Page 88 of A Kiss at Midnight

“You know women, Blake. They have to be perfect before we’re allowed to see them,” Tyler says.

Byron downs his shot. “Or they like to play games and see how antsy they can make us,” Byron adds as he sends a glare toward McKenzie, who’s dancing with Justin. What in the hell is going on with this? For a man who hates women as much as he does, he sure seems interested in McKenzie all of a sudden. I wouldn’t bet on my brother when it comes to this intelligent woman I’ve worked with for a long time. She has more bite than he can handle. It will be amusing if he pursues her, though.

“You seem to be staring at Ms. Beaumont quite a bit,” Tyler says, and he punches Byron in the arm.

“What in the hell are you talking about?” Byron snaps.

“I just call it as I see it,” Tyler says with a wink and a shrug.

“I was preoccupied today, to say the least, and evenInoticed your obsession with the woman,” I say with the first smile I’ve displayed since Jewel left the room.

“You can both go to hell. I think I’m going to have a talk with Ms. Beaumont,” Byron says, and he storms off.

Tyler watches McKenzie tense when Byron walks up to her. “Should we protect her?”

“Hell, I think we should protect Byron,” I reply. “McKenzie’s one tough woman.”

“You may be right,” Tyler says with a chuckle as we watch McKenzie shove Byron away and storm off. “Quite impressive she can stomp off with such elegance,andwhile wearing those stilt-like heels.”

The temporary distraction helps, but as soon as the conversation dies down, I’m once again eager and anxious to see my new bride. She looked beyond beautiful in her wedding gown, and as she’d glided toward me earlier, it had taken all of my finely-honed willpower to remain standing. I was sorely tempted to rush to her side and sweep her into my arms, and my heart hasn’t slowed its beat since.

She’s mine, more than I’m admitting. She means more to me than I’ll tell anyone. I vowed for so long to not fall for a woman that I’m not dealing with this well... not at all. I’m starting to accept my feelings though, accepting this isn’t temporary. She’s not like my mother. The sooner I come to terms with that, the better off we’ll be.

“I’m done here,” I say.

Tyler blinks in confusion. “Huh, what?”

“I want to be with my bride.”

And that’s the end of our conversation. I walk away from Tyler, knowing my brother. Justin’s going to stay at McKenzie’s house for the night, and everything else is taken care of. Jewel and I will have the entire night to ourselves without the world interrupting. We need this... Ineedthis.

Something about this woman makes me feel like a caged animal who’s finally set free. I spent the better part of my life as a shell of a man, not feeling the colors of life, instead living in black and white. Jewel makes me feel and do things I’ve never wanted to feel or do before. She makes me see all of the colors. And I sort of like being out of control, sometimes powerless because of her.

I bound up the stairs three at a time, but pause at our bedroom door and take a deep breath. I don’t want to frighten her with my impatience. This night is ours together — for once it isn’t all about me.

When I push the door open, my heart nearly stops when I see Jewel lying on our bed in a silk nightgown. The sound of the door makes her jump, then our eyes meet, and my heart hammers out of control again.

“I was wondering when you’d get here,” she says, looking... hell, looking almost shy.

“You take my breath away, Jewel.” I stride to the bed and drop to my knees, my desire to worship her overpowering.

She sits up with her legs dangling off the bed, reaches for me, and her fingers sift through my hair. “I was going to say the same about you,” she softly replies. Something’s different in her eyes as if maybe, just maybe, this marriage means something more to her as well.

I can’t move for a few seconds. The urge to rip her nightie from her body and plunge inside her is so potent I’m afraid I might turn into a complete animal if I don’t get myself under control.

We’ve made love frantically many times over. Tonight’s about a perfect union, binding us together, joining us in a way that will ensure we never part again. I don’t want to ruin this moment for either of us.

Instead of shedding our clothes, I tug on her legs to bring her to the edge of the bed and rest my head on her bare thigh, inhaling her perfume as I gently caress her. I savor this moment, and then turn my head and swirl my tongue across her smooth, sweet skin.

A shudder passes through her, and I continue chanting to myself:go slow;remain calm. It isn’t an easy task when such a delectable treat is right in front of me. “Jewel, you make me come unglued,” I whisper before standing up and backing away.

Jewel whimpers when I break contact, and the sound goes straight to my gut. I gently push her up the bed and crawl over her, poised above as she lies beneath me, her chest heaving, her eyes burning.

I tenderly take her lips, caressing them, tasting them, glorying in their softness. “So beautiful,” I murmur as I trail my lips down her throat, grasp the strap on her nightgown with my teeth, and pull it down her arm.

Once the gown is removed, leaving her bare before me, I behold her body. “No matter how many times I see you like this, I’m still awed.”

She reaches for me, a moan escaping her beautiful lips as she pulls me back, cradling my clothed body with her naked one. Time disappears as I roll with her on the bed, kissing her, touching her, worshipping her.

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