A/N: Thank you to the people who recently followed or fav'd this story and of course to those of you who have been reading and reviewing since the start. It means a lot and I hope this update makes up for the long wait. After all the drama, these two definitely deserve a break, so the next few chapters will be full of fluff.

Flashback starts and ends in italics.
As for that song... Yes, I kinda got inspired by Mr. & Mrs. Smith.

Rated M

Leaning on one elbow she lowered her face to his. His mouth looked so vulnerable, and she wanted so much to kiss it. Letty brushed her lips against his with a feather-light touch and felt no response. Dom must be sleeping deeply; probably still tired from his journey back to her. Who knew what he had been doing this last couple of days away from home. Maybe he was just really sleep-deprived, although, come to think of it, he'd always been a deeper sleeper than her.

Some instinct urged her to trail the butterfly kiss over the clean curve of his jaw, to breathe him in as she nuzzled into the hollow of Dom's throat. His chest rose and fell in a small sigh, but he didn't move. She smiled against his skin and put her arm around him, resting her hand on the top of his head. Stroking his scalp with her fingers, the way she knew he loved it, Letty closed her eyes again and just enjoyed the feel of having her husband back where he belonged—for good this time, as he had promised her.

When Dom started moving, Letty lifted her chest from the mattress, retaking her earlier position to stare at him. Dom wiped a hand over his face, then looked at her. His eyes still a little unfocused from sleep, slowly his mouth curved in a sweet smile of affection as he pulled her down and rolled over so that he was on top of her. Letty let out a small squeal, a squeaking sound that made Dom laugh. He grinned, and brushed his lips lightly along her cheek, dropping them on her mouth shortly after that. The kiss lasted for a while, neither one of them wanting to let go.

Pulling away, Dom smiled happily. "Still not used to this," he said in a whisper, kissing her again.

"To what?" Letty asked, chuckling, while she let her finger run along the bone of his cheek, her eyes staring right into her husband's.

"Having you back," he mumbled, releasing a soft sigh. "Just makes me really happy," Dom added, his voice sick with emotion. "I hope I get to spend all my birthdays like this... waking up next to you."

"Oh, c'mon, you're being cheesy," Letty felt the embarrassment rush to her cheeks, coloring them a little red. Turning her face away from him for a moment, she tried to hide it, but Dom saw it anyway.

"I love making you blush," he noted, grinning broadly. "Looks good on you. You almost seem like—"

"Ugh... Happy birthday, papi," Letty shut him up, pulling Dom down to engage him in another kiss. When she broke away, her lips held a smile. "Your sister has big plans today, but if you want, and it's not like you even have a say in this, we can ditch the annoying bunch later and just be—"

"Alone?"

Letty nodded. "You'd like that?"

"Wouldn't have it any other way," Dom smiled. "But we don't have to go see the others already, do we?"

He rolled on his back and signaled his wife to snuggle into his side, a hint which Letty only too willingly followed. She laid her head on his chest, sighing deeply as she felt Dom's hand moving to stroke her back. Why did they have to get up anyway? She could stay with him in bed all day; just laying there in his arms was all she needed right now, and she was sure Dom didn't think any different about it—of course, he didn't. Dom thought his birthday was already special enough. He didn't need anything else. Then again, his sister would probably never speak to him again, if he didn't show up downstairs.

"Letty?"

"Hm?"

"I'm sorry I've been such a crappy husband. You... deserve better," he mumbled, stroking her arm. "I know that and I'm—"

"Stop!" Letty put a hand on Dom's chest and raised her head to be able to look at him. "Today's not the day to be talking about that... again," she told him, a weak smile on her face. "It's your birthday, and I'm glad I'm here to be celebrating it with you." She leaned down and brushed her lips across his. "And, y'know, there's nowhere else I'd rather wanna be," she smiled. "So don't be such a mood killer, babe."

"I'm sorry," Dom chuckled, cupping her face to pull her close for yet another loving kiss. "I just want you to know, I'm not taking you being here for granted. You know that, right?" he asked, playing with a strand of her hair.

"Dominic Toretto, you need to stop overthinking things for a moment and just enjoy, okay?"

"Enjoy wh—"

"This," she breathed, as she rolled on top of him, her mouth claiming Dom's, taking his lips hostage.

The wild smell of desire came over them as they kissed. Dom's hands started roaming restlessly over her back and she knew that he wanted more. Needed it. Letty could feel the hunger raging inside him and surprisingly, she felt it echoed in her own body. She pushed against him, making sure he knew that too; knew that she was finally ready to give herself to him. Completely. Dom's lips played over hers at the same time his hands found their way underneath her shirt. Letty's entire body became flushed as his warm palm covered the small of her back, and she gasped lightly.

"You sure you wanna do this?" Dom stopped for a quick second to allow those words to be spoken. His eyes met hers, and she smirked.

"You really need to stop talking and just—" She claimed his mouth again in a wild fashion, then moved her lips to the side of his neck, gently sucking at his skin.

"Fuck!" Dom let out, aroused.

"Me." Letty quickly added, a deep chuckle coming from her mouth as she got back to kissing him on the lips, working her hips against his crotch.

Dom's breathing got heavier with each second that passed. He had pictured this kind of reunion ever since his love had come back into his life. Ever since Letty had risen from the dead, he had wanted to make love to her again, and now that he would, he was actually a little nervous. He could feel it in every fiber of his being, not just how flustered he was, but how much he loved her, too. Letty Ortiz hadn't been his first, but she was the one who had transformed mere sex into true love-making for him.

Being with her, and loving her that way, had made him realize that sex wasn't designed just for pleasure, but for creating a deep connection with another person. It was about two physical bodies dissolving into one another like waves on the shore of an ocean. It allowed him to communicate with Letty on a level words didn't even come close to. He felt like this was the only way he could really make her understand how much in love he was with her—if he showed her. His body could say to her what his voice couldn't.

And just when they were about to get rid of all the fabric that kept them from reuniting their bodies, Mia's voice broke through their moans, putting their actions to a halt immediately. "Dom, get up! Everyone's waiting for you. C'mon!" she demanded loudly, knocking against the bedroom door.

"Oh, she's gotta be kidding me," Dom groaned.

"You don't wanna miss your own party, do you?" she said to him before she left, hoping he would soon follow her downstairs. She really didn't want to disturb him, but her son was getting impatient. He had 'the best birthday present ever,' and he couldn't wait anymore to see his uncle's face when he'd get it. Jack loved everyone, Roman, Tej, Hobbs, but of course Dom was his favorite uncle. He idealized him, looked up to him, and Mia wasn't sure yet, if she should be proud of the fact that her brother had such a strong influence on her kid already or be worried about it.

Letty laughed. She couldn't help it. Looking at Dom's face was way too funny. He looked like someone had just stolen his favorite toy, or rode his beloved Charger at full throttle through a retaining wall; like he had been brought close to orgasm but then left high and dry without being able to release that sexual tension. She felt sorry for him. But the day was still young and there would be time for that later. Like tonight. She would make sure that tonight would be extra special. He wanted this so much. And she wanted it, too. So much so that the mere thought of making love to him made her smile.

"What are you smilin' about?" Dom noticed the look on his wife's face.

"Nothin'," Letty giggled, as she let her head fell down on his chest. "I just—" Her smile grew wider, like all the happiness inside of her needed to find a way out to express itself and that was the only way it knew how. "I just love you, Dom." Her words made him smile. "And I think it's funny that, even after all these years, your sister can still be a pain in the ass and ruin things for us."

Dom laughed. "Y'know, she'll never stop doing that. It's in her DNA." He put a finger to Letty's chin to make her look up. "But... I love you, too." His voice was nothing more than a whisper, but sick with emotion. He took his hand to the back of Letty's head and pulled her face towards his, then kissed her. Once. Twice. And again. "I wish I could do this forever, but unfortunately, I think Mia's gonna show up again, if we don't go downstairs," he chuckled.

"You bet she will," Letty smirked.

They both had a hard time letting go of this moment; this moment in which nothing else mattered but them and their love for each other. They didn't talk or even think about the abortion she'd had or anything else that could ruin this moment of happiness between them. And they hadn't had much of those moments in the last couple of months. Years to be exact. So, when they entered the kitchen, holding hands, they took one final look at each other, before engaging with the others, and silently agreed, in a way only the two of them could understand, to get right back into this moment once they'd be alone again.

It was already close to 7pm when Dom and Letty were out on the road driving to a destination only she knew of. "Where are you taking me?" Dom asked with a grin, the excitement written all over his face.

"Well, some guy once told me an open road helps you think," Letty quoted him, making them both laugh. "No, seriously, I was thinking about your present all week, and—"

"Letty, you really didn't have to get me anything. I mean, I'm already a very happy man," he grinned.

"Are you kidding me? It's your birthday, bubba. You deserve a little something," she told him.

They drove in silence for a while, mainly because Dom was busy mentally running through possible scenarios to propose to her. He'd had plenty of time to think since he had gone to Cuba and come back, so he knew exactly what he wanted to do, but he hadn't thought about how he wanted to do it. Back then, she had proposed to him first, and then he had, but doing it like that again didn't seem appropriate. He didn't just want to ask her to marry him again, it needed to be special.

Dom glanced at Letty, whose eyes were fixed on the road, her hands locked around the steering wheel. She smiled when she sensed him looking at her. She didn't seem to be bothered by the fact that they weren't talking, she just seemed happy. And that made him happy. Putting on some acoustic tango, Dom started humming along to a song they both knew all too well, and had great memories of.

"Remember when we danced to this?" His lips tipped up in a grin and he began singing the chorus. "Latino caribo, mondo bongo, the flower looks good in your hair." He leaned over to Letty, "Latino caribo, mondo bongo, nobody said it was fair," and kissed her cheek, making her chuckle. She turned her head. His grin went from ear to ear. She thought she'd never seen such an expression on his face before, not in a long while at least. She loved it, loved seeing him so happy.

"How could I forget?" she replied with a smirk.

Letty yawned and stretched in her fine, white silk robe while standing on the balcony overlooking the bay of Samaná. After the wedding, they had gone back to their apartment, a spacious place furnished with all kinds of antique pieces. It was both living and bed room. Across from the bed, an open door led into a small kitchen and another door to the bathroom. The grand balcony, with two huge sliding glass doors, almost fifteen meters wide, was her favorite thing about this place. She loved watching the sun set, or rise, the night sky or the people in the streets at day. It was just beautiful. All the more with Dom being there.

"I can't believe we didn't have any rings," Letty laughed when Dom came hugging her from behind, dressed in nothing but his birthday suit. A light, warm breeze tussled her hair, the scent of the ocean filling her nose, and the scent of his cologne drifting through her senses, almost making her lose control because it was combined with his essential male smell, which was sensual and warm. It made her wonder why she hadn't joined him for that shower in the first place.

"You know that's not our style," Dom said, chuckling.

"No, you know what," she turned to face him, "actually, I thought you were getting the rings." It was a lie, but he knew that already. "Well, call me old-fashioned, but I'm the man, remember?" she imitated his voice, "That's what you said and isn't the man supposed to buy the rings?"

"Busted," Dom admitted, grinning at her. "But I do feel like this," he hugged the cross of the necklace with his hand, "means more to us than any rings ever could."

Letty just smiled, feeling her eyes well up with tears, as she fixed her gaze upon the necklace around his neck, her hand slowly reaching out to touch it. She remembered when she had given him the cross as a 'welcome home' gift after he had been released from prison. Back then, she hadn't dared to think he would still wear it decades later. But it had become a huge part of both their lives, a symbol of their unbreakable bond. It was worth more than any million of cash they had ever made, worth more than anyone would ever know.

"You wanna dance with me?" Dom asked, as Mondo Bongo started playing, his voice so deep it made goosebumps break out over her body. He smiled and lowered his head until his lips were hovering over Letty's. "Baila conmigo, mi amor," he breathed in between kisses. "Mi esposa."

Letty smiled against his lips, sheer happiness radiating from her face. "Say that again," she whispered, her arms sliding up, wrapping themselves around his neck.

Tenderly kissing the hollow of her throat, Dom left his moist imprint on her delicate bone structure. Letty sighed with the consuming need beginning to awaken within her. And the fluttery thing her heart was doing turned into a full blown pounding when his words sailed on the air to her ears, asking, "Quieres bailar conmigo, mi esposa?"

"Me encantaría bailar contigo," she answered him quietly, feeling his arms find each other behind her back, enclosing her.

They began to move slowly, swaying back and forth in tune to the music, gently turning every now and then. Gradually, Letty's clothes started falling to the floor. Within seconds, she was dancing completely natural, just like Dom, both bodies pressed so tight together they appeared to be one body. They had their eyes closed, breathing calmly, though the touch of their naked bodies at every point slowly seemed to diffuse the heat and burn them in their passion.

After today, Letty had imagined things would continue more or less as they always had. She hadn't thought getting married would change anything fundamental about their union and she usually was right about her instincts. But she obviously had been wrong in that assumption about her personal life, because marrying Dom had lowered the last barriers between them, allowing for an intimacy like she had never experienced before.

"This is nice," Letty breathed against his chest.

"Nice?" he emitted a deep chuckle. "I think this is more than just nice." He put his thumb to her chin and got her to raise her head. Their eyes met, and they both smiled sheepishly. "This is pretty damn amazing," he told her, his voice barely above a whisper.

Dom had thought he was in love with her before the wedding, but looking at her now, as she stood before him, radiating happiness, he recognized it was just a prolonged crush compared to what he felt for her now. He had never thought it was even possible to be so in love with another person, but Letty had proved him wrong. He loved this woman more than life itself. She would never understand just how special she was to him, and Dom couldn't wait to experience the joy of whatever the future had to offer them.

As he swayed against her, his body rubbed against her center, sending delicious prickles through her sex. The tip of his tongue brushed the small aperture of her lips, and the tips of her breast flared to life, like they were begging him to stroke them the same way as her mouth. Her breathing became rapid and shallow with her body telegraphing her desires. She claimed his mouth, kissing him with such intensity that she stole his breath. Dom's intake of air was sudden and harsh. He groaned, and then she felt it—his erection knocking at her entrance.

"Well, hello there, mister," Letty let out a chuckle, opening her eyes to look at his face. "You wanna come in—" she moaned when he ground himself against her, "Side?"

The low soft sound she made froze him, then made his heart pound frantically. He wanted to come inside her right this instant. "Oh, I'm definitely gonna cum inside," Dom blurted out in a seductive growl that sent shivers of delight down her spine. Before she could react to that, he made a move.

Letty squealed when he lifted her into the air, her legs coming around his hips. Clutching at his shoulders first, she then tightened her arms around his necks, simply trying to hang on. His kisses were making her dizzy, his erection pressing against her wet folds. She gasped as it made contact with her clit. Shifting her in his arms, Dom slid into her, and even though Letty had expected him to do that, it made her cry out his name in the throes of passion. That intimate touch, and the sound of his name murmuring sweetly from her throat, drove Dom crazy.

Bracing her against the wall, he thrust into her, a smooth hard stroke that went deep. She met each thrust with a moan and moved in time with his rhythm. Dom sucked in air several times like he had been saved from drowning and started to thrust harder. Pulling away from the heat of their kiss that intoxicated her even more, Letty sunk her mouth onto his shoulder to try to stifle her cries. Dom gripped her more tightly as he lost himself in a lust-blinded frenzy. He drove into her again and again, making her body jolt from the pure pleasure of it. His knees almost gave way when Letty's fingers scratched a path down his back, pressing, teasing, arousing.

Screaming his name, Letty jumped over the cliff, as she dug her nails deep into his skin. Dom released a guttural roar, reaching his climax, and buried his face in the curve of her neck. They both breathed heavily, enjoying the aftermath of their explosive love-making. Dom drew her scent deep into his lungs, not pulling out just yet. Instead, he slowly relaxed his grip on her and walked with her in his arms over to their bed to lay her down. His eyes moved hungrily over her body, and when he saw the expression on her face, he started grinning. Seconds later, his cock became free of her inner walls, as he pulled back.

"What are you doing?" Letty looked at him confused, her voice hoarse with desire. "We're not—We're not finished," she protested, arching her hips toward him, bringing the lower half of her body in direct contact with his crotch again.

"We're definitely not," he said in a raspy voice, a smirk playing around his lips. He ground against her in a slow rotation, then another, staring at Letty as he stoked her pleasure, making her wetter.

"Dom... Baby," she breathed out hard, her fingernails dug into his back again, leaving marks on his skin. "This dance—" Letty took in a sharp breath as she felt the warmth of his mouth enclosing one of her taut nipples. "It is... It's a little too slow... for my taste."

A chuckle coming from deep inside his throat kept Dom from caressing her breasts further and he gazed up to meet her eyes. Moving closer, he stopped right before her face. "This," he gently nipped at Letty's bottom lip, "is"—a nibble on her top lip—"too slow"—another soft nuzzle, his mouth moving along hers in languorous glide—"for you?" His voice was so deep, it rumbled in her heart.

She let out the breath she'd been holding and Dom could've sworn she had been holding it in since she had spoken her last word, her unresolved sexual tension seeming to suffocate her. One hand on her breast, he let the other roam down the front of her body until it met her center. Only for a brief moment, he used the pad of his thumb to lightly tease the mass of nerves at her cleft, but that place ached for more. Letty shoved hard against Dom's hand, bucking against him, asking for it. He slowly pulled his hand away and slid it up her arm to cup her other breast, all the while planting hot kisses all over her body. Whimpering softly, Letty rubbed herself against him like a cat. A grin burst across his face, as he watched her panting faintly with her eyes closed and her head laid back.

"You really do want me inside, don't you?" She heard him chuckle triumphantly.

"Oh, for God's sake, Dominic," Letty murmured thickly, as she reached between their bodies and grasped his shaft to guide it towards her entrance, "stop playing… and start fucking."

Dom had to laugh at her feistiness when she took matters into her own hand—literally—and pushed herself against him once more, so that their joining was complete. Her hand caught his as if fearing he would retreat once more, and she circled her hips, instinctively tightened her muscles as she enveloped him in her warmth. She'd been ready since the last time he was inside her, and as soon as he started thrusting faster, deeper into her, Letty threw her arms above her head and clutched the pillows, crying out. He grabbed her wrists and pinned down her arms so she couldn't move. His mouth landed hard on hers, his tongue teasing her for a moment, until it rasped against the skin on her neck, her shoulders, her breasts, leaving a trail of fire along it. She cried out with pain but already Dom was plunging deeply again, his desire increasing with every desperate thrust. How come married sex felt so much better?

After Letty had made a few turns, Dom became fully aware of his surroundings. "Wait, that sign—" He gathered his thoughts. "Is this the Speedway? Are you taking me—You do know I'm banned from the track for life, right? I can't—"

Letty looked over at him. To see the surprise on his face made her happy. It was exactly what she had been hoping for. Somewhere along the way they had decided not to do this; not to turn their birthdays into this big event where all their focus was on the size of their birthday gift but to celebrate in their own special kind of way. It didn't mean, though, they didn't get to surprise each other every now and then.

"Lucky for you, your darling wife got some money and people here don't care who uses the track as long as someone's paying for it," she smirked, as she bumped his shoulder with her fist. "So you absolutely can... and you will. Because if you don't, that just means you're a freakin' coward. And I didn't marry a coward."

"You wanna race me?" Dom looked like it still hadn't really sunk in with him yet that he would get to be on the same track that had meant so much to his father as well as him. Back then, his dream had always been to participate in a NASCAR race and to follow in his father's footsteps. Now, seeing the signs welcoming them to the track, Dom came to realize that he had never thought of that dream again. He had known it would hurt too much to step foot on the premises again.

Letty stopped the car and turned to face him. Her smirk disappeared the second she saw Dom looking out the window with tearful eyes. "What's wrong, baby?" she asked, putting a hand on his arm.

Dom kept staring at the entrance of the track without moving a muscle. Feeling a lump in his throat, he had to swallow hard. It still felt like there was something suffocating him. His chest was tightened. Maybe he just needed some air, he thought. So, he opened the door, got out of the car and leaned against its body, in- and exhaling deeply. It only took a few seconds until Letty was right there with him, standing in front of him, her hands at his waist. Maybe this hadn't been such a good idea after all. She hadn't thought about the pain it might cause him.

"I'm sorry, Dom. I didn't mean to make you sad," she apologized.

Dom pulled her body close, as he tried to smile. "I know you didn't," he said quietly. "It's just—I haven't been here since—I haven't thought about this place—I didn't think I'd ever be back here is all."

"Does it hurt?" Letty asked gently, wrapping her arms around him.

Dom nodded weakly. "I didn't think it'd hurt so much," he admitted to her a bit shyly, and after a small pause continued, "That day—The day I lost him changed everything. Turned my whole life upside down."

"I know," Letty told him. "But look where you are now," she smiled. "He'd be so proud of you, Dom."

"Oh, I don't know about that," Dom scoffed, "I messed up pretty bad."

"But you're still a great man," Letty argued, cupping his face. "And that thing with Linder... I would've done the same if someone had hurt my family like that. Don't—"

"It was wrong, Letty. It put me in prison... For two years. I was away from my little sister when she needed me the most. It didn't bring my dad back. It wasn't worth it. Nothing's worth being locked away for."

"Well, that may be true, but you can't change the past, Dom." She pecked his lips. "And Mia turned out okay, don't you think?" She smiled. "You both did actually. And with all the shit you two have been through, I'd say that's pretty amazing and I'm sure your father would agree." She let go of his face and grinned. "You know, he hardly ever disagreed with me, so arguing with me about that is kinda—Don't waste your breath, honey."

Dom grinned back at her, thinking of how close his dad and Letty had been. He had always treated her with so much love and respect, it actually surprised him that Letty hadn't acted out the way he had. He guessed she had already been a lot stronger back then than he had ever given her credit for. She had been stronger than him. And although he would never admit that to her, in some ways, she still was. Her inner strength was probably her most valuable trait. If you tried knocking her down, she'd get back up. You pushed on her, she pushed back harder. Nothing on her said defeat and nothing ever would.

"Thank you for bringing me here... for doing that," he said, smiling at her. "I can't wait to—"

"Lose?" Letty cocked an eyebrow.

"Letty," he chuckled. "NASCAR isn't street racing. There's more to it."

"Oh, please. We both know I could beat you at anything. You wanna educate me about driving? Why don't we just race, then we can talk." She grinned. "Although I'm pretty sure once I come in in first place you won't wanna talk. You always get so grumpy when you lose." She smacked him lightly against the arm and he laughed.

"Always?" Dom shook his head. "I never lose a race, Letty. You know that. And today, I won't either."

Letty tweaked a sideways smirk at her husband. Dom could be such a smug bastard sometimes. He knew the effect he had on her, knew that his smugness wasn't infuriating her but that she couldn't resist finding it a bit sexy. And she knew that he always loved a great challenge; that his ego was too big to miss out on a chance to shine, though in this case she wouldn't let that happen. She had let him win once, she wouldn't do it again. Not this time. Not even on his birthday.

"You wanna bet?" Letty asked, and as she had expected, Dom didn't waste a second to think about it.

"What are the stakes?" he asked back, smirking at her.

"Well, there's your honor. I think that's one reason why you can't afford to lose," Letty mentioned amused, "but there's also..."

She thought for a minute and when her lips started to form a wide grin and her eyes got this look in them that said 'I know you're gonna hate this,' Dom knew, he was screwed. It wasn't like he was worried that he could lose against her, it was just that he knew he had to seriously work for it; make sure he crossed the finish line before she did. That usually shouldn't be a problem, but knowing what was at stake here, it did put some pressure on him, for sure. He couldn't afford to lose. Letty enjoyed seeing his usual smugness disturbed, however briefly, and so she took another moment of silence.

"C'mon, say it! I'm up for anything, 'cause, you see, I'm not the one who's gonna lose," he declared, quickly recovering his smugness.

"If you lose," Letty started, grinning at him, "you're gonna have to drive Jack to school tomorrow."

"That's all?"

"In Brian's car," she added, trying hard to stifle a laugh. "And I'm not talking about the minivan, Dom."

"Wait, you mean in his—In Brian's import?" His eyes grew wide, like he couldn't believe his ears, his cocky smirk faltering, as he lost touch with Letty's body completely.

"You are gonna drive that kid and you are gonna walk him to the building so everyone can see—"

"Letty," he sighed, knowing exactly how much she loved this. "You do know I have a reputation to lose here, right?" he said, one corner of his mouth tilted up in a weak grin he wished he could fight back. "You can't make me do this."

"I thought you weren't gonna lose," Letty laughed at him. "You worried now?" She smirked, an eyebrow raised.

She enjoyed this to the fullest. It was written all over her face. Even her body language spoke to him that way. And Dom kind of wanted to grab her and wring her neck for being so mean to him. Then again, he thought the way she looked at him, stood before him, bathing in her smugness, like a pig in slurry, was incredibly sexy. She knew just how to tease him, which buttons to push, and this bet, what he would have to do if he lost it, was one of the meanest things she had ever come up with.

"I'm gonna win," he said, using the same voice he always used when he intended to spread confidence. "What I'm wondering is... What are you gonna have to do when you lose? You want me to think about that now... or later?"

"Don't waste time racking your brains," Letty said, as she began walking to the entrance. "I ain't gonna lose." She looked back at him, breaking into a hearty laugh.

She just loved teasing him. She loved that they could play this teasing game all day, every day, and never got tired of it. And she loved this man for making her feel so much joy just by looking at her funny—which he did. Dom looked at her like he wanted to punish her for being so mean and at the same time make out with her, and just wasn't sure yet which one to do first. Letty couldn't keep her eyes off of him, as he slowly approached her, keeping that look on his face. When he finally stood next to her, she gave him a huge smile.

"You wish me dead already, don't you?" she said amused.

"Been there before, remember?" he laughed. "Wasn't that much fun. I'd rather see you lose," he answered, putting an arm around her. As he kissed her on the top of her head, he smiled. "God, I love you, you know that? So much."

Turning her head, Letty looked up in his eyes. "We'll see about that once I made you drive that import."

They both let out a loud guffaw like it was the funniest thing they had ever heard, and walked—his arm around her shoulder, hers around his waist—to the Speedway's office to register and get everything they needed to go out on the track. And although they had been racing cars half their lives, it was an adventure for the both of them. Letty was just as excited as Dom was, even more so, because she seriously couldn't wait to see him lose. As they sat in their cars, windows rolled down, she turned to him and smiled. He seemed both excited and tensed.

"You ready to do this?" she asked, trying not to sound too worried.

She had noticed how tight he held onto the steering wheel, like it was a life preserver and he was scared to drown. She knew this couldn't be easy for him, yet she also knew how much he had wanted this, and still did. NASCAR wasn't like any other race to Dom. This was his father's legacy and he had always cherished every little thing that concerned his dad, like it was the last brick of gold in the world. His father was his hero and this track had been his last battling ground.

"Dom?" Letty said his name when he didn't react. "It's okay, if this is—We don't have to—" Dom looked at her, and Letty saw tears in his eyes.

"I'm fine," he smiled at her. "I just need a minute to—" He closed his eyes, in- and exhaling deeply.

Dom felt his father's presence so strongly as though he was in the car with him, sitting right there on the passenger's seat and he was overcome by emotions. He knew he could do this, wanted this. He was happy to be here, no matter how hard this was on him. Thinking of everything his dad had ever said to him about racing, he sighed. He would never forget the last words he ever spoke to him, because he had chosen to live his life by that code. Those words, his compass. They guided him to wherever the road of life would lead him.

His father squatted down before him, saying, "Son, remember when I told you how it feels to be racing? Like nothing else matters, 'cause when you're out there, you're just free? Free of all the sorrows and worries in your life?" and the young teenager nodded. "Then listen to this, kid" he started, putting both hands on his shoulders. "No matter how great it feels to be free, never lose sight of what's important, you hear me, Dominic? Never lose sight of the people on the stands, or at the side of the road, cheering you on, because at the end of the day, your family is the most important thing in life." He pinched his cheek lightly, then smiled, "I'll see you at the finish line," and got into the car.

Dom opened his eyes again. Letty was still eyeing him. A bit worried, he noticed. But there was no need for her to worry about him. He was all right, more than all right. He was happy, and so that's what he let her see as he sent his signature smirk her way, the smirk that said there was no way he was going to lose this race against her. Gripped by a rush of adrenaline that obliterated every lingering memory of his dad, Dom opened the throttle in neutral, the engine letting out a reassuring roar that was sweet music to his ears. He put the car into first gear, all the while looking at Letty.

"Last chance, Let," he announced with a lot of confidence. "You wanna know what your punishment will be or you willing to find out later?"

"I didn't know there's a punishment for winning," Letty was immediately back in the teasing game, serenity morphing to smugness with a curl of her lips—a grin, as if she knew exactly what was about to happen. "But I can't wait to find out."

Shaking his head in amusement, Dom fixed his eyes on the road. Sometimes he wondered if he really was the one with the bigger ego, because she seriously knew how to make him doubt that. Her ego was often operating on levels he hadn't seen with anyone else, especially no other woman. And one thing he really couldn't deny was that it was generously fed by his own. The more he let his ego take control, the more it inflated hers. It was like they were always pushing their egos a little more—a habit which his little sister became really annoyed with sometimes.

They had decided the race would run for half an hour, plus three laps. With only one lap to go, it was as good as over, but not for Dom and Letty. As soon as they hit the mark, knowing this was their last chance to come in first and beat the other, they picked up speed. They hurtled closer and closer to the finish line, aggressively bumping each other's cars, like this was a serious event, not a race they did for fun. Neither one of them eased off the throttle a fraction going into that final bend, determined to win, but as the cars were nearly home, racing along the straight stretch of the Speedway, Dom and Letty exchanged looks and both of them had to smirk.

Letty's car crossed the finish line just one second before Dom's and she let out a loud whoop. Pressing hard on the brake, she then started laughing, remembering what Dom would have to do now. It had been a difficult race, but she had always believed she could beat him. Letty knew her husband thought he was the best driver on the planet, but he had definitely underestimated her driving skills. He always had. She was much better than he'd ever give her credit for. She didn't mind, though. His ego just didn't allow for this kind of avowals.

Dom decelerated and stopped his car right beside hers. Letty turned to look at him, a huge grin on her face. He grinned back at her, and she wasn't sure if he meant it or if he was just trying to hide his true feelings. He must be so mad that he didn't win. He had to be. His loss meant he would have to drive Brian's damn Import and humiliate himself in front of everyone. That wasn't something Dom took lightly. She saw right through his act. He might have had fun, but if he could rewind life until the moment they agreed on this bet and change it, he would. To have lost nettled him. And it nettled him still more to acknowledge that it nettled him.

"That was close." Letty smirked, as she approached him. "Can't believe you almost won." She tried hard not to laugh at him, but couldn't hold in a chuckle. "So, should I give Brian a call, like, right now or are we gonna tell him later?"

Dom leaned against the door of his car, his eyes on her. He wanted so bad to torture her right now for the embarrassment she would put him through, but it was impossible for him not to grin. He knew that only provided her with more ammunition to tease him. Had he expected her to go easy on him, cut him a little slack on his birthday? Definitely not. In fact, he was sure that his birthday was the very reason why Letty enjoyed this moment even more than she usually would. He saw it in her eyes, in the way she moved towards him. Her walk had attitude written all over it, her legs doing a dance of victory.

"You know I will never forgive you for making me do this, right?" he told her, as Letty came to stand before him.

"Oh, I know," she answered, still smirking. "But it's totally worth it."

She pushed her body against his to get close for a kiss, then took him by the hand and led him back to their car without saying another word. Dom didn't either. He just followed her in silence, thinking about his special day today and how amazing it had been. And the day wasn't over yet, so whatever moment came next, he sure would enjoy it like he had enjoyed every single one so far. Each moment he had had was worth remembering, but those he remembered the most were the moments he got to spend with her—his wife. She had turned this into one of the best birthdays ever. And after everything that had happened to them, the drama they had went through this last couple of days, he was beyond glad to know it hadn't broken them.

As soon as they had taken care of the paper work at the office and reached the exit, Dom tugged at her hand to get her attention and make her stop walking. He smiled, pulling her close, and then said to her with a sweet, deep voice, "I'll never forget that, Letty. This. The chance to have been here again and race, like my dad used to do." Letty smiled back at him. "Thank you for helping me create good memories of this place. You know, some that don't hurt."

Kissing him softly, Letty whispered, "You're welcome," before releasing a small chuckle. She cupped Dom's face, stroking his cheeks with her thumbs. "Can you take me home? Help me create some memories I won't forget?"

One corner of his mouth tilted up in a grin. "Are you suggesting we—"

"I'm not suggesting anything," Letty smirked, looking at him as though he was accusing her of something she wouldn't dare to think of. "All I'm saying is, your birthday is not over yet and I'm looking forward to whatever comes next."

"I like the way you think," Dom said with a deep chuckle.

"I know you do," she laughed.

Dom grabbed her by the waist and pulled her close. Pecking her lips, his happiness gained control of him and he started laughing, too. Their laughter danced together, as if they had always meant to complement each other. It wasn't that funny, but they both laughed like maniacs. No, fools, he thought. Clearly they were acting like teenagers, but he didn't care how foolish it made them look, and neither did Letty. For minutes, they kissed and kissed, laughing and whispering between each brush of their mouths.

"Maybe we should go," he breathed against her lips, smiling.

"Mmhmm," Letty slowly opened her eyes to look at him. "I think we should."

They drove home in silence, always stealing glances at one another and smiling whenever they locked eyes. Their hands never really lost touch with each other and it felt like their lips were just waiting to meet again. Letty chuckled foolishly, blushed foolishly, foolishly pulled at her hair. Dom loved watching her become so affected by his presence and that happiness surrounding them. When he stared at her like a child trying to cash in on a promised trip to Disneyland, Letty cracked up.

"You gotta keep your eyes on the road, Dom," she laughed, grabbing the wheel to get them back on the highway. "I don't wanna end up in a ditch somewhere."

"I thought you go wherever I go," he mentioned jokingly.

"And I mean that, but I rather see us going someplace else." Raising one eyebrow suggestively, Dom's glance quickly skipped over her body. "Road, Dom. Focus." She couldn't help but laugh at his act. She knew he had been holding back, but it became obvious now how much he wanted to be with her physically. She didn't mind it, though. It was just adorable to see.

He suddenly hit the brakes, making Letty jerk forward. Surprised, she caught herself on the dashboard and looked over to him. "What the hell, baby? You're trying to kill us?"

Dom smirked. "You don't want me to get distracted, so I just wanna do this, before I keep driving."

"Do wha—"

He pulled her close and his mouth came down hard on hers in a kiss that took her breath and made her heart pound violently. His tongue touched and stroked, teasing her.

Finally he released her, and they sat staring at each other, gasping for breath.

"I'll finish what I've started when we're home," he said in a husky voice that strummed her raw nerves. He caught her chin in his fingers. "You good with that?"

"Yes, I'm—Yes," Letty said, barely aware of her words because her pulse still thrummed and she tingled from head to toe.

As they entered the house through the front door, they heard noises coming from the living room, Mia asking them where they've been. Grinning at each other, they just made their way upstairs and into their bed room. Dom closed the door behind them. He could feel Letty looking at him, so he turned around with a smile, immediately receiving one from her. His smile grew wider as he walked up to her. Desire stirred up deep within him, the thought of making love to her almost overwhelming.

He tugged at the hem of her shirt, pulling her close. "You sure about this?" he asked caringly, stroking her cheeks.

"You gotta stop asking me that," she smiled, as she pushed Dom onto the bed, where he sat looking up at her.

Seeing him looking at her like that, his eyes full of so much emotion, it was dizzying, weeks of pent-up sexual desire welled up inside her, and she reached a tentative hand to her shirt, pulling it over her head. Dom watched as it floated down to the carpet, then gazed back at his wife quickly. Letty slowly reached behind her, unhooked her bra and let it fall. She tried holding Dom's gaze, but it was hard without her cheeks turning red. Reaching for the button fly of her pants, she undid them one by one, Dom's eyes fixed on her. She pulled the garment down and stepped out of it. Standing before him now in only her underwear, she suddenly felt more vulnerable than ever. At the same time, though, she felt safe.

Dom stared at Letty as she stood before him with just her panties on, all flaming cheeks, pursed lips and fast breathing. He smiled weakly at her shyness and stretched out his arms to put both hands on the soft skin around her waist, touching the body he admired so much. A finger gently glided between the valley of Letty's breasts, over the silky front until he spread his palm against her stomach, slowly edging toward the hem of her undies. His movements caused her to shiver, and he smiled when he noticed that. He knew the effect he had on her body, knew that she was powerless to resist the sensations he could elicit from her flesh, even after all this time.

When his eyes moved down her legs, he saw that she had a small scar crawling from above her knee up her inner thigh. It looked like it had come with a lot of pain. Dom's face immediately turned to worry and he glanced up at her. "Where did you get that scar? How have I never noticed that?" he asked, as he let one finger trail along. "Is that from the accident? When you—"

A bit surprised by his sudden mood swing, Letty had to find her voice. It took her a moment until she could tell him, "Riley wasn't Owen's first mole, you know. I used to be one." She remembered soon after being with Owen's crew, she became his eyes and ears. He had always had trust in her. She didn't know why, but she knew she might have been dead now had that not been so. "I went under, and there was this guy, who was really into me, so he gave me something to remember him by. It looks nasty, but—" Seeing in his eyes that he really hated himself for putting her through yet another trauma, she smiled, "It's not bad."

Dom turned his face away from her to focus on the mark that guy had left on her. "What happened? Did he do something to you?"

He was worried, sad, and angry. Angry at this man who had dared to hurt the person he loved most in the world, but mad at himself, too, for the same things he had loathed himself ever she had come back to him. He should have never left her. It seemed that every day he found another reason why that had been the stupidest thing he'd ever done. He needed to forgive himself, he knew he had to in order to move on, but it was incredibly hard to forgive himself for all the pain he had caused her, emotionally and physically. That was unforgivable.

"That guy, Warren, he wanted—He wanted things from me. Things I wasn't willing to give him, so he tried taking them from me." Letty swallowed hard as the memory of that moment surfaced like a shark, threatening to attack her.

"Did he—" The way he looked at her, it became clear what he wanted to ask Letty, yet the fear of what her answer might be caused Dom to choke back the words.

"No. God no, he didn't," she shook her head, shocked he even thought of that. "I punched him, kicked him in his fucking balls to escape, but he managed to grab my legs, so I tripped. When I tried to crawl away from him, he—he cut me with that sharp knife. It hurt like hell, but I never stopped fighting him off. Then Shaw and the others came and—Well, let's just say he won't hurt anyone ever again."

"I'm sorry," Dom let out, sighing. He put his hand on the scar as though he somehow feared his touch could cause her even more pain. Then he planted a kiss right where his hand had been, and Letty's skin shivered in response to the contact. Looking up at her, he said, "You realize that your body is telling a story?"

Letty stared at him like he had just told her he was going to travel to South Africa and live in the jungle. Those dark brown eyes stared right back at her like she was the most fascinating sight in the world. His mouth escaped a deep chuckle, and he lifted his arm to her face, his thumb stroking along her soft cheek before Dom's hand went back to hold her waist, gently pulling her closer to him.

"You have so many scars, Letty, and they all tell a story. Of what you've been through… of who you are. It's quite fascinating."

"You find my scars fascinating?" She raised an eyebrow, smirking.

"I find you fascinating. I have for decades now... and I always will."

His low voice stroked her senses like velvet, and when Dom leaned forward to kiss her abdomen, she closed her eyes, just feeling him smother her skin with kisses. Their gazes met. Letty smiled, silly with eagerness and discovery and love. Dom smiled too, his a crooked grin that vanished as he pulled her body even closer. He hitched his thumbs into the sides of her panties, slowly peeling them off of her. He let his hands trail over her legs, sliding his fingers up the inside of her thighs while she held his shoulders. Letty closed her eyes again, throwing her head back, as she reveled in Dom's caress, trying to stay on her feet.

"God, you're so beautiful," he said in a ragged whisper.

He was mesmerized by the sight of Letty standing in naked splendor before him. He slowly raked his gaze over her body, lingering on her breasts. Then, his eyes fell to her panting mouth. He licked his lips, a rush of adrenaline coursing through his system. Of course he had seen every blessed inch of her already, but now it was like he was seeing it for the first time. His heart thudded so vibrantly against his rib cage, it felt as though he had never laid eyes on her before. A wave of pride and protectiveness washed over him, so strong Dom wanted to place his mouth on her naked body, to worship every inch of her skin and tell her how perfect she was.

Letty opened her eyes, looked right into his lustful face, and whispered, her voice raspy with desire, "Make love to me, Dom." All those lonely moments without him suddenly came cascading down on her and she literally ached with a feeling of emptiness that only he could fill. Overcome by her need for him, she covered his firm, gorgeous lips with her mouth, as she fell into his lap, giddy with pleasure.