Page 42 of Falling Again
“I know you, Nat. You’ll want the milk for dunking and the wine for, well, wine.” They shared a smile over the plate of cookies, which Anthony helped himself to without asking.
“Hey,” she argued lamely. “I thought these were my cookies.”
Anthony popped the whole cookie in his mouth and said, “You thought wrong.” He chewed and fished out several glasses for the drinks. Within a minute, Anthony artfully filled a tray with dessert and drinks, carrying them to the couch. “And don’t even think about hopping over here,” he said over his shoulder.
Returning to her side, Anthony reached out, savoring the feeling of her arms wrapped around his neck. It struck Anthony how long it had been since he’d held his wife, since he’d carried her like this. His skin came to life at the feel of her against him, and he stirred. Clearing his throat, he brought her to the couch and positioned her closest to the food. Taking the blanket off the back, he draped it over her legs and eased down next to her.
Natalie watched him with a curious expression before taking a cookie and a glass of milk. “Thank you,” she finally said.
They sat and watched gameshows on TV for an hour. The silence was companionable, and Anthony didn’t read anything into their lack of conversation. It had been a long day, and her ankle still hurt. When the last game show ended, Anthony looked and saw that Natalie was asleep. Her head had lolled to the side and her mouth was partially open. A tiny snore escaped her parted lips, and Anthony had to stifle a laugh. God, he loved her.
Natalie was adamant she didn’t snore. During their first visit to the lake house, she’d proven herself wrong on the first night. They’d gone into town for dinner and drinks, the latter of which Natalie indulged in heavily. After getting ready for bed, Natalie had fallen back onto the mattress and began snoring like a freight train within seconds.
The memory made Anthony smile. Leaning in, he kissed the top of Natalie’s head. She looked so peaceful laying there, and he wanted to protect her from everything. From coolers on kitchen floors, to the stresses of work, to the pressure of being a mayor’s wife. Anthony knew Natalie put up with a lot to be with him, and he wanted to make it worth the effort, worth the potential pain.
Quietly, Anthony cleaned up their dessert dishes and glasses and turned off the lights. As he made it back to the couch, Natalie stirred and sat up on her elbows. “Did I fall asleep?” she asked as she rubbed her eyes.
Anthony knelt in front of her, reached out and pulled the blanket over her shoulders. A line of goose flesh popped up where he’d touched her. It was a relief to see her as affected by their touch as he was. “Just for a little while. Want to watch a movie, or are you ready for bed?”
Before she could answer, Natalie yawned and covered her mouth. “I guess my body is telling me I’m ready for bed.” While he assumed she meant for sleeping, Anthony’s body didn’t get the memo. His cheeks blazed as other parts jolted with awareness. He wanted nothing more than to take Natalie to bed, in every sense of the word.
But this trip wasn’t about him or his needs, it was about Natalie. “Let me help,” he said through clenched teeth.
Natalie frowned. “I’m sure I can hobble down the hallway. My ankle is one thing, but we can’t have you throwing your back out. I know I’m a lot heavier than I used to be.”
Anthony wasn’t about to step on that emotional land mine. “Hardly.”
Natalie scoffed. “Hello? I’ve had two children and I’m working fulltime. There’s definitely some added padding.” With a quick pat to her stomach, Natalie gestured to her added pounds.
Anthony reached down and tucked Natalie against him before he lifted her up. He was careful not to bump her foot, and he took the opportunity to catch a whiff of her lemony shampoo. Natalie smelled like warm Italian summers on the coast. He could get lost in her scent.
“I don’t think you have padding. Frankly, I think you look stunning.” Natalie blinked like she didn’t believe him. Moving one of his hands lower on her frame, he gently squeezed her behind and laughed when she yelped. “If this is the padding you speak of, I’d say you could gain a little more.”
“I don’t know if I should be flattered or insulted.”
“It’s meant as the highest compliment, I assure you.”
Natalie didn’t say anything, and Anthony understood why. How could she know she’s attractive and desirable if he hadn’t touched her in months? How could she understand that she wasn’t the problem,hewas?
In Anthony’s attempts to shield Natalie from his stress, he realized he shielded her from him. It wasn’t right, and it couldn’t stand.
Walking into the bedroom, Anthony gingerly placed Natalie on the bed and knelt before her. In a swift pull, he slid the sock off her uninjured foot. “I can do it,” she said, leaning forward to help. But Anthony wasn’t having it. He wanted to be there for Natalie, even if right now that meant helping her get ready for bed.
“I’ve got it.” His voice was low, and it rumbled through the dark room. Anthony took his time peeling off the second sock before massaging her feet, careful to avoid the bandages on her injured ankle.
When he feared he’d overstepped, Natalie let her head fall back and moaned in pleasure as he rubbed the balls of her feet. “That feels amazing.”
Anthony wasn’t about to disagree. He continued to rub her feet and moved up to her calves and thighs. When he reached the edge of her dress, his hands faltered. While incredibly eager to continue the path his hands had started, he didn’t want to push things. Actions mattered, but so did words, and Anthony had a lot to say. Now didn’t feel like the time.
Instead, he cleared his throat and got back on his feet. “I’ll get your pajamas,” he said as he walked over to her suitcase. Behind him he heard the rustling of fabric and turned to find Natalie wearing just her bra and panties, her dress forgotten and pooled at the foot of the bed. Anthony dropped her pajamas and nearly ran to her. Taking measured steps as if approaching a wild animal, Anthony sat down on the bed. Leaning in, he kissed her cheek and trailed his lips to the corner of her mouth. “Is this okay?” he asked, taking his time to savor. She tasted like wine: all cloves and spicy cherries.
Natalie’s voice came out as a choked whisper. “Yes.”
Trailing his lips down to her neck, he nibbled gently at the skin under her ear. “Is this okay?” He would ask before every touch if it ensured Natalie was comfortable. Frankly, he needed the break in action to control himself. A garbled sound escaped Natalie’s mouth as she melted into his caresses. “And this?” he asked as his fingers trailed between her breasts.
Wiggling closer still, Natalie merely nodded as he continued his exploration. Just as he reached lowered and cupped one of her breasts, Natalie surprised him by saying, “Anthony, I want you.” Reaching up she took his face in her hands and stared right into his eyes. Hers were bright, even in the dim lighting of the bedroom. “I wantthis.”
Perhaps their conversations could wait a little while longer, because Anthony wasn’t about to pass up his chance. “I want this too,” he breathed as he closed the remaining distance and prepared to make love to his wife. Life was good.
