Was she trying to tell him something with her tempting choice of sleepwear? Or had she simply gone shopping because she was due for a new gown?
He wanted it to be the former, but Harrison was too afraid to ask. If he did ask and found out it was the latter, his fucking heart with shatter into a million pieces. It’s the same reason he’d suffered through a second night of unquenchable lust, but hadn’t made any attempt to satiate himself. If he tried to become intimate with Willow and she rejected him, Harrison knew it would crush him for the rest of the trip.
Yet, things had taken a turn yesterday. Not only did Willow not shy away from his touch, she initiated a fair amount on her own. Just thinking about that kiss in the gardens caused his blood to stir. The way her tongue pushed into his mouth, as if she couldn’t get enough of him. The way her body melted against his, as if she wanted to lose herself in him.
But there was a big difference between holding hands and a few kisses, and what he wanted to do in this bed right now. It would be a mistake to assume that Willow would be open to sleeping together again simply because of what happened yesterday.
As he stared up at the ceiling and listened to the cadence of her delicate breathing, Harrison tried to recall back to when the act of making love to his wife had become such a foreign concept. That trip to Philadelphia had been the biggest turning point in his mind, but as he thought back on it, Harrison recognized that it hadn’t happened overnight. It had been a gradual shift.
Maybe there was something to those stressors Willow mentioned yesterday. He’d undergone those same life events, why hadn’t he ever considered their effect on him? He’d spent so much time and energy worrying about his dad becoming depressed that he hadn’t taken the time to look inside.
Although, for him, it wasn’t depression as much as it was body-numbing anxiety and stress. And, if he were being honest, he could admit that it had started well before his mother’s death. It was even before he’d transitioned to partner at the law firm. For him, the earth shifted underneath his feet the moment he made the decision to leave Bossier, Guidry & Associates.
During his ugliest time at Bossier, sex had been his greatest stress reliever. Back then, knowing his wife was waiting for him at home was the only thing that got him through the day. He would turn to Willow five, six times a week, desperate for the escape he found in her arms.
After a while, the stress had started affecting him in a way he’d heard about from other men, but based on the healthy sex life he and Willow had always enjoyed, had never in a million years thought would apply to him. But the responsibility of juggling multi-million dollar mergers and keeping up with the younger, hotshot lawyers trying to make a name for themselves in the firm had definitely had an adverse impact on him. The desire had been there, but after a while, the pressure of his job wouldn’t allow him to use sex as a distraction. It had consumed every hour of his day.
Harrison didn’t have any performance anxiety to contend with right now. If he had even the smallest indication that his advances would be welcomed, he’d say to hell with the winery and spend the entire morning tearing up these sheets with his wife.
His hips lurched upwards. He ached with the need to bury himself in Willow’s warm, welcoming body. To feel her soft thighs caressing his face as he feasted on the paradise between her legs. He could still taste her, even after all these months. Her flavor was imbued on his tongue.
But just because he was eager to get back to the exuberant sex life they’d once shared, that didn’t mean Willow was ready. Even before they left home, Harrison had mentally prepared himself for this reality. The thought of sex not happening when they had an entire week without the threat of children walking in on them for the first time in years was enough to make him cry, but that’s where they were. Willow had to be the one to make that call.
God, please let her make the right call.
He let out an audible groan and tried his best to ignore his aching cock.
“Hmmm?” Willow’s low murmur reverberated across his chest as she nestled against him.
“Hey,” Harrison whispered. “Are you awake?”
She looked up at him. Her sleepy, sexy grin took the situation in his pants to an entirely new, painful level. His pajama bottoms were seconds away from full-on tent status.
She shifted, settling her chin on his chest. “Yes, I’m awake,” she answered. “One thing you can say about these Italians, they don’t skimp when it comes to the mattresses in their hotels. I haven’t slept this well in ages.”
Or maybe it had something to do with the fact that she was back in his arms again. Did she even consider that?
“So, what’s on the agenda for today?” she asked, her eyes bright with excitement.
“It’s a surprise,” he said. She pinched his side. “Hey!”
“Tell me,” she demanded.
“Can’t a man surprise his wife without her attacking him?”
She pinched him again. “Tell. Me.”
He peered down at her, one brow raised. “Or what?”
A mischievous smile curved up the corners of her mouth. “Or I start biting.” She nipped the spot just below his breastbone and Harrison nearly jumped clean off the bed.
Sweet mother of God.
“Come on, Harrison. Tell me.”
Did she really expect him to speak? Could she not feel how hard his dick was right now?
“I…uh…I hired a car—” he started, but then his phone rang, shattering the playful mood.
“Is it the kids?” Willow asked, pushing herself up. “What time is it back home?”
“The kids should still be sleeping,” Harrison said as he reached for the phone. He frowned at the screen. “It’s a local number. Hello?” he answered. As he listened to the raspy voice struggling to speak on the other end of the line, he sensed all his plans crumbling like a wall of ancient bricks. Served him right for scheduling a trip during flu season.
“I understand,” he said with a sigh. He ended the call and tossed his phone on the bed. “Shit.”
“What’s wrong?”
“Our driver has the flu.”
“Driver?”
Harrison pitched his head back against the headboard. “I hired a driver to take us on a private tour of the countryside today,” he said. “We’re supposed to visit a winery and have a picnic at his family’s small vineyard. But the entire clan is sick.” He slammed his hand on the mattress. “First the opera singer, and now this.”
“It’s okay,” Willow said as she drew up alongside him. “I love the thought behind it. That’s what counts.”
“No, what counts is touring the damn Italian countryside and drinking wine like I planned for us to do.”
“Well, why can’t we still do that?” She scooted off the bed and grabbed hold of his wrist, tugging him into a sitting position. “I know how much you love following your little plans, but things don’t always go the way we want them to go.”
“My little plans?” He huffed out a laugh. “Thanks, Wills.”
She returned his smile. She was so damn gorgeous, even with remnants of sleep crusting around her eyes.
“To be fair, I would be lost without your schedules. They keep me sane. But we’re on vacation, let’s be spontaneous for once. Why don’t we rent our own car and tour the countryside on our own?”
“Hmm,” he mused. “That idea has some merit.”
She rolled her eyes and tugged his arm again. “Would you come on?”
“What about the picnic?”
She threw her hands up in the air. “We’ll put together our own picnic!”
Harrison had to fight the urge to laugh at her impatience. God, she was cute when she was ready to strangle him.
“I don’t know about this,” he said.
“Come on! That little convenience store on the next block has better meats and cheeses than high-end grocery stores back home. We’ll buy a couple of bottles of wine and just drive. Where was the vineyard?”
Willow asked.
“Umbria?”
“Ah, you see! If we’re going to venture outside of Rome, I’d rather drive down to the Amalfi Coast. This is a blessing in disguise. Let’s go!”
This time he let her pull him up. Even though the thought of renting a car and driving without having a clue as to what they were going to do was as appealing as getting a root canal without Novocain, Willow’s enthusiasm lessened his anxiety.
Harrison knew she only tolerated his regimented way of thinking because she loved him. It wouldn’t hurt to be spontaneous and carefree for once, would it? Even if it did, it wasn’t as if he hadn’t worked his way through a panic attack or two in his life.
He called down to the hotel’s concierge, who called back in less than twenty minutes with news that he was able to secure a car. An hour later, Harrison and Willow settled in their rented Fiat convertible, armed with a GPS, an overnight bag, and the hotel’s phone number in case they got lost.
“You ready?” Willow asked, smiling from her place behind the wheel.
“I’m ready,” Harrison answered. “Let’s get this adventure started.”
Willow had demanded she drive once the valet pulled the rental up to the curb. They’d looked at the Fiat a few months ago when shopping for a car for Liliana. The plan was to give it to her for her high school graduation, but after this fighting business, Harrison wasn’t sure she deserved a new car. That little sedan she got from Ezra would have to do for now.
They headed south, following the GPS’s directions out of Roma proper. Twenty miles into their journey, Willow pulled onto the shoulder and turned over the driving duties to him.
“As much as I love driving this cute car, I don’t want to spend the entire trip concentrating on the road ahead,” she said.
Harrison took over, grateful for the clear skies and slightly warm weather. He had an appreciation for once-in-a-lifetime experiences, and driving through the Italian countryside with the top down and his awed wife at his side was one he never imagined he’d have. An hour outside of Rome, he ignored the GPS’s directions to continue on E45, turning east instead toward the village of Valle Fioretta. He pulled up to a roadside market and bought fresh fruit for them to snack on, then continued on toward the coast.
The highway led them to the town of Terracina.
“Have you ever heard of this one?” Harrison asked Willow.
She shook her head. “No. It looks interesting, though, doesn’t it?” She reached for his phone. A minute later, she read from whatever website she’d pulled up. “There’s a cathedral that was once dedicated to St. Peter. Should we go?”
Harrison shrugged. “Why not? That’s the point of being spontaneous, right?”
Willow’s face lit up with her bright smile. “I’m so proud of you,” she said. She leaned over and kissed his cheek. “I told you being spontaneous could be fun.”
They found the ancient cathedral and spent more than an hour touring it. In the most surprising role reversal of the trip so far, it was Willow who had to convince him that it was time to leave. He could have spent hours looking at the amazing frescos and stunning architecture.
They continued their drive, journeying along the highway that hugged the coastline, but after just twenty minutes Harrison found himself pulling to the side of the road yet again. There was barely enough space for the little Fiat in the space he’d parked in on the mountain side of the road, but it would have to do.
“What’s wrong?” Willow asked.
He shut off the ignition and opened the door. “If I don’t take a minute to enjoy this view I’m going to drive us off the cliff. Let’s go.”
They got out of the car and, grabbing on to each other’s hands, darted to the other side of the highway. There was just enough space between the roadway and the guardrail for his peace of mind. He needed to enjoy this without worrying about a car sideswiping them.
Harrison stood there for a moment, just taking it all in. Colorful homes dotted the mountainside, rising up from the shore and along the face of the mountain.
“This looks like something from a postcard,” he said.
“Can you imagine waking up to this view every day?” Willow asked. “It’s absolutely breathtaking.”
“Yes, it is,” he said, his eyes focused solely on her. He’d been waking up to her breathtaking beauty for nearly twenty years. He’d never imagined a time when her gorgeous face wouldn’t be the first thing he saw when he woke up in the morning.
He couldn’t go back to waking up alone.
“Willow—”
She turned to him. “How much longer until we reach Naples?” she asked, cutting off the plea Harrison was about to make. It was just as well. Bringing up the issues that plagued their marriage would ruin the relaxed, carefree atmosphere they’d enjoyed so far. They deserved at least one day without their marital problems intruding on their fun.
“According to the GPS, we should be there a little before two o’clock,” he said. “That is, of course, if we don’t stop again.”
“Soooooo, you’re saying we should be there by four?” Willow asked with a laugh.
“If we’re lucky.” Grinning, he hitched his head toward the car. “Come on, we still have a lot of coastline to see.”
They meandered along the winding mountain road, which afforded a stunning view of the Tyrrhenian Sea. It was like something out of a travel magazine. That agonizing plane ride was worth every anxious, nerve-wracking minute just for the chance to witness this spectacular view.
“So, are you still upset that your plans to visit the winery fell through?” Willow asked.
Harrison shook his head. “Not even a little bit. I don’t care how nice the pictures were on their website, there’s no way that vineyard could match what we’ve seen today.”
“Told you,” she said. She twisted in her seat and rested her head against the smooth leather, a small smile playing across her lips. “There’s something to be said for just going with the flow, especially when on vacation.”
“I guess so.”
“Oh, you guess so.” She laughed. She ran her hand up and down his arm. “You should treat all our vacations like this. It too often turns into a job for you.”
“What are you talking about?” He glanced over at her. “I don’t treat vacations like a job.”
“Really?” she said with a snort. “How about that trip up to Chattanooga a few years ago? Are you saying you didn’t go just a wee bit overboard?”
“I wouldn’t say I went overboard.”
Her burst of laughter echoed through the car. “Oh, please. We didn’t even touch the board games we brought to play in the evenings. You had so much planned during the day that the kids were exhausted by the time we got back to the cabin.”
“I just wanted to make sure they saw everything, that’s all,” he said with a shrug.
Willow shook her head, still laughing. “Admit it, Harrison. You’re a control freak.”
He wouldn’t deny it. He couldn’t. And she knew that he couldn’t. She’d known him too long.
“Maybe a little,” he finally conceded.
“Maybe a lot,” Willow returned. She patted his arm. “That’s okay. It’s one of the things I love about you. Usually,” she tacked on. “I just wish you would relax more, baby.”
Her hand remained on his arm, moving up and down in a slow caress.
“You know I’ve never been good at just relaxing, but I guess I can try a bit harder,” he said. “And if today is what being spontaneous results in, I can learn to do that more often too.”
“That’s what I’ve been trying to tell you,” she said, her voice taking on a raspy, slightly seductive tone. Her fingers traveled the length of his arm. “A little spontaneity can be a good thing every once in a while.”
Instead of reversing course at his wrist, her hand continued downward, moving to his thigh. She spread her fingers out, gently kneading the muscle. Harrison’s dick twitched in his pants.
/> When she moved for his zipper, he sucked in a breath. He glanced over at her. “Wills, what are you doing?”
“Really, Harrison?” Her low chuckle reverberated along his skin. “I know it’s been a while, but I didn’t think I’d have to spell it out.”
She tugged his zipper down and reached inside his pants.
“Willow,” Harrison said in a warning tone.
“Hmmm?”
“What are you doing?” he asked again.
She moved her seatbelt aside, leaned across the seat, and whispered, “It’s called being spontaneous.”
She maneuvered her fingers inside the flap of his boxer briefs, which were already having a hard time containing his steadily growing erection. He damn near came in his pants the minute he felt skin-on-skin contact.
He clenched his teeth. “Do you want me to wreck this car?”
“Um, no. That wouldn’t be good.” She brushed the backs of her fingers along his erection before closing her hand around it and giving him one smooth pump. Harrison sucked in his stomach, along with another swift breath. His hips jerked upward, seeking more of her touch.
She started to move her hand in earnest, squeezing gently on the way up, then harder on the way down. She rubbed her thumb around the head, coating him with the droplets of moisture that collected at the tip of his cock. Harrison followed the motion of her hand, lifting his hips nearly off the seat with every pull.
He looked around, taking a sharp left and pulling into a small cutout on the side of the mountain. He released the seatbelt and quickly moved his seat back.
“Your mouth. Please,” he begged.
With that subtle, seductively wicked smile he’d come to love so much over the years, Willow unbuckled her seatbelt and leaned over to his side of the car. When her soft, warm lips closed around his dick, Harrison was certain he wouldn’t survive the next five minutes. No one could sustain that amount of pleasure without succumbing to it.
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