Lifelong Affair

by Carole Mortimer

  "It's after eleven!' she taunted.

  'In London that's early.'

  She smiled. 'I'd like to shower first.'

  'Of course. I'll use the other bathroom,' he nodded distantly.

  Alex's abrupt attitude made her wonder if he weren't a little disconcerted by their wedding night too. That thought gave her a little more confidence in herself and the night ahead of them.

  She took her time in the bathroom, and her whole body felt smoothly oiled and perfumed by the time she had finished, smelling of her favourite Estee Lauder body lotion. The sheer white nightgown did nothing to hide the perfection of her slender curves, being almost completely transparent, reaching down to her bare feet.

  For a moment when she entered the lounge she thought Alex was still in the second bathroom, then she saw a movement by the window, walking over to his side to gaze over the thousands of glittering lights that were London.

  He turned to look at her as he sensed her presence, his breath catching in his throat as the perfection of her body was clearly revealed to him. Morgan looked up at him with fearless green eyes—his bare chest darkly tanned, covered in thick dark hair, hisshoulders powerfully muscled, black silk pyjama trousers, his only clothing, resting low down on his hips. He looked magnificent, his eyes becoming smoky grey with desire.

  'Morgan .. .?' he groaned.

  She moistened her lips with the tip of her tongue, not wanting to talk, but knowing there were some things she had to tell him before they made love. 'Have you noticed that I've worn white today, Alex?' she asked gruffly.

  His eyes narrowed. 'I've noticed, he nodded.

  'I—I've worn it for a reason.'

  'Yes?' he said tautly.

  She launched into speech before she lost her nerve, his cynicism making it hard for her to talk at all. 'When Glcnna and I were children, we used to talk a lot about when we got married. Of course it was all a fantasy,' she laughed at the idealist she had been then. 'By the time we'd grown up there were no dashing heroes about like Errol Flynn. But it was fun to dream anyway. And we made each other a promise, one that we both kept.'

  'Yes?' Alex was very tense.

  She looked at him with unblinking green eyes. 'Alex, do you mind having a virgin for a bride?' she asked bluntly.

  His eyes narrowed, his arms tightening on her arms, hurting her. 'A virgin?' he echoed disbelievingly,

  'I'm afraid so,' she nodded. 'And you don't find many of them at twenty-six any more!'

  Don't joke about this, Morgan,' he rasped, shaking her slightly. 'It's too serious. Are you telling me the truth?'

  'A fun-loving actress with no morals?' she mocked brittly. 'I'm afraid so, xlex.'

  He released her, drawing in a harsh breath, then expelling it slowly, looking at her as if he had never seen her before. 'Is this the reason you held back the Other night?'

  She nodded. 'A shock, isn't it?' She hated herself for Making light about something that was so important to her, but Alex's feelings, other than surprise, weren't yet apparent to her. 'In this day and age too! But I'm afraid I've always considered my body, and myself, to be more important than becoming just another notch on some man's bedpost. I suppose I could have started collecting notches myself, but somehow that never appealed to me either. It's too easy to fall into a sexual relationship with someone now, and I've never liked doing the easy things in life. Of course, if the idea of being the man to initiate me into making love doesn't appeal to you .. .' She looked at him challengingly, holding her breath as she waited for his answer.

  'You know it does,' Alex finally spoke. 'You're one hell of a woman, Morgan Hammond,' he shook his head. 'I'm beginning to wonder just what I've taken on by marrying you. A virgin, and yet you married me partly because you wanted me!' he realised incredulously.

  'Terrible, isn't it?' she mocked, relief flooding through her. Alex did still want her! 'You make me feel quite shameless, Mr Hammond.'

  'I'll tell you how I feel as I make love to you,' he groaned against her throat. And I'll try not to hurt you. Dear God, Morgan, you aren't innocent enough not to have '

  'No, no, I've taken care of that,' she assured him hastily. 'As you say, I'm not that innocent.'

  'Thank God—I wouldn't want anything to spoil vour pleasure.'

  Alex----- !'

  He looked down at her with amused eyes. 'I think you make me feel shameless too,' he smiled, swinging her up into his arms with ease.

  Her arms encircled his throat. 'What are you doing?' She snuggled against him.

  'Whatever it is, you aren't fighting it,' he derided, striding determinedly towards the bedroom they were to share tonight.

  'I trust you implicitly,' she murmured against his throat, her lips warm and probing.

  He seemed to tense. 'Implicitly?'

  She looked up at him. 'Yes. Now tell me why you carried me here?' she asked dreamily as he put her down on the double bed. 'I would quite happily have walked.'

  'It was the nearest I could come to carrying you over the threshold,' he told her throatily as he came down on the bed beside her. 'Morgan, are you sure you want me to be the first

  Her fingertips over his lips stopped further words. 'I'm very sure. I want you, remember? You're the only man I've ever wanted.'

  'Wanton hussy!'

  She squirmed with pleasure as his mouth plundered hers, tasting and devouring as the first passion overtook him, his powerful thighs surging against hers. She kissed him back wildly, aware that the situation was spiralling quickly out of Alex's control, a control he had sworn never to lose.

  'Morgan!' he buried his face in her throat, soothing the passion between them to simmering point with his slow caresses down the length of her

  body. 'Darling !' His mouth claimed hers gently

  this time, his lips moving erotically against hers, his hand travelling from her hip to capture one thrusting breast through the silky material of her nightgown, moving with slow caressing movements over the taut peak, the caress causing a pleasurable sensation down her spine.

  One thin shoulder-strap was slipped down hershoulder, and her breast was bared to the warm cavern of his mouth, his tongue tasting and sucking the nipple further into the hot vortex, making Morgan cry out with pleasure, hardly aware that the silky gown had been slipped completely from her body. Alex slid down her body with it as his hands continued to caress her breasts, and fire shot through her as he kissed her inner thigh with nibbling caresses.

  'Alex--- !' she groaned as a sensation such as she had never known before surged through her body, her arms and legs thrashing about beneath him.

  'Don't fight it, darling,' he encouraged huskily, his face flushed with his own arousal. 'This is all part of making love.'

  'But I—I can't—Oh!' she moaned as the pleasure became too much for her. 'Alex, am I '

  'Not yet,' his mouth returned to hers. 'You aren't ready yet. I forget how inexperienced you are. You drive me insane with wanting you, Morgan,' he groaned in an aching voice.

  'Show me how to please you, what you like,' she encouraged eagerly.

  His mouth twisted. I don't know what I like from you yet.' He lay back on the bed. 'You'll just have to find out for yourself, won't you?' He looked at her encouragingly.

  He liked everything, it seemed—every touch, every caress, the way she kissed his hardened thighs as she slipped the pyjama trousers off his body; both of them were completely naked now, even the sight of her nakedness lovingly bent over him causing him to shudder with pleasure.

  'I think I like it too much!' he groaned, stopping her caresses. 'No more, Morgan. I can't take it!'

  It was her turn to be caressed once again, his touch raising her to such ecstasy that when his body at last joined with hers she cried out only once at the momentof penetration, her movements matching his as if by instinct after that, their bodies reaching a tumultuous climax in unison, the moment held and captured only for a moment before it spiralled out of reach, leaving them spent and exhausted in ea
ch other's arms.

  CHAPTER SEVEN

  MORGAN woke with a feeling of well-being she had never known before, her body having a languorous ache that made it throb and glow at one and the same time, the body that Alex had claimed as his once more in the night, her own claim being made just as strongly. It had happened so easily, so naturally. Both of them had seemed to wake at the same time, turning to each other compulsively, making love slowly this time, with none of the driving fierceness that had claimed them last night. And yet the result had been the same, that bone-melting pleasure that actually made it seem as if they became one being, feeling the same pleasure, the same ecstasy. Morgan had known too much of the uncertainty of loving Alex, now she knew the ecstasy once again. There was no doubt which emotion she preferred!

  'What are you smiling about?' Alex asked lazily beside her.

  She turned comfortably in his arms, her head resting on his shoulder. 'I was thinking of you.'

  He smiled. 'I like the idea of that. Erotic thoughts, were they?' he teased.

  'Definitely!' she laughed, loving this new relaxed Alex even more than the old one.

  'Feel like putting those thoughts into action?' he encouraged throatily.

  She moved above him, pinning him to the matress with her light weight. 'I was thinking,' she said slowly, suggestively, 'that I would overpower you with the sight of my naked body on yours, that I would kiss and caress you all over. Then I thought—Alex, whatare you doing?' she squealed as his hands closed possessively about her hips.

  'Putting words into action,' he growled. 'You've aroused me just by talking about making love to you.'

  'But I didn't. I was going to make love to_vou.'

  'Be my guest.' He lay back invitingly. 'Or my wanton wife. I think prefer the latter he smiled roguishly.

  If the waiter who brought their breakfast noticed the silly smiles on their faces then he gave no indication of it, but served their meal with straight-faced efficiency before leaving them to it.

  Morgan spluttered with laughter once they were alone, unable to contain her humour any longer as Alex tried his best to look his usual dignified self, dressed casually in a cream shirt and brown trousers as they sat at the dining-room table, Morgan just as casually dressed in white trousers and a white blouse.

  He scowled at her laughter. 'I wish I hadn't chosen the damned honeymoon suite! It broadcasts the fact that we've been making love all night.'

  'And couldn't we be doing that in one of the other suites too?' she teased.

  'Of course. But- '

  'Oh, Alex, I don't give a damn if the whole world knows!' Morgan stood up to go round the table, putting her arms around his neck and over his chest, resting her head on the top of his.

  'They will if you walk around glowing like that all day,' he muttered.

  'You put the glow there!' She refused to be daunted.

  He stood up abruptly, turning to capture her hand in his, marching her into the bedroom.

  'Alex, I'm hungry-

  'So am I. And maybe even later we might eat,' he growled moodily.

  In the end they didn't bother with breakfast at all, but ordered an early lunch. The same waiter servedthe meal, his eyebrows rising slightly at the cold food put outside from breakfast. This time Alex laughed too once the boy had left.

  Morgan stretched languorously. 'Do you suppose all honeymoons are like this?'

  He smiled at her indulgently, the same satiation that was in her face reflected in his eyes. 'I don't give a damn about other honeymoons, ours is—beautiful.'

  'Yes,' she returned his smile. 'I'm glad I married you, Alex.'

  'So am I,' he laughed. 'Now eat your lunch, we have a plane to catch.'

  Even the long plane journey to Los Angeles couldn't dim her happiness; she seemed to find an endless stream of subjects to talk to Alex about, although the times they sat in silence were equally enjoyable.

  She was more in love than ever, tied to Alex by invisible threads, and although she knew he didn't return her love, he did enjoy their lovemaking as much as she did.

  They hired a car once they got to Los Angeles airport, Morgan having sold her car before leaving for England this time, as she had sold everything else she no longer needed.

  'Do you think you'll miss it?' Alex glanced at her as they began the drive to her parents' home, seeming as much at home driving on the right-hand side of the road as he did on the left.

  'Los Angeles?' She shrugged. 'It's been my home for the last two years, of course I'll miss it. But I won't pine for it.' She put her hand on his thigh. 'I have something much better now.'

  'I'm glad you didn't say you wouldn't miss it at all,' he frowned. 'Because you're sure to.'

  'But not so much that it will matter, you'll see,' she said with certainty.

  'I hope so' The frown still creased his brow.

  Morgan smiled mockingly. 'You've made me well and truly yours now, Alex, it's a little late for you to start having doubts.' She slanted him a mischievous look. 'We could always stop at a motel and I'll do my best to allay these sudden doubts of yours.'

  His mouth quirked. CI think I might be able to wait until tonight—with a lot of restraint,' he drawled.

  Her hand tightened on his thigh, feeling his instantaneous response. 'It already is night in England.'

  'Witch!'

  She removed her hand. 'But if you would rather wait...'

  'I don't want to,' he moved restlessly, 'but I'm going to.' He gave her a teasing glance. 'Mainly because I know it will be as much agony for you as it will be for me!'

  She had held back none of her response to him, not the night before, and certainly not today. She had revelled in their lovemaking, felt no inhibitions in anything Alex said or did to her, at anything he showed her to do to him. It had all been making love, and in that they were completely compatible.

  She smiled with a secret knowledge. 'My parents always go to bed early,' she explained at his questioning look.

  'Meaning we'll be able to too?'

  'Meaning we'd better!'

  He laughed huskily. 'Maybe we should have saved this visit until the end of our honeymoon; I can hardly keep my hands off you!'

  'Meaning you think you'll be able to in three weeks' time?' She gave him a scandalised look.

  'Meaning you'll probably have become a little more elusive by then,' he said hardly.

  She didn't argue with him, knowing that this was

  another of those times when only her actions could prove her innocence, and three weeks of Alex's lovemaking certainly wouldn't be enough to satisfy her. She wanted a lifetime.

  Her parents greeted her warmly, Alex reservedly; they had only met him once at the wedding before the air crash. But Alex was his most charming, and her own happiness in their marriage couldn't be doubted, so much so that by the time they all retired for bed that evening even her father had thawed towards Alex.

  'Courtney is very important to him.' Alex spoke softly as he undressed for bed.

  'Yes. Morgan sat on the side of the bed unashamedly watching him. She enjoyed the nakedness of his body, knew every hard-muscled inch of it intimately.

  'When Courtney is a little older we'll bring him over to see your parents.'

  'Mom said it may not be too long before Dad's well enough to fly.'

  Alex nodded, peeling the shirt from his body, his muscles rippling powerfully. 'Maybe they can come over for the christening.'

  'Maybe,' The conversation ceased to be important as Alex took off the rest of his clothes and stood naked in front of her, unashamedly virile. 'Alex ...!'

  'Mm?' he looked at her with questioning eyes, darkening to black at the hunger in her green depths. 'How do you do it? he murmured as he came towards her. 'How do you manage to arouse me with just a look?'

  'I do?' She stood up as he slowly stripped the clothes from her body.

  'You do,' he acknowledged grimly.

  She began to caress him, slowly erasing that grimness from his face,
putting desire and passionthere in its place, until finally he could remain apart from her no longer.

  'Have there been a lot of women, Alex?' she asked later, their passion spent for the moment, her head resting on his shoulder as she idly caressed the dark hair curling on his chest.

  His arms tightened. 'What sort of question is that to ask a new husband?' he growled.

  'An honest one.' She looked up at him. 'One that requires an answer.'

  His mouth was taut. 'I have no intenrcm of discussing such a subject on my honeymoon.'

  'Why not?' She leant on her elbow looking down at him. 'You can't deny that you're a fantastic lover,

  'Morgan--- '

  'Oh, I know, your English reserve means that you don't talk about such things, she teased in the face of the dark cloud gathering over his eyes. 'But speaking for myself, I think you make love beautifully.

  'You have nothing to compare it with! he rasped.

  She frowned down at him. ' know the difference between drowning in pleasure and lying here like a stone.'

  'Morgan, I'm sorry,' his voice softened at her hurt tone. 'Of course you know, just as I do. And there have been quite a few women,' he answered her question. 'Although I've learnt to be more discriminating in recent years.

  'Your family doesn't seem to think so!'

  "Damn my family!' Anger flared in his dark grey eyes. 'You aren't married to them.'

  'Thank God!' she shuddered.

  'I didn't come all this way to discuss my family,' he scowled. 'Can't you think of something more interesting to do?'

  'Oh yes,' she laughed happily, at once drowning in his possession.

  She surveyed the bruises on her body the next morning with a smile of deep satiation. Alex's second lovemaking of last night had been far from gentle, and if anything it had been better than ever before.

  He stirred in the bed beside her, opening sleepy eyes, becoming fully alert as he saw she was already awake. His brows lowered over angry grey eyes as he too saw the bruises, and he touched them gently. 'Did I do that? he groaned in disbelief.

  'Mm, she confirmed lightly.

  'God, I'm an animal!' he said in disgust. 'I must have hurt you.'