Laying one finger across his lips, Max led Julie toward his bedroom. It occurred to her as they walked through the door that this was the only part of the house she had never been in.
Max led Julie to his bed and pulled her down beside him. His hands shook as they fumbled for the buttons of her blouse. "How many times I've dreamed of the moment that I would make you mine again--not just physically--but with the bonds of tender trust and true love." He slid her blouse off her shoulders and lingered caressingly over her back until they found the fastener of her bra. It unclasped, freeing her breasts. They were larger now and round like luscious fruit. Lowering his head, Max touched a nipple with his tongue. "God, you taste good."
A shiver of sheer ecstasy began in Julie's stomach, spread through her loins and shivered down her legs. She pulled the grippers of Max's shirt loose and splayed her hands across his chest. Every muscle in his body quivered. It gave her a sense of singing joy to think that her touch could have so profound an effect on him. She ran her fingers across his tense shoulder muscles as her mouth sought his, pleading, begging, demanding to be kissed.
His lips touched hers, igniting a slow, sensuous combustion. His tongue teased the soft crevices of her mouth, kindling flames of pleasure. Fierce heat branded her lips, creating a spiraling desire. Reality faded leaving only his searching mouth, his delicious touch and his demanding need.
They undressed each other, finding soaring joy and sensuous pleasure in each small movement until at last they were both completely bare. Love flowed from each touch, each tender caress, each whispered endearment.
What had built slowly, exquisitely, and with loving regard, suddenly erupted in an incendiary explosion of white hot passion. Desire ran rampant through Julie, coursing through her veins, singing through her senses, demanding to be sated.
Max pushed her down on the bed and climbed atop her writhing frame. With one quick thrust he united them. For a moment Julie felt a twinge of pain and then that twinge gave way to a rising ecstasy. How good he felt inside her, how right, how absolutely perfect.
With one accord they began to move to that age-old, primitive beat of passion. Each thrust taking them one step nearer fulfillment, each gyration bringing them one movement closer to climatic completion. Then the supreme moment came. They went spinning off into rapture, to soar and climb until, at last, the world exploded.
Sanity returned slowly. Julie lay beneath the man she adored and felt the swift erratic beat of his heart against her breast and heard the breath of sated passion catch in his throat. Her heart was so full. She wanted to sing, to rejoice and to recite flowing words of love. All she could choke from her throat was a quiet and subdued, "I love you."
As Max's pulse slowed to somewhere near normal, he rolled over and put one arm under Julie's shoulders. "I love you too. That seems so small a statement to make, considering you have just given my world new meaning and purpose but those three little words seem to say it all."
And so they did. A simple "I love you" was all either of them needed to say or to hear.
Snuggling near, Julie whispered, "This has been the most perfect evening of my life. I will remember it always." Secure in the circle of Max's arms and safe in the embrace of his love, she closed her eyes and drifted into a contented slumber.
Epilogue
Julie dropped onto the sitting room couch, kicked off her shoes and sighed.
Max came from Julie's old bedroom that had now been converted into a nursery. "Our son is asleep at last." He leaned against the doorjamb. "Are you tired?"
"A little," Julie admitted, stifling a yawn. "But so glad to be home." For the past several days the three of them, Max, Trey, and Julie, had been in Summerville. Julie had spent most of her time there making the final arrangements for the closing of the sale of her house and the transfer of her half of the Hungry Farmer to Steve Arnold. Max had tended Trey and supervised the packing and shipping of Julie's personal belongings from Summerville to Half Moon.
Coming across the room Max sat beside her, stretched his long legs in front of him and clasped his hands behind his head. "Me too." Then a little too casually, he asked, "Do you believe the old adage that says 'Home is where the heart is?'"
Was he afraid that she might be having second thoughts? Julie put her arms around his waist and laid her head on his chest. "It must be and since you have my heart, my home is where you are."
He hugged her to him. "I was afraid you might change your mind once you got to Summerville."
Raising her head, Julie began to protest, "Max...."
With one expert movement, he bent his head and kissed her--swiftly, passionately and possessively. Then he let out a long breath. "That's not altogether true. What I was really afraid of was that Royce would talk you into staying in Summerville."
If he only knew what lengths Royce had gone to, trying to do just that. "Royce could never convince me to leave you, not now." It had taken a long time to learn the prudence of following the dictates of her heart. It was wisdom gained through pain and suffering but it was well worth the price she had paid. "Nothing short of death will ever take me from you again."
Max's eyes glazed with tears. "Thank you for that."
"For what?" she questioned, touched and puzzled by his sudden gratitude.
"For loving me, for trusting me and for giving me a second chance."
They had come full circle. A last the hurts and the misunderstandings of the past could be put aside. It was like starting over--no, it was better than starting over--it was the glorious capturing of a second splendor. "Thank you, Max, for never giving up on me."
"You're welcome." He smiled through the tears that glistened in his eyes." Enough of this heavy talk lets go to bed. It's late, and I'm tired. "
"Not too tired, I hope." Julie laughed as she stood.
"Not too tired." Max vaulted to a standing position. "Never too tired." He took her hand
and they walked through the nursery and toward the waiting darkness of their bedroom.
The End
You Belong to Me Page 27