He lifted his head and crushed his mouth to hers. He was hard, rough, forcing her lips apart and sweeping his tongue inside, teasing her into a frenzy of need. He tasted of spice and hot, aroused man, and Chloe would always crave his wild flavor.
Merrick pulled back before cupping her cheeks in his large, calloused palms. “I love you. This week has been pure hell.”
“I wanted to come home so badly, please understand. I needed to see for myself, Merrick.”
“Shh,” he soothed, “I know, it’s okay.”
Letting her fingers drift through his soft dark hair, Chloe said, “I do want one thing from you.”
“Anything, sweetheart. Just name it.”
“I want us to go to marriage counseling.” When he frowned, she knew he hated the idea of an outsider getting into their personal affairs, but she also knew they needed help, so she stayed firm. “It’s important to me.”
“What could a shrink do that we can’t do on our own?”
She shrugged. “Maybe nothing. Maybe it won’t be necessary. But I want you to at least consider the idea.” When it was clear he was still going to argue, she barreled on. “You have some unresolved issues. You admitted it yourself. It could help to talk to someone. We’ll do it together.”
He gritted his teeth. She could see the muscle jumping in his jaw. It went against his nature to admit to failure. When he sighed, she knew the truth before he spoke. And she loved him all the more for it.
“If it’s what you want, if it gets you back in my bed where you damn well belong, then we’ll go to marriage counseling.”
She pressed against him and placed a gen
tle kiss to his lips. Merrick crushed her to his chest, his hands cupping her ass, fitting their bodies together. Chloe pulled back an inch and, with emotion clogging her throat, whispered, “I love you, for now and for always.”
Merrick’s blue eyes heated, darkened. “I love you, too, baby. There will never be another who fills me the way you do. You give me strength. You make me want to be a better man. You make me feel ten feet tall. As God is my witness, with you I know I can do anything.”
“Even fatherhood?” she hedged.
Merrick’s lips quirked into an ornery grin. “Definitely. In fact, I think we should get started immediately.”
Her heart soared. “Really?”
“Hell, yeah. I’m already imagining you barefoot and pregnant.”
“Don’t go all Neanderthal on me, big guy. I’m so not June Cleaver.”
“Fine, then, just pregnant,” he acquiesced. “But first let me unwrap my pretty present.”
“Definitely,” she groaned.
He tugged the straps of her teddy down her shoulders and her breasts sprang free. He licked his lips. “Mmm, so sweet.”
His mouth covered one hard nipple, and Chloe surrendered to her husband’s touch.
Epilogue
“You’re such a dork, Merrick! Stop fiddling with it and let me see it.”
“Lacey, I can cook a friggin’ hamburger, it’s not that hard.”
“You’re squishing all the juice out!”
Merrick pointed the metal spatula over Lacey’s shoulder. “Nick, will you please find your wife something to do? She’s driving me nuts.”
Nick laughed and wrapped his right arm around Lacey’s middle, drawing a frown from Merrick. It still seemed strange to see his best friend and his little sister together. He wondered if he’d ever get used to it. Thankfully, they’d finally tied the knot. They’d kept it simple and small. No frills, like Lacey. There’d been a collective family sigh of relief when Lacey had walked down the aisle at last.
“I’ve got just the thing,” Nick murmured. “Come on, baby. Let Merrick burn the food.”