Page 115 of Brighter Shades of Light

The sex was incredible.

Just like the man I loved.

Neither of us lasted very long. He felt too amazing, and the way he cried out my name told me he felt the same about me. Cody tensed before he shuddered, and I followed him into that bliss. My orgasm was intense, and it seemed to go on and on before I collapsed on him.

I held him afterward, kissing his damp forehead and trying to grasp that he was really here.

“You okay?” He snuggled in closer.

“Never been better.”

“I’m tired,” Cody said. “But I kinda don’t want to close my eyes, you know?”

He didn’t have to say why. I’d had many dreams where he came home, only to wake up and feel the crushing weight of reality.

“Just think.” I glided my fingertips along his shoulder blades. “When you wake up in the morning, I can order some donuts.”

“Are you bribing me with sweets?”

I smiled. “Possibly.”

“Can they be maple flavored?”

Kissing the top of his head, I hugged him as close as I could. “Whatever you want.”

When I fell asleep at last, it was the best rest I’d had in nine months.

Waking up the next morning with Cody’s arms around me and us twisted in the sheet…there were no words. I nuzzled his cheek before grabbing my glasses off the nightstand. He stirred and squinted at me, momentarily confused, but then he smiled.

“Morning,” he croaked.

“Good morning.” I pressed our lips together.

“I can’t wait to marry you,” he said. “The thought of it helped me over there.”

“Does it bother you that it will be my second marriage?” As I asked the question, the tips of my ears tingled, both from embarrassment and nervousness.

“Not at all.” Cody sat up and angled his body over mine. He kissed me once. Twice. “I might not be the first, but I know I’ll be the last. And that’s what counts. To me, anyway. Can we send an invitation to Emily, though?”

I laughed and rested my head on his shoulder, adoring the way his skin smelled in the morning. “Youdoremember she got married, too, right? If your aim is to make her jealous, I’m afraid you’ll be disappointed.”

“Nah, I’m not that mean.” The mischievous gleam in his eyes said otherwise. “She can have a plus one to our big day and bring the baseball champ. Maybe he can sign a ball for me or something.”

I narrowed my eyes. “Are you being facetious?”

“Me? Never.” And there it was, the lopsided grin. “All I’m sayin’ is a guy who knocks balls around is nothing compared to one who is on his way to saving the world like you. Brains over brawns for me any day.”

“Then, I suppose I’m the most fortunate in this situation, because I have a man who is both intelligent and strong.”

Cody pecked me on the cheek and got out of bed. The dips in his lower back drew my attention, and my morning arousal twitched. He pulled on a pair of sweats and came back over, resting his muscled arms on each side of me on the bed.

“One day, once my active duty commitment is met, I’m gonna work with nanotechnology,” Cody said. “I did some reading on my laptop on nights when I couldn’t sleep, and the prospects for mechanical engineers are increasing. I was thinking of maybe working in the aerospace industry, but doing more nano stuff might be more in my interest. I don’t know yet.”

As much as his body turned me on, his mind did so even more.

“Well, you have a few years to decide,” I said, touching my head to his. “Let’s get something to eat.”

“You didn’t eat anything yesterday, did you?” he asked.