Rainier Drive (Cedar Cove #6)(75)

As she hung up the receiver, she thought of something else. “I don’t have any form of birth control, either.”

His smile faded and an adoring look stole over his face. “I’d like to get you pregnant,” he said softly. “With your wide hips, you should have an easy birth.”

The man said the most outrageous things! “Fine. Then, you can go through labor.”

“I would if it was possible. I don’t think I could stand to see you suffer.”

Was it any wonder she loved him? “Okay, but there’s one little fact you should know. No child of mine’s going to have the smarts to be a chess champion.”

He accepted that without argument. “Good. I want my child to live a more normal life than I have.”

When they landed in Vegas nearly three hours later, they were ushered into another limo and driven down the Strip. Teri opened the sunroof and stood with her head and arms out, yelling to the crowds at the top of her lungs. “I’m getting married!” she screeched, waving madly and flashing her diamond.

A minister was waiting for them in the penthouse suite of a posh casino hotel. The room was filled with flowers, all white. Everything was ready. All Teri had to do was sign the paperwork and show her identification.

Then she and Bobby exchanged vows. James was the witness. Two minutes after the ceremony, they were alone. Bobby kissed her again. “Can I make love to you now?” he asked.

He was so sincere, so sweet. She nodded. “Please.”

Bobby led her into the bedroom, looking a bit self-conscious. He turned off the light.

All at once, Teri was nervous. She was no novice to bedroom antics. As one of her loser boyfriends had said, she’d been around the block more often than the mailman. While she wasn’t happy about her past, she wasn’t ashamed, either. But just then, she would’ve given everything she had in this world to have come to her husband a virgin.

Whatever fears and regrets she had faded the instant Bobby took her in his arms.

He was gentle, as she knew he would be, and generous and tender. For her, it might as well have been the first time because that was how he made her feel. Lying in his arms, she wept silently. He kissed her tears away and explored her body with his hands and lips, between the sweetest and most exquisite of kisses.

“I love you,” she whispered.

“Do you think I gave you a baby?” he asked.

“Hmm.” Teri considered his question. “I’m not sure. Maybe we should try again.”

Bobby laughed and she thought she’d never heard him sound this happy. That thrilled her, knowing she was capable of pleasing him.

In the wee hours, she woke to find Bobby leaning on one elbow staring down at her. With his index finger, he outlined the shape of her eyebrow. Teri smiled up at him.

“Can we…again?” he asked shyly.

Her smile widened, and she threw her arms around his neck, and let him know she had absolutely no objections.

They slept late, only to be awakened by James pounding on the door, announcing that Bobby was needed downstairs.

At the noise, Bobby leaped out of bed, glanced at the clock and searched frantically for his pants. “I’m late.”

“You have a match this morning?” For modesty’s sake, Teri pulled up the sheet to cover her naked br**sts. She dropped it. There was no reason to be shy with Bobby. Her husband had spent plenty of time holding, touching and kissing her br**sts the night before.

“I have a tournament here.” He jerked up his pants and scrabbled around for his socks and shoes.

“This morning?”

“Yes. At nine.” He found his shirt and buttoned it crookedly. She crawled across the bed and refastened it for him. “I don’t want to go. I’m sorry,” he told her.

“Me, too. My favorite time to make love is in the morning.”

His eyes widened. “Stay here,” he said, his voice husky. He cleared his throat and spoke again. “I’ll be back. Soon.”

“But…”

He pointed at her and at the bed, and stammered, “Please. Order breakfast, have a…have a shower, but…don’t leave this room.”

“I won’t,” she promised. “Is the match televised?”

“Yes.” He dragged in a deep breath.

“Come here,” she said, kneeling at the foot of the bed.

James knocked again but Bobby moved toward Teri. Wrapping her arms around her husband’s neck, she kissed him in a way that guaranteed his return. “That was for luck.”

Bobby’s breathing went shallow, and he backed out of the room.

Teri ordered coffee, which arrived when she’d finished her shower. She uncovered the television remote, and after flipping through various channels, found the station broadcasting the live chess match. The commentator was talking about Bobby, and Teri sat up in bed, sipping coffee, listening as the highlights of her husband’s illustrious career were described. Husband—oh, that word had a wonderful sound.

She watched as Bobby faced his opponent, a well-known Russian player, according to the commentator. Teri had never heard of him but that wasn’t saying much.

Twenty moves later, the game was over. The audience was stunned. When Bobby stood up to leave, the man who’d been commenting on the game tried to interview him. Shaking his head, Bobby walked directly past him. He simply marched out of the room. Five minutes later, Teri heard the door to their suite open.