He Can Fall (She Can... #4.5)(3)

“It is.” Amanda smiled wide. “I don’t mind at all. I’m going to curl up in front of the fire and read all weekend. Too bad the spa isn’t open yet.”

“Don’t worry. I won’t be leaving you alone all weekend.” He glanced sideways. Every inch of his wife was more beautiful than when they had married ten years ago. “Testing the system is a half-day job at best. Plus, Glenn said his new chefs wanted to use us as guinea pigs. The resort is scheduled to open in just a few weeks.”

The weather report came over the radio. Amanda turned up the volume. “Ooh. It’s going to snow tonight.”

“Only six inches.” But it would be even colder up here in New York State than it was at home. He wanted to fly to the Bahamas for a long weekend, but that would have to wait for another time. Romantic getaways were few and far between. He’d take what he could get. Between the success of their home security system business and the girls’ ridiculously busy calendars, getting away alone with his wife was as complicated as conducting a mission behind enemy lines back when he’d been an army Ranger.

“Which isn’t enough to be a hassle and just enough to be romantic.”

“We hardly need any more romance. Just opportunity.” Sean was still head over ass in love with his wife, but if she wanted more romance, he’d give it to her. He squeezed her hand. “Just opportunity. And it snows in Westbury all the time.” They lived a couple hours south, in northeastern Pennsylvania.

“We don’t have a fireplace in our bedroom or two uninterrupted evenings back home.” Amanda picked at a fingernail. “Maybe we’ll have better luck with a little quiet time.”

Sean squeezed her hand. With their youngest off to first grade, Amanda had suffered an acute attack of baby fever. “You have a point, but we’ve only been trying for a couple of months.”

“It didn’t take a couple of months with either of the girls. I hope we didn’t wait too long. I’m not young anymore.”

“Thirty-five is hardly geriatric.” Sean brought her knuckles to his lips and kissed them again. “It’ll be OK. You need to relax about the whole thing. Another baby would be great, but if it doesn’t happen, we have two gorgeous girls. I am totally happy either way.”

“This whole trip is about relaxing.” She smiled. “Maybe the lack of stress will help.”

“Regardless, I’m going to enjoy having you to myself for a couple of days.” He loved his two little girls with all his heart, and he was thrilled his wife wanted to add another baby to the mix. But his house was always full of kids. Neighbors, friends, Brownies, cousins…Sometimes Sean felt like they were living in a day-care center instead of a house. Being a father was better than he’d ever imagined, but was it a sin to want a couple of days alone with his wife? He wasn’t complaining, but he was looking forward to sex that wasn’t of the hushed and hurried type. He had ideas that involved his naked wife, no interruptions, and plenty of time. “At least that ice storm is staying to the west.”

The SUV bounced down the driveway. The radio station switched to a news report. “A manhunt continues in Maine after four men robbed an Augusta liquor store, murdered the store manager, and took the twenty-two-year-old female clerk hostage just after eleven p.m. last night. A customer witnessed the suspects forcing the young woman into a silver Buick LeSabre at gunpoint. The vehicle was found abandoned ten miles north of the crime scene. It’s assumed the suspects had another vehicle waiting. Police are conducting roadblocks and vehicle stops across northern Maine, hoping to stop the men before they reach the Canadian border.” The newscaster described the suspects and noted that they were armed and dangerous.

“That poor girl.” Amanda frowned. “I would think the border patrol would catch them if they try to cross over.”

“It’s impossible to cover all that wilderness.” Sean slowed the SUV and steered around a deep rut in the lane. “Plus, it’s going to be tough to find them without a vehicle description.”

“It will, but that’s enough news.” Amanda switched off the radio. “No more communicating with the outside world. It’s too distracting.”

“You’re right.” Sean lifted his phone. “Look, no bars.”

Amanda grinned back at him. “I know. Isn’t it exciting?”

“The inn has wireless Internet,” he pointed out.

“Which you promised not to access unless it was an emergency.” Amanda gave him a bossy look that was really hot.

How fast could they get to their room?

“I did.” Sean pocketed his cell.

He drove around to the back of the inn and parked in the lot. His duffel bag fit under one arm. He hefted his wife’s wheeled suitcase. She chronically overpacked, her love of clothes a carryover from her former career as a model. “What did you pack in here? You know you’re not going to need much in the way of clothes.”

“That’s for me to know and you to find out,” she laughed. “There are a few items I thought you might like.” She climbed the wide wooden steps and cast a seductive look over her shoulder.

Nice.

Sean hurried to catch up. Tall and fit with long auburn hair that fell past her shoulders, Amanda looked like the woman-next-door. Her creamy complexion was prone to blushing, but he was happy to note there wasn’t anything bashful about her, not when it came to him.