She smiles and giggles. “You’re right; you should.”
“Thank you for tonight, Avery.”
I press my lips to hers and she mumbles quietly against them, “You’re welcome.”
My shoulder is aggravating the hell out of me, so I kiss her one more time. “I’m going to go change and find the heating pad.” Smiling, I add, “Don’t you want to rub my shoulder again? It needs to be good and relaxed so I can move it a little tomorrow.” I’ll have to go in for some very gentle exercises to keep my shoulder from getting too stiff.
“I guess I’ll suffer through another shoulder rub for you. Go change while I put your puck up. Where do you want it?”
“On the mantle in the living room? Wherever you want; it’s still yours.” I kiss her forehead and disappear toward the bedroom before she can fuss at me for saying that. After happily removing the sling, I carefully change and get ready for bed.
Avery walks in and says, “I put your gift in the living room where you suggested.”
I laugh, grab the heating pad, and get myself situated in the bed. My eyes follow Avery as she changes into her pajamas, which includes only one thing every single night: an old college T-shirt of mine. She has them all in her dresser; they aren’t even mine anymore. I’m not complaining though. Avery stops when she comes next to the bed, about to climb on and straddle me. I grin. All she’s wearing is my T-shirt and a pair of panties.
“Something wrong?” I question, trying not to laugh.
“Nope.” She doesn’t hesitate as she comes to sit over me. She grabs the cream and starts rubbing my shoulder with a tad too much strength and force. When I wince, Avery quickly apologizes.
“It’s fine,” I reply, moving my free hand to rest on her bare thigh.
Avery glances at me, but doesn’t say anything. This is not exactly how our first fourth date ended. She shifts in my lap, my thumb dropping to the inside of her thigh, and the simple movement has me getting hard beneath her.
Clearing my throat, I ask her, “Do you remember what happened on our fourth date, Avery?” That was the night she told me she loved me, too.
“Of course I do, Jax. I’ve been trying to recreate them,” she answers softly.
My hand glides up and down her thigh. “Everything about them?”
“The important parts.”
I stop moving my hand, so she doesn’t think I’m asking about sex with my question. “Then haven’t we left a part out?”
She stops her work on my shoulder, placing her hands on her thigh, one over my own. Avery leans forward, keeping eye contact, and whispers, “I love you, Jax.”
I take away the space between us by moving closer and kiss her. “I love you, too.” This woman right here in front of me, sitting in my lap, trying to make my shoulder feel better after spending the day together is my wife. She’s an older, prettier, smarter version of the woman I married. Staying close to her, resting my forehead against hers, I don’t hesitate as I breathe, “I forgive you, Avery.”
She blinks fast two times and then, it’s as if what I said hits her, tearing down all the walls. Avery grasps my face with both hands and kisses me with everything that she is. I can taste her relief, her happiness, and her love. She breaks the kiss for a split second to ask, “Really?” before her mouth is back on mine.
My groan as she nips my lower lip is her answer. Avery presses into me deeper as I lean back into the pillow. This kiss, her passion, just might top the kiss she gave me after we said our I Do’s. A nagging discomfort starts to distract me. I try to ignore it as I slip my hand underneath her shirt to feel the skin there. Avery’s arm barely presses my shoulder where she’s still holding my face, but I grunt from the contact.
“My shoulder, Avery,” I remind her when she leaves my mouth to kiss my jaw.
She sits upright. “Sorry.” A lazy smile lifts my lips when she kisses my shoulder gently. “You need to put some heat on it.”
“Freezing cold ice might be better for me.”
Avery giggles, shakes her head, and reaches for the heating pad. She takes care of putting it in place before moving to her side of the bed. “Twenty minutes and you can get some rest, Jax.”
“Okay,” I nod. “Thank you, Avery, for everything you do for me,” I tell her seriously. “I’d be lost in more way than one without you.”
She gives me a small smile. “That’s what we do, Jax. We take care of each other.” Avery gives me a quick kiss before getting comfy. She turns on her side to look at me.
“Do you know what I want?” I suddenly ask her.
“What?”
“I want to date you forever.” Avery looks confused so I clarify. “After a while, there was always a reason or purpose we went out and did things, aside from vacations. And often, that reason wasn’t so we could have fun together or do something new with one another and have time just for us. We went to make an appearance, to say we were there, or for work. Each time we go out on these dates, it’s about you and it’s about me. It’s about us. I want to date you forever, Avery.” I pause and wonder if that makes any sense to her. I’ve half confused myself, I think. “Do you know what I mean?”