Addie opened up, and moaned as he plundered her mouth with his tongue. She grew soft against him, wrapping her arms around his neck, holding him close.
Biting her lip, he pulled away and saw her eyes were dilated.
“You better trust me,” he said.
“Yes, I do,” she said, sighing. “What are you doing to me?”
“Making you my wife.”
“I wonder if it would be easier if we were strangers.”
“I don’t.” He stroked her cheek, tracing his fingers down, passing her nipple, to touch her waist. “The last two weeks, they’ve been truly amazing.”
“We can’t keep our parents away forever.”
He groaned. “I know. They’re closing in. Did you see the interview your mother gave?” he asked.
Bruce had told him to watch the interview, which was being aired on all news channels. Addie’s mom had said that she was happy her daughter was playing. Seriously, playing at cooking. He’d been so damn angry with her condescending attitude. Shaun knew her mother hadn’t been the most supportive in her life, but he had no idea it had been this bad for her.
“I saw it, and I’m not surprised. She left me a voicemail telling me I was ruining the family name, and that I should be commanding cooks, not trying to be one.”
He saw the hurt in her eyes even though she tried to cover it.
“You don’t need to hide from me.”
“I’m not hiding. It’s something I’m used to. I remember Mom always going crazy whenever she found out that my grandma took me into the kitchen. My grandparents came from wealth, but they also held the view that if something bad was to happen, they’d be able to cope without it. Does that make sense?”
“Perfectly.” If his father had continued to run the company another couple of years the name Woodside would have ceased to matter to anyone. He’d have had no choice but to work for someone else, and the very thought had him on the edge. “Don’t let them hurt you.”
“Are you happy for me?” she asked.
“Yes. When I first saw it, I was in shock.”
“I know.” She smiled. “Why were you in shock? I never really understood why.”
Stroking her waist, he couldn’t help but glance down and get a good look at her full, ripe tits. He was a lucky man.
Three years you were an ass.
Pushing the thought aside, Shaun was going to change the way their lives were going to pan out. This was about them now, not about what their families wanted.
“Our marriage was something I wanted from the first moment I saw you. In the room full of our families you were the only person who was warm. Your eyes, they had a depth of love and compassion. Our families are cold, Addie. They’re so cold, and I didn’t want the rest of my life to go on being cold.” He wanted heat, warmth, and scorching fire. When he was with Addie, that was exactly what he got fire, and heat, and warmth, and everything in between.
“I always thought that,” she said.
“You’re not the only one.”
Staring into her eyes, he’d have given everything to find out what she was thinking.
“Addie, the brownies are ready to come out of the oven.”
Releasing a sigh, Shaun dropped a kiss to her lips. “We were saved by the brownies.”
“You’re staying?”
“Yes. I’m not letting Dean get a hold of anymore of my food without eating it first.”
She chuckled, and the sound lightened his heart. “I better go.”