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And that was my cue. "Are you full, my love?"

She glanced at the mostly decimated food. "I am."

Good.I climbed out of the tub and dried off, then held up a towel for my wife. She was perfectly capable of drying herself off, but I made it a game with silly noises and hungry growls. Then I carried her to bed where the windows were already open and the lights were already low.

"I am a very, very happy man, Lee. Very happy. And because you were a very good girl today and did all the hard things, I'm going to remind your tired mind of just how happy we are together. Okay?" She nodded, all warm and smiling and clean. We tangled up our arms and legs, kissing and touching and sighing until I had her all relaxed and gasping. "Are you happy, Marley?"

The light was just right to catch the whiskey notes in her eyes and make them glow. "Do you remember the first thing you said to me?"

I knew this wasn't a trick question because that wasn't how Marley operated, but it still caught me off guard. "Um, I think I asked if you were okay?"

She laughed. "True. But right after that?"

I racked my brain trying to remember more than how stunningly beautiful she was and how much I wanted to help her. "I think I asked you to breathe."

"You asked me what I needed." She cupped my face and stroked my cheek with her thumb. "And then you gave me what I didn't even know I needed. You've been doing it ever since. Yes Jackson, I'm very happy. That's why I care. It's why I ask if you're happy even though I have no reason to suspect otherwise. I just want you to be as happy as I am."

I rolled on top of her, looped her arms around my neck and slid my hand up her thigh so it was cradling me just right. Our bodies fit together so perfectly, but even more importantly, our lives clicked together right from the start. "The only way I could possibly be any happier is if you promise me we never have to leave the property again."

"Jackson."

"I'm serious. No more people. Just you and me, the way I like it."

"No travel? No beaches?"

Okay, so I did like traveling with Marley. "Can we fly private from now? Are you that rich yet?"

"Jackson!" She was laughing so hard it almost knocked me off her.

"Yes?" I nibbled and sucked, which only kept the laughter rolling.

Not that I minded.

"Just make love to me already and we can discuss the details of our solitary confinement later."

I kissed her deep as our bodies joined together. "Deal."