when she realized where she had spent the night.
Gratifyingly, she turned to him with a sleepy smile that showed no remorse.
“Good morning, handsome.”
“Good morning yourself, beautiful.” He stroked her hair and drew her close for the
first kiss of the day. He blocked out the voice in his head that said it may also be the last
kiss of the day if she took his news badly. He gave her a deep, wet, sexual kiss that said
all the things he wasn‟t sure if he should reveal to her yet. I want you. I need you. I’m
sorry.
“Mmmm, now that‟s quite a way to wake up.” He pulled her head down to his
shoulder and snuggled her close, content to be silent and hold her for a little while in
anticipation of the storm to come. If she was going to leave this morning then he
wanted at least this to remember. He wanted to stretch out this time as far as possible.
He was about to suggest breakfast when she yawned deeply. He raised an eyebrow.
“Still tired?”
She gave a sleepy nod and Grant realized for the first time that as beautiful as she
looked to him, she also looked absolutely beat. Her eyes were red and delicate gray
shadows lined them. He didn‟t realize that they had been awake that late. “I‟m sorry I
kept you up all night.”
Celeste waved a hand. “Oh, you didn‟t.”
75
Sexting the Limits
Grant began to tickle her. “What was that? I think it was an insult to my manly
prowess.”
She giggled and tried to squirm away from him, causing some interesting reactions
below the beltline for him. “Stop, stop! I give up. You were wonderful. A king among
men. The very best of lovers.”
He gave her bottom a smack and then settled her where he could see her face. “Oh
yeah? Well, then right back at you.”
Celeste smiled at him and it took his breath away. He cleared his throat trying to
get back on track. “So if my awesome skills didn‟t wear you out, what did?”
Her smile dimmed and she looked away. “I‟ve had a long week. Not much sleep
and then I couldn‟t sleep last night.”
Grant tenderly cupped her face with his big hand. “You should have woken me up,
babe.”
“I had a lot to think about. You didn‟t need to be awake for that.”
Grant searched her eyes and realized that it was time to put up or shut up. If she
was lying awake nights fantasizing about her mystery lover minutes after he had
fucked her silly then he really had no chance. And if she was going to get angry and
leave, it was better that she do it now rather than waiting until he was all the way head
over heels in love with her.
“Celeste, there‟s something I need to tell you.”
She raised her eyebrows and waited, her face impassive.
“I don‟t know how to say this, so I‟m just going to come out with it. I‟m—”
“You‟re married, aren‟t you?”
Celeste surprised him with her accusation. “What? No! How could you think that?”
“You have six months left to live?”
Grant pinned her with an unamused look. “No, you‟re going to be stuck with me
for a long while.”
76
Remy Richard
Celeste looked startled herself at that one, but not unhappy, if he didn‟t miss his
guess. “You‟re an ax murderer?”
“Now you‟re being ridiculous.”
“You‟re not a legal citizen and you need a green-card marriage?”
Tired of her guessing games, Grant settled his hands on her shoulders and forced
her to look him in the eye. “I‟m your mystery man.”
Finally silent, Celeste searched his face for a few seconds and then breathed deeply.
Grant braced himself for yelling.
“I know.”
Grant cocked his head at her. “You…know?”
Celeste nodded, a small smile breaking free. “Yes. I figured it out last night.”
“When last night?”
She began to pull back slightly. “At the restaurant.”
“Are you kidding? I tried, like, a hundred times to tell you last night and you kept
distracting me!”
“I know that too. I was doing it on purpose.” She at least had
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