Falling for Her Husband (9 page)

“I didn’t like it.” She paused, dropping her gaze to the table from a moment as if lost in thought. “I didn’t look like me.”

“I agree,” he said quietly. “But it was a beautiful photo. Very edgy.”

Amber lifted her head, her eyes wide, shocked etched all over her face. “You saw it?” She paused, memories flooding her. “Oh, that’s right. Stasia told me.”

Vince nodded. “Came across it unexpectedly. Couldn’t believe it was you I was looking at, truthfully.”

“I feel the same way,” she admitted.

“What did Debbie say?” he asked.

“She loved it. Was so enthusiastic to see me. She said since the cover, since the accident, I have been completely in demand and so many people have put in requests to work with me. Photographers, magazines, stylists…I’m a hot commodity. That’s how she described me.”

“So I assume you’re going back to work, then.” He tried to drink out of his wineglass again, but it was disappointingly empty.

“I don’t think so,” she murmured, slowly shaking her head.

He set his wineglass on the table slowly, shock coursing through him. “Why not? I thought you were feeling the itch to go back lately.”

“I was. Meeting with Debbie…it confused me. I was so glad to see her at first. But then the more she said, the more hollow I felt. She went on and on about my career, how everyone wants me, and it all felt really fake.”

Relief flooded him, but he schooled his expression. He didn’t want Amber to know how much this pleased him. He would’ve supported her no matter what, but truthfully?

He didn’t want her to go back to work. Go back to modeling. He was afraid he’d never see her again. That they would fall right back into the old patterns and argue over her career, over his, over their marriage and how they never saw each other.

That was the last thing he wanted.

“You may change your mind,” he said, proud of how neutral his voice was.

“I might.” She shrugged, a little smile tickling the corner of her lips. “And then again, I might not. I enjoy staying home and spending so much time with you, you know. A girl could get used to this sort of life.”

“You’ll get bored,” he said, ignoring his happily beating heart. She could change her mind in a flash. She’d done it before.

“Maybe. But then maybe we could have a baby and my life will be occupied with taking care of our child. And I might become so enraptured with my new life as a mother I could want even more children.” Her smile grew and she reached out her hand, which he took easily, her slender fingers curling around his. “In fact, I think it would be a good idea for us to go back to bed and practice making a baby right now. What do you think?”

Vince squeezed her hand, smiling at her in return.

He believed all of his dreams were coming true.

Chapter Thirteen

Amber wasn’t sure why the sudden change of heart in regards to starting a family, but she was rolling with it. More than that, she wanted it, truly wanted it.

With Vince. Only with Vince.

Maybe it was because they’d spent so much time with Stasia and her husband, Gavin, and their two young children. Maybe it was Debbie’s comment about Vince wanting to start a family and how she’d been against it. Even a week or two ago she’d been against it, though there’d always been a niggling doubt…

Whatever it was, the idea of having a child with Vince had occupied her thoughts for days. Weeks really, though she wasn’t sure what exactly kicked it off in the first place. All she knew was that she loved her husband above everyone else. She wanted to create a family with him. She wanted to show him just how much she loved him.

And she wanted to be with him. Now. Tonight. For all eternity.

She’d dragged Vince back to their bedroom, startled to find the mood already set. Her husband had been busy before she returned home and it thrilled her that he cared so much and wanted to make a special night for them both. The bed had been turned back invitingly, lit votive candles were scattered all over the room and the scent in the air was sweetly seductive.

“You really did plan a special night, didn’t you?” She turned to him, curling her finger around one of his belt loops on his jeans and pulling him to her.

He went easily, a sensual smile curving his lips. “It’s been too long since I’ve held my wife in my arms.”

She slipped her arms around him, resting her cheek against his chest for a long, quiet moment. His steadily beating heart calmed her, filled her with peace. How did she get so lucky? How did she find such a wonderful, perfect man to stand by her side? “I know I haven’t been very…affectionate lately,” she murmured.

Vince kissed the top of her head. “You’ve been preoccupied with other things.”

“That doesn’t mean I should ignore you. That’s no excuse.” She tilted her head back and gazed up at him, her heart overflowing with love for Vince. She flat out adored him. Did he know that? Did he see how much he meant to her? She might’ve not shown it lately, but she would tonight.

Just as much as he was showing her. For the first time since her accident, she felt like they were on the same page. They wanted the same things. Life was simple, really. If she followed a certain pattern, things would automatically happen. She was the one who made her life complicated with her choices. Getting married and then leaving her husband to work for weeks, months at a time on location, all over the world, while virtually ignoring Vince…

Of course, he wouldn’t stand for that. How could he? He had his pride.

He also had love, plenty of love for her.

“Well, we’re done ignoring each other this week.” He settled his hand on the side of her cheek, his fingers gently caressing her skin. His gaze roved over her face, his eyes lit with that familiar hungry fire that told her he was aroused. “You’re beautiful.”

She smiled and angled her face so she could kiss his palm. “Thank you.”

“I mean it.” His expression was solemn, his dark eyes becoming unreadable as he continued to speak. “I know you hear that all the time, what with your modeling. People fawn all over you, tell you that you’re gorgeous and it’s true. But I see
you,
Amber. I really see you and what you are on the inside. What you stand for. I’m proud of you. Madly in love with you. I just…I wanted you to know that.”

His expression was so vulnerable after making such a heartfelt declaration, her heart overflowed with love for this man. It was her turn to reach for him, settle her hand on his stubble-roughened cheek. “I love you too, Vince. So much.”

“When I think about all that we could’ve lost…” His voice drifted and he closed his eyes tightly, his mouth drawn. He looked in so much pain and she hated that. The accident, the possible consequences, they still upset him greatly.

She wanted to take all of his pain away. Like he took hers away.

“Don’t think of it.” She reared up on tiptoe and pressed her mouth to his in a simple, lingering kiss.

He would have none of it, though. Vince slipped his hand around her nape, keeping her in place as he deepened the kiss. His tongue traced her lips and she opened for him easily, his tongue thrusting in, tangling with hers. She moaned low, her hands falling to his broad shoulders so she could grip him tight. The more he kissed her, the dizzier she felt, and she needed to grab onto something so she wouldn’t fall to the floor.

His lips had that strong of an effect on her.

They continued to kiss, breaking apart only to remove clothing before they were colliding against each other once again. She felt drunk, her head spinning, and she knew it had nothing to do with the glass and a half of wine she drank at dinner. It was from Vince’s touch, his mouth, his tongue. The things he whispered in her ear, the reverent way he removed her clothing, his gaze never leaving hers. The touch of his fingers upon her flesh burned her, searing her straight through, and the storm grew within her. Gathered and formed within her until he was all she could think about, all she could feel and see.

Only Vince could calm this passionate storm sweeping within her. She knew without a doubt he felt the same way about her.

All thoughts of what Debbie said, how their relationship had been troubled, disappeared as her husband guided her to the bed. She lay there for him, a willing sacrifice as he came over her clad only in his boxer briefs, she in just a pair of panties. When his bare, hot skin pressed against hers she swore they sizzled at first contact. She wanted to feel every bare inch of him, wanted him pushing inside her, connecting them together, reminding her why she was with her husband in the first place.

Because she loved him. Wanted no one else but him. They were meant to be together. She might’ve fought it before, during a time she flat out couldn’t remember, but she was finally okay with that.

She didn’t need to remember. She was too happy living the here and now. Their troubled past was best kept where they were.

In the past.

He was a lucky, lucky man, to have such a sweet, giving woman as his wife. Just looking at her made his chest hurt, his heart felt so full. Touching her made him feel alive. Kissing her made him drunk. Stripping her clothes off, seeing the way she watched him, pleasure filling her eyes, in her expressive face, made him feel like he could conquer the world.

And he could—with Amber by his side.

They connected tonight. They’d had their troubles since the accident, but they were minor in comparison to the way they fought before. The last few days, he’d never felt closer to her. Tonight, at this very moment, it was as if they were one.

“I’ve missed you,” he whispered in her ear, then slid his lips along the length of her elegant neck. She arched her head back, giving him better access as he licked and sucked the delicate skin. His hands wandered over her naked body, cupping her breasts, circling her hard nipples with his finger.

Amber whimpered and he caught the sounds with his lips, kissing her deeply. He was hard, aching for her, desperate to be inside her, but he wanted to make it good for her too. He moved down her body, his mouth blazing a trail on her soft skin. Goose bumps dotted her flesh in his lips’ wake as he followed the curve of first one breast, then another.

He licked and sucked her nipples, kissed across her flat stomach. She had such smooth skin and gentle curves and she’d filled out since the accident. Her breasts were bigger, her hips wider, and he loved how womanly she’d become.

His woman. All his.

“I want you inside me,” she whispered, her voice husky with passion.

His cock hardened even more, if possible, at the sound of her words. He wanted the same. To be buried deep inside her, pounding within her body, connecting them in a way he wasn’t linked to anyone else in this world. His love for Amber grew and grew until it nearly overwhelmed him.

“I should grab a condom,” he muttered, reaching for the bedside table drawer.

Amber grabbed hold of his wrist, stopping him. “I want to feel you inside me.”

Vince reared up so he could look at her, his knees straddling either side of her hips. “Are you sure?” he asked, feeling the fool for asking. But they’d never had sex without a condom before. The Amber of before would’ve never chanced it. The Amber of before had also been on birth control, but since the accident, she hadn’t taken any.

He knew she was afraid of becoming pregnant, that she believed she wasn’t ready. But now…

“I’ve never been more sure of anything else in my entire life.” She smiled, the sight of it sending a current of emotion streaming through his body. “Besides when I knew I wanted to marry you.”

Ah God, she would kill him with words. He collapsed on top of her, kissing her, consuming her, his cock hard against her soft belly. She wrapped her long legs around his hips, hooking herself to him, and he adjusted himself, thrusting deep inside her.

Connecting them. Just as he’d wished for.

She cried out with every hard thrust, her head arched back on the pillow, hair spread out and eyes closed. He watched her, his gaze never leaving her as he rocked into her body, her breasts moving with his every push. He was relentless, consumed, desperate to power inside of her body, prove to her that he loved her, that they belonged together, that she was his.

And he was hers.

His name fell from her lips, and he reached between their clinging bodies, his fingers working her clit, stroking it. Circling it. Her breathing accelerated as he increased his speed and she shattered within seconds, her entire body shaking with her powerful orgasm.

Pride stretched through him, heady and strong, and he moved lazily within her welcoming, wet body. He wanted to come but also wanted to draw out her pleasure, revel in it. Witness her wreckage before she slowly pulled herself back together.

“Beautiful,” he murmured as he gripped her hips with both hands and angled over her, still keeping a lazy pace, enjoying the way her eyelids fluttered and her lips parted on a happy sigh.

“You feel so good,” she whispered, stretching beneath him. “I love the way you move inside of me.”

He withdrew almost completely from her body, holding himself there for long seconds before he pushed deep. Deeper, fucking her again and again, his mind blank, his body focused on only seeking its pleasure until he erupted with a roar inside her. Sending her into another orgasm that had her clinging to him, her nails running sharp trails down his back. He breathed heavily in her ear, ran his hand over the top of her hair, the damp strands tangling between his fingers.

“I love you,” he whispered. “So much.”

She hummed and turned to press her lips to his cheek. “I love you too.” She paused, a giggle escaping. “You’re such a beast.”

He chuckled as well, feeling somewhat embarrassed. “Did I move too quick? I felt a little…overcome.”

Amber pushed at his shoulders so he had no choice but to lift up. “I came twice. I don’t think you’ll hear me protesting you were too quick.”

Bending down, he nuzzled her cheek, inhaled her scent. She was like a drug. He was addicted to his wife.

And he loved it. Loved her.

He didn’t want to spoil the moment, but…

“We took a risk, you know,” he said, suddenly feeling very serious. “Not using condoms,” he explained when he noticed her frown.

Her expression cleared at his words. “I’m not worried about that.”

“You’re not?” Now it was his turn to frown.

“If it happens, it happens.” She shrugged. “I’m not going to worry about it.”

“Really?”

Smiling, she reached up and caressed his cheek. “Really.” Her touch was gentle. Arousing. Even though he was spent. Exhausted. He still wanted her.

Always.