full swing, and Hanna was chatting to virtual strangers, accepting their congratulations and discussing everything from the state of the economy to how wonderful the London Olympics had been. Though she’d watched it from two thousand miles away, over a flat screen, she’d still felt proud to be British.
She was getting another glass of champagne when Ruby ran over, her dark hair flying as she called Hanna’s name.
“I feel like we haven’t had a chance to talk all night. Let’s go hide away and talk about boys.”
Hanna laughed, grabbing a second glass for Ruby. “It feels weird when those boys are Richard and Tom. I’m pretty sure you don’t want to hear any gory details about your brother, and I sure as hell don’t want to hear them about Tom.”
Ruby grinned. “Not even the way he uses his—” Hanna clamped a hand across Ruby’s mouth, shouting at her to be quiet. Ruby giggled before nipping at her palm. “Seriously, Hanna, I want you to know how excited I am about your engagement.”
“Me too.” Hanna couldn’t resist glancing at her ring. It was a large, pear-cut solitaire, set on a platinum band. Richard had chosen an elegantly simple design. It proved how well he knew her. “I can’t wait to be your sister.”
“It’s going to be so great. Especially now I have my own place in New York and won’t have to be around you newlyweds. You were gross enough when you were dating.”
Hanna blushed as she remembered how often Ruby would walk into the apartment to find her and Richard kissing, their hands hastily snatched back from whatever part of each other’s bodies they were exploring. It only took Ruby a month of living with them to decide she needed to get her own apartment while studying at Columbia. Steven had helped fund the investment.
“You and Tom aren’t much better.” Hanna pointed out.
Since the two of them had gotten together in April, Ruby and Tom had been inseparable. He had moved to New York, staying in Ruby’s apartment while he decided what to do with the band. Richard hadn’t liked the new development one bit.
“When are you two going to do the deed, anyway?”
Hanna wrinkled her nose. “I don’t want a big wedding. I’m hoping he’ll whisk me off to Vegas and we can get married in front of a really bad Elvis impersonator.”
Ruby laughed. “I don’t think that’s really Richard’s style, do you?”
“Regretfully not.” Hanna tried to think what his style would be. She wanted to commit herself to him in front of their closest family. Anything else would be superfluous.
“Whatever happens, I know you two are perfect for each other,” Ruby said, her champagne glass clinking against Hanna’s. “I’ve known it for years. It’s a shame it took you both so long to work it out.”
“Tell me about it.” Hanna smiled wryly. A moment later her heart leapt as she felt two strong arms encircle her waist.
“Am I interrupting anything?” Richard asked, brushing Hanna’s cheek with his lips. “I want to dance with the future Mrs. Larsen.”
Hanna blushed at his words. There was something about the way he claimed her which made her melt inside. He held her close as he moved her around the room, his hand cupping the swell of her bottom as it dipped beneath her dress. His other hand held hers, his strong palm encompassing her own. She felt delicate beneath his dominant form.
“You look beautiful tonight,” he said. “In fact, you look damn sexy in this dress.”
“Thank you.” Her smile was coy. She wanted to flirt with this man, show him exactly what he was letting himself in for. “You look rather gorgeous yourself, Mr. Larsen.”
She moved her hand beneath his jacket, placing her palm against his back.
“Are you trying to seduce me?” His voice w
as rough as she continued to move her hand. She could feel him start to harden against her hip.
“Why would you say that? I’m practically a married woman.”
“I’d hate to upset your ‘almost’ husband.” He leaned forward and brushed his lips against hers. “But I really want to see what you’re wearing under this dress.”
“What makes you think I’m wearing anything?” She batted her eyelashes at him.
He swallowed hard. “I think I’m ready to leave.”
“We’re sleeping here. We can’t leave the party before midnight.” Hanna laughed.
“Watch us.”
He stopped dancing when they were near the staircase, his hand still firmly holding hers. As he practically dragged her up the stairs, she found herself giggling, having to stop every few seconds to catch her breath.
“Come on, we’ve got a lot of practicing to do,” Richard urged, pulling at her hand. When they reached the top of the staircase, he bent down, scooping her up into his arms and stalking to their bedroom.
“I’m pretty sure the whole carrying over the threshold thing isn’t meant to happen until after the wedding,” Hanna pointed out, hiccupping in a fit of giggles.
“This isn’t a threshold carry. This is an ‘I want to get you into bed as quickly as possible’ carry.” He pushed their door open and threw her on top of the covers.
“I thought it was an ‘I can’t wait to see what’s under your dress’ carry.” Hanna reached up to grab his hand and pull him on top of her. His solid body knocked the wind out of her, making her breathless.
“I can’t wait to see what’s under your dress.” He snaked his hand up her leg. Shrugging his jacket off, he unknotted his tie before pulling her sparkling silver sandals off, throwing them to the floor.
“There’s really nothing to see.” She knelt up, helping him to unfasten the buttons on his shirt. “I’d hate to disappoint you.”
“If there’s nothing under that dress, I can promise you I won’t be disappointed.” His shirt was next to come off, revealing his firm chest. Hanna reached out to touch it, tracing her fingers over the ridges of his muscles. Her hand moved down, unfastening his belt and pushing his pants over his hips, and as he stood to push them farther, Hanna could see his black boxers tenting under the pressure of his hardness.
“I can see you’re ready for some practice,” she murmured, running a finger over his tip. She felt him twitch.
Richard leaned forward and kissed her, his tongue brushing against hers as they opened their mouths, her hands roaming across his naked torso. She felt him pull the zipper of her dress down, easing the fabric from her shoulders until it pooled around her waist, leaving her breasts exposed.
He dipped his head to capture a nipple between his lips. Sucking it into his warm, wet mouth, he dragged his tongue against her until her vision turned to stars. His hand reached out to caress her other breast, his thumb peaking her nipple and making her back arch.
“Does it feel like I need to practice?” he murmured against her breast. She shook her head madly though she knew he couldn’t see.
He pulled her dress off the rest of the way, throwing it to join the rest of their clothes in a heap on the floor.
She lay naked on the bed, looking up at his dark, desirous eyes, her body clenching at the strength of his need. He ran his fingers up her legs, pausing at her inner thighs to tease, his thumbs digging in to the soft skin.
“Every time I saw you tonight I wanted to drag you to bed.” He moved until his head was between her legs, his lips and tongue caressing her inner thighs. She reached down to run her fingers through his thick hair, her hands encouraging his lips to where she needed them the most.
“Richard, please.” She opened her legs wider. He smiled against her thigh as he heard her desperation.
“Please what?” He kissed a line up her thigh, stopping at the apex, his breath heated against her core.
“Kiss me.”
“Where?” She could hear the laugher in his voice. She was torn between hitting him and pushing his face closer.
“There.”
She ran a finger down her damp flesh. Richard captured it with his hand, pulling it away until she was a ball of frustration.
“This is mine.” He kissed her right there, and her legs buckled, her eyes squeezing shut at the intensity of the pleasure.
“I know,” she breathed, submitting herself to his touch, to his tongue and his lips and the way he liked to adore her. “All of it, all of me. It’s yours.”
AFTERWARD, HE HELD her tight, his naked body spooning hers. His erection was only half gone as he rocked gently against her ass. He curled one arm around her waist, the other across her chest, his hand caressing her breast as they tried to capture their breath.
“I’m pretty sure we’re as practiced as we’re going to get.” Hanna smiled as she leaned her head back against his chest.
“They say practice makes perfect,” he agreed. He moved his leg between her own, the hard warmth of his thigh a welcome distraction.
“We definitely make perfect babies.” She could feel the heaviness of sleep starting to weigh down upon her. She wasn’t ready for this day to end.
“That we do.”
Hanna reached her arm back to curl her fingers into his hair, making her breasts push harder against his palm. “Thank you for making this such a great holiday. I’ve loved every minute of it.”
“So have I. I don’t want to go back.”
She was glad he felt the same way, and their time in London meant as much to him as it did to her. It wasn’t only the chance to reconnect with his family, although that had been wonderful, it was the fact they had spent their first holiday season together with their son, knowing there were so many more to come.
“We can come back to visit soon,” she suggested. “Maybe at Easter.”
“I’d like us to buy a place over here. I’ve got a plan.” His voice was full of smiles. She twisted her head to look at him.
“You’re full of surprises tonight, Mr. Larsen. Care to share your plan with your future wife?”
He moved his hand to her hip, pulling her bottom against his hardness, grinding himself against her. “I’m looking into taking Maxwell Enterprises public. I’m hoping within five years I’ll be able to retire from the company.”
Hanna turned until she was facing him, reaching her hand out to cup his jaw. “You really want to leave Maxwell Enterprises?”
Richard smiled, his jaw moving beneath her hand. “When the time is right, I definitely want to leave. I think it will take a few years to work out the IPO and get the right team in place.”
“What are you going to do after that? You’re a little too young to spend your life on the golf course.”
“I want to do more charity work, maybe expand the Maxwell Foundation to include overseas aid. I thought it might be something we could do together.”
She could feel her eyes start to water. “It sounds amazing. I can’t think of anything I’d rather do than work with you.”
“In between making babies, of course,” he said playfully as he winked at her.
“And the practicing,” she reminded him.
He pulled her against him until their bodies were aligned, his erection hard against her thigh. His mouth brushed against her neck as his hand squeezed her ass, making her gasp out loud.
“Ah yes, the practicing,” he agreed, rolling his hips until his tip was nudging her entrance. “I’d never forget about the practicing.”
“That’s good,” she murmured, as he pushed inside her. Her intake of breath was sharp as he filled her completely.
“It is.” He kissed her again. “It’s very good.”
August 27th 2021
“MOM!” A scream came from the wooded area to the left of the stage. Hanna whipped her head round and searched for the source of the cry. She saw Lily run out from the shade of the trees, her seven-year-old face screwed up with righteous indignation. “Matt
y says girls can’t climb trees.”
Hanna watched as Lily stalked up to her, hands on hips, hair looking like she’d been dragged backward through a hedge. Her clothes were covered with the dusty-red evidence of the ground.
“Did he now?” Hanna’s voice was low, but she could see Matt lingering in the shadows. Like Hanna, he would be chewing his lip, afraid of the consequences of his actions.
Lily was trying to hold back her tears. Hanna could tell they came from anger, rather than sadness, and it warmed her. “And everybody knows I can climb higher than any of them.” Lily waved her hand dismissively, referring to Matty and her cousin Nathan Junior.
“Try to ignore them, sweetheart.” Hanna pulled Lily toward her, wrapping her arms around Lily’s scant frame. “They’re jealous, and maybe a little worried for your safety.”
“I wasn’t climbing that high, Momma,” Lily scoffed. “I wanted to check inside the bird’s nest.”
Hanna squeezed her eyes shut trying not to think of the danger her daughter was placing herself in. She wanted her children to grow up with a healthy dose of the great outdoors, knowing the world was theirs to explore. But it was so hard to create boundaries, and to stop them from pushing things too far.
Lily hugged her mom back before pulling away and running back into the woods where, no doubt, she would hound her cousins until they admitted she was the best climber. Hanna watched as Matty sidled toward her, his face pulled back into a scowl as he approached.
“Have you heard from Dad?” He glanced down, but Hanna could tell he was chewing his lip again.
“Not yet, sweetheart.” She reached out and squeezed his shoulder. Matty was the most sensitive of her children, and the one who was closest to Richard. They were the two boys among a host of girls, and they clung to each other. When Richard was away, Matty was like a lost soul, counting the hours until his dad returned.
“Will he get here in time?” Matty looked up at her, and she could see the trepidation in his eyes. Her heart clenched for him.
