Keely looked at it, then at him, and laughed. Laughed. She said, “Nice try,” and sauntered off toward the beach.
There was some serious groveling in his immediate future. Now he really had to set the stage, and prove to her…what?
Hell if he knew. But he’d gone this far; he couldn’t back down or chicken out now.
Jack dragged the two hundred suitcases into the main living area. He barely gave the space a second glance as he booked it to the massive master bedroom to make sure his specific requests had been filled.
Bouquets of fragrant flowers.
Check.
Dozens of candles.
Check.
Four bottles of champagne.
Check.
Chocolate and raspberry sauce.
Check.
Silken scarves.
Check.
Batteries.
Check.
He stared at the set-up until frustration set in. He was a goddamn engineer, for f**k’s sake. He sucked at this stuff. But this was the exact romantic scenario he’d envisioned and it’d been perfectly executed. So why did it look…wrong?
Because Keely isn’t here. Why in the hell did you think she would want this anyway?
When had he stopped taking into account what she wanted?
Jesus. He was a f**king moron.
He swallowed his pride and tracked her down. And for a minute, he just stopped and stared at the woman he’d married.
What a magnificent picture she was, standing barefoot at the edge of the ocean, wind blowing through her glossy dark hair as the last rays of sunlight danced across her skin, bathing her in a golden glow.
Luckily she didn’t jerk away when he touched her. She murmured, “Beautiful, isn’t it?”
“Stunning. And the scenery ain’t bad either.”
She leaned into his chest and sighed.
They remained locked together, waves lapping at their bare feet, gazing across the horizon until the sun disappeared and darkness surrounded them.
Finally she turned and gazed at him with those sapphire eyes that seemed to have a direct conduit to his soul.
All Jack’s thoughts, fears, plans, and words of devotion vanished. So he said the first thing that popped into his head. “Keely. I love you.”
“I know you do.”
He supposed he deserved that. “I don’t want to f**k this up.”
“I know that too.”
“Maybe you think it’s lame that I wanted to wait to make love to you in such a…traditional way, when we’ve already had sex in every conceivable position and in some pretty inconceivable locations. I thought I’d try to be…”
“What? High-handed? Showing me who’s boss in our marriage from the get-go?”
“No. I wanted to give you romance.” He tucked a piece of hair behind her ear. “You deserve that on your wedding night.”
She drilled him in the chest with her finger. “No, Jack-ass, I deserve a say in what happens on our wedding night. You don’t get to make a decision and just expect me to fall in line with it.”
“I agree. I’m sorry.”
His capitulation seemed to surprise her and her smartass comment, “You were fully aware I’m not a shrinking violet—” ended abruptly. She said, “Oh. Well. Okay.”
“So am I forgiven for being a jackass?”
“Maybe. But you have to make it up to me.”
“Anything you want. Name it.”
“Happily for you, GQ, I’m all in for making love to my husband, in a big, soft bed, with the sounds of the surf pounding in the background and no interruptions.” She poked him in the chest again. “You dodged a bullet this time. Next time I won’t be so accommodating.”
“So noted.”
Keely stared at him thoughtfully again.
“What?”
“Did you really think I’d love you more if you gave me silk sheets, flowers and candlelight?”
He honestly didn’t know what to say.
“Jack. You already gave me your heart. That’s all I ever wanted. That’s all I need.”
Might make him a pu**y, but he felt tears spring to his eyes. He could barely choke out, “I can’t live without you.”
“Lucky thing you don’t have to.”
“Promise?”
“I promise.” Keely stood on her tiptoes and kissed him. “Now will you please take me to bed? I’ve heard married sex is pretty hot.”
Laughing, Jack swept her into his arms and started toward the villa. But he didn’t make it far before he stopped and set her back on her feet.
“Oh, for Christsake, Jack, what now?”
He put his mouth on her ear, loving how it always caused her to tremble. Loving her whimpering sigh.
“Ever rolled around naked on a beach?”
“Ah. No. Have you?”
“No.”
“That’d be a first for both of us.”
“That would be pretty goddamned romantic.”
They looked at each other. Grinned at each other.
Keely said, “First one undressed—”
“Gets to be on top,” Jack finished as she started stripping.
“And also gets to decide if it’s hard and fast or slow and sweet,” she added.
“Deal.”
Keely won. She had less clothing on than he did. But truthfully, the first rays of moonlight reflecting off all her mouthwatering curves distracted him.
That, and the fact she still wore that sexy white wedding lingerie beneath her sundress.
Damn.
She tackled him. Pinned him. Kissed him. Owned him completely. And when they were joined in body, as well as in their hearts, Jack knew this woman would give him the ride of his life.