“Are you seriously sleeping?” I whisper, hoping he’s playing possum just to tease me. But he doesn’t flinch, doesn’t stir, doesn’t crack a smile. I put a finger under his nose just to be sure he’s still breathing.

Well, guess I could wake him up in a fun way, but he looks so out of it, so relaxed, and I…I’m jealous. I want to sleep too. I want to sleep on my wedding night. What was the point of the last five months other than to bring me to the edge of my sanity?!

I let out a large breath, half hoping it wakes him up and half relieved it doesn’t. Sliding into the sheets, I curl up beside his naked body, adjusting the comforter so he’s completely covered. He still doesn’t move, and as I trace his lips with my manicured fingernail all thoughts of why I wanted to wait evaporate, because every time with Landon has been epic. From the first time he knocked me out of my chair in our theater class to this moment here. The awkward first kiss we had, the accidental slip, the naked argument fail…and I’m sure there will be more. With pregnancy, menopause, our bodies changing and growing and adjusting to those changes, there are bound to be some sexual blunders. But I love him. He loves me. I find such satisfaction in that alone that every moment with him will be double-fudge raspberry cheesecake.

So instead of waking him up, I fall asleep in his arms, completely satisfied with how our night ends.

Chapter 36

Landon wakes me up with a huge snort, scaring me so much I slip off the bed and hit the floor of our suite.

“Holy mother of all pains in the asses!” I screech from the carpet.

The mattress creaks, and Landon rolls onto the floor next to me. He looks more awake now than he did a few hours ago.

“I’m sorry, miss,” he says, getting the sleep out of his voice, “but you say you have a pain in your ass?”

“It’s Mrs.” I correct him, then turn around and shove my butt in his face. “It’s terribly bruised.”

“I have the cure for that right here.” Fingers pull my lacy bottoms down. Wet lips press on my ass cheek.

“You missed,” I say, wiggling. “It’s the other side.”

“It’s hard to see when you move so much,” he teases, then kisses my other cheek.

“I have so many pains in my ass,” I cry with dramatic flair, and he starts kissing all over, leaving no skin of my ass uncured.

“Anywhere else, Mrs. Wangford?”

“Oh my breasts. They are in need of curing.”

“Why is that?”

“They’ve been in this restrictive material all night.” I tug at my bustier. “They need to be freed and rained with that cure of yours.”

He flips me around, and I “Oof!” as my shoulders hit hard against the floor.

“Sorry.”

“Kiss it better.”

“Like this?”

“Lower.”

“Here?”

“Lower.”

“Ah, I see the boo-boo.”

I laugh. “You said boo-boo. Like I’m two years old.”

“If you’re surprised by my level of maturity I have to wonder if you’ve been paying much attention these past four years.”

His lips drag across my abdomen, kissing near my hipbone.

“What happened here?”

“Nicked myself with the nail clippers.”

“A little far from your fingernails, don’t you think?”

“I wasn’t using them on my nails.”

“Cutting yourself out of your underwear?” He laughs like it’s a joke, but when he sees my expression he laughs even harder. “That’s what took you so long? Shoot…Tumbles, I would’ve ripped the thing off you.”

“Yes, because that’s so hot.”

“Instead, I fell asleep waiting hours and hours for you to dance for me.”

“Who said I was going to dance for you?”

He sticks his bottom lip out, and I push his face away.

“Well, sit up so I can give you a show,” I huff in a faux sigh. He grins wide, perches himself against the mattress, Lord Landon rising to get a good look.

I’m not a dancer, but I manage a great running man and sprinkler in my royal blue bustier.

“Come here, you vixen,” Landon says, grasping my hips and pulling me into him. His face is so smooth. I drag my tongue across his jaw because I can’t help myself. Then I lean back with a wrinkled nose.

“I bet that tasted good.” He laughs.

“What is on your neck?”

“Cologne.”

I smack my tongue against the roof of my mouth. “I need a mint.”

He puts his hand on the back of my neck and pulls me to his lips. “This’ll taste better.” And we tangle our tongues, and his breath hasn’t reached the morning stage yet since it’s still dark outside, so we must’ve only napped for a couple of hours.

He does taste better than his cologne.

“Can we have sex now?” I whisper against his mouth. His lips turn up and he adjusts my hips. I waste no time in grinding on him like I’m Buster on the hump pillow.

“Whoa there, Tumbles. Let me…” Then he pulls at my thong, moving the material enough so it’s out of the way. I’m not completely ready to settle on him just yet, so I quickly put his fingers in my mouth and force them to help me out. Landon’s laughing at my impatience, but he’s not stopping me either.

When I’m good and wet, I slam down on him, and both of us let out this entirely embarrassing grunt that I’m pretty sure the whole city heard. I prepare my thrusters, noticing Chocolateville in the distance. The graham cracker Ferris wheel and cookies ’n’ cream roller coaster looks pretty darn good, so I pick up speed, racing toward the main attractions. I can’t go slowly. My hips won’t let me. They rock and rock, and I curl my fingers into the sheets by Landon’s head, pulling them so hard I cover his face.

Landon grunts from underneath the bedspread, sliding his hands up to the ladies. “Liz, you gotta…”

And the rest of his sentence is obliterated as I burst through the gates of Chocolateville. I move at the speed of light, wondering how long the ride will be and knowing this is the first time I get to ride with my husband. I open my eyes, and Landon’s removed the sheet, his forehead strained, concentrated, sweaty, and I say something unintelligible and close my eyes again.

I’m starting to cramp up. Damn, it’s been a while. But I will not let this get in the way. I adjust my hips, cringing at the pain in my leg, but continue to ride Landon’s brains out. Our thighs are slick, and his grip slips all over my torso when I finally push through the cramp.

I taste chocolate on the tip of my tongue. I feel the lift deep in my belly, and I know I’m about ten seconds away from falling. I’ve missed him so much. He feels so good and so familiar, and yet it feels new and exciting, too, and I can’t wait to do this with him for the rest of our lives.

I taste more chocolate.

More.

And more.

And…

“I…I’m sorry,” Landon stutters as he shakes under me.

I slowly stop my hips with a bittersweet chocolaty aftertaste. Lord Landon has abdicated his throne right as I was about to nose-dive into sweet double-fudge raspberry cheesecake. Landon’s hands squeeze my waist, and I open my eyes to his apologetic face.

“Damn it, I’m so sorry.” He blows out a breath and curses. “It’s been forever, and he just…” His hand waves out, finishing the sentence for him.

I bite my lips, slump against him, and hold him close. “Looks like I still got it.”

“Give me ten minutes and I’ll get you going, I promise.”

“Landon, it’s okay.” And as I look into his eyes, I realize that…I totally mean it. “No, it’s more than okay. It was wonderful.”

“Shit.”

“Stop that.”

“Please don’t propose another five months sex-free.”

“We are definitely not doing that again.”

He kisses my shoulder, both of us doused in sweat that is turning cold. “Are you tired?” he asks.