Chapter 7

SEVEN

Maria

The emotions shooting through me were hard to navigate.

Excitement.

Guilt.

Passion.

Sadness.

Love.

So many emotions.

"Adam." I suddenly felt incredibly vulnerable.

"Yeah, babe?" He tugged me farther up on the bed so we could lie next to each other.

"That was…" I blinked, trying to articulate what I was feeling. " Amazing ."

He reached out to cup the side of my face. "Then why do you look like you're going to cry? What's wrong?"

"Nothing." I buried my head in his shoulder. "Just a little… guilt. Like I shouldn't have enjoyed it that much with someone…"

"Else." He finished my thought as if he'd read my mind.

"I'm sorry."

"Don't be. I've been there."

We were quiet for a few minutes, and somehow the unease started to fade. His strong, steady heartbeat, the way he looked at me, and his gentle touch reassured me in ways that didn't make sense. But my heart understood.

My new husband loved me.

Wanted to take care of me.

And didn't seem to mind my moments of insecurity and guilt and whatever else went through my head.

"I'm so…" I frowned, still trying to figure out how best to express myself because there was more going on here than ghosts of husbands past. "Honestly, I didn't realize it could be like that. My sex life was very tame compared to what we just did."

"He never went down on you?"

I shook my head. "No. And I only did it to him once before he passed. We'd started watching porn and discovered we were incredibly innocent in the bedroom, if you know what I mean. We were planning to spice things up, but he died before we could, leaving me wondering what I'd been missing."

He pulled me into his arms. "I'm ready, willing, and able to show you anything and everything you've ever wanted to try."

"I believe you."

"There are so many things I want to show you," he whispered, his lips close to mine.

"Like putting your finger in my butt!" I tried to look indignant, but I'd enjoyed myself far too much.

"And you fuckin' loved it." He wiggled his eyebrows as he sat up and started unzipping his slacks.

"And now I want to try everything, which is embarrassing."

"I'm your husband." He pulled off his pants and boxers, revealing the largest penis I'd ever seen. Of course, I'd only seen two, other than those of my babies. "The only way you should feel about our sex life is happy and excited and turned on. And if you don't like something, all you have to do is tell me and we won't do it again. It's that simple."

"I love you, Adam." And I meant it from the bottom of my heart.

"I love you too, darlin'." He made short work of his socks and then we were both naked.

He lay beside me, and we turned on our sides, facing each other.

"Are you going to change your name?" he asked. "We never talked about that."

"Do you mind if I don't?"

"No." He hesitated. "I'd like it if you did, though."

"What if I hyphenated? I like sharing a name with my children."

"Because your name isn't already long enough, Maria Conchetta Calavope Cicero-Elliott?"

Our eyes met, and we burst out laughing.

"Maria Cicero-Elliott. It's not too long."

"No, it's not."

There was a sweet, comfortable silence, him tracing his warm fingers along the outlines of my face.

"Are you going to make love to me now, Mr. Elliott?"

"I am, Mrs. Cicero-Elliott." He met my gaze, and I couldn't help but lose myself in the depths of his gorgeous blue eyes.

"I know I've been a little emotional today, but I'm very ready to be with you. Both physically and emotionally. I'm so happy we decided to come here to get married. I can't explain it, but it feels right."

"I think so too." He leaned in and kissed me, his tongue tangling with mine hungrily. Then he pillaged my mouth, taking pull after pull, our bodies pressed together, until we were nothing but a web of arms and legs and mouths and hands. It was heady to be so intimate with this strong, caring man who'd come into my life so unexpectedly. He was equal parts sexy and tender, passionate and patient, and when he slid inside me, I lost myself in him.

In us .

All the guilt and worry and nervousness faded away until there was nothing but him.

Adam.

My husband .

It was everything I'd hoped it would be and more, our bodies moving together in perfect harmony. When he unexpectedly flipped us over, so I was straddling him, I rested my hands on his chest as we locked eyes once again.

"You like that, darlin'?" he asked in his gruff, raspy voice, eyes never leaving mine.

"Very much." I let the feelings he evoked wash over me. Maybe over both of us, because he seemed as lost in this as I was.

"Show me what you like," he said softly, resting his hands on my hips. "Rock yourself home."

I swayed above him, getting used to how it felt for him to be buried so deep inside of me. He was bigger than I was used to, but what had been slightly too much at first, now morphed into a satisfying rhythm. Every time his hips snapped up to meet mine, prickles of heat tickled my skin. I'd never felt so sexy, watching as he cupped my breasts with his hands. He rubbed his thumbs across the nipples, increasing pressure until the sensations made me clench with need.

"That's it, baby, find your happy place." He squeezed and rubbed my breasts in time to my movements and it wasn't long before the pressure building in my core started to spin out of control. The need for release was unbearable, and as if he sensed my need to let go, he slid a finger between my legs. When he circled my clit, my heartbeat kicked up exponentially.

"Oh, shit, yes—Adam!" My orgasm was intense, hitting me even harder than before. I bucked and shook and whimpered as he thrust up into me, finding his own release, and the sounds of our cries filled the room.

"Good God, what have you done to me?" I demanded breathlessly, collapsing on top of him.

"I dunno. Do you like it?" He ran his hands up and down my back, even as he continued to pulse inside of me.

"So much." I sighed happily.

"Me too, darlin'. Me too."

"Can we do it again?"

"Damn straight we can. Right fucking now."

"Don't you need time to?—"

He laughed and flipped us over again. "Does it feel like I need time?"

It didn't.

"It's been a while," he said, nuzzling my neck. "It's not usually this quick, but today? My new wife makes me feel twenty again."

"My new husband makes me feel amazing."