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“For being persistent back in the beginning. For being patientwith me. For making me fall in love with you and for giving me a family.”

He cupped my chin, pushing his mouth against mine. The kiss wassoft but firm, reminding me how far we had come.

“No, pet,” he nipped my bottom lip. “Thank you.”

A sharp twinge erupted through my lip, sending a hot shiver downmy spine. “You know.” I waggled my eyebrows. It had been a long while for us.He was letting me heal from the C-section and didn’t want to push me too soon.

Sam smirked, a wicked glint flashing in his eyes. He pushed meback onto the couch and knelt between my legs. He pulled my sweatpants down mylegs and brushed his thumb along the scar in my thigh. The word was faint butboth of us could see it. Even if it disappeared completely or we covered it upby a tattoo, we would still know that it had been there once upon a time.

While Sam spent the next little bit making love to me slowly, henever removed his hand from my inner thigh. It was a silent reminder that Willwouldn’t have control over us even though it had been his intention when he dughis knife into my skin. Instead, Sam ran his mouth and tongue over the lightpink scars, murmuring every so often that I was his.

When we finally made it to bed, Sam was running his fingerslightly over my hip. We were facing each other, completely naked and bare.

“I think I want to start seeing a therapist,” I blurted.

Sam’s fingers stopped in their path.

I looked at him then, almost expecting him to ask me why I wouldneed to when I had him, but as his fingers started moving again in their lightfeathery touches, I realized that I was wrong.

“I’m proud of you,” he said, kissing my forehead and then mynose.

“You are?”

“Yes.” He gave me a small smile. “I’ve been wanting to suggestthat you see someone because I can only do so much. I want to eventually takeyou to a BDSM club as well and dive deeper into that lifestyle with you but fornow, I’m enjoying what we’re doing.”

“Me too,” I whispered.

“But speaking to an unbiased person is a good idea. So, I’ll bethere every step of the way. If you want me to join you, I will. If you want togo to these sessions by yourself, I’ll drive you and wait in the car. If youfind that it’s not working for you, I’ll support you. No matter what.”

“God.” My eyes welled. “How am I so lucky to get my secondchance at happiness?”

Sam pinched my chin, tilted my head back, and kissed me softlyon the mouth. “I was young when my parents died but I still remember how my dadtreated my mom. I always vowed to be the same way. It just took me awhile tofind my person where I actually wanted to be that man for her.”

“Am I your person?” I asked even though I knew I was.

Sam chuckled, pulling me into his arms and rolling onto his backwith me straddling his waist. “You’ve always been my person.” He sat up,leaning against the headboard. “I know I can never replace what you had withAaron. I also know that while you had your problems with him, you did love himat some point. I don’t want to take his place. I just want to be your now andyour forever.”

“You are, Sam.” I kissed him hard on the mouth. “You are.”

“My forever,” he repeated, slipping his tongue between my lips.

My forever.

THE END