A Marriage of Convenience (7 page)

Not moving her gaze from his, she unbuttoned his jeans and lowered the zipper. “Michael,” she mouthed as his pants fell around his lean hips. He just watched her, letting her touch him.

Michael’s whole body was on fire as her gaze zeroed in on the bulge in his boxers. He wanted to strip her of all her clothes and reclaim her body. When she sucked his lip into her mouth, his cock twitched so painfully in his pants, he thought he might lose control. Somehow, he managed to let her continue her quest.

His pants fell to the floor and he stepped from them, leaving him in his boxers and nothing else. His whole body tensed with the need for the woman before him. His wife. The mother of his child. His Ayanna. His.

That did it. His control snapped faster than a jet catapulted off the deck of an aircraft carrier. He growled low in his throat as he swept her back into his arms.

He placed her gently on the bed and rose up over her. “I’ve waited a long time for this.” He reached out, undid and pulled her shorts down her silken legs.
My God, she’s stunning.
He stared at Ayanna. She lay on his bed in bra and panties. He used one hand and opened the front clasp of her white bra and let her breasts fall free. “So beautiful,” he mumbled.

His hands lingered along the top of her panties. For all his desperation to be inside her, he wanted to savour this moment.

“Michael.” Her eyes held his. “Please.”

He pulled her panties down, his fingertips teasing her skin. Michael tossed her underwear to the side. This was how he wanted her. Naked.

His erection swelled even more as he looked at her body.
Stop looking and start acting.
She was the epitome of perfection in his eyes. Faint stretch marks streaked her belly. Her belly was no longer perfectly flat but he didn’t care. Her breasts were fuller. “So beautiful,” he whispered before he leaned over and kissed her belly.

Ayanna shivered beneath his lips. Michael retraced the small pattern surrounding her belly button and dipped his tongue into it. She whimpered and tossed on the bed.

Michael trailed his lips over her exposed skin. Up one side and down the other of her body. He refused to let her pull him where she wanted him and he avoided the damp lips at the junction of her thighs. He took his time in his homage to her body.

Her cries grew louder. Her hands reached blindly for him as she squirmed on the bedspread.

After blowing gently on her pussy, he licked it. Once. Twice. Three times. Running his thick tongue up between the bald lips. Michael sucked her clit into his mouth and hummed. Lick. Suck. Lick. Suck. He never gave up.

Her body arched off the bed as her hoarse cry filled the room. “Oh shit, Michael!” The hand that landed on the back of his head pressed his face closer to her throbbing entrance. “Don’t stop. Please. Please, Michael!” Her fingers dug into the back of his skull as her hips ground her dripping pussy on his lapping tongue. As he ate all she offered him, her grip on him changed and he felt her trying to pull him up her body.

“Tell me, Ayanna. Tell me.” Michael rose over her and settled between her spread legs. The head of his erection poised to slide into her wet depth.

“Michael. Please.” Her hips arched, trying to force the contact between them.

“Tell me,” he insisted.

“Make love to me.”

As his hips moved him deep into her velvet heat, a fleeting thought of protection crossed his mind. It vanished as her body moulded itself around him like a long lost lover. “Yes,” he hissed as he kissed her, sharing everything he couldn’t find the words to say at that moment.

Two halves of the same whole had been brought together again. He could never find another woman who’d made him feel like this again. Each touch from Ayanna’s hands, each look from her stunning eyes made him swear he was invincible. She was his soul mate, and while he may have ignored that the first time, he wasn’t about to this time.

They moved in perfect harmony, each of them giving and receiving equal pleasure. That pleasure was heightened by the fact they were in each other’s arms again.

The room was filled with the sounds of lovers who had been reunited. Moans, groans, mewling, and grunts. Like it had been that night in the hotel their passion for one another flew off the charts. As they expressed their love for one another everything else faded away into nothing. There was no tomorrow, no future, only the current pleasures they shared with each other.

He tucked his beautiful wife closer to his body and kissed the top of her head. “I’m not letting you go this time. I was stupid to allow it the first time. We’re a family. You, me and Devon.” His arms tightened around her as he thought about her leaving him. “You are my family. Mine.”

Ayanna mumbled something unintelligible against his chest, but when her arms tightened around him, he smiled. Not exactly a declaration of love from her, but it wasn’t a negative response.

Outside the bedroom window, a star shot across the sky.
Let her love me like I love her,
he wished. “I love you, Ayanna.” His eyes shut and he let sleep win the battle.

* * * *

He woke alone. For a brief moment, he thought it may have all been a dream. “No, that wasn’t a dream, was it?” he murmured, sitting up in bed. He couldn’t see any signs that she’d been there. Flopping back, he groaned. If it was just a dream, he was screwed. He laid there for a moment, then got up, slipped on some pants and headed downstairs.

A sigh of relief left him as he saw Devon on his three-wheeler going as fast as he could and squealing with joy as he headed into the living room. On his heels was…Racer.

As Devon headed around the couch and back into the kitchen, Michael met his friend’s gaze.

“Morning, Taz,” Racer said with a smirk as he took in the shirtless man on the steps.

“What are you doing here?” Michael asked
 

“We have a long-standing golf game. What? Forget about it?” Racer winked. “Well, I would too, if I got to share my nights with Ayanna.”

“Watch it, Kysenzki,” Michael warned.

“Da-da!” Devon squealed as he came rolling back into the room.

Michael bent down to pick up Devon and kissed his cheek. Then he set him back upon the seat of his toy. “Morning, sport.”

The two men went into the kitchen and Michael’s breath caught in his throat. Ayanna had that effect on him. She was talking to her friend Lauren as they made breakfast.

Slowly, he took in the black and white crossover contrast pants she wore for working out. One half of his mouth turned up in a smirk as he noticed she wore one of his shirts. His eyes lingered on her butt as it swayed to the music that played in the kitchen.

“Damn,” he muttered before striding across the kitchen and sweeping her into his arms to kiss her.

Ayanna smiled as he kissed her. Placing her arms around his neck, she returned the passionate embrace. “Morning,” she said as she wriggled out of his arms and turned her attention back to preparing food.

“Morning,” he responded in a husky voice. “Lauren. Good to see you.”

“And you, Michael. Oh, I like this song” She grinned as she looked back at Ayanna and turned up the music. She wore similar clothing to Ayanna. Michael looked over his shoulder at Racer and stepped back, watching the two women in the kitchen dance to the music.

Ayanna set down her knife and picked up Devon, dancing with him and singing. Spinning him around until he laughed uncontrollably.

Family. My family.
Michael smiled.

Racer stepped up next to him and said, “You got it made, man. Don’t fuck this up. That is one special woman you have there.”

“I’m beginning to realise just how special,” Michael agreed in a low tone as the women continued to have a wonderful time.

* * * *

Ayanna couldn’t dwell on Michael. She had to study for her finals. Her husband and Racer were off playing golf. Lauren was downstairs playing with Devon. Ayanna couldn’t waste time.

Despite how wonderful it had been to be back in Michael’s arms, she was determined not to succumb to her desire again. She had to focus on her schooling and her son
not
how good being with Michael was. With him gone with his friend, her body had a momentary reprieve from the temptation wrapped in the sinful package called Lieutenant Michael Kelly Taylor. That arrogant pilot, amazing father, husband, and wonderful lover had the power to distract her from her goals and she couldn’t let that happen.

She opened her books. Last night with Michael had been amazing, but now her studies had first priority. Immersing herself, it hardly registered when Lauren came to tell her Michael was back and she was leaving. A few hours later, Ayanna closed the book and groaned. Rolling her shoulders, she rubbed her eyes. She pushed away from the desk and went to check on Devon who was napping.

She froze when she heard voices coming from downstairs.

She recognised Michael’s voice and the other sounded familiar. Feminine and high pitched. Ayanna wrapped her arms around her middle as it clicked. This was the woman who’d waylaid Michael on base the day he’d landed back into her life. Bridget or something like that.

Ayanna knew better than to eavesdrop, but she couldn’t bring herself to give them privacy. Deep fear settled in her gut. Close on its heels was jealousy.

“I know Papa will be so happy that we’re a couple,” Bridget’s voice carried to Ayanna’s ears.

“We aren’t a couple, Bridget. I told you that a long time ago. I’m sorry you and your mother believe we should be. I’m not available,” Michael said.

Ayanna began to walk down the stairs. A calculating gleam appeared in Bridget’s eyes as she saw her.

“But, Michael, I’m pregnant. About seven weeks…and…oh, I didn’t know you had a guest.” Bridget covered her mouth and tried to look embarrassed.

Michael turned around and met Ayanna’s gaze.

She forced herself to maintain a bland expression. “Don’t mind me,” she said softly. “I’m just going to the kitchen.

He followed her. “Ayanna, wait,” he insisted.

“No, Michael. I’d say you have something important to discuss with that woman.” She waved him off and walked to the fridge to grab a bottled water before heading back upstairs.

I knew this was too good to be true.

Minutes later, she heard the door slam and feet pounding up the stairs. Taking a drink of her water, she gathered her inner strength and waited for her door to open.

She didn’t have long to wait. Michael swung it open without even knocking. “Let me explain.”

“I don’t think I need an explanation. I’m fully aware of how that works. I was there. Although I found out at eight weeks, but still.” She shrugged, determined not to show how hurt she was.

“She’s lying. Well, perhaps not about being pregnant, but if she is, it isn’t mine.” Michael shut the door behind him and walked over to stand in front of her.

Ayanna kept her eyes on water bottle in her hand. “Whatever. As long as you don’t try and gyp Devon of anything, what you do is your business.” She understood that the part of her prone to ruining good things was rearing its ugly head.

 
“What are you saying?” he demanded as the bottle was removed from her hand and he forced an eye connection.

“We both know the only reason you married me was for convenience. And I appreciate what you’ve done for me and Devon. But—”

His eyes grew hard as ice and colder than that. “Shut up, Ayanna. Don’t even go down that fucking road. This marriage is a marriage not a goddamn convenience.” He clenched his jaw. “Maybe at first, in the beginning.” He relaxed and a brief grin flashed across his face. “No, not even then. I’ve always known I wanted something more from you.”

“No, it’s wrong.” Her heart swelled at what she heard.
Could he be for real?

“What’s wrong about it, Ayanna?” Exasperation slammed full force back into his voice. “I’ll give you this, it started off in a unique way, but,” he took her hands, “it’s real now. This. You. Me. Devon. This is real.
We
are a family.”

“And Bridget?” Ayanna recognised the desperation in her voice. But, she had to know.

“That was just Bridget being Bridget. I have never even screwed her.”

Her eyes searched his.
He seems so certain about what he says. Why can’t I believe him?
“I just don’t know,” she protested.

 
“What? What are you doubting? And why? The fact I was stupid to leave you that first night? And that you think I’m doing this because I feel guilty about you having to struggle with Devon for a few years? You’re right, I do feel guilty. I should have been there. I should have married you that night. Part of me wanted to.” She swallowed as he took her hands. “Marrying you has never been a regret. Ever. I love Devon.” He made sure she couldn’t pull away. “And I love you.”

Her belly filled with butterflies.
He loves me.
She drew her bottom lip into her mouth.
I can’t say it yet. I…I…I just can’t.

She pulled a hand free from his hold and trailed it down the side of his face before gathering his shirt below his Adam’s apple. “Good,” she ground out. “The next hussy who comes to the door and claims that, is gonna get her ass beat. Clear?”