[ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]
."In my way.On Xanthia, I went to worship once each week when I was home.Sometimes to meditate.Sometimes I went into one of the reflection cells and played one of the religioustapes.""Would you mind going to church with me?""No."Lainey smiled at him, then sat back as the waitress brought their food.After dinner, Lainey called home to check on the baby, and then they went for a moonlight walk on thebeach."We'd better take our shoes off," Lainey suggested.Micah steadied her as she removed her heels andstockings; then he took off his shoes and socks and they walked barefoot in the sand."The water is cold," Micah mused."On Xanthia, the oceans are warm.""Do you miss your home?" Lainey asked."Not when you're with me," he replied, pressing a kiss to her forehead.A soft sigh escaped Lainey's lips."Oh, Micah, you should have been a poet.""Me?"He laughed softly as he drew her into his arms.She was beautiful in the moonlight.Her hair shimmeredwith blue highlights, her skin was luminous, her eyes as warm and dark as a handful of earth.She was likethe ancient goddess, Zanadeus, who had walked the shores of Xanthia, luring unsuspecting men into thearms of the sea.Page 159Generated by ABC Amber LIT Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abclit.htmlGently, he framed her face in his hands."You're my home, Lainey," he murmured."Don't you knowthat?"His kiss was warm and soft, filled with promises of forever, of sun-kissed days and moonlit nights, ofhappiness doubled because it was shared, of sorrow halved because it was understood by another.Hekissed her with all the love in his heart, and prayed that it would be enough, knowing his life would ceaseto have meaning if Lainey ceased loving him."Micah, let's go home."Startled by her request, he drew back so he could see her face."Is something wrong?""No." A faint blush heated her cheeks."I was hoping& I mean, it's been a long time since we& "She gazed up at him, her eyes filled with a need that went beyond words."Is it all right?" Micah asked."It's not too soon?""It's not soon enough," she murmured, her lips grazing his.Heat seared through him, instantaneous, as though his whole body had been struck by star fire.Shekissed him, and the flames burned hotter and brighter and he knew he couldn't wait until they got home,that he had to have her now, or die.Swinging her up into his arms, Micah walked swiftly down the beach toward a small cove.Stripping offhis coat, he spread it on the sand and then, his hands shaking with urgency, he began to undress her,marveling anew at the perfection of her body, at the silken touch of her skin beneath his fingertips.Shewas the essence of life, a goddess come to life, a miracle wrapped in moonlight.He groaned low in his throat as Lainey's hands moved over him, freeing him from his clothing, glidingover his skin.Wrapped in each other's arms, they sank slowly to the ground.The roar of the surf echoed the pounding of his heart as he worshiped her with his eyes, his touch.Hisheart swelled with love when she urged him to shed his human shape.She whispered her love as shecaressed him, her hands exploring the solid wall of his chest, brushing the webbing on his hands.Shenipped his earlobe, and each touch told him more eloquently than words that she loved him for who andwhat he was, that their differences didn't matter at all, that nothing mattered except the love they shared,the love that had bound them together and culminated in the birth of their son.Carefully, he merged his flesh with hers, afraid of hurting her in his eagerness.It had been so long, hethought, so long since he'd been able to bury himself within her warmth, her sweetness.Tears burned hiseyes as she welcomed him home, her hips lifting to receive him, her arms holding him tight as shewhispered his name, then gasped with pleasure as two became one in heart and mind and body.Her name exploded from his lips in a harsh cry of exultation as they reached for the stars and foundthem.Together.Lainey came awake slowly, a smile on her face.Now she knew how Scarlett had felt the morning afterPage 160Generated by ABC Amber LIT Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abclit.htmlRhett carried her up that long flight of stairs.With a contented sigh, she reached across the bed for Micah, but her hand closed on empty air.Disappointed, she slid out of bed, pulled on her robe, and padded down the hallway to the nursery.Sureenough, Micah was there, bent over the white wicker changing table as he sprinkled powder on thebaby's dimpled bottom, then put a clean diaper in place.Lifting the baby to his shoulder, Micah turned around, his eyes caressing her."Good morning, Mom.""Good morning." Lainey smiled up at him."Did I thank you for last night?""No thanks are necessary," Micah said, returning her smile."I assure you it was my pleasure.""And mine.Are you hungry?""Very hungry." His gaze moved over hers, hotter than the tail of a comet."I could use some breakfast,too."Happiness bubbled inside Lainey as she took the baby from his arms."I'll feed the baby, and then fixyour breakfast," she said with a saucy grin."And then I'll see what I can do about that other craving."Lainey snuggled closer to Micah.Never before had she realized what a blessing it was to work at home,to be able to work at her leisure, to take long lunch breaks in her husband's arms.With a sigh, she gazed at Micah, feeling utterly content.She loved him, wholly, completely, not justbecause he was the most handsome man she had ever known, but because he was thoughtful, generous,caring, kind, compassionate& She smiled inwardly, thinking there weren't enough words to describehim.She started to tell him how much she loved him when she noticed the troubled look in his eye."What isit?""Nothing.""Micah, I know you better than that.What's wrong?""I need something to do, something to occupy my time.""What would you like to do?""I don't know." He rolled onto his side, facing her."I love you, Lainey, more than my own life, but I can'tstay here, in the house, forever.I miss piloting my craft.I miss the excitement, the adventure.Do youunderstand?"Of course she understood.She'd die without her writing.It was a part of her, something she had to do.And yet, as dear as her writing was to her, she sensed that flying meant even more to Micah than herwriting meant to her.But there were no spaceships for him to fly here.Frowning, she realized there was no way he could get any kind of job without the required forms ofPage 161Generated by ABC Amber LIT Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abclit [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]