Leaning down over him, I wasn’t going to let him keep messing with me like this. “Kiss me…passionately, like I’m your first, last, and only true love.”
I was expecting him to call me wife again, but instead he reached out, grabbing the side of my head and bringing my lips onto his hard. My mouth opened immediately for his tongue, rolling over mine, his free hand pulling me to his chest, where he wrapped his arms around me, holding me tightly, preciously, his hands never moving down to grab my breast or my ass. He just kissed me with everything I’d asked for. I was defenseless even though I demanded for it. My body relaxed nto his and we both fell back to the floor of his closet. He rolled us onto our sides, my leg over his thigh, no space between our bodies. The passionate kiss he’d given me only seconds ago morphed into gentle ones. He’d break away slightly just to leave one soft kiss after another on my lips and each time he did I was eager for the next one.
“Make love to me,” I whispered against his lips.
“Show me how, wife,” he whispered back in the small distance between us. “I’ve never made love to anyone.”
He isn’t playing fair. I hadn’t even realized what I was asking until the words came out of my mouth and he replied. Because if I did I would have realized I didn’t know what that meant either…not until he kissed me.
Reaching up, I tugged on his tie until it came undone. He blinked a few times before his beautiful green eyes focused on mine. Swallowing back whatever sound was trying to come out of my throat, I smiled and replied, “Look at me like that, hold on to me like this, kiss me like you did, and take me slowly.”
“Yes, wife,” he said softly, shifting on top of me and kissing me again. Closing my eyes, my arms wrapped around his neck.
“Oh…” I moaned against his mouth when I felt him enter me as if I were a virgin…as he buried himself into me deeply, each time leaving me aching for more.
“Ivy,” he whispered, resting his forehead on mine.
“Y…yes?”
“Why are you crying?”
I didn’t even realize I was. And now that I did I tried to look away from him, but he just kissed my cheek and the side of my eye. Until his lips were at my ear again.
“You don’t play fair…”
Me? I don’t play fair?
“I can barely control myself when you smile…seeing you like this…” He kissed my ear again. “You even cry beautifully…it makes me weak.”
I held on to him tighter, trying not to become even more of a mess than I was.
“Who said you could talk?” I choked out. “I thought I was the one in control here.”
When he didn’t say anything again I glanced back up at him, and he was smiling at me gently, a light layer on top of him.
“Forgive me, wife,” he said before kissing me again and as he filled me I never wanted to leave the floor of the damn closet.
ETHAN
For the first time since I met her she was quiet as we ate on the floor of our bedroom. After my closet experiment, we lay there wrapped in each other’s arms for almost an hour until her stomach growled and I called for an early dinner. It was already four in the afternoon. I did my best not to watch her as she ate her yogurt, still dazed, but failing. However, it proved I made the right choice. Did I want to tie her up and have my way with her…yes. Did I hate taking orders from anyone…also yes. But Ivy was used to rough, and while that thought pissed me off to no end, I tried to think of it only in the context of her life and not anyone she’d been with before me. Yes, I am chauvinist, what-fucking-ever. Either way, I figured if I’d done what I wanted she wouldn’t have been fazed much.
“Wife,” I called, and she jumped slightly, staring at me. “Are you all right?”
“Huh…yea…I mean, yea, I’m fine. Just hungry,” she lied, eating again and looking back through the phone that came up along with the food.
This is better, I thought, taking a bite out of my chicken. I realized she wouldn’t stay this soft-spoken and reserved for long. But that didn’t matter.
“Here.” I lifted the yellow tie and handed it to her. “For whenever you need control again. Don’t go abusing your power, wife.”
She smiled, taking it from me. “I’ll try, but you’re the one who gave power to a novice.”
“Not a novice. My wife.” I’d keep saying it until she understood it.
“Why do you trust me so much? I hated you only until a little while ago…” She put her cup and spoon down. “And don’t tell me it’s the vows again. Despite being a jerk when we first met, you’re still considerate and kind to me.”
I wasn’t sure how to phrase it to her other than, “Rule four: no bloody divorce. Rule forty–eight: love your wife above all else…after all, she is the one who can either keep you warm at night or make sure you never wake up. Rule forty-nine: never cheat. Affairs destroy the family. No face or body is worth it.”
“What? What are those rules?”
“The Callahan family rules,” I said, taking another bite of my food as she focused all her attention on me. “From my father, which came from his father and his father before him. Rules are very important to this family because they have kept us on top. We respect them. We acknowledge they may be contrary sometimes. However, the point is the same, take care of your family, your people, and do it while looking ungodly handsome. Something I was luckily blessed in spades with.”
“Wow….” She stretched out. “If your ego were food it could end world hunger twice over.”
Ignoring her, I went on. “Why do I treat you this way? Because this is how I’ve been taught to treat you.”
She frowned, inching closer to me until she rested her chin on my shoulder. “I feel like there is more.”
“Everyone feels like there is more,” I muttered, taking the glass of water, her eyes still on me. “But it is the truth. Would you prefer if I come up with something romantic?”
“Do you know how?”
I scowled at that. “Sorry, that was my father’s forte.”
“Your father?”
I nodded. “The man who loved his wife so dearly he’d nearly killed himself. My parents’ love affair was renowned and blinding for us growing up.”
“My parents loved each other too,” she said, but I didn’t think she understood.