Chapter 9: Love’s Warm Embrace

The morning light streamed through the curtains as Samantha lay tangled in the sheets beside her husband. Listening to the sound of his breathing slowing into a steady rhythm. She smiled softly to herself, taking a moment just to admire him. The strong lines of his jaw, the way his dark lashes fluttered against his cheekbones.

Tenderly, she ran the tips of her fingers down over his shoulder blade and then along the taut curve of his back, enjoying this smooth expanse of warm skin. Ethan shifted at the touch, blinked open his eyes, and looked up at her with sleepy love.

“Good morning,” he whispered, reaching out to pull her closer against him so they were spooned together like spoons in a drawer. “Did you sleep well?”

She settled into the crook of his neck, breathing deeply of his scent as she pressed a series of soft kisses along his jawline until finally capturing his lips with her own for a lingering kiss good morning. “Mmm. I did,” she answered happily when they broke apart breathlessly moments later.

“Me too,” Ethan readily agreed, hands roving across the contours of her body to touch all the areas that made her shiver deliciously under his ministration. “In fact.” he trailed off seductively as one particular area was discovered that elicited an especially high-pitched gasp from Samantha.

They began to make love slowly at first amidst whispered words and sighs until passion took over, driving them together with frantic urgency. When they finally reached their peak, it was simultaneous--two halves of a whole writhing in perfect synchronicity before collapsing back against the pillows panting and sweaty but blissful.

“I love you,” Ethan breathed out reverently as he held her close afterward. “So much.”

Samantha smiled up at him tenderly, brushing damp strands of hair from his forehead. She was thinking about how young he looked now compared to just a few months ago when the first signs of aging had begun. She knew then that whatever miracle had brought this new life for them both could never again be taken away from her now. Unfortunately, she had assumed it wrong.

As they sat there quietly, the sounds of children moving about upstairs filtered down through the floorboards of the house. Lily’s giggling interposed over Ethan Jr’s grumbles about being hungry yet too lazy to get up just yet. A familiar weekday morning symphony that made Samantha grin at the domestic bliss it represented.

“I could sit here all day,” she whispered wistfully, her eyes drifting shut as she burrowed deeper into Ethan’s embrace. “Just you and me.”

Ethan chuckled lowly, his lips brushing her ear as he replied softly, “Mmm ... tempting. But I’m afraid work beckons, and our kids need food.” He stretched lazily and then rolled over to check the time on his bedside clock, which confirmed what they both already knew. Reality awaited outside those cozy blankets.