Page 9

DRAKE

Ten Years Later

I expected to feel more as I finalized the document with my signature, but really, all there is left is relief. Dragon Ascent has now been sold for nearly forty million to REI Co-op, and now Ellie and I are free.

I turn to my wife, her blue eyes shining. She reaches out and takes my hand in hers, and I pull her close, pressing a soft kiss to her lips.

"I'm so proud of you, honey," she says. "You made your dream come true."

I smile because my dream was never to run a climbing company. It was always this. My wife and my kids. Ellie and I have three, a girl and two boys, and our days are full of chaos and love, but I wouldn't trade it for the world.

"No," I say softly. "You did."

She gives me a soft, happy smile. I'm still so in love with her after all these years. We've been married for a decade now, and I fall more in love with her every day. She's the best thing that's ever happened to me.

I pull her into my lap, and she rests her head on my shoulder. I stroke her curly hair, and she sighs contentedly. "What happens now that you have no strings holding you down, Mr. Evans? Maybe another ascent of Everest?"

I laugh, "Absolutely not. I was thinking more about a beach vacation while the kids stay with my parents. Just us, a private cove, you in a little white bikini..." As I'm tracing my hand down her legging-clad leg, Ellie stiffens. "What? Did I say something wrong?"

She cringes. "Oh, nothing. It's just … maybe not a bikini." She gestures to her middle, where I know stretch marks from giving birth to our kids grace her skin.

I squeeze her hip gently and press a kiss to her soft neck. "Oh, sweetheart. You're so beautiful. More beautiful now than ever. Those marks show how strong you are, and I love every one of them.”

She shivers and leans into me. "I know," she says, but there's still uncertainty in her voice. "It's just you're … you. In perfect shape. And I'm?—"

"The hottest fucking woman on the planet is what you are. These curves drive me up the fucking wall. I love that you're not as delicate anymore, I love that I can fuck you nice and hard without worrying about hurting you. You're. Fucking. Perfect."

"You mean it?"

"I sure as hell do."

Ellie sighs happily, and when I kiss her, I can see her pulse jump in her throat. I can feel the heat coming off her skin, and I know she wants me just as badly as I want her right now.

"Come on, sweetheart," I say, pulling her up and guiding her out of the study and towards the bedroom. "I'm going to show you just how much I love your body."

My cock is already rock hard, and I have to fight the urge to rip her clothes off and bury myself deep inside her. No, I have to go slow and show her how much I mean every word I say.

When we get to our bedroom, I lay her back against the pillows and step back to look at her. Her cheeks are flushed, and her hair is a mess. She looks so beautiful I can hardly stand it.

"You know what? Maybe not a bikini. When I have you all to myself, I want you wearing nothing at all on our private beach."

Ellie squeals with laughter as I gather her in my arms, her sounds of joy quickly fading into gasps of pleasure as I worship her the way she deserves.

The End

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