Page 45 of Marcel

*****

At first, he thoughthe was drowning, but then a trickle of water appeared on his face. Anannoyed frown touched his brows, and his eyes flickered open to seehis wife sitting at his hip, water dripping from her fingers.

“What are youdoing?”

“You sleptthrough your alarm.” She told him.

“And youfigured you would do the normal thing and wake me by trying to drownme.”

“Something likethat.” Leaning down, she brushed her lips against his, firinghis senses and making him come fully awake. His arms came up, hisfingers buried in the thick curls at the nape of her neck as hedeepened the kiss. His disappointment was obvious when she pushedaway from him, her chest rising rapidly, her lips wet.

“I have anearly meeting.”

“With him?”He asked casually, his fingers still tangled in her hair.

“No.” Shelifted her tapered brows. “He is just a friend and now aclient.”

“You werechildhood sweethearts.”

“We werefriends,” she stressed. Using her left hand, she brushed backthe lock of hair that had fallen over his forehead. He looked soboyishly young and sexy that she felt her heart aching inside herchest. “That’s all we were. There were no strong feelingsbetween us; we were more like brother and sister.”

“I saw how hewas looking at you,” he said gruffly, unable to believe he wasprolonging this discussion.

“Just friends.”She repeated. Bending her head, she brushed her lips against hislightly. He could have deepened the kiss, but he was feeling too damnemotional right now. They behaved like an average married couple, andhe was unsure how to deal with it. Not yet.

“I also have ameeting.” Putting her aside, he climbed off the bed. He wasabout to walk to the bathroom to shower when she gripped him aroundthe waist and pulled him back to her.

“What are youdoing?”

“I love the wayyour body looks,” Her hands were wandering down his flatstomach and hedging dangerously close to his sex.

“You arerunning late.” His body was reacting in the usual manner to hertouch.

“I have afew more minutes.” Her hands cupped his testicles and squeezedlightly. His breath whooshed out of his body, and he found himselfleaning into her.

“Nikki-”His body arched and shuddered when she bent her head to take him intoher mouth. “Oh, Christ!” His fingers clutched at hercurls as his entire body went into overdrive. “Darling-”

His breath wasstarting to strangle inside his chest as she pulled him deeper intothe wetness of her mouth. Dragging her up, he pushed her back on thebed and entered her swiftly. “Where did you learn to do that?”He whispered thickly, eyes narrowed in suspicion.

“I studiedgiving head in college.” Her arms came around his neck. “Iwanted to see what the big deal was.”

“Are you sayingthis is your first time?” He was moving inside her slowly,wanting to prolong the moment.

“Yes, mysuspicious husband.” She took his lips in a slow, drugging kissthat had his head spinning.

*****

“My dear, I amso happy you agreed to see me.” Carolyn Peters said with a widesmile. “I know you are extremely busy, and my small business iscertainly not the type you usually take on.”

“I have beenreading your proposal, and you have some very good ideas for theplace.” Nikki leaned back in the chair and stretched her legsout as she smiled at the woman. She had opted to have the meeting inone of the conference rooms instead of her office to get her husbandin at the meeting if he was available.

It had been two dayssince their stormy lovemaking, and things were tentatively different.She hoped he was in love with her or at least halfway there. They hadleft early the last couple of nights and headed straight to bed afterbarely eating the meal the housekeeper left for them.

Just thinking aboutthis morning was making her hot all over.

“It’s notlike those airbnbs. Holly’s House offers visitors a home awayfrom home. Whether you want to relax and forget about everything youleft behind, we have cabins nestled deep in the wooded area for justthat sort of thing.

If you want to makefriends and do something wonderful, we have numerous activities foryou to participate in. Staff can babysit your children if you takethem with you.”

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