The
door slammed shut and she was gone.
Sam
stared at the closed door for an extended moment, uncertain as to what he
should do to get Gwenyth to forgive and forget, or at least to forgive. He knew
she was right. He didn't even need to think about it to know it. Sam didn't
want a groupie for a wife. He wanted Gwen.
The
need to pound on something, to take out a little aggression, was foremost in
Sam's mind. It was either that or storm after his wife all the way to Candy's
apartment, which would only serve to set her further against him. Realizing the
wisdom behind allowing Gwenyth time away from him, he picked up the phone and
gave Brian a call, knowing his plane didn't leave for several more hours.
They
could go shoot some hoops or play a little tennis—anything. Anything was better
than sitting around the apartment feeling sorry for himself and worrying that
his wife was starting to believe she'd been better off single.
Gwenyth
and Candy spent an enjoyable afternoon together. They took in a movie at a Hyde
Park cinema, then lunched on salads and drank wine at an outdoor cafe across
the street.
Gwenyth
smiled nostalgically as she watched the late afternoon crowds meander the
streets of this small, trendy section of the city. At this time of day, the
majority of the throng consisted of businessmen and women wheeling and dealing
with potential clients at Happy Hour, and upper-class housewives pushing
fashionable strollers into the various local shops. It was a sight Gwenyth was
accustomed to, having grown up in this tiny enclave and lived here all of her
life.
Gwenyth
finished chewing on a crouton as she gestured with her wineglass toward Candy.
"So what's the deal with you and Brian?"
Candy's
face colored slightly as she blew out a bubble that made a smacking sound when
it popped. "There isn't one. Nothing has happened yet."
"Oh?"
Candy
sighed. "Brian's going back to Boston tonight. He gave me his phone number
and asked me to call him."
"And
will you?"
"I
don't know." Candy shrugged her shoulders. "I don't know if I'm ready
to have a man like Brian in my life yet."
Gwenyth
grinned. She batted her eyelashes mockingly. "Yes, I can see how it would
be difficult to accept the attentions of a handsome, virile man who just so
happens to be a millionaire jock. You're much better off asking out
Trevor."
Candy
smiled mischievously as she threw a lock of dark hair over her shoulder.
Another bubble popped in its wake. "You're in no position to give advice.
I seem to recall the words 'domineering jerk' and 'infuriatingly arrogant
Neanderthal' used in conjunction with Sam's name more than once this
afternoon."
Gwenyth
frowned into her wineglass as she sipped from her Merlot. "That's
different. Sam and I share a colorful past," she muttered defensively.
"True."
Gwenyth
sighed deeply. She had shown up at Candy's door and nagged her to spend the
afternoon together to take her mind off of her impossible husband, yet her
thoughts kept straying back to him. The man could behave like a big, dumb oaf
at times, but she still loved him desperately. There could never be another
love in her life that held a candle to Sam. Therefore, she could only hope that
her husband's recent primeval attitude did a complete 180—and soon—preferably
before
she checked into the insane asylum.
Determined
not to dwell on Sam while spending time with Candy, Gwenyth quickly changed the
subject from the topic of relationships altogether. They spent the next hour
sharing a bottle of wine and laughing uproariously with a group of tipsy
businessmen at the next table who were clearly doing their best to impress the
women.
When
a handsome corporate lawyer named Devin asked Gwenyth for her phone number, she
thanked him for flattering her, but held up her ring finger and grinned.
"As my Grandmama would say, this cow's been bought."
The
group of business associates laughed. Marc, a friendly accountant with
aspirations of opening up his own restaurant, gestured toward Gwenyth
animatedly. "That's right. I think I saw your picture in the paper. Aren't
you the woman who married Sam Trevianni from the New England Crusaders?"
Gwenyth
smiled sweetly, though the last thing she wanted was to be embroiled in yet
another conversation that revolved around her husband. "One in the same."
Devin
whistled through his pearly white teeth. "Damn. I never even stood a
chance."
The
group laughed again and this time Gwenyth joined them. The conversation turned
to other things after that, and before she and Candy were aware of it, another
half-hour had passed.
When
Gwenyth next glanced toward the street, her eyes zeroed in on the sight of Sam
alighting from his rental car and heading toward the group she was seated with.
Her stomach lurched, knotting up at the prospect of her husband committing a
big and embarrassing display of jealousy over her having shared wine with a
gaggle of men he wasn't acquainted with.
Sam
surprised her though. Rather than rudely pulling her to her feet and forcing
her to follow behind him as she was half expecting, he smiled engagingly at
Gwenyth, then leaned over to kiss her cheek. "Hi honey. Did you and Candy
have a good time?"
Her
eyes wide with disbelief at the sincerity in Sam's voice, she nodded her head
up and down emphatically. "Y-yes, thank-you. We had a great time."
Gwenyth smiled tremulously at her husband, then introduced him to the others at
the table.
For
the next forty-five minutes, Sam talked and laughed with Candy and the
businessmen. He even seemed to take a genuine liking toward Marc. And even
though half of the conversation revolved around sports talk, Gwen was delighted
with her husband's behavior. She simply couldn't get over how charming he was
being. He had even signed several autographs for the cafe's various patrons.
Stunned,
Gwenyth threw a look Candy's way to get her reaction. Her best friend smiled
back at her, a dreamy, romantic look that spoke volumes.
He's
trying
,
the smile said.
He
loves you
, the smile proclaimed. Meet
him
half way
, her eyes implored.
So
a few minutes later when Candy made her excuses and Sam asked Gwen if she was
ready to go home, she relented with a nod and stood up to leave. Gwenyth
thanked the gentlemen at the table for the bottle of wine and great
conversation, then laced her fingers through her husband's and walked toward
the rental car with him. Sam opened the Lexus' door for her, then closed it
gently after she slid in.
The
ride home was a quiet one, though it took only two minutes at best to get
there. Sam parked the car in front of their apartment, but rather than suggesting
they go inside when he shut off the ignition, he turned in his seat to face his
wife.
Sam
ran a bedraggled hand through his black hair with a sigh. "Listen Cupcake,
I want to apologize for the way I've been behavin' lately." He smiled with
an air of self-depreciation as he reached for Gwenyth's hand and clasped it
gently in his own. "I know I've been actin' as bad as you said and then
some. I've been jealous, demandin', overbearin', and downright rude, but I'm
here to tell you that I'm really workin' on it."
Sam
reached over and pulled Gwenyth onto his lap. It was a tight fit in the car,
but they managed. "I need you, baby. Don't ever think I'd rather have some
fawnin' fan for a wife than you."
Gwenyth
wrapped her arms around Sam's neck and smiled wistfully. "I love you, Sam
Trevianni."
Burning
sapphire eyes met sparkling jade ones as Sam searched his wife's gaze. He
wanted to say the words, almost felt as though he needed to give them to her,
but couldn't quite bring his lips to form the sounds yet. "Then kiss me,
Gwen Trevianni." His Southern lilt was gruff, his tone hoarse. "I
missed you so much today."
Gwenyth
turned her body all the way around in the seat to straddle Sam's lap. The car
horn let out a groan of protest when her backside accidentally brushed against
it. Sam laughed, patted her lovingly on the rear, then hit the latch to the
recliner and laid back. Gwenyth followed him, her pelvis grinding into her
husband's as she leaned forward to kiss him properly.
Their
lips came together in a sweet, agonizingly slow assault. They both needed this
tonight. Slow and sensual, as opposed to fast and wicked. Tender and loving, as
opposed to two animals rutting. They kissed for what could have been five
minutes or an eternity and neither of them would have noticed the difference.
Their mouths explored, enjoying the sweet, Merlot taste of each other's
tongues.
Sam
tugged at Gwenyth's top, indicating he wanted her to rid them of the barrier.
She sat up long enough to comply, pulling it over her head and throwing it into
the passenger's seat. Sam sucked in his breath. "Mmm baby, I've been
wantin' to see these all day long." He grabbed one heavy breast in each
hand, rubbing his thumbs over their crests. His eyes narrowed in a haze of
longing. "Put them in my mouth, Gwen."
A
jolt of liquid heat pooled in Gwenyth's belly. Not only were Sam's words
provocative, but there was something altogether sexy about sitting topless
before a fully clothed man. Highly aroused, she lowered her breasts toward
Sam's mouth, shivering as his tongue coiled around one taut nipple. He suckled
first one peak and then the other, long and leisurely, causing Gwenyth to gasp
and moan. She clutched the back of his head and shoved it more forcefully to
her chest. Sam reached for her jeans and unzipped them. "I want these
gone," he gritted out.
A
minute later, Gwenyth straddled her husband's lap fully naked. Groaning, Sam
tugged at her nipples, his need growing stronger. "Unzip my pants,"
he whispered thickly.
Gwenyth
complied immediately, her own need gaining momentum as she watched Sam's hard
length spring free of his jeans and jut out magnificently from its nest of
black curls. "Touch him," she heard Sam groan. His breathing was
choppy, the muscles in his arms and neck corded tightly.
Gwenyth
did. She touched and caressed his shaft with one hand, while her other hand
gently kneaded the sac below it. Sam sucked in his breath and placed his hands
behind his head, enjoying the feel of his wife's silky hands feathering over
and around him. He closed his eyes and groaned, then opened them to watch.
A
minute later, when the sensation became unbearable, Sam pulled Gwenyth's hands
away from his erection, not wanting to spill himself anywhere but inside of his
wife's body. Reaching around her to cradle her buttocks in his palms, he arched
his hips up meaningfully. "Put him inside of you, Gwen. I can't wait
anymore."
Sam
gritted his teeth as his wife's velvety wet opening lowered on to him, inch by
agonizing inch, until it was at last wrapped snugly around his erection. There
was no feeling quite as pleasurable in the whole world. And when Gwen began to
ride him, her succulent breasts bouncing in time with her thrusts, he could
have sworn he'd died and gone to someplace better than heaven.
The
sight of Gwen naked, writhing, and moaning on top of his all but fully clothed
form gave Sam a feeling of domination and heady power. He extended his thumb to
her clitoris, swirling it around and around the hard nub while he watched his
wife's nipples harden further and her breathing grow more and more labored.
"Yes," she moaned, "Oh God yes."
Gwenyth's
climax hit her hard. She closed her eyes and reveled in the primitive sensation
as she continued to ride up and down on Sam's thick cock. Sam grabbed her hips
with a growl, meeting her thrusts like a wild animal. "Faster, baby,"
he gritted out, his jaw clenching. "Give it to me."
Gwenyth
picked up the pace, riding up and down his impressive length harder and faster.
Sam threw his head back and groaned, and with one final thrust, spurt his hot
juices deep inside of her body.
Gwenyth
fell on top of Sam, sated and exhausted. She lay there replete, basking in the
feel of his hands wandering around her backside to cup and caress, knead and
rub. And five minutes later when his manhood lengthened while still inside of
her, Gwenyth felt desire stir to life again. She raised her head and grinned
wickedly down at her husband. "Is that for me?" she asked coyly.
Sam
grinned back, kneading her buttocks with his large fingers and callused palms.
"All of it, sweetheart," he rasped out.
"What
a thoughtful gift." To show her appreciation, Gwenyth leaned down and
kissed Sam soundly and suggestively on the lips. She sighed happily. To find a
lover as skilled as her husband would be a hard thing indeed.
Pun
intended.
The
next several weeks were some of the busiest Sam and Gwen would ever know in
their marriage. There were so many decisions to be had, so many things that
needed to be ironed out before the end of the year.
Harry
and Monique were set to leave for Washington the day after New Years. January
would also take Verlene and Gwenyth to southern France to catalogue the
"Touch Me" line, and of course, both of their husbands had decided to
accompany them. By the time the foursome returned to the States, Gwenyth and
Sam would have maybe a week or two at best before the Crusaders intense spring
training season began. Then the couple would head for Boston until the regular
baseball season's end.