CHAPTER 28
“Ugh, make it stop,” Kian groaned when the alarm went off at 7am the next morning. He stuck a hand out of the covers and fumbled around on the bedside table, looking for the offending item before he realised that it was on the other side of the bed, next to Cate. “When the fuck did you buy an alarm clock?”
Cate quickly switched it off. “Sorry,” she murmured softly, running her fingers through his messed-up hair. She kissed his forehead. “Go back to sleep.”
She swung her legs out of bed and was about to get up when Kian wrapped his arms around her waist. “Where are you going, it’s still early?”
“I’ve got to go to work.” Cate still felt giddy saying those words. After talking to Liv, she’d given Nick a call on Monday morning. He’d asked her to come in for a quick chat that afternoon and she’d started working at the Book Tavern on the Tuesday morning.
“Work?” Kian grinned. “Yeah, right. Come here.”
“I can’t,” Cate said, although she could already feel her resolve weakening. She’d been so excited about the idea of having a job that she hadn’t thought about how difficult she was going to find it leaving her sexy husband naked in their bed each morning.
“What do you want to work for anyway?” Kian asked again. He lay back on the mattress, arms crossed behind his head, the duvet down around his hips. He wasn’t playing fair. He watched the blush spread across the tops of his wife’s breasts, the rosy peaks of her nipples pushing through her thin vest. Ugh, Cate quickly turned away. She knew if she started looking at that tanned, muscular chest, she’d never get out of bed. “It’s not like we need the money.”
Cate picked up a pillow and threw it at his head. “I told you – I can’t just sit here and do nothing all day, I’ll go crazy.”
“What am I going to do all afternoon?” Kian pouted when he realised his plan wasn’t working.
Cate poked her head around the bathroom door and grinned mischievously. “You could stay on after training; maybe practice your penalty taking?”
“Right,” Kian jumped out of bed and chased her back into the bathroom. Cate giggled as he caught up with her. “It was a friendly and I wasn’t the only one who missed.”
“Yeah, yeah,” Cate said, peering out of the bathroom window. “I’m just looking to see if the ball’s still in orbit.”
“Oh, you’re really asking for it now.” Kian picked her up and carried her back to the bedroom.
“Kian, I’ve got to go to work,” Cate mock complained.
“You might be a little late,” he said with a devilish smile on his face.
Later that morning, Cate was stacking shelves in one of the rooms upstairs at the Tavern when two hands covered her eyes. “Nick, I’ve told you before. We can’t do this, I’m married.”
Kian spun her around so she was facing him. “What the…? Has he tried something?”
Cate took his clenched fists and gently tried to unfurl them. “No,” she said, looking him in the eye. “I was joking, I knew it was you.”
“You did, did you?” Kian relaxed. He had that glint in his eye; taking a step forward, he pushed Cate back against the shelves.
He leaned forward, brushing his lips softly over hers. “What are you doing here?” Cate whispered, running her hands over his strong shoulders.
“I missed you.”
Kian stroked his fingers down her ribs, over her hips to her bottom. He cupped her ass cheeks, pressing her against the hard ridge of his erection. “Mm,” Cate gasped, feeling a flood of warmth between her legs.
With her mouth open, Kian slid his tongue inside, deepening their kiss. His hands worked to the front of her jeans. He quickly popped open the top button, exposing the top of her black boy shorts. Kian slid his fingers between the cotton and her warm, soft skin.
“Stop,” Cate came to, realising where they were. “We can’t do this, not here.” She reached down and removed his hand from inside her shorts.
“I need you,” Kian groaned. He took her hand and placed it against the front of his trousers.
“You had me last night,” Cate blushed.
“And twice this morning,” Kian smirked. “But it’s not enough.”
Suddenly, they heard somebody coming up the stairs. Cate pushed Kian behind the shelves, out of sight of the doorway and quickly buttoned up her jeans.
“Guess who’s just come in the Tavern?” Molly said, bouncing up and down with excitement. Molly also worked at the Tavern; she was studying English Lit at Manchester Met.
Cate shrugged her shoulders, “I don’t know.”
“Kian Warner.”
Cate couldn’t even look at Kian; she knew he’d have a big smirk on his face. “Huh,” she said, as if she wasn’t that impressed.
“Come on, Cate,” Molly chided. “He’s well fit. Have you seen the advert he did last year for Senta? You must have seen that – it’s in black and white; he’s wearing just a pair of jeans with the top button undone? Ooh.” Molly quickly fanned herself. “Come downstairs, I’ve got it stuck on the back of my locker.”
“He’s OK, I guess,” Cate returned to the stack of books, which still needed shelving. “Let me just finish up here.”
After Molly had gone back downstairs, Kian came out from behind the shelves. “I’m just OK, am I?”
He put his hands on Cate’s hips and pulled her back against him so she could feel his cock throbbing against her bottom. “If I remember correctly,” he whispered in her ear, his tongue playing with one of the studs. “You weren’t saying that last night or twice this morning.”
“Stop,” Cate protested, removing his hands from her hips. “I’ll admit you have your moments. But right now, you need to go. I’m working.”
Kian turned around, scanning the shelves. “What’s the name of that book you’re always reading?”
“Jane Eyre?”
“Have they got a copy here?”
“I think so,” Cate found a copy on the bookshelf underneath the window and handed it to Kian. “Why?”
“It’s important to you, I want to read it.”
Cate looked shocked, “you want to read Jane Eyre?”
“What’s so shocking about that?” Kian pretended to be offended. “I can read, you know?”
“I know,” Cate stammered. “I didn’t mean it like that. I’m just surprised.”
“It’ll give me something to do while I’m waiting for you,” Kian kissed the top of her head. “Well,” he looked down at his crotch, “something else to do.”
Cate blushed, “stop it.”
Kian was still laughing as he went downstairs to pay for the book. When Cate followed him downstairs a few minutes later, Molly quickly tugged her over to the staff lockers. “Look at that,” Molly hissed, “and tell me you’re not impressed.”
Cate felt insanely jealous, looking at the photo of her husband in just his jeans. This was the first time she’d ever felt jealousy and she didn’t like it; it felt like her blood had been poisoned with salt. There was a really big part of her that wanted to rip that photo down and tear it into tiny little pieces. Cate rubbed at her wedding ring, finding comfort in the weight of it on her finger. He’s yours. She reminded herself that although other women might look at photos of her husband’s muscled chest, she had the real thing. They could fantasise about that delicious v that disappeared inside his jeans; Cate knew what it was like to trace it with her tongue.
“Is it any good?” Kian asked Nick as Cate and Molly came out of the alcove.
“You’ll have to ask Cate; she’s the Bronte fan,” Nick grinned, beckoning them over.
Kian caught Nick looking at Cate and he didn’t like it.
Cate looked at Molly, watching her mentally undress her husband. She clenched her fists.
“What do you think?” Kian asked, bringing her attention back to him.
“I’m sorry,” Cate stumbled. “What do I think about what?”
“I was just asking if you wanted me to get anything special for dinner tonight?”
“I’m sorry, I guess I should have said before,” Kian snuck an arm around Cate’s waist. He enjoyed the look of jealousy in Nick’s eyes. “I’m Cate’s husband.”
Cate winced, looking over at Molly. She blushed bright red and disappeared into one of the side rooms.
“That was really mean,” Cate hissed at him. “You know she’s got a crush on you.”
Kian cut her off, pressing his lips against hers. He didn’t care that they were in the middle of the Tavern. “I also know,” he whispered in her ear, “that he’s got a crush on you. I’m just reminding him that you’re mine.”
Cate smacked his chest, “you’re such a caveman.”
“Do you get a lunch break?” Kian asked.
Cate looked at her watch, “in an hour.”
“I’ll pick up some lunch and meet you back here,” Kian said. “It can be our first lunch date.”
In the hour between Kian leaving and her lunch break, Cate tried really hard to avoid both Nick and Molly. She was still annoyed that Kian had made such a scene where she worked.
At 1 o’clock, Kian was waiting with a couple of carrier bags from M&S. “I thought we could go to the park,” he suggested.
Cate frowned, “I haven’t decided if I’m still talking to you.”
“They were going to find out anyway,” Kian nudged her.
Cate didn’t crack a smile. They sat under one of the large oak trees in the park. “What can I do to get you to talk to me?” Kian tried. “What about this?” He pulled out a tub of hummus. Cate’s mouth watered, ever since she’d found out she was pregnant; she’d been craving the stuff.
“My job’s important to me,” Cate said. “It’s not a game.”
Kian straightened up, “I’m sorry. What can I do?”
“You can eat this,” Cate grinned, taking a large spoonful of hummus.
“Bleurgh,” Kian turned his face away. “No way, that stuff’s disgusting.”
“Eat it,” Cate said, leaning over him. She circled the spoon near his mouth, “watch the little aeroplane.”
Kian lifted her up so she was straddling him. “Kian,” Cate struggled to free herself from his grasp. “We’re in a public park.”
Kian laughed, “you wriggling against me like that isn’t helping, angel.”
Cate stilled. “Eat this or no sex for two weeks.”
“Two weeks,” Kian spluttered. He looked again at the spoonful of hummus. “Two bloody weeks?”
He closed his eyes and opened his mouth, allowing Cate to feed him the hummus. “Ugh,” he swallowed, feeling the disgusting substance slither down the back of his throat.
“Happy now?” he asked Cate.
Cate grinned, “very.”
“Excuse me,” Cate turned around, there was a little boy stood just behind them. She quickly climbed off Kian’s lap. He was still semi-hard so he grabbed his jacket and covered his crotch. “You’re Kian Warner?”
“I am,” Kian smiled. Cate watched him curiously; she’d never seen his public smile before. She’d always just assumed that he was the same in public as he was in private but it was like he’d put a mask on.
“I’m really sorry to bother you,” the little boy looked awestruck, “but please could I have your autograph?”
“Sure,” Kian said. He reached in his pocket and quickly scrawled his name across the back of the till receipt. “Thank you,” the boy grinned widely. “Thank you so much.”
“One question,” Kian said, as the boy was about to go back to his Mum. “Do you like hummus?”
“No way,” the boy laughed. “Bleurgh.”
After they’d finished their lunch, Cate looked at her watch. “I’d better get back.”
“I’ll walk you,” Kian said.
“As long as you don’t follow me inside,” Cate said. “You’d probably try and hump me against the cash register.”
Kian’s eyes lit up, “now there’s a thought. I might keep that in my spank bank.”
“Ew,” Cate wrinkled up her nose, “don’t be gross.”
“I’m joking,” Kian laughed. “I love watching you blush. Besides, why would I use my hand when I’ve got you?”
“Aw, you say the most romantic things,” Cate teased.
When they got home, Cate went upstairs to take a quick shower while Kian started dinner.
“Hey, what are you making?” Cate asked as she came down the back stairs, which led into the kitchen. She’d changed into jeans and a t-shirt and rubbed at her damp hair with a towel.
Kian was studying the fridge. “Mm, trying to decide what to try next?”
Cate came up and put her arms around his waist. She loved his smell.
She peeked over his shoulder and realised the fridge door was closed. He was looking at the chart she’d made.
“Hey,” Cate protested. “I thought you were making dinner, I’m hungry.”
Kian smiled. “It’s in the oven. I was just thinking about dessert.”
“You’re insatiable,” Cate grinned.
“That’s because you…” he turned to face her, “are so goddamn sexy.”
Cate blushed, she still couldn’t get used to Kian talking about her like that. He kissed the top of her head.
“Do you want to eat in here?”
“Sure,” Cate said. She got the cutlery out of the drawer and set a couple of places for them at the kitchen counter.
“How was work?” Kian asked, handing Cate a glass of ice-cold lemonade. “I wasn’t trying to embarrass Molly, you know?”
“I know,” Cate hopped up on to one of the stools. She took a big gulp of lemonade. “You just wanted to stake your claim in front of Nick, in case this...” Cate held up her wedding ring. “And this…” she put a hand on her belly, “weren’t enough.”
Kian grabbed a bottle of beer from the fridge and popped open the cap. “I’m your husband, Cate; I’m allowed to get jealous.”
“Yeah, at least Yoakey hasn’t got a photo of me in just my undies pinned up on his locker,” Cate grumbled.
Kian grinned, “I’d fucking kill him if he had. Wait a second, are you jealous?”
“I’m your wife,” Cate said. “Of course I’m jealous; I hate that women are looking at you like that.”
“Angel,” Kian tilted her head back. “I fucking love it that you’re jealous. But you’ve got nothing to worry about. That photo isn’t the real me; it’s just a random guy in his jeans. You get the real me, only you.”
“Are you sure you’re OK with me missing the match on Saturday? I can always ask Nick if I can change shifts?”
“It’s fine,” Kian said. “Ben’s bringing Erin.”
After they’d finished eating, Cate washed the dishes while Kian dried and put them away. “So…” Cate asked as the last dish was put away. “What did you decide?”
Kian looked blank. “For dessert?” Cate prompted.
Kian’s eyes lit up. He reached for her hand and tugged her down the corridor towards his office, which was at the far end of the house.
“Wow,” Cate said, as he unlocked the door. She’d never been in this room before. The rest of the house was a football-free zone; the only photos he had on display were of their families. Cate had been meaning to ask him where he kept all his football stuff. There were floor to ceiling bookshelves on one of the walls, holding all of his memorabilia; the various trophies he’d won over the years. On the other walls, there were signed shirts in frames. Cate looked at the nearest one, which was a Portuguese shirt. “Is that…?” she asked, looking at the yellow number on the front.
“Yeah,” Kian shrugged. “That was the 1st time I started for England.”
Cate wondered what they were doing in here. “You don’t need to impress me, you know; I’m kind of a safe bet.”
Kian swept his arm across the polished desk, sending piles of paper fluttering to the floor. He lifted Cate up and sat her down in the middle of the now-empty desk. He sat in the high-backed leather chair in front of her.
Cate felt a shiver run down her spine at what he had planned for them. He slid forward between her parted legs and hooked his thumbs through the belt loops of her jeans, sliding her bottom to the edge of the desk.
“Take off your t-shirt,” Kian ordered.
Cate quickly pulled it up over her head and tossed it to the floor.
“And your bra.” Cate hesitated.
“What’s wrong, angel?” Kian asked gently, stroking her knees.
“It doesn’t feel right,” Cate looked at the football memorabilia. “I feel like a groupie.”
“You’re my wife.”
“I know,” Cate wished that she was still wearing her t-shirt, she felt vulnerable in just her bra. “If we ever split up…” Cate pressed a hand against her chest, even just thinking about it made her heart hurt. “I want you to know that I won’t take any money from you.”
“OK,” Kian chuckled.
He moved them so Cate was facing away from all of his football memorabilia and looking out on the back garden instead.
“I’m being serious, Kian,” Cate frowned. “I’ll sign whatever you need me to.”
Kian dragged Cate forward so she was straddling him, “I don’t need you to sign anything, angel.”
“But…” Cate tried to protest. After what his sister had said, it was important that Kian knew that she wasn’t with him because of his wealth and celebrity.
Kian brushed her hair over her shoulder and licked up her neck, “it doesn’t matter.” His voice rumbled seductively against her damp skin, “because we aren’t going to split up, angel.”
With a flick of his wrist, Kian removed her bra. “They are getting bigger,” he chuckled, palming her full breasts.
Cate winced, “they won’t always be this big, you know.”
Kian peppered the soft flesh at the tops of her breasts with kisses as he gently leaned her back on the cool desk. Her inky-black hair tumbled over the side. Kian reached for her hands and pinned them to the desk as he bent down and swiped his tongue over one swollen, throbbing nipple. “Mm,” Cate bit down on her lip, her hips shifting restlessly.
“Any more…” Kian did it again, “than a mouthful is a waste.”
“A mouthful?” Cate lifted her head, “don’t you mean a handful?”
“Oh,” she bucked as Kian blew across her damp nipples, making them feel unbearably tight.
“Definitely a mouthful, angel,” Kian bent his head and sucked on her tender breast, his tongue relentlessly pleasuring her aching nipple.
Cate wrapped her thighs tightly around his waist, dragging him closer. Crying out with relief, Cate felt the hard throb of his manhood just where she needed him, pressed between her legs.
Kian lifted up his head, “tell me what you want, angel?”
“You,” Cate wriggled, trying to press herself even harder against his jeans-clad cock.
Kian undid the top button of her jeans and gently slid down the zip. As he tugged her jeans down her thighs, he could see her panties were already stained with arousal. He pressed his thumb against the stain and Cate squeezed her thighs tightly around his wrist. “Don’t tease me,” she pleaded.
“I want to make sure you’re ready for me,” Kian chuckled, dragging her panties down her legs and tossing them to the floor. He nudged her legs apart and looked at the whorls of black hair framing her slick, pink flesh.
As he pushed a finger inside her silken warmth, Cate gripped him tightly. “I’m ready.”
Kian stripped off his clothes and stood between Cate’s parted legs, stroking his manhood.
He lifted up her slender legs and hooked them over his shoulders. Kian gripped her hips and slid her bottom to the edge of the desk. The swollen head of his cock nudged at her tight entrance. Her thighs trembled against him. Cate ran her fingers raggedly through her inky-black hair, her soft breasts swaying with each choppy breath. The sheer anticipation was driving her insane.
His fingers tightened almost painfully on her hips as he pulled back and then pushed forward, taking her fully in one hard, dizzying thrust. Cate cried out, arching up off the desk. He was so deep; she could feel him touching her stomach. Her intimate flesh struggled to accommodate his thick, throbbing girth. Kian watched the flush spread across her cheeks and down across her luscious breasts. He dragged his hands up to her ankles, her toes were tightly curled. As he stroked his hands up and down her slender legs, she began to relax.
When they were both close, Kian reached for her hands and stretched them above her head, pinning them to the desk. He felt the soft curve of her stomach against him. He knew she’d been reticent but it felt right to make love to his wife in this room, surrounded by his greatest achievements. As he surged into her again, her beaded nipples dragged down his chest. He heard the loud slurp of his cock as her pussy sucked him between her legs; the smack of his heavy balls against her bottom. Kian swelled with pride as she cried out his name, convulsing around him.
Afterwards, Kian pulled back and slumped down in the chair. He lifted Cate up off the desk and sat her on his lap. “You have no idea…” he said, struggling to catch his breath, “how many times I’ve wanted to do that with you.”
Cate snuggled against him, pressing her cheek against his damp chest. She loved these little moments after they’d made love, when it felt like it was just the two of them. Kian kissed the top of her head as he stroked her body, gently bringing her down from the dizzy heights of her orgasm. “Mm,” she closed her eyes, succumbing to sleep. She loved how Kian smelled after they’d made love; it was so raw and manly. The warmth of his naked body wrapped around her felt like she was snuggled under a duvet. Her heartbeat slowly returned to normal. She knew she’d be sore in the morning but right now, her body just felt deliciously spent.
“What will we do?” Cate asked, as she felt the tide of sleep slowly pull her away from the shore. “When we’ve christened every room in the house?”
“Buy a new one.”