by Dyanne Davis
“You thought about him with Ashleigh?”
“Worse.”
“With all the women he’d been with?”
Mia stared for a moment at her brother. “Are you sure you can hear this without running out of the restaurant?”
“I’ll try my best.”
“It wasn’t pictures of Damien and other women that got to me, Keefe. I liked making love with my husband. I thought that liking it so much made me like mom, that I was a slut.”
“Mia, I’m so sorry. I should have talked with you more.”
“You have nothing to be sorry for.”
“I think I do. If I hadn’t harped so much on your not being like her—”
“Don’t do this, Kee. If I hadn’t been afraid I would probably have made love with James, a man I didn’t even love. I’m happy I saved myself for Damien. If anything, I want to thank you for that. Besides, I’m not telling you for you to start feeling guilty over something you couldn’t control. I know you’ve been worrying about me and I want to tell you what happened. Do you want me to continue?”
He ran his hand over his head, looked away then back at his sister. “Yes, tell me.”
“Well, after I thought I had turned into her, God forbid, the images came and they wouldn’t stop.”
“You couldn’t control it?”
“No, I tried. You have no idea how hard I tried. My process failed me.”
For a moment, Mia felt weak admitting it to her brother, but then she smiled. “I tried to be strong, only being strong was pushing my husband away. He had no idea what was going on. I know I scared the bejesus out of him. He tried to help, he really did. But I was so scared of…of it happening again that I wouldn’t let him near me, not even when we came home,” she added.
“You didn’t tell me that.”
“I know. I didn’t want you to know, but I wouldn’t sleep in the bed with Damien.” She looked down. “I was trying hard to work it out, to use my process. But it wasn’t working. That’s why I called Dr. Grey. I didn’t want to lose my husband.”
“Are you sleeping together now?”
“Yeah.”
“So Dr. Grey helped?”
“Not with that. One night Damien came home, came into my room, picked me up and took me to our bedroom. He told me he wasn’t sleeping alone.”
“You didn’t object?”
“God, I was glad.
“Did the pictures continue?”
Mia felt her face getting hot, wondering how she was going to tell her brother that for weeks Damien climbed on her, entered her, did what he had to do and left. She smiled. There was no way to tell her brother that bit of information. Besides, it wasn’t important. “No,” she answered at last. “No more pictures.”
“So things really are okay with you?”
“Like I said, they’re getting there.” She took in a deep breath. “We’re learning how to,” she looked away, then shrugged her shoulder, “we’re learning how to please each other.”
There was a puzzled look on Keefe’s face and Mia laughed. “Damien would kill me if he knew I was telling you all of this.”
“Then why are you?”
“You don’t want to know?” Mia teased.
“I’m not sure,” Keefe answered. “I just wanted to make sure you weren’t being forced to do things you didn’t want to do.”
Mia laughed again. “You really owe my husband an apology, Kee. Not only isn’t he forcing me to do things that I don’t want, but he’s…we’re not—”
“You’re not making love?” Keefe gasped, wanting to put Mia and his own torture at her trying to tell him, behind them.
“No, we’re not.” Mia looked away. “It was Damien’s idea. We’re learning about each other, what works and what doesn’t.”
“Why?”
“I thought you weren’t quite sure you wanted to know.”
“I guess I changed my mind. I’m curious.”
“He’s doing it to prove to me that he didn’t marry me just so he could sleep with me.”
“Where did a crazy notion like that come from? Oh, let me guess, Mom.”
“And his mother.”
“Mia.”
“I know.”
“I told you to talk to him before the wedding.”
“I did.”
“Then?”
“Keefe, It’s over. We’re on the right track, believe me.”
“So why are you still seeing Dr. Grey?”
“I still have a few issues that I’m working on. I need a new process,” she told her brother. “Sticking to the old one nearly wrecked my marriage. I need to learn not to hide all of my feelings, no more repressing. I have to tell Damien what’s bothering me.”
Keefe rested his elbows on the table and propped his head between them. “Between me and Mom I’m surprised you ever got married. I’m sorry that I had anything to do with messing things up for you, Mia. I didn’t know there would be repercussions later for you.”
Mia took her brother’s hands. “Don’t, Kee. If it hadn’t been for you I really would have gone nuts for good. You taught me how to deal with the pain. You were the only one I ever let in. Now I have to learn how to let Damien in.” She smiled. “It’s not as hard as I thought it would be. He’s a darn good listener.”
“You really are okay, aren’t you?”
“Yeah, I am.”
* * *
“How is this? Tell me if you like it.”
Mia had to force herself to concentrate as the slight pressure from Damien’s mouth covered her breast. The touch was soft, as though a butterfly were kissing her. It was pleasant but nothing really special.
“It’s nice,” she answered smiling.
“Liar,” Damien laughed. “If this is going to work you have to tell the truth.”
“Really?” she asked.
“Really.”
“In that case, it’s no big deal.”
She watched the look on Damien’s face change to a mischievous glint as he applied more pressure and pulled her nipple into his mouth. A shot of desire sprung throughout her loins and she moaned.
“Still no big deal?” Damien asked.
Mia closed her eyes to enjoy the sensation. This was definitely a big deal.
“Your eyes are closed.”
“I know.”
“Open them.”
“Damien.”
“Come on, baby. I get nervous when you have your eyes closed.”
Mia opened her eyes, complying with her husband’s request. “What you were doing, it felt so good that my eyes closed automatically.” She saw the desire that filled him had made his eyes turn a deep amber color. “Damien, make love to me.”
She slid her hand toward the side of his muscular body before slowly inching her fingers toward his center. She felt for him, touched his warmth. Her eyes never leaving his face, her fingers curled around him and she smiled as his flesh danced in her hand. “Make love to me.”
“Oh, God,” Damien said aloud. “Mia, this is too damn hard. I want you so much. I want to make love to you more than I’ve ever wanted anything in my life,” he groaned, “except for proving to you how very much you mean me.”
His eyes closed of their own volition and he sucked in a breath, enjoying Mia’s touch yet trying to find the strength to follow through with their plan. A rush of lust claimed him and he groaned, gritting his teeth. How the hell had he found himself in this situation? Mia wanting him, touching him and him saying no.
He had two choices: to thrust himself deeply into Mia and relieve the ache, or push her away. He did neither. He couldn’t push Mia away, no matter how much it was killing him to have her hands on him and not do as she asked. He had to find the strength for both of them. He had to.
“I don’t know how I’m ever going to make it,” Damien said softly as he ran his hands possessively over Mia’s body.
“It shouldn’t be so hard for you.” She blew on his tiny pebbled nipple. “You did it f
or almost a year before we were married.” She dipped her head and tasted the pebble. “Surely you can go a few more days,” she challenged wickedly.
“Yeah, but that was before I knew just how good it felt to be inside you. Now that I know…,” he pressed Mia closer and moaned. “It seems like forever since I felt release and I might just combust.”
“Technically, Damien, this is harder on me than you.” She saw him arch one brow and give her a suspicious look that smacked of let’s-get-real.
“How?” he finally said.
“Well, it’s only been a few days since you had release,” Mia finally said and looked straight at him.
“I don’t believe you actually said that,” Damien laughed.
“You said you wanted sharing, you didn’t want me to hold anything back, so hey, I’m just fulfilling your request.”
Damien laughed again. “I do have to tell you that I like what you have to say.”
“So what’s our lesson tonight?” Mia asked as she continued raining kisses on Damien’s chest.
“What do you think it should be?”
Mia gave her husband a meaningful look that told him much more than her words could have.
“No, we’re going the full two weeks.” he said to her softly as he began caressing Mia and doing more kissing than anything.
Mia’s skin burned where Damien’s lips touched her. She lay in his arms, content for the moment to just feel his heat. He began stroking her cheeks.
“Mia, I’ve been thinking about what you said and you’re right. You’ve been cheated. I think tonight we need to even the score.”
“But I thought you said—”
“There are other ways besides penetration, baby girl, and tonight you’re going to have your first orgasm.”
“But I want us to be together…I mean I want you making love to me.”
“I will be.”
“Damien.” Mia was becoming flustered. “You know what I mean. When I have my first orgasm I want you inside me like I’ve always imagined it.”
“Trust me, baby girl, when it happens you won’t give a damn about your plans. I am going to make love to you, baby. I want you to have an orgasm and I want to watch you as you come.” He saw her eyes dart to the side and knew she was mortified. He grinned and kissed her forehead. “Don’t worry, I won’t watch tonight. Tonight I have something else in mind.”
He saw that she was still ill at ease. “When it happens, I guarantee you’re not going to be embarrassed.”
Damien kissed his way down Mia’s body, pulling on the tender brown flesh, running his tongue lovingly over her abdomen, twirling it in the indentation of her navel. He felt his wife shiver with delight and smiled to himself. She was so hot and her heat was making him hot, hot and rock hard. He smelled her scent rising to meet him, and knew without touching her that she was flowing. She was ready and damn if he wasn’t ready himself. He pushed her hands away, knowing her protests were feeble. She needed this and he was going to give it to her. Only heaven help him as to how he would avoid completing the act. He chanted inwardly, This is for Mia, you’re doing it for Mia.
Damien moved into position between his wife’s thighs his arousal throbbing, and he thought to himself, Down boy, that’s not where you’re heading. For a long moment he buried his head in the soft flesh of Mia’s thigh. He had to steady himself. When he thought he had his emotions under control, he began kissing her flesh. Changing his direction he kissed gently at her entrance and felt his flesh jerk forward. He needed more time, he knew it, or he’d never be able to just give to his bride without receiving in kind.
He slowly reversed his path, kissing his way back up Mia’s body and suckling her breast until he felt her trembling in desire and need. This time when her eyes closed he didn’t ask her to open them. He only smiled as he once again worked his way down her abdomen, loving the feel of her soft skin stretched taut over her slim frame. He paid special attention to her belly, thinking of the day that it would swell with their babies, and he shivered himself.
He continued with his kisses moving down, down, and then her hand reached out once more, trying to push him away. He heard her voice, soft, wanting, embarrassed as hell.
“Damien, I don’t know if I want you to do that.”
“If you don’t like it, I’ll never do it again,” he promised as he looked into her eyes and kissed her inner thigh. His body was trembling so hard that he almost missed Mia’s body tensing. Would it kill either of them for him to give her what she wanted, to give both of them what they wanted? Hell, they were married. Why was he playing games? Why didn’t he just make love to his wife, bury himself in her?
“I love you,” came Mia’s sweet, sweet voice giving him his answer. That was the reason he was taking it so damn slow. Above everything else he wanted his wife to know how much he treasured her. She didn’t think he could hold out. Hell, he didn’t think he could but he needed to. He needed to prove to both of them that it wasn’t just sex.
He tasted her and groaned. He’d known she would taste the way that she did. She attempted to pull away and he reached his hand around her hip and pulled her closer as he breathed in the essence of his wife. And he did as he’d promised. He made love to his wife in the only way he was allowing himself. He wanted so much to see her face when she came. But that would wait until later.
He tasted her secrets, thoroughly enjoying the reactions of her body. When he felt the tell-tale sign of her impending release he increased his efforts, smiling inside. He heard her cries, her moans of pleasure, heard her calling his name, but he didn’t stop until she was finished. Then and only then did he allow himself to come to her side, to take her in his arms and hug her to him.
“Why are you crying, baby? Didn’t you like it?” For a few moments she didn’t answer, only held him even tighter.
“That was your first orgasm, baby girl. How did you like it?” She didn’t answer. She buried her lips into his neck and he could feel her smile. “So you liked it?” he teased.
“Damien, I never knew it would be like this. If I had, I don’t think I would have waited,” she laughed.
“I’m glad you waited for me to find you, baby girl.” And he was. It was worth the wait. She was worth the wait.
They lay together for the longest time until Mia raised her head and gazed down at her husband, saw the contentment in his eyes from the pleasure he’d given her. But she saw something else there, unfulfilled need. And it didn’t matter about their two week plan. She had a plan of her own.
“Damien, school’s out for tonight, right?”
“Yeah,” he whispered, attempting to bring her head back to his chest. “Why?”
“Because I have something I want to do. And I swear if you give me one word of instruction I will castrate you.”
Before Damien could ask, Mia was showing him as she rolled over on him and began kissing her way south.
“Mia.”
“Don’t stop me, Damien. This is my show and I know what I’m doing. I watched the tape,” she whispered before she took him in her mouth.
When she was done her husband’s unfulfilled needs had been fulfilled.
And so had Mia’s. She knew for her there was no going back. She could no longer repress her needs.
Within moments Mia was sleeping in Damien’s arms and he laughed to himself. Tonight they had skipped ahead in their lessons. He felt the sensations of pleasure that continued to swirl in his blood. He couldn’t believe the gift Mia had given him. And he damn sure couldn’t believe he was still spouting nonsense about holding out for two weeks. Oh yes, he’d changed, he thought as his hands touched Mia, caressing her sleeping body. Well, even though he’d changed, he wasn’t dead.
* * *
Damien was dishing up the cheese and eggs he’d made for them. “Guess what? I got the honeymoon suite at Stavro’s, the same room we had on our wedding night.”
Mia smiled. “That’s so romantic.”
“I figured
we should go back there and start over. Four more days and it’s no more waiting.”
“Ten days seems like a lifetime, doesn’t it?” Mia asked.
Damien glanced toward her. She was biting her nails and had a dreamy expression on her face. There was something going on and he was going crazy wondering what it was. “What are you thinking about?” he asked.
Mia sucked on her lips, wanting to laugh, feeling embarrassed but wanting to know. “How was I?”
The fork stopped midway to his mouth and Damien stared at his bride. “Do you even have to ask?”
“Yes,” she answered. “I have to ask. I want to know.”
He dropped the fork, came to her side of the table and took her in his arms and gazed into her eyes. “Baby, you took me to heaven.”
“Yeah?”
“Yeah,” he answered. “And I want to take you someplace tonight.”
“Where?” she grinned.
“Somewhere that requires clothes.” he teased. “I want to take you out on a date. Can you make it? I know you have a class tonight. Do you think you can skip it?”
“That depends. Where are you taking me?”
“Skip class and I promise you’ll be glad you did.”
“Okay,” she answered. “How should I dress?”
He smiled and kissed her lips. “Casual is good. Now eat up, we both need the protein.”
Twenty minutes later he was reaching for the lunch Mia had made for him and heading for the door. “Does this one have meat or is it my favorite, bread on bread?” he asked, teasing her.
“It has meat.”
“I’ll see you tonight,” he said as he kissed her and went out the door laughing, not telling Mia that tonight they were taking it back to the beginning, to their first meeting.
Chapter Nineteen
“I can’t believe you thought of this,” Mia said smiling as she munched on a fry. “Of all the places to come, McDonald’s. It’s so romantic. I love it.”
“I knew you would.” Damien beamed. “It’s where we fell in love.”
“That happened in Ashleigh’s apartment.”
“I didn’t think you wanted to go there. Besides this is where we sealed the deal. Where we acknowledged to ourselves what we’d felt there. This is where we fell in love,” he insisted, and at last Mia agreed.