Taking It All(22)

Guilt crushed through her chest when she heard the sound of his car   pulling up. How could she have doubted him? She forced herself not to   rush to the door to greet him. There was no way she wanted him to know   how worried and paranoid she'd been with no reason.

A moment later, the front door opened and Tate appeared holding a   plastic bag with the take-out containers inside. He was juggling his   briefcase and his suit coat as he kicked the door shut with his foot.

Chessy hurried over to him to take the bag and then leaned up on tiptoe to kiss him on the cheek.

"Sorry I'm late, baby," he said, regret lining his brow. "The restaurant   messed up my phone order and I had to wait for them to remake it. I  got  your favorite."

Her heart melted at the very real worry in his eyes. She felt so guilty   for doubting him, for worrying that he wouldn't keep his word.

She carried the bag containing the take-out order to the breakfast nook   where she'd already set out plates and silverware while Tate tossed his   suit coat over the back of the sofa.

"You want wine?" she asked. "I put a bottle out a little while ago, but if you'd prefer something different, I'll get it."

He snagged her waist and pressed a kiss to her lips. "Whatever you   picked out is fine. Have I told you lately how beautiful you are?"

A giddy thrill assailed her. Her heart turned over in her chest as she   smiled broadly up at him. She wrapped both arms around him and leaned   into his embrace.

Her smile became dreamy, love surging through her heart. "I'll never get tired of you saying so."

"Mmm, what about I love you and you're my girl?"

She sighed. "Even better. Sit down while I pour you a glass of wine.   Tell me about your day and your client meeting. Did it go well?"

A brief look of discomfort crossed his face before he turned swiftly to   pull out his chair. When he was settled, he met her gaze again, no hint   of the previous discomfort evident, leaving her to wonder if she'd   imagined it.

"Oh, the usual," Tate said in a casual tone. "The meeting was with a   potential client who's considering transferring a large portfolio to my   firm. It would be quite a coup if it comes to pass."

She set his glass of wine in front of him and then slid into the seat   next to him. "That's wonderful, Tate. You've worked so hard. It doesn't   surprise me that you're landing bigger and bigger clients."

He caught her hand and pulled her over to sit on his lap. He thrust a   hand into her hair, cupping the side of her head as he tugged her down   to meet his lips. "Your confidence in me and support of me means   everything. Knowing my girl is behind me makes me feel like I can own   the world."

She smiled and cupped his face in her hands, returning his kiss with one   of her own. "I have no doubt you could do just that if you set your   mind to it."

"I'd much prefer to own you."

"You do, Tate. I belong to you. Always. Heart, soul, body and mind."

"I have a surprise for you," he murmured. "Well, two actually."

She couldn't control the surge of delight that made a broad smile curve   her lips. She adored surprises and Tate well knew it. It didn't matter   how simple or elaborate. Anything Tate gave her was treasured and met   with utter delight.

"Tell me!" she said, all but pouncing on him. She jiggled and bounced on his lap in excited anticipation.

He laughed and patted her hip. "Hop up so I can get the first one. It's in my jacket pocket."

She scrambled off his lap and perched on her chair, waiting impatiently   as he strolled leisurely over to the couch to retrieve his coat. He dug   into his pocket and pulled out a beautifully wrapped small box with a   shiny silver bow. Her eyes widened and she nearly bounced out of her   chair when he walked back over.

He slid the box along the tabletop until it rested in front of her.

"Happy anniversary to my girl," he said huskily. "I intended to give it to you Friday night, but we got  …  sidetracked."                       
       
           



       

She caught her frown before it appeared. Just thinking back on their   emotional, gut-wrenching anniversary night was enough to remove all her   present joy. So she focused instead on here and now and the fact that   her husband was back.

She reverently opened the wrapping, taking her time so she didn't tear it. He chuckled as he watched her, shaking his head.

"I've never understood why you don't just rip into it. It's just paper, Chess."

"But it's beautiful paper," she protested. "I hate to tear something so pretty."

He laughed again but fell silent until she got to the box underneath.   With shaking fingers, she opened the lid and shook out the velvet   jewelry case inside. She sucked in her breath when she finally managed   to reveal the contents.

Inside was a radiant, sparkling diamond bracelet that caught the light   and twinkled brilliantly. She held it up, viewing it in awe, and tears   burned the edges of her eyelids, making the bracelet blur in her vision.

"Ah hell, Chess. Don't cry."

She gave him a watery smile and then sniffled. "I can't help it. It's   gorgeous, Tate! I love it. Put it on for me, please. My hands are   shaking so badly I'll never be able to get it latched."

He laughed but complied, carefully looping the tennis bracelet around   her left wrist. It made her look and feel decadent with the gorgeous   diamond wedding ring and now an equally beautiful diamond bracelet. She   felt as lit up as a Christmas tree.

When he was done, she held up her arm, twisting it this way and that,   watching in fascination as it caught the light and sparkled just like   the Christmas tree she'd just thought she resembled.

Then she threw herself back onto his lap and kissed him ferociously. "I   love it," she said fervently. "I absolutely adore it! Thank you. You've   made this the perfect anniversary weekend and Monday!"

A brief shadow crossed his face, as he no doubt remembered the   inauspicious start to their anniversary. Sorrow and regret brimmed in   his eyes before she kissed him again, soothing away the painful reminder   to them both.

When she finally drew away, she remembered that he'd said he had two surprises.

"What's the other surprise?" she asked, excitement once more bubbling to the surface.

He smiled and tenderly pushed a strand of her curly hair from her cheek.   "It's not immediate, rather it's a surprise I've planned for us."

"Oh, I like it when you say us," she said dreamily. "What is it? Tell me, tell me!"

He chuckled. "My girl is so impatient."

She mimicked strangling him by wrapping her fingers around his neck and   adopting a ferocious scowl. "Stop holding out on me and spill."

He kissed the tip of her nose and then pulled away so he could gaze into her eyes.

"I know it's been a long while since we visited The House. So I've   planned a night for us. Two weeks from now on a Friday night. I've even   already hand-picked the man who will participate in our fantasy."

Her pulse immediately began to race and she couldn't control the surge   of wicked anticipation that licked like flames over her skin. Images   from the past, the immeasurable pleasure they'd both enjoyed, raced   through her mind. Another man touching her, pleasuring her, at Tate's   behest. Under his command, always in control, stepping in only when   Chessy neared her orgasm. Those belonged to him. It was one of the two   things he wouldn't allow another man. The other was that another man was   never to kiss her on the lips. Some may think it was an odd "rule" but   Chessy understood completely.

Kissing on the lips was decidedly more intimate than being kissed in   other places. It signaled a more emotional connection, one only found   between her and Tate.

"Is it someone I know?" she asked in a low voice. "I mean is it someone you've chosen before?"

He stroked her cheek. "Is my girl worried? We don't have to do this,   Chess. I wanted to do something special for you. For us. I know it's   something we enjoyed in the past and I'm just sorry that I've let it go   as long as I have without giving you something that brings us both   pleasure."

"No, that isn't it at all," she denied. "I was merely curious. If I   shouldn't be asking or if you don't want me to know, that's fine. But   when on earth did you have time to pull this all together? Did you plan   it before our anniversary?"

She was genuinely curious to know whether he'd planned it before or after the debacle of their anniversary night.