Page 75 of Unwanted Vows

Then there is no harder or deeper, there is just her, just the movement of our bodies, just the sharing of two people in love, chasing after the promise of beautiful oblivion that is rising within us with each stroke and each cry.

“I love you,” I say to her, my voice rough with emotion, and tension.

“I love you more,” she gasps out as she races toward her climax.

“Oh my god, oh…ohh. She screams, my name on her lips over and over as her body clenches around my cock, and it pushes me precipitously over the edge. We climax together, joyously joined in purpose and caring, our voices mingling as waves of ecstasy flow over us in tandem.

I roll to her side, turning her so we remain connected. I wish that I could stay inside the welcoming heat of her body for the rest of my life. My dick twitches in answer to this thought, but for the moment, I’m too spent to hustle us toward another round. She snuggles her face into the side of my neck, her breath hot against my collarbone.

“Will you truly marry me?” I ask, tracing my finger along her cheek.

“Yes,” she says drowsily. “You’ve proven yourself to be an honorable gentleman in every way, and I love your sense of humor, and the way you tell stories, and the way you stand up to your grandfather.”

“Thank you,” I say, trying to infuse the simple words with all the gratitude and love that I feel for my Maddy, who says “Pooh, pooh” to lions and to fierce old men.

I hold her, cherishing her. I wonder if I should ask her if she needs anything.

But her breath evens out, and her warm body is heavy and relaxed against me. She is asleep. Paul is not the only one who is worn out. Briefly, I consider waking her so we can both clean up, but sleep mugs me and I am out.

A phone rings, a jangling discordance. It rings again, my distinctive ring that I set to get my attention no matter how little sleep I have had. I feel about for the infernal thing, then remember I left my pants in the bathroom.

I roll out of the bed, disoriented. My sleep-fogged brain zeroes in on the sound. I find it, and hit the accept button. “Lane.” I say.

A woman’s panicked voice on the other end. “Dr. Andrew Lane?”

“Yes,” I say.

“You’ve got to come right away. He’s awake and coherent and he’s called in these awful people.”

No doubt in my mind as to who “he” is. “I’ll be there as quick as I can,” I say.

“He wants. . .” the voice starts to say. But I hang up. I have no intention of taking Paul into whatever is about to go down, and I’d rather not take Maddy.

“Andrew?” Maddy’s bare feet pad across the carpet to the bathroom. “What is it?”

“Grandfather,” I say. “I think he’s called in his lieutenants.”

“Ah.” It is a soft, drawn out breathy sound. Then, “Should I wake Paul?”

“I’m not taking him,” I say. “And you should not go either.”

“I won’t let you go alone,” she says. “I’ll call Kate. He will be safe with her and Charles.”

I hear the soft rustle as she slides into a robe, and I regret not having time for one more round of pleasure before we must face unpleasantness. But I head for the bathroom, all the same.

It is a brief regret. By the time I get my jeans and polo on, and exit the bathroom, Maddy is dressed in a charcoal gray slack suit that somehow looks like armor. Her hair is damp. She’s used the other bathroom to clean up.

“I’ve called Kate,” she says. “Charles is coming down the hall to get Paul. Austin will be our driver. Ark-Ark is riding shotgun, but Austin doesn’t want to bring anyone else.”

“All right,” I say. The arrangements suit me. The fewer people the better. I wish Maddy was not going, but I can see that she will not stay behind. Her loyalty warms me, while her presence fills me with terror for her.

A light tap at the door, and Charles is there. Maddy is walking Paul down the hall, still clad in his pajamas.

“Sure you don’t want me to come along?” Charles asks.

“Keep our son safe,” I say. “Let’s not give the old fiend any more fodder than we can help.”

“Keep me on speed dial,” Charles says, shepherding a sleepy Paul out the door. The boy looks worried, but does not protest. He is carrying the cat, and Angel goes with him.

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