The Unwanted Wife (Unwanted #1)(66)

Theresa was aware of him getting up and following her to the crib. He stood directly behind her and watched over her shoulder as she put the infant to bed. Theresa was intensely aware of him and of the fact that all that stood between them and total nudity was her nightgown and his boxers.

“She has your nose,” he whispered into her ear and she jumped, surprised and disturbed to feel his hot breath on her skin.

“Do you think so?” she asked casually. “I can’t tell.”

“It’s an unmistakable nose…” His hand came to rest on her shoulder, and she tensed at the feeling of his warm hand on her bare skin. Her breathing went shallow. His hand swept down her shoulder in a gesture that couldn’t be mistaken for anything other than a caress and shackled her upper arm loosely. He brought his other hand up to grip her free arm in a similar fashion. He gently dragged her back until she was leaning against his hot, hard chest, and he released his grip with a rumble of satisfaction. His strong arms encircled her waist, and he held her as they both watched their sleeping baby.

The tension eventually left her body as she allowed herself to relax against him and tilt her head back to rest against his shoulder.

“Look at what we did,” he murmured into her ear, his low voice brimming with love and pride. “She’s perfect.” Theresa smiled at the awe she heard in his voice.

“It’s been said that any fool can make a baby,” she teased, and he snorted.

“Yeah, but have any of them made a baby as absolutely perfect as this one?”

Theresa looked down at the sleeping baby, with her wrinkled face and the slight milk rash that pinkened her cheeks and her patches of soft spiky hair. She looked like a wrinkly, grumpy little old lady…but she was their wrinkly, grumpy little old lady, and she was adorable.

“No…I don’t think any of them has,” she concurred smugly.

“Theresa…” His voice took on a serious tone and she tensed again. “I just…I wanted…” he seemed at a loss for words, and Theresa frowned, wondering if they would actually have that promised conversation. It had been more than a month since Lily’s birth, and they hadn’t yet discussed his claim that he’d hoped for a girl.

“Thank you,” he finally said, and she turned slightly to look up into his face, visibly surprised by his words.

“For what?” she asked.

“For giving me everything I never knew I wanted,” he said after a long pause. His voice was thick with emotion, and he met her eyes directly. His eyes were burning with intensity as he willed her to believe him.

“What have I given you, Sandro?” she asked, turning fully in his arms.

“A life.” The two words frustrated her because they told her nothing. She was about to ask him to elaborate, when more words came tumbling out. “Happiness, contentment, and a beautiful daughter.”

“And are happiness and contentment all you ever wanted from life?” she asked after giving his words some thought. He smiled.

“No. I want more than that. But it’s a good start.”

“What else do you want?” she asked.

“You,” he said without hesitation.

“You have me.”

“No, I don’t. Not the way you were before, back when we first married before I stupidly proceeded to trample your heart and ego into the ground.”

“I’ve changed since then, grown up. I won’t ever be the same woman I was back then.”

“Yes, you’ve changed—in so many wonderful ways—but you’ve also become more guarded. And I don’t blame you, I really don’t. But I want you to trust me again.”

“I do,” she whispered.

“No, I want you to trust me with your heart, Theresa. I want you to allow yourself to love me again. I won’t hurt you.”

“Why should I trust you that way again, Sandro?” she whispered, and he smiled before cupping her face and staring levelly into her eyes.

“Because I love you, Theresa.” The words staggered her. She should have expected them, should have known he would say them, but for some reason she hadn’t and now had no idea how to deal with them or how to process them, or worse, how to believe them.

He smiled bittersweetly.

“I know you don’t believe me yet,” he whispered. “But I’ll make it my life’s work to convince you.” He bent his head and kissed her gently, his lips moist, gentle, and sweet on hers. He raised his head much too quickly, and Theresa went up on her toes to prolong the contact.

“Sandro…” She didn’t know what to say, but he shook his head and smiled gently.


“It’s okay. I just wanted you to know.” He kissed her again, a little bit more urgently this time, and she could feel his erection straining against her stomach. It startled her because she hadn’t really felt him in so long. Her dormant hormones sprang to life in an instant, and she pushed closer to him, deliberately rubbing herself again his hard penis. He deepened the kiss, his tongue plunging into her mouth in clumsy desperation, and his lack of finesse made her even hungrier for him.

“The doctor gave me the all-clear for sex last week,” she reminded him, and he groaned at her urgent words.

“I didn’t tell you how I felt because I was trying to get you into bed.” His voice was thick with desire, and she smiled up into his flushed face.