Page 60 of The Sailor

“I know you can, but you can also nap. Besides, I’m gonna keep you up past your bedtime tonight,” he said suggestively.

She smiled. “Yeah?”

“Yeah,” he confirmed with a nod. “So you need to get a nap in now, so you don’t fall asleep when I’ve got my face between your legs.”

She snort-laughed. “Don’t think that would ever happen.”

“You never know. You’ve been up for a long time today. And you’ve worked hard.”

“Zach?” she asked, as she used her shoulders to dry the rest of the tears on her cheeks.

“Yeah?”

“Thanks. For everything.”

He leaned down and kissed her. “You’re welcome. Now, come on. I’ll get you a blanket and you can snuggle up until everything’s done.”

She nodded and let Zach lead her to his favorite of the two recliners. He got her settled and turned on some music.

By the time he’d prepped the chicken and was ready to grill it on the stovetop, he saw that she was fast asleep. He stared at her for a beat, more thankful than he knew how to put into words that she’d come into his life. That he’d been smart enough to recognize something special when he’d seen it.

Then he got to work cooking. He had big plans for both of them tonight. Plans that involved lots of naked time and quite a few orgasms, and ended with his cock buried as deep inside her as he could go as she fell asleep on top of him. That was his favorite way to sleep now, and if the last couple of restless nights without her were any indication, he wasn’t sure he could sleep any other way. Not a deep, soul-healing sleep, that was.

He grinned as he concentrated on the chicken and thanked his lucky stars for all he had in his life. His health, his mom, his brothers, his business, a hometown that had embraced his and his brothers’ return . . . and his woman.

Life wouldn’t always be easy, but he hoped with Marit by his side, they’d be able to weather whatever storm might arise.