Page 61 of Inferno

Stan stared at her, the edges of his mouth twitching in amused recognition of the warning she often gave the boys when they were sulking.

“Uh-oh,” Prissy intoned, running her fingertip over his soft, full lips. “Is that a smile trying to wiggle free?”

He eyed her silently for a long moment. Then, without warning, he rolled away and pulled her on top of him.

Prissy laughed, blowing her disheveled hair out of her eyes. “Thanks,” she teased. “Youweregetting kinda heavy.”

Stan’s answering smile was distracted as he settled back against the soft mound of pillows and regarded her from beneath his thick black lashes. Sensing a shift in his mood, Prissy waited for him to speak.

Several seconds passed.

“Would you tell me if you were unhappy being married to me?”

Caught off guard by the question, Prissy stared down at him. “Where’dthatcome from?”

He didn’t answer.

And then she understood. “Ohhh, I see. This is about what happened between Sterling and Celeste, isn’t it?”

Stan gazed at her. “We were eighteen years old when we got married, Pris. We were crazy in love, but we knew nothing about the real world—buying a house, paying bills, raising a family. We’d never been on our own before, and then eleven months after we got hitched, alongcameManny. You spent practically the first ten years of our marriage with child, or nursing a child.”

“And I don’t regret a single moment of that,” Prissy said earnestly. “I love each and every one of my precious babies. Ilovebeing the mother of your children, Stanton.”

His eyes probed hers. “You were one of the smartest kids at school, the class valedictorian. You could have gone to any college you wanted and become anything you wanted.”

Prissy smiled softly. “The last time I checked, having a family didn’t prevent me from earning a Ph.D. Andyouhelped make that possible by adjusting your schedule at work and taking care of the boys so that I could study and attend school.” She gazed wonderingly at Stan. “I couldn’t have accomplishedhalfof what I’ve accomplished without you by my side.”

As his expression softened, he caught her hand and brought it to his mouth, kissing her knuckles so tenderly that her throat constricted. “I love you,” he said huskily.

“I love you too, sweetheart,” Prissy whispered feelingly. “I could never regret marrying you. You’re the only man I’ve ever loved, the only man I’ve ever wanted. So you don’teverhave to worry about me walking out on you and our children. I’m not going anywhere.”

Sitting up, Stan cradled her cheek in his hand and kissed her—a deep, soul-shaking kiss that melted her from the inside out.

As they slowly drew apart, Prissy searched his glittering dark eyes. “Now it’s my turn to ask the question.”

“What question?”

She paused.“Wouldyoutell me if you were unhappy being married to me?”

“That’s not even a possibility,” he said quietly, unequivocally. “You’re the best thing that ever happened to me, Priscilla. I don’t know what I’d ever do without you in my life.”

Her heart soared. When he gazed at her like that and spoke with such love and devotion, her fears and misgivings dissolved. How could they not?

Leaning back against the pillows, Stan let his hands roam up her thighs, kneading and caressing her as he murmured, “What do you wanna do today, wife?”

Prissy smiled almost shyly.“Whatever you want.Doesn’t matter to me.”

“I thought we could have lunch at the Black Kettle,” he suggested, referencing the town’s only Native American restaurant, which had been named after a Cheyenne tribal chief who’d sacrificed his life to broker peace between Colorado’s white settlers and the Cheyenne people during the 1800s. The quaint, popular café was owned and operated by the family of one of Manning’s school friends.

“Mmm.”Prissy’s mouth watered at the thought of feasting on Indian fry bread stuffed with spicy chicken, black beans, cheese, red onions and salsa. “I’dloveto have lunch there, but I promised myself I’d be good this week. I need to be able to squeeze into my dress for Saturday’s ball.”

“You will.” Gently grasping her hips, Stan eased her over his shaft so he could rub the blunt head against the tender folds of her sex.

Prissy shivered at the delicious sensation. “I will?”

“Umm-hmm.And I’ll help you.”

She licked her lips.“How?”