Coming Home

Chapter 16

Chapter 16

She woke up to the warm feeling of having someone wrapped around her. Her eyes fluttered open, taking in the bright sunlight streaming through the window. She was content; happy even as she covered her mouth when a yawn slipped out. Her arm was draped over a warm, naked belly. Her face was wedged on a hard muscle that curled around her head protectively; her legs tangled with a hairy one. She wished she woke up like this every day with a man curled tight around her body.

A small smile lifted her lips when realization hit her. She was caged in a man's arms and her lips was a mere inch away from his n****e. Her eyes widened in shock when she was that her husband laid beside her, his stubbled cheek grazing her hair, fingers playing with the band of her panties. Could she have kicked her pants aside during the night?

Shocked, Venice jolted up in bed and stared down at her former boss. His hair was mussed, eyelids halfway open as he stared at her lazily. Five o' clock shadow covered his cheeks and chin, looking as gorgeous as ever. She became aware of her morning state touching her hair absentmindedly, then becoming aware of what a look she was producing. Before she could hop out of bed, he had an arm wrapped around her waist already, tugging her back into the warmth of his body.

"Where do you think you're going?" he asked huskily.

"I need to go, Max." She whispered.

"Go where?" he asked as his brows furrowed. "We're trapped in my house and we've got nowhere else to go."

She almost frowned at his response when everything that had happened the previous night came crashing down on her. They'd been bombed inside his apartment and had moved to one of his estates afterward, not wanting to risk another explosion again.

"I've forgotten that already," she said before shaking her head. She cast another glance at him and his arm before trying to get him off of her. "Let go, Max. I need a shower."

His dimple appeared. "Good idea. We can take a shower at the same time. The water line here is crap. They run out of water easily." Max would never buy a house with poor water supply so there was only one reason why he wanted to share a shower with her. To get into her pants.

"Stop it, Max."

"Stop what?" he asked after his hands fell around her waist again, playing with the strap of her panties.

She closed her eyes enjoying the way his hands soothed over her skin. "You don't even like me."

"Where is this coming from?"

She opened her eyes and placed her hand on top of his. "Two years ago you never saw me as anything but your assistant. You even married me so that you can inherit your share of the company and now you want to sleep with me? I don't think so."

"Sleep is an understatement, Venice."

She rolled my eyes. "Come on. Let me up. I've got a lot of things to do today."

"Like?" he insisted.

"Like doing the laundry, fixing your breakfast and you coming over to your parents' house."

That seemed to grab his attention as his hand stopped moving. "What do you mean come over to my parents' house? We're not going anywhere, Venice. It's too dangerous to go out there."

"I'm sure we won't get bombarded with bombs, will we?" She pushed his arm aside and stood by the end, arms crossed. "We have to meet them later in the afternoon, Max. They heard about the incident remember?"

He groaned as he ran his hands over his face. "I shouldn't have said anything last night."

Thirty minutes later, they were both showered and huddled around the table, eating their breakfast quietly. A few minutes later, Max broke the silence. "I have to go meet the police in an hour. Do you think you'll be all right here?"

She nodded. "Of course. You go and do whatever you need to do."

"I'll drop you off to my parents' house before I leave. I don't feel like you're safe alone." Venice didn't argue and merely finished eating. By the time he was ready to leave, she was already out the door and they were driving to his parents' house. Eunice was the one to get the door when they arrived.

"Hi!" the young woman greeted with a hug and kiss. "I didn't know you guys were coming."

"I'm surprised Mom and Dad haven't told you," Max teased before gesturing inside. "Are they home?"

She nodded and led them to the balcony where his parents awaited. Janine swamped with hugs and questions by the time they were all seated. Venice caught the confusion on Eunice's face before George spoke. "I'm glad you two are here. Your mom and I were worried sick after we found out about last night."

"Not too much to worry about, dad. We're safe and we've got everything under control." Max reassured. "I was actually on my way to meet with the police and hoping to leave my wife here for a couple of hours."

"Of course she can stay here," George shook with exasperation as if the idea of his own son asking for permission to leave his wife behind, ridiculed him. "You both are more than welcome to stay here. Anytime."

"Thanks, Dad." Max stood up and slid his hands into his pockets. "I should get going." He glanced at me. "You'll be all right here?"

I gave another nod and stood up on my toes, giving him a peck on the cheeks. My face went red the moment I had realized what I'd done. Max stared at me with those intense blue eyes that had me looking away, noticing the smirk on Eunice face while his parents' merely laughed.

"I'll see you later," he said with a promise before leaving.

"That was sweet," Janine observed as soon as the door slammed shut.

I smiled.

"You two seems to be in your honeymoon phase still. How long have you two been married?"

I counted the weeks and shockingly realized that it had been six months since we'd tied the knot.

"Six months," she replied gradually, unable to believe it herself.

"Wow," Eunice responded. "I didn't know it was that long ago."

"Time flies by quickly," she said.

***

Venice ended up spending the night at her in-law's house when Max failed to ring her back that night. She was worried sick, thinking something bad had happened to him. She slept in Max's room, curled into a ball as she fought back the rush of emotions. Tears pricked at the back of her eyes; sleep too far away for her to reach. She'd done an amazing job at keeping her emotions at bay; not wanting to show weakness in front of his family, she'd declined their dinner offer and went to bed instead. She'd called him numerous of times but he hadn't returned a single one.

So when she felt a warm body curl around her body, Venice jolted awake. "Max?" she whispered.

"Sleep," he said.

She reached for the lamp, turning on the lights to find her husband's arm slung around her waist. He was cold; goose bumps rising on her flesh from his chilled skin. She turned in his arms, meeting his eyes as his hold tightened around her.

"You're wearing my shirt," he breathed.

She blushed. She hadn't packed up any of her shirts and she hadn't wanted to sleep in jeans and her shirt. So his shirt was the last choice. "Sorry. I didn't bring any clothes with me."

"Don't be sorry," he growled softly before rolling on top of her.

"Max," she whispered when his hands gripped the hem of his shirt and pulled it off. Her breasts were bare; her n*****s pebbled from the cool air. Suddenly, she felt exposed. She covered her chest, feeling consciousness creep in as his eyes lingered on her body far longer than she'd liked.

"You're beautiful. Don't cover up." He pushed her hands aside, gently, as his head descended and captured one breast. She let out a soft moan; careful not to make much noise as his family were just down the hallway. His mouth was wicked, curling, lapping, and tasting her until her toes curled, her head spun and all she could think and feel was him.

He moved up until his kisses went to her neck; her head automatically turning to the side, unable to stop her hips from gyrating, from moving against his. "s**t, baby." Max whispered into her ear, "you're hotter than I ever imagined."

She pulled back and stared at him, unable to believe that this beautiful man was hers for as long as he was able to. She smiled and curled her arms around his neck, accepting the kiss he pressed on her mouth. Their tongues clashed, dueled and danced together. She ached in places that she never thought was possible. So when his hands traveled down to her hips, curled his fingers around the waistband of her panties, and tugged, she almost wept with relief.

She needed him. She needed to feel his hands all over her, to feel his naked body against hers. Without thinking, she tugged his shirt off and threw it on the floor, then his jeans came undone and they were finally joined; their limbs tangled, their mouths fused as he finally positioned himself and surged inside of her. Venice cried out but he muffled the sound with his mouth, moving into her with such strength, the body shook with each thrust. She reached for her release, crying out when it hit her, hugging him tightly to her. Max soon followed.

When their breathing evened out, Max pulled away as not to crush her. She felt the loss and immediately wished he hadn't pulled away quickly. She pulled the sheets over her when he came back from the bathroom, staring at her without a single expression in his face. She bit her lip. Did he regret being with her? She'd been innocent and he'd been the first man she had been with.

She was still skeptical when he came back to bed with her. She'd given him everything she had and hoped she wouldn't ended up regretting giving herself to him. He went back to bed and slid in next to her, pulling her into his arms that almost wiped away her worries.

"What happened today?" she asked after a comfortable moment.

He didn't say anything straight away, and when she started to think he wasn't going to answer at all, he said, "We found out who put the bomb inside the penthouse but the suspect refused to admit who told him to do it."

"Whoever is behind this wants us badly injured or killed," Venice voiced out. "It's best if we pass this onto the cops so they could settle it."

"I've already reported it to the police. I'm just waiting for them to call me back in case anything shows up."

She wanted to ask more of what had happened but he'd already closed off the subject. He curled tightly around her, fitting his body against hers and fell asleep. Even when his breathing had even out, she was still awake. She was physically exhausted but her mind wouldn't let her sleep. She couldn't stop thinking about the person who was behind this. Someone wanted them dead but who could it possibly be? She couldn't sit around and let him handle this alone.

"Go to sleep," Max ordered out a minute later when she still failed to go to sleep.

She chuckled and slid her fingers through his, feeling safe and protected in his arms. When sleep finally came, she embraced it with both arms, just as she embraced the reality of having her husband temporarily.