Cris found a parking space. Landry and Tilly walked hand-in-hand down Main Street, heading toward Five Corners Park across from the Selby library. Cris silently trailed behind them, carrying the things Landry insisted on buying for Tilly. She suspected he mostly bought stuff just to make Cris carry it, not because he really wanted it. Damn sure not because she wanted it. By the time they reached the Calliope Cafe on Pineapple and Main, Tilly was ready to put an end to the games. Cris looked like a loaded down pack horse.

Tilly took charge and asked the hostess for a table in the corner. Fortunately, they'd arrived on the tail end of the lunch rush and were able to be seated immediately.

Landry smirked after the waitress took their drink order and left them. "I must say, I admire you, my love."

"Why?"

He nodded toward Cris, who silently sat with his gaze on the table and his hands in his lap. She felt like kicking him under the table just to elicit some sort of reaction from him.

"What?" she asked.

He leaned in and dropped his voice. With his lips by her ear, he said, "You feel sorry for him."

"Uh, duh. Sherpa the pack pony here could use a break, I'm sure. It's hot today."

She didn't miss how Cris' lips curled in a slight smile.

She also didn't miss how her heart throbbed at the sight, that she could still make him smile.

How many times had she earned herself a tickling from her snarky comments?

They ordered. Rather, Tilly ordered, and Landry ordered for himself and Cris. It was late afternoon when they finally returned home. When they walked in the door, Landry scooped her up into his arms again and carried her to their bedroom.

"What are you doing?" she asked.

"I would think that's rather obvious." He laid her on the bed and stood back so he could unbutton his shirt. "I want to make the most of tonight."

Her heart throbbed at the sight as he dropped his shirt to the floor. He crawled onto the bed, predatory, stalking her, until he straddled her. "Do you know how utterly beautiful you are?"

"No, but maybe if you hum a few bars."

He laughed and kissed her. "Oh, sweetheart, je t'adore."

I adore you.

Tilly wrapped her arms around him. "Moi aussi, je t'adore."

I adore you, too.

And she did.

She was staring into his eyes when he said, "Just put everything in the closet and close the door on the way out."

She realized he'd left the bedroom door open. She craned her head around his shoulder and saw that Cris stood there, his arms full. He walked in, put everything in the closet, and left, closing the door behind him.

"Now, where were we, love?"

"How did you know he was there?"

He smiled before leaning in to nip the base of her throat. "I saw his reflection in the vase over there."

She craned her neck and looked, then started laughing. "I thought maybe you had ESP."

One eyebrow arched. "Extra sensory perception?"

"Excellent slave positioning."

He burst out laughing and fell to the bed beside her. "You shall keep me on my toes. I can see it now." He pulled her on top of him. "What kind of mood are you in tonight, love?"

"That sounds like a loaded question."

"It most certainly is." He pulled her to him and kissed her. "Sweet and fun, hot and heavy, or beating the crap out of the cuck?"

"Definitely not door number three."

He sighed melodramatically. "Spoil sport. You truly have a soft heart, love."

"Shut up and kiss me."

He did, soon driving all thoughts over their prior discussion out of her mind as he worked his lips down her jaw to her throat, where he started nibbling. Her blouse and bra soon hit the floor with his shirt. He smiled as he traced his finger around her right nipple. "So you've gotten your vengeance out of your system?"

"You want to keep me in the mood, you'll drop this discussion right now."

He bent over and licked her nipple. "Consider it dropped." He repeated the treatment with her left nipple and soon had her squirming under his hands.

Landry worked his way down to her slacks, his lips exploring and teasing. Tilly tangled her fingers in his hair and tried to urge him to go faster, but he refused to be rushed. By the time he finally had her naked beneath him on the bed, she felt half out of her mind with need. He knelt on the floor beside the bed, pulled her ass to the edge, and pushed her thighs apart.

"This is what I wanted, love. Make as much noise as you want. The more, the better." With that, he bent his head to her mound and licked.

"Oh!" she gasped. "Fuck yeah!" Her body trembled as his tongue snaked inside her, slowly, teasing her.

He draped her legs over his shoulders and clamped his hands around her thighs. Like that, she couldn't have escaped his wicked mouth if she'd wanted to.

She most definitely did not want to.

In such a short time he'd learned more than enough about her body to keep her hovering on the edge forever, it felt like. Before long she found herself begging him for release.

He lifted his mouth from her clit. "Louder, love," he said. "And perhaps I shall."

Fuck. She'd give him this one, but they'd talk later when she felt sane and not so desperately in need of coming. "Please, goddammit, make me come!"

He chuckled. "Excellent." He slid two fingers inside her and it felt like the back of her head exploded as her climax slammed into her brain. He managed to hit her g-spot and her back arched as it felt like the orgasm never would end.

Once she lay limp on the bed, he kissed the insides of her thighs before untangling himself from her. Standing before her, he dropped his slacks, exposing his rigid cock.

"No little blue pills, love," he teased as he grabbed her legs and pushed them up, sinking deep inside her in one slow thrust. "That's all for you, because of you."

There was something about his green eyes that entranced her, held her hostage. He leaned in and kissed her as he fucked her, his slow, deliberate thrusts stirring more passion inside her. "My beautiful wife. I am a damned lucky man."

Another moment she wanted to freeze in time, to hold him here with her in this perfection. No Cris, no revenge, no past pain, no future worries over his health. "I consider myself pretty lucky, too."

A slow smile curved his lips. "Come with me," he whispered. "I want to feel what I do to you."

No triggers, no switching to the sure-fire tactic guaranteed to make her explode. Nothing but his eyes, his sweet, sexy smile, and the damn fine feeling of that wonderful cock sliding across her already swollen clit and stroking nerve endings inside her that had laid unused for too long.

He shifted position slightly, leaning forward with her legs over his shoulders. "Show me what I do to you, baby."

She felt more than her body shattering. This time, it felt like her heart wanted to explode, to latch onto him and never let go.

Landry kissed her, tenderly, slowly. "I'll never betray your trust, love. I swear it. Let me in."

She felt her release, stealthy and soft, like a too-large soap bubble giving way to a sudden breeze. And all the sweeter for the simple beauty in that connection with Landry. Tilly gasped as she felt it and in two hard thrusts, he joined her.

The tears caught her by surprise. Without withdrawing, he immediately rolled them over, him on his back with her tightly encased by his arms. "That's it, sweetheart," he whispered, kissing her forehead as his fingers stroked her spine. "That was so very, very beautiful."

For a moment she worried she'd hyperventilate as she tried to catch her breath. Never before had that happened like that. Ever.

Not even with Cris.

No triggers, no commands to come, no assistance from a hand, a tongue, or a vibrator. Just his body and those damn fine eyes.

"Please tell me," he whispered.

She shook her head and buried her face against his chest, not able to talk yet.

He didn't ask again. He waited her out until she felt reasonably rational. "Thank you."

"For what?" He sounded amused.

She lifted her head and kissed him. "For marrying me."

"I think you have that backwards, but as you wish, love. You're absolutely welcome."

She stroked his jaw with her fingers, feeling the shadow of stubble already there. What did this mean? That she trusted him more in a few days than she had trusted Cris in years? That she'd been able to let loose with him in a way she never could with Cris?

Why did she feel guilty that in all the years she'd spent with Cris, she'd never been able to achieve that one simple release despite their countless hours of trying.

"It feels like I belong here, with you," she quietly admitted.

His gaze traveled her face for many long moments before he spoke. "Maybe that's because you do."

Chapter Fourteen.

Tuesday morning, Tilly finished her work-out to find Cris in the office. He stood at the windows, looking out over the backyard while he engaged in a pretty serious-sounding conversation.

Jeans, barefoot, no shirt, his formal collar, and wrist cuffs. The muscles in his back rippled as he shifted position, still not turning, and lashing out at whoever he spoke to on the phone.

Unbidden, a memory flashed through her mind, of giving him seductive backrubs that always turned into even more seductive lovemaking sessions. His angry voice snapped her out of her reverie.

"That's not acceptable! We need those numbers finalized by Friday night. That's been the planned deadline for three months, and no one mentioned we weren't on target to make it. What's the problem?"

She leaned in the doorway and listened. He sounded pissed. Obviously, the person on the other end of the cell pressed to Cris' ear had no idea of how he was dressed or what he'd been subjected to over the past several days.

"No. Get me those numbers, have them by tomorrow night. I'm flying out there Thursday morning. If those numbers aren't ready for me, we won't consider renewing your contract." He hung up and swore, then turned and started when he saw her standing there. "Hey." His voice softened, gentled.

Slave in the house. Bye-bye Cristo the executive. "You do still own a set of balls. Nice to see."

She couldn't help the snark and didn't want to.

He tossed his cell onto the desk. "They're going to cost us a very valuable contract if they don't get me those quarterly stats like they promised." He scrubbed his face with his hands, then seemed to remember his status as his posture stiffened. His voice changed, deferential. "I'm sorry, Mrs. LaCroux.

Did you need the office? I'll move my laptop if you want to work in here."

She shook her head, still not used to hearing that name come from his mouth. "No."

"What is it?"

She shrugged. "Nothing." She wasn't up to having a "conversation" with him yet, but she couldn't quite bring herself to leave, either. His brown hair hung to his shoulders, but he kept it neatly trimmed. He brushed his fingers through it, pulling it away from his face.

A thought hit her and she winced. "Goddammit."

"Ma'am?"

"I need to call Bob and break the news to him."

He didn't ask. She looked at him. "You know, you met him. I-don't-need-you-to-hold-him-for- me Bob."

"Ah. Him."

"Yeah, him. I told Landry he had the world's suckiest timing. I mean, seriously. I finally met a guy I might..." She remembered who she was talking to. "Never mind. I don't want to have this conversation with you."

That gave her a perfect excuse to leave.