AFTER DINNER AND a bedtime story, Tony and Claire tucked Nichol into bed and closed her door. Melting against her husband’s side, Claire enjoyed his strong embrace as she let out an exaggerated breath.
“Are you tired of celebrating, my dear?”
“I think I am. You have no idea how long it took to cut out all of those hearts.”
Leading her toward their suite, Tony opened the door to a candlelit surprise. Their private table was set with white linen, a bouquet of long-stemmed red roses, and covered dishes.
“Tony? What did you do?”
“Well, I may have been tipped off about the paper and confection celebration.”
Claire raised a brow. “Who told you? It was supposed to be a surprise.”
“Shannon may have said something—but don’t be upset with her. When I told her that I wanted her to watch Nichol tonight while I took you out to celebrate, she explained the secret plan. She didn’t want me to ruin Nichol’s surprise.”
Claire turned slowly, noticing the rose petals strewn across their turned-down sheets. “What is all of this?” she asked as she motioned toward the table. “We already ate.”
With a devilish grin, he lifted one lid to reveal strawberries.
“Hmmm,” she replied. “I think I could be persuaded—”
Before she could finish he lifted the second lid revealing chocolate sauce and whipped cream. Her eyes opened wide. “Tony?”
He gracefully moved toward her, his eyes darkening with each step, twisting her insides to a painful pitch. As Tony held her close, pressing her breasts against his strong chest, and seized her lips, tired was no longer part of Claire’s thinking. Moments later, his skilled fingers began to unbutton her blouse.
Less of a protest than a question, Claire repeated, “Tony?”
His warm breath tickled her exposed shoulder as he whispered, “We don’t want to get chocolate sauce or whipped cream on this beautiful blouse.” Cocking a brow, he added, “Or your slacks, or any colorful lace you have underneath.”
Holding his shoulders for support as her slacks joined her blouse in the puddle of silk on the floor, she replied, “We don’t?”
“No, because, my dear, it’s time for our own confection celebration, and if you think our kitchen was messy…” He grinned as his dark eyes sparkled in the candlelight. “…you haven’t seen anything yet.”
“Hmmm,” she managed, words forming with some difficulty as Tony’s lips followed a path from her ear to her shoulder. Before speech was totally out of reach, she asked, “W-What about you?”
“What about me?”
Her fingers fumbled with the buttons of his shirt. “I wouldn’t want chocolate on this nice shirt either.”
When she undid the last button, he seized her hand. “My dear, you and Nichol planned your surprise. This is my Valentine’s surprise for you. Do you trust me?”
Claire nodded, allowing Tony to back her toward the bed, buckling her knees. Wearing only her pink lace bra and panties, Tony’s dark admiring gaze scanned her from head to toe. Each second filled her with both vulnerability and anticipation. Finally, she answered, “I trust you.”
A lust-filled grin radiated from ear to ear as he heatedly said, “Good. I have something I’d like you to wear. Remember… you said you trust me.”
Claire’s eyes widened, her breaths becoming shallow as she sucked her lower lip. “W-What do you want—”
Before she could finish, Tony opened the drawer of her bedside stand and removed her satin sleep mask. Claire’s cheeks rose approvingly as she reached for the mask.
“No,” he said, as he lifted her dark hair and kissed her neck. “Let me.” Tenderly, he placed the mask over her emerald eyes and secured the elastic band behind her head. “Can you see?”