Full Bloom

side table. As always, taking off her glasses was a strangely intimate gesture that made him feel he was removing some secret veil. Her amber eyes were brilliant and full of a woman's mysteries as she looked up at him.
    When her fingers went to the buttons of his shirt, Jacob waited impatiently for her to slip the garment off his shoulders. When she seemed to be taking too long, he finished the job himself. A few minutes later they were both naked, and Jacob was vividly aware of the heavy ache of his own arousal. He bent and scooped Emily up in his arms and carried her to the turned-back bed. He placed her gently on the sheets.
    "My wife," he murmured in wonder as he lowered himself beside her. He felt dazed with the knowledge, and as passion flamed into life between them, he gave himself up to the only source of real happiness he had ever known. He would take care of her, he promised himself. He would take very good care of her for as long as he lived.
    It amazed him that Emily had actually harbored doubts about his ability to fend off her disapproving family. She ought to realize that he would walk through hell to protect her and the love they had.

TEN
    « ^ »
    "I still think this is a really stupid idea." Emily announced as she reluctantly climbed out of the Mercedes and stood looking doubtfully at her parents' home.
    "Wives are supposed to give their husbands lots of moral support. You're supposed to fluff up the male ego and tell him how brilliant and bold he is." Jacob closed the door on his side of the car and walked around the front to collect her.
    Emily wrinkled her nose at him. "Where did you get that notion?"
    "All men know how wives are supposed to behave. We're born knowing."
    "Is that right? It must come as kind of a shock for each new generation of males when they discover that women don't always behave the way they're supposed to, hmm?"
    Jacob shook his head mournfully. "It's a shock, all right. But we persevere."
    "How optimistic of you." Emily caught hold of his hand as they walked to the front door. "But I still think coming to see my family after only being married for three days was a big mistake. This is our honeymoon. Why should we spoil it?"
    "You're just nervous about facing them, that's all."
    "Confrontations with my family are not my most favorite way of passing time."
    "Calm down," Jacob said soothingly as he rang the doorbell. "There isn't going to be any confrontation. We simply accept their warm congratulations and then we ask what the hell's going on with Morrell and the Fowler deal."
    "In that order?"
    "Sure. Why not?"
    "Well, for one thing—" Emily began, and then stopped abruptly as the door opened. The Ravenscrofts' middle-aged housekeeper smiled at her.
    "Hello, Emily. Good to see you again. Come on in. You, too, Mr. Stone. The family is expecting you. They're all in the garden room."
    "Thanks, Myra. We know the way," Emily murmured.
    "You'll be staying for dinner?" Myra asked.
    "No," said Emily.
    "Yes," Jacob said simultaneously.
    Myra glanced from one to the other. "Well, which is it?"
    Jacob grinned. "We'll be staying unless we're thrown out. That's about all I can tell you at the moment. But knowing the Ravenscrofts, I think you can count on feeding us."
    Myra chuckled. "I think so, too. They won't let either of you get away too quickly." She arched an eyebrow at Emily. "Especially you, young lady. You've managed to throw the whole family into a tizzy again. Not for the first time, I might add. But don't worry about it. It's good for them. They would all have become completely overbearing and incredibly dull years ago if it hadn't been for you. You keep them on their toes and a little off balance. They need that. The rest of the world runs too much their way most of the time. See you at dinner."
    Emily watched Myra head for the kitchen and then turned to Jacob. "Well? Are you ready? We might as well get this over with."
    "Relax. You're not going to your execution. I'll handle everything."
    Emily groaned. "I can't believe you're being so casual about this."
    "You think this is the worst thing I've ever walked into?" Jacob asked quietly.
    Emily frowned, thinking about it. "Probably not," she admitted at last. "How do you do it, Jacob? How can you be so cool and strong in a crisis? I envy you."
    "I got my assertiveness training on the job," he explained laconically. He paused and then added, "Myra's right, you know."
    "About what?"
    "About you being good for your family.