A Love Like This Read online

  My throat tightened up as I tried to speak. As usual, Ryan could read me like a book. My emotions and my thoughts all laid bare to him, despite my attempts to squash them.

  “I never want to go through anything like that again.” The ache in his voice was still so prevalent whenever he spoke of it and I wondered if he realized that had I not been in that accident, we’d have a one month old baby by now. Despite the happiness we shared and my memory being fully restored, he held his misery very close to him and we were both still suffering the loss. Ryan had endured so much when I didn’t remember the past, the baby, or what he called our mad, mad love.

  My heart thumped loudly in my chest remembering the night it all came rushing back when he poured out his pain as I poured out mine. Every precious moment and ounce of pain brought us closer. I still found it almost impossible that anyone could love this much. Almost, because the proof of it was sitting next to me.

  “We won’t. I love you so much,” I said, my voice trembling and my eyes welling slightly. I blinked back the tears as we drove in silence for a few minutes, our hands laced together. I could feel his eyes boring into my profile so I turned my face toward him. “I have a surprise for you later,” I said softly. His eyes locked with mine and the corner of his mouth lifted in the crooked smile that always took my breath away.

  “In addition to the lingerie?” he asked. When I nodded, he smiled even bigger. “I have one for you as well.”

  “Really? Tell me what it is,” I said anxiously, the mood suddenly lighter.

  “Not a chance,” Ryan said shortly but with a wide grin. “If I have to suffer, so do you.”

  “Mmm.”

  “Julia, do we have to meet up with the others tonight? I’d rather not. Not tonight.”

  “Ryan.” I shook my head at him in exasperation. “Yes. Your parents are here and we’re meeting them with Aaron and Jenna in the bar for drinks. We don’t have to stay long, but we do have to go for a bit. Aren’t you anxious to see them? It’s been six months and you’re the best man.”

  “I suppose I should be, but I just want to get you alone and wrap myself around you all night. I don’t give a damn if it’s selfish.”

  “We can get some wine. It will help you relax so you can sleep, and when we go back to the room, I’ll run you a bath and give you a massage so you can relax. We’ll have plenty of time to be alone.”

  “Okay,” he said begrudgingly, his lower lip extending boyishly in a slight pout. My heart leapt at the adorable gesture, and the obvious emotions behind it. His desire to be alone with me echoed my need to have his arms around me. “But I disagree. There is never enough time with you. I feel like I haven’t touched you in forever.”

  “You’re touching me now.”

  “You know what I mean, Julia. I want to make love to you. I need to lose myself inside you.” I drew in a deep breath as his voice reverberated in several waves of electricity. Yes, I knew what he meant. I craved his touch like air. “I want you. Every second.” The tone of his voice lowered huskily.

  “It’s only been four days,” I said in an attempt to offer comfort, and also communicate that I was aware of how long it’d been since we’d last been together. It was not lost on him and Ryan’s hand tightened around mine.

  His schedule was so erratic that we rarely were home together at the same time, and when he was he was beat and most of the time I had to insist that he sleep.

  “Four days too long.”

  I watched Julia from a few feet away, at the far end of our group. My parents reserved four tables along one side of the room near the band. She was laughing with Ellie and Jen, their faces full of animation and their eyes full of the type of light that was visible even in the dimly lit room. Thank God we were able to check in and take a quick shower before we’d been required to come down to socialize.

  I cringed and inwardly chastised myself. For Christ’s sake! It was my only brother’s wedding. Even if we weren’t related by blood, we were bound by life, love and experience. The least I could do was show up long enough to celebrate.

  The girls’ tinkling laughter filtered down from the end table that they were all huddled around. Jenna’s younger sister, Anna, her parents and two other couples along with my family, and Ellie and Harris rounded out the numbers.

  I squinted in the direction of the people I didn’t recognize, trying to place them. While they were vaguely familiar, I couldn’t put names with the faces, and tonight, I was too tired to try. I should have paid more attention when we first arrived. I rubbed a hand over my face from my temples down over my chin and scratched at the twenty-four hours worth of beard growth. I hadn’t taken the time to shave after my shower and I was sorry now. I had no desire to chafe Julia’s perfect alabaster skin, but there was no way I wouldn’t be kissing all over her curves later. My fingers played along my jaw as I judged how harsh it would feel against her smooth flesh.

  My mother’s hand traced over the muscles of my back and brought me out of my personal thoughts and back into the room around me. She was sitting on my right and my dad was on the other side of Aaron. The two men were in deep conversation together, a concentrated frown on my brother’s face and a look of wry amusement on my father’s.

  “Are you all right, Ryan? You look exhausted.” Mom’s voice floated around me. I turned toward her slightly and covered her hand with my own, trying to reassure the worry out of her voice and her expression.

  “Sure, Mom. The hours are hellacious, but I’m fine. It’s nothing that a few hours of sleep won’t cure.” I lifted the corners of my mouth in the start of a lazy smile.

  “I remember when your father went through his residency. There were times when I barely saw him,” Mom continued.

  I groaned softly in protest. “Don’t remind me.” My eyes snapped back to the gorgeous picture of my own bride, giggling with her friends. Her voice sent little tingles through me and found me wishing that we’d have been smart enough to tell them that we couldn’t get in until the morning and snuck off to some small hotel where we could be alone all night.

  A good portion of porcelain skin on Julia’s shoulders and back was open to view by the neckline of the deep pinkish-purple sweater she had on. The sleeves were long, but the design was meant to be provocative and it was. She must have felt my stare because her soft gaze landed on mine, followed by a half smile lifting her soft lips. It was an innocent gesture and full of love, but damn if my body didn’t tighten immediately in response. Those pouty little lips, the lower one jutting out slightly before being captured by her top teeth, combined with those deep green pools would be my undoing. I was so fucking hungry for her; I could barely restrain myself from hauling her up to the room right then and there. My eyes narrowed and I smirked at her. Julia’s eyes danced with mischief. She was well aware of the effect she had on me. She knew it well, and milked it for every last drop. I loved that shit. I chuckled softly to myself and reached for my drink.

  “Julia looks beautiful. Married life agrees with her,” Mom observed, her hand still moving lightly over my shirt.

  “Mmmm. Uh, yes.” I pulled myself out of my daze to answer her precisely and turned my head in her direction. “With both of us. We’re very happy except we do wish we had more time together. Has Dad been very busy? Why don’t you guys take a trip or something? Shit, if it were up to me, I’d be whisking Julia off to some remote part of the world at least once a month.”

  “I thought this was a trip, and once a month is a bit excessive. Even for you, darling.”

  Harris came back from the bar with three more bottles of wine and handed one to me with a corkscrew, followed by a waiter carrying the ice bucket for the bottle of Chardonnay.

  “The money this place charges and I have to open the damn wine?” I grinned at him as I grabbed the bottle and sat up in my chair, causing my mom’s hand to fall from my back. The waiter glanced at me apologetically and stood patiently beside the table until he could take the bottle, wrap it in a white
linen napkin and place it inside the chiller.

  “I didn’t want to wait,” Harris said shortly, his tone stilted as he threw a hard glance in the direction of the women. My eyes shot to Aaron’s, who’s widened. He shook his head just enough to communicate that I shouldn’t go there.

  The music coming from the band was a cover mixture of various artists; there were people dancing and the lights were low. The atmosphere was much the same as it’d been the night when I’d found that ass Moore here with my Julia. That night started out badly, but where it ended couldn’t have been better.

  I still thought about that night all the time. The kissing on the dance floor that finally connected Julia and I after months of denying the love and the lovemaking afterward had been so fucking profound the earth had moved. Jesus, the thought of it still rocked me to the core. Fuck, it had been hotter than hell. We didn’t even have sex in the traditional sense, but it had been one of the most intimate nights of our lives. Every time we touched, I was still amazed at the intensity.

  Harris poured another round of wine after I’d finished opening the bottles and then flopped back down on the other side of my mother. He seemed out of sorts so I took it as an opportunity to speak to Aaron.

  “Aaron. Why aren’t you on the dance floor with your bride? Get your ass out there and show me how it’s done.” I nodded my head in the direction of the girls. Jenna was talking to the group and using her hands in a flamboyant way to express her words. Julia threw her head back and let out a peal of laughter at whatever Jenna was saying. Aaron walked to Jenna and grabbed her hand, pulling her with him to the middle of the dance floor. Jenna was radiantly happy, her cheeks glowing and a brilliant smile dancing on her lips.

  The music pulsed and my eyes moved from the couple on the dance floor to the woman walking toward our table. When Julia reached us, she leaned down and kissed my father on his cheek and moved around me to lean down to hug my mother. “I’ve missed you two.”

  “You look beautiful, sweetheart. How are you?” Dad asked.

  “I’m fine, but Ryan is exhausted.” Her hand found its way to the top of my head and her fingers threaded through the hair at my forehead, pushing it back. The sensation of her touch felt wonderful and my lids dropped over my eyes right before she leaned in to kiss my temple. Her perfume only added to the miracle of Julia and I reached for her free hand.

  “Yes. He’s been putting up a good front, but a mother knows these things.”

  “You’re having a good time, so I can go up and you can stay with the girls, babe.”

  Her face twisted sardonically, clearly showing me the absurdity of my idea. “Don’t be crazy. Of course I’ll come up with you. It’s late.” Julia’s eyes lifted from mine to glance between my parents and then to Harris; still brooding and staring in Ellie’s direction without saying anything. “Do you mind if I steal my boy away?” she asked gently.

  I rubbed her hand lightly with my thumb and leaned in toward Harris while Julia said goodnight to my parents. “Hey, man, what’s up? You okay?”

  “Huh?” He looked up at me while I stood from my chair, still holding my wife’s hand.

  “Oh, sure. I’m a little preoccupied, that’s all. How have you been, Ryan?”

  “Really good. Every second is occupied so it feels like the time since Julia and I have been in New York City has literally flown. How’s the band doing? Julia mentioned you got a record deal a few months back, right?”

  “Yes. We’ve just started promoting it and hopefully we’ll have a tour in a couple of months.”

  “That’s great, man. I’m looking forward to hearing all about it.”

  “Sounds good. We’ll talk more tomorrow. Have a good night, dude.”

  Julia pulled her hand from mine and turned to hug Harris goodbye. “Bye, Harris. See you tomorrow.” Her arms tightened around his neck and he hugged her back lightly. “Love you.”

  My hand slid automatically around her back and pulled her close to my side as we walked through the hotel and up in the elevators. I drew in a deep breath.

  “What’s going on with Ellie and Harris?” Ellie would have told her everything, and if I knew my wife, it was bugging her.

  “They’re struggling a little. He’s asked her to marry him multiple times and she won’t agree,” she said softly. Her hand reached around my waist and she leaned her head on my shoulder.

  “What? That’s crazy. Isn’t it? I thought she loved the guy.” I felt her head nod against me and I turned mine to place a lingering kiss on her forehead as we walked together.

  “She does. But they’ve distanced some due to his traveling with the band and the demands of her job. They’ll work it out. You have enough to worry about,” she said softly as we made our way though the hotel room door.

  Finally alone. I reached out and grabbed her arm, pulling her roughly back into my arms while my eager mouth sought hers. “Julia, come here.”

  I gathered her close to my chest and her arms slid up over my chest and around my neck as we kissed hungrily and I turned her toward the bed. It hadn’t escaped my notice that this was the same suite we stayed in on the night we were married. I was aware of it earlier as we showered and rushed out, but now I let my mind wrap around it. My perfect girl must have conspired with Jenna.

  We kissed for a few minutes, each of us caressing and grasping, feasting on the other’s mouth like we were starving. “God, you taste so good,” I murmured as Julia turned her mouth away from mine to gasp for breath. I slid my hand up her back to twine in the hair at her nape. “This suite…” I murmured as my arm tightened around her waist to lift her onto the bed and follow her down, never letting go of her.

  Julia nodded against my neck, her mouth kissing along the skin. “Yes,” she answered breathlessly. “We have it all weekend.”

  I settled down on top of her, and she welcomed me into the cradle of her body, arching up to meet me. I pressed my erection into her softness and pushed my hips against hers in a slow rhythm. “Mmmm… Julia.” I pushed up her sweater with eager hands and started to kiss her again but she pulled back slightly, her hands threading through the hair at both of my temples.

  “Ryan, you need to rest, my love. I’ll give you a back rub to relax you so you can sleep.”

  I growled in protest. “I need you. I want you. Right now.”

  She smiled and continued to stroke my hair. “Baby, we have all weekend.” Her luscious mouth reached up for mine and she sucked the top lip between both of hers. “All weekend…”

  My hand continued its quest upward underneath the soft cashmere toward the swelling flesh I wanted. My hand cupped around it gently and the pebbled nipple brushed my palm. Her breath rushed out causing even more blood to rush into my dick.

  “I’ll sleep when I’m dead. Make love with me, Julia. I’m so hard it hurts. Please.” My free hand found her hip and I held her in place as I ground my hips into hers. “God, I’ve missed you.”

  “I’ll take care of you, but I want you to relax. Lie back.”

  I sighed against the skin of her throat as I pulled the neckline of her sweater down. “Take this damn thing off,” I commanded.

  She lifted her arms for me and I pushed it up and over her head, exposing the delicate, black lace bra she wore underneath. I let my gaze roam over her, the sheer lace leaving her nipples visible underneath and the swells of creamy flesh gently spilling from the top edge.

  “You’re so beautiful. Julia…”

  I kissed her hungrily again, my tongue thrusting into her mouth, demanding a response. Her mouth opened and her hands in my hair pulled me closer as she gave in, moaning softly into my mouth. Those sweet little sounds she made as I loved her drove me fucking insane.

  We rolled around on the bed dry-humping and kissing until we were both panting. When she finally reached down between us and rubbed me through my slacks, I thought I’d explode. “Ryan, please lie back, baby.”

  I slowed my frantic movements and rolled over onto my back,
pulling her with me. I couldn’t bear to lose contact. “Okay, I’m on my back,” I said against her mouth, licking her top lip and then kissing her softly beneath the curtain of her hair.

  The room was dark and Julia moved up to turn on the lamp by the bed. “What the hell? Julia, are you stopping?” I groaned and used my hands around the back of her waist to pull her back.

  She laughed softly. “No. I’m not stopping. You’ll have your way, but I want mine, too.”

  “Don’t you want to fuck your husband, Mrs. Matthews?” I smiled between kisses.

  “Mmm… constantly. He’s sooo hot.”

  “Is he?” I teased.

  “Yes, irresistible.”

  She sat up, straddling my hips and went to work on the buttons of my shirt. She was smiling down at me, a devilish look on her beautiful features. I couldn’t take my eyes off of her, roaming over the graceful curve of her neck and her collarbones, down her full breasts covered in the provocative black lace and down over her taut bare stomach.

  Soon she was loosening my belt buckle and I was working on the button and zipper of her black pants. Before I could get the job done she was pulling my pants and boxer briefs down my legs, bending to kiss my stomach and run her tongue up my length as she moved down my body. I sucked in my breath.

  She pulled off my socks and then moved off the bed to shed her pants, revealing a matching black lace string bikini. “Wow. Julia… that’s amazing.”

  “I wanted to give you a massage tonight, but since you are determined to make love, who am I to deny you?”

  She settled back on my lap and my hands roamed over her slender form as we started to kiss and move against each other. I could feel her heat against my groin and her hands on my body. It was too much to withstand. Soon I was pushing aside the lace and finding her entrance with my fingers.