Decadence by Karen Stivali Page B

steadied her with a firm arm along her back as she bucked hard against his
hand. His lips continued to work on her neck, soothing her as she drifted back
to earth. He eased his fingers from her swollen flesh and she instantly missed
his touch.
    “Ready for some waffles?” The sexy smirk on his face made
him look more handsome and devilish than she’d ever seen him. She was ready for
whatever he had to offer.
     
    Eric couldn’t keep the grin off his face as he watched
Jessica get the juice out of the fridge. Her legs were clearly still wobbly. He
returned to making waffles. The sugary toasty smell filled the air, tempting
but not enough to distract him from the demanding presence making itself known
beneath his jeans. He wanted this day to be about Jessica but he was already
looking forward to finishing breakfast so he could whisk her upstairs to finish
what they’d started. What he’d started. Round one of a day full of what he
hoped would be a whirlwind of fun.
    “Not that I’m complaining,” Jessica said, coming up behind
him and wrapping her arms around his waist. “But what brought all this on?”
    He leaned his head back and kissed her cheek, his lips
brushing against her hair. She had the sweet, sleepy scent she always had after
she came. God, she smells good. “I told you. I wanted a day to celebrate
you.”
    He placed a waffle on the cooling rack and poured more
batter onto the hot pan.
    Should I tell her or will she think it’s stupid?
    “What?” she asked, reading his mind as usual.
    “I saw an ad in one of your magazines, for the Spice Rack.”
    Her dark-brown eyes bugged. “Seriously? The ‘spice up your
love life’ jars?”
    “Yep. Ordered a set last week. Thought it might be fun.”
    “And it suggested waffles?”
    Eric chuckled. “Not exactly. There are three rows to choose
from. I opened a jar from the ‘sweet’ row and it said ‘Spend a decadent day
with your lover, indulging all your senses.’ Sounded like a good idea.”
    “Which sense is this? Taste or smell?”
    “The waffles are taste. But you smell fantastic.” He
burrowed his nose into her hair, breathing deeply.
    “Sweet talker.” She looked up at him through her thick, dark
lashes. Bedroom eyes. The thing that had drawn him to her the first time they’d
met.
    “You’re what’s sweet,” he said, going in for a kiss.
    This hiss of the waffle iron made him pull away, though it
was the last thing he wanted to do. Pulling her down onto the kitchen floor was
more what he had in mind, but he reminded himself to take it slow. They had all
day and he planned to use every second to its fullest potential.
    With a plate of waffles in each hand, he gave her another
quick peck then headed for the table. “Let’s eat.” We’ll need our strength
to make it through the rest of the day.

Chapter Two
     
    Just as they finished eating the phone rang. Jessica
groaned. “It’s my mother, I have to take it.”
    “I know. Go ahead.” Her mother had been recovering from a
hip fracture and a mild heart attack and he knew Jess was constantly worried
about her. He put away the leftovers and loaded the dishwasher as she spoke.
Her brow was furrowed, her shoulders tight. He hated seeing her so stressed. He
was placing the cube of detergent in the machine when she hung up.
    “Everything okay?” he asked.
    “Yeah, she just wanted to let me know the visiting nurse had
been there this morning. And she was complaining that the light bulb blew out
in her staircase again. I think I convinced her not to try to change it
herself.”
    Eric hit start and reached for her hand. “How about if you
call her later and tell her I’ll stop by over the weekend and take care of it?”
    “You don’t have to do that. I can call a handyman.”
    He tugged her closer. “I’m a very handy man.”
    Jessica pressed against him, reminding him that he’d been
hard through most of breakfast. “You are indeed. Very handy.”
    He slid his fingers beneath her