Deeper than the Night - By Amanda Ashley Page 0,110
what the heck, he could buy another.
And then he thought of Kara, waiting for him around the corner, and he forgot about Mitch and Barrett, forgot everything but the fact that this was his wedding night.
The drive up the mountain seemed to take forever. Kara felt a glow in her heart each time she looked at Alexander. Her husband. For better or worse . . . She felt a twinge of unease as she wondered if things would ever be better, if they would ever be free of Barrett, able to get on with their lives without always looking over their shoulders.
"Not having regrets already, are you?" Alex asked.
"Of course not." She scooted closer, pressing herself against him.
"Worrying about Barrett?"
She nodded. "I can't help it. Do youthink he'll ever give up?"
"I don't know. I hope so." Bending toward her, his gaze on the road, he kissed her cheek. "I love you, natayah."
His words, the husky tremor in his voice, chased all thoughts of Dale Barrett from her mind. Placing her hand on Alex's knee, she ran her fingertips up and down his hard-muscled thigh. "Can't you drive a little faster?"
"Keep that up, and I'll probably run us off the road."
"Really?" She let her hand caress his inner thigh, smiled when his foot pressed down on the accelerator.
"Vixen," he growled. Wrapping his arm around her shoulders, he drew her even closer, until there was no space between them at all.
They reached the cavern a short time later. Switching off the engine, Alex alighted from the car and walked around to open the door for Kara. Taking her hand, he helped her out, then swung her into his arms and carried her to the entrance of the cave.
"We're home, Mrs. Claybourne."
"Mrs. Claybourne," she repeated. "It sounds wonderful."
He touched the rock face and the portal opened. With ease, he carried her inside, then paused in the corridor, gazing down into her eyes. "Did I tell you how beautiful you are?"
"Yes, but tell me again."
"You are beautiful, Kara Claybourne. The most beautiful woman I've ever seen."
"Thank you, Alex Claybourne."
He smiled at her as he carried her into the kitchen, where he plucked a bottle of champagne from the shelf.
"Did I tell you how much I love you?"
Kara shook her head.
"I love you," he said as he carried her down the corridor toward the bedroom. "I shall tell you that each day of our life together."
"And I shall say it back."
In the bedroom, he placed the champagne on the table, then lowered Kara slowly to the floor, delighting in the warmth of her body sliding against his own.
"I'll try to make you happy, Kara."
"You already make me happy." Gazing up at him, a smile curving her lips, she slid his jacket off his shoulders and tossed it on a chair, "So happy." She began to unbutton his shirt, pleased that he wore nothing underneath as her fingers encountered warm male flesh. He trembled at her touch, and her smile grew wider. It gave her a feeling of power, of pleasure, to know that her touch excited him.
Tugging his shirttail from his trousers, she slipped the shirt from his shoulders and tossed it after his suit coat, then scattered kisses over his chest, laughing softly as he sucked in a deep breath.
"You're not playing fair," he said, and she felt his hands at her back, unzipping her dress, sliding it down her arms until it pooled at her feet. He removed her camisole, then cupped her breasts in his hands. "Beautiful," he murmured. "So beautiful."
And suddenly it was a contest to see who could finish undressing who first. It ended a tie, with both of them laughing breathlessly.
And then their eyes met and the laughter died in their throats.
"Kara." Whispering her name, he swept her into his arms and carried her to the bed, his lips dropping kisses on her eyelids, the tip of her nose, her cheeks, her brow.
Sweeping the covers aside with one hand, he placed her on the bed and sank down beside her, hardly able to believe that she was his now, truly his. Forever his.
"I love you, Mr. Claybourne."
"And I you."
"We'll live happily ever after, won't we? Just like in the fairy tales?"
He grinned. "Like Beauty and the Beast?"
"No. Like Snow White and the Prince."
Alex nodded. "A good comparison, for you are truly the fairest of them all." She cupped his face in her hands and kissed him.
"You are."
"No," he argued softly, his hands lightly caressing her, "you are."