mother had given her and the blue lace garter provided by the bridal boutique. Finally, wearing nothing but a tender smile, she faced him again. “Your turn.”
He made a low sound in his throat, his gaze moving over her, hot and possessive. “Don’t move. I’ll be right back.”
The room had a walk-in closet. He entered it and came back out a moment later. Returning to the side of the bed, he laid two wrapped condoms on the nightstand.
She told him softly, “We won’t need those.”
Something flared in his eyes—triumph? Joy? But then he stood very still. “Are you sure?”
She nodded. “We both want more children. I’m thinking there’s no time like the present to get going on that.”
“Sydney O’Shea Bravo-Calabretti,” he said. “You amaze me.”
She did like the sound of her name, her new name, on his lips. And she had no doubts. None whatsoever. She told him so. “I know what I want now, Rule. I want you. I want a family, with you and Trev. And I’m greedy. I want more babies. I honestly do.”
He took a step toward her.
She put up a hand. “Your clothes. All of them. Please.”
He didn’t argue. He undressed. He did it swiftly, with no wasted motion, tossing the beautifully tailored articles of clothing carelessly aside as he removed them. His body was so fine and strong. Just looking at him stole her breath.
When he had everything off, she went to him. She lifted her arms to him and he drew her close. Nothing so fine as that, to be held in his powerful arms, to feel the heat and hardness of him all around her.
He smoothed her hair, caressed her back with a long stroke of his tender hand. “I think I’m the happiest man in the world tonight.”
She tipped her head up to him. “I’m glad. So glad …”
He kissed her and she thought how she would never, ever get enough of his kisses. That with him, she’d finally found everything she’d almost let herself forget that she’d been looking for.
She pulled him down onto the bed with her and gave herself up to his touch, to the magic of his lips on her skin.
He kissed her everywhere, each secret hollow, each curve, even the backs of her knees and the crooks of her elbows. He kissed her breasts, slowly and thoroughly, and then he moved lower. He kissed all her secret places, until she cried out and went over the edge, clutching his dark head, moaning his name.
She was still sighing in sweet satisfaction when he slid up her body again. All at once, he was there, right where she wanted him most. She wrapped her arms around him, so tightly. And he came into her, gliding smoothly home. Her body was as open to him as her mind and her heart. She accepted him eagerly, the aftershocks of her climax still pulsing through her. And when he filled her, she let out a soft cry of joyous abandon.
Did it get any better than this?
She didn’t see how it could. Somehow, she’d finally found the man she wanted for a lifetime—or rather, he had found her.
There was nothing, ever, that could tear them apart.
Rule wasn’t sure what woke him.
A general sense of unease, he supposed. He turned to look at the woman sleeping beside him. The lamp was off and the room in darkness. Still, he could hear her shallow, even breathing. So peaceful. Content. He could make out her shadowed features, just barely. A soft smile curved her mouth.
She pleased him. Greatly. In so many ways.
No, she wasn’t going to be happy with him when she found out the truth. But she was a very intelligent woman. And there was real chemistry between them. Surely, when the time came, she would forgive him for his deception. He would rationally explain why he’d done what he had done. She would see that, even if he hadn’t been strictly honest with her, it had all worked out perfectly anyway. She wanted to be with him and he wanted her and the boy. They could work through it and move on.
He wanted to touch her. To kiss her. To make love to her again. When he was touching her, he could forget that he’d married her without telling her everything.
But no. He wouldn’t disturb her. Let her have a few hours of uninterrupted sleep.
Settling onto his back, he stared into the darkness, not happy with himself, wondering why he had become so obsessive over this problem. His obsession served no one. It was going to be a long time before he told her the truth, anyway. Maybe he never would.
In the past twenty-four hours or so, he’d found himself thinking that there was no real reason she ever had to know….
Except that he’d always considered himself an honest man. And it gnawed at his idea of his own character and his firm belief in fair play, to have this lie between them.