Page 89 of Everything But the Earl
Grace stopped him by putting a hand on his chest. “Owen. Would you lie down with me here?”
“Do you mean—?”
“Yes.” She took both of his hands in hers. “I suppose I don’t actually know where our son was conceived, but I’d like to think it was here, on that old lumpy mattress. I think this little cottage by the sea has some magic.”
Owen leaned down and kissed her. “I don’t want to hurt you,” he said.
“I don’t believe you will, but I will stop you if it becomes an issue.”
Owen took in her face and how earnest she looked. She was asking them to come back together as a married couple, and he wanted to. She looked wonderful today, her blond hair pinned up, her simple dress doing nothing to diminish her beauty.
He kissed her. Warmth spread through his body. He’d been waiting for weeks to do this, months really, when all those nights lying next to her had not been enough. His hunger came alive as he kissed her, and her hands on his shoulders, on his back, told him she was just as eager.
He took her face in his hands and looked into her eyes. He cherished this woman. He longed for this woman. He thought about her constantly. And she washis. “I love you,” he said. “I don’t believe I’ve ever said that to you before, but it’s true.”
She smiled. Something in her seemed to melt a little bit. “Oh. Owen. I love you, too. Please come to bed with me.”
She pulled him over, leaving no question about what she wanted. She wasn’t wearing much under her dress—a shift, but no stays—and he’d dressed simply that day, too, in just trousers, a shirt, and a jacket, so they were able to make quick work of their clothes. It was the firsttime he’d seen her body since returning home. It had changed, undoubtedly. But he loved that, too, because she’d had his child.
“I was nervous about this,” she said, gesturing toward her belly. “I feared you’d find me ugly.”
“I could never. You are the most beautiful woman I have ever laid eyes on.” He splayed his hand over her belly. “Your body has changed, but that makes you more beautiful to me.”
Grace kissed him. She pulled away slightly. “You look entirely the same,” she said with a laugh.
“Yes, well, women have the harder time of it, I suppose.”
He moved his hand up to cup her breast. He loved the feel of it against his palm. Her breath hitched as he touched her, as he got his hands on her the way he’d wanted to for months. They kissed, and she moaned against his lips.
She ran her hands through his hair. Lord, he’d missed this. Just the simple act of being with someone, but with this woman specifically, the one who had his whole heart and who he would never leave behind again.
And when at last he slid inside her, it was like coming home.
They made love and he met her gaze, their eyes and hearts connecting as they moved together, and Owen knew he’d remember this moment for years to come. He treasured it and treasured her and realized he’d completely forgiven her.
They’d both made mistakes. Now they’d get it right.
He felt her quake around him, and she shook and clutched at his shoulders. He rode through it until his own climax was nearly upon him. It was a close thing, but he had enough presence of mind to pull out. No new babies, at least not yet.
But who knew what the future would bring?
As he lay down beside her and pulled her into his arm, he thought to himself that he wanted a future, and that he wanted some it to be mysterious, but he wanted to experience all of it with Grace.
“Did you coax me out here today just for this?” he asked her softly, stroking the soft skin of her back.
“No, but it was a pleasant diversion.”
He chuckled. “A pleasant diversion? Is that all?”
She slapped his shoulder playfully. “It was very good and you know it. Don’t look so smug.” She lifted her head and smiled down at him. “Do you really love me?”
“I really do. And when I get called back to London, as I inevitably will one of these days, I want you and Dafydd to come with me. We will be back, of course, as I would not want to separate you from your art. Or, hell, we can buy a potter’s wheel for my house in London. You can spend all of my money on it if you want to. I don’t care, as long as you are with me.”
She leaned down and kissed him. “I agree. Let us not separate unless necessary ever again.”
“You have a deal.”
Her stomach grumbled and she groaned. “We should probably get back so that we can eat dinner. And I want to check on Dafydd. This is the longest I’ve been apart from him since he was born.”
