Henry McCord lay awake in the dark of the bedroom. His wife faced away from him, curled on her side.
Henry, you got shot.
What will we tell the kids?
I think you should quit.
Their conversation in the hospital following his accident replayed in his mind on a seemingly endless loop. All he could focus on was the image of Elizabeth standing above him, practically pleading him to give up his work.
"Babe?" he whispered.
"Yeah?" she answered, almost too quickly.
"Do you actually worry that someday I'll get hurt and you'll lose me?"
She shifted over and faced him, trying to identify his features among the shadows in the dark room. She pulled the covers over her shoulder, keeping the material close as if it could protect her from harm. "Yes, Henry, I do worry."
He reached out and placed his palm gently on her shoulder. "You know I would never do anything to lose you. I need you, Elizabeth."
"And I need you, here, with me."
"Babe—"
"With both of us working all day, I only see you in the morning as I'm about to leave, and then for a few minutes before I fall asleep at night." She sighed softly, remembering the days when her husband's only work was a desk job with an actual desk. If she was going to be limited to only having moments with her husband here and there, she wanted to feel safe that the 'have a good day' exchanges, the quick phone calls, and the communications of 'I love you' before bed would never suddenly have to go away.
"I know. And I understand being scared. But this job — it's just something I have to do." He paused and considered what he would say next. This conversation reminded him of a similar one he'd had with Elizabeth years before, when he constantly worried about the safety of her position in the CIA.
"Do you remember when you asked me about my old job, and how I knew if I was in too deep?" She ran her finger over the sleeve of Henry's t-shirt.
He thought back to that night, and he could tell where she was going with this. "You didn't know until it was too late."
"I trust your judgement, but I also know what it's like to be in an op and feel like the mission is the only thing that matters."
"Babe, I focus so much energy on work because if we can actually stop something dangerous from happening, it means I'm making a difference in the world for you, and for the kids. I make it a priority because you are my priority. You and our children are my everything."
She smiled softly, letting Henry's words wash over her. He was so passionate that it was sometimes hard to fight him on issues like this. "I just wish you didn't have to risk getting hurt."
"I know." He brushed her hair behind her ear and gently placed a kiss to her temple. "I love you so much, Elizabeth."
"I love you, too," she replied softly.
She rolled over and flicked her bedside table lamp on. As their eyes adjusted to the brightness, Elizabeth readjusted her pillows and sat up in bed.
He shifted up as much as he could with bandages around his knee and ankle, then took his wife's hand in his. "What else is on your mind, babe?"
She looked back at him earnestly. In the dim light, the wrinkles around his eyes and mouth seemed more pronounced somehow, and the grey in his hair caught her attention more than it had before. "You."
"Me?"
"Yeah, you, Henry. You're beautiful, you know that?"
He chuckled softly, not expecting his wife to give him such a compliment. "I do know, because you never let me forget. And each time I look at you, I see how stunningly gorgeous you are."
She scoffed at his cheesy remark, but let him pull her in for a kiss anyway. His palm found its way to cup her cheek, and he felt a small tear roll onto his thumb. He pulled back and studied her face.
"What's wrong?"
She stared back at him, silently communicating with him through the expression in her piercing blue eyes. "Henry, would you, um—would you make love to me?"
His heart broke at her vulnerability; the way she seemed so unsure of herself in that moment was enough to make him want to comfort her from now until the end of time, in whatever way she needed him to. He glanced down at his bandaged joints, then up again at Elizabeth.
"Of course."
"I—it's just that we—"
"I know, don't worry, babe," he reassured her, "I can still lay on my back and my side if it's not for too long."
"Okay."
They pushed the covers aside a bit and Elizabeth sat beside Henry, close enough to feel him but not against him enough to limit his ability to move. He brushed his lips against hers, carefully bringing her back to the passionate reverie that they knew so well. Her tongue ventured against his lips, then against his own tongue. Soon, her palms ran insistently against his chest through his t-shirt, and his fingers were tracing the waist of her pajama pants. She whimpered quietly when she felt his nimble fingers inside her pants, working them down her hips along with her panties.
"Okay?" Henry looked up, checking in with her.
She nodded. "Do you wanna, uh…" she gestured toward his underwear.
He slipped his boxer briefs down and over his knee bandage, making sure she saw that he was okay, that he wouldn't let his physical injuries affect his ability to express his devotion to her.
She leaned in to resume their kissing, but he placed his palm against her shoulder and coaxed her back. He helped her remove her t-shirt, then laid her down on her back, completely naked. He worked his own t-shirt off of his chest and took a moment just to admire the sight of his beautiful wife.
She reached out to pull him close, and he shifted onto his side so he could kiss her fully. They took their time reconnecting, letting a buzz build up deep inside as their lips repeatedly touched and broke apart in the most perfect sensation either of them had ever known. Elizabeth's fingertips explored Henry's bare chest as his hands ran steadily up and down her waist and hips. They needed to feel each other; it was their own wordless way of communicating their presence and commitment.
"I love you," Elizabeth breathed, beginning to crave more than just Henry's lips.
"I will never leave you," Henry promised. He trailed his hand down between her legs and found her wet, swollen heat. "Mm, babe," he groaned.
"Please," she managed, and it was the last time she would have to ask. He began to massage her in firm circles, letting her grow accustomed to the feeling of his fingers against such a sensitive area. He sensed her breathing quickening and noticed her hand creeping up her abdomen. He took her hand in his and covered her breast, encouraging her to heighten her pleasure and touch herself while he focused elsewhere. She twisted her stiff nipple between her fingertips and released a low, throaty moan.
"That's it, babe, does it feel good?" He circled her clit with two fingers and pressed messy kisses to her neck.
"I want to come," she gasped, a little surprised at her own directness. But she couldn't help it; she needed it desperately and Henry had always had a way of making her exceptionally aroused.
He slid two fingers between her folds and into her heat, reaching for the spot he knew would get her where she needed to be. She arched her back slightly, clearly enjoying his movements. He covered her right nipple with his mouth and sucked just right, causing her to tense underneath him. She panted and pinched her nipple harder, scrambling for her release. Henry rubbed her clit with his thumb and curled his two fingers deep inside her until she cried out and he felt her writhe in intense pleasure. He kept his thumb on her clit and rode out the waves with her, watching intently as she squirmed and muttered his name.
After she calmed, she pulled him in for a kiss. "Thank you, baby."
"Any time," he smiled, kissing her shoulder sweetly.
She reached her hand down to his hardened length and began stroking him. He moaned softly and stopped her for a moment. "Let's sit up."
She helped him settle against his pillows, then he motioned for her to straddle his lap. She gazed into his perfect hazel eyes, reveling in the solidness of his presence before her. He offered her a small smile and tilted her chin towards him for a kiss. Their tongues crashed together and the burning desire immediately began to resurface.
Elizabeth ran her fingers over Henry's toned chest, pausing over his heart to feel the strong, steady rhythm of his heartbeat. She rocked her hips slightly, feeling his length pressing firmly against her. He grunted and used his hand on her backside to pull her closer. They were now chest to chest, and the feeling of Elizabeth's stiff nipples against his sensitive skin overwhelmed Henry.
"Babe, are you ready for me?" he panted. He wanted to ensure she was okay to continue before fully connecting their bodies.
She nodded at him with her bottom lip between her teeth and whispered her confirmation. He let her stroke him a couple of times before rising up and settling down again, taking him deep inside her. They both groaned softly at the sensation of finally being connected as intimately as possible. Henry inhaled deeply as he felt the weight of Elizabeth surrounding him, her chest still pressed against his and her fingers playing with the hair on the back of his head. She was so incredibly wet and the tightness of her warmth seemed to cause Henry to throb subtly inside her.
"Oh, Henry," she breathed, feeling his hands roam her waist and hips. He moaned in response and thrust upward as best as he could given his position. Pleasure rushed through Elizabeth and she shivered slightly. Unable to wait any longer, she began moving her hips up and down, setting a steady pace. Henry kept his hands on her hips and helped her ride him.
"Babe, you feel so good." He leaned forward and pressed his lips against her neck, first kissing and then sucking gently. He moved one hand up to her breast and squeezed, causing Elizabeth to arch her back a little.
She hummed soft noises of pleasure as she rode him, feeling him firm against her spot. His fingers continued to tease her nipple and push her closer to her climax.
"Please come with me," Elizabeth panted, kissing his lips messily. She reached a hand behind herself and lightly cupped Henry's balls, making him groan against her. He moved his hand down to where they were connected and kept pressure on her clit as she rode and ground against him.
He sensed her muscles beginning to flutter around him and heard her hold her breath in anticipation of her orgasm. He thrust up into her once more and they came simultaneously, intense pleasure coursing through their connected bodies. Elizabeth shrieked and lost control to the waves washing over her and making her legs shake. Henry whimpered and squirmed as he spilled his release deep inside his trembling wife.
When they had both recovered, Elizabeth removed her weight from Henry's lap and cuddled against his side. She laced their fingers together, kissed the back of his hand, and whispered a quick "I love you" before letting her exhaustion take over.
Henry lay beside Elizabeth and listened intently as her breathing slowed and evened out. Her presence grounded him and kept him safe. He stared into the darkness of the bedroom once again and the question she had posed in the hospital continued to plague his mind — if he suddenly left them, what would she be forced to tell their children?
Hi! Yes, I know I haven't posted the next chapter to my last fic exchange story, and I owe other people some stories, but I'm slowly working on all of that. Hope you enjoyed this story nonetheless ;) Thanks for reading; reviews make my day!