“There’s relief in having nothing left to hide, so while I wouldn’t have wanted it to happen the way it did, I’m glad there’re no secrets between us.”
He tightens his arms around me as we sway to the music. “I won’t give up on us, Nat. Ever. No matter what happens.”
“Neither will I.”
Chapter 12
I die inside when she says there’re no secrets between us. I’ve kept something huge from her, something that might’ve changed her mind about marrying me if she knew. I tell myself it doesn’t matter because I’ve put that in the past to focus on my future with Natalie.
She’s the only thing that matters now. Neither my past nor hers has any bearing on the future we’re going to create for ourselves. I’ve made my choices, and now I’m going to make this marriage work or die trying.
She’s warm and soft and pliant in my arms as the song comes to an end and another begins. I don’t want this moment to ever end, the first time we dance together as a married couple. It may be the first time, but it won’t be the last. We’ve got everything to look forward to, and I refuse to spend any portion of this night looking back.
Nuzzling through her silky hair, I focus my attention on the long column of her neck, kissing her until I feel her begin to tremble in my arms. I love the way she responds to me, how even the most innocent of caresses gets a reaction from her. I love that no one else but me will ever get to touch her again. I love that she has trusted me to be the first man to touch her after she was so brutally attacked as a teenager.
She has given me a priceless gift, and every day of my life, I will aim to be worthy of her. Her hands encircle my neck and she gazes up at me, her eyes full of love and trust and desire. I’ve tried to be patient tonight, to give her romance and memories that will last a lifetime, but now I want her with a desperation that can’t be contained.
“Natalie…”
“Hmm?”
“I want to make love to my wife.”
“Your wife approves of that plan.”
“I love you so much.”
“I love you, too.”
With my hands on her face, I kiss her softly, reverently. Before things can spin out of control, I take her by the hand and lead her into the bedroom, which was transformed by the hotel staff while we were eating. The room is bathed in candlelight, the bed covered in red rose petals. There’s yet another bottle of champagne in an ice bucket on a table.
“Wow,” she says with a sigh. “You thought of everything.”
“This is why I wanted to come here. No one does it up like they do in Vegas.”
“I can see that.” She worries her bottom lip, which tells me there’s something on her mind.
“What’re you thinking?”
“I didn’t bring anything special to wear tonight. I don’t really have anything that would be worthy—”
I kiss her again because I can’t stand to see her worried about anything. “Natalie, honey, all I need is you. May I help you out of your dress?”
“Yes, please.” She gathers up her hair and pulls it to the front, leaving her back bare to my hungry gaze. The zipper is hidden by a row of buttons that, thankfully, are just for decoration. If I had to take the time to undo a hundred tiny buttons, I’d lose my mind. I draw the zipper down, and the dress falls open to reveal the enticing curve of her back. Since she hasn’t worn a bra, the dress slides off her shoulders and down her arms, leaving her covered only from the waist down.
“What’s the trick to getting it off?”
She smiles at me over her shoulder and shimmies her hips, letting the dress drop. That’s when I see that she’s wearing a white silk thong, a garter belt and thigh-high stockings.
“I’m going to need you to turn around. Like immediately.”
Still wearing her fuck-me heels, she turns, hands on hips, breasts jutting out proudly, and my heart literally stops for a brief second. “Holy mother of God. You almost gave me a heart attack. And you said you didn’t bring anything to wear.”
Her smile is coy and full of satisfaction. “I lied.”
I place my hands on her ribs, trying to control the overwhelming need to toss her on the bed and take what I want so fiercely. “Where in the name of hell did this getup come from?”
“It was one of several choices that came with the dresses. Your assistant is nothing if not thorough.”
“God, I love her.”
Natalie tosses her head back to laugh, and I take advantage of the opportunity to cup her breasts and suck her nipple into my mouth. My inner dominant hovers on the razor’s edge, wanting to break free and take what’s mine. I want to own her, possess her, rule her. I want every part of her, and I want her to surrender to me in every possible way.