Page 42 of Hitched to My Enemy
The kiss deepened instantly, his hands slipping beneath my blouse as I worked the buttons of his Henley. We moved in perfect synchronization despite our urgency—a dance we'd been rehearsing since that first night in his office, each movement more assured than the last.
"Dinner will grow cold," he murmured against my throat as he guided me toward the bedroom.
"Food isn't what I'm hungry for," I replied, pulling his shirt over his head.
His laugh vibrated against my skin. "The meticulous investigator making suggestive comments? How have I corrupted you, Harlow Clarke?"
"By helping me discover what I truly desire," I answered truthfully, unfastening my blouse under his heated scrutiny. "And currently, I desire you."
We barely reached the bedroom, discarding clothing as we progressed. Unlike our first night together, when passion had emerged from months of tension suddenly unleashed, this was simultaneously more urgent and more deliberate—each touch an affirmation, each kiss a covenant.
When the cool sheets met my back, Easton followed me down, his body covering mine with exquisite weight. His hands and mouth seemed everywhere at once—discovering thesensitive hollow of my throat, the curve of my breast, the dip of my waist. I arched beneath him, my own explorations equally thorough as I traced the muscular contours of his shoulders and back.
"You're exquisite," he whispered, reverence suffusing his voice as he beheld me. "Especially without your professional armor."
I pulled him down for another kiss, craving connection. "No more armor. Not with you."
Something transformed in his expression—desire deepening into something more profound. When he entered me, our physical union merely echoed what had already transpired emotionally. We established perfect rhythm, each thrust drawing us closer to completion and to each other.
Unlike our first encounter, I abandoned restraint—every gasp, every moan, every plea escaped freely. Easton matched my abandon, his customary control yielding to raw need as he drove us both higher.
"Mine," he growled against my ear as I shattered around him, pleasure cascading through my body. "My wife."
"Yours," I affirmed, holding him tighter as he followed me into ecstasy, his release triggering aftershocks that left us trembling.
Afterward, we lay entwined, heartbeats gradually slowing. Easton's weight felt perfectly calibrated against me, his head resting on my chest as I idly traced invisible paths across his shoulders.
"Perhaps we should have begun with marriage and worked backward," he mused, pressing his lips to my collarbone. "Spared ourselves considerable complications."
I laughed unreservedly, the sound freer than I typically permitted. "And missed the dramatic buildup? Where's the entertainment in that?"
He propped himself on one elbow, examining my face with that intense focus that once intimidated me. Now, I recognized it as how he memorized things that mattered.
"I love you, Harlow." Simple words, directly delivered, quintessentially Easton.
"I love you too." The declaration emerged naturally, as if I'd expressed it countless times rather than the first.
His smile unfolded slowly, satisfied, and genuine, before he drew me against his chest. "Again?"
Hours later, we lay amid tangled sheets, my body pleasantly exhausted. Easton's fingertips traced lazy patterns on my hip as I nestled against his chest, listening to his steady heartbeat.
"We should discuss Enzo," I said reluctantly, breaking our peaceful interlude but knowing the conversation couldn't wait.
Easton's fingers paused momentarily before resuming their gentle exploration. "What specifically?"
"He mentioned Meridian Properties. Said you took something that destroyed his family's legacy."
A sigh expanded his chest beneath my cheek. "I anticipated this emerging eventually."
I shifted to see his expression. "Is it accurate?"
"It's his interpretation of events." Easton raked fingers through his tousled hair. "Meridian was his father's development company. I needed to expand my tech offices and found their ideal property. Standard acquisition process."
"But?"
"After contract signing, I discovered the property held significantly higher value than disclosed. Mineral rights and zoning opportunities they either overlooked or deliberately concealed." His expression remained open, honest. "I leveraged those advantages and generated substantial profit. Enzo believes I defrauded his family, but everything was legally obtained. I simply conducted superior research."
The explanation aligned with what I'd learned about Easton—thorough, strategic, identifying angles others missed. "And his family's legacy?"
