Mark

We found our uptown cottage less than a week after returning from Seattle.

It’s actually a converted duplex tucked behind a large garden district home facing St. Charles Avenue. We’re close to the river and the streetcar lines—as well as two universities. Lara has sent applications to both, and while she still wants to sing with Roland, she’s going to get a degree in the meantime.

My application to join the NOPD was quickly approved, thanks to a glowing referral from my senior officer in Alaska. My rank and status increased swiftly as I discussed my experience, and I was added to the mayor’s special task force on drug and sex trafficking.

Being familiar with the underworld gives me special insight when following leads and tracking down criminals. In my first month on the job I’ve been able to shut down a number of storefronts running drug rings and money laundering operations.

The only case I haven’t closed is the disappearance of Reese Landry. We never found a body, but we also never heard from him again. Armand and Roland are convinced he wandered out into the night, got lost in the delta, and died from his wound or blood loss.

I’ll probably never stop searching for the truth.

Today, all that is pushed aside. Not wanting to wait any longer, Lara enlisted Roland’s help, and the two of them put together a simple New Orleans wedding that took us to all the places we know and love.

From our six a.m. start time to now, I think it was a pretty perfect day, and now I’m driving my wife and daughter home.

I park my Acura on the street and place my hand on Lara’s knee as I open my door. “Wait here.”

I quickly take sleeping Jillian out of her car seat and jog her inside, tucking her in her crib and making sure she drifts to sleep again. Then I’m back at the car, where my always-stubborn wife has stepped out and is standing with her arms crossed, her back against the door.

Pausing at the front steps, I drink in her sexy body loosely covered in lace. “I love that dress.”

Her cheeks flush pretty pink, and she lifts the side of the almost-sheer skirt. “It was my one splurge. Designer from Barcelona.”

I take a slower pace, returning to her at the car. The way the delicate top is designed, the lace appears to be falling off her shoulders, dipping low around her breasts. It’s incredibly sexy and has my semi rising in my slacks.

“I’m not complaining. You’re gorgeous in it.” Stopping in front of her, I reach down to lift her in my arms. “Time to get across that threshold and get naked.”

She laughs, rolling her eyes, which immediately widen. “I forgot to toss my bouquet!”

“We’ll put it in a vase on the table instead.”

Her lips twist to the side. “I guess we’re not very traditional.”

“Traditional is for boring people. We can start being traditional after today if you want.”

She leans forward and kisses my cheek. “As long as we’re together.”

We’re across the threshold, but I keep going until we’re in our bedroom at the back of the house. It has a large master bathroom attached with a jetted, garden tub. I put my wife’s feet on the carpet and go to it, switching on the hot water.

“Hm,” she sighs. “I like where your head’s at.”

“You’re going to like where it’s about to be even more.”

She really laughs, then squeals when I lift her off her feet and drop her flat on her back on our king-sized bed. Her breasts rise and fall rapidly, creating those sexy little peaks at the top of her bra, and my semi is fully erect.

Dropping to my knees, I slide my hands under her skirt, moving them higher up her thighs along with her dress, and she lets out a low moan. I don’t stop, bunching the soft silk around her waist as I kiss the line of her lacy panties from her hip to the center below her navel.

Catching the sides with my fingers, I drag them away so I can sink my tongue over her clit and circle it fast and hard.

“Oh, God… Mark!” Her hips jump, and I give her a suck.

She’s fresh and sweet like the ocean, and I want her to come hard so I can flip her over and fuck her good.

“I’ve been dreaming of this since you stepped around that statue this morning.” I speak against her thigh, letting my beard tickle her sensitive skin. Chill bumps break out across her skin.

“Please…” she whimpers, and I’m back on her clit, sinking two fingers deep in her clenching core while I lick and pull that little bud.

Her hands slap the mattress, and her body writhes. I can feel she’s starting to come around my fingers.

“Mark—” Her voice breaks as her back arches off the bed. “Oh, God!”

She jerks as if electricity is running through her, and I slide my fingers out, ripping those panties away. I quickly turn her onto her stomach and push the dress up so her smooth ass is exposed.

Unfastening my slacks, I let them fall to the floor as I scoop her up by her hips and guide my cock to her entrance. She’s clenching and wet and I thrust balls deep, groaning loudly as her breathy cry fills the room. Catching both her hips, I pull her against me, fucking her hard as she begs me for more.

Her palms are flat on the mattress and she pushes against it, bucking her ass against my pelvis, riding out the waves of her orgasm as I climb. Deep inside, her pussy spasms and pulls me, and my eyes close as my orgasm spreads through my torso.

“Fuck yeah,” I hiss, holding her stomach as I brace my hand beside hers on the mattress.

I’m leaning forward, thrusting harder, driven by the waves of pleasure radiating through me. I’m on one knee and it’s growing tighter, tighter until…

“Lara… yes…” I groan as I shoot deep inside her, pulsing and filling her, flying through the stars as I jerk once, twice, holding her body to mine.

She arches up, pressing her back to my chest and threading her fingers in the back of my hair. Her head turns, searching for my mouth, and I kiss her good, tongues curling, tasting, lips pulling ravenously as the waves subside around us.

Another kiss, another taste…

“Shit!” I scoop her up and carry her to the almost-full tub.

I pull the stopper to allow some of the water to drain as we discard our remaining clothes.

“It’s so nice.” She sprinkles something that smells amazing into the warm water, and I kiss the top of her shoulder.

The back of her dress is a pattern of lace that wraps around her upper arms along a sheer panel. She drapes it over the door, and when I turn again, she’s walking to me wearing nothing but a garter around her right thigh.

Her bare pussy is pink and tempting between her thighs, and my dick is perking up again.

“You’re going to kill me,” I groan, and she smiles.

“Touch me,” she whispers, placing her palms on my chest and pushing my dress shirt and jacket off my shoulders.

I toss my clothes over a chair and cup her beautiful breasts, sliding my thumbs back and forth over her hardening nipples. Then I reach lower, running two fingers back and forth between her legs. Her eyes close, and she licks her lips.

Leaning down, I kiss her again, parting those lips and tracing her tongue with mine. She lifts her chin to kiss me deeper, and I hold her as we both step into the warm water, sliding lower, skin against skin.

“I love you,” she whispers.

“I love you,” I say, cupping her ass before sliding my fingers over her clit, slow and lingering, in a rhythm.

“I’ve loved you since the day you told me to trust you.” Her voice is thick with desire.

“I’ve loved you since the day you laughed.” I pull the back of her hair to tip her chin higher.

Our mouths unite again, and we’re lost in a wave of pleasure and union, husband and wife, deeply in love.

Her thighs tighten and she begins to ride my hand, sucking my tongue and whimpering as she chases her release.

Her eyes are closed, her head tilts back as she moans and begs. I lean forward and pull the skin of her neck between my teeth, sucking and kissing her as she vibrates with need.

She’s so gorgeous coming for me. I rotate my hand so I can plunge two fingers deep inside, curling them as I rub her clit with my thumb until her mouth breaks away with a cry. She pulls straight up and moans, but I don’t stop until she begs.

Catching her under the ass again, she collapses on my chest, her cheek on my shoulder as I hold her.

Pressing my lips to her ear, I whisper in a teasing voice. “My favorite erogenous zone.”

She starts to giggle, pressing the button for the jets. The water fizzes into a swirling spa, and she turns in my arms to face me, slippery as a bar of soap.

“You are very sexy,” she says, wrinkling her nose and putting her hands on my cheeks.

“Right back atcha, gorgeous.”

She pulls me closer, her mouth covers mine, and we kiss slowly, tangling our tongues and pulling with our lips. It’s lush and consuming and perfect… Then a baby squeal cuts through our moment.

Lara pulls back, eyes wide. “I’m going to get her.”

She stands, and I run my hand down her leg, watching as she disappears down the short hall completely naked. Just as fast, she’s back carrying our daughter, and I grab a washcloth, pushing it down into the water over my junk.

“Is it okay for her to be in here with me naked?”

“She’s just a baby, Mark.” Lara takes off Jilly’s diaper and drops it in the twisty diaper pail.

Then my naked wife and naked baby are both in the tub with me. Lara turns to lean against my chest, and Jilly is on her stomach smiling up at me and slapping the water. We both spit and laugh.

“No, Jilly,” Lara says softly. “Don’t splash Mommy and Daddy.”

That only makes her squeal and slap the water more.

“Here.” I pass her a rubber duck, and she puts it in her little mouth.

“I think she’s teething,” Lara says, watching her chew on the duck’s beak.

So much love blooms in my chest as I hold Lara against me and she holds my daughter in her arms, I almost can’t believe it.

I watch my wife smooth baby wash over my daughter’s soft skin in her hair, relishing the feel of her body against mine. I reach up and wipe a blob of foam off Jillian’s eyebrow.

“She’s so comfortable here. Like this is how her life has always been,” I say, watching them.

“She doesn’t remember it any other way.”

I think of a life always surrounded by love. It’s something I never had. I know it’s something Lara never had.

“I don’t want her to know anything else.”

Lara leans back to kiss me. “Then she won’t.”

It’s a promise. I made it to her mother years ago, and I made it legal today. I make it to my daughter as well. As long as we’re together, as long as I’m living, this will be her life. It will be our life.

We survived the darkness.

Now we’re standing in the sun.