CHAPTER 16

Diana watched Brook approach from the door. With each slow step he tugged at a new piece of clothing. It wasn’t long before his body glowed with the flickering candlelight, gloriously naked, yet it was his gaze that melted her from the inside out.

It was a new expression, one that brought to mind a thousand words, but none of them accurate enough to describe how it made her feel: beautiful, loved, special, wanted, needed, like she belonged. His soft touch gently moved the robe from one shoulder as he knelt on the couch beside her. His lips followed his hands, caressing the exposed flesh with a slow methodical kiss.

Her eyes closed, the sensations of his love washing over her. Though they had made love every night since their marriage, this was already different. Maybe it was the knowledge that it meant something more than a means to an end. Maybe it was because his attachment to her was known; maybe it was because she wasn’t afraid to tell him of her own feelings. Whatever it was, her body ignited with a stronger burn, deeper, greedy for his touch, knowing it was for her, only her.

Brook’s fingers traced feather-like caresses down her arms, removing her dressing gown. His lips followed the slow, sensual undressing as he pressed kiss after kiss to her feverish skin. As her robe slid from his hands, he didn’t stop but lowered himself, kissing her belly still covered by her night rail. The sensation moved her, and her eyes closed against the love he poured over her with each kiss, each touch. His wicked, delicious hands traced lower, teasing the hem of her night rail with his fingers and a scandalous grin.

“I must say, unwrapping you is far more fun than any present at Christmastime,” he teased, his hands sliding her robe up over her knees, higher till it pooled at her waist.

Diana leaned forward, pulling Brook’s face forward. His hands paused and she met his lips with a searing kiss, tasting his flavor, caressing his tongue with her own, needing to feel all of him, so much more than his kiss. Needy, she broke the seal of their kiss and removed the last of her night rail. With a smile, she pulled at his shoulders, caressing up to his neck as he followed her command and covered her with his body. Arching into him, she met his lips, losing herself in the millions of sensations of his kiss, his body melting into hers, the feel of their rhythm as he entered her. Her hips arched, her heart pounded, and the world shrunk to just them. His heartbeat pounding against hers, his body becoming one with hers, it was almost too much, yet not enough.

“Do you like this?” Brook adjusted his position, going deeper than before. Her body clenched around him as she barely gasped a, “Yes.”

“I love the way your body responds. You’re my personal fantasy, Diana,” he murmured against her neck, nipping the flesh.

Diana could hardly breathe for the pleasure of it, her body singing with desire as she found her release, stealing her breath. Her back arched, pressing Brook deeper inside as her body pulsed. Brook groaned against her neck, his breathing hard as his body grew rigid with his own climax. Her sensitive skin prickled with the throb of his release, nearly sending her into another round of pleasure.

When she finally found her breath, she met the gaze of her husband, watching her with rapt attention. His gaze conveyed a thousand words as he mapped her face with a tender devotion. Never before had she felt as treasured, as safe or . . . loved.

“I think I love you, Diana.” Brook whispered the words, testing them with his tone as he studied her reaction.

Diana reached up, her hand lacing through his dark hair and tugging softly. “Well, since you seem unsure, I think we only have one course of action,” she replied, leaning up to kiss his lips, soft from her earlier attentions.

“I didn’t mean—” Brook started, but Diana gave her head a slight shake as she grinned. “I know. But I do think, you know, to make sure, we need to just keeping working at this . . . forever.”

At her words, Brook returned her grin. “You always do have the best ideas.”

“I’ll be sure to remind you of that, often.”

“Of that I have no doubt,” Brook teased, then dropped a sweet kiss on her nose. “And I don’t mind. I’m sure it won’t be the last brilliant idea you’ll have.”

“A husband who admits when his wife is right? How did I get so lucky?” Diana asked with a laugh.

“You didn’t get lucky; I did. After all, I married you.”

“That you did,” Diana whispered. “A marriage of convenience.” She gave a small laugh as she rolled her eyes. “That ended up being so much more.”

“More than I expected, and certainly far more than I deserve. And I’ll just have to spend my life accepting that.”

“A hard fate, no doubt,” Diana replied with a slight eye roll.

“I’m sure I’ll manage.” Brook’s lips took on a wicked grin as his eyes wolfishly traced lower to her exposed breasts. “There are perks to my penance.”

“Penance.” Diana repeated the word dryly.

“I’ve been very wicked, you know,” Brook reminded her, leaning down to lick her nipple.

Diana tried to think of a proper response but found she couldn’t think past the pleasure, the ecstasy of his touch, of his words as they washed over her.

“No response?” Brook asked as he halted his teasing attentions.

Diana made the only reasonable reply. With a grin, she leaned up, captured his lips, and started to love him all over again.

Because their forever started now.