Sarah was ready to bare open her soul to him now.
And damn the consequences.
She had to ease her mind and conscience once and for all.
When she heard his footsteps approach the suite, she stiffened, her heart hammering hard against her chest. She almost lost her nerve and retreated into her own room, but she talked herself out of it. “You’re not a coward, Sarah.”
She stood her ground, and when Code entered, his shirt open at the throat, his day-old beard outlining his strong jaw line and his face taut with tension, Sarah stifled a groan.
“What are you still doing up?” he asked once he noticed her. Then his gaze flowed over her nearly naked body and immediate hunger entered his eyes.
She tilted her chin and she couldn’t keep the haughty tone from her voice. “You ordered me to go to bed. I wasn’t tired.”
His shoulders sagged and he let out an impatient sigh. “Sarah.”
“We need to talk, Code.”
He approached her until they stood just inches apart. He lifted one layer of the gossamer gown and ran his fingers through it. “You expect us to talk with you wearing this?”
Sarah’s face blistered with heat. She probably turned red as the proverbial tomato. He peered into her eyes, the midnight hue of his gaze penetrating hers.
With feigned bravado, she stared back at him. “I needed to get your attention.”
“You’ve got it, babe.”
Sarah inhaled a slow, deep breath and nodded. He’d given her the stage. “I never meant to hurt you, Code. I loved you with all of my heart. It’s just that Robert made it all sound so simple, and I thought our love was strong enough to see us through. When you didn’t write very often, my heart broke because I knew you got tired of waiting for me. I always meant for us to be together.”
“You didn’t write back. What was I supposed to think?”
“I meant to, but Robert was always pulling me in a hundred directions, and I didn’t have any assurances for you. He kept telling me it’d be easier on you if I didn’t give you false hope. He made promises that I would get the time I needed, but then my career just took off and I let him manipulate me. Mold me into someone that wasn’t truly me. My ambition got in the way of everything. I didn’t realize the regretful price I’d pay, and I’m so, so sorry.”
She shook her head and tears welled up. “Mama was getting sicker by the day. We had no money for her medical treatments, much less providing for the twins. I couldn’t turn down Robert’s offer. It meant survival for my family.”
Then she added, quietly, holding back tears, “I had all these dreams. For us. I thought I could do it all, Code. And instead, I lost you.”
He put his hands in his pockets and looked down at the floor, nodding. “You lost me.”
“Forever?”
Code snapped his head up and searched her hopeful eyes. She could almost see the battle raging in his mind.
She reached out to touch his shoulder, skimming her fingers up his throat to his chin. And further up to his mouth. He exhaled and blew warm breath slowly over her fingers.
“I want a wedding night with my husband. Is that too much to ask?”
He grasped her hand and pressed his mouth to her palm, kissing there, making all her nerve endings stand at attention. “Babe, that was a given, from the minute I stepped foot into the suite.”
“Really?” She smiled at him, her joy overflowing.
“I can promise you a wedding night, Sarah. But that’s all I can promise.”
Disappointed, Sarah nodded. She understood. The time for talking was over. She’d said what needed saying and apologized to Code. It was the best she could do beside make love to him and hope he would forgive her one day. And begin to trust her again.
Sarah poured every emotion she held inside into her lovemaking with Code. While he was a man who took command, he relinquished his control, allowing Sarah to call all the shots. Sarah stripped off his clothes, teased him into a frenzy with her mouth then straddled him on his bed, gripping him tight and moving on him in slow, aching, delicious thrusts. He reached for her hips and guided her, his magical hands skimming along her sensitized skin.
Code’s groans of pleasure spurred her to go deeper, absorb every ounce of him, gyrate until he huffed out her name in an anguished low rasp. She felt his utter surrender, the moment when she’d given him the utmost pleasure. He shattered and took her along with him, the climax long and powerful and beautiful.
Sarah flopped onto his chest and he held her in his arms while her breaths steadied and her sated body relaxed. She closed her eyes as he planted tiny kisses along her forehead, his hands weaving gently through her hair, and finally, she dozed.
She woke up spooned against Code, his protective arms around her tummy. She snuggled in deeper, scooting her backside against him and meeting with his fully aroused body. “Oh,” she giggled. “Sorry.”
“I bet you are,” he said, playfully, his warm breath caressing her throat.
“How long did I sleep?”
“About an hour.”
“Sorry.”
“Don’t be. You needed to rest. And after that workout, so did I.”
Her giggle this time came out low and sensuous. Code didn’t let it pass. He stroked her breasts, now extremely full and sensitive from the pregnancy. His touch elicited incredibly delectable sensations. She squirmed even more and met with his rock hard erection. “Whoops,” she said.
“I hope you’re well rested, because it’s my turn now. And I plan to take my time.”
Code didn’t wait for an invitation—he rolled her onto her back and began his mind-blowing assault, his lips finding the most sensuous spots on her body. He kissed her on the mouth over and over, slid his tongue down her throat, nibbling, caressing, his hands roaming freely and playing with her highly responsive breasts. Her nipples pebbled hard as he thumbed then suckled them.
Sarah squirmed with pleasure. “Oh, Cody,” she whispered in breaths that were barely audible. She arched her body, her hips rising and dipping with the ebb and tide of his slow deliberate ministrations.
And she fell deeper in love with him with each kiss, each stroke and each expert glide of his hands on her body.
He was a man’s man, with a hardened exterior and one who commanded respect from all around him. But he was tender, too, and generous and so darn sweet when he wanted to be that Sarah refused to give up on him or their counterfeit marriage.
Code stroked the apex of her thighs, his fingers playing her like a well-toned instrument, and all rational thought flew from her head.
She surrendered fully to him, crying out in pleasure as he kissed her inner thigh and stroked her womanhood until she burned with crazy desire.
He took his time, and that drove her insane. When she wanted him to speed up, he slowed and drew out the pleasure until she panted and ached. “Code!” she pleaded.
“Hang on, babe. There’s more.”
“There couldn’t be,” she protested and his laugh was low and sexy.
He left that part of her body alone and continued on, stroking, caressing and nibbling until no part of her went untouched, unloved. Her skin reacted, her body hummed and her nerves went completely raw. He positioned her in many ways, teasing and tempting her with his magical hands and his perfect mouth.
Up on her knees now, he lay on his back and moved under her, gripping her hips and guiding her so that her swollen womanhood met his lips. She gripped the bed board for support.
And he suckled her, his tongue swooping in making her toes curl, her nipples tighten and her body pulsate. Slow, deliberate thrusts again. And again.
Sarah held on tight, in awe and wonder. The pain exquisite, he gripped her derriere from behind and held her to him relentlessly while he drew out every ounce of pleasure from her.
She felt the rise of her hot, blissful pinnacle, held on, held on, and then she erupted. Her senses overwhelmed, she sighed her pleas softly, erotically, the p
leasure almost too much to bear. Her release was earth-shattering and mind-numbing and when she was completely through, Code lowered her down onto him, kissing her mouth and murmuring sweet words.
“You sing out your orgasm, sweetheart. Did you know that?”
Sarah’s heart pressed against his. She didn’t quite know where her heartbeats ended and his began. “I don’t.”
He kissed her hair. “You do, and it’s a beautiful sight.”
Sarah, fully aware of Code’s rock solid body beneath her, wanted more. “You’re a beautiful sight, too,” she said, moving slightly off of him so she could palm his thick, hot erection.
Code stretched out fully on the bed, giving her access. “I’m all yours. Do what you want with me, baby.”
Sarah smiled. “Let’s see if I can’t get you to sing, too.”
In the morning, Code stood over the bed and watched Sarah sleep. Emotions he’d kept buried in his heart came rising up to the surface. She looked like an angel with all that long auburn hair splayed out on the pillow, and images of how devilish she’d been last night had him wishing he could join her back in bed.
But the last thing he’d wanted was to fall for her again. Her betrayal and his ultimate payback had been ten years in the making. He’d clung to it. He’d counted on it.
Sarah had gotten under his skin again. They were to have a child together, but he still didn’t trust her. She had a blossoming career, a full life that didn’t include him. He’d be a fool to love her again—no matter the past they had shared or the child they would bring into this world together.
Sarah opened her pretty green eyes and smiled, stretching her arms lazily over her head as she gazed at him fully dressed. “Where are you going, Code?”
Something powerful tugged at his heart. He needed to get away from Sarah and get a grip. “Willow Bend for a few days.”
“Willow Bend?” Sarah sat up, dragging the sheet to cover the body Code had cherished all through the night. Her lips pulled down in a heart-shaped pout. “Why?”
Her disappointment angered him. He’d told her what to expect from this marriage. Did she think that seducing him would make a difference? Code hung onto his bitterness for dear life.
“I’m not the doting husband, Sarah.”
A look of shock stole over her face. “What?”
“I warned you that I couldn’t give you what you needed.”
Her beautiful bare shoulders slumped. She blinked tears from her eyes and lifted her chin in haughty defiance, yet she couldn’t conceal the look of complete dejection on her face. “I see you haven’t changed at all, Code. Still a cold, uncaring bast—”
“Sarah, I never lied to you.”
She brushed her hair off her face and stared him dead in the eyes, all sense of hurt gone. Now, she spoke through angry, clenched lips. “You want me to hate you, don’t you? It makes your life much easier that way. I hate you, and you don’t have to deal with your emotions. You write me off, and you don’t have to admit that you’re softer than you think. That maybe the Code Landon I knew back in Barker still exists, somewhere deep inside.”
Code’s temper flared. Damn her. She had a way of cutting right to the core. He reminded himself that she was the woman he’d married only to gain custody of his child. They would divorce soon after the child was born. She’d wronged him in the past, and just weeks ago she’d failed to tell him of her pregnancy. He wondered if she would have ever admitted to carrying his child if he hadn’t found out by accident. She couldn’t be trusted. It was better to keep his distance.
“I have to go,” he said.
“You’re not going, you’re running.”
“Wrong. I don’t run away from my responsibilities. You do.” He turned and walked out the door.
“You are now,” she called out, and a soft thump hit the back of the closed door.
Code was sure she’d have tossed something more deadly than her pillow at him if she’d had the opportunity.
Ten
S arah glanced in the backstage dressing room mirror and liked the image staring back at her. The glitz was gone. She could go onto that stage tonight singing a mix of Christmas songs and her biggest hits, feeling like herself again, Sarah Mae Rose from Barker, Texas.
She smoothed a curl back from her cheek and straightened her tan suede skirt. The only embellishments about her tonight were the subtle ruffles on her cream silk blouse and the scalloped embroidery on her nut-brown boots.
On a whim, Sarah reached into her jewelry case and lifted her wedding ring out, staring at it with longing. Sentimental feelings washed over her and tears welled in her eyes. It was two days before Christmas and this was her last show. She’d raised an incredible amount of money for the Dream Foundation. She’d married the man she’d been destined to marry and was having his child.
But it was all wrong.
Code had been by her side all these weeks. He’d been attentive and patient. He’d seen to all her needs but he’d not given her the one thing she’d wanted most of all.
His love.
She’d had her wedding night with him, and it had been glorious, but since that time, he’d been cold and distant. At this point she didn’t know if he had it in him to forgive her. She doubted he could ever love her again, but she was determined not to give up.
“I’m not the doting husband.” She recalled his cutting words and sweeping sadness filled her heart.
She slipped her emerald wedding ring on her finger. “So pretty,” she said, admiring the brilliant gem. “And I’ve hidden you away all this time.” Sarah debated the wisdom of concealing her marriage and pregnancy to her family and to the world. She whispered, “Did I do the right thing?”
“No, you didn’t.” Robert’s voice startled her and she whirled around in her seat.
“How’d you get in here?”
He smiled smugly. “Did you think you could stop me from seeing you, Sarah?” He walked into the small room. “I’ve stayed away to give you time to cool off.”
“I don’t need cooling off. I just got smart.”
“You don’t mean that, Sarah. If it wasn’t for me, you wouldn’t have had all this success. You would have been just another wannabe country girl. A nobody.”
“That wouldn’t have been so bad.” Sarah voiced her thought aloud. She loved to sing and had a gift for it, but she would feel just as satisfied singing in the church choir or in a local country band. The life she’d led had taken a toll on her and she’d come to realize that gradually from the sacrifices she’d made in her personal life.
“You’re wrong, Sarah. You love the limelight and attention. You were born for it.”
Sarah wouldn’t give him the satisfaction of arguing. “What do you want, Robert?”
“You need me. I’m your manager, in case you haven’t figured that out yet.”
“I don’t need you.” Sarah rose from her chair and opened the door gesturing for him to leave. “I have a show to do.”
Robert’s face contorted and he sneered. “Don’t dismiss me, Sarah. Are you forgetting that I know your secret?”
“Are you blackmailing me?” Sarah couldn’t keep an incredulous tone from her voice.
He approached her by the doorway and took her hand. “That’s a harsh word. Let’s sit down and talk about this.”
When he tugged, she resisted, but he wouldn’t release her. Sarah’s heart pounded, and her gut clenched with anger.
“Let her go.” Code entered the dressing room and stood beside her. She gasped at his sudden appearance. She hadn’t seen him since he’d left for Willow Bend.
When Robert hesitated, Code grabbed his wrist and yanked it away, then stood in front of Sarah.
“You again?” Robert’s face flamed. “This is none of your business, Landon.”
“Sarah is my business.”
“Since when?”
“Code,” Sarah intervened. “It’s okay. I’m fine. Robert didn’t hurt me.”
“Miss Ro
se, you’re on in three,” the stage manager announced, popping his head into the dressing room.
Code glanced at her and nodded. “Go on. I’ll take care of Gillespie.”
“But—” Dread pulsed through her system. Code looked like a poisonous snake ready to strike. Robert Gillespie wasn’t one to ever back down from a challenge. The combination meant trouble. But a little voice in her head told her that Code knew how to take care of himself. Heavens, the man oozed confidence, and no one ever got the better of him.
Not even her.
He urged again. “Go, Sarah. I’ll take care of this.” Code’s eyes flickered with softness for a moment.
Reluctantly, Sarah left Robert and Code in the dressing room and greeted her audience, walking on stage to five thousand applauding fans.
Code closed the dressing room door and faced Gillespie. “Sarah doesn’t need your services. She’s made that clear. I don’t want you bothering her again.”
“Like I said, Landon. It’s none of your business.”
“I know all about you, Robert. Don’t push me.”
“You know nothing!” His pretty boy face flamed. “I molded Sarah Rose and made her the star she is today. She owes me, big time. I haven’t threatened a lawsuit because Sarah can be reasoned with, but she broke our contract by firing me. I can make life very uncomfortable for her.”
“I wouldn’t advise doing that,” Code said firmly.
“I’ll do what needs doing. Including letting the world know that Sarah got knocked up! I’ll go to the press. Let out your nasty little secret.”
Code approached him, nose to nose. “No one threatens me or my wife. As long as I’m married to Sarah, you’ll never get your job back. I don’t give a damn if you tell the whole damn world that Sarah and I are married and having a baby. Hell, you’ll probably be doing us a favor. And her stock will probably go way up.”
Robert’s brows rose in surprise. “You’re married?”
Code affirmed his answer with a nod.
“Damn you, Landon.”
“Don’t even think about causing Sarah any more trouble, you got that?” Code pressed his finger into Gillespie’s chest. “I’ve got so much dirt on you, you’d need a shovel to get out from under it. I know you manipulated Sarah into leaving me in Barker. You made sure she never had time for me. I also know all of her ‘dates’ were orchestrated by you. You set them all up and made sure she was seen with the right people. Regardless of her feelings. Regardless if her association with them would cause a scandal. In fact, you hoped it would. Any publicity was good just as long as they spelled her name right.”
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