Saving Grace (Safe Havens) Read online

  Jake smiled down at her then turned to greet Adam as he came to join them, empty plate in hand. “Cake any good?”

  “Of course. She doesn’t know how to make anything that’s not.” Adam set his plate aside and stood at his wife’s side. “Need any help, darlin’?”

  The silver cake knife was set aside, and she reached for Beth. “What I need to do is to hold this little angel.” She cradled the baby in her arms.

  Jake picked up a plate, stuffed a forkful of cake in his mouth, and grinned. With a nod, he headed toward his wife.

  She stared down at Beth and smiled.

  The baby smiled back.

  Grace’s heart melted like butter in a hot pan. “You were right, Adam.”

  He arched an eyebrow. “About?”

  “Time. All we need is time.”

  Chapter Thirty-One

  Matthew kicked the door closed, letting contentment wash over him.

  He was home.

  His home.

  With his new wife.

  God was truly smiling on him this day.

  They hadn’t made love again—not since the fire—but he understood why Victoria had kept him at arms’ length. They’d known a moment of passion after a frightening experience, sharing their fear and relief, but he’d promised himself he wouldn’t take her to his bed again until he made her his wife. He loved and respected her too much. Yet even the lingering ache in his shoulder hadn’t dampened his desire for her.

  Now that she was his, he wanted to get her alone and show her his love.

  Her hand brushed his cheek.

  He turned his head to nip at her fingers. “You can put me down now.”

  “Why?”

  “Because I’m too heavy for you to keep holding.”

  “You’re light as a feather.”

  “Then take me to the bedroom and make love to me.”

  “Anything the lady wants.”

  Not that the bedroom was too far. The home only had two rooms—the larger serving as both a kitchen and parlor. But the house did have a nice private bedroom, and that was the only place he wanted to be this glorious night.

  As he carried her to the bed, she let her breath out on a rush. “Look at all this.”

  In the dim moonlight spilling through the window, the room appeared to be a haven for lovers. Flower petals had been lightly scattered over the bed, which had the covers turned back to reveal fluffy pillows with embroidered pillowcases.

  “Grace and Emily were here earlier today,” Matthew said. “Looks as though they were busy.”

  Anxious to be skin to skin with Victoria, he let her slide down his body until they stood toe to toe. He wanted to rip the pretty pink dress off her, toss her on the bed, and join their bodies. The only thing holding him back was knowing this was the beginning of their married life. He wanted it to be filled not only with passion but with love.

  She surprised him by reaching for his shirt before he could start unfastening the buttons on her bodice. Nimble fingers had his shirt unbuttoned faster than he could have managed, considering his hands trembled. He savored her cool palms slipping inside to stroke his chest and push the shirt off his shoulders.

  Her dress put up more of a fight, but he somehow found the patience to get those impossibly tiny buttons undone. His hands brushed her shoulders and breasts before he pushed the dress down her body until it settled in a pink cloud at her feet. Pulling her close, he kissed her long and deep.

  In the passion of their first coupling, he’d missed the seductive nature of undressing each other. That day, clothes that hadn’t been easy to remove were simply torn away. While that had been an incredible experience, one Matthew would always remember, he enjoyed the teasing, the nibbling kisses, the torture of waiting for the pleasure to come.

  Stepping back out of his embrace, she threw him an inviting smile as her fingers moved to the ribbons of her camisole, slowly dragging each open until the garment parted.

  His new wife wanted to drive him mad. That was the only explanation for the tantalizing way she was disrobing. While he could see the swell of her breasts, only a shadow of the nipples showed through the thin material. Instead of ripping the camisole from her as he wanted to, he decided to play along with her seductive games, admitting to himself how much pleasure he took from knowing she wanted to enflame him. If she would only glance down, she’d surely notice that he was more than ready to consummate their marriage.

  He covered her breast with his palms before sliding his fingers inside the garment to push it from her shoulders. When he leaned down to draw a nipple between his lips, her fingers dug into his shoulders and she arched forward. He fumbled with the drawstring on her petticoats until he could push them over her slim hips. As he shifted to feast on her other breast, he stripped her of her pantalets.

  She quickly kicked off her shoes and stockings while he toed off his boots.

  When she reached for the waistband of his pants, he gave thanks that the garment gave her little fight.

  They reached for each other at the same time, coming together in a tongue-dueling kiss as hands stroked and petted and worshipped. He swept her into his arms and laid her on the crisp sheets before sprawling on top of her.

  His knee parted her thighs, and he settled so his erection rubbed against her core. The dance of undressing had left him ready to bury himself deep inside her. “I want you so much.”

  Trim thighs wrapped around his hips. “I want you too.”

  Moist heat greeted him as he eased into her, making him groan in pleasure. A mewl rose from her throat as he slid deeper.

  He braced himself on his elbows to frame her face with his hands. “You’re mine, wife. Now and forever.”

  Victoria smiled up at him. “I’ve always been yours—from the first moment I saw you.” She squeezed his hips with her thighs. “Make love to me, husband.”

  Withdrawing slowly and then sinking back into her welcoming body, Matthew watched pleasure wash over her features. The rhythm grew faster as she lifted her hips to meet his thrusts. He became more demanding as the tension grew.

  With a cry of delight, her hips rose one last time as her back arched. His name spilled from her lips in a breathless moan.

  The feel of her tight heat clenching around him sent him hurtling to his own climax. He joined her in paradise, pressing his face to her neck and whispering his love.

  ***

  Adam closed the book since Grace had fallen asleep.

  She’d stretched out on the sofa, asking him to read Little Women to her after she and Daisy had finished preparing Daisy’s bedroom.

  When he glanced down, he saw brown eyes staring back at him. “Thought you’d fallen asleep.”

  “Not yet. I’m just not ready for this day to end.”

  He stroked her hair, playing with a few of the soft tresses. “It was a right fine day.”

  “I know Matthew and Victoria will be happy together.”

  A nod in reply as he let his finger lazily trace the delicate lines of her ear.

  “Thank you for bringing Daisy back.”

  “She’s always been like family, and I sure don’t want you to overdo.”

  Grace took his hand and led it to her gently rounding stomach. Then she grew still. As he started to caress her, she flattened his palm. “Wait.”

  He quirked an eyebrow and was about to ask what it was he should wait for when he felt the movement—weak as the flapping of a butterfly’s wings, but there nonetheless.

  His child was saying hello.

  Dear Lord, but he was a content man.

  A smile spread across her face. “You felt that?”

  He gave her hand a squeeze. “Thank you, Gracie.”

  “For?”

  “For bringing so much joy back into my life.”

  “Thank you, Adam.”

  “For?”

  “For giving me the first home I’ve ever known. For giving me back my son.” Her voice choked with emotion. “And for showin
g me what love truly is.”

  The End

  Author Biography:

  Sandy James lives in a quiet suburb of Indianapolis with her husband. She’s a high school social studies teacher who especially loves psychology and United States history. Since she and her husband own a small stable of harness racehorses, they often spend time together at the two Indiana racetracks.

  Sandy is published through Forever Yours, Carina Press, and BookStrand, as well as self-published. She has been an Amazon Bestseller and has won numerous awards, including a HOLT Medallion.

  Find her as “sandyjamesbooks” on Twitter, Facebook, and Pinterest.

  Email her at mailto:[email protected]

  Other Sandy James Books:

  Turning Thirty-Twelve

  Murphy’s Law (Damaged Heroes 1)

  Free Falling (Damaged Heroes 2)

  All the Right Reasons (Damaged Heroes 3)

  Faith of the Heart (Damaged Heroes 4)

  Twist of Fate (Damaged Heroes 5)

  Rules of the Game

  The Reluctant Amazon (Alliance of the Amazons 1)

  The Impetuous Amazon (Alliance of the Amazons 2)

  The Brazen Amazon (Alliance of the Amazons 3)

  The Volatile Amazon (Alliance of the Amazons 4)

  Saving Grace (Safe Havens 1)

  Runaway (Safe Havens 2)

  The Bottom Line (Ladies Who Lunch 1)

  Signed, Sealed, Delivered (Ladies Who Lunch 2)

  Table of Contents

  Chapter One

  Chapter Two

  Chapter Three

  Chapter Four

  Chapter Five

  Chapter Six

  Chapter Seven

  Chapter Eight

  Chapter Nine

  Chapter Ten

  Chapter Eleven

  Chapter Twelve

  Chapter Thirteen

  Chapter Fourteen

  Chapter Fifteen

  Chapter Sixteen

  Chapter Seventeen

  Chapter Eighteen

  Chapter Nineteen

  Chapter Twenty

  Chapter Twenty-One

  Chapter Twenty-Two

  Chapter Twenty-Three

  Chapter Twenty-Four

  Chapter Twenty-Five

  Chapter Twenty-Six

  Chapter Twenty-Seven

  Chapter Twenty-Eight

  Chapter Twenty-Nine

  Chapter Thirty

  Chapter Thirty-One