by Layla Hagen
“You’re crazy,” she said.
“I know.”
After peeling the nightgown off her, I kissed her, pushing her against the tiles, only stopping long enough to get rid of my workout gear.
The water warmed our skin, but covered her scent, her taste. I pulled back, pouring shower gel in my palms.
“What are you doing?” she asked, pouting.
“Cleaning up for my wife.”
She grinned, leaning against the tiles. “Now that’s what I call a show.”
She watched me intently while I soaped up. If I hadn’t already been hard, this would have sealed the deal. I’d intended to take her to the bedroom, but I was too hungry for her. The second I turned off the water, I captured her mouth, kissing her until she arched her hips, trapping my cock between us.
“Fuuuuck.” I groaned, pulling back a little, lowering a hand between us, sliding a finger in very slowly. She was so damn wet. I kissed her hard, showing her with my tongue and finger the way I planned to fuck her.
Hard, relentless. I wanted to give her everything I had.
“I’ll make you come so hard tonight, Josie. With my fingers, my mouth. When I’m inside you.”
“Hunter.” The last syllable came out in a shaky tone.
When she gripped my shoulders, gyrating her hips against my hand, coming apart, I nearly lost it. I touched her until she rode out the orgasm, then pulled back, barely suppressing a smile when she gasped in protest.
I led us out of the shower, toweling her off first, then myself.
I wanted to prolong tonight as much as possible, to worship this woman the entire night. My entire life.
She climbed on the bed, lying back propped on her elbows, opening her thighs, tempting me. I kissed from her knees up her inner thighs before pushing her on her back completely, moving my mouth on her stomach, watching her, not wanting to break the eye contact, to miss any change in her expression.
I moved my mouth back down, positioning myself between her legs, nipping at her clit before giving her my tongue.
Josie cried out, pushing her hips up against my mouth. I was so hard that it was almost painful. I touched myself, squeezing tight, moving my hand up and down. And Josie was watching me.
“Fuck me. Please, Hunter. Please.”
Pulling back, I grinned at her, moving upward, trailing kisses on her stomach, between her breasts, until we were face to face. I kissed her hard, gripping the base of my cock, teasing her clit with the tip, watching her come apart with every touch until her legs shook.
Then I drove inside her and nearly came just from feeling how tight and wet she was. I propped myself on my elbows, watching her, wanting to be connected to Josie in every way possible.
I skimmed my hand up and down the side of her body, feeling her soft skin, teasing her breasts with my thumb, pushing my pelvis against her clit with every thrust until my muscles protested. When she tightened around me even more, I couldn’t hold back any longer.
I buried my head in the pillow, cupping her ass with both hands, lifting her up, driving hard inside her, then even harder, until we both went over the edge.
I was so in love with my wife I couldn’t even see straight.
Chapter Twenty-Six
Josie
“Now that is how every week should end,” I exclaimed, spinning around in my chair. Not that my week was over yet. I still had to send out two emails, and I wanted to read a contract for Monday, to get ahead of the week. I was only taking a short break to call my sister.
“Mine’s been good too. I’m looking forward to a weekend all by myself. I’m treating myself to a spa visit.”
“I like the sound of it.”
“Just me and a good book. What about you?”
“Ah, me and my charming husband. Might sneak in some reading.”
“If he can keep his hands off you long enough?”
“Something like that.”
“Damn, sister. I’m jealous.”
“Catch up again tomorrow? I still need to finalize a few things.”
“Sure.”
I’d planned my next hour to the last minute. What I didn’t plan for? My husband showing up in my doorway twenty minutes later.
“Hunter, what are you doing here?”
“You’ve overworked yourself the entire week. I’m not letting you do that today.”
“You’re not letting me?”
“No.”
“Think I need your permission?”
“Yes, you do, on our anniversary day. I’m taking my wife out to celebrate, and I won’t accept anything other than yes, right away as an answer.”
He was right, it was our two-month wedding anniversary.
My stomach did a somersault, especially when Hunter walked over to me, leaned over the desk, and gave me a kiss. My body hummed when Hunter pulled back, looking at me with warm eyes.
“Ready?”
I pushed him away playfully. “No, I’m not. You just burst into my office. I still had two emails....”
My voice faded at the glint in his eyes.
“Josie, you’ve been coming home late all week. I’ve missed you. No way am I letting you overwork yourself on Friday too.”
I melted. No one had come to whisk me away from my office before. I mean, I would have probably tossed something at them if they’d tried... but now... all I wanted was to let him whisk me away.
I bit my lip. “One email?”
“I swear I’m going to take you in my arms and carry you out for the entire office to see.”
“You’re extra broody today.”
“Thought you’d need the incentive.”
“When is the reservation?”
“An hour.”
“But that gives me no time to go home and get my ass out of this suit.”
“Josie, if you get your ass out, we’re gonna starve.”
“I meant to change, you perv.”
“And I just gave you an insight into what I plan to do. What can I say? I’m weak for you.”
I closed my laptop and smoothed my hands down my skirt. “Okay. Where are we going?”
“The Lightning.”
“Oooh... my favorite. Wait, are you trying to bribe me into something again?”
“No, I’m not.”
He didn’t meet my eye as he said it. What was he up to?
***
Hunter
I’d lied. Sort of. Bribing wasn’t what I had in mind, but it hadn’t been a coincidence that I’d booked a table at her favorite restaurant.
The second we were out of the building, her body language relaxed.
“You’re always so tense when you’re inside.”
“This building just has bad vibes. Everyone inside is so permanently stressed out.”
“You could work from home more often,” I suggested.
“Nah, I need people around me.”
“I could work from home on the same days. Keep you company. Clothing optional.”
She giggled. “Surefire way to make sure I get nothing done.”
“You’re saying I’m irresistible?”
“You know you are.”
I was counting on it. We ordered duck breast and red wine. She sipped from her glass, relaxing in the chair.
It was so easy to make her happy. I wanted to keep her smiling like this. I wanted to be the only one with the right to put that smile there.
“Two months?” she said happily. “Can’t believe this. Mom always told me that it took her three weeks of dating Dad to realize he had all the qualities of her ideal man.”
“Three weeks, that fast? What qualities should your ideal man have?”
“No clue. Haven’t thought about it like that. It’s a bit unfair to hold anyone to those expectations.”
“Humor me.”
“Okay. Let me think.” She tapped her finger on her chin, then held it up. “Needs to be a family man. Should be kind and have a sense of humor. Should like kids. Better, a
ctually—should want kids. Artistic ability is a plus, because I have none whatsoever. Being a good dancer would be another plus.”
“I’d say I check a few of those criteria.”
“You do make me laugh. You give excellent foot rubs. And you bring me hot chocolate when I’m in the reading nook.”
“Sounds like I’m a catch.” I wasn’t the same man from a few months ago. Sharing my home and life with Josie had changed me in fundamental ways—how I saw life, what I wanted out of it. Now I looked forward to building a life with her, having kids.
“I can confirm that.” She looked at me funny. “You’re acting a little strange tonight.”
Fucking hell, I was. My palms were sweaty. I had to know if she could imagine sharing her life with me after this ended, or if all she wanted was to stay friends.
And now I was a coward. Why couldn’t I just bring myself to outright ask her? What if she said no? There’d be this barrier between us for the rest of the arrangement. Maybe she’d even want us to go back to being friends right away, so things wouldn’t get even more muddled.
I couldn’t even stand the thought of that. I kept touching my chest pocket. Right. Better to take the present out right now. I’d planned to wait until dessert, but at the rate I was going, I was clearly just going to give myself away.
“I got you something.”
“Ooooh... show me.”
I smiled, fueled by her enthusiasm, and reached for the small jewelry box. She covered her mouth when I brought it out.
“Hunter....”
I opened the lid, and she sighed. It was a tennis bracelet with twelve gemstones.
“I saw this when we went shopping the other day.”
I noticed her looking at this very item in the display.
“I know. Asked the vendor to save it for you.”
“Hunter... I love it.”
“Then let me put it on you.”
She sighed again when I closed the clasp, admiring it. In a low whisper, she said, “You didn’t have to spend so much for a fake anniversary.”
And that twisted a knife right in my gut. If this still felt fake to her... I realized on the spot that I couldn’t go on through the next years falling harder for this woman without knowing if there was a chance this felt as real to her as it did to me.
“This isn’t fake, baby. Not for me. Things changed during our honeymoon. Even before that. You’re the one for me, Josie. I love you, and I want to keep loving you for the rest of our lives.”
Josie straightened her back, but kept her head bent, still looking at that bracelet. It felt as if a million years passed before she looked up.
“Hunter... what are you saying? That you want us to stay married after the three years pass?”
“We don’t have to stay married. We can just... take it slow. But I can’t imagine letting you go.”
“You’re already thinking about divorcing me? Well, I won’t let you.”
My entire body felt lighter as the meaning of her words registered.
“You mean that, Josie?”
She nodded, breathing rapidly. I touched her hand over the table. She was shaking slightly. I pulled my chair closer to the table, cradling her legs with mine.
“Baby, let’s get out of here. I want you all to myself.” We weren’t even halfway through dinner, but I just couldn’t wait to be alone with her.
She nodded. I headed straight to the waiter to pay. I didn’t even have the patience to wait for him to stop by our table.
The restaurant was only minutes away from home. I wasn’t even sure how or when we got there.
I only trusted myself to touch Josie once we were inside. She was still shaking slightly.
“Josie, is everything okay?”
“Yes.”
I touched her face with both hands, looking straight at her. “You’re shaking.”
“It’s just... What if it doesn’t work out? What if we just mess things up?” Her voice had dropped to a whisper. “I love you.” She pressed her lips together, then hid her face in my chest. “Did I just scare you away with my crazy talk? Lie quickly if I did.”
“No. I love you, Josie. So much.” She pulled back, enough that I could look straight at her. “And I’ll show you, every way I can. I won’t pretend that I know how to do this but trust me to figure this out next to you.”
She smiled, playing with the collar of my shirt, pulling me closer. “I do.”
Chapter Twenty-Seven
Josie
When I woke up the next morning, Hunter wasn’t in bed. Where was he? His side of the mattress was cold, but I felt like being lazy for a few more minutes.
And speaking of last night... had it been real?
I hid my face in the pillow, grinning against the fabric. Yes, it had.
Hunter loved me.
I wanted to scream it at the top of my lungs, while also fearing that if I talked about it—or hell, even thought about it, I would lose it, somehow. Like I couldn’t possibly be so lucky.
I’d arrived in New York with big dreams—had imagined my life before it had started, but the reality had been different. Difficult. Becoming a lawyer had taken every ounce of will and energy. Dating turned out to be more like an exercise in lowering my hopes and expectations, nothing like the romantic, laid-back dates of my high school days.
But now... holy hell. I had to tamp down my enthusiasm, and this bubbly feeling that my heart was so full, it couldn’t fit into my chest. While showering, I pondered how I was going to spoil my man today. I could cook his favorite breakfast. Yeah, I could do that... and as a bonus, I could cook naked. I was sure he’d appreciate it, but I wasn’t so sure if I’d get to finish said breakfast... He was known to jump my bones when I wore no clothes. It was like tickling a bear, but I couldn’t help myself.
Still, I put on a robe. I’d drop it later, when I found an appropriate moment... for dramatic effect.
Hunter was walking around the living room, holding up his iPhone. I didn’t like the frown on his face at all.
“What are you doing?” I asked.
He smiled, but it lacked the usual spark. “Taking some photos.”
“I can see that, but why?”
“Just got a call from the case worker. Wants me to send her pictures of the house in the next ten minutes.”
The bubbly feeling in my chest vanished instantly.
“Oh God. Okay. Umm... let me just gather some of the clothes lying around, and my makeup... or, I don’t know. What should I do?”
“Nothing, I think. It’s best if I just send her real snapshots.”
“Why the ten-minute timeframe?”
“I suppose it’s so I don’t have time to fake anything.”
“Okay.”
I walked slightly behind him, watching his phone. Our privacy was being invaded. Unfortunately, I knew for a fact that it was legal. I hated it.
And when Hunter said she also requested a picture of me, I felt dirty. After he emailed the case worker, I tried to pretend that this episode hadn’t happened at all, and went straight to the kitchen, getting out some eggs and mushrooms.
I tried to remember if this request came at a certain step in the application, tried to guesstimate how long it was until they’d decline or approve his request for a green card.
Hunter stood next to me, cutting oranges.
“Josie, what’s wrong?”
I sighed. Of course he’d pick up on it.
“Nothing’s wrong. I... just... when you get your green card... will it change things between us?”
I felt his hand slide to my waist, and then he turned me around, practically pinning me against the counter with his hips.
“Nothing will change the fact that I’m head over heels in love with my wife. Look at me.”
I brought my gaze up to his. “Okay.”
“That’s settled.”
He moved his hands to my shoulders, pressing his thumbs in the sore spots just above my shoulder blades.
“You’re so good at this,” I whispered.
“You’re tense.”
“It’s just... I wish this would be over already.”
“I know, babe.”
I turned around, continuing to chop mushrooms.
“Let me cook you breakfast,” he said.
“Nope. I want to spoil you.”
He pinched my butt, nearly making me jump.
“Hunter! Keep your hands where they were before. I didn’t say you could stop.”
“Your wish is my command.”
“That’s not your usual MO.”
“You’re lucky you’re so sexy this morning.”
“I knew it. You only indulge me when I’m wearing short things.”
“You’ve got me all figured out, wife.”
The silly grin from earlier returned. Unexpectedly, he turned me around again before lifting me up on the counter.
“I think you need something more... substantial than a neck massage to relax.”
“Another vacation?”
He laughed. “Not what I had in mind, but that works too. I’m really a bad influence.”
“And you’re good at organizing vacations.”
“Whatever my lovely wife requests.”
“You’re being sweet. All prior evidence shows you do this when you want to bribe me into something or butter me up.”
“Not at all.”
“Hunter... is there something you want to tell me?”
“Is it too early to talk about kids?”
“Ours?”
“No, the neighbors’. Of course, ours.”
“What about them?”
“I know that you want two.”
Wow. How did he remember? And now that he’d planted the idea in my mind, my imagination ran away with it. All those muscles, the crystal blue eyes. He had some excellent genes to pass on.
I loved kids. Since I’d been a little girl, I’d wanted little girls of my own—braiding their hair, tucking them in at night. But for the first time, this felt more than just a dream. It felt real.
I laced my arms around his neck, shifting closer to the edge of the counter. Closer to him.
“You never said you wanted kids before.”