Adapting Desires (Endangered Heart Series Book 3) by Amanda Lance

she groaned, feeling the brutality of his assault taking shape. Silently cursing herself for giving in so easily, she lay limp while Kasper did his best to redress her—not failing to notice how gentle he was being, lending her his hand to help her sit back up.
    “A-are you all right?” The concern in his voice touched her, but made her smile all the same. All right? Was she all right? She was better than she had been all week, felt more relieved and carefree than she had in days. “That was wonderful.”
    Kasper sighed with relief. “I quite agree.” He arched forward to zipper his trousers. “I do so hate it when we fight.”
    Emilia paused in buttoning her shirt to rest her head against his shoulder. “But I love it when we make up.”
    “Yes,” he agreed with a smile. “If there was ever a silver lining.”
    She watched him while he tucked in his shirt and tried to realign his mask without light or a proper mirror. There wasn’t any doubt that Kasper’s life would be easier with even a mild difference in his appearance. Maybe, she ventured, if he felt better about himself, he would feel more open-minded about adoption. Kasper was willing to sacrifice so much for her happiness, to wait for her and keep her safe. If all she had to do was be a little patient while he had his own version of an extreme makeover , then maybe, in the end, it would be worth it for them both.
    “Are you really going to go through with all of this?” she inquired suddenly. “All of these surgeries, I mean?”
    Kasper stopped trying to adjust his collar and looked back at his wife. With her honey cinnamon hair tangled around her face and remaining lip gloss slightly smeared, she looked more ravishing than ever. If only, he thought, he had a truly proper setting to take her. “Ideally.”
    Emilia looked away, possibly processing a million thoughts he could not understand. So Kasper sighed and tried again. “The rhinoplasty will be next week. I should heal and have the next procedure before your winter break—”
    Emilia nodded seriously, playing out the timeline in her mind. “So you’ll be down and out for Christmas?”
    He nodded.
    “Okay.” She smiled sadly. “At least I can be there then.”
    “I-I will not do this without your approval, Emilia. Your happiness means more to me than my own, and if you are against—”
    “No,” she said resolutely. “L-Let’s see how the rhinoplasty goes, okay? I’ll promise to think about it while you think about adoption, okay?”
    Again, Kasper nodded. “Agreed.”
    She snuggled deeper into his shoulder. “Then no more major decisions without me. A marriage is a partnership. And if we’re not together on this then we’re nothing. Besides, there isn’t any reason to rush, we have lots of time.”
    “Yes,” he agreed. “Lifetimes.”

 
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
    Chapter 6
     
     
    Even through the pronounced lack of sleep, Emilia felt a great deal better during her exam than she expected to. Confident and serene, she was one of the first to finish and still felt self-assured that she had done well—or at least hadn’t messed her average up too badly. She couldn’t deny either that it was the making-up session with Kasper that was responsible for it, the sealer after a week of studying that assured her success. Especially considering how nervous and jittery she felt with the material. When Emilia left the classroom, however, turning in her exam with a smile to the professor, she felt newly inspired to do something creative for a change. Without a second thought, her mind went to Claudette and all of the phone calls Emilia hardly ever returned. If anyone could help bring about a creative outlook, it would be her.
    It took a half a dozen phone calls to arrange it all. And with a miniature deep-fryer, orders to respectable Chinese and pizza places, and some cheap wine, a pre-Thanksgiving celebration was set for the Wednesday before the holiday. Overall, while not complex,