Two weeks later

“Come back to bed,” Charlie growls.

I catch a glimpse of myself in the reflection of the plate glass window on Charlie’s bedroom wall. Our bedroom wall, now, I guess. It’s inky black outside, and New York twinkles beneath us.

I’m wearing one of Charlie’s white shirts. It drapes down past my thighs. I grab a black bowtie from the inside of a closet door that’s standing open, and loop it around my neck. I give it a twirl.

“What do you think?”

“I think,” Charlie’s throat thrums. “You look good. Damn good. But you know what?”

I bite my lip, and smile coyly at my lover. “What?”

“You look better in bed. Naked,” Charlie grins. “So get your sexy li’l ass over here: now.”

My phone buzzes on Charlie’s dressing table. I frown, and glance down. It’s blowing up. There must be at least half a dozen text messages and notifications, and more appearing every second.

“Penny…” Charlie groans. “Don’t leave me like this.”

“Just a second…” I mutter.

I pick up the phone, swipe it open, and my mouth drops – all in one. “Charlie,” I stammer. “Turn on the TV.” Excitement burns through me like wildfire.

“Are we making a sex tape?”

“I’m not kidding, Charlie,” I say, turning back to face him with fire in my eyes. “besides – that’s not how cameras work…”

Charlie winks at me, “You’re the expert…”

I grind my jaw together, but in truth, Charlie just makes me laugh. And if he asks, I probably would make a sex tape with him…

“Fine,” Charlie groans, reaching for the remote. “But –”

“Trust me,” I grin, walking back toward the bed. “You’re going to like what you see.”

Charlie punches a button on the wall, and the TV appears as if by magic from the foot of the bed. “Which channel?”

“News: it doesn’t matter which. It’ll be on all of them.” I say.

I jump into bed, and Charlie breaks his attention from what he’s doing for a second – just a second – to plant a kiss full on my lips. “I love you, you know that?” He mutters.

“Hurry up,” I say, winking at him, “because you’ll love me more in a second.”

“Not possible.”

A news jingle plays in the background as Charlie finally gets his act together, and he slumps back against the mattress.

“– Nightly news: bringing you stories from around the nation. Tonight’s breaking news –”

“No shit,” Charlie says. “It’s really happening.”

He sounds breathless with excitement.

I crawl up the bed and curl up next to my husband and lover. He’s entranced by the pictures flickering on the TV screen, but even so, he spares me a hungry look.

“We bring you this footage, live from Wincorp’s headquarters right here in New York City, where just minutes ago, CEO Landon Winchester was led off in handcuffs by the FBI. As you know, Katy, after the news broke last week of Mr. Winchester’s involvement in corruption at the highest levels of both state and city government, a veritable tidal wave of allegations against both Mr. Winchester and his company have come to light.”

“Thanks, Mike. Is there any news on possible charges?”

“That’s a great question, Katy. Nothing from the prosecutor’s office yet, but we’re expecting announcement on charges regarding at least a dozen crimes, and a minimum of a decade jail time.”

Charlie kills the TV.

“Hey!” I yell, slapping his belly lightly with dismay. “I was about to get the popcorn.”

“I’ve seen enough,” he says, his voice burbling with gruff delight.

It’s a sound that always brings joy to my heart, and a whole different feeling between my legs… I swear, it’s a miracle this man hasn’t left a trail of babies around New York City. He’s got a voice that could charm the pants off a pack of nuns.

Hell, maybe he has.

I really, really don’t want to know.

“So,” Charlie says. He rolls over, and rests his head on his elbow. “What now?”

“What about Thorne Enterprises?” I ask, still slightly anxious. “Are you in the clear?”

Charlie doesn’t answer at first. He leans over and grabs his phone. I hear a couple of clicks, and then he sets it down. “Pick a number between one and a hundred.”

“Mmmm – thirty.” I say, my forehead furrowed with confusion.

“Higher.”

“Fifty.”

“Higher.”

“Seventy.”

“Close enough,” Charlie grins. He leans over and grazes my lips with a kiss; “Seventy-two. Wincorp’s stock is down 72% since last week. It is down 30% today alone. Trust me; his merger attempt is dead and buried. Plus, you know what?”

“What?” I smile, feeling a huge sense of relief wash over me.

I hadn’t realized exactly how nervous I still was about what might happen with Landon Winchester. Knowing he’s going to jail smashes down the last brick in my prison of nerves. Charlie, Tilly and I are all safe.

“I’ll instruct Harper to file the papers tomorrow morning. Thorne Enterprises is going in for the kill. You know what reverse takeover rhymes with?”

I reach up and catch Charlie’s bottom lip between my teeth, dragging him down. “I don’t care,” I growl.

“That works too, I guess,” he moans.

Charlie’s lips meet mine with gentle, tender, yet loving intensity. The kiss might last seconds, or else it might last hours. I have no way of knowing. I close my eyes and give into the pleasure of Charlie’s lips nibbling mine –

– Of his fingernails raking up my naked thighs.

Of my neck tipping back as Charlie lays a trail of kisses down my burning skin.

Of his fingers unbuttoning my – his – white shirt.

Of goose bumps breaking out on my skin.

I cry out with pleasure as Charlie rakes his 5 o’clock shadow down my chest, between my breasts, gently teasing my stomach. It’s a slow, delicious, glorious sensation that’s somewhere between pain and pleasure.

But I can’t take it. Not this time.

“Take me, Charlie,” I moan. “I need you inside me; now.”

Charlie’s throat growls with approval. I close my eyes and let the sound wash over my body. I don’t know how to describe it – it’s the sound of being completely, utterly desired. Right now there’s no one, and nothing else on Charlie’s mind than me.

And that’s just the way I like it.

The way I like him –

– Mine.

Forever.

And then I hear a series of fast pops as Charlie rips the last few buttons on his three hundred dollar shirt open. The pearl buttons rain down on the bed around me: on my stomach, everywhere.

I’m not wearing underwear. I’m wet and ready, so ready for him that I feel a spark burning between my legs. Charlie pushes them aside roughly.

“Open your eyes,” he says.

I do exactly as my husband orders. There’s something indescribably exciting about being told what to do in bed. I never thought I was that kind of girl, but the truth is; I am. I dream of Charlie spanking my panties, of him –

“Look at me,” he says, his voice soft, yet with a hint of menace.

I do.

I watch as Charlie tugs off his T-shirt, as he throws it on to the floor and reveals his perfect muscular chest, and his ridged, washboard abs. I drink his body in, marveling that I’ve managed to fall in love with a man like this – and in turn he couldn’t help but fall in love with me, or so he says.

I watch as the fire burn in Charlie’s icy gray eyes. They warm up – but only for me. That’s a power in itself.

I watch as he knocks my knees inside.

I watch as he enters me.

And then I’m not watching anymore. The pleasure builds, it’s too much, and I tip my head back, biting my lip so I don’t come right here and now.

“I fucking love you, Penny,” Charlie growls as he pushes himself to the hilt.

I whimper with pleasure; “Me too.”

For the extended WEDDING VOW epilogue, and a kinky DELETED scene go to the Table of Contents!