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  “Yes.”

  Smiling wider than she’d ever seen, he lifted her and spun in a circle. Their laughter blended together until she began to dot his face with tiny kisses. He set her back on the floor and enfolded her in a snug embrace.

  “So, you’re not going to string me along? Make me suffer a bit before you answer?”

  Annie tilted her head back to meet his gaze. “Heavens, no. We’re too old to play those games, aren’t we?”

  “I don’t know about the old part, but I know I’ve wasted too much time already.” He bent and nibbled the side of her neck.

  It felt so good, Annie found it difficult to speak. “Al?”

  “Mmm?” He continued his playful ministrations and she angled her head to expose more skin for his exploration.

  “Are you going to make love to me, or do I have to wait until after the wedding?”

  His head popped up and a grin spread across his face. He locked his hands behind the small of her back. “Annie, if it’s all the same to you, I’d rather not waste one more minute of our lives waiting for anything.”

  Amen. “I couldn’t agree more.” She loosened his arms and took his hand, pulling him toward the bedroom. Perhaps there was time for a tiny bit of teasing on the way.

  “Are you sure marrying me isn’t just a ploy to get me to come back to work for you?”

  As they entered the bedroom, he took hold of her waist and dragged her against him. His arousal pressed against the small of her back as he leaned forward to kiss her neck below her ear.

  “Why would I want you back at the school when I’m planning to retire next month?” His warm breath on her skin felt so arousing it took a second for his words to sink into her lust-addled brain.

  She spun to face him. “Next month! When did you decide that?”

  “A couple minutes ago, when you decided to make me the happiest man on earth.”

  Again, no one could make Al retire unless he wanted to, but she’d hate for him to regret the decision later on.

  “But you love your job.”

  “Correction. I used to love my job. But things have changed so much in the last few years, I’d be perfectly happy to let someone else take over.” Al widened his stance and pulled her into the vee of his legs. “The only thing,” he kissed her forehead, “I’ve loved,” he kissed her temple, “for a very long time,” he lightly touched his lips to hers, “is you.”

  She couldn’t help it. Tears welled up in her eyes. For the first time, this big, brusque, bossy, man’s man was saying all the things she’d dreamed of hearing.

  “Hey now, I didn’t mean to upset you.”

  “You haven’t,” she sniffed. “You’ve made me so happy I just can’t hold it all inside.” She hugged him, burrowing against his chest.

  His arms tightened around her and he spoke into her hair. “There’s no need to hold anything inside. Ever.”

  Her heart felt ready to burst. “I love you.”

  “I love you, too, Annie. And I always will.” He stroked her back, but then the mood changed as his hands went lower to palm her bottom.

  She lifted her chin and met his mouth in a kiss so full of desire she might forego breathing, so their lips would never have to part. The feel of his arousal against her belly burned a trail of fire from Annie’s core throughout her body. A deep growl rumbled out of him, as she tugged his t-shirt shirt from the back of his trousers and skimmed her hands up the firm surface of his back.

  Al had always made use of the weight room at the school so there were no spare tires on this physique. Al kissed a burning trail down the side of her neck. As she leaned her head, Annie worried about the faint stretch marks on her belly. Although she probably weighed close to what she did before Josh was born, nursing a child and gravity had done a number on her breasts. And her butt would never be the same. But her dismay dissipated as his determined squeezing communicated his satisfaction. Too soon he straightened.

  “Come here.” He backed up to sit on the edge of the bed and pulled her between his parted thighs. His big hands were gentle as they pushed her sweater off her shoulders and tossed it on the steamer trunk. Their gazes met as he began to inch her t-shirt up her sides. His progress was excruciatingly slow. Annie bit her bottom lip to keep from crying out in frustration. Finally he slipped it over her head.

  “Oh, no,” she said, halting his fingers as they toyed with the button at her waist. “Your turn.” She grabbed the bottom of his sweatshirt and t-shirt, thankful he was amenable. He was so big his cooperation was a necessity. Together they yanked them over his head, their gazes parting only when cloth momentarily covered his face. She leaned forward for another kiss, even as her hands slid over his shoulders and across the breadth of his upper back. Their tongues mated; her brain fogged.

  It had been so long since she’d felt this way her legs betrayed her first, leaving her wobbly as a newborn colt. Al’s hands tightened around her, supporting her weight against his bare chest. He was strong, hard, and her ideal for what a man should be. Totally male to her female.

  This time she broke the kiss, pulling back enough to reach behind her back to unhook her bra. His pupils dilated as she pulled her arms through the straps and dropped the unimaginative white demi-bra on the floor. His gaze fixed on her breasts, as she boldly offered them for his pleasure.

  “Jesus, Annie. Are you trying to put me into cardiac arrest?” His smile was short-lived as he pulled her forward and took one puckered nipple into his mouth.

  Omigod, yes! She held the back of his head, sifting her fingers through his lovely, thick hair. As he licked and suckled her breast, shock waves rippled down her belly straight to her womb. Delicious tension coiled inside her. An urgency of impending orgasm came about so rapidly, it was too late for her to even want to fight it.

  “Al!” She stiffened, helpless to do anything but rock back and forth in his muscular arms as he suckled harder. Her moans of pleasure rose higher and higher in pitch until she sighed and crumpled in utter satisfaction. He swung her around to lie on the bed, propping himself up on one elbow to smile down at her. She felt limp as a well-loved rag doll. And happy.

  “Wow.” His smile broadcast that he’d enjoyed himself, too. She chuckled at his simplistic response.

  “I agree. That felt amazing, even though it was over way too fast.”

  He stood and unzipped his trousers.

  “Over? Annie, honey, I’m just getting started.”

  He broke their visual connection to shuck the rest of his clothes.

  “Promise?” She watched his rapid striptease.

  “Ab-so-lutely.” Although he wouldn’t have thought less of her for taking a lover since Jack’s death, the speed of her release made him suspect she hadn’t. Selfishness made him damned glad. Ego made him proud.

  When he was finally naked, she reached out to touch his straining arousal, but he grasped her hands and pulled her to her feet.

  “First things first. Let’s get you naked. I don’t want anything in our way.” He slowly peeled away the rest of her clothes, the leisurely pace he took almost driving him out of his mind. But he wanted to give her a bit of time to recover, wanted her with him when he climaxed inside her.

  She was beautiful. Ivory-skinned, silky soft and smiling in a way that turned this athletic department hard-ass into a pile of jelly.

  He swiped back the covers and pulled her onto the bed to lie next to him. “I love you.”

  “I love you, too.” She shivered as his fingers brushed over the hair at her mound. Near insane with desire, he covered her mouth with his and palmed her breast. Obviously, her breasts were incredibly sensitive and she squirmed when he lightly pinched her nipple. Her hands moved to explore the expanse of his chest. Having her soft fingers on him felt mind-blowing. Oh, he’d had his share of bed partners over the years. What healthy single man his age hadn’t? But no woman had made him want to howl at the moon by simply ruffling the hair on his chest.

  As he massaged her
other breast, her hand glided down his abdomen, blazing a trail of fire along the way. When her delicate fingers encircled his aching penis, a torrent of joy and pleasure flooded both his body and his soul. The unprecedented phenomenon brought him swiftly, and embarrassingly, close to climax. You’d think he was an untried teen rather than a fifty-five year old man. Well, it couldn’t be helped. He promised himself next time he’d linger over her like a snifter of fine brandy.

  Determined to take her with him, he poured himself into their kiss. Al rolled Annie onto her back and positioned himself between her thighs. He was millimeters away from pressing inside her when long-standing habit broke through the storm cloud of his arousal.

  Protection. How could he have forgotten? Annie was probably still young enough to get pregnant. Although they were getting married, he wouldn’t make the decision to not use protection without serious discussion. But he was so close, and being with her felt so right it took every bit of willpower he had to pull back. His chest heaved as he choked out the word.

  “Condom.”

  “There’s no need.”

  Thank you, God. He’d ask her why later, but for now he really didn’t give a shit about explanations. He thrust and echoed her moan of pleasure. Then he leaned down to take her mouth, holding back much of his weight with his forearms. Her hands trailed along his flanks, sometimes scoring lightly with her short nails and sometimes gripping with the fleshy tips of her fingers.

  He exhaled, shuddering. She sheathed him so damned tightly. He couldn’t remember anything ever feeling this good. He felt the rush of oncoming orgasm approaching. It felt so damned fantastic, he surrendered to it. Al raised his face to the ceiling. He straightened his arms. One, two more thrusts. Tight. Hell. Yes. He froze, roaring in ecstasy. Annie’s cries of pleasure joined his as he came inside her. Then he leaned over to plunder her mouth, as his release went on and on.

  Later, he flipped onto the mattress and scooped her up into his arms. How stupid can a man be? What kind of lame-brain didn’t know he was in love? Because he’d been in love with Annie for years.

  Annie had the best night’s sleep she’d had in months, and it had everything to do with being wrapped in Al’s arms. Well, three orgasms hadn’t hurt, either. She’d been downright shameless, and it had felt wonderful. She’d never slept naked all night, let alone been so sexually aggressive. I guess that impetuous streak isn’t over yet.

  Tilting her chin up to study his face. The crease between his brows was less evident, and his lips appeared fuller. She’d never seen him looking so relaxed. She was as good for him as he was for her. Intending to start coffee, she pushed herself up to lightly kiss his brow, but when she tried to get out of the bed, strong arms pulled her back against his chest.

  Mmmm. His hands massaged her breasts as she wiggled her backside against his groin. His penis reacted as she’d hoped.

  “Good God, woman, you make me feel like I’m nineteen again.” Still palming both breasts, he kissed her bare shoulder.

  “That’s a good thing, isn’t it?” She tilted her head in a silent invitation to worship her neck with his tongue and lips.

  “You bet,” he said between kisses. “As long as you’re satisfied with me being an old man on the outside.”

  She giggled and further teased his erection with her backside.

  “After last night, I can safely say I’m one hundred percent satisfied.” He hugged her tighter; his steady heartbeat comforting. She had never felt as cherished as in Al’s strong arms. Annie snuggled in, no longer concerned about starting breakfast. This was all she needed.

  “Glad to hear it, because you’re stuck with this old man.”

  Annie closed her eyes, content to never move again. “I think I can handle that...for the next fifty years or so.”

  THE END

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