Sheathed inside her, he was home. This wasn’t something he could hide anymore. He belonged to Gianna and she belonged to him. He felt the change in her, felt her sliding closer and closer to the edge.
He adjusted the angle just slightly and it was enough to have her head dropping back against the mirror in silent ecstasy.
“You guys in here?”
They both heard the call from below. Carter.
Gia tensed, but it was too late for them to stop. He could feel the first tremor of her release as she tightened around him. He clamped a hand over her mouth. Leaning over, he brought his forehead to hers. And staring into each other’s eyes they came together. A wave breaking, an explosion of pleasure. He stared into Gia’s green eyes and gave her another piece of his soul.
“Hello?” Carter called again. The door clicked closed behind him when he exited to search outside.
But neither of them heard him. They were lost in each other.
Guilt and shame painted Gia’s face as she practically flew off of the counter, straightening her dress. “Oh my God! What were we thinking?” She frantically shoved her bra back in place. “Carter almost caught us.”
Beckett took his time tucking his shirt back in and righting his pants. He looked at his reflection and frowned. “Can guys have sex hair?”
“Beckett, be serious! I didn’t even bring my phone in here. What if something had happened to one of the kids and they couldn’t reach me because …”
“Because what?”
“Because I was being selfish and sneaking around having sex when I’m supposed to be helping my friend decorate for her wedding. I’m using my other friend as a baby-sitter while I have a tryst with my … my…”
“Your what?”
“Whatever you are!” She covered her face with her hands. “Beckett, I’m acting like a lovesick teenager. I can’t be sneaking around like this. I’m a mother.”
“Red, I hate to tell you this, but my mom and dad did a lot of sneaking around when we were living at home. Just because you have kids doesn’t mean you have to give up everything else.”
“Your parents were your parents. They were married and everyone knew it. We’re just … sleeping together.”
“We’re not just sleeping together, Gianna.” Beckett kept his tone cool and level even though he felt like yelling some sense into her. How could she regret what they shared? How could she feel guilt from it?
Gianna shoved the skirt of her dress back down and pulled her hair back into a ponytail. She brought her hands to her flushed cheeks.
“What if Carter had come upstairs?” she asked, ignoring his statement.
He grabbed her by the shoulders. “What has you so worked up?”
She stared up at him, eyes wide and full. “You matter to me, Beckett. And this sneaking around feels like … it feels like it diminishes what you make me feel.” She shook her head. “I need to think. I’m going to go check on the kids.”
Beckett’s hands slid from her shoulders to his sides. “You matter to me, too, Gianna.” So much more than he ever anticipated. There was no planning for something as unexpected as Gianna Decker.
“I know I do. But I need to think about this, about us. Sneaking around behind everyone’s backs, it doesn’t make me feel … healthy. Or valuable.”
“What are you saying?” Beckett asked, panic gripping his gut.
She brought a hand to his chest. “I’m only saying that I want to get things straight in my head. I want to talk it out with you, but not here. Now isn’t the time or the place obviously,” she smiled weakly.
She held up the crumpled list Summer had given her. “Will you get all these measurements for Summer? Please? I need to go see the kids.”
Beckett didn’t trust himself to answer and only gave her a curt nod.
She whispered a thanks and hurried through the door and down the staircase, leaving Beckett to stare at his reflection. Her moods changed like wildfire. One second she was an untamed temptress driving him to new heights of pleasure and the next she was a desolate girl in need of solace.
Predictable she was not, nor logical. His lips quirked recalling Evan’s barely disguised insults about Gianna and her emotional decision making.
And now, she wanted space to think. She wanted a change, and rightfully so. But if she were to reason her way out of their relationship … well, he wasn’t about to let that happen.
By the time he collected all the measurements on Summer’s list and scoped out the newly laid patio for fireplace potential — there was room and they should have thought of it before — he had worked up a good steam of mad. Rather than calmly talking out her concerns, she went straight to I need some time.
She kept the fairy garden he gave her on the table next to her bed, which made it the first thing she saw every morning and the last thing she saw at night. This wasn’t just some fling and she knew it.