Desari and Julian were frequent visitors, and Corinne really liked them both. She found Julian’s sense of humor a good counterbalance to his intimidating demeanor. She knew Desari didn’t find him in the least intimidating. Desari had a sweet personality, and she welcomed Corinne as a sister. It was taking a bit of time, but Corinne was beginning to feel as if she might fit into Dayan’s family. All of them seemed excited about the baby, even Darius, who was by the far the scariest man Corinne had ever met.
“Darius is not in the least scary,” Dayan denied, moving up behind her to rest his head on her shoulder so he could look at the infant. “Jennifer’s color looks better today.”
“You’re reading my mind again.” Corinne leaned back, pressing her body into his much harder frame. At once his body stirred to life, tight against her bottom.
Dayan was always in her mind. He would always be in her body, too, if he could manage it. He didn’t want to leave her side. Corinne caught the echo of his thoughts and laughed softly. “That will look good when you’re playing with the band on stage. A little kinky, though. I’m not certain the censors would let us get away with it.”
Dayan allowed relief to wash over him. Several times in the course of the last few days, Desari had gently made references to traveling on the road with the band, but Corinne had never answered one way or the other. When Dayan touched her mind in an attempt to gauge her mood on the subject, he always found she simply avoided thinking of it. “You are not opposed to traveling with musicians from town to town? Leaving everyone you love behind?”
Corinne moved her body provocatively against his. “Everything I love is right here with me. And Lisa. I can’t stay home for her. Lisa has the money to travel, if she wants to visit us. If she really is in love with Cullen, as I keep hearing from everyone, then my guess is she will want her own home.”
Dayan lifted the hair from the back of her neck to press a series of little kisses against the warmth of her skin. “Cullen will decide what to do.”
Corinne savored the feel of his mouth for a moment, then bent to put little Jennifer in the incubator. The action pressed her bottom tightly against Dayan, who took advantage, catching her hips to drag her even closer. She took her time, her happiness spilling out as she gently kissed her daughter and enclosed the sleeping baby in the incubator. She stood up, still looking down at the baby. “Isn’t she beautiful, Dayan?”
His hands moved slowly up her body from behind, sliding from her hips to her tucked-in waist, traversing her narrow rib cage to cup her breasts in his palms. “She is truly beautiful, Corinne, just like her mother.” He whispered the words against her ear, his tongue touching her skin, tasting her because sometimes he had to.
She leaned her weight into him, her hands covering his as his thumbs teased her nipples into hard peaks and her breasts swelled, aching with need for him. “Sometimes, when I first awake, my heart is pounding in terror because I’m so afraid this isn’t real.” She turned her face to look up at him over her shoulder. “I’m afraid you can’t possibly be real, that I’ll wake up and it will all be a dream.”
His mouth wandered up the side of her neck. His teeth found her earlobe and nipped sharply. She yelped and glared at him. Dayan grinned without repentance. “Just wanted you to see I am very real.” He swirled his tongue on her ear to ease the ache.
“I want to visit Lisa and Cullen today. I know Barack and Syndil are being very reassuring about his condition, but I want to see for myself. And even though Lisa is told I’m fine, I know she’s anxious.”
“All right, then, honey, we will go when Shea comes in to check on Jennifer.” He buried his face in her neck, inhaling her fragrance. He was sending chills down her spine, while molten lava spread through her blood. He had only to look at her and she found she wanted him. More than wanted him. Corinne craved the scent of him. The feel of him. The sight of his naked body. The sound of his beautiful voice. She wanted to watch him making love to her, see his face etched with sensual beauty. She turned in his arms and blindly found his mouth with hers, arms circling his neck, her body at once soft and pliant and instantly inviting. “You are amazing,” she whispered into the heat of his mouth.