I drop my watch on the nightstand a little too hard, and it makes a clunking sound, loud enough to wake her. Her eyes shoot open quickly and then ease when she realizes that it’s just me. I expect her to roll over and go back to sleep, but she doesn’t. Her eyes tighten, and her lips curve into a small smile. She glances at the alarm clock on my nightstand. 1:45am. She looks back at me but says nothing of my late arrival home. Her eyes beckon me.

“I know. I’m sorry I’m late.” I slide into bed beside her.

“Don’t be,” she whispers patting the spot next to her.

I scoot closer, planting a kiss on her cheek. She makes a cooing sound.

“I’ve missed you,” I say.

She looks up at me as I pull her close, holding her tightly. “I’ve missed you too.”

I kiss her forehead. She pushes closer into me, entangling her legs in mine and resting her head on my bare chest. She runs her fingers up and down my abs.

“How was work?”

“Long,” she says.

The silence stretches, and I wonder what it is that she’s thinking. Is she mulling over case files in her head? Is she thinking about me? About us? Can she see the cracks in our marriage? Does she want to fix them or keep pretending like they don’t exist? Like I don’t exist. Like we don’t exist.

“Let’s have a baby.” Her eyes brighten, and she looks up at me, waiting for my reaction. I can’t help it. My face lights up, and I grin back at her.

“Are you serious? Are you sure you’re really ready? After everything that… well… happened. I thought you’d never want to have kids.” I examine her face for any indication that would betray the words coming out of her mouth. I had always hoped she’d want to have children, but I had accepted that that day might never come, given what happened to her…

“Yes.” She nods, and I think she means it. I let out a laugh mixed with a cry, and I kiss her. I can’t contain my excitement. My hands are all over her and her hands all over me. My lips move down her neck. I pull her black tank top off and kiss every square inch of her breasts and torso. I look up at her, and she smiles as I remove her panties. I kiss and lick and suck until she comes, and then I find my way inside her. She pants and moans beneath me. Her eyes locked on mine, big and full of hope.

“I love you, Sarah.”

“I love you too, Adam.”