“Dad is just about to go to a meeting.Can you call me back to hear the piece later?”
“Yes, Mom, I have to get ready anyway.”
“Have a good day, kiddo,” Zee said.
“Love you, Daddy.Love you, Mom.”
“Love you too, Annie.”
“Can you believe that?Look at our girl go.”Zee’s lips brushed hers in a soft, giving kiss.
“She’s great,” Ella pressed against Zee, loving how his solid chest was against her back.
“What are you doing, Master?”Ella caught the smile on Zee’s face as he brought up an airfare search.
“I realized you hadn’t seen the girls since Christmas.I’m fixing that, Ella, so you can go see our daughter kick ass.”
Ella swallowed a lump in her throat, her heart swelling with love.“Thank you!Are you sure you’ll be okay with your new job?”
“I think I can manage one weekend without you,” Zee said, a teasing smile in his voice.“Though it’ll be hard.My job started back in the summer, watching those guys at qualifications—” an email alert came in on the iPad.“My boss just sent me a press release announcing my appointment—pretty snazzy, huh?Did you ever think we’d end up here?”
His gaze locked with hers, heat and desire flickering in his eyes.Ella’s insides squirmed.
She was eighteen when they met, twenty when they married.It hadn’t always been easy, but they made it work.
Ella had always known Zee was it for her—since she’d gone to that training session with her best friend, Nora—also a competitive swimmer—and the moment their eyes locked, she knew.
They’d been inseparable since.
And it hadn’t been easy being married to a world-class athlete.
Days spent apart, the long months he’d been on the road.And then the twins, being left with newborns tested her commitment, their marriage and their adherence to a D/s lifestyle.
But she’d supported him through two Olympic Games and the soul-crushing loss of his big brother.
After the Olympics, Zee had dabbled in motivational speaking before diving headfirst into investing in a sports fabric.
And it was Ella’s sewing skills that helped bring that product to market.
“Yes, I did, Zee.You promised me everything.”
Zee brushed his lips against her ear.“I didn’t always keep them.”
“You kept the important ones,” she replied and clasped her husband’s hand.
The alarm on his phone went off.“Got to go, dear heart.The press release is on the screen.Give it a read.”
“Have a good meeting.See you later,” he said, and kissed her cheek before grabbing his laptop bag.
“Hurry home,” Ella said.
“Have fun in the garden, my love.You deserve some downtime.”Zee stroked her jawline with the back of his hand before another quick kiss, and then he waved goodbye.
Ella closed the door behind him and set the security alarm.
For the first time in days, the weight in her chest eased.
She couldn’t wait to tell Annie that she was going to see her play live.It was exactly what she needed.
