Now it was her turn to cry out. But then: “Stop that,” she gasped. “You are not allowed to move your hip!”

For a moment a ravishing smile lit Quill’s eyes. “You drive a hard bargain, love.” His voice was husky, taut with control. A hand found its way to the front of her thighs and tried to distract her.

Gabby fell silent, intent on learning the rhythm of the rise and fall. She rocked awkwardly. She rose quickly and sank too slowly. She drove him half to distraction…. Quill ground his teeth and stroked his wife’s back. He rediscovered the delights of having a breast temptingly near his mouth. He counseled himself in patience and tried to keep in mind the fact that awkward lovemaking with Gabby was ecstasy compared to lying in a bed without Gabby.

He learned patience and then abruptly lost that hard-won virtue. His muscular body arched roughly upward, a thumping rise that sent a bolt of lightning through his body.

Reprimanded, he regained patience and whispered loving words he never meant to speak again.

Finally…finally, by the grace of God, his wife found a rhythm in her beautiful hips. Began to rise and fall in a dance that made the blood pound through his body in a delicious cadence. His heartbeat meshed with hers.

And then, as Gabby’s neck arched back and she cried aloud, Quill gripped her hips and thrust upward. Drove into her with every inch of strength he had and heard only dimly the wild cry that burst from Gabby’s throat as her body convulsed and she fell forward onto his chest.

It was enough. It was more than enough. He clutched her against him, all of her beautiful soft curves, his own jasmine-scented wife, and gave her everything he had.

And it was enough.

In fact, Quill was glad that her face was in his shoulder so she couldn’t see his own face. He felt as if his soul had jumped out of his own body, it was so…enough.

Instead, he said hoarsely, “That was very good for a first try, Gabby.” And then, ashamed of himself, he was glad to find that she had fallen asleep, right there on top of him, without hearing his foolish comment. He kissed her ear and her hair over and over, in an excess of tenderness that was profoundly embarrassing. It’s gratitude, he told himself. Gratitude for being saved from a fast.