AN: This is it my loves, our last chapter before the epilogue. I want to thank each and every one of you for so enthusiastically writing comments, messaging me, offering suggestions and ideas and flooding my inbox with love. I couldn't have done this without you all, and I hope you enjoy this.


December 2023

Cady watched as the kids eagerly tore into their Christmas presents at their Grandfather's house, leaning into Mathias's side tiredly. She was grateful that the Senate was in recess for the holiday, she needed this time away with her family, badly.

The DNC and her donors from the campaign had been hounding her to run again, warning her that if she didn't, they would back another candidate.

As she watched her children, she didn't think she would mind that so much.

She had begun to daydream of lazy Sunday mornings in bed with Mathias while the kids slept in or stayed with a grandparent. In the more stressful moments at work she had been caught imagining a time when she and Mathias could send the kids off to school and then spend hours in bed together instead of rushed moments of pleasure snuck in between showers, dinner and basketball practice.

There was still so much work to be done for Wyoming and Absaroka, but her family needed her, and she them. It was time to take a break.

February 2024

Candles shimmered and music played softly as wine was poured into glasses. Mathias carefully studied the living room, satisfaction swelling within him. He had finished the decorations with a little help from the kids and had made sure the food was ready, the kids were at a friend's house and wouldn't be back until noon tomorrow.

Cady had taken off work at his request—his Valentine's Day gift he had told her, insisting he didn't want her to get him anything, just for her to be with him. She had her suspicions that he had been planning something, but he had kept the details from the kids until the last minute and had even gotten help from the Secret Service agents to keep it quiet.

When the front door of their DC townhouse opened and ushered in a rush of snowy air he looked up and smiled softly, watching as his wife slid her coat off, wide eyed as she took in their home.

Slowly she kicked off her heels and walked towards him, craning her neck to examine the decorations, a grin growing on her face.

"Are these…"

"Pictures of your mom and dad's wedding day, ours, us, the kids, our families?" he finished, smiling and nodding when she looked to him for confirmation. The kids had helped by cutting out 150 red paper hearts and helping him frame the pictures before he hung them on garlands of twinkling red and white lights.

It was cheesy, sweet, and totally perfect.

In a heartbeat she was in his arms, grinning at him as she wound her arms around his neck. "You're such a sap," she teased lightly before leaning in to kiss him.

"Just for you," he replied softly, pressing a kiss to her temple as she looked around the room once more. She hummed softly and pressed herself further into his side, a sigh of contentment soft against his throat as she slipped her arms around his waist.

Eventually they sat and ate; he had made her favorite dish, Moroccan chicken with olives and lemon. Cady leaned over frequently to kiss him, the taste of lemon heavy on her lips as his tongue tasted her.

When they had finished dinner he instructed her firmly to stay while he took the dishes into the kitchen, returning a few moments later with a pint of salted caramel gelato. He wasn't a sweets person usually, but he enjoyed sharing this one with her.

Maybe it was the salty-sweet combination.

Or the way Cady would look him in the eye when she licked the spoon.

Or the little moans of pleasure she would make as she ate.

As he kissed the sticky sweetness from her mouth and then trailed it over her throat, he thought maybe it was a little of each.


They were reclining against their headboard, sipping on Tennessee whiskey and laughing, just a little buzzed when he remembered the card he had gotten her. Rolling over, he pulled it from the drawer in his nightstand and handed it to her with a smile.

He watched as she read, her fingers coming up to press against her lips as they trembled. When she looked up at him, her beautiful eyes shone with unshed tears and joy. It wasn't that he never told her how he felt; in fact, he quite frequently used terms of endearment and told her he loved her.

This however, was something he thought she should know.

As she slid into his arms once more that night, he thought he could taste the warmth of the whiskey on her tongue, setting his lungs on fire.

Or maybe that was just her.


Cady,

I'm never really sure what I could have done in this world to deserve ending up with you. From the first time I saw you looking so determined to fight for my people, I realized how good the world could be, because of people like you. I am overwhelmed by you; your generous heart, your loving spirit, your indomitable will, your intelligence and humor, your ability to raise our little demons into such wonderful people. Nothing in this world can bring me the happiness you've brought me. Without you, I would be alone, hopeless. You rescued me, loved me, and made me a better man. I love you, every inch, now and always.

My heart is yours, Mathias


The next morning Mathias woke to the smell of coffee and when he rolled over, found a steaming mug on the bedside table. With a grateful groan he sat up and reached for it eagerly, sipping slowly.

"Do you have a hangover too?"

Glancing up he grimaced good naturedly at his wife and nodded, "Guess we aren't 25 anymore," he joked, voice raspy.

Cady laughed and shook her head, tendrils of copper hair escaping the mass of hair on top her head. "Babe, you haven't been 25 for a while," she teased.

Giving her a disgruntled look he took another sip of coffee before responding. "Maybe not, but did a 25 year old ever make you come like you did last night?" he asked, grinning as she flushed and ducked her head.

It never failed to amuse him that he could still make her blush.

The toes of her left foot curled against her right and she fidgeted with the hem of his shirt, "Maybe," she murmured before looking up at him with a playful gleam in her eye. He watched as she sauntered over, setting her own coffee mug down before she slid under the covers next to him, a decidedly avaricious look on her face.

Turning towards her in interest, he lifted a brow, "Really? Who?" he taunted.

She bit her lip and trailed her finger over his chest as she appeared to think, brow furrowing deeply. If he didn't know her better he might actually think she was pondering the question seriously.

"Hmmm, can't quite seem to remember his name…" she trailed off, her hand slipping beneath the covers to trail over his taut stomach muscles. His body responded to her touch, arching and rippling like a big cat, a low rumble of pleasure in his throat as she touched him lazily.

She sighed disappointedly and her hand paused at his hip, "I must have been mistaken," she told him sorrowfully. Leaning in, she placed a soft kiss to his throat and nipped at the mark she had made last night, "I have such a terrible memory now that I'm getting old," she whispered. "I barely remembered it was Valentines' Day," she told him as she kissed down his throat to his chest.

As she kissed over his chest she shifted to straddle him, her eyes bright as she glanced up at him, a smirk playing at her lips. "I'll just have to give you my present now, if that's ok," she murmured before kissing down his abdomen.

Her tongue laved over his skin and he shuddered, enjoying the sensation, the familiarity of how her body felt against his, know what came next. No matter how many times they did this it didn't get old, and if anything, they found new ways to love each other with time.

She pushed the sheets back and his cock stood tall, free from restriction. Smirking up at him for a moment she leaned in to kiss the tip, eyes on his. "Happy Valentine's baby," she whispered before taking him in her mouth.

He groaned as she took him deeply before retreating and sucking at his sensitive tip, the sensation sending shivers of fire under his skin as she continued to work him with her tongue and mouth.

Her hands ran over his body, pressing into his thighs, scraping over his flesh, rolling sensitive nipples between her fingers, nails leaving red marks on his chest; anything to heighten the pleasure.

Soon enough he was gasping for breath, his hips thrusting into her mouth as she bobbed her head, her tongue lashing over him like he was some lewd lollipop. With a cry of her name he came down her throat, her bright gaze the last thing he saw before his eyes slammed shut in pleasure.

Cady stroked him through it with one hand, her lips closed around his tip until he started to wilt and jerk away at the sensation. Slowly, she kissed his thighs and then up his body till her mouth found his in a soft kiss.

"You know, I think I remembered that guy's name," she deadpanned, looking him in the eye.

He stared at her for a moment and then in a flurry of movement, flipped her onto her back and proceeded to tickle her until she shrieked and begged for mercy. Their laughter filled the room along with the warm morning sun, and it was a long time before either one of them willingly left the bed again.


April 2024

The boys cheered as their sister scored a goal, her little legs carrying her rapidly to the sidelines for hugs from her favorite people. Cady grinned and leaned her head on Mathias's shoulder, watching as their children celebrated together.

Raven had started playing soccer a year ago, following in her brothers' athletic footsteps. Both boys played sports; Leo soccer and Jonas basketball. To her surprise, Mathias had even started playing baseball with a few friends he had made at work, joking that he had found his love for it when he hit a guy with a two-by-four.

Cady sighed happily, watching her children cheer for a minute before Raven darted back out onto the pitch.

"She sure is something," Mathias murmured, squeezing her waist.

Cady nodded, "She is," she agreed happily.

The boys ran back over and chattered excitedly, playing with some of their friends. Mathias watched his children and pulled his wife against him a little more firmly, heart swelling with love.

Sometimes he wasn't sure how he had made it here, with Cady and the kids, but he knew without a doubt, that he was the luckiest man alive.


They stood over Raven's bed, watching her sleep and Cady leaned into Mathias, bone tired but overjoyed with her family, her life.

"What do you think of having another one of these little monsters?" she asked softly, laughing softly as Mathias gave her a skeptical look.

"What?" she asked teasingly.

"We're just getting into the swing of things, do you think it's a good idea?" he asked, looking a little worried at the idea.

Cady studied him and then wrapped her hand around his, tugging him down the hall to their bedroom and shutting the door behind them. They sat on the bed, facing each other in the light from the bathroom and Mathias studied her, eyes running over her body for a moment before a smile spread slowly on his face.

"You're pregnant, aren't you?" he asked, lifting a brow as he waited for an answer.

Cady shook her head, "No, but, I want to slow down. They've been trying for the last year to fundraise and convince me to run again, but Mathias, I want to spend time with our kids. I want to watch the boys compete in high school sports, see Raven ride horses on dad's land, and I want to have the option to have another baby."

Mathias nodded slowly, "Do you want to move back to Wyoming?" he asked.

"What do you want?" Cady countered.

He held her hand in his and thought about that question for a long minute before he could formulate a response.

"I want to be wherever you are, wherever our kids are. I want to keep making progress with our work, wherever that may be happening, here or Wyoming. I want our family, as it is, or with more kids. I might be an old man, but you guys keep me young," he joked with a warm smile.

Cady grinned and tackled him, chest pressing into his as her legs slid around his hips and she pressed him down into the mattress.

"You're not such an old man. You still keep up with me," she teased, rolling her hips into his. She grinned wickedly at his soft grunt of pleasure and repeated the action as she leaned down to kiss him, fingers feathering through his hair (which may have had more grey in it than before, but then, so did hers).

His hands gripped her waist tightly, slipping under her sweater to skim up and pull it off, tossing it aside before he unhooked her bra, the offending item quickly joining its mate on the floor. Mathias sat up and kissed along her neck, sucking a harsh mark onto her skin that had her breathing faster and rolling her hips into his.

His lips trailed down to capture her nipples, first one then the other. Cady arched into his touch, sighing his name as heat curled through her. He lipped and sucked until she was panting, hips rolling, searching for release.

She breathed his name wantonly, fingers raking over his clothed back, her skin on fire from the sensation of the rough fabric of his clothes rubbing along her body. Fingers winding through his hair, she pulled him up to wind their tongues together as their mouths met in a slow kiss.

"I love you," she panted against his lips, smiling fleetingly when he slowed their passionate embrace to pull back and brush his knuckles against her cheek, a tender look in his eye. His lips were gentle against hers and she didn't need to hear the words out loud; he was shouting them with every breath he took and kiss he gave.

As the kiss built again, his erection ached painfully against his zipper and they separated, shedding clothing until they were naked and she was beneath him. Cady writhed as his mouth found her wet entrance, tongue fucking in and against her clit until she came, smothering a cry against her hand.

Mathias closed his lips around her clit, sucking and flicking until she shivered and bucked, her voice cracking on his name as she came again, wetness flooding his chin. She grabbed his hair and yanked, laughing brokenly at his growl of pain before his mouth found hers and his erection rolled against her, seeking entry.

Her legs wrapped around his hips, feet pressing into his ass as he pressed into her, both of them groaning quietly, trying not to be loud and alert their children.

"I love you," Mathias rasped against her throat as he thrust into her, groaning at the way her silken heat clasped at him, drawing him deeper each time.

"Mmmph…I…I…love you," she gasped, arching as his teeth tugged on one of her nipples and lifted her hips to plunge deeper.

They gasped together, chasing their high until Cady came, her body fisting around him so tightly he could barely thrust a few more times before he came, spilling into her with a guttural cry of her name.

Laying together they breathed heavily, Mathias's head nestled against her breast, her fingers playing with his hair idly.

"You have grey hairs," she commented softly, a faint smile on her lips.

He kissed her sternum and looked up at her, smiling, "Told ya, I'm an old man."

"Nah. It's sexy," she assured him, running her fingers over his brow gently. "Besides, I have them too. I love every inch of you, grey hairs, wrinkles and all."

Mathias lifted himself up and kissed her softly, sweetly. "Every inch, always," he murmured against her lips.

"Every inch, always," she agreed, holding him close as he let his weight fall gently back against her.

A soft smile spread on her face as her eyes slid shut tiredly.

They were going home.


AN: Thoughts? Feels? Tears? LOL whatever you got, gimme! I love each and every one of you, and I'll "see" you all back here next week for the epilogue!