Page 43 of In the Light of Day

I'm trying not to show how ecstatic I am over her response. I just want to take her in as she looks over this little piece of heaven tucked away for only us to use. For us to forget about the rest of the world.

Her eyes light up as she looks at me, a loud squeal leaving her as she throws open the door to the truck and leaps out, screamingrace you to the wateras she tugs her t-shirt over her head, throwing it in the air.

Laughing, I waste no time in stripping off as I try to catch up with her. Cursing the boots I'm wearing and the amount of weapons I have strapped to my body. She waits for me at the end of the small dock attached to the deck, standing only in her cotton underwear. Her long platinum hair flows down her back as she assesses the water, the small silvered scars that cover different parts of her body on full display.

Gods, I love this woman.

“You gonna jump or do you want me to throw you in?” I chuckle, coming up behind her.

“Don't you dare!” she yelps, “It looks cold doesn't it?”

Despite it being summer, the shade of the trees makes it feel a little cooler, and we’re still up in the mountains. Giving her a quick kiss I leap off the dock, showing off with a back flip and splashing into the cold water. Her squeals of delight ringing through the air. Shaking my hair out, I tread water as I watch her decide if she's going to get in with me. A few minutes pass and I hear a faintfuck itbefore she's jumping into the water, pinching her nose as she takes a small leap of faith.

“Holy fuck, it's cold!” she yells. Swimming over to her, I wrap her legs around my waist and place her arms over my shoulders. I love it when she lets me carry her around but being in the water like this, she's like a baby koala holding on as I move us about.

“Can we spend forever like this, love? Just live in our own little world away from everyone.”

If someone had asked me to describe the perfect moment to me I would have said this, right now. Resting her head on my shoulder she sighs, content, just like I am. I'm not sure how long we stay out in the water, cuddling and jumping off the dock but eventually, the sun has dipped and we’re both cold. Taking a couple of the towels that are scattered at various points on the deck, I dry her off, wrapping one around her shoulders before she puts another around her hair.

Making our way inside the cabin there’s a large lounge suite in an open plan space, a kitchen on the far wall near two doors. One to the bedroom and bathroom on the other side. Despite it being a single-bedroom cabin, it is the epitome of luxury with every creature comfort you could want at your fingertips. I waste no time turning on the gas fireplace and pop Nova down in front of it while I run back to the truck to get our things, losing my towel at some point. After three trips to retrieve everything in just my underwear, I notice Nova has poured herself a glass of wine and is nibbling on a cheese board that must have been waiting for us.

“No, no, keep going. I like watching you work,” she smiles. Her eyelids dipping slightly as she takes my muscles in. Striding over to where she's leaning I make sure to put the wine she was sipping down before I all but throw her over my shoulder, giving her ass a light tap as I head into the bedroom. Her body vibrates and squeals as laughter echoes through the cabin and I toss her on the gigantic bed. The towel in her hair comes loose and falls to the side and her cheeks flush from the sudden activity.

“Wife,” I growl. A low rumble coming from my chest as I climb onto the bed and reach for her legs, swiftly pulling her to me so I’m nestled between them.

“I like this side of you,” she says, reaching up to stroke my face. “This is the side of you only I get to see. He's my favourite version,” she whispers. A secret only I’m meant to hear.

Her eyes are bright as she looks at me, her face wide open with all the love she gives and for the first time, I truly understand what it feels like to be loved. I never grasped what it meant growing up in foster care, and the few relationships I had weren't like this. Never like this. This is the type of love they tell for generations. The type people talk about, hoping to one day experience. Leaning down, I take her mouth and kiss her with all the passion and desire I feel. Her hips start to rock against mine and for the second time in less than a week, I come in my boxer briefs. The woman of my dreams grinding beneath me as she takes what she needs in the safety of my arms.

Chapter 35 - Nova

“Good morning, husband,” I say, kissing along the forearm wrapped around me. He's kept me safely pressed against him all night. Not a nightmare, worry or concern to think about. We've slept with each other a million times but something shifted after our wedding. It's like my mind knows that he’s not going anywhere and I can relax now. His low grumble into my hair is enough for me to know he's waking up. His hands start to explore my body and I can see a lazy grin form as he cups my breasts, rocking his hips into me slightly. His hardness very much awake and poking into my back.

It's not often he’ll still be in bed when I wake up, the stress of the last few days must be catching up with him and he's not woken up at the first sign of the sun. I left a light on in the kitchen last night, explaining that one was enough while he kept the spare night lights on the kitchen table so they were accessible.Just in case. If I'm honest, I didn't even think of them as all the reassurance I needed was already with me.

Extending his arm out, I look over his hand, grinning at the sight of his wedding band. His hands are weathered and worn. There are so many scars you could draw dot-to-dot on his skin, however, the largest of them looks dry and tight. Luckily, I don't have to stretch far to quickly grab my hand cream on the nightstand.

“Mmmmm, what is that smell?” He purrs, still half asleep behind me. Putting a generous amount on my palm, I start spreading it over his large hands, gently easing it into the jagged scar that takes up so much of his hand.

Over the years when he's used some of my strawberry shampoo or let me try a couple of nail polish shades on his fingers so I can pick the perfect colour. I love it when there's a part of me on him. He even has one of my hair ties on his wrist,just in case, and I push it a little further up his arm so I don't make it greasy, continuing to massage all over his hand.

“That feels good, love, thank you,” he mumbles, pulling me closer to him. Our size difference means he is well and truly the big spoon, despite my best efforts with the footstool. Snuggling into him, I wonder if this is some plan written by destiny for us to be together. Two people who were forced to face the worst of humanity and for the most part, are happy on the other side of it.

“Do you ever think about them?” I say, rubbing my fingers over the raised edges of the scar. He's told me a lot of stories over the years, mainly about his time in the Army but every now and then one from his childhood will pop up and my heart shatters for the little boy who they tried to break.

On the eve of his eighteenth birthday, his foster dad was getting drunk with his friends, which was not unusual apparently. Knowing this was his last night there they decided to give him a parting gift and held him down, getting out the circular saw. They left him with his hand almost cut off. The large parting scar I massage, a constant reminder of that night. It's weird to think we are both connected by this monumental birthday. Despite not knowing each other then, on the eve when we should have been welcomed by the rest of society, we both experienced the worst. He always said it was what made him join the army because the recruitment centre was across the road from the hospital. That leaving with nowhere to go, a light shone down on a poster readingcome and meet your new family, and so he did.

“Sometimes, but probably not how you imagine. I feel sorry for them. Tyler was the worst of them, but they all gave me a roof over my head and a place to call home no matter how bad it got. I didn't know what family was until I joined the army and I didn't know what love was until I met you. It's kind of the same as what you say about your family. They do the best they can with what they know and if it all leads me here, so I can be with you, then I would take every hit and cruel word all over again.”

His words are lazy and said without much thought, an effortless statement that rolls off his tongue, but they mean everything to me. They give me the understanding that I love him in the same way that he loves me. Quickly turning over, I snuggle into his chest as he wraps his arms around me.

“You taught me what love was too,” I whisper into his chest, the solid beat of his heart reassuring me that he’s mine.

Chapter 36- Ace

We spend the day leisurely swimming and laying out on the deck. The sun shines overhead, twinkling through the large trees while the low hum of the playlist I made for Nova plays in the background. I may or may not have given her the performance of a lifetime when I belted outFor Your Entertainment, ending on my knees squirting sunscreen on my chest. She said it was life changing and who was I to disagree.

We’re on two loungers at the end of the dock, trying to warm up in the sunshine and as much as I want to be fully present, I can’t stop thinking about Lizzy's rehearsal dinner. The man who held onto Nova's shoulder looked so familiar but I can’t put my finger on where I'd seen him before. Of the family members I had met or researched, he wasn't included in the list. He looked too cozy with Thad and happy about what her Aunt was going to do so he must be involved with them somehow. He has to be?

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