A Love For Always

  Sylvie paused. “You aren’t listening, are you?”

  “I am,” Nate replied. “You were talking about cheese.”

  She grinned, but then her eyes dropped to his boxers. “Liar.”

  “Guilty.” He adjusted his growing erection. “Although, honestly, I was listening until I had to watch your pretty little mouth work and . . . you know.” He waggled his eyebrows.

  “Nate, you’re incorrigible.” Sylvie leaned forward and kissed him lightly. “But I love you anyway.”

  “And you’re willing to put up with my shit for the rest of your life?” he asked while beating back a grin.

  Her eyes grew tender. “I told you I’m not living another day without you. So yes, rest of my life. Got a problem with that?”

  “I love you, firecracker.”

  “Love you back, baby.”

  Their eyes locked. Nate’s chest tightened with the sheer emotion clogging up his throat. He knew he wasn’t going about this the right way, but fuck, any other outcome was unacceptable. “What do you think about a fall wedding?”

  Sylvie’s eyes widened and then narrowed. She sat back on her haunches. “Nate, I know you’re a rebel in many ways, but I think you’re aware you’re supposed to be asking me first.”

  “Sylvs, my heart was married to yours a long time ago,” Nate said quietly. “Lying on the roof of that car, surviving that fall, that was a fucking miracle. We were meant to be, babe. You said it yourself, everything we’ve been through these past nine years made us stronger. Did you have any doubt we’d end up married, have babies, and grow old together? Not fucking letting you go. Gotta know that. Don’t get all traditional with me because nothing about us is traditional. We’re a fucking miracle. We’ll get married in the fall, maybe sooner—”

  “Sooner?” Sylvie croaked.

  Okay, maybe he was coming on too strong. Fall was just a few months away. But still. “I’m not wasting time. You get the restaurant back into gear, you’re off the shot. I’m putting my kid inside you.”

  “Back up a little bit, caveman,” Sylvie said, holding her hand up. “If you don’t want traditional, then why get married?”

  Nate couldn’t believe she said that.

  “Are you sure Nana would approve of us living in sin?” Nate asked, trying very hard not to blow up on her.

  “We’re already living in sin. Is that the only reason marriage is on the table?”

  “Fuck, no,” Nate growled. “Sylvs, I want you to be mine in every sense of the word. I’d tattoo your ass with ‘property of Nathan Reece’ if I thought you’d go for it. I don’t care for marriage as a tradition, but I want that piece of paper that says you’re fucking mine and mine alone.”

  “Tattoo on the ass, huh?” Sylvie asked, her lips twitching.

  Nate grinned. “You’re okay with it?”

  “I wouldn’t like anything that vulgar,” she demurred.

  “How about, ‘your ass is mine.’”

  Sylvie rolled her eyes. “Seriously, Nate.”

  His hand reached out and closed around her nape, bringing her close for a long, bruising kiss. When they broke apart, he murmured. “I’m still waiting for an answer.”

  “Yes.”

  “Yes to what?” Nate asked impatiently.

  An impish gleam entered Sylvie’s eyes. “Yes to whatever question you were asking.”

  To the wedding? To the tattoo?

  Fuck, she got him.

  “Sylvie . . .” he growled.

  “Yes, I’ll marry you in the fall, even if you didn’t exactly ask me,” she replied primly, her eyes dancing with mirth.

  He tackled her to the mattress, managing to get her under him. She didn’t even put up a fight, and instead, helped him free his erection to guide him inside her. She latched onto him with all her limbs, ankles crossing behind his ass, propelling him forward. He groaned as he sank into her warm moist heat. Fucking incredible.

  With his arms fully extended, propping him above her, he rhythmically thrust in and out, rotating his hips to rub her sensitive spot to get her there. Then he got there. Strong, explosive, fulfilling. It would always be this way with her.

  Nate woke with a start. He had a fitful sleep and that was because he had forgotten something. Careful not to wake Sylvie who had fallen asleep tucked to his side, he pulled away. He opened the bottom nightstand drawer and reached for the box hidden with the other shit that was in there.

  Sitting at the edge of the bed now, he flicked the box open. Even in the dark, the exquisite diamond glinted, refracting the moonbeams that filtered through the window. He had bought this ring almost as soon as he got out of the hospital.

  No wasted time.

  He took out the engagement ring and glanced at the sleeping woman in his bed. The only woman he had ever loved, always loved, and would love for always. And in breaking tradition once more, Nate took Sylvie’s hand and slipped the ring on her finger.

  Then he slipped back into bed, tucked her carefully to his side once more, and fell asleep.

  This time he slept peacefully.

  CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE

  A little over three years later

  “Eighty-six on the Red Miso Ramen!”

  At Sapporo Ramen, it was business as usual. The restaurant continued to draw crowds from regular patrons as well as out-of-town folks. It continued to make the top-ten restaurants to visit in DC for the past two years and garnered rave reviews from food critics all across the Northern Virginia area. If anyone craved traditional Japanese food continuously reinvented to harness seasonal ingredients and yet deliver that taste of authenticity, Sapporo Ramen never failed to top the list. Despite its success, Sylvie continued to keep the mystique by never expanding beyond what she could manage. Taylor and Koji headed the ramen bar with another person—a female chef this time—to replace Cade. Kato was promoted to sous chef and had been in charge of the back kitchen for the past year. This meant Sylvie could now take a vacation with no worries. She and Nate were going to leave for that delayed honeymoon.

  The reason for that delay just walked through the door.

  Nate carrying their two-year-old daughter, Charlotte.

  “Momma!”

  Her adorable child. Looking much like Sylvie except for her dark brown curls, Charly was already exhibiting the mischievous and stubborn streak of her father. When she married Nate in the fall of that fateful year, she was already four months pregnant. The investigation into Harold Tisdale, getting the restaurant up and running, and preparing for the wedding took so much of her mind space, she had forgotten her appointment for her shot. Interestingly, she didn’t get an appointment reminder. She had a suspicion Nate knew she had missed a shot and when she did remember, three weeks later, he suggested they should just try for a baby. Either he had strong swimmers or she was extremely fertile because she got pregnant straightaway. She never thought Nate would take to fatherhood like he did, and it warmed her heart now to see father and daughter together.

  Except, she needed to lecture him about what to dress little girls in.

  “Nate, why is my daughter dressed like a Japanese anime character?”

  “She likes the ninja outfit, babe.” Nate smiled, leaning in to kiss her and hand her Charly.

  “The ninja outfit,” Sylvie repeated, taking in the head covering and noted since it was almost winter, it did protect her daughter from the cold. “It’s pink.”

  “Somehow I didn’t think you’d like black,” Nate muttered.

  “Of course I wouldn’t,” Sylvie said as she turned and walked down the hallway with her daughter, Nate following closely behind her. She noticed a couple of women ogling her husband, and though she was used to it, sometimes blatant eye-batting and adjustment of boobs to attract his attention annoyed her, especially since wife and daughter were right there with him. He’d only grown more attractive with fatherhood. Now that he was consuming wholesome food being married to a chef, he’d bulked up a tad more in the chest and arms, yet still m
aintained enviable muscle definition. But past his physical looks and boyish charm, it was simply the way he doted on her and Charly that made her love him more than ever. He spoiled them—mother and daughter—and it wasn’t just with material things, but with the time he spent showing them that they were the most important people in his life.

  “I’m just preparing her for tae-kwon-do,” Nate said.

  “What?” Sylvie exclaimed. “Nate, you do realize you have a daughter and not a son.”

  “Now that’s a sexist remark right there.” He chuckled. “Girls can certainly learn martial arts with no problem. But yeah, if you gave me a son first, then maybe I wouldn’t need to make sure she can defend herself with a big brother looking out for her when I can’t—”

  “She’s two—”

  “—although maybe when we get on this honeymoon we can get started on you giving me a son—”

  Sylvie tried to speak, but no words came. He was in his “impregnate Sylvie as soon as possible” mood, which was quite often. She had changed to use the Pill since Nate found out it was an easier method of birth control if getting pregnant was a plan in the near future. Yep, her man did the research.

  “—so no need to bring your pills,” he said as if reading her mind.

  “Shouldn’t this be up for discussion?”

  Of course, Nate turned on that killer grin that was guaranteed to melt her panties. Every. Single. Time.

  She felt her knees go weak as he occupied her personal space. Lowering his head, he murmured in her ears. “What’s to discuss? I don’t think you have any complaints with how I intend to knock you up.”

  There was muffled laughter from the doorway. Sally, one of her waitstaff, had walked in on them. “You guys make me believe in happily ever afters. Still so sweet after all these years.”

  “Just need to find the right man,” Sylvie said, leaning slightly away to stare up at her husband. His eyes reflected her own all-consuming love.

  “Pru and the admiral just arrived with Nana. Shall I get the table ready, or should I give you guys a few minutes? I can take Charly if you want?” There was a merry glint in Sally’s eyes.

  “Not a bad idea,” Nate muttered.

  “No,” Sylvie stated firmly, glaring at her husband.

  More suppressed laughter from Sally.

  “Yes, get the table ready. We’ll be out in a few.”

  “I thought there were no reservations in this restaurant,” Nate teased when Sally left.

  “I’m the boss,” Sylvie quipped. “Rules don’t apply to me.”

  Charly cooed and reached her arms toward Nate who readily scooped their daughter back in his arms.

  Spoiled Daddy’s girl.

  He slung his free arm over Sylvie’s shoulder and planted a kiss on her cheek before sliding his mouth to her ear. “Just remember who’s the boss in the bedroom.”

  *****

  Three days later

  “I’m glad Charly is doing well without us.”

  “They’re adaptable at that age,” her mom replied. “It’s not like she’s not used to me and Ben, and it’s not the first time she’s stayed with us whenever you and Nate took a quick vacation. Stop worrying.”

  “Okay, Mom.” Sylvie knew she was overreacting. Her daughter had stayed with Mom plenty of times, especially since Pru was the self-proclaimed designated babysitter. It was almost as if all those years her mom missed with Sylvie, she was making up for it through Charly.

  Sylvie tried to swat Nate away as he pressed maddening kisses up her naked back. He chuckled and turned to his side, propping up on an elbow and resumed a long-suffering expression while he waited for her to get off the phone. They were on a two-week vacation to Bora-Bora, which had come highly recommended by her mom. She had recently returned from the beautiful South Pacific islands with the admiral. Nana had come up from Richmond to stay with the admiral and her mom for a week so she could spend time with her great granddaughter.

  Nana was going strong. She had relented and took two more GDE shots and had no liver problems ever since. It was one of those idiopathic diseases wherein the doctors had no idea what had caused it in the first place.

  Sylvie maintained cordial communications with her father who expressed his wish to see his granddaughter one day. Nate was against the idea; she didn’t blame him. She had no desire to be embroiled her in father’s world ever again.

  As for her mom and the admiral . . .

  “So how’s Ben?”

  Her mom gave a sigh of contentment. “He’s so wonderful, Sylvie. He asked me again a couple of weeks ago when we were in Bora-Bora.”

  “Oh, Mom, don’t tell me you said no again.”

  “I didn’t say no. I said maybe someday soon.”

  “Aha, he’s wearing you down, isn’t he?”

  Her mom uttered a noncommittal sound. “I told him when we got together I’m not the marrying kind, because I value my independence too much. He was okay with that.”

  Sylvie laughed. “Sneak attack.” These men. Ben and her mother got together soon after Nate was released from the hospital. Nine months after that, the admiral asked her to marry him. She turned him down, and he was prepared for that, but he told Pru he intended to ask her over and over and over. The admiral had retired from the CIA last year and now functioned as an adviser for BSI. Maybe he realized as long as he had a job that kept secrets from Mom, she would never agree to marry him.

  “Although Ben’s been very patient, sometimes I feel like a prey, and he’s just the predator waiting for me to let my guard down before he pounces.”

  “Huh, sounds familiar.” She glanced over at Nate who raised a brow at her in question. “I better let you go, Mom. Say hi to Nana. Sorry we missed her and Charly.”

  “Have fun, Sylvie.”

  Sylvie hung up and laid on her back. “Ben asked Mom to marry him again.”

  “Poor guy,” Nate muttered. “Pru could test the patience of a saint, that’s for sure.”

  “I think it’s a very mature way to go about it,” Sylvie said. “They’re both at a point in their life where they know what they want. Mom said when you’re used to being alone for so long, it’s scary to give up that freedom. The admiral understands that, given he’s led a solitary life for so long as well.”

  Nate suddenly loomed above her, pinning her with a predatory gaze that warned of a hard fucking to follow. Her female bits were still sore from this morning’s bout of sex, but she squeezed her thighs to still the throbbing between her legs.

  “If you’d turned me down the first time, Sylvs,” Nate said softly, “you know what I would do?”

  “What would you do?” Her voice was already breathless.

  “This.”

  He flipped her over.

  *****

  Sylvie was naked, save for the sleeping shorts, which Nate quickly discarded. He got into these moods often. The desperate need to be joined to her was a need that never ebbed. After he flipped her over, he dragged her shorts down her legs, and yanked her hips toward him. His cock hurt to drive inside her, but the scent of her arousal hit him. His nostrils flared.

  Her shallow pants told him she was wired in anticipation. He admired the curve of her back, trailing his fingers down the ladder of her spine before kissing the indent right above the curve of her ass.

  “Nate, please.”

  “Ask for it.”

  Her needy whimper further hardened his heavy erection, pre-cum already beading the head of his cock. He bit the cheek of her ass, feeling her rear into him in response while offering him an unfettered view of her pussy. The tender flesh, pink and swollen and flushed with her slick juices was simply too appetizing to neglect. He clamped his arms around her thighs and buried his face between them. His tongue burrowed straight to the source of all that slickness, tunneling into her channel to grab more of that addictive liquid heat. Savoring its taste, the sensation of her spasming against his voracious hunger spurred him to tongue fuck her until he drove her wi
ld. When he latched onto her clit and sucked, a renewed gush hit his lips. She was in a frenzy now, sobbing his name, trying to get away from him. She was gone, lost in her orgasm, and he intended to feel every spasm on his cock.

  Releasing her clit with a growl, his hands grabbed her hips as he drove inside her. She was tiny, her knees were off the bed, and her thighs had to grip the outside of his so he could pound into her over and over. Her fingers clawed the bedsheets as she pulsed around him.

  Fuck he was close. Each contraction around his cock brought him to the edge. As much as he wanted to prolong this feeling inside her, he had to remind himself they had a lifetime of fucking. She was his. His to take. To fuck. To cherish. To love.

  It was always this way. A primal fuck turning into an emotional union. Always something more. He pulled out. Sylvie protested, but not for long.

  He flipped her again, spread her wide, and slammed inside her once more.

  “I love you,” Nate growled. “So fucking much.” He powered into her again and again, until finally, his own climax claimed him as he spilled into her. His grunt ended in a groan as the exquisite pleasure of her squeezing every drop of his cum rippled through every fiber of his being. After collapsing on her, he quickly rolled them, not wanting to crush his wife before he gave in to the total surrender of his release.

  His cock continued to pulse inside her as she straddled him, but her upper body was sprawled on his chest. Sylvie’s left cheek lay right on top where his heart was.

  “I love listening to the beating of your heart,” she murmured. “Right after you come inside me, it races so fast.”