Center Stage by Bernadette Marie

I wanted.”
    By the time they pulled up behind her house, Arianna was completely stirred up. She’d be damned if John slept in his own bed tonight without her. As wound up as she was, he’d be lucky to get any sleep at all.
    The moment she opened the back door, she was swept off her feet and thrown over John’s shoulder.
    She let out a yelp. “What are you doing?” she laughed as he carried her up the stairs like some caveman.
    “You ruined my night last night. I seriously don’t want to be sleeping alone. So you’re going to have to make that up to me.”
    She was still laughing. “Very aggressive of you.”
    “I’m a man with a need. And that need is for a shower.”
    He carried her through the bedroom and to the bathroom where he dropped her on her butt on the vanity.
    She sat there while he turned on the shower. When he turned back to her, his eyes were dark. There was, indeed, a fury burning behind them.
    Arianna stopped laughing and met his eyes with her own. He turned and reached for her. His hands were tangled in her hair, pulling the band which held her ponytail.
    Her hair fell in curls around her shoulders as his mouth took possession of hers.
    There was nothing like the fire of a kiss when a man was worked up, but knowing she loved this man, the heat was much greater.
    John pressed up against her, and she wrapped her legs around him. His hands were making quick work of her clothes, and she fought with the buttons on his shirt.
    Steam from the shower mixed with the pants of hot breath shared between them.
    John pulled her from the vanity and shimmied her pants off of her and then quickly undressed himself.
    The water was hot, but not as hot as the man who stood before her. He might be sensitive about his age in years, but she’d never seen a man more fit and more sexy than John Forrester.
    He pulled her to him and centered them both under the stream of hot water.
    His hands slid over her skin, and she held tight to him as her knees grew weak from his touches—his kisses—his passion.
    Their love-making in the shower was fast and furious. Soap slicked skin only enhanced each touch—each movement.
    John took down the shower head and rinsed them off, his mouth still working against hers.
    She had to admit there was stamina with him. There were no robes or towels. There was no time. He helped her from the shower and straight to the bed where he laid her down and quickly moved atop of her—inside her.
    Arianna wrapped her arms around him tightly, pulling him closer. Needing him nearer to her than any other person had ever been before.
    And when the motions stopped and contentment had been had, she kept him close, his rapid breath strong in her ear.
    “I love you, Arianna Keller. I always will.”
    She fought back the tears which came with his sentiment. There may never be a marriage license or a child bearing their resemblances, but there was the promise of forever. And that was all she’d ever need.
     
    Arianna heard the alarm go off on John’s phone the next morning, and it was the first time he’d rolled away from her all night.
    He silenced it and wrapped himself around her again.
    “Wouldn’t your boss be okay with you taking a day off?” she asked with her voice raspy with sleep.
    “I don’t know. I’ve never taken a day off.”
    She grunted. “Never?”
    “Never.”
    She believed that—mostly. If there was a more loyal man than John Forrester, she’d be surprised. And the best part was, if he was that loyal to Zach, she couldn’t imagine how loyal he’d be to her.
    An hour later he was showered, shaved, dressed, and gone. The house was instantly lonely.
    Arianna had her cup of coffee at the kitchen table and looked over her notebook of ideas for the theater. Soon she wouldn’t have time to feel alone in her own home—their home.
    She put down the notebook. His stuff needed to come upstairs. She wasn’t going to marry the man, but she sure as hell wasn’t going to let him sleep