The early morning fog in his mind cleared away as he remembered the run-in with Teague. His jaw clenched at the memory of that asshole forcing Erin against a wall and taunting her made his gut burn with anger. It had taken every ounce of restraint not to hit him last night. Had he been younger and wilder, less afraid of consequence, he would have unleashed hell on Teague’s face, but he was older now, married and understood that he had so much to lose.
Whatever Teague had said to Erin had rattled her. He felt some guilt at not letting her tell him last night, but he had planned everything for a romantic escape to make her feel special. He hadn’t wanted Teague to ruin the rest of their night.
Now, though, he wanted to know what Teague had said. He also wanted to know if Teague had treated her like that when they were together. Neither of them talked about their past lovers much. None of his relationships before Erin had ever lasted more than a few weeks, and she had confessed to never loving anyone until him. She had cared for the men in her past, but she swore that he was the only one who ever awakened feelings of actual love. He believed her. Losing her parents and having an older sister who struggled with addiction had left her aloof and afraid to be vulnerable. Maybe she had sensed the same thing in him. Maybe that was what had drawn them together that fateful day she had walked into his gym and asked for his help.
Not wanting to wake her, he rested his head on his palm and simply enjoyed the view. In quiet moments like these, he couldn’t quite believe that she belonged to him. He couldn’t fathom how a woman like this could ever love him. She deserved so much more than he was able to give her, but she seemed to be entirely content with the life they were building together.
He tried not to doubt her love for him. He tried not to let the wounds of his childhood ruin the wonderful gift that he had been given. He had spent so much of his life being unworthy, unwanted and unloved that it was still difficult to adjust to Erin telling him every single day how much she loved and cared for him. That someone so sweet and kind and generous and unmarred by the darkness of life could want him—could cherish and love him—was jarring.
But she did.
The little things he did to make her smile and feel special, the unexpected gifts or surprise getaways like this one, were like an insurance policy. The scared little boy inside him who feared being abandoned believed that giving her gifts and making her life comfortable would balance out any of the stupid things he might say or do to lessen her love for him. He hated that he felt that way. He believed her when she said she didn’t need or want expensive things, but it didn’t stop him from enjoying her excited smile at receiving something pretty. Her joy in receiving his gifts was matched in his joy in giving them.
Overcome with need, he leaned down and gently kissed her lips. He brushed his fingers along her cheek and jaw and pressed another kiss at the side of her mouth. She inhaled deeply and snuggled into him, her elegant hands reaching for his waist and shoulder. He combed his fingers through her hair and captured her mouth in a more determined kiss. She whimpered against his tongue, and his cock pulsed to life.
She sighed happily as he rolled her onto her back, covering her petite body and pushing her legs apart with his knees. He ran his hand down her side to her hip and then swept along her inner thigh until he reached her pussy. She arched into his touch, and he smiled against her mouth. With the practiced ease of a man who knew his wife’s body, he stroked between her thighs until his fingers were slick with her wet heat.
She grew impatient and hooked her heels against the backs of his thighs, tugging him toward her. He didn’t need to be asked twice. He reached down and guided himself into her, and she moaned needily. Her short nails scratched his shoulders as she clung to him, taking his slow and steady strokes. It was the sort of unhurried lovemaking