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John pondered for a minute. “The p … Pussy?”

“Stop!” she yelled playfully.

“What do you expect me to say? Vagina? Alyssa, that’s just gross. And not hot.”

“Ugh … No! I don’t know,” she laughed.

“Your heat?” he joked, pulling her back to his side.

“Oh, goodness no.”

“Oh, okay. You want me to say your sex, right?”

“How about … womanhood?”

John made a face like he tasted something sour. “Womanhood? You have got to be joking.”

“Well, your penis is also called ‘manhood’,” she retorted.

“Okay, penis sounds like you’re five and manhood sounds like something from the stone ages. No one says that anymore. How about, I don’t know, cock? Dick even works. You know, more modern usage for my manhood.”

“Cock it is.”

John’s grin had her heating inside. “Pussy is to cock …”

“As womanhood is to manhood. Very funny.”

A roar of laughter ripped through John. He couldn’t believe she had just said that with the look on her face. Brushing the hair from the curve of her neck, he asked gently, “Did I hurt you?”

“Truthfully, it was a little painful at first. It was more my nerves than anything.”

“That’s because you were so damn tight. Once you relaxed a bit, it felt like heaven on earth, didn’t it? All I could think about was working my cock inside of your pussy.”

A blush painted her cheeks. “You’re purposely trying to embarrass me, aren’t you?”

John smiled and the dimple near his chin showed. He missed her laugh. “You look exhausted. Let’s get some sleep.”

Alyssa agreed then turned her back to him. John wrapped his arms around her, held onto her all night long. It was a moment like this that made everything in the past okay.

A faint, little cry woke John. His eyes were dry and tired as he turned over and reached for Alyssa, but she wasn’t there.

Sitting up, John looked around the

dark room but found it empty. Just then, the muffled cry resonated throughout the room again. John looked to his right and saw the monitor light up on Alyssa’s dresser. Each time Brooke whimpered, red lights lit up the baby monitor.

“Shhhh, mamas here, baby. Go back to sleep,” he heard Alyssa say. Glancing at the clock, it read three am. Damn. They had only gone to bed two hours ago. Did Brooke get up like this every night? Rubbing his eyes, he got up and went to find them.

Peeking into the room, Alyssa’s back was to him as she slowly rocked her baby in her arms. She sang to her softly as she tried to lull her back to sleep. Alyssa’s blonde hair was an untamed mess, like she’d been tossing and turning all night and the t-shirt she wore was hanging off one shoulder and down to her knees. Squinting his eyes, he realized that was his shirt. She must’ve put it on when she got up. Watching her rock Brooke sent his heart soaring. Her little arm was wrapped around Alyssa’s side where she fisted his shirt in her tiny hand.

Fuck. What was it about Alyssa that got his blood simmering with wanting her so bad, especially while she mothered her daughter? He didn’t know, but he did know one thing for sure, she did it for him. Everything about her. Her ways, her views, their friendship, her strength to never give up, her love …

And just like that, he knew without a doubt that what he was fighting for was worth it. Every second. He desperately wanted them in his life. He told Alyssa that he would wait for her, and he wasn’t lying. He would wait. His mind was made up.

Not wanting to interrupt them, he retreated to her room where he waited for her.

Lying in Alyssa’s bed, he folded his arms behind his head and starred at the ceiling. He needed to figure out a plan. John wasn’t going to push her, but he wanted to be the one she ran to. Unfortunately, being in the Marines didn’t allow him to just leave at the drop of a hat and see her when he wanted to. He was lucky enough to be stationed state side, but what if something happened and she needed him in an instant?

Hell’s fucking bells. His chest constricted and a sharp tightness spread like wildfire throughout his body. It hurt like a bitch. The reality of it was he couldn’t be there for her. How could he?