around it, stroking it. She clung to his broad shoulders and closed her eyes, moaning with pleasure. She ran her hands over him, needing to caress and stir him to frenzied heights the way he was doing to her so easily.
Jake picked her up and placed her on the chaise, sitting beside her and showering kisses over her breasts as his hands roamed freely over her.
Gasping and writhing with pleasure, she trailed her hands down over his chest, tangling in damp chest hair, then sliding to a washboard stomach. She heard him inhale deeply as he kissed her throat, trailing lower to kiss her breast. He teased her, nibbling and licking and then showering kisses across her stomach while his hand stroked the inside of her thighs.
With a cry of need, she turned him to rub her breasts against his back, wanting his hard, lean body against her. Tonight, passion carried more emotion than any time they had ever made love. Hope for their future and a knowledge that he wanted her both fueled her need for him. She ran her hand over his flat stomach to his thick hard erection and wrapped her hand around it.
He inhaled sharply and turned to kiss her hungrily. Then she was on her back again. Jake’s mouth and hands explored every inch of her until he buried his head between her thighs and teased with his tongue, a torment that fanned blazes.
She tangled her hands in his hair, spreading her legs and arching against him. Emily cried out with pleasure, wanting him inside her, wanting him more than ever before.
Tension built like a spring coiling tighter and tighter, sweeping her into a whirlwind. “Jake!” she cried out, raising her head to bite his shoulder. She dug her nails into his back, then scrambled around to take his thick rod in her mouth, running her tongue over the velvet tip.
Now his hands were tight fists in her hair while he licked her. His tongue toyed with her even as she teased him. With a groan, he flipped them so that she was on her back with Jake’s weight on her. He kissed her hard, pinning her to the chaise while she writhed beneath him.
He knelt and spread her legs, watching her, leaning down to enter her slowly. He filled her and paused, driving her wild with need, and then withdrew. She screamed his name and tugged at him, wrapping her long legs around his waist and pulling at his bottom as she arched up to meet him.
He thrust hard and fast. Her world spun, blurred. Sensations melted into one driving force, all consuming as she rose toward the brink. The tension became unbearably exquisite.
His control vanished and he plunged fast, sending her over the edge. Ecstasy burst in bright lights behind her closed eyelids and her pulse drummed in her ears. Dimly she felt him shudder as he pumped his release in her. She clung tightly to his virile body, rocking with him.
Their ragged breathing became quiet. Sated, they held each other tightly. She hoped a baby would come from their lovemaking. Emily rubbed her temple against his warm shoulder. Tonight she had hope and, for the first time, a sense that Jake wanted her. She marveled at these new discoveries, relishing them like newfound treasure. Their marriage might indeed blossom into love.
When he turned them on their sides, she was still enveloped in his embrace. He stroked her back and brushed tendrils of hair from her face. “You’re fantastic, Em.”
“You stole my line. What a lover you are, Jake. And tonight was so very special. I can’t tell you how happy you’ve made me and how much hope for our future I have now.”
He held her close, his voice a deep rumble. “Good. That makes me happy, too. This is what we needed, Em. A clearer understanding. I want you as my wife. You’re important to me.”
“Jake.” She sighed with pleasure and turned her head to kiss him. A long scalding kiss that made him groan.
She lay her head against his chest. “Jake, this is the best night of our marriage.”
“I quite agree,” he said. “You have a fantastic body. You keep it hidden beneath those clothes you wear.”
“I’m sure you would’ve enjoyed having a secretary who wore skintight revealing clothes.”
“Yes, I might have. Particularly if she was as efficient and competent as you.”
“Thank you,” she said, pleased by the compliment.
“See, I told you that love will bloom,” he said with satisfaction. “I think it’s pretty damn good between us right now,” he added, smiling at her.
“Tonight has been special. I’ll remember it all my life. And I hope you’re right about love for both of us.” She stroked his chest. “Have you ever really been in love?”
“No,” he said, his smoky eyes hiding his true thoughts. “Not really. I’ve had relationships and some were longer than others and better than others, but I’ve never been deeply in love. I’ve never felt fireworks, never wanted any woman with me for the rest of my life.”
For just a moment she was quiet as she thought about that description and wished that someday she would fill it.
“You’re marvelous, Em, and our marriage is good—we’ll come to love each other.”
“You think that because you always expect to get what you want,” she reminded him as she traced his jaw with her fingers, feeling the tiny stubble of a beard. Her hand slipped lower, along the strong column of his neck and across one broad shoulder. “Fireworks don’t come with familiarity, Jake. Fireworks and a racing heart come from love at first sight. Never with convenience.”
“Perhaps. I keep asking you to have patience and faith.”
“You’ve been unbelievably generous,” she said, still amazed by his offer. “I’m surprised you don’t take a more active role in helping people. Someone helped you.”
“I will someday,” he answered casually. “I give to charities.”
“You give money, not time. And never yourself. I’m just surprised that you don’t want to get more involved.”
“I’m too busy right now. I guess I really never think about it.”
“I’ll let you know how every dime of your gift is spent and you’ll see what good you did.”
“Forget that,” he answered with amusement in his voice. “I don’t need to know about all the projects. I have a more urgent project right now.” He pulled her up and leaned closer to kiss her ear while he caressed her nape.
She raised slightly to gaze down at him. “You have an insatiable appetite for sex.”
“You bring it out in me,” he teased, and she realized this was turning out to be one of the good moments between them. Or had she just finally relaxed and accepted that he did want this marriage, that he still wanted her as his wife?
At the moment she didn’t care. Running her fingers lightly over his bare chest, she brushed his lips with a feathery kiss and then rained kisses on his neck.
“Ahh, baby,” he said, “that feels good,” he continued in a husky voice.
Her hand played over him, drifting lower over his muscled stomach, touching him. He was hard and ready again.
“Jake, you’re decadent,”
