Decadence (An Emerald Valley Spring Fling) (3 page)

There was no time for me to come down from my first orgasm. As I crested, Devlin brought me back up, my nerve endings on fire everywhere he touched me. When he lifted my leg higher, changing the angle of his thrusts, I came again, screaming out his name. This time he came with me, shuddering and burying his face in my neck.

* * * *

We lay on the rug, boneless in the aftermath of our orgasms. Finally Devlin shifted and leaned up, resting his weight on his forearm. He studied me, and I smiled drowsily, content to curl up right where I was and go to sleep.

“You can surprise me like that anytime,” he said.

The word “surprise” reminded me that seduction wasn’t the only thing I had in store for him tonight. Before I could tell him, however, Devlin spied the cake on the nightstand.

“We should eat this. Or did you already eat yours and I get this one all to myself?”

“I was the first official taste tester, but no, you still have to share.”

Devlin reached up to pull the plate and a fork off the nightstand. I winced. “Careful, that’s our wedding china.”

“Sex and chocolate and you’re worried about the dishes?”

I glared mutinously at him. “Wedding. China.”

He laughed but handled the plate with care. I sat up and turned, propelling him up as well. With my back to his front, I settled into his embrace and accepted the first forkful of cake. It was as delicious as I remembered, and Devlin’s happy hum seemed to agree with me.

“We’re definitely adding this to the menu. Rich, dark, sweet but not overpowering. Dev’s outdone himself with this one.”

“You’d be crazy not to add it. It’s pure decadence, which makes it perfect for your restaurant.”

“Decadent, huh?” He picked up the cake and set the plate aside. “I think it needs a little something to earn that title.”

Disbelieving, I turned to face him. “Don’t you
dare
change a thing. It’s perf—” I let out an inelegant squeak when he tilted the dessert slightly, letting the filling ooze out and land on my nipple. Devlin put the cake back down, then swirled his finger in the sticky mess to coat the entire areolae. His mouth followed his fingers, licking and sucking up the hazelnut fudge until I was panting.

“Now
that
,” he said, “is decadence.”

When he reached for his fork instead of me, I narrowed my eyes, then pushed him onto his back and straddled him. His laughter told me I’d been played, but I let it slide. I did, after all, have him right where I wanted him.

Or at least I did once he was inside me.

* * * *

Much later, after the candles had gutted out and the fire burned low, Devlin and I grabbed some blankets and pillows and curled up in front of the fireplace to get some rest. We both had hectic schedules the next day, but neither of us was quite willing to give in to sleep just yet. Besides, I had one last surprise for my husband.

“You should plan surprises like that all the time,” he murmured as he rubbed his hand gently up and down my back.

“I think after the third or fourth time in a row, I’d lose the element of surprise,” I said, burrowing my head against his chest. “Besides, you’re at Decadence all the time, and I’ve been tied up with the Emerald and photography clients almost constantly of late. We’ve barely stopped to take a breath since our wedding.”

His hand stopped stroking, and he shifted so we were both lying on our sides, face-to-face. That whiskey-brown stare burned into me.

“I didn’t know it bothered you. I thought we were on the same wavelength—put in a lot of hours now and get our businesses to the point where we can back off, take some time just for us, start a family. We’re almost there, Naya. We’ve got the house; we’re doing well enough financially. With a little time…”

I focused on a point to the side of his face, unable to meet his eyes. “We planned a path for ourselves that didn’t allow for any deviation.”

“The unexpected makes life interesting. That’s how we got back together, after all.”

“You say that now, but—”

“Why do I get the feeling you’re not talking about the Emerald or photography or Decadence?”

“Because I’m not.”

“Then tell me what’s gotten into you. If not work, then what?”

This was it. Anxiety threatened to overwhelm me. “Devlin, we’re going to have a baby.”

For a long moment, I didn’t even see him breathe. Then a smile filled with delight spread across his face.

“You’re pregnant.”

“I’m pregnant.”

With a shout, he pulled me into his arms, and I laughed. The surge of relief caused my emotions to go haywire, and I started sobbing uncontrollably.

“Whoa.” He pulled back. “What’s wrong?”

It took a few minutes before I could get myself under control, but Devlin waited patiently.

“I…I was worried.”

“Why?”

“This wasn’t in our plan. We’ve got so much going on…”

Devlin sat up, pulling me with him until I was in his lap. “Trying to soften me up with seduction, were you?” The teasing smile he gave me helped calm my nerves further.

“Maybe. A bit, yeah. We didn’t expect this, and while part of me is so, so happy, the other part of me is overwhelmed, thinking about all the changes we have to make in only a few short months. It’s—”

Devlin silenced me by placing a finger over my lips. “You’ve been stressing yourself out worrying about this, haven’t you?”

I moved his finger. “Just a little.”

His snort told me he clearly saw through the lie. “Answer me one thing: do you want this?”

“Yes!
Of course
I want our baby. We’ve been talking about kids since before our wedding. I only—”

He cut me off again. “That’s what I thought. And just so we’re absolutely clear”—he ran a hand over my stomach, a smile curling the edges of his lips—“I want him or her too. The timing isn’t ideal, but we’ll make it work. I’ve been setting things up at Decadence so I can work fewer hours than I have been. We have time before the baby comes, and we
will
get everything sorted.”

Hearing his rationale soothed the last of the frayed nerves inside me. I knew there would be a lot to figure out in the coming months, but as Leah had reminded me earlier, Devlin and I weren’t alone.

“I’ve been going a bit crazy since I found out I was pregnant,” I admitted.

“I bet there’s a clause in the pregnancy handbook which states that craziness is allowed. Are you excited?”

I swallowed hard over the lump in my throat and nodded.

Devlin laid me back down on the pillows and blankets, then leaned over me, brushing one hand above where our child grew. “Me too. I love you,” he said, and my throat tightened with emotion to the point that I could only mouth the words back.

Happiness comes in many forms, some decadently rich and sensual, others steady and calm, still more purely unexpected. Now that my fears had been put to rest, my mind quieted, allowing me to bask in the joy of what Devlin and I had created. There would be time to talk about the practicalities later. For this one moment, Devlin and I simply reveled in the news of our child, in the bright promise of our changing future.

Blood Rose

* * * *

The EMERALD VALLEY Series

Bed, Breakfast, and Bondage

* * * *

The SEATTLE MARAUDERS Series

Two-Man Advantage

In the Penalty Box

* * * *

Decadence

(an
Emerald Valley
Spring Fling)

I am a native Californian who has spent the years since graduating high school bouncing around the world at every opportunity. I am a graduate of Vassar College where—despite often being distracted by British Literature—I received my Bachelor of Arts in Political Science. I’m an avid reader who spends much of my time engrossed in romance novels…when I’m not being shanghaied by the loud, demanding, often-crazy characters that live in my head. Right now you can find me in Northern California, but who knows where I’ll be next? So long as I have my laptop and most discerning critic with me, I’m ready to travel and write from wherever the wind may take me.

Enough about me—I’d love to hear from readers. You can find me on the Web at
http://www.rileyshane.com
.