My breath hitched. “Definitely love.” I turned on the fireplace for heat and followed her to the bed. “I love you, Parker. You’ve always had my heart, even when we were on different paths.”

“I promise I’m never letting go. I belong with you.” She straddled my waist.

I ran my hands up and down her thighs. “I’ve missed you so much. I never wanted anyone else.”

She kissed me tenderly and moved down my neck to my collarbone, then ran her tongue over my breasts. She scraped her teeth over my hard nipples and ran her fingers down to the junction of my thighs. I parted my legs, anxious to feel her inside me. She was already deep in my heart. The physical connection was magnified because we were finally free to be in love. I rocked my hips against her hand, trying not to come immediately, but I gave in. We had every single day for the rest of our lives to go slow. I shouted and shook, and when I was done, I pulled her into my arms and held her tight.

“I’ve missed you so much,” I said.

“I’m never leaving you,” she said. Her words were said with such conviction.

I pulled the covers over us and even though it was barely afternoon, we fell asleep in each other’s arms.

Hours later, I felt her warmth leave me. “Where are you going?”

“I’m going to order food so we can sustain this for the next forty-eight hours.”

I watched her slip on one of my sweatshirts and walk out of the bedroom, her tiny ass cheeks peeking out from below the hemline. She returned with her phone and two water glasses and crawled under the covers.

“What sounds good to eat?” she asked as she pulled up an app on her phone.

I nibbled on her neck. “You.”

She turned her head. “Besides me.”

“Me.”

She laughed. “Besides us.”

This was my perfect moment. We were in bed talking about the simplest thing, and I wouldn’t trade it for anything. Our journey was anything but easy and the road ahead was sure to have pitfalls, but nothing mattered except this moment.

“I’d cook, but you don’t have any food in the house. How is that possible?”

I shrugged. “I’m never home.”

“Hopefully, that changes because after fifteen years apart, I’m going to need to see you more than a few times a week,” she said.

I knew two things that would happen in this relationship. I wouldn’t be at the office until eleven every night because I knew she would be waiting for me, and even if I had to be there, she would support me. “I promise to put you first. Always.” I loved my job, but I could coach football anywhere.