Cranberry Point (Cedar Cove #4)(28)

Cecilia wasn't sure that applied to her situation. Ian was far more vocal about his feelings than Andrew had been, from the sound of it. Ian and Cecilia had worked hard on their communication skills and had learned to be more straightforward in expressing their needs and feelings.

Now this.

"What about that little outfit you bought from the Victoria's Secret catalog?" Cathy asked, lowering her voice to a whisper. "The one you sent him..."

Cecilia shrugged uncomfortably. "I haven't even put it on. Ian was in too much of a hurry the first night and then, well... he just hasn't been all that interested since."

Cathy laughed. "Oh, he's interested, all right, but he's also afraid. If he's in a bad temper.

"He is," Cecilia confirmed. She couldn't remember her husband ever being as moody as he'd been this last month.

"You know why, don't you," Cathy said, smiling now. "He's frustrated."

"There's no reason for him to be frustrated. I'm ready, willing and able," Cecilia muttered irritably.

"Then let him know that."

"You think?" She hated to feel this hopeful after being disappointed again and again.

Cathy smiled. "Why don't you give that sexy little outfit a try and find out for yourself?"

The question stayed with Cecilia as she drove home, the truck filled with groceries. Her husband was working in the garage attached to their duplex when she returned. He was messing around with an old motorcycle a friend had given him, the engine disassembled and various parts laid out on a tarp. Cecilia had forgotten they even had the thing. Wordlessly he helped her unload the groceries and then went back to whatever he was doing that involved so much of his concentration. She didn't disturb him.

At six, she called Ian inside for dinner. She'd made lasagna, one of his favorite dishes, and he praised her efforts. Cecilia glowed at his approval and waited until Ian was in bed reading before she took a long, hot shower. Heart pounding, she donned the sexy black outfit.

As well as she could, she checked her reflection in the bathroom mirror. With steam from her shower fogging up the view, it was hard to tell if she looked sexy. To be on the safe side, she liberally doused perfume on her wrists and behind both ears.

If her heart was beating hard earlier, it didn't compare with the frantic explosion going on inside her chest when she opened the bathroom door and posed there, one arm raised and resting against the doorframe.

Ian sat in bed reading. His bedside lamp cast a warm glow about the room. He seemed to be deeply involved in his novel and for a moment didn't pay her any heed. When he did happen to glance up to see her standing in the doorway, his mouth fell open.

Her husband stared at her long and hard. Seconds later the book fell out of his hands and toppled onto the carpet. He didn't bother to pick it up. "Cecilia?"

"Yes?" she whispered.

"What exactly are you doing?"

"What do you think?"

"This isn't amusing." He sat up straighter, sliding as far against the headboard as possible, as if he wanted to escape her. Yet at the same time, his gaze didn't waver from hers. His eyes seemed twice their normal size and that encouraged her.

Taking two steps toward her husband, she slowly removed the sheer black dressing gown. It took her a bit of time and she loved the way her husband swallowed convulsively as he watched.

"You like it?" She kept her voice low and sexy.

Ian didn't answer.

"I think you do," she purred seductively, unfastening the bra-style top—which revealed more than it concealed.

Ian groaned and closed his eyes. Knowing she was about to succeed she leaned over him and turned off the light. The instant she was close, he reached for her and pulled her down onto the bed.

Cecilia slipped her arms around his neck and their mouths joined in an urgent kiss. They were twisting against each other, unable to give enough or take enough. It was as though Ian had held back every bit of passion he felt for her until that moment. Their kisses grew even wilder, even fiercer. Cecilia relished his passion, which fed her own.

Moaning, she showed him in every way she knew how that she loved him and needed him and had desperately missed his touch. Ian lowered himself onto her and after the necessary adjustments to his clothing, entered her quickly. Cecilia was ready, more than ready. At their joining, they both cried out at the pure sensation, the overwhelming pleasure.

They fell asleep in each other's arms, sated and content. Once in the night, Ian woke her again and she turned willingly into his embrace. His need was as intense as it had been earlier. With their fingers locked together, he kissed Cecilia, then held her arms above her head as he sank into her. She whimpered at the beauty of their lovemaking, exulted in her husband and cried out when she reached her own fulfillment.

In the morning it was a different story. Cecilia woke to find Ian sitting on the edge of the bed with his back to her. "You did that on purpose," he said gruffly when he realized she was awake.

Cecilia sat up, clutching the sheet to her bare br**sts. "Yes." She wasn't going to lie to him.

"You seduced me."

"If you want to look at it like that. I wanted my husband to make love to me." She leaned over and caressed his back with her fingertips. "I've missed you, Ian."

He stood rather than endure her touch. "You want a baby and because I don't, you took matters into your own hands."