Behind The Proposal novel Chapter 33

"What's not to see?" he murmured in answer to her mother's question. "She's an amazing woman. She's gorgeous, intelligent, loving" and absolutely great in bed. He lowered his mouth to Sophie's to kiss her hungrily right there at the dinner table. It got a smile out of Sophie, as embarrassed as she was when her parents were sitting there gasping and gaping and making all sorts of disapproving noises. At least she looked alive now with a bit of colour to her cheeks and a sparkle in her eyes that hadn't been there a few moments ago. She was more like the bright bubbly woman he married, and not the dull, imitation she became around her parents.

"I bet he never gave up his dreams because of a mistake, Sophie," her mother muttered and his heart nearly beat right out of his chest. What was she talking about? What dreams? What mistake?

Sophie closed her eyes and pursed her lips before looking up at him. "I actually studied medicine - I'd always wanted to be a doctor," she shrugged.

"What happened?" he asked, glancing at the disapproving faces of her parents.

"I finished my degree and completed half of my internship before I had Jass. I tried to finish part time but it was too hard juggling parenthood, study and weird hours," she shrugged again, not meeting anyone's gaze.

"Do you want to go back and finish it?" he murmured, surprised, yet again, by her.

She looked up at him and frowned. "Actually, no," she shook her head. "I really do love what I do now. I think it's what I was always supposed to do. I loved medicine and really enjoyed working patients, but what I do now has the potential to help so many more people. If I can be a part of finding a cure for cancer or diabetes or any number of diseases, imagine how many lives it would save." Her eyes lit up with passion and he wanted nothing more than to take her to bed that moment. That was certainly one thing he loved about being married.

"But think of where you could've been by now, Sophie," her mother cut in and Tom was utterly speechless.

"I wouldn't have been nearly as happy," she replied fiercely shook her head.

"Happiness isn't everything," her mother muttered sourly as she wiped her mouth with her napkin before folding it in her lap.

That really said a lot for her family.

"I promise I'll behave from now on," he grinned and rubbed his nose along hers before letting her slide to the floor next to the bed.

"Thank you," she reached up and kissed him, more thankful to him than she knew how to express. He'd held her hand when her mother had criticised her. He'd defended her, telling them how amazing she was. And then there'd been that kiss that had told her everything she needed to know about her husband.

"My pleasure," he whispered against her lips. "Now get in bed. You need sleep," he ordered.

"I'm suddenly not as tired as I was." She took her lip between her teeth as she ran her hands over his chest, hooking her fingers on the hem of his shirt.

He grinned and pressed his mouth to hers in a hot kiss, his hands going straight to the hem of her top and lifting it up over her head. Then he sat on the edge of the bed and pulled her between his knees. She expected him to kiss her again as he unhooked her bra and let it fall to the floor. Instead he found her well-worn t-shirt and pulled it on over her head. "You need sleep, not sex." Then her pants were gone and he held her pink flannelette pyjama bottoms for her to step into.