Free Taking it All by Maya Banks Page A

lowered his head to hers, so their foreheads touched and their noses bumped.
    â€œGod, I’ve missed you, baby,” Tate said in a voice full of regret. “I’m so sorry. So damn sorry.”
    â€œShhh,” she whispered. “Not now. Not when everything is so perfect. Let’s put the past behind us where it belongs. We have so much to look forward to.”
    He kissed her lingeringly, their tongues dancing and teasing.
    â€œI’ll always put you first from now on,” he vowed. “You’ll never question your place in my heart or soul.”

SEVEN

    KYLIE Breckenridge stared at her cell phone, her brow creased with indecision as she fixated on Chessy’s contact number. She vacillated between calling Chessy directly or calling Joss to see if Chessy had been in touch. But she knew if Joss had heard anything at all, she would have called Kylie by now. And, well, Kylie didn’t want to risk interrupting Chessy if things had gone really, really well and the two were even now in anniversary bliss. Even though her gut told her that months of accumulated unhappiness wouldn’t be fixed in a single night’s time.
    She sighed and resisted the urge to hit Send to call Chessy.
    Warm hands slid over her shoulders and an instant shiver that never failed to comfort her skated over her skin. Heated lips followed the hands, sliding deliciously down her neck until she moaned softly, arching into Jensen’s mouth.
    â€œWhat has you worried, baby?”
    She turned her head to look back at Jensen as he sat up in bed next to her. She was angled toward her nightstand where the phone had rested until a few moments ago, one leg pulled up on the edge of the bed while the other dangled to the floor.
    Biting her lip in consternation, she lowered her gaze back to the phone before allowing it to slide from her hands onto the mattress.
    â€œI’m worried about Chessy,” she admitted. “She was so excited about her anniversary last night and I really expected to hear from her this morning but . . . nothing. Not a word. I thought about calling Joss, but surely if Joss had heard something she would have let me know. We’re both worried about her and not hearing from her . . . well, it concerns me.”
    Jensen’s smile was sweet and full of understanding. He leaned in and rested his forehead to hers, the corners of his mouth tilted upward in amusement.
    â€œIf it were my anniversary, I’d still be in bed with my wife, either making love to her or just having finished. You worry too much, baby. If I had to guess, they’re making up for a lot of lost time and if Chessy laid out her concerns like you told me she planned to, I can’t imagine Tate not having a serious come-to-Jesus meeting with himself and reprioritizing his life to make Chessy front and center. You not hearing from her is a good thing. Think about it. If things had gone bad, you’d have heard from her by now. Her silence likely means that they’re focusing on each other as they should. As
Tate
should.”
    Kylie sighed again but relaxed, some of her tension and worry easing under the matter-of-factness of Jensen’s reasoning.
    â€œYou’re right. I know you’re right. I just can’t help but worry. Chessy has been so miserable lately,” she said quietly. “And I hate that. Chessy just . . . shines. Except when she’s not happy. Joss and I have worried ourselves sick because we can see how unhappy she is. And it has to be hard for her. I mean look at Joss. So gloriously happy. Pregnant with her first child. The love of Dash’s life. And then there’s . . . us.”
    Jensen’s eyes flickered, his expression growing intently serious. “Us? Now this I want to hear.”
    Kylie flushed but smiled at the gentle teasing in his tone. “It’s just that we’re all so . . .
happy
. And then there’s