Rule's Obsession (20 page)

He ran his fingers through his hair and she saw his hand shake. Her stomach knotted up with a mirroring sensation. His eyes dropped to her bare legs and then lifted again. Tension filled his muscles and his voice when it came out didn't hold its usual commanding strength. "I can't keep on like this, Angie. It's driving me insane. I know you think it's probably too soon, but I seriously
cannot
live without you."

A sharp, fierce hit of joy held her in its grip as she waited.

He pushed off the counter and tracked toward her. Reaching down, he lifted her chin. "I'm about to do something that's scaring me shitless." He clenched his jaw. "If you blow me off, if you say 'no', I'm going to die. I just want you to know that." His thumb slid across her bottom lip and his voice gentled a bit as a half-smile crossed his features. "But no pressure, okay?"

"Okay," she whispered and tried to breathe so she wouldn't pass out.
Holy. Shit
.
Holy shit . . . Holy shit.

He slid his thumb back and forth over her bottom lip and abruptly, a kind of peace settled over his features. "I love you."

She bit her lip and sudden tears washed her eyes. "I love you, too."

"So much, baby," he whispered, his thumbs reaching out to brush her tears away.

They continued to stare at each other, the emotional connection strong between them, and then he put his hand in his pocket and pulled out a small, square box. Angie looked down and gasped and the tears started flowing more freely.

He dropped to one knee and took her left hand in his. She stared down in shaken joy as he opened the box and showed her the ring inside. A large, brilliant, square-cut diamond sat in a blaze of glory on a bed of dark blue velvet. Her heart stalled before beginning a cadence in triple time. He picked the ring out of the box and held it poised over her left ring finger.

He looked back up and his eyes blazed into hers. "Angie. I love you," he repeated.

She was beyond speech and she nodded her head.

Studying her intently, he asked, "Will you be my wife?"

Joy rushed over her as she began nodding her head frantically. Relief, sharp and forceful, took over his features as he pushed the ring onto her finger. He held her hand tightly in his and then leaned down and sealed a kiss over the finger that held his ring.

As she tried to get her tears under control, he stood back up to his full height and enclosed her within a strong embrace. He rocked her gently, to and fro and then stopped and tipped her face to his. "Is it what you want?" he asked with just a trace of a worried frown.

"Oh, God,
yes,"
she said.

He smiled and kissed her forehead and told her the same thing he'd been telling her all along, "It's going to be good, baby."

Epilogue

The intercom on Damian's desk buzzed and he felt mildly irritated at the interruption, which was immediately mitigated with subtle anticipation when his imagination supplied him with a picture of Angie.
Would his little witch come today?

The coolly enunciated voice of his secretary filled the room. "Mr. Rule, your wife is here to see you."

The words sent a direct hit to Damian's groin. "Send her in."

He set his pen down and stood to his feet in a fluid motion. Striding around his desk, he leaned against it and waited. His pulse hammered loudly in his ears as the promise of what awaited him filled his blood with heat.

The door clicked open and Angie peeked into the room before walking just inside and shutting the door behind her. Turning to face him, she leaned back against the solid wood panel and waited, a placid, neutral expression on her face that Damian knew was costing her to maintain.

As he ran his eyes down the beige, nondescript trench coat she wore, which landed a few inches above stiletto heels, Damian experienced a sharp, piercing arrow of arousal that mixed with appalled consternation. She remained silent and he narrowed his eyes as he tried not to let the censure or the lust bleed into his voice. "Lock the door."

With hands that shook, she fumbled behind her and slid the bolt into place.

A savage hit of primitive hunger clawed in his gut and blended with the maddening displeasure gripping him by the throat. "We've got a problem, baby."

She took a deep breath and blew it out as she held his eyes. Lifting her chin in challenge, she ran her eyes down to the bulge in his pants before locking onto his gaze once again. "Do we?"

He continued to stare her down as he nodded his head. "The trench coat leads me to believe that you're naked underneath, and while I have to admit it's a highly intoxicating thought, I'm reminding myself that
you know better."
He raised a single eyebrow as his muscles clenched. "You best
not
have driven across the city, walked across the parking lot and ridden up in the elevator butt-assed naked."

Color highlighted her cheekbones with a hint of sexual arousal that she couldn't hide from him. "I'm not butt-assed naked," she denied softly.

"You best not be, Angie."

"I'm not," she answered as she shook her head. She motioned to the coat she wore as the silky waves of her hair curled around her shoulders and forced his abdominal muscles into bands of steel as he imagined sinking his hands through the tresses and holding her imprisoned. As he formed a mental image of holding her spread-eagle over his desk, her fingers came up to the belt of her coat and she released it. As he held himself impossibly still, almost too scared to move, she shrugged her shoulders and the coat fell to the floor. She sidestepped the material, braced herself against the wall and breathed softly, "Now I'm naked."

Damian tensed and felt the sucker-punch directly where she aimed it. Waves of undiluted lust screamed down his spine and his cock hardened to its fullest. Except for the stilettos, she was completely, undeniably naked, not even a tiny scrap of lace panties for covering.

As he stared at her, looking her over from top to bottom, he could feel her hesitancy about what she'd done. She had no way of knowing exactly how he'd react, and she was taking a chance with his always-volatile emotions where she was concerned.

And he was pissed, no question of that. But he was also so fucking turned on that he didn't know how much longer he was going to be able to contain his emotions. A voracious urge beating through his blood, he watched as she shifted restlessly when he continued to stand completely still. She sucked in a breath, her palms flattened against the wall beside her, and the feminine muscles of her abdomen jumped and quivered.

Another wave of blood rushed to his cock as he pushed off the desk and started forward.

"The twins are in school?" he knew they were, but he liked to have everything organized inside his brain before he let go and let the purely physical animal inside of him take over.

She nodded her head and expelled a provocative breath as he paced across the room with a steady stride.

"You still having a hard time adjusting now that they're in first grade? It's been three weeks, baby."

"You know that I miss them," she whispered as she watched him approach.

He reached down and snatched up her wrists and brought them over her head in a move that held her prisoner. "You want to start on the next one, then?"

He slid his thigh between her legs and pushed it against her mound and her eyes dilated and her breath caught in her throat. "Maybe," she whispered on a gasp.

"I thought we wanted another one," he said as he leaned down and bit her bottom lip, letting it go just as quickly as he'd raked it between his teeth.

Her breath hitched again and she said, "We do."

"But?"

Her eyes held his, her lids drooping with a sensual aura that was so addicting he could barely keep from baring his teeth in aggression. Her words when she answered came out shaky, "I don't feel like a mommy right now."

"No? What do you feel like?" he asked, one hand enclosing both of her wrists as his free hand dropped down to encapsulate a soft, white breast.

"Your wife," she said huskily.

"Do you now?" he teased darkly, fire rushing up his spine, making the anticipation of the moment almost more than he could stand.

She nodded her head and he tightened his fingers that held her wrists captive. He pushed his torso into hers, threatening her with his masculine strength.
"My
wife would know better than to drive across town naked," he said, getting back to the reason that tension still held him in its grip. He pumped against her, while he focused his gaze on her eyes.
"Tell me the truth."

She licked her lips and swirled her hips in a tiny circle, silently begging him for more. "They're in my bag."

"What's in your bag?"

"My clothes. I changed in the restroom in your waiting area."

For the first time, Damian noticed the oversized purse she'd carried in and that now lay in a neglected heap beside her feet. His emotions shifted, and the residual anger he'd felt dissipated and fled completely as his appreciation of her feminine impulse to please him sent his addiction for her up another notch. "Good girl." He pinched her nipple and rolled it between his fingers. "You're sweet, you know that?"

Her hips became almost frantic and he couldn't wait another second. Picking her up at the hips, he carried her across the room and spread her across his desk. He pushed her thighs wide, and came between them. He released his belt and zipper, and plunged inside, all the way in, with one smooth stroke.

She let out a gasp as her hands came to his shoulders and clutched at him. Her fevered impatience sent a lick of heat that manifested itself in the thrusts of his hips, stroking in and out with a rhythm that he knew would drive her to the edge.

He needed her at the edge, because he was about to lose it. Even after so many years, it never let up with her. His need, the fire he had for her that always smoldered just beneath the surface. As he kept up a steady pumping motion, his hand slid up and his fingers entangled in her hair, with a need to possess. Her eyes flew open and she let out a shallow, ragged sound as their glances clashed and held.

Her nostrils flared and she let out another tiny moan. His fingers fisted more tightly. Her eyes widened and she took in a ragged breath. "I love you," she moaned as she lifted her hips.

A hot, fierce ache built in his loins. "I love you, too.
Forever,"
he groaned as his lips fell to hers. He kissed her deeply and as their tongues swirled, he felt it the moment that the pleasure took hold of them both. He lifted his head and found her watching him, the heat so strong in her eyes that he snapped. Inundated with both love and lust, he gripped her to him and went over the edge.

She screamed his name and flew over the precipice with him.

His torso fell to hers and they lay together until their breathing calmed. He picked himself up and propped himself on his elbows.

Her eyes glittered with a feminine radiance. "Happy birthday," she said softly.

He leaned in and kissed her, once, on the lips. "Best birthday present ever."

She hit him on the shoulder. "You knew I wouldn't have driven across the city in nothing but a trench coat."

He shrugged a shoulder. "You had me wondering, baby."

Her teasing smile dissolved and a serious look colored her eyes. "Did you mean it?"

"Mean what?"

"You think we should try for a third?"

"Yeah, absolutely. I still want another one. Don't you? You haven't changed your mind, have you?"

She shook her head. "I'm ready."

He smiled, a feeling of satisfaction holding him in its grip. "I think it's time. I know the girls will be thrilled to have a baby to play with."

"What if it's not a boy?" she asked with worry in her voice.

He shrugged as if unconcerned. "Then it will be a girl."

"You don't mind?"

"You know I don't care either way." He reached down and brushed his lips across her forehead. "All I want is for you and the kids to be safe and healthy." He spread his fingers through her hair and studied her intently. "That's all that matters to me."

She smiled that special smile that she reserved just for him and his heart turned over. "I love you so much," she whispered.

He leaned down and kissed her lips, gently but with pure possession. "I love you, too, babe. So much you'll never know."

THE END

Want to know when Nick and Courtney's story is available? Sign up for a notice.

Excerpt from Nick and Courtney's story:
Rule's Property
(Book Two, The House of Rule.)

Nick crossed his arms over his chest with impatience. "How many more months? Three?"

Courtney knew what he was asking; she'd be finished with college in three months. "Yeah."

"What are your plans? You're coming home, right?"

The word 'home' had been confusing to Courtney for a while now. Was Florida not her home anymore? Was her home now in Missouri? Really, the only place she wanted to be was where Nick was. But she couldn't be too apparent to him. It was embarrassing enough that he knew she'd missed him so much that she'd manipulated him to come see her. "Yeah, probably."