Trial Run: Addicted To Love Romance Collection (22 page)

2) This scene happens on the opening day of Amelie’s business. There are a lot of guests, and a band of musicians known as Eternal Fire booked for an evening gig. For the first time, Amelie allows Rob to get close.

Opening Day

It was still dark when Amelie awoke on opening day, but then, it was the last day of October in Vermont. She surveyed her ever-expanding stomach, sighing. How on earth could she make herself look presentable for the guests looking like this? Maybe she should just jump in a barrel of orange paint and call herself a pumpkin. She made a face in her mirror. Ugh. Dark circles had appeared around her eyes, out of nowhere. She was feeling out of breath just thinking about all she would have to do today.

And the soirée? Tears came to her eyes when she thought about Rob and how blasé he seemed to be around her lately. She missed his kisses and tender touches, but the stubborn man kept himself too far away for her to pretend to bump into him. Besides, his stride was long and sure, and she was beginning to waddle.

Sighing once more, she dragged a pair of maternity panel stretch jeans and a pretty blouse off the hangers and got ready. She would probably wear a tent… or a tablecloth… to the function, tonight. Nothing else she owned would fit anyway.

By lunchtime, Amelie was worn out. She’d greeted at least twenty people personally and dealt with a mini emergency in the restaurant. Together with Belinda, she’d re-fitted clean sheets to the four beds that had suffered damage after a family’s five children had engaged in a food and soda fight.

When Belinda caught her clutching at the side of her stomach, she’d ushered her swiftly to the desk, elevated her swollen ankles and plonked a cup of coffee on the corner of the desk. Amelie couldn’t be sure, but she thought she’d heard Belinda mention her name and Rob’s in the same sentence, back in her office. Within five minutes, Belinda had given Amelie more back-office tasks than she could cope with in a week, and then blustered out, to continue the work Amelie herself was too tired to complete.

About two, Rob knocked on the door and let himself in immediately after, without waiting for permission. He shook some white stuff out of his hair, and marched straight past her to the kitchen, carrying a large parcel.

“Rob?” Amelie called. “What are you doing here?”

He poked his head around the corner. “Feeding you.” His head disappeared, to join the rest of him in the kitchen.

Amelie frowned. Clonks and bumps, then the click of the oven going on, accompanied the shuffle of Ron’s jeans in the other room. She wished for X-ray vision, but the Good Fairy was obviously busy doing other worthy deeds.

“I don’t need feeding,” she called toward him. “I’m fine. I’m only resting my legs.”

Rob’s head returned. “I know.” He smiled and disappeared again.

“You can go back to work,” she called one more time. The oven door slammed shut and Rob appeared in his entirety in front of her.

“Don’t worry. I’ve got everything under control. I’ve left the guys to take down any bookings, which they can do without supervision. I won’t be needed until after the Eternal Fire gig. Until then, you’re my first priority.”

He smiled wide and dragged a chair closer, then sat down and put his feet up on the edge of her desk, a mirror image of her position.

Amelie worked hard to suppress a smile. “I don’t think you should be here. I have work to do.”

“Okay,” he said and got up. Amelie’s eyes popped open wide. Rob sauntered to the kitchen.

“Wait!” she called after him, heart beating fast. “I didn’t mean to offend you.”

“I’m not offended,” Rob said re-appearing with a large carrier bag, which he held in one hand behind him. “I’m going to let you do some work while I run you a bath.”

He took the stairs two at a time. “Keep working,” he said when he reached the top. Only then did Amelie realize she’d been staring after him with her mouth open.

She turned back to her computer, but stared at it without taking anything in. Rob was such a distraction! That was exactly why it was a good idea to keep him away as much as possible. She’d known from the beginning there was no way she could concentrate on work with him around.

Before she knew it, Rob reappeared by her elbow.

“Workday finished,” he announced. “You want to save that draft?” He pointed at the computer screen.

She did as he suggested, and as soon as her fingers touched the machine’s power button, she felt his hands beneath her.

He lifted her up and carried her all the way to her bedroom. She motioned him out, so she could have some privacy, but all Rob did was turn his back on her. “This is enough,” he said. “I’m under strict instructions to not let you take more than a couple of steps on your own.”

Amelie shook her head. “No peeking!”

Rob laughed and tucked his chin into his chest, making a show of looking down.

She shuffled out of her clothes, groaning in pleasure when the last of the restraining layers fell away, then waddled slowly to her en-suite and closed the door behind her.

The sweet fragrance of roses enveloped her right away. She turned to the bath tub and gasped. The water was completely covered in red rose petals, apart from a small patch of white bubbles in the middle, in the shape of a heart. Small heart-shaped candles lined every available surface.

Giddy with delight, Amelie slipped into the perfect temperature water. A contented sigh slipped through her lips. Moments later, quiet lounge music reached her ears. A sultry saxophone solo punctuated the soft instrumentals, evoking a sexy warmth she had missed. Before she could become too nostalgic, Rob rapped on the door, then opened it a crack.

“May I come in?”

Amelie checked that the rose petals covered her modesty, then allowed him entrance.

“You were so quiet, I was worried,” he said, and came closer, to kneel by the bath.

Amelie smiled. “It’s so good… I don’t want to move. My ankles and my back are grateful.”

Rob dipped a finger in the bath and swirled it around gently. “In that case, I’m glad I could make your ankles happy. As for your back, I have ano –”

Before he could finish what he was saying, Amelie snaked an arm around his neck and pulled him in for a kiss. Their lips touched, and the sweetness of the moment carried through into their kiss. It was soft, gentle, sexy and unhurried.

Rob pulled back first, but then dipped his head again for another taste.

“Mmmm,” he rumbled. “I missed that so much.”

“Want to help me wash?” Amelie whispered in a low voice, surprising herself with her boldness.

“If you’re sure,” Rob answered.

She grabbed his hand and pulled it to her cheek, kissing it on the way. Rob continued her motion, caressing her face, then her neck and shoulder. He grabbed the soap and lathered his hands. Slowly, watching her face for any signs he should stop, he began rubbing the lather over her body, missing nothing, from her neck to her toes.

When he touched her groin, she closed her eyes and moaned in arousal. Before he could move away, she trapped his hand in place, and Rob didn’t need telling twice. With a few expert strokes, his skilled fingers brought her to orgasm in what felt like seconds. God, she was so horny! Still!

Amelie leaned back and worked on regulating her breathing, while Rob lazily washed the bubbles off her tummy. He stroked the bump gently, placing little kisses here and there. Then, suddenly, the flesh warped.

“Whoa!” Rob jumped back, his eyes wide with amazement. Amelie giggled. “Did you see that? He kicked me!” She laughed out loud.

“They do that all the time. It’s perfectly normal, Rob. Didn’t you ever feel a baby kick before?”

“When would I?” he answered, frowning. But the novelty of being able to interact with his babies drew his attention and hand back to Amelie’s bump. He pressed gently on one side, and a little heel pressed back. “Oooh,” Rob said, eyes wide and glowing. “I wonder which one is this.”

“That one is Squiggle.”

“Squiggle?” Rob asked, amused. Amelie nodded. “And this one?” Rob pressed on a different part of Amelie’s stomach.

“That one is Wriggle.”

“Squiggle and Wriggle…” Rob laughed. “What did you call the third?”

Amelie shrugged. “Squirm.”

Rob nodded in approval. “I guess I can see the logic. Squiggle, Wriggle and Squirm.”

He turned to Amelie, and his eyes were full of wonder and adoration. It warmed her heart. Maybe they stood a chance. Maybe, just maybe, Rob was the kind of man who would make a good husband. He already looked like he would be a wonderful father. Amelie smiled, and held her arms out, letting him lift her out of the bath water.

3) Amelie does something silly, takes a tumble in an icy river, and Rob saves her – again. After a quick doctor’s check-up, he brings her home. To his home. She still isn’t used to the idea that they are – or shortly will be – a real couple. Enjoy.

Complications

Amelie woke with a start and the intense feeling something wasn’t right at all. For one, it was too bright. She squeezed her eyes shut and threw her arm over them for good measure. Then she thought better of it and pulled it back enough to allow her to see through one eye. Wrong room.

And then the memory of the night before came rushing back, about the same time it dawned on her that her one thoughtless mistake could have ended up far worse than it did. Her hands cradled her growing tummy.
I’ll make certain you’ll be safe from now on
, she vowed silently to her babies.

The front door shut and Rob’s sure steps came closer. Amelie gasped, suddenly panicked at her lack of clothes. Instinctively, she pulled the cover all the way over her head and turned away, pretending to be asleep.

The noises he made were far more indistinct from her hiding place, and she frowned, deliberating. Should she get up? But she was certain he was now in the room. How was she ever going to get to some clothes without him watching? Then again, why was she suddenly so worried about Rob seeing her naked? It wasn’t like he’d not got acquainted with every nook and cranny of her body long before this day.

Her decision-making was brought to a halt when the bed dipped, the cover rippled and let in a cool breeze, and then suddenly Rob was whispering over her shoulder.

“Is this today’s game?” His breath warmed the shell of her ear, ruffling her soft hair and melting her insides. “Whom are we hiding from?” he asked.

Amelie smiled and turned back to him, keeping the cover tight over their heads.

“You, actually.”

He thought for a minute. “Why?”

“Because you took me by surprise and I don’t have any clothes on.”

She could tell he was smirking even without being able to see his expression.

“Well, that’s silly, isn’t it?” he said eventually. “It’s not like –”

Amelie stopped him with a finger to his lips.

“Don’t say it. I know you saw me naked before. I know it’s illogical, but that’s just the way I feel.”

“Oh,” he acquiesced. “Okay. But that’s not what I was going to say.”

“What were you going to say?”

“I was going to say it’s not like you couldn’t ask me to give you some privacy.”

It was her turn to think. “I didn’t think of that.”

“That’s good.”

“Why’s that?”

“Because I hate it when I have to deny you your wishes.”

It took a few moments for the message to register in her head. Then she thumped him weakly on the chest, noting at the same time that he was very warm and naked. Her lustful body jolted wide-awake at the mere implications of that discovery. But she couldn’t let him off the hook that easily. Not yet.

“You would have refused to go?”

“Uh-huh,” he admitted.

“You… you… you’re –”

“Shameless, I know. Unlike you, my sweet and sexy wild kitten.” He ran his hands lightly over her erect nipples, only once. His fingers were still cool from the crisp morning air, yet the skin he’d touched blazed as if on fire. She arched her chest toward him just as he uttered his next words. “I had no idea pregnancy could turn a sex-loving… lustful… hot… sexy woman… into a prude.”

The air left her lungs in one quick exhale and she shrunk away from him, affronted. “I am not a prude! Take that back!” Was that what he really thought of her?

Rob chuckled and found her hands, then tugged her closer. “I can’t reconsider the verdict without any new evidence to support your claim… Are you willing to reconsid –”

“Oh, I hate you, Rob Tyson,” Amelie whispered, then dived for his lips.

“Don’t believe you,” he managed to answer around the kiss, surrendering to it.

His hands roamed over her body, making her shiver with want and the admission of her defeat, while she took all she needed, unhindered by any protests.

Maybe she should slow down, Amelie thought vaguely. This wasn’t a sprint, and she didn’t have anything to prove anyway. But when Rob’s hand slipped up the inside of her thigh, she pressed her legs together, trapping him there. She could feel his smile as he skimmed little kisses down her neck and shoulders, and then all around her stomach, while his fingers worked.

He opened up her thighs and kissed his way lower, lingering on her clit dangle. All the while, his fingers stroked and massaged, and she screamed his name far too soon, seconds later, rocking her pelvis into his chin. One earth-shattering orgasm, and she was only getting warmed up. It felt good and frustratingly not enough at the same time. She needed him inside her, right then.

Rob captured her eager wandering hands and lifted them up over her head.

“Shh,” he soothed her protests. “We’re not done yet.”

Amelie whimpered and found his knee. She pressed herself against it, trying to ease her wild need.

“Can’t… wait…” she gasped between shallow breaths as Rob sucked and nibbled her nipples. “Please… I need you now.”

“Okay,” she thought she heard Rob say.

She opened her legs wider, to welcome him in, but he shook his head and turned her over, positioning her on her knees, with her front half over a bed of pillows. He took her hands and placed them on the headboard, closing her fingers tightly around the rounded edge at the top, and then drew back, his missing heat making her panic anew.

Rob trailed his hands over Amelie’s shoulders and down her back, caressing her gently, making love to her senses before he got close to her body. Amelie rocked on the spot, leaning into his caress, and looking expectantly over her shoulder. He caught her glance and moved in for another kiss, one hand tormenting a peaked nipple.

“I won’t break,” Amelie encouraged.

But Rob brushed her lips with his once more before whispering, “Will you let your man make love to you properly, Ammy, love? I think I know what I’m doing.”

She had to agree with that, but the teasing was driving her crazy. She pushed away from the headboard, fingers searching for him.

“I don’t know how much longer I can stay sane.”

Rob put her hands back on the headboard and growled in her ear. “Keep them there or I’ll stop.”

She whimpered and clenched her fingers around the wooden edge in a death grip. “Hurry. Please.”

With a groan of surrender, Rob did what she asked. He entered her gently, holding her hips still when she tried to lean back. He pushed in as far as he dared, but Amelie pressed back, showing him exactly what she needed. In the end, he let her set the rhythm, and only took control now and then, to change the angle, or stimulate a different spot.

His hands roamed up and down her body, and his touch was like the graze of hot flame and the cool scrape of an ice shard all at once. The more he caressed her, the more she needed to feel his touch. And then he added his lips to the mix. One hand closed over hers, while the other slipped to her clit and his lips nibbled at the base of her neck. All the while, his rhythm was perfect.

Amelie could feel the heat building up in her groin until there was no more room. The heat twisted into raw flames, and they blazed higher, stealing her breath and making her body tremble. She could feel the rhythmic, steady light slap of sticky skin against her damp behind, and the warmth they created seemed to fill the room with a sultry glow. It made everything more intense, more passionate.

And then Rob pulled her up and toward him, so her back was flush against his front. One of his arms encircled her torso, the other still on her clit. It was perfect penetration. In that moment, yes, she would have given the testimonial to him in writing, signed and framed if he so wished – her man definitely knew what he was doing.

She relaxed completely in his hands and let him lift her up and draw her back down, leaned her head back to his shoulder, and just before she felt him nipping at her earlobe, she screamed his name again.