Protecting Her(46)

“Pearce, when I said that I didn’t mean I want a divorce. I love you and I don’t want to break up our family. I was just so frustrated with you and I didn’t know what to do or say to get your attention.”

“Well, that definitely got my attention. And you were right. I have not been a good father to him these past few months. And I have not been a good husband to you. I am very sorry for that. You deserve much better.” I lean in and press my lips to her forehead. “I promise you, I will be the man you deserve. I love you more than anything, Rachel. And although my behavior this past year may have made you doubt that, I am telling you right now, that you and Garret are more important to me than anything else in this world. I will prove that to you going forward.”

She nods. “Okay.”

I smile at her. “You’re being too easy on me again. You should be telling me how much I screwed up, and making me beg for your forgiveness.”

“I don’t need to. I think you finally realize that things need to change.”

“What are you doing tomorrow?” I ask.

“I was going to take Garret to the pumpkin patch and let him pick out a pumpkin. That was always one of my favorite things to do as a kid in the fall.”

“Can I go with you?”

“But tomorrow’s Thursday. What about work?”

“I’m taking the day off, unless you don’t want me around. It sounds like you have a busy day.”

She smiles. “I want you around. Would you go to the pumpkin patch with us?”

“I would love to. I’ve never been to one before. And you’ll need me there to carry the pumpkins. I’m sure they’re quite heavy.”

She hugs me. “Thank you.”

“Don’t thank me. This is what I should be doing. Spending time with my family. I should’ve been doing it all along.” I hold her face with both my hands. “I love you,” I whisper over her lips, and then I kiss her, softly and gently.

For months, our kisses have have been rushed, quick pecks on my way out the door. But now I’m going slow, savoring the feel of her soft lips, her warm breath. Her body relaxes as I take the kiss deeper. I recline her back on the couch and lay over her, letting our bodies mold into each other. We haven’t been this close, this intimate, for so long that I can’t even remember how long it’s been. I don’t know how I let things get to this point, but I can’t let it happen again.

I break from the kiss and my lips trail down the side of her neck. She breathes out, and when I cup my hand around her breast, she softly moans. I’ve missed that sound. I’ve missed the feel of her beneath me. I’ve missed her scent and the feel of her skin.

She pushes her hips into me and I press back into her, letting her feel me and what she does to me. I whisper in her ear, “I need you.”

“I need you too,” she whispers back, her breathing ragged.

I lift her up off the couch. She goes up the stairs and I follow her to the bedroom. We quickly undress each other, then I shove the covers back and we get into bed. I look at her lying there and, again, I wonder how I let my absence go on for so long. She’s my wife and she’s beautiful and I love her with everything I am, so why have I not been here with her? In our home? In our bed? Together like this?

I kiss her stomach, her breasts, her neck, as my hands wander over her body, feeling her soft smooth skin. When my hand slides up her inner thigh, her breath catches, and her fingers rake through my hair.

“Pearce,” she whispers, her hips grinding into my hand. I want to keep pleasuring her, not worry about myself, but I can tell she wants more.

I lie over her and put myself inside her. We both exhale at the feel of being united like this again. My hips move in a slow rhythm as I kiss her. She matches my movements, gradually guiding me to go faster. I do, but I’m finding it hard to hold back. She feels too good and it’s been too long. She’s moaning and pushing into me, and I can’t stop it. I release, but when I do, I feel her coming as well.

She holds onto me, trembling beneath me. As her body relaxes, she rests her head back on the pillow. “I really needed that.”

I brush her hair off her face and kiss her. “We’re going to be doing that a lot more from now on.”

She smiles. “I’d like that.”

I look into her eyes. “What can I do for you, Rachel?”

“What do you mean?” She threads her hand through my hair.