I open my mouth to respond, but nothing comes out at first. My throat is too tight. My chest too full.
“So yeah,” she continues, voice thick with emotion now, “I’m not gonna let you call itmyhouse anymore. It’sours. You live there. With me. And Cohen. And if you try to back out of that now, I’ll remind you we just got legally married in front of an actual witness.”
I laugh—soft, but deep. The kind that comes from the bones.
“You threatening me, Mrs. Parker?”
She grins wide at that. “Damn right I am. You’re mine now. Legally. Emotionally.Geographically.”
I reach over and take her hand, bringing it to my lips and kissing her knuckles. “You really want to be stuck with me that bad?”
She leans in until our foreheads are touching, even with the console between us. “I’veonlyever wanted to be stuck with you.”
A few seconds pass in silence, and then she whispers, “So what do you say, Mr. Parker? You ready to move in with yourwife?”
I grin. “Hell yeah, I am.”
And in that moment, driving down a quiet street with a wife beside me and a life full of promise, I know without a doubt, I’m exactly where I’m meant to be.
I carry Kenna into the quiet of our home, the weight of everything we’ve been through settling around us. It feels like time has slowed, like we’re finally in the place we’ve always needed to be. Together.
Kenna’s hands are soft against my chest, and I can feel the warmth of her touch seeping into me, grounding me in this moment. I gaze down at her, taking in the familiar softness in her eyes, the way her lips slightly part when she breathes in. She’s here, right here with me, and I can hardly believe it after all the time apart.
Her hand slides up to my neck, her fingers tracing the edges of my jawline. I close my eyes for a moment, leaning into her touch. It’s a comfort I never knew I needed until this moment. We don’t speak; words feel unnecessary right now.
Slowly, her lips press against mine in a gentle kiss, warm and tender. It’s not rushed, not full of desperation or need, but quiet and full of emotion. It’s as though we’re telling each other everything we couldn’t before. Every second we spent apart, every moment we missed. It all melts away with a simple kiss.
I pull her closer, feeling her body against mine, and I can’t help but get lost in the connection. It’s everything I’ve ever wanted, and I finally have it. I can feel her heart beating against mine, steady and sure, and it fills me with a sense of peace that I never knew was possible.
When we pull back, we stay close, just looking at each other, and in the silence, I feel more connected to her than ever before. I gently brush a strand of hair from her face, my fingers lingering on her skin, memorizing the warmth of her touch.
“I never want to let you go,” I whisper, my voice hoarse, full of emotion I can’t quite put into words.
Kenna smiles softly, her hand resting over my heart. “You don’t have to. I’m not going anywhere.”
The words hit me, and I press my lips softly to her temple, feeling the pulse of her heartbeat under my touch. She’s here, in my arms, and for the first time in a long time, the weight of everything. All the distance, the time apart, it feels lighter. All of it feels like a distant memory, something that doesn’t matter now. What matters is us.
Her hands find their way back to my chest, her fingers tracing the outline of my shirt, like she’s memorizing the feel of me, too. I can’t help but smile at how natural this feels, how easy it is to just be with her, without the worries and the chaos of everything else.
Kenna pulls back just slightly to look at me, her eyes shining with an emotion I can’t quite place. It’s love, yes, but it’s also relief, hope. Maybe even a bit of disbelief, because we’re here, we’ve made it through all the hard stuff, and now we have a chance at the life we’ve always wanted.
“Do you ever feel like we’re in a dream?” She murmurs, her voice soft and unsure, like she’s afraid to jinx it.
I smile, brushing my thumb over her cheek. “Every day,” I admit. “But I think it’s real. And it’s ours.”
She leans in again, just a little, and presses her forehead to mine. “I never want to wake up,” she whispers.
I close my eyes, taking in the sweet sound of her words, of the way she makes everything feel like I’m living in paradise.
I set her down and we climb the stairs, her hand in mine as I guide her to the bedroom.
I set her down on the bed, and she gasps as my lips find her neck. She tastes so fucking sweet. And the soundsshe is making? These little moans. It’s almost enough to make me come before we’ve even begun.
“More,” she begs. “Cap. More.”
I nip at her neck, and her body arches beneath me. My tongue trails along her collarbone and up her throat to find its way back to hers.
“You sound beautiful when you beg, Mrs. Parker,” I whisper into her mouth.
