“Hello, husband.”
He pushes the stray strands of hair that’ve fallen from my upswept curls away from my eyes, and I thank the universe for putting us both in Lachey’s bar almost a year to the date.
“I won’t say I knew the minute I saw you we were going to be married, but I had a pretty good inkling after our second date,” he whispers.
“And you didn’t share that?”
“You weren’t ready, and I had business to take care of before I could offer you everything you deserved.”
“God, I love you,” I whisper, moved by his thoughtfulness. I understand now that love is wanting the best for the other person, no matter what it costs you. We’ve both worked our way through the bad to get here to a happy, blended family under one roof in a new home where we’re eager to begin expanding.
“Was I worth the wait, Willow Hunter?” he whispers as he nuzzles my neck.
“I’m not sure. I think I need you to show me what you’re working with one more time before I answer that.”
He rolls me onto my back, and my laughter dies away as the heat between us begins to build once more.
“My pleasure.”
It’s the last words he speaks for some time as we revel in the flesh to flesh connection we’ve denied ourselves for so long. The truth is, I would wait twice as long if it landed me here every time. I’ve found the one person on this Earth meant for me, and I plan to enjoy every moment we have together.