Caroline lifts her legs and wraps her thighs around me, pushing me deeper inside. She remembers exactly how to hit my spots, and I know hers. We rock together, finding a familiar rhythm, our body memory taking over.
I bury my face in her hair, breathing in her scent, and then I’m kissing her neck, her tits, wanting to taste all of her as the climax builds.
Caroline moans my name as she comes, and with a final thrust, I meet her, exploding deep inside and marking her again as mine.
Afterwards, we lie together, our bodies folded into a familiar pattern. Her breathing turns heavy, and I hold her close as she drifts off to sleep.
My heart fills with joy. I have my wife back in my bed. And this time, I’m not letting her go. I made two vows when I was young, one to serve my country and one to love my wife.
And I believe in keeping my promises.
EPILOGUE
TONY
Six years later…
Caroline clutches the phone to her ear, the tense look on her face giving nothing away. The sound of children playing in the garden sweeps in from the open French doors, but all adult eyes are on my wife.
“This is tenser than that black ops mission in Helmand,” Leo quips. Some of the guys chuckle, breaking the tension, but I keep my eyes firmly on Caroline.
“Aha…” she says into the phone.
Then her mouth drops open, and she turns to face her waiting fans. Her eyes find mine as they light up with joy.
“You won!”
I jump up from the couch and punch the air. The room explodes in cheers and clapping, and Caroline does a little happy jig.
She waves her hand at us to be quiet as she stalks into the kitchen, trying to listen to the person on the other end of the phone.
When she comes out a few moments later, I’ve got the champagne bottle ready to go.
“I won,” she says simply to more cheers.
My arm goes around my wife, and I couldn’t feel prouder. She’s just won the Californian Small Business Award.
After all those years of hard work, it’s finally paying off. The prize money will mean her plans for expansion to other states can go ahead.
She’s already picked out warehouses in Oregon and two new store fronts. But it’s not just the prize money. It’s validation.
Finally, it’s official. My wife is as amazing as I’ve always known she is.
Seth pops the champagne cork, and the kids come running inside to see what all the noise is.
There’s lots of hugging and back slapping, and with all the commotion going on, Charlie starts crying.
“Okay, everybody out.”
The red scrunched-up face of our grandson causes Caroline to hustle everyone out of the room and into the garden.
She picks up our grandson, who immediately settles in the familiar arms of his nanna.
“I’m so proud of you, Mom.”
Amy gives Caroline a hug and goes to take Charlie off her, but Caroline pulls the baby closer to her chest.
“I’ll take him for a bit, love. You relax.”
