“What’s going on with you?” she asked again, her hands moving to her hips. “Why do I get the feeling you’re up to something?”
Darwin laughed. “Oh, baby, baby. I’m definitely up!”
“What are you talking about?” Bridget asked curiously. “You’re not making any sense.”
“Come here,” Darwin said, beckoning with his index finger.
She moved to his side. “Do you need help?”
He nodded, reaching for her hand. “I need you,” he said suggestively, his voice deepening an octave as he pressed her palm to the front of his slacks. He stared into her eyes, his face shimmering with excitement.
Bridget’s eyes widened as her fingers wrapped around pulsating steel. “Does this mean…” She stared, suddenly giggling with him.
“I think my problem done fixed itself,” Darwin said, moving closer against her. He closed his eyes, his head falling back against his shoulders as Bridget stroked the length of a very heavy erection.
“Oh, yes,” he moaned, pleasure searing through his nerve endings. “I am definitely fixed.”
Bridget wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him hungrily, her tongue snaking its way past the line of his teeth to dance against his. Darwin felt himself harden even more, every muscle quivering with anticipation. He pulled his mouth from hers.
“I need a hand out of these clothes,” he whispered huskily, pulling at his belt buckle.
“But what about your bandages,” Bridget said hesitantly, a wave of concern crossing her face. “Maybe we should wait until after you go back to see the doctor.”
Darwin pressed his pelvis back against her. “Woman, if you don’t make love to me right this minute, I will probably pass out from cardiac arrest. Don’t you make me call my mother up here, ’cause I will tell on you. What kind of wife will leave a man hanging on his wedding night?”
Bridget laughed. “Somehow, I don’t think your mother would be too unhappy with me. You are supposed to be resting, or did you forget?”
Darwin laughed with her. He dropped his belt to the floor, pulling at his zipper. “Bridget, don’t tease me. I want you so badly I’m about to explode right here. Baby, I’m hurting!”
Bridget grinned, reaching for the buttons on his dress shirt. “Well, I guess we’re going to have to do something about your pain then,” she said coyly. She planted a damp kiss against his neck, drawing a slow trail up to his earlobes, across his cheeks and back to his mouth.
Darwin moaned again, wanting blowing past his parted lips.
“Does it hurt?” Bridget whispered.
He nodded. “Oh, yes! Make it feel better,” he said, his eyes still closed as he moved against the edge of the bed to sit down.
Bridget cupped his cheeks between her palms and kissed his mouth again. “Does that feel better?” she asked.
“It still hurts,” Darwin muttered as he lay back against the mattress.
She kissed and licked one nipple and then the other. “How about now?”
He shook his head. “Still hurts.”
Bridget dipped her tongue into the crevice of his belly button. Darwin inhaled swiftly.
“Oh, oh, oh! That’s good medicine,” he whispered back.
Bridget giggled as she pulled away from him.
Darwin opened his eyes, staring up at her. “Don’t stop,” he said, his eyes pleading. “Why are you stopping?”
Bridget laughed, waving her head from side to side. “Too much medicine is not good for you either, Darwin.”
He sat up on his good elbow, his mouth hanging open. Bridget’s face was buoyant, laughter spilling past her eyes. She reached for the waistband of his slacks, mischief shining in her expression.
“Lay back,” she commanded, easing him back to the bed. Slowly and deliberately, she pulled at the zipper to her dress. Darwin watched as she let the garment fall into a puddle on the floor. She stood in matching bra and panties, silk and lace meant to be tempting. Her fingers rested against the lean line of her hips as she gently eased her body over his.
“Now,” she said sternly. “I will only do this if you promise that you will tell me if we start bothering any of your injuries. I’m not taking you back to the hospital to have to tell them you were reinjured trying to make love to your wife.”
“I promise,” Darwin said eagerly.
Bridget smiled, easing her hands back into his pants. “Good, then it’s my turn to take you to heaven, Mr. Tolliver.”
Rhonda poked her head into the office. “Mr. Tolliver, is everything okay?”
“Rhonda, girl, we’re cooking with grease now! Life doesn’t get any better than this.”
“We’re really glad to have you back, sir,” the young woman said as she moved into the room. She ventured to speak for all the staff. “Everyone missed you.”
“I missed you all, as well,” the man answered.
“And he missed being able to cook,” Bridget said from her seat on the sofa. “The minute he started to complain about my cooking I knew he was getting better and it was time to send him back to work.”
“Don’t believe her,” Darwin chuckled. “I have never complained about her cooking.”
Bridget nodded her head vigorously. “Oh, yes, he did,” she mouthed to Rhonda.
Rhonda laughed.
Darwin dropped down to the seat beside his wife and gave her a quick tickle. Bridget laughed as she wiggled out of his reach. “Stop! You play too much.” She giggled, jumping to her feet.
Darwin crossed both arms over his chest and pretended to pout. “I swear. A man doesn’t stand a chance with you women. This has to be abuse,” he said as he stood back up.
Bridget rolled her eyes. “I have to go to work. I’m due in court at ten-thirty.” She wrapped her arms around his waist and kissed his cheek. “I will see you later.”
“Good luck today,” Darwin said, hugging her back.
Bridget tossed Rhonda a quick wave. “Call me if he starts acting up,” she said teasingly.
Rhonda waved back. “I will. Bye, Mrs. Tolliver.”
She and Darwin both watched as Bridget made her way out of their sight before resuming their conversation.
“So, did you enjoy your cruise?” Rhonda asked, moving to collect a stack of files from Darwin’s desk.
He grinned. “We had a great time. Perfect weather, great company and incredible food. As soon as Bridget prints out the photos from the digital camera I’ll make sure to bring them for you to see. So, what’s on my schedule?” Darwin asked, changing the subject.
“The set director wants you to inspect the new kitchen and give it your okay. I need this week’s food lists and recipes for the Web site administrator by tomorrow. You have a two o’clock meeting with the producers, and—”
“I get it!” Darwin exclaimed, interrupting. “I’ve got a full day.”
“Yes, sir, you do,” the woman said with a shy smile. She moved back toward the door, pausing in the entrance. She motioned as if to speak, then hesitated.
Darwin nodded his head as if reading her mind. “Somewhere in that schedule, Rhonda, pencil in an hour for us to do some cooking. In fact, that’s the best way for me to evaluate the new kitchen. I do have a cookbook to finish, remember?”
Rhonda beamed. “Yes, sir, Mr. Tolliver,” she said, closing the door behind her as she exited the room.
Back behind his desk, Darwin reached into his briefcase and pulled a framed wedding photo of him and Bridget into his hands. Staring down at the image, he found himself grinning from ear to ear, joy like he’d never known before washing over his spirit. He placed the picture on his desktop, still admiring the reflection staring back at him. As he took a look around the office, the ice-blue room suddenly felt exactly like home.
He smiled, reaching for his cell phone, hoping he could catch Bridget before she reached the courthouse. She answered on the second ring.
“Everything okay?” she asked.
“I was just missing you,” Darwin answ
ered, crossing his right arm over his left. He could feel her smile flowing over the telephone line.
“I miss you, too, honey.”
“I just wanted to tell you I love you,” he said, conviction punctuating each word.
“Are you sure about that?” Bridget teased. “You might change your mind.”
Darwin chuckled. “Never. Woman, I will love you always.”
On the other end, Bridget nodded. “I’ll take always,” she said.
Darwin chuckled. “You do know that always means forever, don’t you?”
“That’s the only way I’ll take it.”
Without another word, Bridget disconnected the line. Darwin leaned back in his chair, his hands clasped behind his head as he pulled his feet up on the desktop and settled in, a wide grin flooding warmth throughout the room.
ISBN: 978-1-4603-7075-9
ALWAYS MEANS FOREVER
Copyright © 2007 by Deborah Fletcher Mello
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Always Means Forever Page 23