Rhapsody (The Bellator Saga Book 5) (22 page)

He smiled. “I was hoping for another ‘I love you,’ but that’s not bad either.”

“I love you,” she whispered. “I never stopped.”

“Never mind,” he said. “I might want to hear that again.”

She was more than happy to oblige. “I love you, I love you, I love you.”

“Remember the first time you told me that?”

Caroline kissed him. “Like it was yesterday.”

Jack leaned down and bit her neck. Familiarity soon gave way to fumbling, hungry need. With each kiss and caress she found herself digging her fingernails into his shoulders, frustrated he was showing such astonishing restraint.

“Now,” she insisted.

“Hold on.” He kissed her again. “Too good. Slow.”

His self-discipline bordered on the ridiculous. “How are you controlling yourself?”

He chuckled against her lips. “I’m better at this than you are.”

Caroline arched her back, rubbing against his leg. “You – are – not.”

“Want this to last. Haven’t even gone below your shoulders yet.”

Her voice was tinged with urgency. “Please, Jack.”

“You kill me, woman,” he said. “I’m trying to create a memory here.”

If he was going to play games then she could certainly respond in kind. She wrapped her fingers around his cock. He could pretend to want to take it slow but his physical response said otherwise. “This enough of a
memory
for you?”

“Fuck,” he growled. “You’re not going to let me do this right, are you?”

“You can do it right next time.” She rubbed against him. “Jack, please. We’ve waited so long.”

Jack slid a finger inside her, curling it upward. Her grip slackened and he pulled back, spreading her legs apart and slamming his length inside her. She cried out.

“Okay?” he whispered, stilling his movements. “I don’t want to hurt you.”

She was going to have to reacquaint him with her screams of pleasure. “More,” she said, clenching around him.

He groaned, shoving his control to the wayside. “You are fucking
impossible.
I promise you, at some point I’m going to do whatever I want and take as long as I want and you won’t be able to do a damn thing about it,” he snarled. “Say it again. Say what I want to hear while I’m inside you.”

“I love you,” she whispered.

He tugged at her hair. “Keep saying it.”

Caroline moaned softly as he rocked back and forth. She had wanted him to move quickly but soon sank into the luxurious tempo he set. She’d forgotten how good it felt to have him make love to her, to move in and out of her tenderly yet forcefully, whispering her name, telling her how much he loved her, how good she felt.

“Is this really happening?” she whispered.

“God, I hope so,” he gasped. “If this is some sort of dream sequence I’m going to be really pissed.”

She called out his name, tugging at his hair, holding his head against her shoulder as he started to move faster, then slower again.

Jack pulled back, looking down at her. “I missed you,” he said hoarsely. “So much it almost killed me.”

The tears in her eyes spilled over. “Don’t stop. I don’t want this to end.”

“I won’t,” he said. “Believe me, I won’t. Keep saying my name.” He kissed her ear. “I love when you say my name.”

He thrust inside her again and again, harder and harder, enjoying the sound of her voice, seeming to want it to last as long as possible. The rhythm came easily, naturally. A blend of sweat and tears and the smell of sex, until Caroline wasn’t sure where she ended and where he began. He finally came with a groan and collapsed against the pillow on top of her.

Jack kissed her cheek. “I love you, Caroline. More than my own life.”

Caroline smiled at him through her tears and wrapped her arms and legs around him, even though they felt like jelly. “Please stay like this. Just for a moment,” she whispered. “Please.”

“No, this is better.” He rolled over until Caroline was on top of him, resting her head on his chest.

“My darling,” she murmured.

Jack kissed her forehead and closed his eyes as she snuggled closer. He chuckled softly. “Now this…is damn near perfect.”

Caroline rested her head on Jack’s chest, her legs intertwined with his. “I can hear your heart beat,” she whispered.

He laughed. “Tell me if it stops. I thought it might when you were whispering my name. That drives me insane.”

She draped her arm around his torso. “I’ll keep you updated.”

“You damn well better,” he said. “You’re not the only one of us affected by the sound of the other person’s voice.”

Caroline lifted her head up. “You’re hearing voices? That’s a problem.”

“You know what I mean.” He pulled her toward him again. “I didn’t say I was done cuddling.”

And she wasn’t one to turn it down. “Good in bed and you like to cuddle. Glad to see that hasn’t changed.”

He shushed her. “Let me enjoy this a minute. Stop worrying about filling the beautiful silence with words.”

Jack started caressing her hair. Caroline couldn’t remember the last time she’d felt this good. It had been years, maybe more than a few.

“What are you thinking?” he asked softly.

“How amazing it was that we actually got to the bed. I’m impressed, Jack. I figured you’d stop somewhere in the hallway.”

He chuckled. “Be serious.”

“I am.”

“We have plenty of time to cover the rest of this space in this tiny apartment. What are you really thinking about?”

Caroline lazily played with the hair on his chest, occasionally bringing her fingers up to rub the chain around his neck. “How could all this hair turn almost white? You’re getting old.”

“Sweetheart, I find your facetiousness charming but I’m trying to have a tender moment here.” Jack kissed her forehead. “How do you feel?”

Wonderful. I feel wonderful.
She leaned in closer. “I’m thinking about how safe I feel. How loved.” Her voice got quieter. “How lucky I am that you didn’t give up on me.”

“I never will.” He brought his arms around her again. “Are you feeling okay? I didn’t know whether you were in the right physical shape for me to do much more than I did.”

It had been sweet and wonderful, but definitely not as intense as it could have been. “Were you holding back?” she asked.

“I don’t want to hurt you. You’re still recovering.”

“Getting better every day. If I get worn out or I need a break, I’ll let you know. Fair enough?”

He kissed her. “I just wanted to make sure.”

Caroline lay on his chest for a while, listening to the steady pulse of his heart while Jack lightly traced over the scars on her back. She was almost asleep when he spoke up again.

“Was it really that good?” he asked.

“It’s always good with you.”

“I’m serious.”

She propped up on one elbow. “We’ve always had a strong sexual connection, Jack. We might have changed but I still feel unbelievably close to you when we’re together.”

“So…that means it was good?”

She couldn’t tell if he was genuinely insecure or fishing for compliments. “Once you broke down and gave me what I wanted, yeah.”

“You noticed that little game, huh?”

Caroline kissed him lightly. He’d turned the tables on her as well. They’d both gotten what they needed out of the experience. “Manipulative bastard.”

Jack weaved his fingers through her hair. “You don’t want to know how hard it was for me to go slowly.”

“I figured it out.”

He kissed her. “We’ll do it even slower soon. I promise.”

“But I don’t like it slow.”

“I do.” He laughed against her lips. “I like making you crazy.”

“I’ve figured that out.”

“How long did it take you?”

Caroline nipped at his jaw. “I put the pieces together several years ago, when I spent a few sultry nights in a rich man’s bedroom after he gave me a ginormous diamond necklace.”

“Funny,” he said. “That was probably the same weekend you told me I was great in the sack.”

She sat up. “Oh, for Christ’s sake. Is that what I said in my sleep that first night?”

Jack scooted up until he was leaning against the headboard. “Pretty much.”

“Like your ego needed to be any bigger.”

“Back then, it did. I wanted that reassurance from you.”

“I’m glad I could oblige.” She ran her hand up and down his bicep. “I missed this. I missed you.”

“Let me get what you’re saying.” He kissed her neck again. “What was it you were saying?”

Caroline playfully pushed him away from her. “I’m saying I missed sex.”

“With me.”

She blew out a hard breath. “Yes, with you. Honestly.” She frowned at Jack, who was grinning. “What’s so funny?”

He laughed. “You are. A couple of orgasms and you’re back to being yourself.”

“Don’t push it, buddy.”

He patted her cheek. “I’m not. But I think you’re cute.”

“In bed, or in general?”

“Both.”

Her lips quirked up, and she reached under the sheet, inching toward his cock. “Maybe I’ll start being
nicer
to you, then.”

Jack groaned. “Are you saying we need to make up for lost time? Because I can definitely do that.”

Caroline withdrew her hand and leaned over to kiss his chest. “I probably won’t be turning it down again anytime soon.” The guilt flared again. “I love you, Jack. I really am sorry I was so awful to you.”

“You need to stop apologizing for that,” he admonished. “Especially when we’re having sex.”

She blushed. “I’m sorry.”

“Don’t be. It’s nice to know how much you missed me, and how much you still care.”

Caroline kissed his chest again. “You’re turning into a giant mushball.”

Jack wrapped his arms around her. “Probably.” A small shudder ran through him. “I wasn’t sure we’d ever get here,” he said quietly.

She’d had her doubts as well, but now was not the time for uncertainty. “But we did.”

“But we did,” he repeated. “There were times when all I wanted was one more night with you. I used to dream about it. It wasn’t about sex. It was about being with you. Holding you. Making you realize how important you’ve always been to me. Having one more sweet memory to get me through.”

Caroline squeezed him tightly. “Definitely a giant mushball.”

“Don’t tell anyone. Most people around here think I’m an asshole. Present company excluded, I hope.”

“For now.”

Jack continued to stroke her hair. “You’re the only reason people didn’t have that opinion of me. You made me more than the tough, brash authority figure. More than the cool congressman or the aloof candidate or the standoffish governor. It’s been hard striking the right balance.”

“If you ask me nicely, I could give you some friendly advice. Mostly having to do with whether it’s a good idea to put highly competent officer candidates on potato peeling duty.”

Caroline felt the rumblings of his chuckle reverberate through his body. “Maybe later,” he said. “I don’t want to talk about anything other than how much time we get to spend in bed together.”

“I’m not sure I want to talk,” she said, stroking the muscles of his abdomen, working down to his hips.

Jack groaned. “You’re gonna kill me if you keep pulling that. I can’t concentrate while you’re trying to take advantage of me.”

“It’s fun to take advantage of you. You like it.”

“I do,” he rasped. “I just think we should talk a little first.”

Caroline ran her fingers down his thighs. “You were never one for talking.”

He pulled her hands up to his chest. “I know, but I want to savor this before we start another round.”

Jack would never admit that he wasn’t quite ready to start again, especially after a particularly intense sexual experience. Caroline supposed she could wait a bit longer. “How was it for you?” she asked. “You had to wait long enough, I guess.”

“Incredible,” he said without hesitation. “You make me feel nothing short of incredible.”

“Talk like that will get you laid,” she said. “All the damn time.”

“Let’s focus on that. Us. Now. In bed. Naked. For at least the next few days, if I have anything to say about it. Forget everything else.”

“It won’t be easy.”

“Of course it won’t. You’re going to have bad days. I’m going to have bad days.”

“And to top that off, we’re living a very dangerous life,” Caroline added.

“That too. But I must say I feel much better about things now that I have my wife back.
Completely
back.”

She didn’t want to wreck the happiness she was feeling, but it would be dishonest to pretend everything was fine now that they’d jumped back into bed. “You’re going to need to be patient with me. I’m processing a lot of things.”

“I know,” Jack said quietly. “But you have me to help you through it. No more shutting me out.”

And no more melancholy, either. At least not for a while. She gave him a mock salute. “Understood, Commander.”

He laughed and got up from the bed. “I have something I’d like to give you.”

Caroline had never been one to turn down gifts, especially now when she had so few material things. She was so caught up in the sight of her husband’s bare ass that she almost forgot why he was getting out of bed in the first place. He had a very good physique for an almost fifty-five year old man.

“Okay,” she said.

Jack went over to the dresser, rummaged around in it, then sat on the bed next to her and handed her a box.

She wrapped the sheet around her and stared at him, perplexed. “Did you have a jewelry store put in the compound?”

He smiled. “No. Open it.”

Caroline cracked the box open and did a double take. It was her anniversary band. A full ring of half carat diamonds in platinum prongs. It wasn’t a typical first year anniversary gift, but Jack wasn’t a typical husband. They’d gone through so much with the ugliness of the gubernatorial campaign and adjusting to their shared lives that he had deemed it necessary to shower her with some bling, though he knew she was never one to demand it.

Although Jack eagerly gifted her jewelry, she rarely wore the anniversary band. Between that and her engagement ring, she felt uncomfortable having that much wealth on her finger. She only wore it a handful of times in public – Election Night, Jack’s inaugural, a couple of fancy parties. In their haste to leave that night in February, it was one of the many superfluous items she left behind at the mansion.

“Where did you get this?” she asked softly.

“I hid the flash drive in it and put it in my coat pocket. I knew you wouldn’t notice it was gone. I hoped that if we were caught, whoever got ahold of us might not find the flash drive right away. That they’d think I was being shallow or something.” Jack paused. “I was terribly afraid of what might happen if we got separated, if one of us was killed, if one of us was captured-”

That was the one thing they’d never really talked about as their situation had become more perilous or even during the short time they were on the run. In hindsight, it might have helped if they had.

“If
I
was captured or killed,” Caroline said.

He cleared his throat. “Yes. If I lost you I wanted something to remind me of you. And this ring is a reminder that you’re the best thing that has ever happened to me.”

She stared at the glimmering diamonds again, because she very well couldn’t look at him. “Oh, Monty.”

Jack smiled. “I have to say, this whole ‘you being nice to me again’ thing is pretty gratifying.” Caroline took the ring out of the box. “Let me,” he said quietly, and slipped it onto her finger, kissing the top of her hand.

Despite her swollen knuckles and improperly healed broken bones, it still fit. She pulled him to her and kissed him again, more passionately this time. “Remember when you showed me how much you loved me a little while ago?”

The smile became a grin. “Yup.”

“How about you do that again?”

“I can handle that request.” Jack threw the sheet aside and rolled on top of her. “You are mine,” he said. “All mine.”

Caroline smiled. “Yours.”

He slid a finger inside her, catching her off guard, and she cried out when he bit her nipple, hard. “So long as there is breath in my body, no other man is allowed to even
look
at you,” he growled.

Oh, she liked where this was going. “Aren’t you a beast,” she said.

“Care for a demonstration?”

She fisted his hair and pulled him closer. “Are you going to fuck me or what?”

This time their kisses were frantic, desperate, animalistic. It didn’t take long for both of them to start clawing at each other, rolling around on the bed, biting, pulling, scratching, making primitive noises, until she was on top of him, riding his cock. He held her steady as she ground her hips against him, until it was too much for him and he rolled over on top of her on the bed. He pulled her arms above her head, their fingers intertwined, and gazed down at her with desire.