“I thought your dad would never leave! At least my parents took a hint.”
Mel glanced over her shoulder from the kitchen sink, trying to keep a straight face. “Wow, I’ll be sure to let Daddy know how you really feel about him.”
Hosting Thanksgiving, with their parents at their house for the first time had been fantastic, but her dad had stayed a few hours past pumpkin pie.
Her monitor told her she was ovulating, and she’d made the mistake of telling her husband that morning; Jared had been keyed up all day.
The touches and kisses he’d snuck for the majority of the day while they’d had company hadn’t done much for keeping her libido in check.
Pushing him away never worked; her heart wasn’t in it. Desire to sneak to the bedroom had been higher than spending time with her dad and his parents—as much as she loved them.
Sure, a little guilt assaulted her senses, but it was for a good cause—their first grandbaby.
Against her real wishes, Mel had told Jared to stop acting like a horny teenager, but he’d only flashed a wicked grin and kissed her again.
Her dad in the living room was too close for comfort, grown, married woman or not; need or not. Talked her out of whatever courage her hormones had mustered for sure.
Jared’s hands swallowed her waist, and his warm breath tickled the back of her neck. His powerful chest cradled her back, and his erection through his jeans rubbed against her bottom.
Then his lips were nibbling, licking, kissing her neck and earlobe until her legs wobbled and she splashed warm, soapy water when her hands missed the first grab for the edge of the sink.
“Jared.” His name came out more moan than protest, and she whirled in his arms, meeting his mouth when he dipped down.
He deepened the kiss, and rocked his hips in time with his tongue.
Her side hit the counter, but she didn’t care.
Mel was a goner.
She couldn’t tell him she needed to finish scrubbing a pan and put the leftover food away. Didn’t care if it all rotted—she was liquid, grateful her husband was holding her up.
“I’ve been waiting to do that. All. Damn. Day.” He panted against her, pushing the words into her lips, and his eyes were black with desire.
She could barely moan, let alone form a coherent thought.
Jared groaned and sealed his mouth over hers again, kissing her until her toes curled. He tore away on a ragged breath, and Mel’s head spun. “Let’s go to bed.”
“Happy Thanksgiving,” she whispered.
He grinned. “Baby, I’m thankful for you for damn sure.”
Her heart skipped, which only made her dizzier. “I love you.”
“I love you, too. And because I love you, I know you’ll be mad at me if I whisk you away with a dirty kitchen, so I’ll help you finish cleaning up.”
Mel arched an eyebrow. “I feel like you have nefarious intentions.”
Jared chuckled. “I did think about taking you on the butcher’s block. But it’s…busy.”
She giggled and followed his gaze. The remnants of the turkey sat on her best platter at the center, but he’d already cut all the rest of the meat off it for her. “I do prefer our bed, truth be told.”
His mouth hovered over hers, but he didn’t kiss her properly. “Nah, sometimes you’re adventurous.”
That was true. They’d made love all over the house that’d been hers, but slipped to theirs effortlessly.
Tremors chased each other down her spine and she tipped up, begging without words.
Her husband retreated, instead of capturing her mouth again. “Let’s get this done so I can ravish you without guilt.”
Mel snorted. “Right. You’d be so bothered.”
He winked and started putting the remainder of their meal away.
She stood back watching him, her heart thumping all over again.
Mel slipped her light blue sweater over her head, releasing it to the kitchen floor. Her bra was next, and she dropped it at her feet, then stepped out of her slippers. She’d given up real shoes after dinner.
Jared didn’t notice she was getting undressed; he was diligently putting leftovers in containers and loading the dishwasher.
She grinned and shimmied out of her gray pencil skirt and pink panties, then perched her hand on her hip and waited for her man to notice she was naked in their kitchen.
He whirled toward the fridge, containers of mashed potatoes, stuffing, and green beans stacked in hands. His eyes widened and he froze a few inches from the handle. “Ummm…” His mouth hung open.
She laughed. “Wow. You’d think I did something wrong.”
Jared recovered fast, sliding the food into the refrigerator, shutting it, and invading her personal space in what felt like the same move. “Not at all. Just surprised me, is all. Melody Manning is not a woman to be trifled with. Especially where her kitchen is concerned.”
Mel laughed and wound her arms around his neck, moving in to his body heat. “I’m glad you recognize that.”
His lips came down, but she met him, snuggling closer and kissing him back until she couldn’t breathe.
“Butcher’s block?” her husband asked against her mouth.
She smacked his chest and laughed again. “Bed.”
“As you wish, my lady love.”
She giggled, then yelped as he swung her up into his arms. Made a grab for his neck, but Jared wouldn’t drop her.
Mel didn’t speak—couldn’t, since he fit his mouth over hers again, taking her air and her breath as he kissed her, but she didn’t care if her head spun. Not when he was already sending her to heaven.
Her husband set her at the center of their bed and made short work of his clothing—although his nice cobalt button-down was done for, if the pinging buttons were any indication.
“Jared, that shirt was expensive!” She laughed through her complaint.
“Don’t care,” he answered as he shrugged out of it, yanked his zipper down and shoved his dark jeans off his hips. He tossed his cowboy boots across the room one-by-one, and prowled to their king-sized bed.
She giggled. “No undies? How did I not notice that?” Her gaze zoned in on his erection and she licked her lips.
Jared groaned. “It was a bad call.”
“Why?”
“Chafing. If the blue balls weren’t enough.”
Mel laughed yet again.
He flashed a grin when their gazes brushed.
Her insides wobbled. Her husband was hot.
“It’s your fault, really,” she said.
“Mine? How’d you figure? You made me want you.”
Heat flushed her body and she quivered. Burned for his hands on her. She raised her arms in invitation, and he didn’t disappoint.
Jared practically pounced on the bed and hovered over her.
She dragged her fingers down his chest, traced his abs and watched his muscles jump under her touch.
When Mel looked into his face, her husband had his head back, eyes closed, a look of desire and contentment dominating his expression.
Her insides shook all over. She had the power to make him look like that.
“Jared,” she whispered.
His gorgeous dark eyes met hers. “Hmm, baby?”
“Baby. Exactly. Let’s make one.”
He grinned, but then sobered. Cupped her face. “I love you, and I want you, but it will be okay if it doesn’t happen this time.”
She smiled. “I love you, too. And I always want you.”
“Mel.”
Her name was all warning.
“Relax, I’m in a good place. Promise.”
Jared studied her for a few more seconds before his big shoulders loosened. “I was there, too.”
“What?”
“Doc Hayes says we’re good. My swimmers swim, and he said it can take up to a year.”
Mel smiled. She really was better with things after her appointment last week. She needed him to believe she wasn’t a head-case.
Despair had melted in to reserved hopefulness.
There was nothing wrong with either of them.
“I know, love. I’m okay, really. I just want to feel good with you. That’s my mindset now. I’m not obsessing about what the monitor told me. I mean, I’m aware it’s there, but it’s in the back of my mind.”
He narrowed his eyes. “You sure?”
“Hey, if I can think, you’re not doing something right. Isn’t that what you always say?”
“I always do it right,” Jared growled and kissed her.
It was a quick thing that was over much too soon.
She giggled and patted his cheek. “Time to prove it again, husband.”