Chapter 223

When Richie entered their bedroom that night after locking up and checking on Ava, he found his wife already in bed. Her eyes followed him as he undressed and climbed in beside her.

“That wasn’t too bad, all things considered. I was afraid it was going to be a lot worse.”

“Mmmhmmm.” She turned on her side to face him, one hand reaching out to stroke his chest.

“Thank you for putting up with Heather for Ava’s sake. I’m sorry about her trying to relive the past.”

“I actually feel worse for Jack. I know why she does it to me, but I can’t imagine how that shit must make him feel.”

“You handled it really well. No sign of hormones at all.”

Her lips twisted. “You didn’t see me in the kitchen when I was looking for something to throw.”

He chuckled. “Well, I admire your restraint. Our little secret is safe. At least for now.”

“Mmmmhmmm.” One fingertip circled a male nipple. It hardened at her touch.

He glanced at her. “Why do I get the feeling that you want something?”

She shrugged. “Well, I was very good today. I let you sleep in, I put up with your ex-wife being a bitch without taking her head off like I really wanted to do, no outbursts of tears or temper, no hauling you off to have my way with you, no grossing everyone out with maple syrup…I did everything I could to make it a happy Thanksgiving. I think I deserve a reward.”

“And what would this reward involve?” His voice had deepened and taken on that whiskey smoothness that always set her nerve endings alight.

“Just the use of my stud to satisfy my other craving. Although, I should warn you, since I was deprived all day, I’m…..famished.”

He chuckled and rolled to face her. “I think I can handle that.” Calloused fingertips skated over her shoulder and upper arm. When he pushed back the blankets he wasn’t surprised to find her naked. Urging her onto her back, he set his hands to her skin, smiling when she sighed in appreciation. After roaming her arms and abdomen, he turned his attention to her breasts. He weighed and caressed her plump mounds, trying to decide whether they’d begun to enlarge already. He couldn’t wait to see them swollen with milk. They were going to be incredible!

“Please!” Her back arched in entreaty.

“Patience sweetheart. You know it’s better if you wait.” He braced himself for her response. It wasn’t long in coming. The fingers of one hand fisted in his hair and tugged. He glanced up to see the fire and hunger in her eyes. A grin spread across his face. Ever since she’d become pregnant, she’d only been interested in instant – and repetitive – gratification. “Easy honey, we’ll get there.” Bending, he replaced his hands with his mouth, kissing and licking first one breast then the other. He spent long minutes torturing her nipples, licking, nibbling and scraping them with his teeth.

“Richie, please!” She whimpered. Her other hand came up to join the first and cradle his head and tug him closer.

He gave in. Closing his mouth around one hard peak, he circled it with his tongue once, twice, three times, then suckled. The hands in his hair tightened almost painfully as she cried out and climaxed.

“You’re…amazing.” She panted.

He chuckled. “I’m glad you think so. I’d like to take full credit for it, but I’d be lying. You’ve read the book, you know that you’re more sensitive now.”

“Maybe, but you’re….still…amazing.”

He kissed her gently. “Thank you.”

“So come be amazing again.”

“Still hungry?”

“Ravenous!”

“Guess we’d better see what we can do to satisfy that hunger then.” Once again he explored her body with hands and mouth, drawing sighs and soft moans from her throat. She tried to return the favour, but for the most part, he avoided her reaching hands – it was the only way he could keep control long enough to sate her craving. His stamina was good, but there were limits. If he let her have her way, he’d never last.

“No more teasing Rich. I need you now.” She gripped his shoulders and tugged, trying to pull him over her.

He stretched out beside her, rested on hand on her stomach and licked and sipped from her lips. “What do you need?”

She reached down and closed her hand around his hard, pulsing shaft. He groaned as she stroked. “I need this…” His eyes closed when she squeezed for emphasis. “…..here.” Her other hand grasped the hand on her belly and moved it down between her thighs.

“Here?” He slipped two fingers into her warm sheath.

“Mmmmm…yes.” She whispered, her hips rocking against his hand, driving his fingers deeper. Suddenly she shook her head and tried to pull his hand away. “No! Not like that! Richie please!”

“But I thought you liked it?” His fingers never stopped their penetration and withdrawl, even as he fought to ignore her clever hand stroking him.

“I do..mmm… but it’s not enough….it’s not….deep…enough. Richie!” She wailed.

“Aaah. I see. You want something bigger….longer…more…satisfying.” He murmured, nibbling on her earlobe.

“Yes, yes, Richie PLEASE!”

Removing his hand, he pulled hers away and turned her on her side facing away from him. He slid one arm underneath her and pressed closer. His arm bent until he could cup a breast. The other hand skimmed down her side to her hip. “You want this…” His erection glided along the swollen female folds between her legs. “…here.”

Her hips tilted in search of the teasing hardness, her need quickly becoming desperate. Groaning, she reached down and guided him to her opening. Still he held back. “RICHIE!” She sobbed.

“Okay, okay. Sssh. I’m right here. I’m…. right…here.” Very slowly, he gave her what she wanted.

“Oh! Oh..oh…yes. There…right…there. Mmmmm.” She shivered at the feel of him buried inside her.

“There? Or…there?” He pushed even deeper. She shattered. He held still until her tremors subsided. “Satisfied?” She shook her head. “Okay, how about we try this then?” The hand on her hip drifted over her stomach, one finger coming to rest on her swollen clit. His other hand caressed her breast, teasing, squeezing and pulling on her nipple. He began to rock his hips.

She was caught between his hands on her front, his warm chest stroking her back with their movements and his hard flesh deep inside her. Each thrust sent electrical currents of sensation shooting through her from both the friction caused by the intimate rubbing of their flesh, and from his finger on her nub that massaged with each movement of her hips. She gasped as her body was overwhelmed and her climax ripped through her. This time he didn’t stop. He kept moving, whispering in her ear how her body felt in his hands and surrounding his erection, what he was going to do to her, and how long he was going to take to do it.

Shuddering, she came again. And again. And again. Still he didn’t stop. At this point, her orgasms were coming one almost on top of another. She didn’t even try to count. All she could do was grip his arms and hang on.

Feeling her go weak with the excess, he sped up his movements. When her walls fisted around him again, he let go and went with her over the edge. Heart pounding, he withdrew from her body, but didn’t let her go. Instead, he wrapped his arms more tightly around her and dropped a kiss on her shoulder. “Okay?”

She shuddered. “I’ll let you know when I know if I’m still alive.” She waited until her heartbeat slowed. “I don’t care what any book says. You. Are. Amazing!” Her head turned just enough to kiss the arm nearest her face. “Now THAT’s something to be thankful for!”

He chuckled and kissed her shoulder again. “I won’t argue with you.”



The rest of the weekend was spent shopping and otherwise working on preparations for Christmas. Tori had tried very hard to control her hormones and not give herself away. The closer they got to Christmas, the more she wanted to keep it a surprise until then. She thought she’d been successful – until Sunday.

They’d dropped Ava back at her mother’s on their way to LAX for Joan’s flight back east. Saying goodbye at the security gate, Joan hugged Tori and searched her face for a moment.

“Make sure you get plenty of rest. If you have any questions, feel free to ask.” She started to turn away, then turned back. “And don’t let Richie treat you like an invalid!” She pointed a finger at him. “Help her, don’t smother her!”

They could hear her chuckles as she walked away. Stunned, they stared at each other for a full minute, then spoke in unison. “She knows!”