Seducing Simon(50)

His lips, his hands, moved over her like feathers, his soothing words a balm to her heated skin. He caught her against him as he found his own release. They lay there, wrapped tightly around each other, neither moving, neither breaking the moment.

She closed her eyes, holding back the tears of exquisite pleasure.

Everything she had ever dreamed of. Here in her arms. Her bed. Her heart. I love you.

For a moment she thought she spoke the words aloud, but Simon remained quiet against her, his hand idly stroking her hair. “I never imagined,” he said in wonder.

She had. Oh yes, she had.

“And yet it all seemed so familiar,” he continued on, his voice catching oddly.

She stiffened beside him, her heart pounding wildly.

He kissed her again and she relaxed, giving over to the demand of his lips. “Are you all right? Was I too rough?” he asked in concern as he cupped her stomach.

She smiled and kissed him, effectively silencing him. “If I was any righter, I’d die.”

He grinned wickedly at her. “If I didn’t know better, I’d say you enjoyed yourself.”

She pretended to give it considerable thought. “I may have to try it a few more times before I can give you a better opinion.” He laughed. “Minx. Before tonight’s over with, you’ll know without a doubt.”

Chapter Nineteen

Toni hummed under her breath as she puttered around the veterinarian office. She smiled a secret smile, her giddiness nearly overtaking her.

In the weeks following the night she and Simon had made love, their relationship had been nothing short of pure magic. They were together constantly, and they’d used every opportunity available to make sweet, passionate love.

Even now she melted in remembrance of his possessive kisses. He could love her. He truly could. She believed that now. She was confidant he saw her as more than little Toni Langston. She had actually gotten him to notice her.

She patted her swollen belly and grinned idiotically. At six months pregnant, she’d gained a healthy bulge, and she delighted in it. Simon’s baby.

She frowned slightly. She had to tell him. Yeah, she’d been saying that for a long time now, but she’d have to do it soon. A flutter of uncertainty engulfed her stomach sending it into spasms of nervousness.

The right time. She’d wait for the right time.

“Mornin’, Toni,” Marnie sang out as she rounded the corner into the front reception area.

Toni crooked a brow and smiled as the older woman all but danced to the desk. “Mornin’. What’s got you so chipper this morning?”

Marnie’s eyes twinkled in delight. “Are you still thinking to move out of your house?”

“Yeah. Matt’s getting married.”

“I know of a place that’s coming open in a week, but you’ll need to act fast and put a deposit down on it.”

Toni sucked in her breath. That was a lot sooner than she’d wanted, but she’d already done some preliminary looking, and the fact was, there wasn’t a whole lot to rent in Cypress. Beaumont was looking more and more like it was the only option available to her, and she didn’t want to move that far from everyone.

“Where is it?” she asked.

Marnie smiled again. “John’s moving out of his house, and he rents it from the widow Jameson. He’ll be out at the end of this week, and she plans to run an ad early next week. If you wanted though, you could run by and look at it, and if you liked it, you could talk to Ms. Jameson about renting it.”

“Wait a minute,” Toni said suspiciously, a broad smile beginning.

“Just why is John moving out of the house he’s rented for the last ten years?”

Marnie actually blushed. “Because he’s moving in with me.”

“Marnie you old devil!” Toni exclaimed. “How long have you two had a thing going anyway?”

“Oh awhile,” she said vaguely, her blush deepening. “How about it though, you interested? I could run you by the house. John wouldn’t mind you taking a look.”

Toni blew out her breath. It was a good opportunity and only a mile or so from her current house. She’d be close to work still and close to the guys. “I’ll run by and take a look after work if that’s okay,” she finally said.

“Sure. I’ll call John and tell him you’ll be over.”

“Thanks, Marnie. I appreciate it.”

As Toni bent back over the paperwork she was filing, she cursed under her breath. Simon was coming by after work and they were supposed to go eat. She’d just have to bring him along. His opinion might be worth having since sooner or later he’d have to look for a place to live as well. And maybe, just maybe… She wouldn’t count her chickens before they hatched.

“You ready to go?” Simon asked as he barged through the front entrance.

Toni looked up from the desk and smiled welcomingly. “Yeah. Let me grab my purse.”

As they walked out together, she turned casually to him. “Mind if we skip dinner tonight?”

He opened the door for her, and she slid into the truck. “Sure, but what’s up?”

She waited until he walked around to his side and climbed in behind the wheel. “I want to go look at a house that’s coming up for rent.” She held her breath, waiting for his reaction.