by Alexia Adams
Should he try the infamous Friends hug and roll maneuver? As he prepared to exit with his libido under control, Analise moved. Her hand slid down to his groin, cupping his erection, which grew even larger under her fingers. Oh God! He suppressed a groan and tried to shift sideways so both her hand and leg harmlessly fell away to the mattress.
The pattern of her breathing changed. She was about to wake. With one last, desperate attempt to extricate his body before he embarrassed himself, he rolled her over with a swift move. Before he could roll back her eyes flew open. Confusion clouded her gaze for a moment as she saw him hovering above her, then a smile lit her face like sunshine on a ripe wheat field.
“Bonjour. I take it I was all over you.” Her morning voice was so sexy Erik had to clench his teeth together before responding.
“I’m not complaining, but I’d better get up now.” For God’s sake, if she wriggled once more underneath him, neither of them would be moving from this bed for hours, maybe days.
“Wait.” The pressure of her hand on his back was so slight he could have moved with very little effort. Yet its effect was as though a car sat on top of him.
“Yes?” He raised an eyebrow; the ridiculousness of the situation made him want to laugh. He had to be the first bridegroom in history to try to make a quick exit out of his marriage bed.
“You asked on Friday what I wanted for a wedding present. I know now.”
Please say for me to make love to you, please, please.
“And what would that be?” Either rigor mortis had set in early or every muscle in his body was paralyzed, awaiting her next words.
“I want to go back in time, just for one day.”
Erik searched her eyes. Maybe she was still asleep? Was she talking in a dream?
“Umm, I don’t understand,” he replied.
“I want to pretend the past ten years haven’t happened. I want to imagine what it would be like if Karen hadn’t died, if I hadn’t left and met that other guy.” He was grateful she hadn’t mentioned her dead lover’s name while in bed with him.
“Sounds wonderful. Where do you want to start?”
“Right here. Let’s pretend it’s the morning after graduation. Do you remember we had secret plans to spend the night together? Imagine that I fell asleep on you, as I did last night, and we’re waking to a new day, in bed together. The magic ends at midnight, so make the most of it, Prairie Boy.”
“You know what you’re asking, don’t you? Even ten years ago I was consumed with lust for you. You really want me to make love to you?”
She nodded. “Like it’s my first time,” she whispered.
Damn.
That might call for more restraint than he could muster at the moment. Yet, for her, he was going to make a valiant effort. He was already rock-hard; it was going to take every ounce of his self-control to make this last more than ten minutes.
She closed her eyes and parted her lips. He touched them softly with his own, tasting her sweetness, her innocence, her vulnerability. If it killed him, he was going to make this the best lovemaking session she’d ever known.
An hour later, he stared at the ceiling, unable to control the huge smile that covered his face. Analise lay in the same position as when he’d awakened this morning, only this time, there weren’t even the scraps of cloth between them. Her baby-doll nightie, her wedding present to him, was somewhere behind the dresser. Her warmth melted the last of his resistance. There was nothing, nothing he’d let separate them again.
“Wow,” she said, her breath cool against his overheated skin. Her index finger was drawing hearts in the smattering of hair on his chest.
“Not bad for a first time.” One hand ran up and down her back as though it still couldn’t get enough of touching her. The other was toying with a small lock of her hair.
She levered herself up on an elbow and stared him in the eye. “You think you can improve on that?”
Her face free of makeup, the glow of loving still on her skin, he could almost believe they’d turned back the clock. The brazen way she ran her inner thigh up over his groin, which was stirring to life again, reminded him, however, that she was no longer a girl—she was all woman.
“Is that a challenge?” he wheezed out on an involuntary exhalation.
Her hand that had been tracing patterns on his chest slipped lower, over his abdomen. “Well, I’m a more experienced lover now. Let’s see how you handle that.”
Her hand slipped over his hip before crossing his upper thigh to slide between his legs. Game on.
• • •
Analise shifted in the passenger seat of Erik’s BMW. The top was down, and a cool breeze blew through her hair. They’d spent twenty of the past twenty-four hours in bed, and she’d never felt so wonderful in her life. She now knew the difference between sex and lovemaking. They were worlds apart, and she didn’t ever want to go back to the former. Erik never made her feel used, only cherished. Even during their most passionate encounters he’d always made sure she was satisfied first. And she’d used every trick she knew to try to crack his self-control.
“Where are we going?” It wasn’t until they were approaching Akureyri that she questioned their ultimate destination. Would they be staying at one of their grandparents’ places? That would be awkward, given how loud they’d been in bed together. It also dawned on her how much control she’d already given to Erik, allowing him to make decisions about her future. This trust thing was going to take some getting used to. In the meantime, they’d better work on their communication.
“To your grandfather’s place first. He’s offered us the house until we sort out where we’re going to live.”
“Where’s Afi going?” She couldn’t imagine making love to Erik in her old room while her grandfather listened to the bed creaking through the thin wall. Heat invaded her face at the thought.
“He’s borrowed a trailer and was going to move it onto the property while we were up in Hecla. I offered for us to stay in the trailer, but he insisted. He said a new married couple needed some space and breathing room, without an old man in earshot.”
Analise raised her face to the wind, hoping the rushing air cooled the blush she knew was staining her cheeks bright red. Obviously it didn’t work too well as Erik glanced over at her and laughed.
“I hope you don’t mind. I thought you’d like it better than staying at my grandparents’ farm.” Erik shuddered. “I can picture my mother knocking on the door every ten minutes asking if we’re coming out for breakfast.”
“Definitely. I guess we should discuss where we’re going to spend the next year or so. Don’t you have to go back to London?”
“Only to resign. The merger’s done, but there might be a few bits of paper to sort out. Once that’s complete, then I’m a free agent and can move where I want. If you want to live in London, they’ve offered me a permanent position. My French is pretty appalling, so I don’t think I’d be much good in France. However, if that’s where you prefer, I’m happy to give it a try and figure something out.”
“Really?” Jean-Claude had never asked her opinion about where they were going to go next. He’d always just told her. Erik was definitely more of a man than the former spy.
“Really. I’ve run roughshod over you enough the past two weeks. This is supposed to be a partnership. Of course you get a say in where we’ll live.”
They pulled into her grandfather’s driveway. “Here. I want to live here.” The certainty hit her as they bumped along the gravel path. This was the one place she’d considered a real home. A place where love and friendship blossomed like the climbing rose that covered the trellis over the porch. It weathered the hard times and grew stronger with each year. It was the best place to raise her baby.
Erik pulled the car to a stop and put his hand over hers in her lap. “I was hoping you’d say that. I think it’s time I came home as well.”
She searched his face. Wasn’t this supposed to be a short-term arran
gement? He sounded as though he was talking about forever. Maybe this marriage had more life in it than she’d expected.
“I do have to go back to Paris in six weeks. There’s going to be an exhibition of my work at the Hôtel de Ville. I promised to make a personal appearance. But the show is only scheduled for two weeks. And I need to clear my name with the French government. I don’t want my passport flagged forever. Maybe you could help with that.”
“Absolutely. How ’bout this for a plan: we’ll head to Europe after our honeymoon in the Seychelles. First stop, London, to clear out my things, then Paris to sort out yours. We can move here in time for a cozy winter holed up in a little house till we can build our own.” Erik shut the trunk after he removed their overnight bags.
“Sounds perfect.” She could’ve flown to the neighboring farm she was so lighthearted. She loved Erik. She could feel it in her bones. It was so different from what she’d felt for Jean-Claude. This was friendship and partnership and desire all melded into such a hope for the future she couldn’t stop smiling. Even the familiar farmyard looked like heaven to her. An old trailer was parked next to the barn, a bright yellow extension cord running into the stables. Her grandfather appeared in the doorway as she stepped onto the porch.
“Oh, you’re back,” he called out to them. “Welcome home!”
“Go say hi to your granddad, my love. I’ll put our bags in the house.”
She gave him a quick kiss on the cheek. Finally, everything was going right in her world. A few months of this happiness, and she’d soon be able to put her broken past behind her and create a beautiful future for herself, her baby … and Erik.
• • •
Erik’s mind whirled with possibilities as he stepped onto the porch. Analise had skipped over to her grandfather and given him a big hug. Erik’s chest swelled to see her so happy. God, I love her. She was still all the things he’d admired ten years ago—intelligent, caring, compassionate, and fun. But now they were enhanced with experience. She challenged him, supported him, encouraged him, and made him a better person. Made him want to make the world a better place for her … and their children.
They could build a beautiful, big house on the corner of his grandparents’ property. It would have a large front porch with a covered veranda, a fabulous two-person shower in the master bedroom, based on their bathing experience of this morning, and lots of bedrooms for the inevitable results of their uncontrollable lust.
With the vision of a naked Analise still fixed firmly in his mind, he almost missed the note tucked into the front door of Gunnar’s house. He carefully removed the paper and hesitated a moment before opening the letter. If it was for Gunnar, he could bring it down to the stables as soon as he put the bags inside.
His fingers froze as he recognized Brenda’s handwriting and his name double underlined on the outside. The euphoria that had swept him through the last twenty-four hours fizzled and fell at his feet, replaced by the cool chill of impending doom. With the faintest hope that his ex-girlfriend had only written him a note to wish him well and to say she was going to live in Australia now, he opened the letter. She obviously hadn’t returned to Toronto as he’d asked her.
His eyes scanned her message, and his heart started to fibrillate. She would be back after lunch—bringing Ian MacEwan. Analise’s light footsteps on the porch alerted him to her arrival seconds before her arms wrapped around him from behind.
“Granddad’s going to keep working on the barn. Want to fool around?” She slipped her hands into the front pockets of his jeans, which soon became too tight.
Shoving the note into the breast pocket of his shirt, he gently removed her hands before turning and wrapping his arms around her. “You have to ask? Don’t you think you should rest, though? I don’t want you to start feeling ill again.”
“Hmmm, I’ll rest later.” She pulled his head down to hers, giving him a kiss that reached down into his heart.
He’d give anything to lose himself in her heat once again. To taste the intoxicating mix of love and lust that only she could engender. But Brenda was going to arrive any minute. And he was desperate to keep the two women apart.
“I can see I’m going to have to rethink my plan to work from home. We’ll starve with the amount of billable hours I’ll be able to get in.”
“Maybe, but we wouldn’t be cold,” she countered.
He laughed, then removed her arms from around his neck. “I do have some work to do. A couple of phone calls to make.”
“All right. I should sort out which photos I’m going to display at my exhibition.” She caressed his cheek, then turned and walked into the house, but not without an exaggerated sway of her hips that tempted him to change his mind.
An hour later, Brenda still hadn’t shown up. Erik had tried to phone her in the hope that they could meet somewhere other than Gunnar’s place. Unfortunately, her cell phone went straight to voicemail, and he’d been unable to locate Ian MacEwan. So, all he could do now was wait for the dastardly duo to show up and hope to diffuse the megastorm he could sense in the offing. The old cliché about a woman scorned flitted through his brain, and he clenched his teeth.
He took his laptop out to the porch. His last line of defense would be to suggest an alternative venue for their discussion before they even got out of the car.
“Do you want some lunch?” Analise lounged against the porch doorway. She’d changed out of her sundress and now wore a t-shirt and pair of shorts, showing off her shapely legs—legs that earlier that morning had been wrapped around his waist while warm water from the shower coursed over their joined bodies.
“No, thanks. I’m still full from that huge breakfast. Do you mind if I eat later?”
Once he sent Brenda on her way, he could satisfy all his appetites.
“I’m not hungry either. Just seemed the thing to do. I’ll go take a couple of sandwiches out to Granddad. At least he seems to have regained his joie de vivre. Have you seen the stables? They’re immaculate. When I left him to come back to the house he was nailing some loose boards back in place.”
Erik followed her into the kitchen.
“I’ll take the sandwiches to your grandfather and see his handiwork now. Why don’t you have a rest and then we can take Gunnar out for an early dinner in Gimli? I hear there’s a new fish restaurant in town. With the Icelandic festival over, it should be quiet enough that we can get a table without a reservation.”
“Sounds great.” She slapped together a couple of sandwiches and, after pouring some lemonade into a Thermos, handed the lunch bundle to Erik.
He gave her a kiss on the cheek before going in search of her grandfather. Following Gunnar around as the older man munched on the lunch Analise had prepared, Erik was surprised at the amount of work that had been accomplished in the couple of days since he’d last been at the stables. Ten stalls were ready for occupants, and the range of bridles and tack hanging on the wall were now cleaned and ready for use.
“Seems like you’re ready to reopen,” Erik commented as they sat on bales of straw at the entrance to the big barn, where he could still watch the driveway for any arrivals.
“Yes. Thought I’d start small, just boarding horses for now. I can add training and riding lessons later if there’s a demand. Never thought I’d want to work again after I lost Lara. But with the next generation on the way, I thought I should leave behind something of worth.”
“All my baby needs is your love, Afi. Although I’m pleased you found something to make you happy again.” Analise’s soft voice from behind him made Erik jump.
“I thought you were going to rest.” He put his arm around her waist as she stood next to him, her hand on his shoulder.
“I couldn’t settle, too restless. Thought I’d wander out back and take some photos. Want to come for a walk?”
“You go ahead. I’ll join you soon.” He stood and kissed her on the cheek, then watched as she walked out the back door, her camera strap over her shoulder, a
small satchel probably containing a few more lenses in the other hand.
He’d always considered photography to be an easy career, especially these days. Cameras were so sophisticated, you only pointed and clicked. But when he’d had a fleeting glance at the album Analise had presented to his grandparents at their anniversary party, he’d been amazed at the images she’d captured. She was a true artist and had managed to convey the very essence of love and hope onto the photographic paper.
The sound of tires crunching on gravel brought him back to the present with a start. If he wanted to ensure many more pleasant photo ops, he needed to get rid of Brenda and Ian as soon as possible. Gunnar turned around at noise of the arriving car.
“I think that might be for me,” Erik said.
Gunnar looked pointedly at Erik’s hands, which he was clenching and unclenching as though getting ready for a fight.
“Need some privacy, son?”
“Yeah, do you mind?”
“Not at all; use the house. I think I’ll check the fencing on the paddocks, make sure none of the posts have rotted.” As the older man wandered off, Erik spun on his heel and strode toward the car that was now stopped beside his own.
“What do you want, Brenda?” he demanded as soon as she stepped out of the car.
“Is that any way to greet the woman who, up until three weeks ago, you used to call sweetheart? The woman who washed your underwear and cooked your dinner? Oh, yeah, that’s right. You replaced me. You found someone else, and you’re already married. Tell me, Erik, does she know about your little pet project? Does she know that you still live so much in the past that you couldn’t commit to a future with me?”
One wrong word, and this whole scene would detonate and take his happiness with it. He needed to reason with her. The logical lawyer he knew must be in there somewhere. “Brenda, you deserve a man who thinks you’re his entire world. I’m not that man. We had nothing in common besides work. I could never have made you happy, not in the long run. You’ve got to see that.”