Chapter Sixteen

Natalia

One Month Later

“Now how did I know I’d find you here?”

Samuel asks. I give him a soft smile as he sits down on the sofa beside me. He pulls my legs up and puts them back down, so they lay across his lap. I angle my body so I can face him. He leans over and kisses my forehead.

“Because you know I love to sit here and look at the Christmas tree?”

“You okay, sweetheart? You’ve been quiet since we left my uncles’ home.”

“Yeah, I’m fine. I can’t believe Ivan is using that thing we bought him,”

I giggle. “I thought he might use it for target practice or something.”

“He loves it. I’m not sure Mikhail and Sebastian feel the same, however,”

Samuel chuckles.

“Yeah, that much was perfectly clear. It was nice of them to invite Daniel over.”

“He’s family now, Izzy. You are my life. I hope you see that. I never want you doubting that you’re important to me. You’re my wife and you always will be. I’m happy, Izzy. I’m addicted to you—all the forms of you.”

“All the forms of me?”

I question, cocking my eyebrow up in challenge.

“The sleepy-grumpy-but-I-had-to-get-up-early Izzy is adorable and sexy as fuck. The woman-in-charge Izzy is sexy as fuck. The devious but cute Izzy is sexy as fuck. The—”

“I think I’m getting the picture,”

I laugh. “You may need therapy.”

“Nope, all I need is my wife.”

“We’ve only been trying this couple thing for a month, Sam. How can you be so sure?”

“I’ve never been more positive about anything in my life. Are you saying this past month hasn’t been good for you?” he asks.

“How could it not be? You spoil me,”

I answer honestly, my fingers going to the emerald pendant I’m wearing. Samuel bought it for me for Christmas. It’s an emerald heart that is surrounded by diamonds.

Samuel’s gaze drops to take in the way I’m basically petting the necklace. His entire face relaxes. I think I even see pride shining in his eyes. “You like it.”

“I love it,”

I answer truthfully.

“It reminded me of your eyes. I couldn’t resist.”

“I guess I should give you my Christmas present now.”

Immediately, he looks surprised. “Izzy, I told you I didn’t want anything.”

“I think you’ll want this—or at least I’m hoping you do,”

I counter, more nervous than I thought I’d be.

I know this is a big step, but it’s not like I’m a virgin. Our marriage might not be conventional, but this past month has been wonderful. I could make a huge mistake. A month isn’t a lot of time. Still, Samuel and I have spent every night together. We’ve moved up from just kissing to heavy make out sessions. When I went back to work, he started working at night so he could sleep with me throughout the day. We fit together. There’s no other way to say it. When I’m worn out from work, Samuel meets me at the door, takes me in his arms and takes care of me. I somehow make him relax when he’s stressed, make him eat when he forgets, and we always find time to unwind together. I even like his crazy family. He comes to the hospital to pick me up often. Watching him walk to me always makes me smile. A few days ago, he came in when Natalie was volunteering. When she walked up to him and tried to kiss him, I lost it. I grabbed her by her hair and pulled her away, telling her to keep her hands off my husband. I thought Samuel would be upset. He wasn’t. He crashed his mouth down on mine and kissed me until I almost begged him to take me right then and there. I didn’t care who was watching. That’s when I knew what I wanted. So, I asked my brother to help me. However, at this moment, I am really nervous.

“Izzy, I’ve never been much for holidays. If you want the truth, this is the first Christmas me or my uncles have celebrated since I was a small child. That I get to spend it with you is all I could ever ask.”

“Daniel and I never really did the whole Christmas thing, either. I’m glad my first one got to be with you, Sam.”

“Why don’t you grab the throw from the sofa and spread it out in front of the tree? Find one of those cheesy as hell Christmas movies you’ve been watching, while I get us both some wine. We can relax and enjoy the night together.”

“I’d like that,” I admit.

“Good,”

he whispers, bending down to kiss me gently, sucking my bottom lip into his mouth and sliding his tongue over it, like he doesn’t want to stop.

I don’t want him to.

He stands, pulling me up with him. He kisses the top of my head and gives me a sly wink. “I’ll be back.”

I nod, spending the next few minutes fixing the blanket in front of the tree while grabbing the remote for the television. I don’t really want to watch a movie. I’d rather be in Samuel’s arms and talk. I flip the television to the freebie Christmas background that shows a raging fire on it, with the fireplace decorated in pine swags, holly leaves, and berries. I dim the overhead lighting, grab some throw pillows off the sofa, and settle in. Samuel walks into the room, holding two glasses, and offers me one before he sits down beside me. I grin and then reach over to the tree, sliding my hand under the pretty pale blue skirt we have around the stand. My fingers latch on the manilla envelope I had hidden there. I pull it out, handing it to Samuel. He looks confused, and I try to fight through my anxiety by plastering a fake smile on my face. “Merry Christmas.”

He carefully takes my wine, stretching to put the glasses on the coffee table. Then he takes the envelope. His face looks … annoyed. “Interesting wrapping paper, Izzy.”

I shrug. What can you say to that? He looks at the envelope and then tosses it away.

“What are you doing?”

I cry, already struggling to get up and fetch the damn thing. Samuel doesn’t let me. He pulls me back down before pinning my body on the floor with him over me.

“I’d hoped this last month you would have stopped being so damn stubborn. Seems that’s not going to happen.”

“Sam—”

“You’re mine, Izzy. I don’t care if it’s been a month, a week, or a fucking day. You’re mine.”

“But—”

“We’re married. You’re in my bed every night. I may not have been inside your body, but I know what it feels like to make you come. If you think I’m going to let you walk away and risk some other man having what belongs to me, you’re insane.”

“Damn it, Sam, the papers—”

“I’ll fucking burn them, Izzy. I don’t know what you have in that beautiful but dense head of yours, but we are staying married.”

“Sam, you’re pissing me off,”

I hiss, tugging on my hands he has trapped over my head.

“Good, because trying to give me divorce papers after the single best fucking day of my life has pissed me off. You don’t get to give me a taste of the life I’ve always wanted, then callously pull it away, Izzy. It’s not happening. You’re home for me. We belong together and if I must fuck you into submission, that’s what I’m going to do.”

“You’re being an asshole,”

I growl, ignoring the way his words are setting my body on fire.

“Yeah, well, I’m your asshole, and it’s time for you to learn that.”

His hand reaches under my long red silk skirt that I wore tonight. I hold my body completely still. My breath lodges in my chest as I feel Sam’s hand slide against my wet panties. “You’re soaked.”

“Sam—”

“You’re fucking soaked and still thinking about ending this? There’s no end, Izzy. You’re not walking away. I belong with you, woman. I refuse to let you push me away.”

He hooks his fingers into my underwear, quickly pulling it down my legs. I lift one leg and use my foot to help him push the flimsy lace fabric down. I repeat the same movement with my other leg, needing Sam’s touch.

“Please,”

I whimper.

“You sound awful needy for a woman who was trying to push me out the door, Izzy,”

he growls, as his fingers push between the lips of my pussy. My head goes back and my entire body arches toward him as I feel his fingers slowly circling my clit. I tug against his hold, wanting my hands free to touch him. “What do you want, sweetheart?”

“Let me touch you,”

I demand, desperation thick in my voice.

“You’re not calling the shots here, Izzy. I am. I’m going to show you who this sweet little body belongs to.”

“Sam, please. I wasn’t going anywhere. I don’t want to leave,”

I confess.

His hand goes still, and I cry out, not wanting him to stop. “You don’t want to leave me?”

“No,”

I respond, moving my hips, trying to get pressure in the right place because he’s not cooperating. “Damn it, Sam. I need more.”

“Who do you belong to, Izzy? Tell me.”

“You,” I sob.

“Damn straight,”

he practically snarls. “This is going to go quick, but I’ll take my time with you after,” he promises. I don’t argue because he’s finally let go of my arms. I immediately unlatch his belt and unzip his pants. “Izzy?” he asks. I look up at him and his beautiful brown eyes are filled with a hunger that makes me ache.

“I want you, Sam. I want all of you tonight.”

“What my wife wants, my wife gets,”

he promises. I smile as he moves away. I’d protest, but instead, I watch as he strips out of his clothes. I yank off my top while he does that. He grabs my skirt and pushes it down my hips. I lift to help. His body is on me once more and the heat alone is enough to fuel my desire for him into a burning inferno.

He undoes my bra with a flick of his wrist and tosses it with the rest of our clothes. “Hurry, Sam.”

“You don’t know how much I’ve wanted this, Izzy. You’ve been slowly driving me insane. I almost pinned you against the wall and fucked your brains out in front of all your coworkers that day you claimed me as your husband.”

“I wouldn’t have stopped you,”

I breathe.

My gaze drops down as his hand wraps around his cock. He fists it, clenching it as he strokes in a deliciously slow movement. The sheer beauty of the act has the inside of my thighs drenched. I’ve never been this turned on in my life. “Look at you so gorgeous laid out for me, your eyes begging me to fuck you. You’re perfection, Izzy,”

he croons. I watch as precum slides down the head of his cock and runs along his hand, making me lick my lips. He leans down, pressing his cock between my folds. “Hold your pussy open for me,” he rasps, staring down at my throbbing clit as I do exactly what he says. I let out a loud, keening cry, full of need as the plump head of his cock presses against my clit before he drags it through my cream and lines up with my entrance. “There’s no going back, sweetheart.”

“I know. I want this. I want you,”

I tell him.

He pushes inside me, and I gasp as my body stretches to accommodate his size. He pauses, staring down at me. I wrap my legs around him, causing him to sink even deeper. His forehead presses against mine. “You feel like heaven,”

he shakily exhales. “What was in the envelope?”

I lick my lips, wanting him to move, but knowing he’s only pausing because he needs to know, after weeks of me stopping him from claiming my body, why I’m giving in. “A new contract stating that we agree we both want this marriage, with all the time limits and conditions, especially concerning children, null and void. We are going to move forward together without limitations. I want a genuine marriage and if we have kids, they will be ours—not bargaining chips.”

“I’ll sign it as soon as I’m done making love to my wife.”

“I put a clause in there that if you ever broke our marriage vows, I had permission to perform surgery on you, cutting your dick off and sticking—”

“If you want to finish what we got started here, we should probably not talk about that particular clause right now.”

“Does that mean you’re finally going to move and give me what I need?”

He grins down at me. “Izzy, sweetheart, I vow right now that you will be the only woman for me—ever. I will give you what you need, exactly how you need it, any fucking time you want for the rest of our lives.”

“You can add that to the contract,”

I groan, as his cock begins sliding in and out of me.

“It’s a deal,”

he whispers, against my lips and then he’s kissing me, and I turn myself over to the pleasure as he drives us over the edge.

I never wanted to get married the way I did. Now? Well, now, I’d do it all again if it means that I would have Samuel as my man. We have a long journey ahead of us, but I’m not worried.

We can handle anything together.