His finger points over my shoulder, and I follow it to the decorative screen. “The baby can be right there. That way he’s right next to us.”
“He?” I ask, biting back my smile. I feel his fingers unsnap the clasp behind my neck holding my halter up and seconds later, my dress drops to the floor. Turning around, I watch his gaze slowly move up my body, taking in my wedding present to him. His chest rises with a deep inhale as his eyes seems to lose focus somewhere between my stomach and my neck. I let him look for a few more seconds before I coax an answer from him. “Reese?”
“Hmm?”
“You said ‘he’. We’re not having any daughters?”
With that question, his eyes quickly meet mine as he grabs my waist and tosses me onto the bed. He lowers himself onto me. Blanketing me. “I don’t know if I can handle more than one of you. I’m shooting for all boys.” I throw my head back and laugh as he straddles my waist. “Now, what the fuck am I supposed to do with this thing?”
I look down my body, seeing his hands physically tremble as they hover over my corset. “There’s ties in the back that…ahh!” I’m quickly flipped over on my stomach as his knees brace him on either side of my body. I feel the strings being loosened as I rest my head on my cheek, looking out at our loft.
Our loft. No longer mine. Every memory I make here will now contain my husband and the family we create.
“Thank you for what you did. I really love my wedding present.”
His lips press between my shoulder blades. Then lower, as my corset is loosened completely. Once my back is completely exposed, I’m flipped over so I can see him. He sits back on his knees between my legs, taking in the sight of me, and I see his chest shudder with his inhale. As if it’s the first breath he’s taken in hours.
“Are you okay?”
“It’ll always be like this with you.” His eyes hold mine with a gentleness I don’t remember ever seeing from him. And I want to ask him what he means, but I wait, because I know he’s going to give it to me. I see his throat roll with a swallow, his lips parting slightly as his eyes commit me to memory with the most profound look he’s ever given me. “After 323 days, I should know the effect you have on me. But I don’t. I’m never prepared for it. Every time I see you, it’s like I’m at that wedding all over again.”
The air leaves my lungs in a trembling rush, and I’m suddenly not concerned with breathing at all. Nothing gets to me like the words he chooses for me. And I know nothing ever will.
“How do you do that? How do you make me love you more than I ever dreamed possible?” I ask as the tears pool in my eyes. I reach my hand out, needing to feel him. Needing that constant contact now more than ever.
His hand touches mine and he laces our fingers together. “I should ask you that.”
I blink, sending the tears down the side of my face. He releases my hand and grabs my foot, resting my heel against his chest. One shoe is removed then the other. I watch him run his fingers up the inside of my leg along my stocking until he reaches the metal clips of my garter. And after his declaration to me seconds ago, I think this is going to be gentle. I think his next moves with be unhurried and tender.
Until I see the tremor in his hand as he brings it up to rake through his hair.
He pushes off the bed and starts ripping his clothes off, not giving a shit about buttons or zippers. He’s frantic, like a man deprived, watching me frozen on the bed.
Hungry.
Greedy.