Page 13 of Miracles and Marriage (Making a Family #5)

It was unexpected. It was glorious. It was as if she had never been kissed before.

Her toes curled, her knees threatened to give way.

His arms held her pressed against him. She could feel every muscle in that solid chest. But her mind could accept little beyond the pure pleasure of his mouth, his lips moving against hers, his tongue pressing her lips.

When he deepened the kiss, she knew she wanted it more than anything she’d ever craved before.

Locking her arms around his neck, she held on, giving back as good as she got, feeling the flare of awareness that threatened to burst out of control.

If they stayed this way forever it would end too soon for her.

But end it did, when Cal reluctantly pulled her arms down, sliding his hands down to grip hers.

“I’ve got to go.”

She nodded, wishing he’d done this when they first reached the cottage. How differently the night might have turned out.

Raising her gaze to his, she found her voice.

“I know. Go find those girls and charge the parents extra for not raising them right.”

Amusement lit his eyes. “That’s one tactic I’ve not tried. Does it work?”

She shrugged, her hands clinging to his. Forcing herself to release his grip, she pulled back.

“I’ll be at work on time.”

“Good.”

He leaned in and brushed his lips against hers lightly, then turned and hurried off.

“Good grief,” Zoe said as she closed the door, leaned against it and slowly slid down until she was sitting on the floor. She felt more alive than at any time in her life. She could move mountains.

She wanted to call her sister and ask if this was the feeling she had when her husband kissed her. She suspected it was.

Oh, wow, when could they do it again?

Maybe there’s be more to this marriage gig than she expected.

Only—she had to watch things. To Cal she was a means to an end. As he was for her.

The kiss changed all that. Now she wanted more. Wanted to learn every single thing about the man. Was it too late to change the parameters of their agreement? Tell the world, live together and pray a baby came before it was too late?

Spying the bag of groceries, starting to look damp with melting ice, Zoe scrambled up and took the food to the kitchen. Practicality was called for, not daydreams. She had to be at work early. She’d better get some sleep.

Having been up most of the night, she thought she’d fall asleep as soon as her head touched the pillow, but not so. Instead she relived every heart-stopping second of that kiss. Savoring every remembered touch, feeling, delight.

Zoe found it more difficult than she’d expected to walk into work the next morning as if nothing had changed in her life—or rocked her world.

She checked with Emily to see if Cal was in, but he wasn’t.

Emily reported there’d been a crisis in the night and he was in the field.

Zoe didn’t reveal she knew the situation, merely asked if she could have some time with him when he returned to the office.

It was difficult to get back into the swing of the routine, but by midmorning, the memory of the kiss had been pushed aside as she updated her information on the situation in Eastern Europe that looked like it was about to explode.

Twice she called Steve Carrington, but couldn’t reach him. Had things gone from bad to worse in the meantime?

By lunch she had found the source of the problem and had finally talked to Steve. It looked as if the situation was becoming less volatile. How had the others fared with the missing girls from last night?

When Zoe returned from lunch, there was a message from her doctor’s office. She called and the nurse asked her to wait as the doctor wanted to speak to Zoe.

“How are you feeling?” the doctor asked when she got on the line.

“Fine right now.”

“There is an opening on the operating schedule in a couple of weeks, I could slot you in.”

“I’m going to try for a baby,” Zoe said firmly.

There was a pause on the other end of the line.

“You may not be able to become pregnant,” the doctor said.

“I know, but I need to try. If it doesn’t work, I’ll know I did all I could. If it does, then I’ll get to have a child before the operation removes that possibility forever.”

“If I were your age, I’d do the same thing,” the doctor said. “Let me know if you need stronger medication for the cramps. And come see me the minute you think you have conceived. Good luck.”

Heartened by the doctor’s words, Zoe felt better than she had since she’d heard the prognosis.

She eyed her calendar. It would be another two weeks before she would be most fertile. For a moment she regretted the delay. After that mind-blowing kiss last night, she couldn’t wait to make a baby with Cal.

It was late afternoon when Cal asked Emily to call Zoe and ask her to join him. His day had gone from bad to worse and this was the first moment he had to catch up. When he heard Zoe by Emily’s desk, he went to the door in time to catch his secretary warning her to be quick.

“He’s running behind everywhere because of taking time off yesterday and the crisis last night. So don’t take any longer than you need.”

Zoe nodded and met Cal’s eyes as she stepped into his office.

He shut the door and swept her into an embrace, files and all.

He had thought all day about that kiss and had been counting the minutes until he could kiss her again.

She gave a soft squeak of surprise and then met his every move.

The files impeded her own embrace, but he didn’t care.

Her mouth was what he craved and she was as hot and sweet as he remembered.

Finally he pulled back, gazing down at her. She gave him a sassy look.

“So that’s what being married to the boss is like,” she said.

“Sometimes. What is all that?”

“Carrington’s files.”

He ran his fingers through his hair and stepped away.

“Not to worry, the situation’s been resolved. There was a slight glitch in our initial estimates of the strength of the terrorists . He’s been apprised and has already found a way to circumvent the stronghold. I’d say the man he’s guarding will continue to be safe.”

She laid the complete report on his desk.

“Thanks. I knew I could depend on you.”

“Did you find the missing girls?”

“Yes, at a club they’d already visited. Some young men there lured them back. I think we successfully put the fear of God into them, and made sure their parents knew we don’t deal with people who don’t fully cooperate with the agency.”

“So no surcharge for bad parenting?” she said whimsically, her eyes on his lips.

It was all Cal could do to walk around his desk and glance at the folder. If she looked at him like that for much longer he’d say forget any agreement and take her to bed tonight.

“The girls appeared suitably chastised and promised not to do such a thing again. I think Shelley wanted to smack them, but she refrained,” he said, not looking at Zoe again.

He needed a minute to get control.

Zoe laughed.

“Good. Well, I won’t stay any longer. I wanted to put your mind at rest over the Carrington situation.”

“You busy tonight?” he asked, looking up then.

She blinked. “No.”

“Have dinner with me.”

“Dinner?”

“Is that so odd for a married couple to eat together?”

“Not for a real married couple.”

“Make no mistake, our marriage is real.”

“Okay, maybe I meant, conventional married couple. Never mind, I’d be glad to have dinner with you. Where shall I meet you?”

“I’ll pick you up around six-thirty. I need to get home and shower first.”

“You’re in the same clothes you had on when we left the sea cottage. Haven’t you been home yet?”

He shook his head.

“You must be tired. Let’s not go out. I can fix something at my place and then you can go home. Or better yet, how about I bring food to your place and then when we finish eating, you can go right to bed?”

Cal laughed aloud.

“You’ll make the perfect mother. I’m fine, Zoe. A little tired, maybe, but not on my last legs. I’ll take you up on the offer of a home-cooked meal. But I’ll come to your place so you don’t have to drive yourself home later. Thanks for the concern.”

Cal arrived at Zoe’s shortly before seven. He’d gone home to shower and change as he’d said and felt more alert. Time was when he could stay up two or three nights without many effects. Apparently those days were gone.

Zoe greeted him and offered him a glass of wine.

“Dinner will be ready soon,” she said. I only have to quickly steam the veggie.”

“Need help?” he asked, following her into the kitchen, glancing around and taking in the touches of color and knickknacks she displayed.

It reminded him a bit of Uncle Hal’s place in that it was restful and relaxing.

“Not at all. Go sit down, you look tired.”

So much for feeling his shower rejuvenated him. He prowled the small living room, stopping at her bookshelf to read the titles of some of her books. She liked mysteries and romance novels. Wandering to the window, he looked at the nondescript view. Nothing like the one from his flat.

He was turning to sit on the sofa when she called, “It’s ready,” a few minutes later, and entered carrying already served plates to the small table in one corner that served as her dining area.

It had been set with silverware earlier and Cal watched as Zoe carefully centered the dishes at each place.

“I’ll get the wine and we’ll be ready,” she said, making a quick trip back to the kitchen.

“How long have you had this apartment?” he asked sometime later.

Their plates were almost empty. He’d filled her glass, and his, once more. The woman was a good cook. He hoped she offered more home-cooked meals.

“Since I started working for you. The salary I received enabled me to get a bigger place than I had before. I like the location and my neighbors.”

“What you earn now could get you an even bigger home.”

She shrugged.

“This suits me. I’m saving my money. Who knows, I might need it if I have a baby.”

“Why?”