Whatever the Price

by Jules Bennett

  Anthony backed her up until she felt the warm glass of the patio doors at her back. The sun streamed in around them and she’d love nothing more than to have him take her here with the lake at her back. She’d always had a bit of a reckless abandon when it came to making love, and now, after his emotional reaction to her revelation of the baby, she didn’t care about finding a bed or even using the couch that had been shoved aside to make room for the dance floor. She wanted Anthony. Now. She wanted that passion they’d always had to go to another, more intimate level.

  His hands cupped her bare shoulders as he broke off the kiss. “Tell me this is more than just desire.”

  Charlotte stared up at him. “What?”

  “I need to know that you want me, this marriage. I don’t want a commitment for the next few minutes. I want the rest of our lives.”

  Charlotte stared at him. Tears clogged her throat and all she could do was give in to the euphoria of the moment. The happiness, the intensity of their desire coalesced and felt like it had exploded inside her.

  “Anthony, I want you. This. I will give us another chance.”

  For the beat of a heart, he studied her face before taking her mouth once again and going on to show her just how much he wanted her, too.

  Twelve

  “I have another surprise for you.”

  Charlotte glanced up from the antique wooden high chair where she was feeding Lily. If his surprise was anything like the previous day of erotic dancing and then making love, she wasn’t sure her nerves could handle it.

  “What’s the surprise?” she asked, scooping another spoonful of puréed carrots from the jar.

  That cocky grin that had melted her heart at their first meeting spread across his handsome face. “It wouldn’t be much of a surprise if I told you.”

  Which meant she should prepare herself for anything.... She couldn’t wait.

  “Is Lily coming with us?” she asked, pretending her heart hadn’t picked up the pace from the anticipation of the unknown.

  “Yes, she is.”

  Well, that knocked wild sex on the beach out.

  He leaned down, kissed her on the forehead. “How are you feeling?”

  “Not too bad. A little dizziness when I first got up, but it passed.”

  She loved the feeling that swept over her as his caring, protective side emerged. That ball of nerves had vanished, leaving her thankful she’d opened up about the pregnancies—both of them. Now they could have a clean slate to work with and start this marriage on a stronger, more solid foundation.

  “Can you both be ready in an hour?” he asked.

  Just then, Lily spit up carrots all over Charlotte’s face. Through the gooey mess, Charlotte eyed the baby, who was clapping and giggling, then Anthony, who had jumped back fast enough to avoid the spray of liquid veggies.

  “We can try,” she laughed, wiping her face.

  * * *

  Yesterday’s surprise had been all about letting Charlotte see his softer, more compassionate side—just how committed he was to this marriage. Little had he known she had a surprise of her own: her pregnancy.

  God, a baby. He’d been utterly caught off guard, so stunned he’d only wanted to feel closer to her, to connect in a familiar, comforting way.

  But after they’d made love and she’d spent the night in his bed, where she belonged, he’d lain awake most of the night looking at the moonlight slanting across the ceiling.

  How the hell was he going to make this work? He was just getting his wife back, trying to do what was right for Lily, mourn for Rachel, get to know his new family. And now he was going to be a father.

  He’d never seen Charlotte so worried, yet so excited. The light in her eyes as she’d told him about the baby was something he wished he’d see more often. She was going to be a wonderful mother.... He only hoped, prayed, he could be the man he needed to be to all the people who needed him.

  Most important, though, he needed to be a supportive, loving husband and father. If Charlotte leaving him taught him anything, it was that even with work in his life, there was still a void without the one woman he loved with every breath in his body.

  And as intense and emotional as yesterday had been, today he wanted everything to be about them as a family, a unit. They were in Tahoe, where the lake glistened from the glorious sunshine and the century-old evergreens protected the land like a fortress. He wanted to enjoy the simpler things in life and he wanted to do that with his beautiful, pregnant wife and his adorable niece.

  Once he’d helped Charlotte clean up the mystery mess—because there’s no way that orange liquid-looking stuff was carrots in that jar—Anthony had told Charlotte to put on her swimsuit and cover-up. They were spending the day outdoors. Of course, that basically told her what they’d be doing, but she didn’t know he’d packed a special picnic lunch for the three of them.

  Choosing the adult menu had been simple, it was the culinary choice for the eight-month-old that had given him pause. He’d packed the formula, bottles with filtered water, some “veggies” and those puff-looking snacks.

  Hopefully, he’d remembered everything. Running over the checklist in his mind, he drew a total blank when Charlotte came into the room with Lily on her hip.

  “Is that what you’re wearing?”

  Her silver bikini covered only what was necessary, and a small, sheer piece of white cloth was tied around her waist.

  She glanced down, then back up. “You told me to put on my suit.”

  The look on her face, that smirk with a gleam in her eye, told him she was not only torturing him on purpose, she was enjoying every minute of it. This was the playful side, the flirty side he’d missed. They hadn’t flirted in a long time. Instead, they’d been on a cycle of fighting, fast sex and awkward silence.

  But now they were getting back to how they used to be before he let his career become his mistress. Damn, it felt good to be in love again.

  “We need to put sunscreen on Lily before we leave so it has time to soak in,” he told her, pulling the bottle from the tote sitting by the front door.

  “I’m very impressed that you thought of that.”

  He squirted a small amount into his hands and rubbed them over the baby’s soft, pudgy arms, legs and face. “I read about it online. I may be new to this parenting gig, and I’m going to make my share of mistakes, but I’ve been trying to learn more and more about babies and safety. I’m getting a crash course with hands-on training.”

  Charlotte laughed as she rubbed a fingertip over Lily’s nose to smooth in the rest of the white sunscreen.

  “What’s so funny?” he asked.

  “Your doing all this research. I just had a visual of you online at some Mommy’s Forum reading all the dos and don’ts of motherhood.”

  Okay, so he wouldn’t tell her that’s precisely how he’d picked up some of his parenting info. Those forums were helpful and, in his defense, he was doing this to be the best father he could possibly be. To both babies.

  He opened the door and grabbed the bulging tote. Who knew a little one needed so much stuff for one short outing?

  “Are you ready?”

  She moved ahead of him and he wished he didn’t know which was more appealing: Charlotte coming or going. Both views provided an eyeful that he certainly appreciated but didn’t want the rest of Tahoe to enjoy, as well. This was his wife, his view and for his hands only.

  He felt so much love for her. He just worried, once the baby came and if he was indeed the director of Olivia’s biopic, how he would still find time to keep Charlotte happy and give her the time and attention the marriage needed.

  But he’d find a way. He wanted it all and he refused to half-ass any of his roles.

  “You okay?” Charlotte asked, turning to face him in the ca
r.

  He glanced her way, drinking in the site of his beautiful, loving wife. “More than okay. This is going to be a great day.”

  Once they got to the beach, found the perfect spot and set up a small tent to keep Lily mostly in the shade, Anthony was more than ready to test the waters.

  Charlotte slid free of her silver flip-flops and her wrap, which really did nothing to hide those curves that begged for his hands to roam over them. She eased down with Lily and took out a toy shovel and pail and started scooping.

  “Want to bring her into the water for a bit?” he asked.

  “I will in a minute. I’m going to build a sand castle so she can knock it down.”

  Anthony stared at all that glorious bare skin on Charlotte and frowned. “You didn’t put any sunscreen on.”

  Charlotte tossed him a look over her shoulder. “You’re not seriously going to use that clichéd excuse to get your hands on me, are you?”

  He leaned down, his body casting a shadow over her. “I don’t need a lame excuse to get my hands on you, Charlie.”

  Lily smacked the shovel against Charlotte’s arm and giggled. How that child knew when to lighten the mood was a mystery.

  “I’m going to take a dip,” he told her, standing and pulling his T-shirt over his head. “You should both feel free to join me after you put on your sunscreen. Can’t have all that beautiful skin burned.”

  Maybe the temperature of the lake would cool him off, but he doubted it. He’d seen his wife naked and touched every inch of her countless times, but the sight of her in that scrap of a bikini with all her luscious curves, knowing he couldn’t touch her, made him want her all the more.

  He swam for a while and when Charlotte finally brought Lily into the water, they all played and laughed at Lily’s squeals and splashes. He loved seeing Charlotte love this baby as if she were her own. Even though another baby really worried him, he knew Charlotte would be wonderful, and he was anxious to see that mother-child bond with his own baby.

  Once they ate lunch, which proved to be a lot less messy than breakfast, Lily was more than ready for her afternoon nap and Anthony was ready to get Charlotte back home, where she could put some damn clothes on…or take the rest off and let him inspect her tan lines.

  He’d seen men do double, and triple, takes in her direction. But that was fine. How could he fault them for having excellent taste in women?

  Lily fell asleep before they’d pulled out of the parking lot. Once they arrived back home, Charlotte carefully eased her from her car seat and carried her to her crib.

  Anthony stood outside the master suite and waited, his control about to snap.

  “I think she had fun,” Charlotte whispered as she closed the baby’s door. “I need to check my email for this fundraiser, then I’m going to grab a quick shower and get this sand out of my hair.”

  A shower was the perfect idea.

  “I’m going to go ahead and hop in the shower myself.” He stepped closer, running a fingertip along her pink cheek. “You’re not too tired from all that are you? I want to make sure you’re rested.”

  Her breath hitched. Good. He didn’t remove his hand.

  “I’m fine,” she told him, looking up into his eyes. “I actually feel great. I had a wonderful time today.”

  For a minute, neither spoke. He stepped back, allowing his hand to fall to his side. The timeless game of predator to prey. He wanted her and he had no doubt she knew it. She’d worn those scraps on purpose and tortured him for hours.

  “I’ll let you get to your work,” he told her, turning to go into the master suite where an oversized shower awaited him.

  He had no doubt—email or no email—she’d be joining him in that shower.

  * * *

  Charlotte knew the dangerous game Anthony was playing. And, mercy, did she want him. She wanted to go into that shower and have him make sure every last grain of sand was rinsed from her body.

  She hadn’t missed the way his eyes had devoured her body at the beach…she was still tingling.

  She’d seen such a change in Anthony since coming to Tahoe. The way he placed her needs before his own, the tender way he was with Lily. Everything about him screamed “family man.”

  Would he be happy with that? She certainly didn’t want to take his career away. She didn’t want him to resent her or be stuck in a life he wasn’t happy with. But she did want him to know that family always came above a career. And with this baby on the way, she prayed she carried it to full term and Anthony stayed committed to their marriage and children.

  Images of him laughing with Lily, of him feeding her and rocking her to sleep, flooded her mind. He loved that baby and Charlotte knew that he loved her, too. More than she ever thought someone could love her. She had no doubt he was going to try to be the man this marriage needed, the man she needed. He’d been so up-front with his emotions…behaving in a way he’d never done before. He was so attentive, so loving.

  Charlotte covered her bare stomach with her hand and smiled. This child they’d created would not grow up without both parents. Charlotte knew this marriage wasn’t cured or perfect, but they were most certainly on the right track and she couldn’t wait to get started in the next chapter of their life as a family.

  And it all started with a fresh shower to wash away the past.

  Thirteen

  The click of the bathroom door was music to Anthony’s ears. After their turning point last night, he wanted to strengthen that intimate bond.

  The open, walk-in shower left the entire bathroom visible to him without the barrier of a glass door. With textured tiles and a number of nozzles dotting the three walls, this shower had been made with just this purpose in mind—to make love to his wife with the feel of being in the open. The mirrors directly across from the shower only provided an even more erotic backdrop.

  Too bad he hadn’t taken advantage of this getaway home more often with her. He planned to rectify that from now on.

  He turned to face the open side as Charlotte stared at him from across the room. Still clad in only her bikini and the sheer wrap around her rounded hips, she set the baby monitor on the counter and tilted her head.

  “Looks like enough room for me,” she said with a smile as she reached behind her back and untied the straps of her bikini top.

  With a flick of her wrist, she sent the material soaring across the room to slap against his bare, wet chest. He caught the garment and smiled.

  “Plenty of room,” he assured her.

  She shimmied out of her wrap and bottoms and moved toward him. He didn’t even try to hide how he was devouring her with his eyes, much the way he intended to do with his hands and mouth in seconds.

  At the edge of the lip to the shower, Charlotte hesitated and looked into his eyes once again. “I’ve needed this. Us together like this.”

  “Me, too,” he told her, extending his hand to help her over the short tiled edge. “I just was blind and couldn’t see how desperately I needed you. You brought me to my knees and I’m a stronger man for it.”

  Her delicate hand slipped into his as she stepped up next to him, her lush body instantly wet, instantly molded to his own. He put everything else, even the pregnancy, out of his mind. For now he just wanted Charlotte. The outside world didn’t exist. But the need, the desire he had for his wife, the woman who could make him turn his life around, couldn’t wait.

  “I’ve missed you,” he whispered, raining kisses over her bare shoulder. “Last night was amazing, but let me show you again how much I need you.”

  Her hands came up to frame his face, forcing him to look her in the eyes. “I can’t wait,” she told him.

  Too bad.

  “Always in a rush.” He cupped her hands with his own. “This is a new beginning for us and I’m taking my t
ime. From now on, I’m devoting my time to you, to this family.”

  Her eyes darted down, her teeth worried her bottom lip. Anthony bent down, capturing those lips with his. He pulled their hands between their bodies, letting the hot water wash over them as he claimed her mouth.

  “Trust me,” he murmured against her lips. “Trust this. Happiness from here on out.”

  With a brief nod, she stood on her tiptoes to take his mouth again. Anthony let go of her hands; he had more important body parts to explore. Holding hands could be done in public. What he had in mind couldn’t.

  His hands roamed over her hot, wet skin as she pressed herself further against him. She was trying to kill him, but he would remain in control here and they’d both benefit in the end.

  Backing her against the tile, he took her hands and held them above her head, easing back to gaze down into her eyes. Droplets ran down her face, the long column of her throat and disappeared in the valley between her breasts. He couldn’t wait to lick those droplets off and make her writhe beneath him. Nothing could pull him from this moment, unless the baby began screaming through the monitor.

  “Touch me, Anthony.”

  He smiled. “I am. For the first time in a long time, I’m going to touch every part of you. Starting with your heart.”

  With a gentle kiss to her lips, he made good on the promise to himself to follow those droplets running the course of her lush body. He worked his way from her jaw, down her neck and over her shoulders, all the while holding her arms above her head. She arched against him and he needed no further invitation to capture one of her pebbled nipples in his mouth.

  He closed his mouth over her breast, shivering when she groaned. She begged, she cried out, but Anthony didn’t move any faster as he made love to her, one luscious body part at a time.

  By the time he moved to the other breast, she was panting and he was more than ready to take her.

  He dropped to his knees, kissed her stomach where their baby grew and stared up at her. “You’re so beautiful, Charlie. I’ll never take you for granted again.”