I WOKE THE NEXT MORNING to the sound of Gabriel singing Thomas the Train songs. Annie was missing from my bed. I threw on some clothes and followed the scents of coffee and bacon into the kitchen.

After breakfast, I’d planned to show Gabriel and Annie around my town.

“Why don’t you two newlyweds sneak away? I can take Gabriel to the river train. I want to bond with my grandson.”

I looked at Annie. We hadn’t been alone—like ever. Except that hour on the beach in Coronado.

“It’s fine, Mom. We can all go to the train together.” I didn’t feel right leaving Gabriel alone. I trusted my mom, but he didn’t know her.

Annie put her hand on my thigh. “Gabriel will be fine. Don’t worry about him. Let’s get out of here.”

“Relax, Pat. I raised you; I can watch my own grandson. We will have fun.”

“Fine, Mom. Call me if you need anything. We’ll be nearby.”

Annie and I said goodbye to Gabriel, and left.

I didn’t have a fucking clue where to take her. “I’ll show you around Sacramento.”

Annie had a glint in her eye, she licked her lips. “I have a better idea. Let’s go to a hotel.”

Didn’t have to ask me twice. “Sounds like a plan.”

Blood rushed through my body, my mind went wild. Yes, Annie was my wife. And we’d made love every day since we’d been married. But I couldn’t help but hold back. Gabriel was always around, and I was still paranoid about Annie having flashbacks. All my fantasies about her just didn’t seem right knowing about her past. My only goal was to make her happy. So our lovemaking had been sweet, tame, loving. Incredible, emotional, intense. But I wanted to get raw, dirty, nasty. Did she?

I tossed the valet my keys. Annie wrapped her body under my arms, stroking my leg, nuzzling my neck. We walked up to the reception desk, Annie’s hands all over me.

“Welcome to the Sacramento Hilton. Do you have a reservation?”

“No, we don’t. Just a room for the night, please.”

Annie whispered into my ear, “I want you. I can’t wait for you to touch me. Fuck me.”

The middle-aged clerk with mousy brown hair pulled into a tight bun raised her eyebrow at us.

Annie was giggling, kissing me. I kept my cool and handed the clerk my credit card.

I couldn’t race to the room fast enough.

When we arrived on our floor, I scooped Annie in my arms. I never had a chance to carry her over the threshold. The first time we’d made love, was about me making sure she was okay, not traumatized. Now, I wanted to fulfill her fantasies.

I placed her on the bed, about to kiss her. But she had other ideas.

She pounced on me, wrapping her arms and legs around me.

Game time. I’d been dying to take control.

I shoved her against the wall, pinning her wrists above her head. She writhed in my grasp. My lips took hers, not loving kisses; we’d had enough of those. Strong, desire, lust. It wasn’t sweet—it was primal, raw. Mine, she was my woman.

Before I could go further, I had to tell her something. “You have to promise to let me know if you are okay.”

“Shut up, Pat, and fuck me.”

Yes, ma’am. Her words went straight to my cock. Our kisses were frenzied, frantic. Her hands dropped to my belt, she pushed my jeans to the floor. I hiked up her skirt, rubbed her wet pussy through her panties.

“Pat, baby, don’t stop.”

I had no intention of stopping. I slid her panties off but kept her heels on. A wicked smile across her face melted me.

I knelt beneath her, dying for a taste. My mouth attacked her lips, plunging into her wet flesh. Her hips arched and she gasped. My fingers pressed up inside of her. She was so moist, so tender.

Her grip tightened on my hair, and she pulled me up.

I turned her toward the wall, one hand on her clit, rubbing her warm pussy.

I paused for a second, just to glance at her again. We needed this moment; I needed reassurance that she really wanted me like this. She squeezed my hand, and I knew she was present.

I slid my cock into her. She let out a long moan. My hands cradled her fine ass, every thrust, every push, bringing me closer to her core.

“Pat, oh my God. You’re so hard, baby. Don’t stop fucking me.”

I fucked her deeper, faster. Every time she let out a pleasure filled sigh, it almost sent me straight to the edge. I cupped her breast with one hand and pressed her clit into my other hand.

“You feel so fucking good baby. You’re so wet.”

Her pussy clenched around me and released. It was so fucking hot.

She gasped, I knew she was close. She dug her nails into my thighs. “I’m going to come baby.”

“Mine, Annie. You are mine. Forever. I fucking love you.” I had intended to keep the love talk out of it, but I didn’t care. I was so sprung on her, on my wife. The safety, the love, the comfort. Knowing that no man but me would ever touch her. That I trusted her. I knew that when I left on this deployment, she wouldn’t cheat. I’d never felt that security.

I turned her to me, wanted to see her beautiful face, watch her mouth curl as she came. I threw her onto the bed, and climbed on top of her. Her hair was wild, her face was flush. A blanket of joy washed over her face.

She rocked her hips up on mine, taking me in deeper with every thrust. Licking her nipples, kissing her neck, my cock throbbed. Her pussy was so wet, so swollen, so hot.

“Fuck, Annie. Come for me, baby.”

“Pat, ohmyGod. Yes.”

Her pussy clenched on my cock.

“Annie!” I cradled her through her orgasm. She came again, and again. Her pussy crashed down on me and I let myself go.

It wasn’t about the sex; I loved her no matter what. But I never thought we’d get here. I never thought we’d be able to have a normal sex life, that I’d always have to be careful with her. Knowing that we could fulfill all of each other’s fantasies, without having her flash back, made me love her even more.

When we finally separated, my body shivered. For once, our roles reversed, she turned to comfort me. “You okay?”

I touched my wife, kissed her on the neck. “No, Annie. I don’t want to leave you. I can’t imagine being away from you.”

“You’ll never be away from me. When I was waiting for you to come back for me, I just focused on your energy. I felt your presence. We are connected. Deeply. We will never be apart.”

For the first time in my life, I imagined a life outside of the Teams. Being a SEAL was the only thing I’d ever wanted to do. I thought marrying her would make it easier for me to go, knowing she was taken care of. But I had no desire to go a day without my wife and child by my side.