“Yes.”

He couldn’t help the stark disappointment that surged through his body.

She pulled away, a frown curving her mouth downward. “Why?”

He smiled then, wanting to ease her worry and not put a damper on what was otherwise an incredible moment for him.

“I just had this image of you. Pregnant with my child. Of feeling your belly, big and round. I liked it. I liked it a lot.”

She relaxed and then grinned. “You’re going to have to wait a while for that, I’m afraid. I have way too much I want to do and see before I start popping out a brood of children.”

He lifted an eyebrow. “A brood?” He was teasing her, because suddenly the idea of being surrounded by a pile of kids was completely pleasing to him.

“I always imagined that I’d have a lot of children,” she said wistfully. “Eventually. Not right away. But when I was ready. I love having a large family. I loved growing up with three older brothers.”

He pushed himself up and off of her, carefully withdrawing from the delicious heat of her body. He settled beside her and pulled her into his arms until their noses nearly touched.

“Tell me of all these things you want to do before you settle down and have babies.”

She snuggled against him until their legs were once more entwined.

“I love to travel. I like to just…go. Whenever I get the urge. My mom has always said I was born with my head in the clouds and my eyes always looking toward a place I’d never been. She’s probably right. I have wanderlust. There’s nothing quite like just packing up and going. Seeing new places, meeting new people, seeing the sun rise and set in a different place each day.”

“I want to show you those places. I want to see them with you. I’ll show you the world, Callie.”

Her eyes shone and glistened again, but he was determined not to make her cry. No more. He wanted to make her happy.

“I love you, Max. So much.”

Would he ever grow tired of hearing those words? He couldn’t imagine such a thing. If anything, he worried she’d grow tired of his need to hear them.

“I love you, dolcezza. I need you to know that.”

She smiled. “I do now.”

He kissed her again, long and leisurely, as he should have done earlier when she was just awakening. He apologized now as he gently fed at her lips and savored each touch and taste.

And then he held her, until the soft even tempo of her breathing signaled that she’d drifted back to sleep. He smiled and slid his leg more firmly over hers, until her body was completely sheltered by his. Shopping could wait.

Chapter Eighteen

Shopping with Max was a decadent experience. Callie loved to shop. She had all her girly tendencies intact. But shopping with Max?

From the time they walked into the upscale stores, Callie was pampered, catered to, fawned over and draped from head to toe with beautiful, expensive clothing.

Through it all, Max kept a close watch. He never seemed to tire as Callie tried on outfit after outfit. He’d stand back and study for a moment before simply nodding or shaking his head, and then the salesperson would hurriedly divest Callie of the outfit and either toss it in the discard pile or whisk it away to the to-be-bought pile.

And he had impeccable taste. He knew exactly what looked good on her, what flattered her and what didn’t. No expense was spared.

He even insisted she model the lingerie he chose, although he was very clear that no one but he got to see those particular modeling sessions.

She felt…beautiful. A little devilish and very sexy. She watched his eyes, saw the way he looked at her, and she ate every single moment up.

She loved being spoiled by Max. She’d gotten a taste of it in Europe, but now that he’d made his feelings clear for her, his lavish treatment took on a more endearing quality.

Behind the dressing screen, she grinned as she pulled on a particularly scanty pair of panties and a matching bra. They didn’t leave much to the imagination, and the panties…had a little surprise that she was eager to show Max.

She poked her head out and his gaze immediately fixed on her. Then she shyly stepped out in the daring high heels she’d donned just for this outfit.

His eye smoldered dark as his gaze traveled up and down her body. She strutted forward and straddled his lap until he was forced to lean his head back to look into her eyes.

Emboldened by his response, she reached for the fly of his pants and slid her hand inside as she unzipped him. His cock jumped in response when her fingers curled around his length.

“What are you doing, you little minx?”

Continuing to caress him, she leaned down and took his mouth with hers, kissing him until they were both struggling for breath.

“You asked for a private lingerie showing. I intend to show you just how this particular lingerie works.”

Before he could respond, she arched over him and fit the head of his cock through the slit in her underwear. He sucked in his breath in surprise as he slid through the material and deep into her wetness.

“Holy shit. I’m buying you these in every color they have.”

She grinned, adjusted her position and then sank down until she’d sheathed his entire length. He curled his hands around her hips to keep her in place and nuzzled the lacy edge of her bra until he had the cup worked down enough that her nipple poked over the top.

He licked the rigid peak, coaxing it even tighter. Her head fell back and she closed her eyes as pleasure shot through her veins. Up and down she bounced on his lap, aided by his hands still dug into her hips.

The sheer naughtiness of having sex in a department store fueled her desire to greater heights. She felt incredibly sexy, daring, a vixen bent on pleasuring her man.

Her head swung back down, and she fixed her stare to his as he pulled slowly away from her breast.

“You are a deviant, naughty temptress,” he ground out.

She lifted her behind from his lap and then slowly lowered herself back down his length until he was buried to the balls.

“You say that like they’re bad qualities,” she said mischievously.

“Oh hell no. You were already my dream girl. Today just cements it. I love every deviant bone in your body. Now I wonder how loud I can make you scream.”

The wicked gleam in his eyes told her he’d have no qualms about doing just that. Okay, so she might not mind being a naughty girl when she knew no one was looking, but it didn’t mean she was ready to let the entire store know that she and Max were fucking like bunnies behind a curtain.

He chuckled low. “I’m teasing you, dolcezza.”

He lifted her up and motioned for her to stand. Confused, she did as he gestured and waited for what he wanted.

He made a circling motion with his hand and she turned until her back was to him. Then he gripped her waist and guided her back toward his straining cock.

“Lean forward.”

As she did his bidding, his hands left her waist and smoothed over her back, up her spine to her hair. Then he slowly worked back down, over her ass and to the slit in the crotch of her underwear.

His finger eased inside her and her knees buckled. She would have pitched forward but he caught her with one hand. The head of his penis brushed through the underwear but instead of finding her entrance, it brushed over her clit.

He rubbed back and forth from her quivering bud to her entrance and then back until she was slick and wet and so very ready to have him back inside her.

She tried to take matters into her hands by pushing back when he rubbed around her opening. His response was to smack her loudly on the ass.

She jumped, more startled than pained. All too soon the burn turned to a low hum of pleasure that worked over her behind and had her squirming for more.

“Sit back now.”

Eager to do his bidding, she sat and closed her eyes as his length slid easily into her pussy.

“Now work it. Fuck me. But watch yourself in the mirror as you do.”

She gasped. She’d forgotten about the triple mirror just in front of her. Now that her gaze lifted and focused on her reflection, she was transfixed by the naughty vixen staring back at her.

Her breasts spilled from the dainty bra. Her legs were spread and she could see the mesh of flesh where she and Max were joined.

Her cheeks were flushed and her eyes gleamed. Her hair… Her hair was tousled and mussed, her lips swollen. She looked like a woman well loved.

She pulled forward just enough that his cock slid back almost out of her pussy. Mesmerized by the picture they presented, she slammed back, moaning at the instant sense of fullness.

“Cup your breasts. Roll your nipples and let me watch you in the mirror.”

She straightened enough that he had a good view and then reached into the cups of her bra and lifted until her breasts came free.

He wrapped his hands back around her hips and took over directing her movements while she pinched and rolled her nipples between her thumb and fingers.

“You look beautiful. Wild and wanton. My sweet vixen.”

She stared back at herself, saw Max watching around her shoulder as he pulled her down on him over and over. She felt beautiful. And as he’d said, wanton. Wild. Bold.

“Keep touching yourself. I’ll take care of the rest.”

Raw need rolled over her. Hot and edgy. Her skin prickled. Her orgasm bloomed, swelling until she fidgeted restlessly in his grasp.

Her breasts, so much more sensitive now, felt heavy in her palms. Each brush of her fingers across her nipples sent shard after shard of ecstasy streaking through her abdomen and lower until she convulsed hotly around his cock.