Then he was kissing her again, pumping his hips against her as she kept one leg wrapped around him tightly. She was off balance, so she held on tight, and the precarious position just made the whole thing hotter.
Peter was grunting out, “Kelly” and “Yes,” as he built up his rhythm, and Kelly’s vision blurred as she tightened herself around him, everything feel so good, so deep, so intense, that she thought she might actually black out.
It wasn’t long before she was coming, biting her lip to muffle her cry of release. Then Peter was coming too, moaning helplessly against her mouth as his body jerked and shuddered.
They were both panting as he pulled out of her and she was finally able to lower her leg. Her knees buckled and she almost slid to the floor as she pushed down her skirt and tried to pull herself together.
When Peter had taken care of the condom and pulled up his pants, he took her in his arms, holding her tightly, burying his face in the crook of her neck.
Neither one of them spoke. They just held each other. And Kelly had never felt so known, so cared for, so protected in her life.
He wasn’t just her friend. He was her husband. And she wanted both of those things to be true.
To remain.
“I guess that’s what a regular guy does when he morphs into an alpha male,” Kelly said, a lilt in her voice as she tried to find her normal manner again.
Peter chuckled and lifted his head so he could kiss her very gently. “I guess so.”
“Let’s go back in, if that’s okay. I think I need to lie down.”
“Me too.”
They were both laughing softly and holding hands as they discreetly entered the house. If her grandmother was still up, she wasn’t anywhere in sight as they went down the hall toward their room.
Kelly was thinking that they still had a month left of this marriage, and she was going to enjoy it as much as she could. Because afterwards, her life would return to the familiar one she’d always had, where things like this never happened.
***
Twenty minutes later, Peter stepped out of the shower, feeling exhausted and sated and embarrassingly thrilled.
He hadn’t started the evening thinking they’d have sex at the end of it, but Kelly had obviously been as overwhelmed and needy as he’d been.
Things were going well. Better than he could have expected.
Kelly wasn’t in the bedroom when he walked out. He had no idea where she was. So even though he just wore his pajama pants, he opened the bedroom door and took a few steps down the hall.
He heard voices from the parlor.
It was late. Almost one in the morning. Her grandmother shouldn’t still be up, but evidently she was.
“I hope you remember who you are.” That was Mrs. Beaufort. The voice was unmistakable.
“What is that supposed to mean?” Kelly asked, rather sharply.
Curious and a little worried by Kelly’s tone, Peter walked a few steps closer to the opened door of the parlor.
“It means you’re a Beaufort, and I expect you to act accordingly.”
“I’m actually a Blake. I’m married, remember.”
Peter’s breath hitched. He couldn’t believe she’d actually said that.
“As if I could forget. But I have no concerns about the marriage lasting for very long. You’ll always be a Beaufort.”
“What do you mean the marriage won’t last long? Why wouldn’t it last long?”
“That boy is not an appropriate match for you.”
“He’s not a boy. He’s a man. It’s not right for you to treat him so badly.”
Peter had tensed at Mrs. Beaufort’s insulting comments about him, but his heart was racing wildly as he registered Kelly’s responses.
“When have I treated him badly?”
“You always treat him badly. You act like he’s nothing. But he isn’t nothing. He’s my husband. And there’s no reason for you to assume he’s not going to stay that way.”
“You will come to your senses soon.”
“Stop it.” Kelly was angry now. It was evident from her voice. “Just stop it. We’ve tried to be patient, since I know this was sudden, but I’m really tired of you talking about him that way. He’s amazing. He’s the best guy ever. He doesn’t deserve for you to treat him like that.”
“I treat people in the way I feel most appropriate. You know that. Why should I change now?”
“Because you’re supposed to love me. And if you love me, then you’ll accept that I love him.”
Peter flattened his hand against the wall, hardly believing what he was hearing.
“Don’t be foolish,” Mrs. Beaufort said from inside the room.
“I’m not foolish. I’ve known Peter for a long time. I know him better than anyone. I’m not some little girl who isn’t thinking clearly. He’s my husband, and I love him, and I don’t want you to treat him so badly anymore.