Author's Note: M-rating for this chapter

Nick got home from his shift just before dinner. He hated that he couldn't take time off for the day, but he'd been out the week before with a bad flu, so he'd missed enough. And if he was going to make detective as soon as he hoped, he was going to have to put in as many hours as he could to show his worth to the brass.

"Jen, I'm home!" he announced, hanging up his hat by the door and unbuttoning the top two buttons on his uniform.

"In here," she called back.

And wasn't that interesting? She'd taken the day off and promised him she had plans, but what those plans were, she hadn't said. Recently, she'd been trying more adventurous recipes in the kitchen. Nick had privately hoped that she'd make them something really wonderful for dinner. But her voice sounded from down the hall of their tiny flat.

Wildly curious—and a bit excited—Nick hurried toward their bedroom. There, lying in their bed, was Jennifer. The sheet was pulled up over her chest, but her arms and shoulders were bare. Her long golden hair was fanned out over the pillow. She smiled as he stared at her. Her eyes locked with his as she sat up, letting the sheet fall away and revealing her upper half completely bare. "Happy anniversary, Nick," she said softly.

He grinned, eyes raking over her beautiful naked body. "This is what you did for my seventeenth birthday."

She nodded. "Our first time."

"Nice to have history repeat itself."

"Well, we're a lot better at this now, I think," she noted.

"God, I'm so glad I married you."

Jen matched his joyful expression. "Five years, sweetheart. You still love me?"

Nick laughed, "Yes, honey, I do. More than ever."

"Good. Then show me," she taunted, reaching out her arms to him.

"I intend to," he growled in response. As quickly as he could, Nick started unbuttoning the rest of his shirt.

"Wait," she insisted, "Go slowly. I want to watch you."

It made him a bit self-conscious, having her hungry eyes focus on him so intently. But he followed her instruction, taking his time as he removed his shirt and shoes and trousers and trunks until he was fully nude and half hard in front of her. "Can I join you in bed now?" he asked.

A proud smirk crossed her lips. "Yes please."

Nick climbed over the bed and joined his wife under the covers. Five whole years they'd been married. The time seemed to fly by. Being on the force together—in different divisions, but still in the same building—and living together in their little haven of married life and going out with their friends and just sharing this life together. It was all Nick had ever wanted. He didn't even know it's all he wanted. But he came home every single day to the woman he loved and never wanted for anything. Oh of course they had fights here and there, when Nick got a bit too fastidious and annoyed Jennifer with his picking up after her, or when Jennifer tried to cook but ended up ruining their meal and Nick chided her for wasting food. But other than such petty squabbles borne of people living together, they had a happy marriage and a happy life. And after five years, they'd developed a routine and a lifestyle that seemed to suit them both perfectly.

Jen immediately wrapped her arms and legs around her husband. They lay facing each other, holding one another close. She started kissing him, unable to resist for even a moment. Jen thought, sometimes, that all she wanted in the entire world was to lie naked with Nick and kiss him till the day she died. The way their mouths moved together, from their years of perfecting the technique together. The way their hands skimmed over each other's skin, mapping out the well-known expanses of their bodies. The way Nick would always groan when Jen pressed her breasts against him. The way he would squeeze her ass and grind her against his hardness to make her whimper with want. These were all tried and true methods, things they'd done a hundred times over the course of their five-year marriage. And yet despite the frequency of such things, Jen had yet to ever feel bored by their love life. The sex was utterly incredible every time. Perhaps it was just because they were still young, or perhaps it was because they loved and trusted each other enough to get and give exactly what they wanted and needed. Whatever it was, Jennifer Mapplethorpe wanted to stay in this bed with her husband forever.

"I love you," Nick murmured between kisses. He moved his mouth to her neck and breasts. He had one hand tangled in her hair and the other moving down her waist and hip, lifting her thigh to wrap around him to give him access where he wanted. Nick wasted no time stroking her, tracing her folds with his fingers and dipping inside to spread her wetness.

Jen moaned and bucked against his hand. "Quit teasing," she gasped, urging for more contact, for him to touch her where she needed him.

"You like it," he replied before his teeth nipped her breast.

She threw her head back and dug her fingernails into his muscled shoulders. "Please, Nick."

He kissed his way back up her neck and sucked on her earlobe before whispering, "All you ever have to do is ask." He then plunged two fingers deep inside her, curling and thrusting to give her what she wanted. His thumb vibrated against her clit in a well-practiced rhythm. He could feel her inner walls begin to flutter. "Come for me, Jen," he commanded.

With a high-pitched moan, she shattered. Pleasure radiated through her body in pulsating waves. "Oh god, I love you," she groaned. Her orgasm was starting to dissipate, and Nick removed his hand. His finger were wet as he grabbed her ass and repositioned her. His cock was poised at her entrance. Jen rubbed against him, readying them both.

There was no conversation as he thrust inside her, slowly and carefully. They were both breathing heavily as Jen adjusted to his size and Nick got control of himself. He pulled out of her just as slowly as he'd gone in. Jen whimpered and moaned at the torturous pace of his movements. But this was their anniversary, and Nick wanted to make sure it was special, wanted it to last for them both. Jen met his rhythm, canting her hips with each of his thrusts. They moved together, gyrating their on their sides, their bodies wrapped around each other as close as they could be.

Jen felt her buildup slow and methodical. She was bathed in sweat by the time she even got close. And Nick continued the same pace. He seemed to go for hours, though how long it really was, she had no idea. But every single touch was so good. It was never-ending. And when her climax crashed over her, it wasn't the same powerful tumbling as earlier; the pleasure was as slow and sustained as its buildup. Jennifer thought her soul had left her body as her mind was left devoid of anything but deep and unending pleasure. Nick continued on and on and on, making her come twice more before she even knew it. And when she felt her extremities numb and her throat dry and hoarse from her uncontrolled moans and panting breaths, Nick jerked sharply and came deep inside her.

They held each other as their movements stilled. They were both bathed in sweat. Their hearts were thundering rapidly in time with each other as they both struggled to catch their breath. Eventually, Nick slipped out of her and flopped onto his back. Jen did the same, but reached out to find his hand. She laced their fingers together and brought his hand up to her lips.

"How's that for an anniversary?" he asked, finally regaining the power of speech.

She chuckled breathily. "Works pretty well for me. I was going to make us dinner after, but I think I'm too tired."

"I'll order Chinese when I can move again."

"It can wait," she said, rolling over to snuggle against him. There was a bit of a wet patch on the bed, but what else was new? She'd change the sheets when she got up to shower later. Eventually. "You think we'll always be like this?" she wondered aloud.

Nick softly kissed her hair, his hand lazily traveling up and down her spine. "I hope so."

"It's been five years."

"Five years of a lifetime isn't that long at all, when you think about it."

Jen just nodded against him. They'd come so far, but they still had so far to go. But marriage was forever. And Jen knew that she and Nick were forever. In her mind, there was no other possible outcome. Forever stretched ahead of them, and as they lie sated in their bed, forever seemed a rather nice prospect.