“Love our bed,” she mumbled into his chest, voice sleepy.
He did too, now that she was back in it but he didn’t articulate this.
She didn’t mind and he knew that when she whispered, “’Night, honey,” giving his gut a squeeze with her arm.
“’Night, mama.”
He felt a slight smile as her mouth moved her cheek.
Then she was out.
Five minutes later, she rolled.
Then he went to jack up the AC and rejoined his wife, his eyes passing the shadow of the picture frame that was back in its place on the dresser.
She’d carried it with her.
Seeing that frame, knowing he’d always been with her, that wound closed tight.
He joined his wife in bed and curved into her body. She snuggled closer.
And it was not lost on Ty Walker that for over six weeks, sleep did not come easy. Memories invaded, not good ones. Demons. Demons of prison and demons of living a dream he never thought he’d have then losing that dream.
Only last night, did they retreat.
And that was because, his wife being there, she was there to beat them back.
So he let her do it again and fell asleep thinking of nothing but her warmth, her softness, the scent of her hair and f**king her in the shower the next morning.
Chapter Seventeen
The Home Stretch
“Alexa Walker?”
“That’s me.” I smiled at the delivery man standing on our back deck, he smiled back, offered me his pen-like doohickey, I signed the screen on his other doohickey, gave it back to him and he handed me the big, soft-sided envelope.
I took it, gave him a wave, shut the door on him, hoped he didn’t take offense when I also flipped the lock (these days in Carnal, couldn’t be too careful) then I took the package to the island and ripped it open.
Two plastic wrapped tees fell out and I didn’t hesitate to rip the plastic off, pleased to feel the cotton of the tee was soft and supple, not scratchy and stiff. I shook the first one out, Ty’s size, and held it out in front of me.
Then I smiled huge.
I flipped it around and looked at the back.
My smile got bigger.
I ripped open the next one, girl-fit, my size but same color, same words on the front, different words on the back.
I cleared all the packaging away, shoved it in the garbage bin and then laid the tees side by side on the counter, smoothed them out flat, stepped back and stared at them.
I’d found the site on-line, design your own tees and pay practically nothing to get them express.
So I bought Ty and I black tees that said on the front, “Team Walker” in big white letters and in smaller lettered italics with quotes under it, “We never admit defeat”. On the back of Ty’s it said, “Mr. Humongo” and on the back of mine it said, “Mr. Humongo’s Mama”.
I freaking loved them.
Ty would take one look at them and think I was a total goof.