Keeping You (14 page)

Aria’s thighs shuddered beneath his hands. “You don’t have to, I—”

“
I know I don’t have to, I want to,” he said, inhaling the salty musk of her as he gently urged her legs wide, wider, until every slick, pink crevice was bare to his gaze.

She was beautiful here, too, so beautiful it made his chest ache.

He moved closer, teasing his tongue up one side of her opening and down the other. He waited until she was writhing against him again, her hands fisted in his hair, hips bucking into his mouth, before moving his tongue to the sensitive bundle of nerves at the top of her. His tongue swirled in light circles as he pushed two fingers gently into her entrance, moaning against her as her channel gripped him tight.

“
Nash, please. Please,” she breathed as she arched into his hand and mouth, her thrusts coming faster, her labored breath scattered with needy little moans that quickly tested the limits of Nash’s control.

He continued to lick and tease until he felt her thighs begin to tremble, until he knew she was close, and he was so near the edge his body felt shot through with lightning. Only then did he surge up over her, using one hand to position himself as he moved. Her arms wrapped tight around him, pulling him against her as he found her entrance, guiding his cock between her swollen folds, and shifting his hips to drive inside her.

Aria cried out, a primal sound of satisfaction Nash echoed as he buried his face in her neck, moaning as he pushed all the way to the end of her.

“
God, Aria,” he gasped, eyes squeezing tight for a moment. “You feel so good, baby. So perfect.”

And she did. No other woman had ever felt so right in his arms. It was as if they had been made to fit together, body and soul.

“
Don’t stop,” she breathed in his ear as she raked her nails down his back hard enough to make him shudder. “Please, Nash, don’t stop.”

He didn’t have to be asked twice. Jaw clenched as he fought for the control to make their first time last, he shifted his hips, withdrawing until only the tip of his shaft remained inside her before driving slowly back into her slick heat, establishing a lazy, sensual rhythm that Aria matched with shallow thrusts of her own.

Soon they were moving in perfect harmony, breath coming in and out at the same time, pleasure building in waves that grew higher and higher, but never seemed to reach the cresting point. On and on they went, holding tight to each other as the tension built between them until Nash was lost in a world of sensation he’d never known before.

He’d had no idea his body could contain this much raw feeling, that he could be so electrified by pleasure without tumbling over the edge. But here he was, with Aria, holding her deep green eyes as he moved inside her, telling her a hundred silent secrets as she opened her heart and pulled him inside.

By the time their tempo finally began to grow faster, Nash had no idea where he ended and Aria began. They were that connected, so in sync that, when he finally began to lose himself, she was right there with him, lifting her hips to meet every wild, frenzied thrust, clinging to his shoulders as their bodies finally found what they’d been searching for.

Aria cried out his name as she came, her body clenching tight around Nash’s cock, bringing him over the edge with her. He groaned as he thrust inside her one last time, losing himself in her heat, his entire body vibrating with a satisfaction so profound that, for several long minutes after, he could do nothing but lie heavily on top of Aria, waiting for his body and soul to come back together again.

When they did, he tried to pull away, to reach for his discarded t-shirt to clean them both up, but Aria wrapped her legs around him, holding him prisoner.

“
Not yet,” she said, fingers tracing lazy patterns on his back. “I don’t want you to leave yet.”

Nash relaxed, but stayed propped up on his arms, smiling at the flushed redhead in his arms. “You’re even prettier after you come.”

Aria grinned. “I feel prettier. That was…” She wrapped her arms around him, lifting her head to press a soft kiss to his chest.

“
It certainly was,” Nash agreed, kissing the slightly damp skin at her neck. “If we’re that good at it our first time, think how fucking amazing we’ll be in a year or two.”

Aria sighed. “We’ll be ready to join the fucking Olympics.”

“
They should have a fucking division,” he said, moving his lips further down her throat. “Adults only, after hours. I bet more people would tune in.”

Aria giggled. “That’s kind of gross. I don’t like watching other people do it. Liam used to want to watch porn together. It grossed me out.”

Nash pulled back to meet her eyes. “I’m not into porn. Never saw the appeal. Now you, on the other hand…” He paused, letting his eyes wander from her eyes to her lips, down to where her breasts were still pink from his kisses. “I don’t think I’ll ever get enough of you. Hope that’s okay.”

Aria’s smile faded into a more serious expression, but for the first time since he started talking long term, she didn’t look anxious. “That was the best sex I’ve ever had,” she finally said. “Ever.”

“
Me too,” he said softly. “I had no idea it could be like that.”

“
Me either,” she said, resuming her idle caresses up and down his back.

“
I think it proves we’re a pretty good fit, don’t you?” he asked, surprised to find himself starting to grow a little thicker, simply from the feel of her fingers running lightly across his skin. That’s how she profoundly she affected him.

He was going to be hopelessly addicted to bedding Aria March by the time the sun rose tomorrow morning.

Aria looked up, meeting his eyes. “I think we’d be pretty stupid to do anything to mess this up.”

He nodded, breath catching as she dug her fingernails into the thick muscles of his ass. “I agree.”

“
I say we go for it.” Her voice trembled, but Nash knew this time it wasn’t from nerves, but excitement.

“
That’s what I’ve been saying all night.” He grinned. “You should probably get used to me being right. I’m a pretty smart guy.”

Aria hummed beneath her breath. “Smart, manly, and blessed with the prettiest cock in Georgia. Is there anything wrong with you, Mr. Geary?”

Nash thought for a moment. “I have really stinky armpits after I work out.”

Aria giggled.

“
Seriously,” he insisted, deciding her giggle was one of his new favorite sounds. “They’re nasty. Biohazard stinky. And sometimes, when I can’t sleep at night, I get up and eat an entire pint of ice cream. All by myself.”

“
No,” Aria said with a mock gasp. “How terrible.”

“
It is. That much sugar and dairy at once isn’t a good idea,” Nash said, pressing a kiss to her bare shoulder. “Hard on the system.”

“
Anything else I should know about?” she asked, cupping his face in her hands, a fond smile on her face that made him feel warm all over.

Nash lifted his eyes to the ceiling, thinking seriously on the question for a moment before glancing back down at his wife.

His
wife.

Aria was his wife, and likely to stay that way in light of what they’d just decided. If there was anyone who deserved his complete honesty, it was her.

“
I know everyone disagrees now and then,” he said slowly, trying to think of the best way to put his aversion to mega conflict, “but I don’t deal well with shouting matches or name-calling or any kind of ultimatum. I’d rather talk something out and come to a compromise. I think it’s important to respect the person you love, even when you’re mad at them.

Aria nodded, shifting gears with him with an ease that made his heart feel even lighter. “I agree. And no fighting in front of the kids. Save it for grown up private time.”

“
Absolutely,” he said, sighing before he added, “And while we’re talking about my flaws, I’ll confess that I’m also stubborn as hell and hold a grudge like nobody’s business.”

“
So I’ve heard,” Aria said with a wry smile, making Nash grin.

“
Yeah, but I’m working on that,” he said. “Forgiveness can be a good thing.”

“
Forgiveness can be a very good thing,” Aria agreed, shifting her hips, drawing his half-erect cock a little deeper inside of her.

She lifted one eyebrow. “Are you…”

“
Just about,” he said, stroking slowly in and out of her.

“
Already?” Her lips parted as her breath began to grow faster. “That’s pretty impressive.”

“
You’re pretty irresistible,” he countered, capturing her breast in one hand, teasing her nipple with his thumb.

“
Prove it,” Aria said, a wicked look in her eyes.

And so Nash did, two more times before they finally fell asleep, sated and spent, and perfectly tangled in each other’s arms.

Chapter Eleven

One Week Later

“
I hate both of you,” Melody abruptly announced.

Aria paused, blinking in surprise when she realized her littlest sister was staring straight at her. It was early on a Sunday afternoon, and the three sisters were prepping for a wedding reception they were catering in an hour.

“
What? Why?” Aria asked. “What did I do?”

“
You haven’t stopped smiling for
days
,” Melody said, her voice uncharacteristically cranky. “You’ve even been humming. You
never
hum. And Lark is so blissed out she’s practically floating through the kitchen. It’s disgusting.” Melody flopped down on her stool and grumpily resumed folding homemade ravioli for the baked pasta dish.

“
You’re only twenty-two, you’ll find someone,” Lark said, laughing as she slid a pan of chicken breasts into the oven. “Don’t be jealous.”

“
I’m not jealous,” Melody protested. “Both of you are so in love it’s just a little…sickening to behold, that’s all.”

Aria set her icing tube down and went to give Melody’s shoulders a comforting squeeze. “I know how you feel. I was there just few weeks ago. I promise I’ll try to be less sickening.”

Melody sighed. “No. I’m glad you’re happy. You totally deserve it.” She squeezed Aria’s hands. “I guess the meeting with your lawyer went well?”

“
It did. She’s got a lot of experience and feels pretty confident about our chances, so Nash and I are hoping for the best. But what about you?” Aria hurried on, not wanting to think or talk about the lawyer, or upcoming hearing. “What’s up? Why so glum?”

Melody heaved another tragic sigh. “My date last night stunk worse than road kill in August.”

“
I told you to stop letting Nana set you up with boys from church,” Aria said, snagging the stool next to Melody. She picked up a piece of ravioli and folded it in half before crimping the edges. “Boys from church are evil.”

“
Boys from church are not evil,” Lark protested as she drifted from one end of the kitchen to the next, blissfully attending to the items on her list.

Melody was right; Lark did seem to float these days.

“
No, they’re evil,” Melody said. “At least this one was. He made me split the check with him, even though I only had an entrée, and he had an entrée, appetizer, salad, and
two
glasses of wine. Then he tried to grope my thigh under my dress before we’d even kissed.” She shuddered. “So gross.”

“
You should let me set you up with the new nurse at Mason’s practice,” Lark said. “He’s only a year older than you and totally adorable.”

“
But what if it didn’t work out?” Melody asked. “Wouldn’t that be weird for him at work?”

Lark paused with a dollop of sour cream halfway to the bowl in front of her, nibbling her lip thoughtfully. “Well…maybe. And he has red hair, and I know you have a thing against redheads.”

“
What?!” Aria turned to give her littlest sister an outraged look. “And what do you have against redheads, may I ask?”

“
Not you,” Melody said, blushing. “Boy redheads.”

“
What’s wrong with boy redheads?”

“
I just don’t think they’re attractive in
that
way,” Melody said.

“
What if my next child is a boy with red hair?” Aria said, not willing to let Melody off the hook. “Are you saying he’s going to be shunned by girls for the rest of his life because of a little ginger in his bloodline?”

Melody glanced up from her ravioli, blinking in shock, while Lark abruptly stopped stirring her pea salad to shoot Aria a stunned look.

“
What?” Aria said, not understanding the strained silence. “I was just teasing. Mostly…”

“
No, you weren’t,” Melody said, still sounding stunned though a smile was spreading across her face. “You’re already thinking about more babies! With Nash! Oh my gosh, you’ll have the cutest babies!”

Aria rolled her eyes, but couldn’t keep the smile from her face or ignore the warm, gooey, happy feeling practically oozing from her pores.

The past seven days had been the best week of her entire life, bar none, including the week she first arrived in Paris when she was a teenager. She and Nash were falling so hard and fast it would have been terrifying if it didn’t feel so amazingly, perfectly right. He was the lover she’d always dreamed of, a friend she could be completely herself with, and the father she’d always wanted Felicity to have. In fact, he was so wonderful with Felicity it made Aria tear up at times. Normally, she wouldn’t like being caught off guard by such intense emotions, but this uncharacteristic random tearing didn’t worry her.

Sometimes it was okay to cry, especially tears of gratitude.

“
So when?” Melody demanded. “You’re not pregnant
now
, are—”

“
God, no. Relax,” Aria said. “I just got Felicity sleeping through the night. I need some rest. We’re not even thinking about babies…at least not until next year.”