Their lips danced, their tongues mated. She wrapped her legs around his waist. He moved them, until the waterfall splashed down on their heads and shoulders. She threw back her head and laughed, feeling free and joyous.
A slight move to the right and her back bumped up against the mossy side. His erection brushed her thigh and she twisted to bring him inside of her, but he stopped her. He lifted her high in the air, his hot mouth opening over her nipple and tugging deeply.
She moaned low in her throat, letting him lower her to the edge and push her down. Soft grass tickled her back. Her thighs fell apart. He bent his head, the soft touch of his scalding tongue seeking her most intimate of parts. He devoured her, ate and licked at her, until she trembled and cried out his name.
“I don’t have protection with me,” he panted, letting her go and laying his head on her stomach.
“The basket,” she said, running her fingers through his wet hair. “I put some in the basket last night.”
He pushed himself out of the water and strode to the basket. Two beats of her heart later, he was beside her. Droplets of water rained down on her skin as he covered her, his hands on her hips.
“Who do you belong to?” He entered her, slowly. Until she was stretched and filled.
“You. The man I love.”
Clasping her wrists in one hand, he stretched her arms above her head and let go. “Mine. Always and forever.”
His thrusts started slowly, but quickly worked to a feverish pitch as he stroked her, holding her body prisoner beneath his. She grabbed his arms, holding onto him like he was her anchor in a carnal storm that raged over her.
Christian looked down on the woman under him. She was heaven and drawing this out was hell. She was his and had always been. She humbled him. She amazed him.
Zoe loved him.
He buried his face in her neck, his muscles gathering and flexing as he moved. As they came together in utter perfection. He was so close, but he had to hear her words again. “Tell me you love me.”
“I love you.”
His body jerked. “Tell me again.”
“I love you. Only you. Always you.”
He shouted her name as he came, his breath leaving his body in great gulps as he cradled her close to him. “I love you, Zoe,” he remembered saying before they drifted off to sleep.
***
The moon had risen high in the night sky by the time he opened his eyes, but he could see Zoe as clearly as if they were under a noon sun. She smiled sleepily at him, pulling the soft blankets he’d discovered in the basket over them.
“Is this a dream? Are you really an enchantress after all?”
She shook her head, her pretty eyes soft. “No, but I promise to be the woman I should be, the woman I’m meant to be, and the woman you deserve.”
His heart pounded against his chest, not caring if she saw the tears in his eyes. “You already are, love. You already are.”
Epilogue
Eight years later
Christian knelt down and looked at his five year old twins. The eldest, Jude, had dark hair like Zoe with his pale blue eyes while Waverly was all sunshine-colored hair and pretty green eyes like her mother.
“Now remember, you stick up for each other. If someone teases your sister, Jude, you defend her, and, Waverly, if someone is mean to your brother, you defend him.”
Jude nodded and shoved his hands in the pockets of his shorts. “I can defend myself and Waverly.”
Waverly shook her head, making the large green bow in her hair wobble. “Mummy said we’re to tell our teacher.”
“Oh, quite right. Well, Mummy does know best.” Christian tapped his forehead. “She’s got loads of brains. Luckily, you two take after her.”
The bell rang.
“It’s time for them to go inside,” Zoe said, her soft drawl and calm manner easing his anxiousness. She gave their children a big grin. “Y’all have my old Kindergarten teacher, Mrs. Phelps.”
“Can’t we homeschool? Perhaps a private tutor?” Christian stood.
“But we want to go to school. Please, daddy?” his children simultaneously protested.
“Please, daddy?” Zoe mimicked with a saucy wink directed his way.
Christian capitulated, taking Waverly’s hand while Zoe took Jude’s. “Okay, but just for this year.”
The trio cheered.
After walking them to their classroom, he gave his wife a sidelong glance.
“Ready for some alone time, Mrs. Romanov?” After eight years of marriage and two children, she looked as beautiful as the day he’d met her. More so with baby number three on the way. Their little ‘whoops’ as he liked to call the baby girl.
“We’d better enjoy it while we can,” she said, lacing her fingers through his. “Plus we need to pick out a name.”
He brought her hand to his lips for a fleeting kiss. “I’m still not entirely convinced you named the boy after me.”
Zoe shook her head. Sometimes she still couldn’t believe he was hers. Such a family man. He pinched her bottom. And as wicked as ever.
She smacked his hand. “Your middle name is Jude,” she pointed out.
“Have you taken a look at your laptop’s history files lately? All I’ve seen is Jude Law’s digital images. A less confident man would be suffering right about now.”
“It’s for my next novel. You’re not jealous, are you?” she teased. “He is staring in the movie you’re financing and agreed to headline a benefit for B.T.S.” Christian headed the board for the organization. They’d had a change of heart, issuing a statement that in effect said that even adults deserved second chances. He’d stepped up and had taken over, establishing the charity in several foreign countries. He’d begun taking parts again, in films that spoke to his heart and won critical acclaim.
“You completely fangirled Jude when he said hello while we were on holiday in Majorca.”
“But who got to go back to our penthouse and have bubble bath fun with me?”
He pointed at his chest.
“And if you play your cards right, I’ll let you do it again before I get too big to fit in there with you.”
He scooped her up in his arms and she squealed. “I’ll just have a larger tub installed, with winches if need be.”
“You really shouldn’t say that to a pregnant lady.”
They drew smiles and curious stares while he carried her to their SUV.
“What should one say?” Love was bright in his blue eyes.