Page 106 of The Husband Diet
I sipped and murmured with pleasure. Julian took my face in his hands and sucked the drops of coffee that clung to my lips, lingering, tasting, tantalizing.
I nearly fell over, had it not been for his hands on my hips, lifting me onto the kitchen counter behind me, my feet dangling – which was just as well, because I couldn’t feel my legs anymore. As if in a trance, my eyes remained wide open, taking in the sight of his long, long lashes, the stubble on his lean cheeks, the way his eyes finally opened and found mine in a soul-searing smile. I’d literally forgotten to breathe and fanned myself with my hand.
‘Oh, wow,’ I managed, and swallowed before he enfolded me in his arms and sucked on my lips.Oh, God.
‘I’ve got to tell you something,’ he whispered, excited like a young boy.
‘I’m all ears,’ I said, running my fingers through his soft hair.
‘I’ve almost finished my new novel. And it’s all thanks to you.’
I gasped and covered my mouth, my heart bursting with joy. ‘Julian, that’s amazing! Oh my God, we have to celebrate! This is fantastic.’
‘There’s only one way I want to celebrate,’ he whispered with a grin, reaching for my zipper.
‘Done,’ I agreed.
‘Now you’re in trouble…’ he growled softly between our kisses, bringing our bodies closer until my breasts were flat against his chest and I felt his arousal.
And a very big arousal at that. This hunk of a man wanted me.
‘I’m going to flatten you out on this counter and feast on every delicious inch of you…’
Which is precisely what he did.
39
While You See a Chance…
‘What is this?’ I asked the next day, eyeing the small velvet box in Julian’s hand as he came in through the front door and kissed me.
I was a stone’s throw away from a coronary. It was too big to be a ring. Unless it was a big ring. I had big fingers. Maybe a can opener…
‘Open it,’ he answered simply.
Duh.
I did so with one eye closed, ready to shut the box again if it was something that scared me. I couldn’t believe it. A tennis bracelet. With – gulp – real diamonds?
‘It’s to thank you for getting me off my ass and writing again. Man, you don’t know how good it feels.’
‘I’m glad, but are you crazy or something? This kind of stuff is expensive.’
‘I can afford it,’ he smiled.
Was this thank-you gift just a thank-you gift? It looked more like a commitment gift. And if so, shouldn’t I have told him about Italy by now? I was being beyond dishonest. It was unfair and cruel to all of us. I’d been dishonest with Julian, the man who had single-handedly changed the way I saw life and myself. I owed him way more than I’d given him.
I burst into tears. ‘I’m sorry – I can’t accept it.’
Julian pulled away to look into my eyes. ‘Why not?’
‘Because… I’ve been dreaming of moving to Tuscany…’ I blurted.
‘I know.’
Of course he knew. All I ever did was talk about Italy. But talking was one thing. I swallowed.
‘And I always wanted to buy a farmhouse and rent out accommodation so I could give up my job and stay home with the kids.’
