It’s been a hell of a long day. The kids at school were loud and obnoxious. Well, more so than usual. Working with middle schoolers is typically loud and obnoxious. But with it being Friday, and Valentine’s Day, no one wanted to listen or focus.
And I can admit, I was just as bad as they were.
Josh, my fiancée, had two dozen red roses delivered to me at work, which made the girls sigh in envy and the boys smirk. And then the questions began.
“When are you getting married?”
“Are we invited?”
“Can I see your ring again?”
“When is he going to come visit?”
Definitely not a productive workday.
When I came home, Josh was still out working somewhere on the ranch. So, I changed out of my work clothes and got dinner under way while I watched a Nicolas Sparks movie marathon on TV.
Josh offered to make reservations and take me out for Valentine’s Day, but since it’s our first, I’d rather just stay in and enjoy him.
I’d be content doing that every day for the rest of my life.
“Hey, baby,” Josh says as he enters through the back door. He’s dirty and looks exhausted. He’s the only man I know who works from five in the morning until seven at night, sometimes longer depending on the time of year.
“Hi, handsome.” He leans in to kiss me softly. “Rough day?”
“Yeah, but I’m all finished now. It smells fantastic in here.”
“I thought I’d make a lasagna for dinner.”
“My favorite.” At six-foot-four, my man towers over me, smiling down at me with that dimple winking in his cheek. “Special occasion?”
“It’s Valentine’s Day, silly.” I shrug and grin happily. “I thought I’d make my man dinner.”
“Your man appreciates it.” He kisses me again, but doesn’t pull me to him, not wanting to get me dirty. “Let me quickly shower and change and then I’m all yours.”
“That sounds like the best offer I’ve had all day.”
He winks and saunters down the hallway to our bedroom. While he’s in the shower, I set the table and pull the lasagna out of the over to rest, toss the salad and slip bread in the oven to toast.
Just as I pull the pan of bread out of the oven, Josh returns and pulls me in his arms, oven mitts and all.
“Now I can say hello properly,” he growls and kisses me long and deep. He cups my ass in his big hands and pulls me against him, pressing his erection to my belly. “You look beautiful.”
“Thank you.” I blush and glance down at my simple black maxi skirt and red V-neck top. “And thank you for the beautiful flowers.” I gesture to the big bouquet sitting on the dining table. “They were a big hit.”
“With you or your students?”
“Both.” I giggle and kiss his cheek as he pulls away and sits at the table. “Are you watching chick flicks?”
“Of course.” I shrug and dive into my salad. “It’s the day for it, after all.”
“Well, I hope you’ve enjoyed it,” he says and polishes off his lasagna. “’Cause I have plans for you for the rest of the night.”
“You do?”
“Yes. If you don’t mind cleaning this up, I have something to take care of.”
“Go.” I wave him off and begin clearing the table. Just as I close the dishwasher and turn it on, he returns, wearing a pair of blue sweats that sit low on his hips, and no shirt.
No fucking shirt.
“Well, hello, mostly naked man.” My eyes travel up his body, soaking in the muscular abs, chest and arms. Those amazing arms the size of my thigh and to his handsome face. He’s grinning at me, his chocolate brown eyes soft and happy, as he saunters to me and pulls me into his arm. My cheek rests on his bare chest and I take a deep breath, loving the way he feels against me.
“I love it when you’re mostly naked.”
“I love it when you’re all the way naked,” I replies and lifts me in his arms, carrying me back to our bedroom.
“Is this what your plans are for the rest of the night? Nakedness?”
“Baby, that’s my plan every night.” He kisses my cheek before setting me on my feet and turns me around to face the bathroom, which has been covered in lit candles. He’s run a bubble bath with rose petals and there is a bucket sitting on the floor next to the old-fashioned claw foot bathtub with a bottle of champagne chilling inside.
“Seriously?” I whisper.
“It’s just a little pampering,” he murmurs as he nuzzles my neck from behind. He pulls my red shirt over my head, unclasps my bra and then pushes my skirt down my hips to pool around my feet.
“No panties,” he says with a smile in his voice as his hands glide over my ass and hips. “Naughty girl.”
“I thought you might like that,” I reply with a grin.
He scoops me into his arms again and lowers me into the deliciously warm bath. “I love this tub. Thank you for installing it for me.”
“If a new bathtub makes you happy, baby, who am I to complain?” He sheds his sweats, pours us each a glass of champagne and follows me into the tub, leaning against the opposite end from me. “I’d like to propose a toast,” he says as he holds his glass up. “To the most amazing woman I’ve ever met. You are the best part of my life, Carolina. You’ve made our home come alive with your laughter and big heart, and I’m thankful every day that you’re here with me. Happy Valentine’s Day, my love.”
I blink the tears from my eyes as he clinks his glass to mine and then take a sip of the bubbly wine, sink back in the water, and take a deep, relaxing breath. “This is heavenly, Josh.”
He sets his glass on the nearby windowsill and pulls my right foot into his grasp and begins massaging the arch with his thumbs.
“Correction: now I’m in heaven.”
“You deserve to be pampered,” he replies with a smile. “And I get you naked. It’s really a win-win.”
“I like the way you think, Mr. King.”
I sip my bubbly and sigh contentedly as Josh continues to rub my feel. Finally, the takes my glass from me, sets it beside his own and pulls me into his arms to kiss me softly, brushing his lips gently over my own. He nibbles the corner of my mouth and then nuzzles my nose before whispering, “I’m going to wash your hair now, baby.”
He turns me away from him, and scoops water over my hair, with what I’m not sure, and I’m too relaxed to open my eyes and turn around to look.
Who cares, anyway?
When my hair is all wet, he lathers it up with my shampoo, massaging and scrubbing my scalp for long minutes.
“Good God, you’re good with your hands, babe.”
“Hmm, they love touching you.”
He rinses the suds carefully out of my hair and then conditions it before rinsing it one more time, then pulls me to lie against his chest.
“Do you have any idea how much I love you?” His lips are next to my ear as he whispers the sweet words.
“It can’t be any more than I love you,” I whisper back and melt against him.
“Are you ready to get out of this tub?” he murmurs.
“Hey, I’m just along for the ride tonight, right?”
“Interesting choice of words,” he replies, his voice full of humor.
“Oh God, no horseback rides tonight.” I look back at him with wide eyes. “Please.”
“No, baby, not tonight.” He gently pushes me forward so he can pull himself out of the tub first, dries off, then helps me out. He covers my hair with a towel before drying the rest of my body himself, then to my surprise, wraps me up in a big fluffy robe that I don’t recognize.
“This is new.”
He smiles serenely and nods. “Just something to keep you warm in.”
“You’re good to me.”
“Always.” He kisses my hand, then leads me to the vanity, pulls out my stool and sits me down. I watch him carefully, his face and body. He looks relaxed and peaceful as he reaches for my brush and drags it through my wet hair before blowing it dry, strand by strand. “I love your hair.”
“I know.” I smile at him in the mirror and sit quietly as he finishes drying my hair, then lifts me in his arms again and carries me to the bedroom, when the bed has been turned down. He sets me on my feet, unbelts the robe and pushes it off my shoulders.
“Your body is spectacular,” he whispers as his eyes travel over my skin. “All of it’s hills and valleys. Your smooth skin. The way it blushes when I touch you.”
His soft words are turning me on, big time.
He palms my ass in his hands and lifts me effortlessly against him. I wrap my legs around his waist as he climbs onto the bed and hovers over me, his elbows now planted beside my head.
“I’m going to make love to you tonight, Carolina.”
“I sincerely hope so, Joshua.”
His eyes flicker with humor as he lowers his head to take my nipple between his lips, sucking it gently. His hand glides down my ribcage to my hip then drifts between my legs. His fingers flirt with my pussy, then one fingertip glides from my clit, through my folds and slides home.
“Fuck me, you’re so wet baby.”
“You turn me on, you know.”
He grows and bites my neck then licks his way up to my ear. “You fucking make my cock throb. I can’t even think about you during the day without sporting a hard on for an hour.”
I giggle and then moan when he brushes over my sweet spot. “Oh God, right there.”
“I know,” he says and brushes over it again, making my hips buck. “Should I taste you before I make love to you?”
“Please,” I whimper, circling my hips.
“Please to what, sugar?”
“Please make love to me. I can’t stand it.”
He pulls my leg up around his elbow, opening me wider, and slips inside me slowly, stretching me as he sinks as far as he can. He groans and covers my lips with his, sucks and nibbles them as he begins to move in long, measured strokes, making me crazy.
“Faster, babe.”
“Fuck no, this is going to be slow, Carolina.” He nibbles down my jawline to my throat and then buries his face in my neck as he continues to torture us both. “Every time is like the first time with you. Every fucking time.”
He lets go of my leg and cups my face in his hand, gazes down at me with so much love in his brown eyes, I feel my own eyes fill with tears.
“Your eyes are so green right now,” he whispers. His hips gradually speed up, just enough that when he drags the head of his cock over my sweet spot it sends me that much closer to my release. “That’s right, you’re going to come for me, baby.”
“Oh God, so close,” I whimper and cup his ass in my hands, urging him to thrust faster. I squeeze him with my most intimate muscles and smile in delight when he mutters under his breath and begins to lose control, moving faster, harder.
“Ah, baby, love you so fucking much.” His jaw clenches and I know he’s as close as I am. I pull his lips down to mine and kiss him with everything in me as I fall apart, convulsing around him, my hips bucking uncontrollably. He thrusts hard, twice, then follows me over the edge, rocking against me as he succumbs to his release.
“I love you too,” I pant as he reverses our position, nestling me against his chest.
“That was just the beginning, my love.”
“Best Valentine’s Day ever,” I reply with a grin.
Kristen is the author of the Amazon and USA Today bestselling With Me In Seattle series. She has a passion for a good love story and strong characters who love humor and have a strong sense of loyalty and family. Her men are the alpha type; fiercely protective and a bit bossy, and her ladies are fun, strong, and not afraid to stand up for themselves.
