Then she collapses forward onto my chest, careful of her belly, and I wrap my arms around her.
"Welcome home," she murmurs against my neck.
I smile and press a kiss to her temple. "Best welcome home I've ever had."
A short time passes and we decide to take a shower together.
For a moment, we just stand there under the water, letting it wash away the sweat and the heat of what we just did.
Then I reach for the soap and lather my hands.
"Turn around," I say softly.
She does and I begin to wash her. My hands glide over her shoulders, down her spine, across the curves of her hips. I take my time, savoring every inch of her skin beneath my palms.
"That feels amazing," she murmurs.
"Good."
When I'm done with her back, she turns to face me, and I repeat the process on her front. Her neck. Her collarbone. The swell of her breasts. I'm gentle with her belly, my soapy hands tracing the taut skin where our son grows.
"I love you," she says quietly, her eyes meeting mine.
The words still hit me like a punch to the chest. Every single time.
"I love you too,solnyshko. More than anything."
She takes the soap from me and returns the favor, washing me with the same care. Her small hands map the planes of my chest, the ridges of my abs, the scar where I took a bullet for her.
She always lingers there.
"I'm glad you're home," she says.
"Me too."
When we're both clean, when the soap has been rinsed away, I sink to my knees in front of her. The water beats down on my back as I press a kiss to her round belly.
"Hello, little one," I murmur against her skin.
I feel him move beneath my lips, a flutter of motion that makes my chest ache.
"He knows your voice," Holly says, her hand threading through my wet hair.
"Good." I press another kiss to her belly, lower this time. "I can't wait to meet you. Can't wait to hold you. To protect you."
Holly smiles. "You're going to be an amazing father."
"I'm going to try."
I kiss her belly one more time, then rise to my feet. We stand there under the spray, her in my arms, and I think about how much my life has changed in a year and a half.
How it went from empty and cold and bloody, to having a home with a wife and a son on the way.
How the fuck did I get this lucky?
"I'm going to get out," I say finally. "You coming?"
She shakes her head. "I want a bit longer. My back is aching. The hot water helps."
