She reached out, took it, and moved around the counter, closer to him. “Thank you for understanding. That’s exactly what I needed to hear you say.”
“You put us all first, sweetheart. Deep down, I think you want someone to do that for you. That’s my job. And I haven’t done it well these last months.”
“I pushed you away.”
“I let you because I felt like you didn’t need me.”
She touched her hand to his cheek. “I always need you.”
“I see that now. You pushed me away and filled up the empty space with things to do to fill your time and the hole inside you.”
“I didn’t mean for it to happen.”
“I know. I’m glad we had this talk. I see what’s been happening. I hope you do, too, and we can move forward and come back together. I’m really looking forward to having you all to myself on Thursday night.”
She leaned in and kissed him softly. “We’re alone right now.”
He shifted on the stool, wrapped his arm around her waist, and drew her in between his strong legs and up against his wide chest. “What should we do?”
For a split second she thought about teasing and telling him she’d teach him how to load the dishwasher. Instead, she showed him what she really wanted: more of him.
She kissed him with all the intention she had for where she wanted the kiss to lead.
Rex took direction well, even if it was unspoken. He slipped his hands down her hips and grabbed her ass. His lips left hers to travel down her neck and back to her ear. “I’ve missed you so damn bad.”
“Me, too,” she said on a breathless sigh.
She missed feeling this way. Wanted. Needed. Like she mattered.
She bet Rex felt the same way and poured everything into loving him.
If they only had a couple hours until the kids came home to show each other they wanted this to work and their love was still very much alive and as deep as it used to be, she’d make the most of it.
She broke the searing kiss, stepped back, took Rex’s hand, and pulled him up and out of his seat and toward the stairs. “Come with me.”
“I’d follow you anywhere.”
“Still?” She smiled up at him, knowing full well he meant it.
“Always.”
The mischief came back into his eyes. He tugged her hand, so she walked toward him. He dipped his shoulder and hoisted her over it. She lay like a sack of potatoes down his back. She smacked his ass and laughed because he hadn’t carried her like this since they were dating.
“Put me down before you throw your back out.”
He smacked his hand over her ass and left it there, the heel of his hand pressed intimately to her sorely neglected lady parts. “Not a chance. I’ve got until nine o’clock to show you how much I’ve missed you. I’m pretty sure it’s going to take every minute from here to then to prove it to you.”
He didn’t have to prove anything to her, but the second he tossed her down on their bed and swallowed her giggles with a deep, searing kiss, he made good on his promise.
* * *
In fact, Rex made good on his promise so well and thoroughly, Amy answered the knock on the front door on shaky legs, wearing nothing but her bathrobe.
Sierra stared at her, taking in Amy’s tousled hair, rosy cheeks heated by the embarrassment she felt getting caught doing the naughty with her husband, the robe, and her bare feet. Sierra’s knowing smile amplified her embarrassment as well as the vixen inside her who was completely satisfied and smug about it.
Sierra’s gaze swept over Amy, then met her eyes. “Hello. I remember you.”
Amy felt a lot more like her old self than a haggard mom.
“I’m feeling pretty damn good.”
Emma stared up at her. “You swore.”
“Mommy gets a pass tonight.” Rex walked down the stairs in an old worn pair of jeans and a white T-shirt, his hair mussed, too. “Did you have fun with Aunt Sierra and Aunt Heather?”
P.J. yawned. “We had pizza with basil on it. It wasn’t bad.”
Not a ringing endorsement, but he’d tried something new and didn’t hate it. Amy put that in the win column.
Emma hugged her. “I missed you, Mommy.”
Amy held her daughter, cherishing the warm feeling in her heart. “I missed you, too, baby. Head upstairs with your brother. Daddy and I will be up to kiss