See? He could tell my mind was racing at one hundred miles an hour.
“You.”
He smiled against my belly. “I like that answer.”
He went even further down, and when he drew his tongue along my opening, pleasure shot through me. He kissed me until I was writhing under him, and then he climbed over me, thrusting inside me.
I gasped, moving my pelvis to accommodate him before digging my heels in the mattress for better leverage. We moved in sync, both of us desperate for release, desperate for each other. Hunter kissed my neck and shoulders while he gripped one ass cheek in his hand, moving me at an angle that allowed him so deep inside me, it spurred the tremors of pleasure. I shuddered, feeling tension gather in my lower body, spreading through me. He brought me closer to the edge with every thrust, every kiss. When he brought his hand between us, touching my clit, I couldn’t take the tension anymore.
“Hunter... please.”
“I want to feel you come all around me, babe. But not yet.”
He pulled out, despite my protests, kissing down my chest again, down my belly, stopping just above my pubic bone. Then he continued the delicious torture by kissing my inner thighs, raining kisses all the way to my ankles. I wanted him so much that I was certain I was going to do something wild if he kept at it. As if knowing what I was thinking, he grinned wolfishly at me, moving further up, closer to me. But instead of entering me, he turned me on my belly. I felt the tip of his nose along my spine, then his mouth.
“Spread your legs,” he said in a low, gruff voice. I did as he said, swallowing hard against the pillow. When I felt him slide inside me, I saw stars. It felt even more intense than before. How was this possible?
I climaxed so hard, growing so tight that I felt every delicious inch of him. I moved my hips faster and faster until he came too, grunting out my name, gripping my hips possessively, driving inside me, squeezing every drop of pleasure.
I couldn’t think for what felt like hours, could barely breathe. Hunter remained on top of me, caressing the side of my breast and waist, whispering sweet nothings.
When we finally dragged ourselves to the shower, I felt wide awake. The time-zone difference was no joke.
“It’s a good thing we have two days to recover from the jetlag,” I said as we climbed back into bed.
“Or... you could skip work on Monday.”
“Never.”
“Want me to take that as a challenge?”
This banter, and even the intimacy felt different than on our honeymoon. I couldn’t say why, but I loved it.
I feigned a shudder... but couldn’t help smiling. “Oh God no. You have a habit of getting your way when you do that.”
He smiled wolfishly before pulling me under him, kissing me so hard that I knew he’d taken it as a challenge anyway.
Chapter Twenty
Josie
On Monday morning, after dressing hurriedly, I took in my appearance in the bathroom mirror. My lips were swollen from Hunter’s wild kissing, my grin was absolutely huge (he was at fault for me being in a hurry in the first place).
I had absolutely no doubt that anyone passing me would know I got loved up good this morning. Then again, I was a newlywed who’d just returned from her honeymoon. This should be expected, right? Swooning and daydreaming were acceptable... I hoped. It would even give the whole thing more credibility, and that was certainly a good thing.
On the way to work, I called my sister. I was dying to speak to Isabelle. I talked her ear off from the second she answered.
“You sound so... radiant,” she replied when I finished.
I chuckled. “How can you sound radiant?”
“No idea, but you do.”
“I miss you so much.”
“I miss you too.”
“So move to New York.”
“You always tempt me with that.”
“Well, I always hope to convince you.”
“One of these days, you just might.”
Holy shit, that was the closest she’d come to saying she’d consider moving. I’d love to dote on my sister, and generally just having her nearby would be amazing.
“I have to go now, but keep me posted on your newlywed bliss.”
“Will do.”
I started my day by meeting with my assistant and the junior who had handled my workload while I’d been gone.
“So, in a nutshell, we have five contracts waiting for you to sign, and ten others where you still need to double-check certain details we’ve pointed out on Post-its.”
“I’ll get to all of those today.”
That had gone more smoothly than I’d imagined. Hunter had been right. My entire career wasn’t going to collapse just because I’d taken two weeks off. I did need saving from my own brain.
I’d have to thank him later. On second thought, maybe I shouldn’t. That would only encourage him to continue ambushing me. For some reason that didn’t sound like such a bad idea.
My God, was I conflicted or what? Part of my brain was still on the Maldives, relaxing in the sun. It would take me a few days to readjust to the breakneck speed of a law firm.
The day became more stressful by the hour, though. My to-do list was growing by leaps and bounds every time I read a new email, and it didn’t help that my brain was working at a slug’s pace.
Around lunch, I shot Hunter a text.
Josie: How’s your day? My brain is trying to sabotage me. Instead of focusing on statutes, I keep daydreaming about white sand and cocktails and just lying in the sun doing nothing.
Hunter: But not daydreaming about ME? :-)
I laughed, staring at the screen.
Josie: Just a little :)
Hunter: You’re jet-lagged, that’s why focusing is harder. It’ll get better in a few days.
Josie: Hope so, because I’m out of tricks. Already went over my daily dose of caffeine, and I’m still half asleep :-(
Hunter: It’ll get better. I promise.
I was determined to make the best out of the day, so I massaged my temples, smelled the small lavender bag I kept on my desk, and attacked my to-do list with renewed focus.
Half an hour later, I was distracted by a delivery guy calling my name. I poked my head out of the office, waving at him.
“That’s me.”
He’d made so much ruckus that even some of the others had poked their heads out.
“I have a delivery for you, Ms. Gallagher. From Deli’s.”
My mouth watered. Deli’s baked some of the best chocolate cakes in town.
“But I didn’t order... I didn’t even know you did delivery.”
“We don’t. But Mr. Caldwell was very convincing.”
“Thank you!”
Hunter had sent me sweets? OH MY GOD. Why hadn’t I married him before? I took the bag, not even bothering to tone down my excitement. Deliveries at the firm were 95 percent documents. But this was something else, so it accounted for some excitement. Two of my colleagues whistled, and one called out, “Already running for Husband of the Year? Well done.”
I was giddy as I retreated to my office. I admired the sweet treat, considering for about three seconds if I should share with my coworkers before settling on Hell, no. This was all for me. I dug in and didn’t stop until the carton was empty and I’d licked the spoon clean.