Epilogue ~ Five Years in the Future (Mia) When I got home from my late shift at the hospital, he was in bed, sleeping. I was only a little disappointed as I sat on the end of our bed and watched him. I hadn t seen him for almost two weeks and he d flown home while I was working. But it was one a.m. and I was sure he was exhausted and still on European time. I wanted to wake him up and kiss him all over to welcome him home. But how could I, when he looked so peacefully asleep? And still so damn gorgeous. Thirty-two and he was even better looking than he d been in his twenties. I almost let loose a girlish sigh. God, I d missed him. I rubbed the stiff muscles at the back of my neck. I had a million things to do the most important of which was to get out of my scrubs and get to bed, but I didn t want to not yet. Are you just going to sit there and stare at me like a creeper or are you going to come over here and kiss me? he muttered, cracking an eyelid open in the dim light. I should have known Did I wake you up? I stood up, coming around to his side of the bed. No. I ve been lying here waiting for you to get home. You took your sweet time about it, too. I shrugged. Sorry. Had a couple emergencies to handle. He rolled onto his back and hooked an arm around my waist. Hmm. You have another emergency to handle right here, Doctor. His hand slid up my back and he pulled me down to kiss him. It didn t take much effort on his part because I was more than willing to suck on that delicious mouth. His hands came up to twine through my hair, his wedding ring glinting in the low light. Soon he was pulling my long hair out of the elastic band I d used to pull it back into a ponytail.
My mouth moved hungrily on his, tasting every inch, every corner. I got out bits of the normal chitchat in between frenzied kisses, which also involved him pulling my scrubs off of me. How was London? I missed you, he said by way of answer. His hands came up to unsnap my bra. I missed you too. My shirt was yanked over my head, my bra following it in seconds. I ran my hands over his bare chest and down under the sheets, noticing that he d saved me the trouble of undressing him by going to bed naked. Awfully presumptuous of you, isn t it? I snarked as I ran my mouth over the ridges of his yummy chest, tasting every valley. He let out a long, slow groan. Foreknowledge, he muttered, pulling my head up to his again so he could claim me with his mouth. Then his lips traveled down my jaw, against my neck, evoking delicious, dizzying sensations there. I knew you d be jumping my bones the minute you got home. So sure of yourself I said, sucking my breath as his mouth blazed a trail from my neck, across my collarbone and chest to fasten on my nipple while he caressed its twin with his free hand. I arched my back, gasping with pleasure. No it was actually you that I m sure of. When I thought he d roll us over, I pulled away, laughing and climbing on top of him, ready to prove him right. This cowgirl is ready to ride. Better saddle up! I bent over, grabbed a condom out of the nightstand drawer and deftly tore the package open with my teeth, slipping it on him one easy motion. He laughed that breathy laugh he always did when he was turned on. You don t waste any time, do you? Not when I have a hot piece of manmeat between my legs. I feel so objectified. Grinning, he gripped my hips and slid inside me. We both groaned in unison. It had been a long day, a long shift. I should have been ready to collapse, but instead I was
exhilarated, my blood singing through my veins in a rush of frenzy and thrill, just by being in this man s arms again. You love it, I breathed. Damn right I do. I rode him slowly, relishing the feel of him inside me, his hands cupping my breasts, his fingers tracing over the tattoo that now covered my scar stars forming the serpentine shape of the constellation Draco. Then with growing urgency, I moved quickly, sliding my hips over his, pushing us both closer to climax. He hooked a hand around the back of my neck, pulling my mouth down to his and we moved against each other, like the cloudy sky skimming over jagged mountains he solid, hard and me fluid and shifting over him. Our mouths locked in a long, passionate kiss. I came like that, with his thumbs gliding over my nipples, our bodies fastened together. I pushed against him and felt my world shattering around me, releasing in ecstatic waves. In moments, Adam had rolled us over, now moving on top of me to finish, driving into me with hard, fast strokes before stilling while I caressed his back, his shoulders. He let out a long, slow breath and then bent to gently pepper my face with kisses. After he rolled off, I lay back against my pillow, feeling as refreshed as if I d awoken from a full night s sleep. With a dreamy sigh, I watched as he got up from the bed, went into the bathroom and then came back, settling beside me. Okay, now we can talk he said with a grin. I rolled onto my side and hooked my arm around him. For now He laughed and kissed me. So tell me everything I missed. I got my results for my five year scan today, I said. Everything s good.
His arms tightened around me and he breathed into my hair. Of course it is. His voice was light, relaxed, but I knew how tense he got every year when I went in for my scans. And now that we d hit the five-year mark, the chance of recurrence had dropped dramatically. Thank goodness for that We talked some more he telling me about his trip to London and the latest goings on with the company, me recounting things that had happened at work, the latest from our friends and family members. Adam held me for a long time, his hands moving over my body as if he d never touched me before. As usual, his touch lingered over my lumpectomy scar, now just a thin white line all but hidden under subsequent reconstructive surgery and my tattoo. Then a hand slid softly across my belly to another, newer scar that ran just above the pubic bone, parallel to it, before slipping lower. I smiled. I was ready for round two And suddenly a shrill cry pierced the air and we froze. Adam stiffened against me and I reached over to turn down the monitor on the nightstand. He moved to sit up, but I stopped him. Don t go most of the time she rolls right over and goes back to sleep. He pulled away and gave me a look as if to ask, are you kidding me? And promptly slid out of bed and into his closet to pull on his pajama bottoms. Sighing, I sat up as he left the room. I reached over and turned off the monitor, got up and grabbed my own nightshirt and pulled it on. So much for round two. That was a rare gift, these days, anyway. A minute later, he was back in the room with the other love of his life in his arms, planting kisses on her teary cheeks. She had a chubby fist in her mouth. Her dark hair, the same color as his, all frizzed in a curly aura around her angelic face. Hey baby girl, I said, holding out my hands for her but she turned her head away, tucking in under Adam s chin. Typical. Ah so now that Daddy s home, my name is mud again.
Adam sat down on the bed, lying back and settling our daughter on his hard chest. I grabbed a pacifier from the nightstand and held it to her mouth. She took it and in less than two seconds flat, her long, dark lashes lay against her soft cheeks. You spoil her, I whispered. Daddy s prerogative, he answered, giving me a smile and taking my hand in his while he kissed the top of her head. My heart skipped a beat like it always did when I watched them together. Even now, as little as she was, I knew a special relationship when I saw it. I haven t seen her in two weeks, either. And she got bigger. I smiled lazily, squeezing his hand. Babies do that. I didn t have to ask him to know that he was glad, now, that we d decided to try to have a child in spite of the risk, the warning by my physicians that the hormones from the pregnancy might cause the cancer to recur. It had taken a while to persuade him. He d wanted nothing to do with anything that might put me at risk again. But eventually he d figured out how important it was to me. So in the end, he d conceded with the firm declaration that there would only be one. And because he d been a nervous wreck during the entire pregnancy, I d vowed never to put him through that again. If we decided to have more children, they would come to us another way. And we d love them every bit as much. I was so entirely grateful for all that I had. Him and her and our wonderful life together. I reached out and, with my finger, traced the tattoo on his chest, spelling out his sister s and now our daughter s name in beautiful jade script. And the other name, the newer tattoo right below it, closest to my heart, he d explained when he d come home, surprising me with it. Emilia. Because I was Dr. Strong, MD to some, Mia to everyone else. But I was and would always be his Emilia.