As Miranda drifts back into consciousness, the first thing she's aware of is the rise and fall of Gary's chest against her back, pulling her back to reality. The same soothing rhythm so often lulled her to sleep these days.
Their legs are entwined inside their duvet cocoon and his arm is draped over her waist. When she covers his hand with hers, he sighs in his sleep and buries his face into her shoulder, his stubble tickling her neck.
Her cheeks ache as she smiles. Settling into his embrace, her memories of the past day gradually come into focus. A last-minute workshop with Stevie. Penny beaming as she adjusted her dress, unable to contain her delight. Gary's face when he took his first look at her, his eyes shiny with emotion and his lip trembling ever so slightly.
His breathing changes pace and she feels him shift his weight as he stirs. Turning over as softly as she can, her wedding band catches the morning light when she strokes his slumbering face. Yes, this was real. Her fantasies had become few and far between now – well, those ones anyway.
While his eyes are still closed, a cheeky smirk forms on his lips. "Good morning, Mrs Preston," he murmurs, enveloping her in a hug.
Her heart flutters when he says those words. "Did we decide I'd be taking your name, hmm?" she teased, resting her head on his chest.
"Only if you wanted to," he mumbled, rubbing her shoulder. "I could take your name for all I care."
She chuckles as she tries to snuggle closer. "How very modern of you, Mr Hart."
They lapse into sleepy silence and she's all too happy to stay nestled in his arms. As her eyes begin to close, she glimpses a cream dress tossed haphazardly over a chair. Recalling the events of the previous night, she tries to stifle a giggle. Bloody invisible zips.
"What's so funny?" he asked, his face breaking into a grin.
"Oh, just reminiscing about last night is all."
His brow furrows as he tilts his head. "I'd hoped that would inspire something other than laughter."
"Well, you did almost give me a concussion beforehand, since you insisted on carrying me over the threshold…"
"Mm sorry about that," he said, kissing the top of her head. "Though I think I still have scratch marks on my back from later."
"Is that a complaint?" she asked, looking up at him with a glint in her eyes. "I'll have to be gentler next time," she said, threading her fingers through his curls.
His expression darkens as he pulls himself above her. "I was thinking of the opposite, actually. Who's an alpha male now?"
As they dissolve into laughter she marvels at how far they've come together. Had she known they'd end up like this, fifteen years doesn't seem so long after all.