Once Celia had settled, Kyle made his move. He gently held her chin and kissed her. Starting out slowly. Slicking his tongue across the seam of her lips and feeling her bottom teeth with the tip of it. His thumb made a lazy, sweeping caress of her cheek as he tasted her thoroughly. The kiss would heat up, then he’d turn it down to simmer, gifting her mouth with quick pecks and the soft glide of his lips.

Her body unconsciously arched into his, urging him to take more than a kiss.

Kyle murmured, “Night, sweet wife.”

“Night, horny husband.”

Just when he thought she’d gone to sleep, she jackknifed up, a wince distorting her face at the sudden pain. “Did you hear that?”

“Hear what?”

“Scratching sounds. Like a mouse. In the wall. Or in a dresser. Or under the bed.” She scooted closer to him. “What if there are mice in this mattress?”

“Celia—”

“Listen to me. Mice nest everywhere. They are vile f**king creatures that all deserve to die.”

“How do you really feel?” he said dryly.

“Like I cannot wait to get rid of this bed. And scour this house to make sure it’s rodent-proof.”

“I’ll be glad to help you, but not tonight. You’re getting all riled up for no reason. Take a deep breath.”

“It hurts to breathe.”

“I know.” He placed his hand on her belly. “That’s why I want you to relax. I’d give you a back rub to distract you if it’d help.”

“You just want to get me naked.”

“That too.”

Celia kissed his jaw. “I’ll take a rain check.”

“Funny thing…I heard it was gonna rain tomorrow.”

She laughed.

Kyle could get very used to hearing that laughter every night before he fell asleep.

Chapter Five

There were warm, rough hands gently stroking her skin.

Warm, soft lips dragging kisses across her ribs.

Celia sighed and stretched, basking in the attention. Not wanting to wake up from such a vivid dream.

Her pajama bottoms were tugged down her thighs. She kicked the covers free, allowing her dream lover to completely slide them off.

A male chuckle vibrated against her belly. Those soft, nibbling lips sought a path down her stomach, over the rise of her mound. Then her thighs were pushed apart and a hot, wet tongue licked her from top to bottom.

As she gasped and arched, her ribs sent a stinging reminder of her soreness.

Wait. She shouldn’t feel pain in a dream. She shouldn’t feel those long, wet laps up and down her slit either. She really shouldn’t hear, “Goddamn, you taste sweet,” growled against her sex.

Celia opened her eyes and looked down to see Kyle lying between her legs, his hands gripping her inner thighs while his mouth did such amazing things with his tongue. “What are you doing?”

Keeping his gaze to hers, he locked his mouth to her clit and sucked.

Her whole body twitched.

He sucked again.

She twitched again.

Kyle lifted his mouth. “Lay back so you don’t hurt your ribs.”

“But…?”

He rapidly flicked his tongue over the skin covering her clit. “Are you really gonna tell me to stop?”

“No.” She lowered herself back to the mattress.

Another chuckle against her sensitive flesh.

Then Kyle set out to make her lose her mind. He tilted her hips to burrow his tongue completely inside her. He pressed soft kisses to the crease of her thighs. He’d lick her clit and stop to blow a cool stream of air over the hot, wet flesh, then return to sucking.

That telltale tingle started, spreading goose bumps from her nape down her spine. Kyle lapped at her slit with long strokes; a growling sound emerged when he dipped his tongue into the entrance to her body. Again and again.

Celia’s legs were restless against the blanket. She wanted to grab his head and force him to make her come now.

Kyle raised his face from the delicious assault. “Celia. Show me what you want.”

She put her hands over his ears and pressed his mouth over her clit.

He spread her folds apart with his thumbs. He looked at her, lowered his mouth, and sucked once. “Say my name.”

“Kyle.”

He suckled harder. “Say it again.”

“Kyle. Please.”

“That’s what I wanna hear.” He started a sucking, swirling motion with his mouth and tongue that pushed her from teetering on the edge to spinning in the maelstrom.

Her heart pounded, her skin throbbed, white noise roared in her ears as she unraveled. Her fingers dug into Kyle’s scalp as he sucked and tongued her through an orgasm without end. When the storm of pleasure eventually faded to a sweet throb, she flopped onto the bed and winced, hissing at the bite of pain in her ribs.

His hair tickled her belly as he kissed a path back up her body. Then his hands were beside her shoulders and he was hanging over her. He grinned. “Good morning.”

“That tongue of yours is an awesome alarm clock.” It surprised him when she rose up and kissed his lips. But she couldn’t withhold another wince at the stab of pain.

Kyle pushed back on his heels. His hands gently covered her ribs and concern replaced his amusement. “How bad do they hurt?”

“Some.”

“Don’t lie to me.”

“I definitely feel it, okay? It was worse last night than right after it happened.”