Chapter song: This Year's Love by David Gray
Disclaimer: I do not own Twilight.
They spend the rest of dinner talking like they used to, interested in what the other has going on in their life.
She talks about checking out the local art festival that is coming up, and maybe entering in a few of her photographs. What she doesn't talk about, is how this is the first time she's even thought about her photography in a long time. It's been months since she has even entered her darkroom.
He talks about how his classes are going, and how he plans on getting a teacher's assistant in the fall.
What he doesn't talk about, is the regret he feels for not getting a TA a long time ago to help lessen the work load. He could have been at home being the husband she deserves.
Sometime after dinner was cleaned up and the bottle of wine was finished, she ends up in his arms as they sit on the couch reminiscing about the countless memories they have shared throughout the years. Laughing together as they remember the crazy things their son did growing up, sharing wistful smiles when they talk about their last family vacation.
Every so often, he lays a light kiss on her head, or rubs his hand up and down her arm, as she draws lazy circles on his chest. This is how they used to spend their nights after their son went to bed. No papers for him to grade or lectures to write. No closing herself off or going straight to bed without saying goodnight.
Just them.
Reconnecting.
At eleven, they decide it's time to turn in. As they both go through their nightly routine, neither of them are able to stop the small smiles that play on their faces. It was a good night, one they haven't had in a while. The elephant in the room doesn't seem so big right now as they both climb into bed, gravitating toward one another.
Laying her head on his chest, they start to settle in, holding each other close just as they did the night before. He still holds her close as his finger lifts her chin and he looks into her eyes. Never loosening his hold on her as his nose brushes hers, and holding her even tighter as his lips softly meet hers.
She relaxes into him even more as their kiss progresses, but stays gentle. Tongues touching with every slight brush of their lips. He moves his hand to her cheek, and she moves her hand up his chest and rests it on his neck as their kiss deepens from gentle to passionate.
Sometime during the kiss, she ends up on her back with him lying partially on her. Still kissing, hands roaming, and legs intertwining. Letting their bodies and hearts do the talking this time.
Clothes start to slowly come off, and just as the last item is discarded, he hesitates, but just for a moment. When he looks into her eyes, he sees all the love and desperation she holds in them for this moment. She needs this.
They need this.
Pushing into her, he leans down and kisses her, whispering, "I love you," on her lips. They make love slowly; full of gentle touches and soft kisses anywhere they can reach on each other. As they start to reach their peaks, he clasps their hands together above her head and leans his forehead against hers, sharing each heated breath with her. His pace speeds up just enough to send her over the edge, bringing him with her.
As his high starts to wear off, he loosens his hold on her hands and rests his head in the crook of her neck, still breathing heavily. She unlocks her legs from around him and brings her arms down, moving them under his to wrap over each of his shoulders, leaving a trail of soft kisses up and down his neck as her feet rub up and down his calves, slowly.
Pulling out of her, he lifts his head and looks down at her just as she opens her eyes. Curling his hand up to the side of her face, he caresses her cheek with his thumb, causing her eyes to close again and a content smile to form on her lips. When she opens her eyes again, he leans down and soundly kisses her lips before gently rolling off to the side and bringing her with him.
They hold each other close, caressing and kissing, until she needs to break away to clean up. Noticing he's asleep when she comes out of the bathroom, she gently climbs into bed so she doesn't wake him. He awakes anyway, but just long enough to wrap her in his arms and whisper that he loves her. She kisses his chest, above his heart, and whispers it back, falling into a restful sleep in her husband's arms.
A/N: Thanks for this chapter goes to my pre reader, Crackylu, and to my lovely beta, Allison Cullen