Page 98 of It's Complicated

The gentle, sweet smile is gone from my husband’s face. In its place is a look of primal hunger.

“You’re the most beautiful woman I’ve ever seen.” Jace’s breath is warm on my skin, and his voice is a husky whisper.

I’m not sure if he’s talking to me or himself, but I’m pretty sure I don’t care as long as he doesn’t stop doing all the wicked things he’s doing.

“You have too many clothes on,” he assesses.

“Pot… kettle… black,” I manage to say between labored breaths.

His hand travels up my leg, tickling its way to my hip and up my stomach. He’s excruciatingly gentle, and my body strains against his touch until he finally pulls my skirt off.

Never taking his eyes off me, he undoes the buttons of his blazer. And I know I should probably help him, but it’s like all the bones have left my body and I’ve lost the ability to move. So I just watch, enjoying the show.

The button-down shirt goes next, and I’m struck by how much more of him is on display now. His muscular chest and shoulders are now revealed in all their ripped masculinity.

I only have a moment to admire the magnificent view before my husband is back on top of me, kissing me.

“I love you so much,” he says in my neck.

“I love you too,” I reply.

It doesn’t matter what will happen next, I feel so complete already. I’m so full of love for Jace, my husband, the man I love.

Afterward, we lay in bed, spent. I can feel him still trembling next to me. His face buried in my neck. He’s breathing heavily.

“I love you,” Jace tells me again. “You’re my entire world.”

“I know.” I kiss his temple, wrapping my arms more tightly around him. “Stay with me.”

“I will, sweetheart. I’m not going anywhere.”

I’m overwhelmed by the whole thing.

“So this is what it feels like to make love,” I marvel.

Jace’s head snaps up, eyes searching mine. “What?”

Oh, guess I said that out loud.

I cup his face. “I’ve never been in love with any of my boyfriends, not that I had that many.”

Jace bites my palm. “I hated every single one of them.”

I brush his hair. “Well, I never loved any of them, not the way I’m in love with you…” A tender smile curls on my lips. “This hasn’t been my first time making love to you, it’s been the first time I made love to someone.”

Jace seems overwhelmed by the admission as if he can’t express in words what he’s feeling. So he does with his mouth, showering my face in tiny kisses. Until he crushes me into a bone-cracking hug.

Neither of us speak again. We lie still in each other’s arms. Until, after a while, Jace rolls off me and lies on his back. His hand immediately shoots to the side, seeking mine, as if not to lose contact. Fingers interlaced, we lie on the bed in silence, side by side, spent but still panting slightly. I’m about to pass out when Jace, eyes closed, says, “I have a question.”

“Okay?”

“The cat, Ben, is he named after Ben Solo or Obi-Wan’s alias?”

I roll to face him, propping myself up on my elbow to look at him. “After what we just did, that’s what you want to talk about?”

“They’re my cats, too, now… I need to know.”

I yawn and then laugh a little. “I couldn’t decide, so I left it undetermined.”

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