He had just made his way up the steps from the garden and felt the warm draft from the Aga hit his face as he made his way into the kitchen. He was just about to take off his gloves and make a cup of coffee when he heard the front door, it made him jump wondering who it could be mid afternoon on a Tuesday when his parents were away, he moved from the kitchen into the hall briskly and opened the door. Nothing could of prepared him for what was on the other side, his heart pounded in his chest as he met her gaze she gave him a wicked grin, tilted her head slightly and said "missed me ?"
She wasn't due back for another few days, he had been counting them since they had last skyped each other and talked about her return to the UK. The tour had been everything they both hoped it would be, she had been brilliant and used the time away to rationalise all that had happened in the last year and find her place in it all. Everything happens for a reason and she had come to accept that every experience is designed to shape what happens in your future.
So when she had the opportunity to ship out a couple of days early she grabbed it so that she could get to her Captain and begin shaping that future.
He returned her own wicked grin with one of his own, he couldn't wipe the smile off his face as he gestured for her to come in and closed the door behind her. He swiftly scooped her up into his arms and swung her around the hall, when her feet touched the ground again, he tenderly took her face between his hands and just looked at her, drinking her in and gently caressing her every feature before leaning in for a soft lingering kiss.
"What...how you weren't supposed to be here for a few more days...oh Dawes, missed you? You have no idea..." He said as his eyes began to glisten with the smallest little tears forming in the corner of those liquid chocolate eyes that made her melt into him.
"Oh I think I can tell how much" she said the wicked grin appearing again as she leant into him, her fingers playing with the soft curly hair at the base of his neck.
With that he chased her up the stairs them both dropping items of clothing as they disappeared into the first room they could find.
He woke to find her lying beside him still sleeping, propped up on one elbow just watched her eyelids flutter and her chest move slowly up and down, she looked so beautiful, he couldn't believe she was here beside him, he felt overwhelmed by the total and unconditional love that he felt for her at that very moment, he never wanted her to leave his side again. He leant forward and kissed her on the forehead, then the end of her nose, then softly on the lips as she began to slowly wake up and stretch her arms. As her eyes began to focus on his he smiled and said "Welcome home Dawes" "home Boss?" She said "Yes Dawes" "you are all I ever wanted and I am not letting you out of my sight for the foreseeable" With that he gave her another kiss and took her hand to lead her to the shower, "let's freshen up and then I am taking you out to dinner, I know a little place you have been to before that you might like"
"Yes Boss, lead the way"