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“Now?” John began, yanking off his shirt as he stood there in his swimming trunks. “Now, I’m going to kiss my wife… and then jump in the water to cool off.”
“Are you… h-hot?” she stammered softly, and he wanted to beat on his chest in that moment as she gazed at him longingly.
“You have no idea, Em…” he admitted, pulling her close.
He loved how malleable she was in his arms. She was smooth as silk, with all these gentle curves that drove him wild. Wrapping an arm around her waist, he pulled her close, using his other hand to cradle the back of her neck as he kissed her deeply, holding her against him.
The little sigh she uttered made his blood boil.
In that moment, the soft tender kiss suddenly took a life of its own as he slanted his mouth over hers, needing to deepen the kiss, possess her… and his beloved Emily wrapped her arms around his neck, matching him kiss for kiss.
They were burning up in the middle of the lake.
He dragged his mouth away, taking several deep breaths, and clenching his fists to keep from dragging her up against him again as he stared in wonder at the passion-dazed look she gave him.
“Whoa…” she whispered, her fingers trembling as she touched her lips.
“That,” he began in a thick voice he didn’t even recognize, “… was how it was last night, my lovely bride. What I remember of it, was beautiful beyond words.”
“I wish I remembered…” Emily said openly, her eyes alive with a fire he could have only imagined.
“You’re my wife,” he reiterated softly. “Nothing has to be over between us, because our life together is just beginning. If you want me to kiss you, hold you, or touch you… just say the word.”
“There’s more?”
“There’s so much more, my love,” he choked out the words in the merest whisper between them, realizing that her eyes were full of interest – and he was so stupidly lucky it was humbling.
“I really like it when you say that…” Emily whispered softly, gazing at him.
“What?”
“My love,” she blushed. “I like it when you call me that…”
“Oh Em…” he uttered painfully in awareness, that he had a chance to be a part of a true miracle before him if he would just leap at the chance.
He held out his hand to her, as she slid her hand into his. He felt the ring press into his palm… and recognized just how much he cared for this woman – and how glad he was that he’d marked her as his own with that diamond ring.
“I do love you…” he breathed reverently, his eyes searching hers. “Probably more than you know. I may be scared or nervous, but one thing I know for certain is that what I feel right now when I look at you is love.”
“Love or lust…” she smiled knowingly, her face reddening.
“Both,” he laughed sheepishly, realizing it was hard to hide his interest in his beautiful wife when she was standing so close, looking at him like that, and he kept thinking of last night. “I think I’m going to get in the water and cool off…”
He clamped down on her hand and backed away, grinning devilishly at her.
“John…” she said warily, laughing as he tugged her forward with him towards the back of the boat where the end was open for people to jump off and swim. “Wait a second… John? John…”
He leapt playfully into the water – taking her with him.
CHAPTER22
EMILY
She lovedthis playful side of John… despite being dunked by the man! Her glasses had water spots on them, just like his sunglasses, and they were laughing and swimming around like children in the cool blue waters of Lake Mead.
He claimed he loved her, but it wasn’t that apocalyptic moment of wonder that she’d been expecting… because it was said in such a casual way, almost as if prompted, that she just assumed he was saying what she wanted to hear from him.
That didn’t count,she thought sadly.
