'Well, Mrs. Strade? " Lydia stretched languorously as a possessive, skilled hand stroked her dreamily out of sleep before it settled on one firm, full breast as its partner continued its erotic assault on her body.
"Fifteen years to go."
"What?" She opened drowsy eyes to find Wolf propped on one elbow as he surveyed her through those silver-blue eyes that she had once imagined were as cold as ice. There was fire beneath the ice, she knew that now, and she also knew it was just for her.
He moved slightly, pulling her more beneath him, and as she felt one hard-muscled leg on hers, the body-hair furry against her softness, her body responded as it always did.
"Only another fifteen years to go before you tell me if I'm to get my marching orders." The hard, chiselled face was tender and warm as he looked down into her sleep-flushed face, and the curling hair on his chest tickled her breasts as he bent to deposit a swift kiss on her mouth before resuming his original position. "Don't tell me you've forgotten this is our tenth wed- ding-anniversary?" he asked softly.
"Of course I haven't." Her indignation was lost under his mouth as it swooped down in hard passion now and took possession of hers, turning her bones to water as it did its devastating work on her senses.
"You're nice to wake up to, Mrs. Strade." He ran a _slow, satisfied finger over her curves, leaving a trail of fire in its wake.
"And nice to go to sleep with, and nice ' " Oh, you! “She flicked him laughingly on one muscled shoulder as she thought again how lucky she was to have this man for her own.
"And you adore me, don't you...?" He kissed her throat lingeringly.
"So I'll take my present now." He raised his head again and looked down into her flushed face, his eyes hot and the firm mouth she had thought so severe smiling with sensual anticipation. She shivered delightedly.
"Your present?" She arched provocatively beneath him, deliberately misunderstanding him.
"I might not have bought you a present."
"Oh, you have." He drew back the dark red sheet and feasted his eyes on her pale, slim body spread out to his gaze.
"And it's tasty, very tasty."
"Wolf..." She giggled as he eyed her wickedly, his mouth curving in the boyish grin that was so at odds with the hard, male face.
"What about the children? I have to ' " You don't have to do anything but please me. “The arrogance was intentional and satisfied.
"You know how Hannah enjoys the infants let her have her moment of fun with them before the day begins."
"But the protest was lost as he drew her against him, the feel of his magnificent body sending all lucid thought out of her head. It still amazed her, this passion that was a white-hot flame every time he touched her.
Playful, tender, fierce, lusty however he made love to her the result was the same, a total melting of her body _in a wave of overwhelming pleasure that left no room for anything else.
She wouldn't have believed a man's body could work such magic on her senses, but since that very first time, when he had possessed her so completely the rest of the world had shattered into a million pieces, the mere feel of him was enough to set her body tingling. He was a devastating lover. She opened her eyes now as his dark head bent to her breasts, their peaks already swollen and ripe in anticipation of his caress.
And an incredible father. James had been born five years after their marriage Wolf had insisted he wanted a few years to enjoy her and get to know
Hannah before they had children of their own with Edward following a year later and little Jane Carrie eighteen months after that.
He had never shown any partiality towards his own children at the cost of
Hannah, indeed he seemed to have a special relationship with Matthew's daughter that his own children couldn't touch. Hannah had healed his stark grief over his first daughter in a way Lydia could never have hoped to do, accepting Wolf totally from the first moment and showering him with childish love and affection, clearly delighted with her 'new daddy'. She was nearly fourteen now and breathtakingly lovely, and the other children adored their big sister as she did them.
"Wolf?" She raised his head upwards as she slid down the bed a little to meet his face.
"I have got a present for you, you know."
"As I expected, wench." He took the delay in their lovemaking with indulgent good humour, knowing she wouldn't be able to resist him for long.
_"I'm just not sure if you'll really like it." She was still holding his face, wedged as she was under his body, and he smiled slowly, his eyes slumberous.
"I'll like it." He moved his body slightly and she gasped with pleasure.
"Well?" He moved on to his elbows and looked down at her, his eyes narrowed.