Love Her Softly

Chapter Twenty-Two

Chapter Twenty-Two

The next few days were the best Emma had ever had. She learned so much about Liam. She learned about his childhood and family relationships and certain things that had made Liam the man he was today.

She loved his quiet, gentle nature. His peaceful strength.

She was lying awake in his arms, watching him sleep soundly beside her. The sun came through the window, shining on his sharply angled jaw, accenting the stubble growing there.

Her husband was the most handsome man she had ever seen in her life.... And he was so patient. Not once had Liam pushed her to do anything more than simply lay curled up together while the slept at night.

She suspected one reason behind that might be the fact that his shoulder was still paining him.... But she knew that wasn't all of it. Liam was giving her time—waiting until she was ready.

Emma wasn't sure if she was ready to take the next step.... She knew she was expected to. As a wife, it was her duty to tend to her husband's needs.... but would it hurt? Emma had only ever seen the rough and cruel side of what happened between a man and wife. Her mother had made it sound as if it were a miserable, painful experience for a woman while the man seemed to enjoy it immensely.

Why? Why would a man enjoy something that pained his wife? Surely Liam wouldn't be that way.... Maybe lovemaking wasn't always painful for a woman. Maybe it all depended on her partner.

"What are you thinking about so hard?" Liam's sleepy voice questioned.

Emma smiled. His eyes were still closed and she hadn't realized he was awake. "How do ya know I'm thinking?"

"Because you're awake and you're always thinking when you're awake."

"Is there something wrong with a thinking woman?" Emma teased. That was something else Liam had begun to bring out of her. A playful, teasing, joking side that she hadn't realized she possessed.

Liam chuckled, his arm tightening around her. "Nothing at all."

"Are we going into town today?"

Liam's eyes opened and he raised a brow. "Are you eager to get away from me?"

Emma rolled her eyes. "No, I want you to come with me."

Liam laid a gentle hand on her cheek. "I don't think I want to go anywhere. I'm enjoying being here with you too much."

Emma blushed and averted her gaze as she chewed at her lip. "And I've enjoyed being with ya too. But..... I need to get orders and supplies. And I'd like to visit Anita. I haven't been in town since we brought ya back from the docs and I think it'd be good for folks to see that ya are up and around and alive and well...."

Liam silenced her ramble by pressing his lips to hers in a feather light graze. Emma instantly fell silent as her breath was stolen and she forgot how to speak.

"Aw, hell lady," Liam growled as he pulled away. Then, before Emma could speak, he was on her again. This kiss was firmer, more intense and it consumed her.

Instantly her body responded with an ache and a longing for something she knew that only Liam could give her.

Liam hand smoothed the hair from her face and he pulled her body flush to his. All doubts and worries seemed to vanish from Emma's mind. This was Liam and he would never hurt her for his own selfish pleasure...