Enthralled (23 page)

"Hey, beautiful wife,
you've left me. Where are you?" Chazz demanded, nuzzling her neck.

"I want to go to the
lounge."

"What?" He leaned
back to look at her.

Teel took his hand
and pulled him over to the cupboard, where she rifled through the clothes and
pulled out two terry-cloth robes. She put on one and held out the other to
Chazz.

He closed his eyes, then
opened them and stared at her. "Lady, I hope you have a good reason for
breaking the romantic mood I was in."

"I do,"
Teel promised. She pinched his chin and smiled up at him, giddy with
confidence. "Besides, I don't think it will take much to put us in the
mood again."

Chazz grinned.
"You're right." He led her from the stateroom, interrupting their
progress with frequent kisses.

Teel ran ahead of
him into the lounge and deliberately blocked his entrance until she saw the
painting propped up on an easel facing the door. She gasped at how beautiful
Tilda had made her look in the vibrant sea-green dress, her hair a chestnut
fire, her eyes luminous with love. She seemed to be stepping through a sea
mist. She and the dress seemed alight with an inner fire.

She stepped aside
and let a puzzled Chazz enter. His eyes remained on her until she turned toward
the painting.

At once his gaze
was riveted to it. He swallowed and took a deep, shuddering breath. "Tilda
has given me the best present of my life, except for the gift of the real you,
which I received this morning." He looked down at her, and Teel saw the
shimmer of tears in his eyes. "I love you, Mrs. Herman."

She reached up to
cradle his head in her hands and kissed him gently. "I love you too."

He swung her up
into his arms, looked at the painting for long moments, then left the lounge
and made his way back to their cabin.

He set her down on her feet
and removed the terry- cloth robe. His eyes roved hungrily over her body as she
stood naked in front of him. "Woman, I hope you're going to take pity on
me. I have a feeling I won't be able to deny you anything you ask
me—ever." Again Chazz swept her up into his arms.

"Really?"

"Really," he murmured into her neck.
"Then...
I would like a
baby...
right away."

Chazz leaned back from her, searching her face intently, his
expression a mixture of hope and concern. "Are you sure that's what you
want?"

Teel nodded, feeling warmth
creep up her face. "Yes," she said lightly. "After all, since
we're having four, I think we should get started."

Chazz kissed her cheek,
sinking with her onto the king-sized bed. "Very efficient of you." A
slow smile spread across his face. "Tilda will go out of her mind. She
loves children."

"And you won't
mind?"

"No, my lovely Teel, I
won't mind. You can't know how much I want us to have children together."
He nuzzled her chin, taking little bites of her skin. "Of course, I will
demand some time alone with you."

"All the time you want,
husband."

"Darling, you just
promised me your every waking moment, not to mention all your sleeping
time," he growled into her ear.

Teel traced his features with
a light finger. "You're the first man I've ever met that I truly enjoy
talking with, except my father."

"I want to do more than
talk with you." Chazz stroked her body from shoulder to ankle, his mouth
following his hand.

"Yes, I rather got that
idea." Teel's breath came in short gasps, as though she had just run up
two flights of stairs. "Will you always love me, Chazz?" Her voice
had a hollow, detached sound.

"Till the
earth falls off its axis and then some. You're both dream and reality to me.
Without you, breathing is a waste of time," he murmured into the valley
between her breasts.

"Oh Chazz,.that's the way
I feel, too. I love you so much."

The love flowing
between them increased until they were caught in the vortex that spun through
their
own private world.

Teel's last
coherent thought was how delightful it was going to be to have a baby who
looked just like the man she loved with all her heart. Being enthralled with
Chazz Herman was very sweet indeed.