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“More, more…” she breathed loudly, and I was happy to oblige.

I didn’t want to finish before her. My hand slid between her thighs, finding her clit, gently pinching it between my thumb and forefinger. She cried loudly again, and I kept strumming her harder, fucking her deeper, as our tongues danced to the music only we could hear.

As I felt her nails claw into my back, her strangled cry released against my lips, I knew she had cum. Her pussy clenched around my cock hard, keeping me in place. Her eyes, fathomless pools of love and devotion, stared at me, and I didn’t want to look away for even a moment. I wanted to see it all.

As her body slowly relaxed, I plunged into her again. Once, twice…

“Annika…” I growled, as I shot deep inside of her, allowing that heat to wash over me completely.

I slid by her side, still keeping my arms wrapped around her. I didn’t want to let her go. A small part of me still feared that she might disappear, that someone might try to steal her away from me, but I wouldn’t allow that.

Annika lay curled against me, her head resting just above my heart. The steady rise and fall of her breaths matched mine. I ran my fingers gently through her hair, letting the soft strands slip between them. She hummed quietly, leaning closer, and I tightened my hold on her.

“This town,” I said softly, “it’s going to be stronger than ever.”

She tilted her head, her eyes catching mine in the dim light. “Stronger?”

I nodded. “More resilient. More prepared. No one’s going to catch us off guard again.”

Her lips curved faintly, but there was a flicker of something else in her eyes. Worry, maybe, or exhaustion that hadn’t quite faded.

“And what if it isn’t enough?” she asked.

“Then we’ll make it enough,” I said, voice firm. “We’ll have stronger walls, better defenses. But more than that...” I paused, smoothing my hand down her back. “We’ll have each other. That’s what’s going to keep this place standing. Us.”

She exhaled softly, and the tension seemed to melt from her body as she pressed closer.

“I’ve been thinking,” I continued after a moment, keeping my voice low. “Once we rebuild the square, we’ll make it bigger. Add a fountain, maybe. String up lanterns. So when we have more celebrations, it’ll feel like a real fresh start.”

Her smile returned, small but genuine. “And the houses?”

“Stone foundations. Stronger frames. No more weak beams or walls that can be torn down.” I leaned down and kissed her hair.

“But I like our cottage as it is,” she smiled, glancing around, then back at me again.

“Then we’ll make it exactly as it was before,” I assured her. “Or add anything you want.”

“Shelves with more books?” she asked.

“Whatever you dream up, we’ll make it happen,” I nodded.

Annika shot up from the bed so fast I barely had time to blink. She looked wild with excitement, her eyes shining as she turned toward me.

“We definitely need more books,” she said seriously, but she was on the burst of chuckling.

“More books, of course,” I said with a smirk, relishing the sight of her so excited.

“Of course,” she said, like it was the most obvious thing in the world. “And jars for herbs. Better jars, matching ones this time. And more space for plants, inside and outside.”

I let her ramble, the sound of her voice filling the room. She was already waving her hands around, her ideas tumbling out faster than she could say them. I couldn’t stop grinning.

“And we need a proper pantry,” she continued, determined now. “With hooks and compartments so everything doesn’t get shoved into corners.”

I laughed, shaking my head. “Shoved into corners? You mean like your current system for storage?”

She shot me a look but didn’t bother denying it. Instead, she leaned in closer, her voice dropping like she was about to share some secret plan.

“And a cat,” she said.