That was it, the last word I could muster before pleasure washed over me so completely I thought I might drown in it, but Nate held me close. Tight. Whispering erotic words and words of love in my ear as he pumped into me, exploding with his own pleasure moments later.
“Oh, Mikki, babe. You’ll be the death of me.” He pressed a loving kiss to my forehead and swear to the sweet lord above, I was ready to go again from that one move.
“But what a way to go, right?” My words came out in sharp pants as I tried to suck air down my lungs, drawing a satisfied smile from Nate.
“Damn straight.” He cupped my face gently and kissed me until I trembled with need again, wrapping my hand around a semi-chub. Nate pulled back with a growl. “We’ve worked up an appetite.”
“Have we?” I tapped my chin and tried for an innocent smile in the dim yellow light, and Nate laughed.
“Maybe you didn’t, but I damn well did.” He kissed me again and stepped back with his hands wrapped around my wrists to stop my roaming hands. He looked around the room and found what he was looking for to get us both cleaned up quickly and mostly presentable. “I’ll make it up to you later.”
I wanted to tell him there was no need but as he tugged me out of the room, retracing our steps back to the ballroom, the heat in his eyes kept my mouth shut. I wanted whatever he was offering. “If you insist.”
“I do,” he growled and grabbed my shoulders at the long table in front of the ballroom. “You sit and I’ll take care of the plates.” He left me with a wink and a look that sent my panties up in flames.
“Holy cow, woman, it doesn’t take Sherlock Holmes to see what you two have been up to!” Holly leaned in, shouting over the music with a mischievous look on her face. “I’m almost jealous.”
“Liar. I’ve seen you show up late to more than a few meetings with mussed hair and inside-out clothing.”
Hope stuck her chin in the air defiantly. “I’m a fashion designer, maybe I’m trying out new fashions.”
“Yeah,” I snorted, “and maybe you rushed getting dressed in the dark.”
“Nah, Will prefers to do it with the lights on. It’s annoying, but I also kind of love the way he looks at me.” The dreamy quality in her voice was one I could relate to. Mostly.
“Me too,” I sighed, deciding for honesty because, well, why not. “It’s why I’m so determined to make sure the spark doesn’t die out prematurely.”
Hope looked concerned, as I knew she would. “Oh no! Are you guys having problems?”
“No but I’m trying to make sure it doesn’t happen. We’ve done everything backwards. Pregnant first, and then married,” I ticked off one finger. “Newlyweds already expecting a nonstop distraction.” Another finger. “No real time for ourselves.” It was scary just thinking about it, but talking about it was downright terrifying. “My ex cheated, and we didn’t have nearly this many odds stacked against us.” I let out a sigh, hoping that just saying what I was feeling out loud would lessen its significance.
It didn’t help. Not really.
“Mikki, I love you like a sister, but when are you gonna stop making Nate out to be like your dickhead ex? He looks happy,” she said and pointed to where he expertly stacked two plates with food, glaring at anyone who dared question his methods. “He looks like he just got hot sex in a dark corner and he’s happy to feed his woman to keep her energy up.”
The more I looked at Nate and smiled, the more Hope’s words sank deep into my heart. My soul. “Maybe you’re right.” He did look happy. Satisfied. Well loved. I knew he was happy, but I also knew that things wouldn’t be this easy soon. “It is exhausting, but it’s also really fun.”
“Of course it is, but only if you’re doing it because you want to.”
Nate returned and sat both plates on the table with a relieved smile. “I managed to get you an extra cup of Reese’s sauce,” he whispered and slid it onto the table like it was illegal contraband. “Maybe later you’ll let me lick it off you.”
“Yes, please,” I responded, my voice thick with desire.
His deep laugh followed up by a chaste kiss to the cheek told me I was doing exactly what I