2

“I hope you weren’t hurt during the blast.”

“A little scorched. I’m sure you can put out the fire.” She kissed me, her lips devouring mine, hungry and urgent. I gripped her hip and wound my other hand into her hair, kissing her back. The taste of my wife, the feel of her skin on mine, was like nothing else. I loved these moments with her—when it was simply us. Together.

I eased back, gazing up at her. Her quiet beauty overwhelmed me at times. I stroked her soft skin, spreading my hands over her stomach.

She bit her lip, for the first time not meeting my eyes as I ran small circles over the gentle curves of her. She stilled my actions, her fingers restless on top of mine.

“Hey,” I called quietly. “Katy, baby, come back to me.”

She lifted her eyes, and I shook my head, knowing exactly what she was thinking. I traced the light lines that bothered her so much along her hips and stomach. It wasn’t very often she was insecure with me anymore, and this was something I needed to address, once and for all.

“These don’t bother me, Katy, and they shouldn’t bother you. They don’t make you less beautiful—only more so to me. They’re part of you. Part of us. You have them because for nine months you cradled, nurtured, and carried our children—my children—inside you. These little lines are proof of the strength you have. Tiny reminders of the wonder that your body is to me.” I raised myself up and kissed her, pouring all the love I felt into the kiss. “Of the wonder you are to me.”

“How do you always know the right thing to say?”

“It’s not the right thing, Katy. It’s the truth.”

“I love you,” she whispered.

“Good.” I winked at her. “Because I’m about to fuck you, and I need you to be with me on that.”

She grinned, her dark moment passing. She pushed me back to the mattress. “Oh, I’m with you, VanRyan.”

She shifted, lifting her hips, and my cock slid along her folds, the heat and wet making me hiss. She sat up and engulfed me fully.

I slammed my head back into the pillow. “Fuck!”

“Yes,” she moaned and began to move. “Yes. Fuck me, Richard.”

I matched her rhythm, thrusting up into her. “Katy, baby, you’re wild tonight.”

“I’ve been thinking about you all day.” She rolled her hips, leaning back and taking me deeper. “Thinking of you inside me. Oh God, Richard…”

I flipped her over, staying inside, and drove into her mindlessly. She whimpered and cried out, her blunt nails digging into my shoulder. I covered her mouth with mine, needing her taste and her silence. I didn’t want Gracie wandering in right now. I would scar my daughter for life, because there was no way I could stop fucking my wife.

Katy stilled, screaming her release into my mouth. I rode it out, my orgasm crashing in around me, tightening my balls, sending shards of pleasure down my spine. I thrust one last time, groaning her name as I came, hard and shaking.

Then I collapsed on her.

She wrapped her arms around me, her touch a gentle balm to my soul.

“I love you, Katy.”

I felt her smile against my skin. “I know.”

I chuckled, pulling myself away. I tucked her into my side, tugging the blankets over us.

“Everything okay while I was gone?”

“Yes. Jenna and Laura came for a visit and checked on us. Graham called to make sure we were okay. How was the trip?”

“Good. It went well.”

“The BAM boys behaving themselves?”

“For now. Becca sends her love. There are some gifts in the suitcase for the girls.”

“Oh, lovely. I miss her. Is she okay?”

“Seems to be.”

“Is Reid treating her well?”

I snorted. “The boy is head over heels for her. He’d give her the world if he could, so yeah, she’s fine.”

“I need to call her and check up on her. Make sure she’s all right. I know she’s still settling. She sounded stressed last time I spoke to her.”

“She’s gonna come home for a visit soon. I’m sure she was busy the day you spoke. If she needs to talk before, she’ll reach out.”

“Nope. I’m going to call her. She might be worried about bothering me. You know what she’s like. I want her to be okay.”

I sighed, knowing there was no point in arguing with her—it was a lesson I had learned in our time together. Katy was stubborn—a fact I adored about her. She loved my old assistant Becca and missed her greatly. Another fact I adored about my wife—the way she cared for people.

I remembered what I had seen when I’d pulled up to the house.

“Hey, what are all those bloody political signs on the lawn for?”

“Oh. Well, the candidates asked, and I didn’t want to say no to anyone, so I let them all put up a sign.”

“I hate those things.”

“So, take them down.”

“I did. I tossed them in the garage.”

She laughed. “They’ll probably put up new ones.”

I groaned. “Damn it. How can I stop it? Cover the grass with poison ivy? Fence it off and station a guard dog inside?”

“A little drastic, don’t you think?”

“You have a better suggestion?”

“Maybe you should put up your own sign.”

I was confused. “I’m not running for anything, Katy. I don’t have a damn sign.”